Summertime Fun!

We have had a fun filled summer! when we weren't taking trips, I had a weekly lineup to follow so we wouldn't all go crazy. Natalie called it "summer-home-school", and she is excited to start "public school" in just a few days! it is really just a glorified version of the preschool I have done off and on for them (depending on my morning sickness status ha ha) all their lives. it was a fun challenge to cater to all three of their ages and personalities this time around. each day included learning time, project time, and an activity. of course there were some days that we missed, but for the most part they held me to this! here was our rough schedule:
 Monday- LT- practice primary songs in various ways like clapping the beat or leading the music, PT- drawing a picture about the music or how it makes us feel to listen to it, A- making some kind of dessert for FHE
 Tuesday- LT-  a chapter from The Story of Jesus by Eliza R Snow and drawing/writing about the story, PT- some kind of science experiment, A- library (we went through their summer reading program twice and got tons of free books =o])
Wednesday- LT- Gospel Art Kit stories, PT- workbooks, A- swimming/splash pad
Thursday- LT- they read/tell stories to me, PT- some kind of art project like chalk or the easel or painting, A- the park
Friday- this day was volatile because kent has had every other Friday off this summer (mostly) so sometimes we would be on vacation or do special house projects or go on field trips
here are some pictures of home school things we have done:

field trip to the dentist

set up the trampoline

splash pad

clay pots project (this took several days)

decorating cupcakes

 

dream catchers from a Native American art book we got at the library

playing at the park

swimming!

we went on some awesome family vacations and day trips too:
the beach
we made an awesome cd and rocked out the whole way there and back =o] it was cold! so Caleb and Jenna didn't really want to get in much, but that didn't stop Natalie!

it was a fun day!

camping
we only spent one night,  but we forgot Jenna's pack n' play so I don't think we could have handled another night anyway! it was dirty and hot and fun!

 

we went to the Hansen Family Reunion in santaquin ut for the fourth of july, but I am going to make a separate post about that =o]

we also went to the zoo for happy mackay day, but i'm also doing a separate post for that day

babymoon
we left the kids in madera so kent and I could escape to Monterey for a couple days together before the baby is born- they were right at home ;o]

we went to the longest operating lighthouse in CA

the mission in Monterey

the beach at sunset

 

the Monterey bay aquarium (thanks stranger for taking our picture, but really? you're missing the m!)

 

 

ate lots of yummy food! (and didn't have to do any meal prep or clean up!!)

 

walked along the beautiful coast checking out the shops and sites and getting souvenirs

and went on the famous "17 mile drive" and stopped at every marker

 

 

one of my favorite parts of the trip was that I slept in until 9:30 on the first morning we were there. I haven't done that since college! it was great for kent and I to spend some real quality time together with no schedule or pressures. all in all it was a much needed trip before heading back into the trenches!