Not-Back-To-School-ing

There is an unofficial tradition in some homeschooling circles- at least the homeschoolers I know. The week or two (or three if you're very liberal - which I am) after local school starts, we start celebrating 'Not-Back-To-School' days. How exactly do we celebrate this blessed time of year? I can only speak for myself, but feel free to share what you do with me. There are programs that mark this juncture officially like this and this.

 

The Beach - The best beach days of the year are in September. The water is warm, I mean positively balmy. The premium sand space is sparsley scattered with people and we have often had a beach practically to ourselves. The drives are easy with no traffic, so if the weather is right, that's where we will be. If you want to plan more than a day trip, the prices for staying are fantastic - I know many people availing themselves of that now!

The Parks - The summer camps and recreation programs have all ceased and that leaves the parks barren and silent. Sure there are the occassional preschoolers, but we mostly have the places to ourselves. I have been to 3 'homeschool park days' this NBTS season and I am sure there will be more unofficial ones to follow. We do get strange looks from the walkers and joggers who wonder what we are doing out of school - but I love it.

The Museums - Yup, empty. September is not a popular time for teachers to plan field trips, so we are free to browse as if we had reserved the space just for us. We hold several memberships this year and will be using them frequently, but now is the best time to launch our own personal field trips. If you have not had the good fortune of being in a near-empty museum, give it a try.

Zoos - The zoos are great in the next few weeks. I believe the less oppressive weather makes the animals happier and more active. We always see more antics from the animals in the cooler weather - we've been to zoos on rainy and snowy days too. They are certianly quiet during those times. 

 

You get my point - most places frequented by children are fairly desolate once school starts. I keep a running list of places I want to take the kids - things we both want to see and do. As summer is creeping to an end, (remember, I maintain that the 22nd is the official 'end') I began moving a couple of my sticky notes into their own catagory. "Things-I-want-to-do-when-school-begins-but-the-weather-is-still-beautiful". Currently topping that list are Bowman Tower and their Wild Flower Preserve, The Philadelphia Zoo, New Jersey Botanical Gardens, Children's Museum of Manhattan and The Grounds for Sculpture. 

 

We do have academics that we like to tackle and structured lessons to complete and we spend time doing that too. But I know after 7 years of homeschooling, we can focus on these things more intensely when the sunny 70 and 80-somethings aren't beckoning us to soak up as much sun and fun as we can - before the dingy days of late fall and winter

 

If you're kids go to school, pull them out and enjoy some of this too - you will have a great day and earn 'Super-Awesome-Mom-Points'. God knows I am ALWAYS in need of those. Aren't you? 

24 Hour Reprieve

Just Jewelry Girl and I have been friends for about 14 years. We have so many opposing personality traits that we often ponder how we remain friends. It's just the way we like it. We used to be neighbors and we are fellow homeschoolers. As much as I wish we were still neighbors, we've managed the years and miles just fine.

 

Gavin holding a birthday girl

impromptu jam session

looking for the chickens

I recently went out for 24 hours. I don't enjoy making the 2-4 hour trek (depending on traffic) to Long Island, NY and back in one day. Ethan is able to stay home with Dennis and the two of them can handle thier schedules while I take a little jaunt off with the other three. You weren't under the impression that Ethan likes roadtrips or changes in scenery, were you?

don't worry - there were no flames

Sean smiles

doctoring a friend (we had to ask them to mop up the hydrogen peroxide
that covered the floor when this was done)

This was a nice trip for me. I can get sucked into my routines and at the moment, the house is begging for all types of attention - cleaning out of closets and organizing of 'stuff". I can do it all day if no one stops me - but this visit stoppped me. I just needed a reminder of how nice it is to take a break.

real flames for these two

rope swinging

chasing chickens

birthday present testing

The kids ranged in age from 13 down to 2. It is always interesting to see the pairing and then re-pairing of playmates.

shirt fighting?!

petting the pets

chicken pal

Just Jewelry Girl is a good cook, has great playlists on her ipod and has a quiet, dark, and cool guest room. Why don't I go here more often?!

"I get by with a little help from my friends." - John Lennon

49 - Sleep in the Wild



50 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do 

 

Ethan, Gavin and Mikey have experienced sleeping outdoors on many occasions in several different settings. They have all been involved in Boy Scouts of America as cub scouts. Recently Gavin has 'crossed over' into Boy Scouts and has had the experience of wilderness camping as well as sleeping at a campsite. The camp Gavin slept at has open flap platform tents - open to the air and whatever might be sharing that space.

 

My boys have also been sleeping in the yard for several years. Now and then they will decide to set up camp in the backyard and "campout" for the night. Recently, Gavin and his friend camped outside in his friend's large, Long Island backyard.

 

 

These two boys also engaged in Dangerous Things #28, #43 and #45 all in the same evening! That's just how they roll ;) As I write, Gavin is packing to leave for another friend's house and I have heard that their options for sleeping are the loft of a barn and a previously hand-constructed shelter the two friends built recently.

 

I am sure these traditions will continue in (or rather outside of) my house. Soon they will have to take their little brother out and initiate him into the clan called "They-Who-Sleep-Out-In-The-Yard".

 

I love when they sleep out there - it's just so good for them and everyone should do it at some point. I hope my boys gets lots of opportunities to sleep under the stars. Have your kids slept in the yard?

 

 

Dangerous? Depends on who your ask. I have had strange reactions from people to allowing my kids to sleep in the yard. I have been asked if I'm worried about animals - nope, or people 'stealing' them - nope. I am not afraid and I think it is good and safe and a wonderful experience.

