Snowplow painting and other school highlights

Yesterday we met other homeschoolers at the city public works for the annual snowplow painting. One of the homeschool Dads works for the city, and for the last few years area homeschoolers have been invited every fall to paint the city snowplows -- not the whole thing- just the blades, er scoops, ....you know, the business end of a snowplow. This was the first year we got to be part of it and the girls had a wonderful time. They were basically turned loose with paint of all colors and brushes of different sizes to create their own murals that will be seen up and down city streets this winter.
The girls woke up expecting a regular school day, and I surprised them when I told them what we were going to be doing. It was in the car on the way to town that I heard what I've been wanting to hear for a long time --

"I'm glad we don't go to school!!"

I've really been trying harder this year to make school more fun. In the past, I haven't taken them on a lot of field trips or spent as much time on hands-on learning activities as I know they would like.
It's not because I haven't wanted to...... it's just that things like trips and crafts and such usually require some planning, and I'm not a very good planner.
On second thought, I'm actually a great planner. I'm just not a good follow-through-with-the-plan-ner.


But I've done better so far this year. In fact, I'm starting to think I might need to pace myself.


This year so far our field trips have included:

a local gem mine, the fire department, a new natural history museum, and snowplow painting


In keeping with the more hands-on stuff resolution, we've :

dressed like the ancient Romans, painted Celtic designs , did the whole monk/calligraphy thing I posted about earlier, made Justinian and Theodora paper dolls and clothes, and made Empress Theodora crowns.

For some people, this may be next-to-nothing, but I'm telling you, for me it's a LOT. I just hope I can keep it up.