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I love fall! Maybe it's because I grew up in 'the north woods' of Wisconsin. I am not sure. But I never outgrew my love for the season of pumpkins, crisp leaves, and hot mulled cider. So much emphasis has been placed on halloween that the celebration of fall itself has fallen to the wayside, with the exception of one day in November. I find this saddening.

My family has grown to expect fall harvest time to be a celebetory time at our house, second only to Christmas. We host a fall party for our homeschool friends at our place every year. Everyone brings a fall treat to share and we create crafts-a-plenty. Usually we do pumpkin carving. (I think the kids have more fun with this activity in a group. It also seems to reason that messing up one driveway makes a lot more sense than five or more.) One year we did corn husk dolls. (Not recommended for the novice crafter) But this year, since our group is getting into their teens, we are changing our fall focus to more 'sophisticated crafting'. This year we will be making fall wreaths for our homes, fall coasters, and possibly squirrel feeders.(we'll see if the squirrels deserve it) There will also be plenty of leaf jumping and outdoor games if weather allows.

I am thinking this will be the funnest fall gathering yet! It's not every gathering that us moms get to have as much fun participating as our children, create home decor with loving memories we can display each year, and 'teach' at the same time.

What kind of harvest has God provided for you this season?

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Well, as most things that go a little too smoothly, there's a catch.

My eldest daughter started her year with the Jubilee Academy. (Still parent led, but homeschool user friendly online format.) We did her freshman year with them and planned on continuing through high school. (With other studies of course)

There were *glitches* as they called them, from the start. We had some last year too, but were encouraged things would be smoother this year. They are not. So, we're 'pulling her out' and starting over on things.

The more I think about it, it's for the best. We will be back to creating a curriculum uniqely hers. It's just not what I wanted to do in September. It makes me feel like I'm a 'newie' again changing curriculums midstream. As my daughter would say, *sigh*.

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I don't know about everyone else, but I start thinking about the new year with my children's weaknesses in mind. Currently, our is history. So that is a major subject focus this fall. We will be taking another look at the world around us. We have come to a census (more or less) that it's time to put things "in order". So my Husband and I put together a few creative things to make history and current events more meaningful for BOTH my read/write child and my hands on/auditory child.

This one I wish I would have thought of years ago - I went to our local dollar store and bought each of them a scrapbook and some pages to fill. In each scrapbook they need to place one world event and one local event for each week. There is some other criteria, such as including a map. My husband's overseeing this since he can oversee them on a flexible basis - that and he's the history buff. So far both my girls are really enjoying this. One has decided to devote her scrapbook to animal news and the other to scientific discover news. Did you know that scientists now think they can determine when a volcano will next erupt by the composition of the lava rocks?!

Ever since my husband has started on his rotating shift schedule the girls and I have made the nights he's gone into a "girl's night".  On these girl nights, from fall to spring, we do a 'side study' with movies. Follow me. . It gets educational.
Last fall to spring we did musicals. In total we watched 32! Is it overkill? Not really when you consider my girls are both in theater. They now know the play and time frame to every song they are asked to sing. Well, almost. We missed Les Miserable. (Oops, we’re doing that this week) We have learned a ton about social dress, customs, music, dance, and cultural themes - all over a bag of popcorn and an evening in. And my point was?

This year we are doing a historic unit study on the Renaissance time period.

To do this we are using The History of the World, Book 2 : The Middle Ages. There are 42 chapters. Each chapter chronologically lists a major event in that time period of history. Not only that, but it covers every continent. These short 3-8 page summary chapters are packed with easy to read information that we will read and watch a movie on. For example, the chapter on China we can watch The Last Samurai or we can watch a historic documentary - or both. I have also listed out possible activities for each child to do with each chapter.  (There is a book you can get, but  it is more of a map study and that's not what we are going for here. The base maps are already included with the text.) I am excited about history this year! It's not my most loved area of study. What can I say, twelve years of public schooling to undo.

Along side this, they are each doing formal lessons. My oldest is doing a course in American History through The Jubilee Academy. My youngest is doing a semester study on the constitiution with a workbook.

Also , our  homeschool group is doing the same time frame (fortunate happenstance? Hmmm...) So we will be attending a renaissance fair, doing medieval games, activities, and my personal favorite; a Chistmas time trip to Medieval Times Restaurant.

Gosh, that's just one subject. No wonder my kids think I'm tough.

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Our local school district started this week and our girls don’t start their fall semester until Labor Day. Usually, we get together with our HS group and do a 'Not back to School' picnic. But this year I just finished up my first ‘back to college’ class and my enrollment process, so I have the next four weeks off and my husband put in for two weeks of his much needed vacation time. This called for much more than a picnic.

Yeehaw – Road Trip! www.shabbonalake.com

We went to Lake Shabbona for two days and one night. This was my first pitch a tent, sleep under the stars experience. We had so much fun! It was only an hour drive for us. (Far enough to feel like a trip and easy on the gas.) We pitched camp, went hiking, and fishing.

My favorite part was the tall prairie grasses. They were literally twelve feet tall in some areas! Did you know that in 1900 two thirds of Illinois was covered in prairie? (We learned that this weekend J) I felt like we were the Wilder family trying to navigate our way across the prairie back to the lake.

This State park has almost everything. There’s even a restaurant on the other side of the lake that does early breakfasts! The only thing I wished there would have been was a swimming area. But then again, the lack of one kept out the crowds.

Things we enjoyed:

There is no alcohol allowed in the camp area.

We were able to bring the family dog for no fee.

No noise after 10 PM

Campers can fish the lake all night if they like.

