Finished School This Week

Next Wednesday 3 of the kids and I are driving to California. You can ask me if I'm insane. Go ahead, ask. Yes I am.
So this week we finished school. I have no intentions of homeschooling on the road or in California, while on vacation. (But if you think about the nature of homeschooling - schooling never ends and all life experiences are incorporated into "school". So in essence this summer, our driving out, our time in California are merely a continuation of school!)

I've asked the kids to tell me their favorite topics/books for the past year.
Emma: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. She's read quite a few Lowry books and really likes her writing. Historical fiction is Emma's favorite genre.

Aidan: Ali and the Golden Eagle by Wayne Grover and Around the World in 80 Days By Jules Verne and The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis and King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. As you can tell Aidan goes for the adventure story. He's also finishing up Eldest. "The best book ever, mom!"

So we're going out to California to see my niece Hayley confirmed. We haven't been out there since my father's funeral in 2003. My oldest sister has yet to meet Liam. I'm okay with the 3 day drive out. I'm not okay with the 3 day drive back. But, sing it Gloria Gaynor, I will survive.

Ian will be flying out to join us after he finishes public school which leads me to Why We Homeschool part 3 (kid's version):
1. Don't have to wake up so early
2. Get to study what interests us
3. Get to break for lunch when we want and eat good food
4. Get to end the school year early so we can go on vacation
5. I can read in bed (Emma)
6. I get to play with Jack during breaks (Aidan)

Editor's note: I thought it was interesting when I asked the kids what they didn't like about homeschooling I got answers that I would have gotten from public school kids - we have to do Math and Spelling!