And there goes March...

What a strange month!!  It was a beautiful spring month most of the month, which took us outside a bunch!!  We stuck with our running and I was up to alternating 2 minutes walking and 30 seconds running :)  We figured out how easy it is to walk through out neighbors yard and walk on Gregg Rd, which has been nice since gas prices are so high!!  Part of me wonders why it took me ten years to figure out we could do this- but I know it was a lame excuse to stay lazy, plus it's easier now that the boys are older :)  I did pull a muscle in my knee though, and have laid off running this week- but I've been walking and some workout videos and we even went for a nice bike ride today!!
School wise we are SOO ready to be done!!  I'm glad we had a couple really good months because this nice weather is killing us!!  We're also nearing the end and that's making us antsy to finish...  Only 3 more chapters of Science, 4 more weeks of English and we have 40 math lessons left but we're doubling up from now til we're done...  Much of the math lessons is repetitive so I take 2 lessons and whittle it down to a large lesson.  The boys are good with this because they're ready to finish!!  We are finished with history for the year, because if we stopped right where we were in Sonlight then we were about where they start the 2nd year when you do American History in 2 years.  Since there was no way we were going to finish the one year condensed and because I felt the following year was a bit too advanced for them we decided to stop and just enjoy the 2nd half all next year :)  I'm excited to get our Sonlight stuff ordered so we can start playing with it!!  Fun stuff we've done this month:
- We went to the Maple Syrup Days at Malabar Farm.  It was nice but VERY cold and snowy that day.  We were disappointed that the maple syrup was beyond our price range, but blessed beyond belief when that day our neighbor sent us a jar of their home made syrup!!  God provides even the silly stuff for us :)
- Wyatt started up CF spring soccer this month.  We've had no breathing problems still, though if he gets up early he doesn't have as much energy. 
- The boys started their 'Gym and Swim' classes at the Mansfield YMCA.  They get an hour swim lesson and then an hour gym class.  This quickly became a favorite thing to do and I think we'll continue to do it.
- The boys participated in 2 Cub Scout build it days for their pinewood cars and then the 3rd Saturday raced them.  Even though Austin didn't win any races he made it to district because there were only 4 Webelos (he's SOOOO excited!!!).  Wyatt also made it to district :)  That will be tomorrow (the 31st).  We're so thankful it's only in Centerburg!!
- I had to spend a weekend away at a scout training to learn how to lead summer day camps so the boys had fun with Daddy.  They went and saw The Lorax with Daddy and Po one of those evenings...
- We went to Fredericktown High School and saw the drama group perform The Suessical Musical.  Ramey Turner did amazing as the boy!!
-The boys enjoyed learning ways to be green at the Bird Sanctuary.
- We went down to the Columbus Art Museum and had fun walking around and doing a craft.  We will have to go down again and just walk around...  Maybe a day we can go to COSI and the Art Museum.  We were supposed to go another day as well but I didn't want to drive down again...
- Austin went on his first Boy Scout campout without Brian and hiked around Fredericktown looking at Indian Mounds.  They gave him the nickname 'Pebbles' since there were 3 Austins- Big Rock, Little Rock and he was Pebbles because he was the smallest.  Wyatt spent the night with a friend and had fun building a fort and catching an opossum.  Brian and I were at a Marriage Conference that weekend...  It was hard to remember where everyone was supposed to go!!

Our hours for the month were 140 bringing us to a total of 830.  We'll have no problem reaching 900 hours and our goal is to be finished in early May!!
Books we've read this month- Lewis and Clark Expedition, The Great Horn Spoon and we're working on Moccasin Trail.  Now that we're done with Sonlight the boys have been reading for fun- Wyatt has finished the 3rd and 4th Harry Potter and the 1st Percy Jackson book.  He is now reading the 5th Harry Potter book.  Austin finished the 2nd Harry Potter book, read a boys survival book and is now reading Indian in the Cupboard. 

Wyatt working on his Pinewood car

The boys and I at Malabar Farms

The boys swimming at their Gym and Swim class

The boys' cars- Wyatt's Rocket Ship and Austin's Arrow of Light

This is supposed to be Austin working on his car...

February in review

February was a good month.  We found a good rhythm in January and continued with it this month.  We had a couple days of sickness this month but we didn't need to take much school off...  And with the beautiful days we rushed through school to go outside.  As a family we started doing the Couch to 5K program, though I had to find an even slower program for me!!  It's been nice to be outside running as a family!!  One nice day we even went hiking with some friends!! 
Some highlights of February-
- Austin and Brian got to go on a Boy Scouts trip to Snow Trails and go skiing!!  Austin LOVED it!!
- Wyatt continued to play indoor soccer and his team has gotten much better the longer they play together.  They even won a game!!
- We participated in Scout Sunday at Fredericktown Methodist Church.  The boys ended up both doing the scripture readings and did an excellent job!  Rev Bohley asked them questions after their readings and they understood enough to answer properly!!  I was very proud of them!!
- On Valentine's Day we went to Hill Top Church and had fun with friends at a homeschool Valentine's Day party!!  The boys had fun making their boxes and playing with friends.
- Valentine's Day night was our Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  The boys each did well in their skits or songs and Austin earned his Webelos Badge and Wyatt earned his Whittling Chip (EEEK!!)  It was a good night!!  We also raised enough money to meet our goal!  Thanks to Po, Nana and Auntie Jill for coming!!
- We went to the Bird Sanctuary and did a neat craft and made a bird feeder
- We spent a GREAT day at The Ohio Historical Society with good friends!!  We learned a lot about Ohio and had a fun day with friends!!
- Books read this month- What's the Big Idea Ben Franklin, Phoebe the Spy, Paul Revere's Famous Ride, Sign of the Beaver, If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution.  At night they read for fun the Harry Potter books.  Wyatt's much more into them and is already on the 3rd.  Austin read the 1st one last year and is kind of working on the 2nd...

Hours- Austin had 128 hours this month with a total of 690 hours for the year.  Wyatt had 123 hours in February with a total of 691 for the year. 

The boys with their Valentine's Day boxes

Them with their friends at the homeschool party

All 4 of us in our uniforms at the Blue and Gold Banquet

The Strong's and a sampling of Leach's at the Ohio Museum

This train was so cute!!