Sunday Smiles: Florida Beach Fun

We have been enjoying the warm weather and loving swimming and playing at the beach!

Happy Thanksgiving

Yes- Colored Turkeys!  It was fun to take the boys to a place that I used to go as a child and where my family would get their turkeys from.

Wishing everyone a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Florida

After 21 hours of driving we successfully made it to Florida.  We all had a great night sleep and were wide awake and ready for a day of adventure.

We decided to visit  Babcock Wilderness Adventures.

 We loaded onto their "Swamp Buggy" ( a school bus revamped)

 and began the wild ride

 there were Cracker Cattle- one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the USA

 we took a break and walked into the swamp

 where we saw "knobby knees"

 a baby alligator paid us a visit

 then a road block by some big ones

 and some pretty amazing scenery

It was a grand first day for Florida 2010.

What will Grammy and Grampy have in store next?

I know they are learning when...

last night we spent a half hour reading books together all about numbers, counting forwards and backwards, and equal parts

then this morning Landon makes this and says he cut it into equal parts- it's a sandwich for mommy, daddy, Will and him to share

and later in the car I was audience to an impromptu song about 10 little seals that kept disappearing until there was only one left.

creating, inventing and experimenting

Some mornings we wake up and their are just so many ideas swarming through our heads.  This particular morning Landon had his mind set to construct and invent with his ideas.  If stuff fell over or didn't stay together, Landon would say "That's O.K. because we are experimenting." 

William also joined in on the inventing.  The results........

 Will's restaurant

 Landon's car

Landon's hotel and restaurant

Two hours just flew by as we spent focused on this activity.  The best part was that we didn't have to stop and clean up because it was time to move on to a new subject.  They could follow their own interests for as long as they were able.  I am learning everyday to let go more and to see what happens when we just live and enjoy being us.

Sunday Smilies

hiking

The weather has been absolutely beautiful the past two days, so we had to get out into the woods. 

Yesterday we hiked with our farm class up to a cave.

And today we went with Daddy and Gritty to a waterfall.  It was a much steeper hike than we have ever done with the boys but they worked hard with no complaints.  They love to be little adventurers.

It was so great to be out in the woods. Some very good days indeed.

beautiful sky with my little guy

Need I say more?

Sunday Smiles

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Landon Writes a Book

Several weeks ago, the boys and I were reading all of Eric Carle's books and doing a little activity to go with each book.  I will possibly share our author study activities one day.

We had read The Tiny Seed and then sponge painted our own pictures.  As they were drying Landon told me he wanted to write a book to go with the pictures..sure I said.

We sat down the next day or two with the pictures in the order he wanted and dictated his story.

Right now he is loving Knights and the Medieval times.  He has taken tons of books from the library and will sit for a very long time absorbing the pictures discovering things. 

This is where his inspiration came from.

Be warned: The story starts off so very sweet and the ending is rather abrupt and not so nice.  I tried my best to persuade him to change it, but this 4 year old is extremely stubborn.   

I suppose I wouldn't be a very good editor.