Why, oh why, must summer end?

I truly think the end of summer is hurting me more than it hurts the kids!

This summer was the best summer of my life. Hands down it was the best.
And the funny thing is I said that last summer, too. Yet this was even better.

I wonder if homeschooling all year adds to my love of summer. I have run into so many moms and dads who are anxiously counting down the days until they can send their kids back to school. That makes me sort of sad. But that is another line of thought I don't mean to go down now. We loved our summer. I loved our summer together. The carefree days were a sharp contrast from our normal, disciplined, week-to-week school schedules. Of course discipline is a blessing when you are trying to maintain order and continually move ahead in your studies. But boy, oh boy, does that freedom taste so SWEET as summer rolls in.


Without question, one of the BEST parts of summer this year were our season passes to Seabreeze. God-willing and budget-able we will do this again next year, too. The passes allow 15 visits, but for some reason I keep counting 16 for us. No one at the ticket booth can explain, but we appreciated it. We are one of the few families I have talked with that actually used all of our visits. So - without further adieu - the top eleven reasons we will do Seabreeze season passes again next year.

11. It cost me less than $12 a visit, total.
10. Seabreeze allows you to bring your own food in.
9. The wave pool rocks and there are waterslides for the whole family!
8. Free parking! Woo Hoo!
7. Rides of every size and you don't have to walk miles between them.
6. Angel will grow that extra inch over the year and then be eligible for the 38" rides
5. Champ will grow that extra inch over the year and then be eligible for the 48" rides.
4. Seabreeze waffles - LEGENDARY!
3. The log flume ride is still THE BEST RIDE IN THE WORLD, um, according to ME!
2. Cirque En Vol. The athlete show. See all the posts regarding them below!!!

1. I FELT LIKE WE WERE LIVING ON VACATION!!!!!

This is Angel being an acrobat!!

And while we are on the subject of Seabreeze...

Those of you who have been reading our blog this summer know how deeply my kids have loved the atheletes of Cirque En Vol. Did I mention we took them zucchini bread one day? Well, during their 3 P.M. show our last day while the athletes were taking their bows, they recognized my kids as their number one fans and the kids got a round of applause.
AND...

after the 7 P.M. two of the athletes, Alex and J.F. TOOK MY KIDS ON TWO RIDES!

That was like me getting to have dinner with Dr. Dobson!
The kids were delighted.
So was I.

♥

J.F., Champ, Beau, Skeezix and Alex!

Dayspring Academy is back in session.

Our fourth homeschool year has begun. While we never give up "the books" completely, we do enjoy a lighter schedule throughout the summer. The first of August we started with our science [Seashore] and history [The Wright Bros.] because they will so nicely complement our upcoming [surprise] trip to the Outer Banks. This past week we have worked to add back in our math, english, poetry, music, etc., etc., etc.

This has not been going well.

The first two weeks, Skeezix was a pain! Everytime I would get out the boys' history book she would stand in front of me and invent questions, or when she was asked to go play with Angel, or go to the other room, etc., she would leave, but then walk back in a moment later and drop a toy banana on our open book, or throw a ball at her brothers. By God's grace [and a LOT of time outs] she now is doing well playing by herself or doing her own "school" which is to copy words off of other things.

Angel - she is another story. She is a mess! She pulls the book out of my hand, or sits on my lap to listen... for 16 seconds and then tries to turn the pages, when I won't let her, she slaps me. Off to time out... we start again, now she needs help in the potty. Off to help. Oh, look, the boys are messing around. Okay - start over again. Now it is quiet. Too quiet. Angel is in the bathroom applying foam soap to her "bebe." Redirection. Melt-down. Consoling. Boys are now playing with swords. Walk Angel to Skeezix and ask Skeezix to play with her... Angel says, "No play, Rie. Rie bowing." But, she does stay up there. We finish our reading and move on to the activity. Then you hear crying. Need I go on?

The blessings of homeschool are abundant. I will post another time of what I witnessed recently at Target with parents shopping off those school needs lists. :P But the actual logistics of pulling it off are not pretty. Oh, yeah, I get lots of very unhelpful suggestions from other homeschoolers which for reasons A, B or C would not work here. But once in a while I get what I really need... another mom whose eyes light up and says, "YES! It is the exact same way at my house!" which I did get to hear on Tuesday from a friend with 5 kids in my 4 kids age range. I guess what I need more than answers is knowing I am not alone.

Here are some photos from our resent science and history lessons.
As we learned about high and low tides, Champ delighted us as he picked up the concept immediately. This is his Science Exploration book. Notice his cursive! ♥

This is Beau's same interpretation. Notice his Donald Duck! ♥ I took the photo before he was done coloring.

Beau's vocabulary box. He was excited when he found the exclamation point sticker to use.

And this is an experiment from history. We are trying to figure out air lift like the Wright Bros.

Beau's "Best Birthday Ever!"

Morning started with pancakes and presents!

And a phone call from Ba!

We went out in the COLD [yes it was COLD!] to Henrietta Regal and surprised the kids with a movie. They got to see VeggieTales: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything again.
Beau was bouncing up and down he was so excited when he figured it out!

Then off to Pizza Hut for lunch with Nan.

I forgot my camera!
These are from Nan's.

Off to Seabreeze. I can't remember how many times we have been there this year.
I think 11 or 12!
I love the season passes!

I'm so glad the boys still ride these little rides... you ever try taking photos of kids on the Whirlwind? These are far more photogenic rides!!!!!

A few acrobatic moves of their own??

Nene [my sister] joined us at 5:00 P.M.
We made her ride all the wild rides with the kids. :P

We all had a ton of fun.

You can only imagine how thrilled the kids were.
The athletes invited them on the stage for pictures. ♥

Check out the facial expressions on Skeezix.
That girl is a TRIP!

It was Louis-David's last day so the kids asked for hugs.
Actually - Champ asked first [he has such a soft heart]

but I was so slow with the camera, it was a big blur.

Beau wanted to stay at Seabreeze until after dark when the lights were all on.
I admit... so did I!
The kids all held out so well and on his and my last

ride of the night, Beau turned to me and said,
"THIS WAS MY BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!"

We got home after 9:30 P.M. and Beau opened his last gift.
A microscope/telescope combo.

My baby boy is EIGHT!