A Just Because We Can Sort of Day

Yesterday most of the schools around here had their first day.  I was planning on continuing on our normal routine just like any other day but then had a spark of inspiration as I drove to the chiropractor's office for my crack of dawn appointment and waited in the long first day of school traffic.  It was decided at the four way stop that it would be the perfect time to have a Just Because We Can sort of day.   I think Sarah was the one who wrote about this a few years ago and I tucked it away for future reference.  It is a wise thing to show your kids why their homeschool deal is pretty sweet every once in awhile, I think.  Yesterday while the other kiddos were bussed away to school, we played hooky.  Just because we can.

{pretty} 

The boys opted to play Legos for an hour and then I scooted us out the door because really, boys?  You get to play Legos like every day.  Seize this moment your mother is offering you!  Our first stop was to drop off a load of pears to the local food pantry.  I was so happy when they told me they would take fresh fruit!  I hope they are well used.  We still have so many...


{funny}

I announced our surprise plans for the day earlier at breakfast while we began doing our normal memory work.  I told them that I had a new poem for them and to repeat line by line after me:

The other kids are in school
And the weather'll soon be cool.
So we'll change today's plan
Just because we can.
A day to have fun
To the park to play and run
Will be like a dream
Maybe even with...ice cream.

Poet I am not but it was written bleary-eyed in the waiting room at the chiropractor's so you'll have to cut me a little slack...  There was much cheering and jumping when they realized what they were saying.

We made a quick stop to say hello to Grandma and decided that it would be best if we went home rather than the park to give Luke an early nap.  This way we could go to the park when he woke up and have more time.  So a picnic lunch in this creation was the next choice of the day.


{happy}

In the morning I gave them many different options of what we could do with the day and they chose a favorite park near us.








{real}

And in a sad and disappointing plot twist to the story, the ice cream for dinner was lost due to several boys deciding to test mom and whether or not she really means what she says.  I do.  We still went for ice cream and they sadly didn't get any.  I didn't even really want ice cream but I am determined that my children understand that I will never lie to them.  If that has to be with a scoop of Bittersweet Sinphony to make the lesson memorable, then so be it.


At least one of them didn't lose out.


Don't worry, this pitiful scene lasted all of forty seconds before they ran off to climb the nearby tree and found some hardening sap which they determined to be amber and obviously a very significant treasure.


We're back to lessons today a bit more refreshed and a bit more grateful for the gift of learning at home.  In fact, I think this may become an annual tradition.

Head on over to Leila and the girls' for more {phfr} and in a fun and surprising twist of blogging kismet I think pretty much this whole post just happens to qualify for Cari's Theme Thursday of "Recess," right?  Have a wonderful Thursday!

6 comments

  1. We have been hitting up some of the parks while school is in session too, nice to have it all to yourself! Hope they learned their lesson and will remember for the next time you offer ice cream for dinner.

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  2. Oh, I am so sad for them, but you did the right thing!

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  3. I love the lunch fort! Are you still canning and saucing away with those pears? Send some my way! =)

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  4. Looks like a great day! And those pears look delicious.

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  5. Awesome! Except for that picture of the boys which is kill-ing me, but you did good, Mama! Follow through is so hard for me! Your poem idea rocks, by the way. Totally rocks.

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    1. I know, I can't believe I got that shot because really, it was just a few moments that they were sitting there...I hope it wasn't imprudent of me to post it but I couldn't help it! It was also pretty close to bedtime so I think they were pretty tired as well. As cliche as it sounds I really do think it bothered me more than them! On the way over to the place David exclaimed "But guys! We can still have water, though!"

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