Fall {fun} learning

I love fall!  The actual season is quite short here in the deep south so I grab every opportunity to incorporate fall fun into our learning.

It may be a little late to squeeze in all of these activities this fall, but I’m going to post them as ideas for next year.  Here are some things we have done this fall and some we are planning on doing:

F is for fall

An “F” decorated with falling leaves and a feather.  (I haven’t a clue where the feather came from…I guess Evan found it and added it to the paper since it was the same sound. {smile})

We also sang these fall songs while identifying colors and color words.  My kids are partial to the “Leaves are falling, Leaves are falling, One fell on my nose” sang to the tune of Jingle Bells. 

Fun fall counters

We bought these counters from Dollar Tree a few years ago.  (But I’m sure they have something similar even now.)  They have come in handy for counting, patterning, adding & subtracting, and even multiplying.  It’s amazing how something so simple motivates the kids. 

 

Fall handprint trees

My older kids did this in the past and now I’ve done it with my two littles.  For the handprint trees, we used brown construction paper, traced the little ones’ hands, and glued it to white construction paper.  The little ones used cotton swabs (and fingers) to decorate the trees with falling leaves.  I hot glued the trees to some painted frames and hung them in our kitchen. (Note to self:  write the date on the pictures before placing in memory boxes.)

Other fun fall activities:

• My October {homeschool} board at Pinterest
• Fall sun catchers

 

Pumpkin carving and seed roasting

We carved pumpkins this year and roasted the seeds.  I had intentions of turning this into a writing lesson for the younger ones but did not. 

Apples, apples, apples

We did some activities earlier in the fall season with apples.  I’ve pinned some great ideas on Pinterest.  This picture is our learning board.  The board holds vocabulary words, songs, and spelling activities.  There is more about our past apple fun here. 

Thanksgiving

This coming week, our children (older and younger) will be focusing on Thanksgiving.  Here are some of the ideas that we will be using:

• Thanksgiving lapbook
• Book list for Thanksgiving
• T is for turkey (I’m thinking we will do the the feet and hand turkeys.)
• Tree of thankfulness
• Free Thanksgiving unit from Meet Penny
• Thanksgiving writing prompts
• November {homeschool} Pinterest board
• Be Thankful copywork and notebooking printables

 

What are your favorite fall fun learning activities?

 

 

 

I love my boys

 

In our front yard we have a tree with leaves that turn the most beautiful yellow every fall.

I love that tree and the color that it adds to our home in the fall.

Yesterday I noticed that the tree looked a little different.

(You may too if you look back at the previous picture in the top, left-hand side.)

Yes, that’s a rake in the tree.

That’s a rake in the tree about 15 (or so) feet off of the ground.

I’m not sure if he was trying to hide the rake or if he was just experimenting in his usual got-to-see-what’s-gonna-happen fashion…but I knew just who had done it.

My son admitted that he had thrown the rake into the tree but he did try to get it down.

I just chuckled.  I love my boys and their just-got-to-see-what’s-gonna-happen personalities.

Fall traditions

A little tissue paper

a little contact paper

and

a little mess

and

we have one of our family’s favorite fall traditions.

Fall leaf (and pumpkin) sun catchers

On our to-do list for next week is another one of our family traditions:  our tree of thankfulness.  (But I’m planning a little twist on that tradition.)

Do you have any fall traditions that your family likes to do?

Fall fun memories

Last night was our church’s fall festival. 

David and I were accompanied by two ballerinas and a cowboy.  The older two boys didn’t get to join us because they are away for a weekend of hunting at their Grandparent’s house.  (But my oldest got to take his first shot at a deer today.  He missed but there’s always next time. {smile})

The fall festival always has our favorite things:  bouncy houses, cotton candy, snow cones, chili, lots of games, hay rides, and friends.

Today has been a wonderful fall day too.  The windows have been open, an autumn fragranced candle burning, little girls still in tutus running around, a little James Taylor or Bee Gees music playing, and a little dancing with giggly girls.

Fall is a wonderful time to make wonderful memories.

We sure do love the fall!

This girl loves the great outdoors

I have been one grouchy, grouchy mama lately.

I’m not proud of it but I’ve got a good excuse.

It’s called

insomnia.

Yes, a week of very little sleep will leave a mama in a not so great mood.

It’s sad, but true.  (I’m only human.)

And how do you cure it?

Well, obviously get some sleep but

then we’re back at that insomnia thing…

vicious cycle, I tell ya.

For me, there is a great pick-me-up.

On the morning after the worst night of sleeplessness in history, I headed out to a place that brings me joy, peace, and energy.

The Woods

We all felt so at home in the woods as we

explored,

worked,

and played.

And even though I was bone tired, I lost my grouchiness (and I’m sure my kiddos were quite relieved) as we walked back and forth along the long road between the deer stands.

We had some great talks on that road about

temperate forests (what we’ve been studying in science and now we were walking in one.  How cool is that!),

animal tracks,

and

(we can not forget our talks about) scat.

That’s poop, by the way.

Evan pointed out every little bit of scat he saw along the trail.

And don’t worry, he’s not touching it above.

He’s hovering right above it and I’m saying,

“Evan, please don’t touch the poop!” 

But I do keep a little antibacterial cleanser around, just in case.

