I never did an end of the year re-cap of our homeschool year for 2011-2012.  So, this is to try to capture the fun things that we did during the year.

We tried Co-op for the first semester and these are the other kids that also participated

Homeschool friends held a “Thanksgiving Fest” at their home

A couple of families came over to make candy houses…these are Mason’s and Kalani’s master pieces

Valentine party and card exchange…Lots of kids and lots of fun

Easter Egg Hunt and picnic with friends

We attended the Houston Symphony

Kalani had a science class once a month at the Natural Science Museum…this class was about teeth

We hosted a book club at our home twice a month…this was a fun activity for “James and the Giant Peach”

A group of us went camping

The kids had art club twice a month and end of the year they made tie-dye shirts

We attended the Police Academy during Police Week

We went back to a wildlife park that we attended a couple of years ago

We do our schooling at the dining table

We have loved homeschooling.  I have a good idea of what Kalani knows and what she struggles with.  We try to teach her about the world and her interests.  If she has a question, we search out the answer.  We also do many social activities so she can interact with other kids and I can interact with adults.  And because Kalani is around adults often, she isn’t afraid to ask questions or make comments to them.

More homeschool photos

For the past 2 years I have taken our kids camping by myself while Matt worked.  Finally after being married for 9.5 years and having 2 kids, Matt joined us on a camping trip!

"We are a happy family"

Mason loved playing with our friend's dog

Kids enjoying nature

Talking to friends around the camp fire

5 families that all went camping together

Thanks to our friends who planned this trip and invited us to tag-a-long.

The first crazy camper is me, the mom. Who in their right mind would take a 7 year old and a 22 month old camping without their spouse? Through one of my homeschool groups they set up a camping trip and Kalani LOVES to go camping with friends. I took the kids last year with Mason as an 11 month old and figured that this year would be a little easier since he was older.

The other crazy campers enjoying nature

The weather didn’t cooperate completely since it was wet most of our second day there and then was really cold trying to pack up on the third day. Nature is also a little loud at times. Like at 3 am when a coyote and cubs decide to make their presence known near our camp site. Or the owl that was above our tent. And then there are the man-made noises like trains that want to blow their horn in the middle of the night.

Most of the group going on a "hike"

But, I know that “I Can Do Hard Things” (sister’s favorite saying). Like going on a hike…we only walked a mile and then turned around, but I walked that mile holding Mason at 30 pounds for the majority of the hike. On the way back we decided to take the road since we wouldn’t have to worry about rocks and going up and down hills. A friend brought her wagon since she has 3 small children and Mason got to ride in the wagon while I pulled it. Mason started taking off his hat, then shoes and socks and throwing them out the wagon. I guess he was done riding in the wagon and stood up while I was pulling. I looked back just in time to see him stand and then fall backwards and hit his head on the asphalt! Blood appeared, water was poured, pressured applied and baby was crying. I wasn’t completely sure what I should do since it looked like he needed stitches, but I also needed to take care of Kalani and I didn’t know where the hospital was since we were over 2 hours away from home.

2 cuts

Luckily I have great friends who took care of Kalani for me, a dad ran back to camp to get his car so I could get Mason to the hospital quicker and then all the kids were looking for my keys that I couldn’t find (they were under my pillow). I asked the park ranger where the nearest hospital was and it was only 2 miles away. I was doing a great job of staying in control and not freaking out.

I got into the ER quickly and Mason was acting like himself, playing in the water at the sink, giving the nurse high 5’s, saying hi to people, etc. There was a lot of waiting around…2 hours later Mason leaves the hospital asleep (it was his nap time) with 2 staples in his head.

2 staples

I asked to cover the staples since there was still blood and I knew we were going back to camp where Mason would be playing in the dirt. I really didn’t want to deal with an infection on top of everything else…AND with Matt in California and not being able to talk to him because of poor reception, I felt totally on my own.

100% boy

The staples aren’t keeping Mason down. He only knows they are there when I change his diaper since he doesn’t lay down very often. But in 10-14 days he gets them removed. I feel like a real mom now after going to the ER with one of my children. I think that Mason is going to change me and how I parent! And I am crazy enough to take our kids camping again, even by myself if Matt can’t be with us.

As some may know Matt and I decided to homeschool Kalani this past year…and we/I survived!  It wasn’t that bad or that big of a transition.  Well, I guess the biggest transition was throwing a baby (Mason) in the picture.

I joined a local homeschool group (Cypress Homeschool Association) and LOVED meeting new people through that.  These ladies are on top of things.  We participated in a Halloween Trunk or Treat, Thanksgiving Friendship dinner, Christmas party and a Co-op every Monday.  There were other activities, but we didn’t or couldn’t attend.  I also had Kalani involved in a homeschool singing choir (Super Singers) where she got to perform for friends and families and also sing to the elderly in assisted living locations.  And she also was in an Art Club and Book Club.   Let me tell you that this homeschool child is NOT socially awkward!

Halloween Trunk-or-Treat

Santa visited the kids at the Christmas Party

Kalani's mask from Art Club

Book Club Activity

Super Singer Homeschool Choir

I think that Kalani enjoys staying home with me…I know she likes to sleep until 8-9am.  Then we are done with school before noon.  If she went to the local elementary school she would board a bus around 8am and wouldn’t get home until after 4pm.  I just think that is too long of a day for a child.  Besides, she gets all (or at least most) of my attention during our “school hours, ” and we can take field trips all the time.  We have also met some fabulous friends through CHA and church members who homeschool.  If you want to homeschool, Texas is the place and I found the perfect niche.

A few homeschool families wanted to go camping for 3 days/2 nights.  I don’t remember saying that I would go, but some how my name ended up on the list saying that I was attending.  So I thought, “Why not, Kalani will have fun and we will make some memories.”   When I told people I was going camping at Lake Livingston I would  say, “I know I am crazy, you don’t need to tell me.”  Yes, I took an almost 11 month old and a 6 year old camping BY MYSELF…Matt had to work.

Kalani LOVED camping.  She talked about it for 2-3 weeks straight.  And whenever she saw the other moms that would be also going to camp she would show/tell them of her excitement.  We took a walk to the lake to figure out where to go fishing.

Kalani tried out fishing…but she pulled out the hook after 2-3 minutes and would try to cast the line again, but it would just get tangled.  Fishing just isn’t her “sport.”

Mason also enjoyed camping.  He LOVED his sister’s camp chair, which didn’t make Kalani very happy.  He LOVED being with the kids and seeing the dogs the other families brought.  He also went on a swing and LOVED that…pure joy!

The best part of camping…sitting around the camp fire and singing, playing games and telling stories.  Almost all of the kids that went camping are also in a homeschool choir.  Here the girls are singing and doing the motions for “Chapel of Love.”

This life is all about making memories good or bad, so I will probably do this again…camping with the kids while Matt is at work.  You don’t need to tell me that I am crazy…I already know that!  But next time I will be sure to bring an air mattress and hopefully Mason will be walking!