Exploring our new Habitat…

This week our science lesson was about habitats and how every animal, insect, and plant has a “home” in which they feel the most comfortable and thrive.  The Crew pondered this and then proceeded to discuss amongst themselves the different perks of the many “habitats” they have known. 
“I like our new habitat in Alabama because it has a pool!” said one to the other.
“I like this habitat because it has nice doors and windows” the other said to the first.
“Our Virginia habitat had fun rides though (Busch Gardens)”  said the one.
“Ya, but our next habitat in Florida is where Mickey Mouse lives!” the other countered.
Okay, not quite what I was hoping for… So off we went to our local zoo to explore the idea of animals and their habitats a little deeper!


              
We wandered for several hours and the boys even found a “habitat” of their very own… the zoo playground!
                      
All in all it was a good week here.  We closed out our third week of homeschooling, and made good progress on our reading.  The boys are each reading their BOB books with very little assistance and are also doing well with their handwriting practice.  We are trying to get additional crafts made each week to coincide with our science “theme”.  This week we made a jellyfish family!  They had fun “stinging” their toy fish in the tentacles of the jellyfish and we all had fun getting messy with markers!

Poster Children….

The Crew is big into dress up these days… We have a basket that can fully outfit two small children (and sometimes one adult, but that’s another post!) into brave knights, fierce pirates, brave firemen, and explorers of the savannah.  On any given day you can find me escorting a pair of superheroes into the local library, and as recently as this morning I found myself transporting two fully masked transformer robots who sat calmly in their booster seats contemplating the passing scenery as we headed to the YMCA.  I have to say though, as commonplace as this pastime has become around the harbour, one particular dress up session really stands out as a personal favorite…. Enjoy!
   

The school bell rings…

Well, our first week of our homeschooling adventure has come to a close…. and it was amazing!!  The boys and I both learned so much!  It was a week of discovery, learning, and adjusting to our new rhythm.  From a strictly academic point of view we learned our vowels, and the “short” sound that each makes.  We memorized a 10 line verse about the vowels and will have our final recitation this evening for Dad.  On the math front we discussed like objects and whether they were the same or similar, did pattern recognition exercises, counting games, and some manipulative play.  And of course there was reading, reading, reading and more reading!  Add in a dash of art, cooking, science and a field trip to the library, and you will get a sense of the fun that was had.  The boys have been great and really have a great time “doing school”.  I have also gained great insight to their independent personalities and really enjoyed seeing their eyes light up with interest in various subjects.  We even made it a point to take our first “school” pictures and our class photo!  The boys love their new shirts with our school name and logo applied… Harbour Lights Academy is officially open!!

Catching up….

As promised it is time for another quick update from the harbour…. We have been busy settling into life here in Alabama for the past several weeks.  The days have been a series of “orientation” for us as we explore the area and find our new spots for shopping, learning and fun. 
On the shopping front I have had my first experiences on an Air Force base vs Naval Air Station and/or Naval Shipyard.  Often times the AF equivalent is named differently than what I have grown accustomed to in my “Navy” life.  For instance if I were to ask someone where the NEX was, they would look at me with a puzzled expression.  (For those who don’t know it is the “BX” on an Air Force base… and for those of you still confused, that is a grocery store on a military base!). 
As for the learning and fun portion, we have discovered our local library and already have visited it several times.  The boys enjoy picking out their books for the week and enjoying the great playground located directly behind the library and right on the banks of the Talapoosa River.  Also, last weekend we traveled about 45 mins. Northeast to a great fresh water lake called Lake Martin.  It had a wonderful sandy beach and clear water that the boys could play in to their hearts content.  We plan on attempting our first overnight camping trip to the lake sometime this October…
I have also been very busy organizing and preparing to start our homeschooling adventure with the boys.  Today we set up their “learning” area, and I have received the majority of the curriculum we decided upon in the mail.  Although every day is a learning day, we plan on officially “starting school” this week.  For their pre-school year I plan on keeping things pretty casual (as is recommended) and working toward establishing basic reading, writing, and math skills.  We are all excited to begin, and really look forward to having this experience together.
Sorry this is such a bulletin list today… Just wanted to get a quick update out!  Much more to come I promise!!
Fair Winds!

Y’all c’mon over for some Sweet Tea!

We have finally settled into our new home here in Alabama, and I have to say that it feels so good to be “home”!  (Although, as I was unpacking each box, I was very aware of the fact that in 10 months I would be re-packing everything once more…bizarre! ) 
So I have a whole shelf of bottles waiting to be tossed your way, but I wanted to give you an idea of what will soon be washing ashore… So much will be happening in the coming months and I can’t wait to share our adventures with you!
First, after four years of weighing the pros and cons tirelessly, we are beginning one of our grandest adventures yet… homeschooling!  Yes, you read that right!  I am so excited to have this opportunity for our boys and look forward to sharing our learning adventure with you as well! 
Second, I am still on my own journey of a total health overhaul.  Clean eating is amazing, and has done amazing things for my health, energy, and overall fitness goals.  I run three 5k’s a week at our local Y, and combine it with three to four weightlifting sessions per week.  Outside of the gym I run around after the Crew and swim in our new pool!  I am amazed at how eating well affects all aspects of my life and feel awakened and energized! 
Third, life in Alabama is a constant discovery and I can’t wait to share our daily comings and goings with you so you can enjoy a bit of life south of the Mason Dixon line!
Keep an eye to the horizon as I plan on tossing these out at a much more rapid pace then I have been up to now!  Today we are off to the local farmer’s market!  Have a great Saturday!!