Yesterday we kicked off our first truly fall-like day by taking the kids apple picking! It was so. much. fun!! My hubby teased me the entire trip that I was smiling ear to ear. I told him, "You don't understand...I looked forward to days like this my entire life!" Having a bunch of kids, a little circus wherever we go, carrying heaps of jackets as we walk, plus a coffee in another hand...taking pictures on the tractor...scouting the highest limbs of the tree for apples.. It was pure perfection! Of course, there was a moment where the 3-year old was having a fit about walking "too far", and I ended up carrying everyone's jackets plus my bag, plus the coffee I was using to cure my headache...but it was a laughable moment and comforting, too, because I just thought to myself, "this is our life at the moment, and it's wonderful!"
Here are some of my goals for our family for October a "Living & Learning" of sorts:
October
Faith & Feasts Days:
Protection of the Mother of God (14th)
St. Paraskeva (27th)
St. Peter of Cetinje (31st)
These feasts are my center point for our faith study this month. I will introduce the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God to the kids, and do a learning activity on both of these saints in preparation for their feast days, as well. For starters, I chose the Protection of the Mother of God because it is the feast day of our monastery, New Gracanica - we attend the feast each year. I also chose the "red days" in the calendar, since the kids are small and we have many years of learning ahead of us.
Trips:
We hope to make a trip down to Nashville, TN towards the end of the month for our good friends' parish slava (feast day) - St. Paraskeva.
Homemaking:
I hope to get back to my housework schedule from the book, Large Family Logistics as soon as possible! I don't know how I got off track...but perhaps the pregnancy exhaustion would explain it. Hopefully I can at least set a timer each day to stay on target and get the main stuff done.
Themes:
Leaves
Nuts and Squirrels
Apples
There are a few picture books that I will intertwine with our normal curriculum for our lessons, to "fall-ify" things a bit. :-)
Rituals:
Baking
Playdates
Learning:
"Our Father" in Slavonic (we get the English here every Sunday at liturgy)
Singing the prayer before and after school together (instead of just me)
Sweeping the floor after each meal
Folding laundry
Continue going to story time once a week
Continue swimming lessons
Apple Picking
Visit a pumpkin farm (we'll be doing that with the parish Church School soon!)
Art at home
