Red-winged Blackbird!

 We were outside doing school on the back porch when what to our wondering eyes should appear?  Yes, a Red-Winged Blackbird!  Yes, I know this is an extremely common bird, but we have never seen one before.  To be honest I didn't even know what it was.  But Noah J certainly did!  This boy prides himself on knowing every single bird that comes into our yard, male and female!  Every time I think he is yanking my chain we pull out bird field guide and he is always right.  :) So we stopped what we were doing and pulled out our Prisma colors and nature journals.  When we first started our nature journals Noah really HATED them.  Mostly because I was forcing him to write in it.  But this year I decided I really wanted him to develop a love of recording the things he finds interesting in God's creation, so I told him I would be his scribe.  Ta da!!  We suddenly have a boy who loves nature journaling.  :)   Love homeschooling outside in the springtime weather!

A Frog!

 So last night we were outside kinda late and we saw a frog in the yard.  Wyatt was so excited he desperately wanted to put it in his new bug house he got for his birthday.  Just for a few minutes to look at it and then to let it go.  We agreed but sadly couldn't catch him.  He was sneaky!  But tonight was not his lucky night - we found him in the garage!  The boys were so adorably excited and Noah insisted that they get out their Nature Journals and draw him.  So they did!

 

I was really tickled by how excited they were.  I mean, it was just a normal frog.  I thought it was so cute that Noah wanted to put it in his journal.  You know, that journal I bought them with these grand ideas of Charlotte Mason inspired nature walks we would be taking.  We've had them for a year. And this was the second entry.  ;) Noah even went and got his Amphibians Field Guide to try and figure out which kind he was.  He found that book at an antique shop for $1 and he adores it - so glad finally got to officially use it!

Of course we immediately took him outside to let him go.  We do not like to keep wild animals captive in our house!  I wish I wasn't too lazy to scan in Wyatt's drawing.  It is hysterical - he drew this big house and then a tiny red frog about the size of a fly.  Guess I need to better explain that we are supposed to try and use accurate colors in our journals!  And don't you love Wyatt's too small jammies?  I should get rid of them but they are just so funny.  :)