A Little Bit of September

While I was anxious for a fall routine and to begin school, I really wasn't prepared.  I procrastinated on ordering curriculum and didn't make up my typical lists.  We began with math since we always have those books.  Then, when the rest of our books arrived we gradually added the remaining subjects.  It actually worked well, but next year I'd like to get a couple week jump start....but still begin slowly.

We did enjoy a few field trips. Shannon headed to hunting camp and we headed for.....well, wherever we felt like.  A neighbor has been teaching the kiddos a bit about geology, so our trips were geologically oriented.  First, we went to Ringing Rocks.  The kiddos loved climbing all over this huge pile of boulders, banging on them with hammers to induce many different church-bell-type sounds.
Hammers, climbing, rocks.
Does life get any better?

Eric workin' that tongue as he strikes the rocks.

Why is there always one?

Next, we went to Lewis & Clark Caverns. Most of the kiddos had never been there.  It was a dreary, rainy day; what better way to spend it than underground.  Unfortunately, I had overlooked the long walk to get to the entrance of the cave and it was pouring rain.  By the time we arrived at the top of the hill, we were drenched.  And when we finished the tour the coffee shop was closed, so no hot cocoa to warm up.  Nickles thought the entire tour was totally awesome, especially since he never had to duck.  He fit right through all the tight spots.  

The last trip of the week was to a crystal mine.  We weren't entirely sure where we were going and by the time we finally found the mines we only had about 15 minutes to search before we had to head out.  This has only whetted the boys' desire to return and really get digging, which we are planning on doing in the next day or so.

There's some discussion going on here which I was not privy to ~

Max even loved digging in the dirt ~

Yesterday our geologist friend taught the boys how to pan for gold.  I'm not sure there is anything more distracting from school work than a bucket of dirt and a gold pan....and a preoccupied mother.  Unless Eric found a few hundred dollars' worth this morning, he's in trouble!  There's nothing I love more than catching up schoolwork in the evening.  I guess I could look at it as science.
Yes.  That's what I'll do.  He can write a report on his experiments.

Pickle making  ~

Annika's annual tradition.

Does Max look like he's planning something?

Texting his peeps ~

Decorating a cake for Mary's birthday

Annika had help, but wasn't all that interested in sharing the credit ~

The best practical joke ever!

A friend loves one of Carroll College's biggest rival schools.

So what better way to surprise him than decorating his vehicle with Saints colors?

A new fishing hole ~~

It is absolutely beautiful, tucked behind willows and next to a railroad bridge.  If the kiddos are prepared,. they can get the engineer to honk on his way by.