We’ve gotten an early start to the Halloween festivities..

We are almost into November. Gotta love California.. Just about anytime is a good time to hit up the shores around here. I wanted to share some favorite pics of some fellow homeschoolers out and about this week:

Summer camping. This girl’s never had so many smores..ever.

ocean love

get your copy before I buy them all :)

exploring sacramento

climbing hills :: finding treasures

i heart homeschool

Memorial Day

Lowering the flag

 

30 yellow roses for 30 fallen soldiers

 

Closing the day with the inspiration to jump into the chilly Pacific Ocean.

found

Hello Friends! I am going on holiday for a few days — I’ll be back in this space very soon.

fistfuls

We had a break in the rain and Briones wanted to show her friends her secret salamander stash under the hay bales..

They spent the next couple of hours wheelin’ and dealin’ the little guys..trading mossy logs and other treasures for salamanders and then racing them on a little track. Somehow..they all were returned safely to their original hiding spots (minus a tail or two).

better than a video game

So I watched one of Julian’s cooking shows, set up the ingredients just as he had them, and surprised Briones with the project one morning. I pressed play and stepped back, leaving her completely on her own.

I learned so much about Briones’ learning style that day, as she followed along, from start to finish..learning from a boy her own age. We’ll definitely do this again.

little list

*A big *thank you* for all of your support, linkage love and feedback on Homeschool Style Bytes.

*Celebrating Paul’s birthday. While we’re partying  tonight I’ll be celebrating many things about this amazing husband of mine — especially that I feel like a lucky gal to grow old and grey with one heck of a dude. Quickly approaching 10 years — WOW!

*Finding.. stumbling upon a little magical spot in the hills behind our home. It looks like an enchanted forest. Can’t wait to go back with a camera.

*Meeting cool homeschool families through Briones’ weekly sewing class…and loving that the boys outnumber the girls in that class.

*Grateful for Amy’s help with starting a worm farm this week..and that we are being extra mindful about eating more fresh veggies/fruits because of it. Time to bring back the SMOOTHIES!

Hunting we will go

Today we went hunting for California newts in the Berkeley hills. The rain was falling SO hard and for so long. After a while, we were drenched and the rain just kept falling, and we just didn’t care.

I was brave and took these two pictures under a plastic bag. It was so beautiful out, I wish I could have taken more.

We looked and looked. And looked. We couldn’t leave until we found a newt. And then finally, we did. Whew! We almost didn’t. And dad would have been in big trouble for promising one..

..(we left him there. Not dad. The newt.)

Something new

Hi all. Check out Homeschool Style Bytes – a second blog of mine, not to replace this one here. It’s a celebration of modern day homeschooling! There are SO many of us all around the world doing super creative and extraordinary things with our children and in the community..if the blog can capture just a little bit of that I’ll be *happy*.

He lives

Brownie wants to say thank you to all you well wishers. He’s officially back in business after his harrowing ordeal. He is a miracle lizard!

Doesn’t he have a nice little smile? One day I’ll have to post a picture of him next to a quarter so you can see just how very small he is. He is a fence lizard or blue belly, native to Northern California. Come springtime we will see a gazillion little hatchlings, darting around town. Maybe in a couple of months we can find him a lady friend…