 

“The woods were my Ritalin. Nature calmed me, focused me, and yet excited my senses.”
― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

A Renassaince of Sorts

The New York Renaissance Faire celebrated their 35th year this summer - and I think I've visited for about 25 of those years! Dennis and have gone together for about half of those and now we are passing on the tradition to our kids.

The venue in Tuxedo Park, Stirling, NY is a super back drop comprised of forested acres, water features, grassy knolls, wooded pathways, and great structures built just for the occasion. 

The artisans that present their wares enjoy explaining their crafts, providing lots of information about the Renaissance time period, tools of the trade and their chosen medium. I've never saw one of them tire of the questions that my crew could pepper them with. 

The faire is full scale theatrical production. The characters roam the grounds and move from one location to the next - including stages like the jousting grounds and a chess board.

Gavin spent some time watching and juggling with Paul Del Corral. It really thrilled him to spend time with such a talented guy and realizing they had a mutual friend in Criag Quat of Circus Place.

A show that we've enjoyed before and enjoyed again was Arnold & Stuart's Knife Throwing Show. Their knife throwing is amazing and their comedic timing is great. If you click here, you can watch them on youtube - but beware, I've already had several requests for throwing knives!

A favorite act that we saw was Jayna Lee on the static trapeze. She and her partner, Collette, were so talented, funny and daring. She also has some videos on youtube that you and your kids might like!



I love taking the kids to places like this. I feel like they get a frame of reference for the period in time. I love living history! It is also a place that provides exposure to people who are making a living through their art - both creative and performance arts. Going to the Ren Faire is like walking into a storybook.

 

There are several weekends left, so you could probably still get there - and, oh, I forgot to mention the food! Have a 'steak-on-a-stake' and an onion blossom - and if you are so inclined, hard cider or mead :) You'll also LOVE the music.

 

Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.

~ William Shakespeare

August Interlude

I get behind on blogging and then I don't know what to do, and then I don't want to post, but I want to post, but I'm behind and overwhelmed and then...

I post a photo montage with little blurbs underneath. I wonder if you like when I do that?

We have been Geocaching a new trail at Duke Farms. It is longer and harder than we thought it would be.
That's a good thing.

 A great day at Navesink Lighthouse. We've passed so many times, but this time we stopped in.
 

 A little archery, with the hopes that a lot more archery is to follow.

Beach day. See that beautiful water - that's Jersey folks :)

Boardwalk fun.

Crab cooking.

 For crab eating...

 more crab eating...

more crab eating...

and still more crab eating

I noticed I've had trouble blogging in August before. That's ok, though. As the newest quote on my front page says, 'Have the day you have.' It's a fantastic quote from an equally fantastic movie, 'The Odd Life of Timothy Green'. I thought it was a great movie, and it set me off on crying jags several times. If your kids are less strange than mine and you've never had one of your children delivered by car it might not have the same effect on you. I found the movie very poignant and profound. I'd like to have that quote tattooed on my arm. So if every blog post can't be great - just post the blog post you can.  

BTW, Happy Birthday Blog! 

A Date With Ethan

 I don't often have 'just' Ethan with me, but after this great night, I aim to remedy that. I dropped Gavin, Mikey and Sean off at a local vacation bible school (fun for all!) and because Dennis had something else he needed to do, I had 2 hours to spend with Ethan. I offered him a couple games of bowling and he accepted!

Bowling is one of Ethan's 'things'. He's got a ball and his own shoes, he knows the system and he is comfortable at the bowling alley. He even likes the food. Ok, he especially likes the food. 

It was very nice having all my attention on Ethan. There was definately a different dynamic with the ability to have casual conversation without juggling the other boys. Ethan was clearly more relaxed and he was much more conversational. There are times at home that I grab a few moments to ask him about school and his friends, but it is usually met with some sort of fresh retort. You know, like ''You're old mom!"

In the bowling alley he was really happy and funny. He was chatty and pleasant. Clearly a change of pace. We hi-fived for spares and strikes and I was boo-ed for gutter balls. After Ethan's gutter balls he said 'No matter!' Of course not. 

He talked me into nachos and a Pepsi - who could resist such a charmer? I beat him, but he said I didn't. I showed him the score - he still said "No matter!" I guess it really didn't. I am still hoping for second date :)

A Farm & Waffles

We've planned for some time to go to Howell Living History Farm. Although they run very nice programs, we just went for the visit. It turned out we picked a good day, since we were practically the only people there, along with our friends.

The farm is a completely bucolic setting and you feel transformed to another place and time - but remember, we are the Garden State! We were greeted by a large pasture full of beautiful, wooly sheep and a pond with ducks and geese off in the distance.

I love the opportunity that we often encounter when we are at a place during a down time and the docents/employees have time to speak with the kids. This time they had the chance to do 'farm chores'.

The day was filled with the expected animals and some unexpected finds.

It was wonderful to see the boys in this setting with each other and their friends!

We had lunch at a place called Nina's Waffles in New Hope. What a nice, sweet place to eat. The kids were totally thrilled to have breakfast/dessert for lunch. Mmmmmm - get there if you can. Gavin had his with Mango & Cream Ice Cream, Mikey with Strawberry, mine was with cannoli cream, and Sean's with 1 marshmallow on-the-side.

This is the kind of day that makes me so happy to live in NJ. I feel like we have such a premium spot to see all types of landscapes and enjoy tons of great towns. I can't think of much my kids won't see at some point - from working farms, to broadway shows, beaches, lakes and rivers, to big cities and everything we can find in between!