The guys worked hard getting the stands in place for the hunting season

and

building hopes of a season of getting some food for our freezer.  (Me too.)

I chased littles around and helped out when

one fell with his candy on the ground

and made faces while we listened to the radio and tried to escape the heat for a while.

(The girls took these two pictures of each other…)

We left the woods and we were

happy,

hopeful,

peaceful,

and

tired.

Tired, did I mention that?

And I think we all found the cure for insomnia

and

an escape from the cares of the world that sometimes lead to insomnia.

And that’s one (of many) reasons why this girl loves the great outdoors.

 

Monday Miscellaneous {saving money, a challenge, a girl & her cats, and a weigh-in}

My mind is all over the place on this rainy Monday morning, so this post is just an extension of my thoughts right now.  Of course, I’ve got to throw in a few totally random but cute pictures of my Sunshine Girl, Max, and her stuffed kitty named Gracie. 

Saving money on groceries ~

I’ve had a few questions lately asking how I save money on groceries.   The grocery budget is probably the area where our family can save the most money.  Here lately, I’ve started shopping a new way by only buying things on sale and stocking up on loss leaders and good deals.  After that, I sit and plan meals using only the items that I have on hand.  It’s a little different than what I’m used to doing {making a menu and then shopping} but it has been working for us and we are saving a little more money.  I’m still in the planning stage for this week which leads me to…

The challenge ~

This week I have challenged myself to planning meals using only the items from our pantry, freezer, current shopping trip, and our fall garden.  No trips will be allowed for that “quick” run to the store to get a little this & a little that {which leads to a little bit more money spent here & there}.  Every evening, I am going to post our evening meal including the price of the meal and recipes. 

Hopefully, it will show that a large family can eat well on a budget.  I’ve talked with some people who thought that a large family could only eat things like canned ravioli and spaghettios on a budget.  However, our family does not eat many convenience foods but filling, healthy meals.  Anyway, I thought that perhaps a challenge for myself that I would be posting on the blog would help hold me more accountable and help answer questions that I’ve been asked.

So be on the look out for my first post about our evening meals based on loss leaders and the pantry tonight!

A weigh-in ~

A facebook friend recently posted a quote that went something like this:  “We can not continue to do the same things and expect new results.”   Hence, I should not be surprised by this week’s weigh in.  I am doing nothing new.  Sure, there a little tweaks here and there such as less soda, more whole grains, less sugar, more vegetables etc.  But to truly lose weight, I am going to have to make major changes.  Sometimes I wonder if I am really serious about my health.  It’s frustrating, I tell you!  Anyway, this week’s weigh-in:

I did not lose or gain any weight. 

At least,  I didn’t gain…right?  {sigh}

 Look at those cheeks!

A girl and her cats ~

I walked by the front door the other day to see Sunshine Girl sitting on the porch petting Max while holding her new stuffed kitty cat, Gracie.  I had to go out and take a few pictures of my precious girl surrounded by her lovies and  fallen leaves.

My girl sure is growing up quickly! 

Have a blessed Monday! 

 

Apple Fun ~

One of our autumn themes has been

Apples!

Here are some of our apple fun activities ~

Apple Songs (click here for link)

 

a is for apple (click here for link)

Apple pie play dough (click here for link)

{Just make sure that you can find your food coloring so your play dough is actually apple colored!  Notice the color of our play dough…}

Apple prints

{to make an apple banner}

 

Some great apple themed books to read:

 

Apple Picking Time  by Michele Benoit Slawson

An Apple a Day by Melvin Berger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn thoughts ~

 

I’m sorry for the quietness around here.  The introverted part of my personality has needed a little quiet these past few days.  Sometimes I have this need to be quiet ~ to just unplug from busyness and reflect.  That’s how I’ve been these past few weeks…just thinking the many thoughts that swirl through my mind everyday. 

While offline, we have been enjoying autumn here in the south.  We don’t quite get the beautiful leaves that our northern neighbors get.  And we’re not seeing a lot of leaves falling…yet.

However, we do get more tolerable temperatures.  The summers can get so hot here that it is unbearable outside.  In the fall, we can be comfortable outside and still go barefoot! 

 

Everyday, we head outside and enjoy the warm sun.  Yesterday, there was a rain coming in and the wind was blowing the leaves that were just hanging on before their fall to the ground.  As they blew off the trees, the little ones ran/danced around the yard while yelling, “Leaves! Leaves!”  I just smiled. 

Today, we headed out for our morning break during school time and we lingered a little longer than normal.  I just could not pull myself inside…away from the scattered leaves, the beautiful sunshine, and the kids as they played on this lovely day.

 

Some days, I get caught up in the worries & busyness of life.  I’ve spent the past two weeks just thinking over many of these very same things.  Some days, I felt like I might just crumble beneath the load of my cares.

When it all seemed to become too much to bear, I would ask the kids if they wanted to go outside and play.  Of course, they said yes.  {smile}

Outside, I am able to remember that my God is in control.  He is in control of nature and He is in control of my circumstances.  I can see this fact in the falling leaves.  I can see it in the garden as seeds bring forth food.  And I can see it in my kids.  They know that God is in control and they can play without a care in the world. 

I found this quote recently and wanted to share it:

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."

~Anonymous