Best Part of Her Week

 

Oh my goodness!  This girl and her horses.  She is a natural sitting up in the saddle, and she is learning so quickly.  How to care for and groom her horse is apart of her lessons each week.  Not only is she learning, but I am learning so much as well.  She walks, trots, and canters her horse around the arena like a pro.  My heart skips a few beats each time I watch her canter.  I just pray for protection while she is up there and just close my eyes sometimes. And oh, how she loves these horses.

Here she is riding Danny Boy aka D-boy.  These two get along great.  He is an old horse and most days will listen and follow Hayley's instruction.

 

 

 

I know this is her favorite part of the week, and it absolutely is a joy for me to watch her.

Halloween 2013

 California has the perfect weather for Halloween!  The high during the day was 68 and the evening of trick or treating it was a crisp 53.  Just wonderful.  So we are not super fancy with our pumpkin carving (especially with Chris away), but we had fun none the less.

Pre-carved pumpkins

 

 

They never like pulling out the pulp and seeds.  It is really gross and slimy.  But someone has to do it! Ha!

 



 

Completed jack-o-lanterns

 

Had to throw these shots in the bunch too!  She seriously is the funniest child EVER!!

 

Precious Kitty Cat and Cinderella (again)

 

 

Hannah is wearing my crown from the Dogwood Darling Pageant 1985 where I was crowned with the title.  WAAAAAAY before toddlers and tiaras. 

 

 

 

 

The ER Doctor decided to show up for pics.  He was off playing with the boys on our street. 

 

Luke went trick or treating with one of his good buddies on the street, so I had just the girls with me.  Aren't they all so cute?!  Our wonderful neighbors/friends Stella and Millie.  Their mom has become one of my dearest friends.  Love this little family.  Bo (the girls' brother is not pictured) but my he was adorable too!

 

The MP's were out patrolling the neighborhood and handing out candy.  Nothing like having your own personal Marine MP to escort you on Halloween.  Talk about safety.  They were such good sports!

 



 

And that my friends is another Halloween for the books.  (and another holiday closer to Chris coming home!)





Riley's Farm

What an absolutely amazing field trip!  Riley's Farm is about 2 hours from our home here on the coast, but the views and the lessons learned were well worth the drive!!!  We took part in their Revolutionary War Day including stations filled with hands on experiences, a soldier's ration for lunch, and a skirmish with the Red Coats at the end of the day.  When we arrived, they divided our co-op into townships.  We were Concord, a patriot township!  We were taxed by the Red Coats, signed up in secret to fight as sons and daughters of liberty, and won the battle at the end of the day.

 

We all learned so much and enjoyed every moment of the day.

The Smiths came with us as well as all our dear friends at CFS. 

 

 

 

Our Homeschool Bus, aka Kelly's van

 

Views on the drive to the farm

 

 

 

Breathtaking view

 

Faith and Luke

 

The crew!

 

Learning to obey commands from our officer and how to hold and fire our weapons.

 

 

Visiting a blacksmith where he taught us how to make musket balls and hammer horseshoes.

Ah,the British soldiers.  Luke and Hayley played parts with scripts and were tax for using too much paper and planning a wedding.  What a great lesson.

 

Hayley was a witness in a trial for someone who had taken supplies from a British ship.

 

Learning to weave on a loom

 

Making biscuits

 

Churning butter

 

Signing to fight for FREEDOM

 

 

 

 

 

Playing games from the time period



Marching to battle

Our wonderful cooperative, CFS Carlsbad