As a homeschooling mom...

I am frequently asked what Zach is up to while Clara is in school.  There are many answers to this question.  He can be found building with his Legos, Lincoln Logs, wooden blocks, painting, drawing, doing puzzles, playing with the iPad mini, and sometimes even terrorizing Clara.  Oh, and he eats.  A lot.  I also try to squeeze in reading, math, and bible lessons for him too, but those are fairly short and we do not always get to them.  I'll be much more structured with him this next school year as he is turning four tomorrow.

However, sometimes...Zach gets to be integrated into Clara's lessons.  I really enjoy it when this happens.  For example, yesterday Clara's art lesson was to make a clay pinch pot.  As it turns out, we had to make the clay, which was really like a salt dough, but we watched a youtube video tutorial first and then they both made one!  I know they look thrilled, but they DID enjoy it.  You'll notice all the flakes from the dough...I try to block out the mess.

 I love the brute strength it took to mold her pot into just what she wanted.  

 Zach did a pretty nice job, I think!

 Clara decided to etch H into her pot.  I'd like to say it was for Hollowell, but it is really for Harry Potter.  I have mentioned previously that she is obsessed.  

 I'm not sure what Zach's design was, I was just nervous giving him a toothpick.  

Also, Clara was to practice reading with expression today, so...I gave her a purpose!  Read to Zach!  Here is another example of Zach being integrated into her lessons and benefiting from it.  Doesn't she read nicely?

On a side note, we went in to get our final installment of the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine today.  I mentioned that he turns four tomorrow and that we'd have to check into what shots he needs to have.  So, she offered to take his stats and share his percentiles.  She late sent me an email saying he is in the 50th percentile for height and weight.