My writer pal Harriette is working on a field trip to the Biltmore Estate.  She'd like to know if any other HomeschoolBloggers would like to meet up there.  Pop by her blog to get the skinny and leave her a note if you're interested in attending!

Okay, I'm trying to do a bit of research about California homeschooling law and resources.  I've already checked the basic CA homeschool info on HSLDA's website...where do you recommend I go next?  From what I've seen in the past, the HSLDA information isn't always the most comprehensive.  (In past years, WA state law has been incorrectly explained there...not sure if it's corrected now.)

Secondly, do any of you CA homeschool families have favorite links or groups that you recommend?  Especially for the Monterey area.

Help make my life just a smidge easier?  Throw me some links or something.  :-P  Thanks!

Tami over at Discount Home School Supplies is running a contest for a free microscope!  If you want to enter, you need to hit Tami's blog post about the contest and follow the directions there. 

If you win, stop back by here and let me know so I can do a happy dance with you!

I found Princess Mom's blog (Help! My Kids Are Smarter Than Me!) today thanks to a Washington Post article about homeschooling.  I perused her archives a bit and came across this post about Harriett the Habitual Runaway.  Good way to start the day with a chuckle!

Oh, and the Washington Post piece about "homeschooling"?  It's called Learning When, Where and How They Choose.  Technically, in my state this AFE program wouldn't be considered homeschooling.  But the school districts here would sure tout it as such, in an effort to get in the good graces with folks providing funds to schools, and with parents who want to provide home-based instruction.  It's a somewhat positive look at  learning at home, instead of in the classroom.  Keep in mind though that the program is still run by school administrators, and note this portion:

"AFE, and other programs like it, are an outgrowth of the home-schooling movement, which has grown in recent years as families opt out of public schools.

"Administrators call the program, which began about 15 years ago, a win-win situation. It allows families to take a major role in their child's education while the school system retains the student."

Look closely, y'all.  This is an alternative education program offered by the school, into which students must be enrolled.  Yes, it's education at home, primarily by the parent(s); but your student is still a public school student.

Furthermore, I'm disappointed in this spot, including the comment from AFE lead teacher Ward Smith:

"The kids participate in field trips, dramatic productions and other activities. 'We can be very creative,' Smith said."

Excuse me?  Mr. Smith, are you implying that parents who homeschool without the "assistance" of the AFE program aren't able to be "very creative"?  That we don't participate in "field trips, dramatic productions and other activities"?  Have you ever heard of a homeschool co-op?  Homeschooled students who participate in co-op, private and public school sports programs?  Homeschooling families who take their own family field trips or caravan with others to partake of educational travel?  What about the homeschooling families who teach good citizenship and stewardship by volunteering in their communities, in programs ranging from visits to senior homes to veterans' hospitals, animal shelters to natural resource management and clean-up programs?  What about interaction and service through church groups and organizations like Civil Air Patrol?

Hmm.  While the quote may have been taken out of context, it appears that someone has bought right into the "public schools are the only ones who can offer your kid anything of value" mantra. 

I can be "very creative" too.  Hmph!

I really enjoyed this article about homeschooler Brantley Wilson over at the Beaufort Gazette.  It's an excellent look into one family's reasons and methods regarding homeschooling for the long haul.  The writer also took the time to really personalize the article, with lots of quotes from Wilson's college instructors.

All in all, it's a very positive article.  Plus the "Doogie Howser" reference cracked me up.  Does anyone else remember that show?  I hear tell you can get it on DVD now.  Oh, myyyyy.

Well, we actually did get out of the house the entire weekend!  On Saturday, we went to Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument.  We went in on the west side of the park, stopping at the Silver Lake Visitor Center first, then working our way up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory and over to the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center.  (With a few stops at scenic spots along the way, of course.)

The Little's favorite parts of the trip were the fox pawprint stamps she got on her hand at the admissions booth and the video of the 1980 eruption shown up at Coldwater Ridge.  We only watched the show twice this visit, but in the past she's watched it (in one sitting) more than a half dozen times!

Here's the view of Mt. St. Helens from the Johnston Ridge Observatory:

And here's the view further up Johnston Ridge, including part of the memorial to those who perished during the eruption on 18 May 1980:

This is a pretty little waterfall we spotted across the road from a scenic turnout we stopped at.  We had a guest along this time, who was originally driving my truck...we stopped so I could drive and let him just enjoy the view!

For reference, I highly recommend that traveling homeschool families invest in a National Parks pass and the Golden Eagle hologram to go with it.  These two will get you into any National Park Service sites that require an entry fee, as well as sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.  At $65 (combined), this pass can save a family of three quite a bit of dough, let alone a larger family.  (Go check out those links too; they have plenty of interesting resources for kids and adults!)

Sunday we headed north to Seattle and hit the Woodland Park Zoo.  This is an incredible zoo, with exhibits broken down by geography and habitat type.  Unlike the smaller Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Woodland Park has animals like giraffes, hippos, lions, tigers, and the great apes (gorillas, orangutans, etc).  They also have the Butterflies and Blooms exhibit, which just re-opened a week or so ago.  This zoo is NOT cheap to get into, but it's worth it. 

Here's one of my favorites, the brown bear in the Tundra/Taiga area:

The oldest silverback and one of his sons in the African savanah:

One of many butterflies at the Butterflies & Blooms exhibit:

I haven't checked the forecast yet for the weekend, but if things clear up enough, I think we're going on a field trip. 

My choices are:

• Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument  (The Little and I love the Johnston Ridge Observatory!)
• Wolf Haven International 
• Woodland Park Zoo (The Butterflies & Blooms exhibit just reopened!)

Heck, I'm half tempted to do one Saturday and another Sunday!  Either way, I'll try to remember to take the digital camera (courtesy of Gramma & Grampa) this time.  Rain or shine, we've got to go somewhere.  I've got the urge to get out of this house! 

Where will you be this weekend?

Found this article about unschooling today thanks to a Yahoo! Alert.  Interesting stuff!