California Science Center

 A most wonderful afternoon was spent at the science center in LA!

A Nice Day

Jake and I went to Irvine park this morning to meet a Christian Homeschool group. We had a good time. Jake loves to show off for people he doesn't know, jumping off of things and climbing over high railings. Then we went for a walk and fed the ducks. We had lunch together on a bench by the lake. It was a beautiful day.

Oh what a fabulously boring day!

This morning I did laundry and dishes while Jake decided to cut things out of a magazine. Then we put a lego car together and had lunch. It was pretty exciting.

I got more books from the library including "Einstein never used flash cards" and started reading it while waiting for Tom to get out of class. Jake always falls asleep on the way there.

On the way home we stopped and got new Darth Vader tennis shoes for both of them and they are still wearing them. SURPRISE! Jake has been wearing rubber boots since he was three and then for Christmas this year Great-Grandpa got him cowboy boots. The rubber ones had completely worn down flat. I'm talking about the black ones from Wal-Mart. He has been wearing the cowboy boots every day since Christmas (except when he is being a worker, then he wears his tan work boots). Grandma Ann told him about General Patton wearing cowboys boots so now it is ok that he wears them while he is a soldier.

Then we stopped at Chuck E Cheese for a soda and salad. We had some extra tokens left from the last time we were there. I love playing games with them. They take them all so seriously.

When we went out to the truck we noticed that one tire was pretty flat so when we got home we had to get out the air compressor and fill them up. We checked them all, found out what PSI means and how to check it, and filled up the tires. Then they both took turns starting the truck and then driving down the alley. Yes, I let my 4 and 5 year old drive! They were sitting on my lap and we weren't on the street anyway. They get such a huge kick out of being in control of the steering wheel even if they don't get to turn!

Now we are waiting for Nikki and Grandma to get home. I'm waiting for coffee. Oh! And Jake and I read this great book of poems called "Toasting Marshmallows - Camping Poems". I love that he will sit and let me read just about anything to him. The best was that he was telling me about all the things he remembered from camping last summer. I can't wait to camp again now!

Cooking

The boys helped me make corn bread this afternoon. Fun stuff! If you can take two boys in the kitchen vying for attention. I believe we may have to separate them next time.

Let's see, corn meal (history), science, fractions, patience, small motor skills (breaking eggs), anything else?

Doom

The boys asked Dad, "When can we play Doom on the computer?" 

Dad says, "When Mom is done working." 

The boys say "She isn't working, she's playing solitaire!"

Dad says "When Mom is done researching probability, then we can play Doom!"

One of "the" homeschool questions

A friend asked one of "the" homeschool questions. You know, the "How do you know if they are learning if you don't test them?" question. I answered her that I knew she was intelligent and I have never given her a test. But then I started thinking more about that. When you are working at a job, how do the people around you know that you know what you are doing? Do they give you a written test? No, they know because you perform the job and take care of the tasks you are given in an intelligent manner. The same is true for children in a small setting like a family group. In a larger group of children, like in a classroom setting, you may have to result to a written or verbal "test" because you don't have the time to observe each child doing what they do. You don't know if they are using the information they are getting from the books they've read, shows they have watched, people they have talked to, and places they have been.

Skyway

Tom and Jake spent two hours building the "skyway" with Dad this morning.

It is a piece of string lawn trimmer line tied between two chairs. Then they all build cars to slide down it. They have to build something that will slide, balance, and not flip off the line. Then they try to build landing areas so they don't crash and break at the bottom.

I think that is enough "school" for today!