Checking in...homeschooling edition...

Yes. I know I've been a bit quiet here. Just working on sorting out our new "normal" and trying to stay on track. ;) For a bit of catching up...

1. Asher and Micah joined a local homeschool Science Olympiad team. I think it's going to be a great experience for them...both socially (being part of a team...more people for Micah to talk to regularly, lol) and academically. We're still learning the ropes and sorting out our part in everything but are excited about things to come. So far, the boys have met for training (for various events that they're signed up) a few times...

(Most of the team was here and this is just over half of them...the left three were working on building a tower, and the right two were learning about building gliders.) They've also gotten together for a team building afternoon at Loveland Laser Tag...

So. Science Olympiad is one of the things we're working to add to our routine. I know it's going to mean more work and more structure than we're accustomed to but think/hope that the challenge will be good for us. I'm hoping to get way more organized about it all over the weekend. Then I'll feel a little less overwhelmed, lol.

2. Along the way, we've also been reconnecting with our homeschool group. We've been part of it since Micah was born (when Noah started kindergarten) but have been much less active of late, as we've focused more on our own thing. Last weekend, Asher, Micah and I hit the annual Not Back to School Picnic and had a lovely time with friends...

This was a portion of the kids...picking teams for Capture the Flag. I love that all ages were able to easily play together without direction and that they reconvened to pick new teams fairly often to keep things even. 

3. Thursday, thanks to our homeschool group, Asher, Micah and I went on a field trip/tour of our local water treatment plant. It was really educational (lots of information we hadn't known)...maybe not all the way to "fun" but definitely worthwhile. :) Due to the security, phones/cameras weren't allowed, so I don't have any pictures. Boys, though, let me take their silly picture with glasses of water once we got home...

4. Just for the record, the rest of our "normal" homeschooling is continuing to go fairly well. 

I think that's it for now regarding our present homeschooling journey...whew.