busy, busy, busy :)

Things here are busy busy busy.... Here is Princess Ki doing what she loves to do, perhaps more than anything, more perhaps than Harp, or Piano, more than skating on Ice, it is the #1 thing on her FAVORITE list, and it was our gift to her this autumn for her 10th BIRTHDAY :) She even gets to clean the barn, and all that ICK --- and LOVES every Horse smelling minute of it :)

Here she is with helmet on, and broom in hand receving instructions from Amber Bauman of Valley View Acres on who know what! :) Amber is an amazing gal who runs a GREAT stable, we could NOT be happier, and yes, folks, we HAVE been elsewhere!

Could she be more eager to sweep? Yes her joyfulness to clean has extended to cleaning in our home.... for the most part, but only so far as it might prepare her for her ULTIMATE goal of being physically strong enough to become a member of the amazing and wonderful BARN CREW!!!

Here we are on one of our Autumn Walks. We walk a minimum of one day each week, for about 3-4 hours in the woods and praries. It is wonderful, and an excellent time of exploration. It is something that we started doing when we first started our Adventure in Home Education, but I confess, it is something that a couple years ago started slowly getting dropped by the wayside.... Encouraged by other moms in the homeschool bloggin world I lurk about, I have been re inspired and caught up in the LEAVE NO CHILD INSIDE movement. I am passionate that the best way to get our children excited about biology, about Natural Sciences at all, is to expose them to the REAL DEAL, and not just bore them with some dry text books :)

Here is little man on an ancient John Deere when we went Apple Picking/Pumpkin Pickin at Edwards Apple Orchard... which by the way is WONDERFUL!!!! We recently switched and found this to be our NEW orchard of choice!

Here is Princess Ki with a view of the woods behind her, and a meadow as well, isn't she sweet?

Here we are a hiking..... If you are interested in the No Child Left Inside movement, check out the book writen by Richard Louv called Last Child in the Woods... saving our Children from Nature - Deficit Disorder..... It is simply excellent.... With great resources for you inside as well. While this is hardly a "Christian Book", I really think it is a Biblical Principle.... as we are all called to be "stewards" and to be in the nature enjoying the Creator's creation, can only help us to enjoy Him further.... Interesting to note that C. S. Lewis went for a walk in the woods near his home nearly every day of his life :)

Here is Caspian on our day to the Big city, and he was naturally drawn to the river and it's wonderful view....

There is a smile! Sometimes 12 yr olds just do not smile a whole lot for the camera... perhaps because their teeth are funny still :) But gosh I love that grin!

so these were just some pictures of some of the fun things we are doing this autumn. We have been Ice skating a lot, horse riding, boy scouting, harp and music lessons, and each week the hike, and one day with Oma... On top of our weekly studies, we have been just plain old fashioned BUSY BUSY BUSY... how 'bout you?