Curriculum Changes

Our Mothership Adventures Academy is going through some serious changes this year. We are going to try something new. If it doesn't work, we can always go back to what has worked in the past for us.




Instead of having all of our school on the computers, we have actual books this year.




I have shared how we had a rough year last year. Not all my students struggled, but overall it was a difficult year. We didn't finish our schoolwork until mid-to-late July this year. And that just isn't something I/we care to repeat.




We started looking at what else is there, and really felt led to take a look at something completely different. Something I had checked out years ago, and had decided it wasn't for us. And it wasn't - then. We are pretty confident it is the right choice for our family this year.




All five of my students will be using Sonlight as our homeschool curriculum.



Our 10th grades will be using Core 100 for Language Arts, Literature, Bible and History. Little Miss will be using Sonlight Core B as her 3rd grade curriculum, including Science. She and I will use Math-U-See for math.

For our High School Science we will use Apologia Biology, taught by Catie Frates online classes. We are super excited about this program, and I will share more on it soon. If you are looking for high school science classes, including labs, you need to check out Catie Frates.

As for our high school Math - Geometry, we will be using Mr. D Math live classes.

Also, high school electives - we are still working on figuring all that out. Two of our teens are learning how to drive, and the other two might start this year, also. And two of our teens are also working on something else, but that is so shocking I'll save that for another blog post ;-)


Sadly we won't be able to attend our homeschool co-op classes in Florida this fall. They start so early in September, and we aren't able to make it there in time. We will be starting our year this week (and some of us have already unofficially started school). I think we are ready! It has been so good to have two/three weeks of vacation, but now we are ready for bouquets of newly sharpened pencils (name that movie!) and fall routines.

Happy new school year to all students and teachers (and moms and dads)!

Lake Fun/Järvihauskuttelua

Little Miss looking out, keeping an eye on the lake. Is daddy coming, yet?



It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and a spontaneous decision was made to rent a boat for a few hours to go enjoy the lake. (And one dramamine tablet taken.)



Little Miss was one of the first ones to try tubing, with two big brothers. Such fun!! Until a great wipe-out.



Little Miss decided to wrap herself in a towel to warm up, so Mr D and Mr A went back on the tube. Until a second wipe-out:)



Somehow the Captain and the boys talked Missy into tubing, too! She wasn't too sure about it, but managed to hang on without taking a swim.



Mr T got quite a wild ride!!! (Before he wiped out.)



"Look, Ma, no hands!" Splash. Wipe-out.



Our last lake activity was water-skiing. Mr A was first, and did fantastic!!



Mr D did great, also! When we were in New Hampshire, the boys got up early to do water-skiing at the camp.



"Mo-om, that's enough pictures...!"

What a great day at the lake.

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Kauniina lauantaiaamuna spontaani päätös tuli tehtyä: vuokrataan vene muutamaksi tunniksi. Ja sen teimme. Kaikki halukkaat saivat kokeilla niin vesihiihtoa kuin renkaan/tuubin päällä 'lentelyä' (mikähän tämä laji olisi suomeksi?). Hauskaa oli, vaikka vesi oli kylmää, eikä ilma paljon lämpöisempää:)

Blueberry Picking with Cousins/Mustikassa serkkujen kanssa

A week ago Grandma, Grandpa, and our Maine cousins came up for a visit. Despite cold temperatures and rainy days, we packed up (most of) our crew, and went blueberry picking. After all, it is blueberry pie season!




Maine has some strange seasons: black fly season, mud season; why not have a blueberry pie season???




It was great to have extra blueberry pickers!




Mr A was home with a cold, but Mr T and Mr D ate picked their weight in berries.





My second shooter (Little Miss) caught me picking some blueberries, too.



I just need to point out Grandpa's bucket in one of the pictures.
(I also like the bug spray bottle peaking out of his pocket.)




When you have a handsome crew like this, it takes no time to get enough blueberries for five pies (and for cousins and Grandma who are counting, I made one more crustless pie on Monday), and enough berries to bring to home, too. Thanks, everyone!!!




Mmmmm........ Yummy!
Here's a link to Our Mothership Adventures Blueberry Pie recipe.

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Viikko sitten isovanhemmat tulivat serkkujen kanssa vierailulle. Koska nyt on mustikkapiirakkasesonki (eikös?!), menimme kaikki (paitsi kipeä Mr A) mustikkaan, ja saimme kaikki yhdessä kerättyä niin paljon mustikoita, että tein viisi piirakkaa, ja lähetin ison rasiallisen mustikoita etelä-Maineen heidän kotiinsa. Yllä on linkki mustikkapiirakkareseptiin, nam!