A Park Day with the Salt Lake Unschoolers

This park in Fruit Heights, Utah is amazing! An awesome ravine for hiking and playing for the big kids (zombie attack and the Hunger Games), huge play set shaped like a castle for the little kids, and a little area just for toddlers!

We always have so much fun when we get together with this group. Teri (from Joyful Liberation) and I joked that our blogs about this post were going to look identical! We were right, but it was a beautiful day and worth a double share!

It was a cool and stormy day, but the rain managed to hold off until we were leaving. So perfect you'd think we'd planned it!

Lovely day!

A Mini Vacation

We don't take a lot of vacations. We usually plan one or two big trips a year and then do a dozen or so day trips.

It was a really nice surprise when our dear friend Bruce offered to let us use a time share at Snowbird Ski Resort.

Travis had to work so I called my dear friend Jess and she and her three kids joined us at the Iron Blosam Lodge for some swimming and hanging out in the mountains!

Thanks, Bruce!!

Pizza before our first swim! Liam approved.

Dot calls it "peetzee" and it's her favorite food. Ever.

The ladies enjoyed their meal on the balcony...

...watched over by this horrible picture ruin-er.

The view from our suite.

Relaxed.

Kieran was pretty excited about the whole thing.

The mothers must prepare.

One of the best big brothers of all time.

Heated pool.

This face <3

One of my favorite people on the planet.

Pool view.

Morning.

Bagels for breakfast.

Patiently waiting for the pool to open at 10am.

One

Last

Swim

The view on the way home. Gorgeous.

Not pictured: Jess and I got to go swim in the "Adults Only" pool after the kids were settled for the night. It was raining and cold and the pool was deliciously hot. Shout out to Alex for watching the kids so we could have some special grown up lady time!

Oh Me Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!

(Title slightly stolen from Sandra Boynton, sorry not sorry. That lady is a genius!)

Today the girls and I made a quick trip to the Hogle Zoo for their "Zoorassic Park" event that runs from May through September 2015. There are a bunch of animatronic dinosaurs spread throughout the zoo. We didn't realize it but today was also water conservation day, so we learned a little bit about the water cycle and water use, too!

Dorothy LOVES dinosaurs. Loves. She was so excited about every single one, roaring at them and pointing excitedly! Emie is a big fan too and loved it. She asked to go back pretty much as soon as we left.

Some photos!

Emie kept shushing people to be quiet for the baby dinosaur.

Dot just pointed and ROARED!

Emie was practicing her roar.

I think these were Dot's favorite...

...she kept signing "baby" and then roaring!

Emie asked me to read almost every sign.

The adult and baby dilophosaurus spit water at passersby.

Emie thought that was pretty hilarious.

We finished our visit with ice cream because of course.

We had such an amazing time and are definitely going back next week!! Hopefully we'll have friends with us next time!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

(I hope that you sang the title of this post in your head as you read it...)

The past week or so has brought some interesting changes to our lives!

First, Travis is now working a morning shift. For the last 7-8 years he's been working evenings, from about 11am until 8pm. Monday marked the first day of his new shift, 4:30am until 12:30pm! This means he'll be home during the day and be able to join in our daily shenanigans for the first time ever! YAY! This also means he gets to eat dinner with us every night too! I'm really looking forward to having him around to share in the daytime/evening fun around here.

Next, after a long talk and some soul searching on Alex's part, he's decided to attend 9th grade part time next year. He's planning to take math and possibly a couple electives. He still plans to take his GED next fall, so the math class should help him reach that goal. The electives are just for fun.

I'm a little sad about his return to regular schooling, but he really misses the social time associated with it. We could easily learn all the things he wants to at home, but I cannot recreate that environment for him. I could also refuse to let him return and keep in home because, honestly, that would be so much easier for me. I won't do that.

I vividly remember my junior high and high school experiences and how "out of control" I felt. It was obvious to me that the school system felt my opinion about my schooling was unimportant. This sparked  a combative relationship between me and education as a whole. (Except for the time I spent in Learning Community, but that will have to wait for another post.)

Alex deserves to have a say in his education and in his social life. This is his life he's living and I have no desire or drive to live it for him. I will, however, do everything in my power to give him the resources that can help make it a productive, joyful, and fulfilling life for him.

Cassidy will be staying home for another year, as will Emie and Dot, obviously. Cassidy is excited to try climbing lessons this summer, for our trip to Yellowstone in a couple weeks, and for a trip to a family cabin with his cousins.

Emie is excited the sky is blue and the sun is shining and that she'll be four years old in about 6 weeks!

Dot may or may not be excited about the yogurt she's currently shoveling in to her mouth. It's hard to tell.

(Sorry this is a picture-less post. The next one will be all photos. Maybe. Or maybe just one photo. Of a chicken. Who knows.)

Apartment Kids

Alex and Cassidy spent the majority of their younger years growing up in apartments, in homes without yards, or with yards that weren't safe to play in. The only safe outside time they had was at their grandparents house and at school. (And on the rare occasion we could go to the park)

In their natural habitat.

The girls, Emie and Dot, have always lived in a house with a fully fence and kid friendly yard. From the time they were old enough to walk (and not constantly eat dirt and rocks) we have set them loose in the yard to explore and play and get dirty.

Emie and Dot made a habitat for a potato bug she named Elsa, because of course she did.

I always wanted this for the boys, but by the time we had a safe yard they had become "apartment kids". They were so used to playing inside that they kind of hated the outdoors. Don't get me wrong, they enjoyed parks and riding bikes and scooters, but you couldn't just set them loose in the yard and expect them to entertain themselves... unless there were other kids or water to keep them engaged.

I felt guilty about this for a long time. Like I should have done things differently. Taken more time after work and school to go to the park and let them explore. Hovered less when we were in friends yards. Spent more time hiking and less time smoking at coffee shops.

Hi Elsa.

Since we started homeschooling, Alex and Cassidy have had a chance to developed their own relationships with nature now. Alex enjoys going out to longboard and listen to music by himself. Cassidy likes to get outside with friends and play their own invented games. They both like to hike and climb when they're in the mood.

The boys do not like bugs. I don't either. No, not even butterflies. They have never picked up bugs and brought them to show me. Not pill bugs, not lady bugs, not worms, not ants.

Emie has started bringing me bugs. I think it's awesome. And gross. I have to touch them. It's definitely teaching me to overcome my own hang ups about our tiny insect friends.

If bug touching is the cost for having kids who love to play in nature, I'll pay it.

Ew. Elsa, you're gross.