Affordable boat rentals: paddle boats, canoes, pontoons, etcetera.

         Awesome camp store!

         There were Electrical hook-ups at each site.

            (Standard and 220)

         Bathrooms and water access within walking distance

Trip Tip

Bungee Cords and a large sheet between trees will provide you with sun, wind, and privacy shelter.

Two words - Field Guide. Do not assume that a state park will have one. This one did not. We spent an entire afternoon in some type of prairie grass I have yet to identify.

Also, don’t forget to bring a deck of cards or some family game. Someone will be glad you did.

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The child suckers are back!  They will suck up your small unsuspecting children, extract their inner core, and spit them back out. Be aware - Your children can suffer life long damage from exposure.

There are tell tale signs your child has been exposed. The first sign to look for is lack of interest in learning or a general disregard for leadership. These are sometimes hard to distinguish separately and typically run as a dual diagnosis. An alternate sign of exposure is general apathy. Other possible signs to look for are; obnoxious behaviors, lack of self control, developmental delays in social skills, and underachievement.

The good news is that removing the child sucker can, with time, reverse these effects. It takes diligence and care to the wounded areas, but it can be done.

So, what can be done to prevent your child from child suckers?

Top five ways to avoid child suckers . . .

1.     Stay indoors in inclement weather.

2.     Sleep until sunrise.

They are most dangerous in the mornings.

Their numbers dramatically decrease with the sun’s rays.

3.     Duck for cover.

Do not be seen; especially if you are in a moving vehicle. (It’s a fun car ride game.J)

4.     If you must be outside, walk with purpose.

This will cause the child sucker to become confused, ultimately passing you by.

5.     Avoid being on the same road as the child suckers.

If you’re headed where they are, you may be tempted to let your child go.

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Yesterday I took my thirteen year old daughter to her Ultimate Frisbee group.
It was a beautiful day. Warm in the sun, but cool when the breeze came by. And although I had enough assignments due to keep a person busy for several weeks and not just one, I put my work back into my portfolio, unfolded my lawn chair, and sat with the rest of the homeschool moms.
An acquaintance turned and asked, "Aren't you done with your classes yet?"
In my head I was responding 'Done Yet?! What do you mean by that?'
I calmly replied. "What do you mean?"
"Weren’t you taking some classes?"
So politely gave my responses to numerous questions;
 "Yes, I am going to Judson College."
 "No, that was when I went to the community college."
 "No, it's a Human Service Degree."
 "Yes, I finished that."
After a full drilling of questions there came silence. Everyone turned to watch the swarm of teens heading across the field. My daughter made the scoring catch. Everyone cheered. My daughter turned, smiled, waved, and ran the other direction.
And there I sat - in silence. No one said congratulations. No one wished me luck.  No one said anything.
I could watch them thinking. Were they wondering how I could work, go to college, and homeschool? Were they jealous because I could work it all out? Were they judging my ability to be there for my kids? Condemning me for having a life outside of my children and home?
I wondered; had any of them went to college? I didn't ask.
Eight different heads were just moving with the game in silence. Whatever their thoughts were, it was obvious that my life connected something within them they weren’t willing to voice.

As we left last night I couldn't help but feel for those moms. It has been two summers since I received my first college degree and no time had passed for them.

I didn't get the feeling they were feeling for me. All I felt was alone.

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It was a spur of the moment, great road trip weather, nothing in our schedule kind of morning yesterday. So my husband woke up our youngest, and announced to our oldest "Road trip!". Two words that evoke smiles on our children every time.

Everyone raced around the house to get set for the day and ready to, especially since we don't know where. (Okay, the children don't know. But it is inevitable that at some point we will vear to somewhere even we didn't plan on going.)

On our way out to the van I look and each of my girls has a backpack with them. I have to laugh a little out loud. How far do they want to go today?

In an hour and a half we were at the Henry Vilas Madison Zoo. We had heard they were doing some new exhibits there and we hadn't been in a couple of years. (It's also free and complete with beach and picnic areas - www.vilaszoo.org )

We toured the buildings we had seen on previous trips. Then we saw they added a tropical aviary building where you can walk right through among all the birds, and an endangered species carousel. Of course we did both. But what was really different this trip was that I didn't get into teacher mode. I just enjoyed the experience with my family.

Our road trip didn't take us too much farther. We debated at a chinese buffet stop whether to go see the Kincade exhibit in the mall or catch a movie at a cinema up there, but in the end we were too relaxed and took the scenic route home. Upon which we discovered a great state park we will have to stop at some time soon, perhaps on our next road trip.

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The end of the spring semester in our home means the end of the homeschooling 'year'. (Although we don't really go by our local school schedule, we do follow a general college semester format) And for the first time in ten homeschooling years, I was feeling burnt. I mean really burnt. It's just been so much - the piano and choir, church and martial arts, theater and 4-H.  Let's not forget the lesson work. Each of our girls know that resposibilities come first. That means there's lots to get done each day before breakfast even happens.

And I can't help but wonder how (or why) I have let their 'stuff' take so much of my time and energy. Because all us moms know that having our children involved, no matter how much we pay someone else to teach or lead an activity, means we are also involved. It's more than driving time and gas. It's assisting the teacher, gettting the supplies our children need, and supporting them through every week of what they do.

But today as I sat at and listened to my daughters play at their piano recital I realized that this is not their day, it's mine. They know what they've done. They don't really care about showing everyone else, but they want to show ME. And I have the chance to see just how far down the road they really travelled this year, and I got to walk with them. Today, I felt truely blessed.

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