May has arrived! And with it has come my favorite hobby- gardening! I didn't grow up gardening and I've only been doing it for the last decade or so, but I sure do love it. It feels like I'm in my granny era when I go out and talk to my plants and spend my free time canning and preserving. I think the lessons that come with gardening are valuable for our whole family too.
I also recently learned that there is a specific bacteria found in soil (mycobacterium vaccae) which literally stimulates seratonin production and acts like an anti-depressant and immune booster. By inhaling the microbes or having them find a way into your body, it's like giving yourself a happy-boost. I guess that's why so many people get so much joy out of their garden. And I would agree that my garden does in fact make me happy.
So for the time being, you can find us barefoot and covered in dirt as much as possible, trying to get those microbes :)
Another chance to get dirty was at the nature preserve with some friends. We love getting dirty, especially if it involves the creek :)
We had co-op at a park where we had our second annual field day. It's always funny to see a bunch of homeschooled kids participate in relay races and competitions. They tend to really take their time and do things accurately, as well as, cheer the other teams on. Or even help them like when they were playing kickball and Isla helped the other time figure out what base they needed to get to. It was a fun day!
The next co-op day was at our house. We learned about several famous artists and then replicated their work. We splatter painted like Jackson Pollock, laid on our backs to paint like Michaelangelo and the Sistine Chapel, and used Q-tips to master Pointillism like Georges Seurat. The moms were laughing as the kids could identify Van Gogh's Starry Night and DaVinci's Mona Lisa, but didn't understand the rules of kickball from the week before at field day. You can always spot a homeschooler ;)
It has been unusually cold lately, so we decided a trip to the museum was a good use of time if we had to be indoors. The kids just love that place. Getting an annual pass to the museum has been a good investment for them.
Something really fun we did was a mini trip to the Morton Arboretum. We went there last year and couldn't wait to go again. And this time we got to show our Nana, Aunt Rah Rah, and cousins how cool of a place it is. A 1,700 acre tree preserve and garden doesn't sound exciting, but it really is a magical place. I only wish we lived closer. It was a little chilly and there was a definite water/meltdown/clothing situation, but overall it was a fun day!
We don't have a zoo pass anymore, so we don't often get to visit. But some friends invited us, so we had a chance to see our local animals. And it was a lot of fun! (And I got to wear my patchwork pants that my sweet mother-in-law made for me).
Springtime and nice weather means our "school days" take place outside. I will never get over how special it is that this is what their education looks like. Reading practice on the chalked driveway and nature walks through the neighborhood, then lemonade smoothies we made together, before a family dinner over the fire. Days like these are what memories are made of.
Our latest co-op day was especially fun. We got to take a train ride through the country before exploring a train museum and old trains, including sleeping cars and mail cars. Afterwards we all went to a beautiful garden and nature center down the road. It was sort of impromptu, but we ended up staying all day. It was our longest co-op to date and was super fun!
The in-between moments are still always my favorite. The mundane school days, the simple joys of a good meal or a cute outift, the lunches outside, the baking/reading/snuggling that happens every day. These are the good ole' days.
And as I type this, Isla and I are snuggled up in bed fighting some kind of sickness. I think our full life is catching up with us. I'm just praying this is the end of it because we have a trip coming up that we all need to be healthy for!
Our upcoming trip is to Kentucky! In preparation, we watched the Kentucky Derby and enjoyed some derby pie. The kids had fun watching the horses race and cheering on their pick. Isla, of course, wanted to put money on all the horses so she wouldn't lose.
Stay tuned for our Kentucky trip blog post, coming soon :)
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