Woodwater Farmhouse

It's been a fun filled week around here and summer, for us, is far from over...  Field trip to the  New Jersey Botanical gardens was a great time on Monday. The weather was perfect. The flowers were in bloom and the bees were busy pollinating everything!  (best of all - it was FREE!)  The children could run and explore until they were too exhausted to take another step. We went with another homeschooling family which made it even more fun!  I can't wait to go back in the spring and see these Crab Apple Trees all in bloom! This beautiful specimen of a  Black Rat Snake is living in our grass clippings compost pile. If you remember we found several of it's shed-ed skin earlier this summer. IT was finally nice to see who the wardrobe belonged to!  To find out more about these slithery creatures you can go HERE . We were finally able to get to the Lake Beach this week. If you remember f...

Psalm 107:19-21 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.  Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. This picture of Daneille and her daughter taken at my daughter's 7th birthday. When I was 15 years old (let's just say many moons ago) , I was given the news by my father that I had two years to live.   (insert GULP) The "C" word was now a part of my family, my life, my then short future, my FOREVER (how every long that may be) .   Fast forward, many moons later , and as you can see I am still here (by the Grace of God)  typing this blog post, reaching out to my faithful followers.  Ever wonder WHY you were put on this Earth?  When you are faced with only a few weeks, months or short years to live, it goes through your mind, believe me.   I am confident ...

So happy that Mary is back with Homegrown Learners - Collage Friday !   We have had a busy summer and it's not over yet!  We don't start back with our new grade levels until October 1st. We still have a week at the Jersey shore coming up and my older son get's married in a month!  More fun! The children and I have been trying to start the school day with a mile and a half bike ride around our neighborhood.  Exploring a pond near by.  It's been a great way to start the day!  A lot of nature studies happening over the summer. Being a cooler summer here in New York, we have been able to stay outside without the heat of the day sending us back in to the air conditioner!  Our deck garden update:  1 tomato, 4 peas and a sunflower...not enough to live on, but thankful never-the-less.   Think I am going to leave the gardening to the experts next year - a lot of work and money for not a lot of return.  S...

We recently took a trip to the Fingers Lakes Region of New York. About 3 hours from us.  It's our new tradition to camp up there during the August NASCAR race. Hiking at the Watkins Glen State Park is a MUST when you go there.  We hiked about 4 miles around the park, staying on the trails.  The landscape is breathtaking.  The children loved every step of the hike and stopping at little rest stops along the paths, made it easy.  If you remember on our last hike , I was photographing all the mushrooms I found. This hike I was all about the wild flowers.  Map reading, checking out the fresh mountain water and learning every step of the way! So many waterfalls in this park, I lost track.   At the end of the trail (just about 2 miles in) there is a playground and bathrooms. (no bathrooms along the way)  Nice area to stop and snack, take a break before the hike back!  We found this beautiful web...

Our family field trip to The Farm Santucary From their site:   New York Shelter Nestled in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York, the rolling green pastures of Farm Sanctuary’s 175-acre New York shelter are home to more than 500 rescued farm animals. Spend the day with us and take an hour-long guided tour, browse our unique gift shop, learn more about farm animals in our Education Center, or enjoy a snack on our scenic deck.  (They have three locations in the United States.)  I was looking for something for an educational afternoon while we were in Watkins Glen, NY camping for the NASCAR Race.  I found this place on line and it looked interesting.  What we found it to be, we were instore for something completely out of our comfort zone.  The place is BEAUTIFUL...rolling hills...big red barns...beautiful animals roaming around.  When we arrived at 2 pm that day (beauty of a day I might add), we were told that we had...

Week 2 - School Room Week As with most home educating families, we don't only learn in one area or room of our home.   The world is our classroom and we take full advantage of that. Camping, traveling, exploring...learning all the time.  We are "full time" homeschoolers and school year round. We do take a week off here and there from "formal" learning, however, aren't children learning all the time? we learn outdoors all the time at the ocean... when we are camping.... But what you are probably more interested in seeing is our "home school"...so here you go.... We have purged A  LOT this year...donating over 100 workbooks/books, supplies to other homeschoolers.  We have purchased some new furniture and discarded others. We are a less is more family now! My calendar board from Pottery Barn is my biggest TOOL that I could not do without.  It's all out there for everyone to see what is hap...

With all the gardens in full bloom, we have friends that are blessing us with their overflow (thank you friends) . Zucchini seems to be the veggie of choice lately.  I wanted to use up some of the large greens ones before they went bad.   Looking through countless recipes on Pinterest using zucchini, I came across this one.  Zucchini Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies WHAT?  A CC Cookie with Zucchini - could it be true? I am here to say YES friends you can have your veggie and cookie all in one! They were light and cake like.  I loved the little hint of cinnamon in them and the fact that they have oats makes it a win win in our home.   These are now my go-to cookie for the summer season!  Hoping to freeze a batch too so I can bring these babies out in the fall! Until Next Time - Be Blessed!

As a stay at home, homeschooling mother, I find myself never taking or allowing time out for myself.  My responsibility is take care of my families needs and our home, I do that and do that well. However, I need to also balance that act out with SOME time for me.  I have tried to get together with gal pals for even a girls night out, but those have not pained out since April!  Even if I try to lock myself in the bathroom with a magazine or book it never lasts longer than 10 minutes. Since my father passed away a few months ago, I have been a little disorganized, lost if you will.  I found myself, lately, needing some ALONE time - time where I hear no children, answer no questions, fix no meals... are you picking up what I am laying down?   I needed a quick getaway...some place I did not have to take a day to drive to or fly to.  We have a 5 star resort and spa only 30 minutes from our home right over the boarder of NY and NJ....

Not Back to School - Week 1 - Curriculum Week This is the month I so enjoy finding new blogs, Facebook pages, watching how others school. So many other bloggers and homeschoolers are linking up to share a little of their personal choices for their homeschool for the upcoming year! This year, we "look" a little different then we have in the past. We have been gravitating more towards "unschooling" than what I would call "traditional homeschooling".  I have lost the battle with trying to mimic a little "school" in our home and that is fine with me. (although I have some great fun photos for next week for the Not Back to School - School Room post!) Our children's learning style is more hands on, "out in the world" type learning and honestly so is mine!  We are learning all together in some areas and in most all others they will be working separately. I have a tough time "labeling" the grades of our...

It's that time of year when homeschoolers are gearing up for a new school year.  If you are like us, we really don't know when a school year ends and another begins as we school year round.   But I do love to have new books (and crayons) on the shelf for the kiddos to read. We want to bless another homeschoolers with a great selection of NEW Scholastic Books to start the year off.  What you see pictured is what you get.   These are for geared towards elementary grade level readers.  Topics include: Animals History Science Fun reading It's easy to enter using the Rafflecopter below!   a Rafflecopter giveaway The Sorted Details:  This giveaway is sponsored by me...the books are mine....they were purchased by me....they will be shipped by me! I will only be shipping to US addresses only.  This giveaway is in no way spoinsored by: Scholastic, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,...