Sunday we were planning to go to Tehachapi Mountain Festival but all wanted to stay close to home.  We went to the church, the garden and came home.  Jessica listened to the last tape for Felicity (American Girls series).  She liked Felicity as much as Kaya.  This is proving to be a great series for us.  I made mop caps for Jessica and Angelina.  We are planning on having a tea party next weekend to sum up Felicity.  The girls tried on their mop caps-very cute!

On Monday we were gone from the house all day.  We joined our Tehachapi friends at the Amtrak station at 6:45AM.  Left Bakersfield at 7:10AM and headed for Fresno's Zoo.  We got off the train and onto city buses.  Dropped off right in front of the zoo.  The girls loved this zoo.  Mark and I were impressed.  It was totally different than San Diego's Zoo.  We were able to see the whole thing in 4 hrs.  The girls loved all the birds-5 avairies in the place, I think.  We took many bird pictures.  Jessica wants to look in the bird book and learn more about them.  Both girls loved the petting corral.  Goats, ostrich, cow-Jessica's favorite was the pgymy goats.  She so wants one when we move into a house.  The girls each got a gift from the zoo-Angelina a water bottle and Jessica a pink flamingo that makes noise.  The girls want to go back again when they can do a camel ride.  We actually got back to Bakersfield on the train schedule.  It was wonderful that the train was on time as it has never been on previous trips on the train.  Jessica was thrilled to make a new friend on this trip whose name is also Jessica (she's 6 soon to be 7).  We all went to sleep early as very tired!!!!  The best part of the trip was:

IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL AND WE ARE ON AN EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIP WITH OUR HOMESCHOOLING FRIENDS.  THANK GOD FOR HOMESCHOOLING!!!!!  

On Tuesday, a very tired Mommy went to work.  It of course was busy like usual.  The best part of the day was in the evening.  I went to a Math Curriculum Chat that included parents from our other homeschool group, Bakersfield Home Learners.  I have been withdrawing some from this group as it was not meeting the needs of our family.  However, there are some new parents in the group and they have started this chat once a month.  It is about curriculum.  They are also doing a co-op that includes 16 families.  The co-op is going to cover the 7 continents in 8 months (no co-op in December).  It appears that it might work for us-the decision is still not final yet.  Waiting to see the first meeting in September.  Anyway, I am very grateful that I went to the chat.  I got more Scholastic book orders-$25 in books/games going to be spent.  Already do Scholastic through Teh group.  I got to see many different math curriculums.  Thus saving the expense of buying and not liking.  It looks like two curriculums might work for us.  I want to try Singapore with Grade 2 but Math-U-See appears like it might work also.  Got to see other curriculums and ruled out that several won't work for us.  So it was well worth the trip.  I also borrowed a book that uses literature to teach math.  This might be the greatest assest from this chat.  Afterwards, I looked at some science books that the host had and might have found some science for Jess to use after we have exhausted Magic School Bus and Andrew Lost.  Talked about the co-op also and FIAR.  Many of the women there are also doing FIAR.  About half the group was from the local Charter school and listening to them reinforced that I am not doing Charter at this time.  We are definitely going to R4.  Anyway, Wednesday I was really tired after two very busy and long days.  But I am a happy homeschool mom as both days were very much a plus in our homeschooling journey.

Till next time-Christina

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