School of Gardening

Ok so I will admit there is something I really like about Texas: the weather is not as cold as other places I have lived or visited.  Today it was a gorgeous 76* outside so we had a family day at home in our yard.  School plans took on a surprise twist. Instead of learning more about telling time and learning our new coin of the week, we went outside and began the steps to getting ready for a garden.  My main helpers were Ethan and Reagan but even Evelyn and Carrington got involved for a little bit while  Owen and Hudson were gone in a flash out to the swing set and yard which left all gardening up to us.  Daddy had already bought the bag of soil, and I pulled out the seed packets and recycled plant containers from plants we had bought last year.  This year we hope to have a unique item in our garden: a couple veggies from Ukraine with seeds I brought home from our mission trip in November  blown over the seas and oceans right to my back porch.  I will let you all know how those turn out. We have decided we are going to collect seeds from things we eat from now on so I have been saving medicine bottles to keep the seeds in.

Gardening is not new to our family but to some members of our family it is.  Granted, Carrington does not really stress over which veggies are planted but we still sat her up in her Bumbo seat to participate.  The one who really had eyes as big as saucers and excitement for the whole world was Reagan.  This was all new to her but she was all about what she needed to do in order to  make sure her seeds made it in her little containers.  Our school lesson for the day was all about what God gives us to live and how we need to take care of things.  We talked about what seeds need to grow, what they are going grow into, and how we take care of the seeds.  This is one of my favorite parts about home schooling: being able to change the lesson of the day to fit the unexpected blessing of beautiful weather.  How often can you take school outside and have learning be hands on?! It was also a time we could talk about math concepts such as the different sizes of seeds.  Now granted the kids did not stop and say "gee this is a great math lesson" but they did learn! There was no set time limit on how long we were to spend on a certain topic nor was there any agenda to make sure we taught to some test.  This was pure and simple learning.

Carrington thinks she may plant peas.

Smells good.

My two junior gardeners.  Their great-grandma and grandpa would be so proud.

Now Carrington sees something else she needs to plant.

Ahhh yes!  Corn is always yummy!

Reagan took on the role of teacher for Evelyn as she planted her  pumpkin seeds.

Evelyn is in deep concentration as she picks up her seeds (that would be  working on fine motor skills thank you very much).

Evelyn is planting the remainder of her seed that she had decided would taste quite yummy. Yes, Evie ate the seeds she was supposed to plant.

Now if we all can say a little prayer that our garden grows this year and is free of the varmits that dined on all the fruits of our labor last year.  We really love veggies and this is one way we can have fresh and organic veggies without the high prices.  Not to mention the fact that the children will see their science, math, and Bible lessons grow right before their little eyes.