Encouraging a Habit of Delight (or School is Happening Even Here...)

Today was the kind of day that reminds me, "it's all going to be fine."  Lessons will be fine.  They'll learn to read and write just fine.  Math?  Fine.  Diagramming sentences?  Fine. (maybe...)  Some days, because we homeschool and because we can, I just have to trust that it will all turn out fine, and we take advantage of what's set out before us, and do something different.  Today the "different" was the fact that it was 80 degrees in September and I wanted to get the kids to the creek at least once more this summer.  Lessons can wait. (Except the boys did wake up at 5:30 today, so I set them to work on some easy stuff before breakfast.  It's that or go back to bed, kids.) Lessons can wait.  Today's is a different kind of lesson.  

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If we give our children regular opportunities to get in touch with God's creation, a habit is formed that will be a source of delight throughout their lives.  - Karen Andreola, paraphrasing Charlotte Mason in A Charlotte Mason Companion

We are all meant to be naturalists, each to his own degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world of marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things.  -  Charlotte Mason

a creek-side snake skin

we shared the creek with a Great Blue Heron for a while!

And for an extra awesome bonus - We were able to meet up with some friends there... so here are some distance shots of the kids so that I'm not breaking blog ethics and putting other kids faces up here.  

There were 8 kids (between ages 3 and 7 + three babies!) and they lugged stones out of the creek and worked together to build this cool "house"...

Sometimes you just have to get out of your own backyard if you want to really be outside.  It sure felt great today!