Utah's National Parks Trip: Day 3 (Arches)

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Monday, our 3rd day in Utah, we headed out to Arches National Park nice and early. In fact I think we were through the gate by 7:15 or so after taking a quick photo by the park sign.  It's a very dramatic entrance to the park with switchbacks and high cliff walls and as soon as you turn the last corner all signs of civilization fall away. It was stunning.  I don't think you can see it but there is a car where the light colored rock meets up against the dark- that's the road   We drove straight to the very back of the park to an area known as Devil's Garden. We only hiked part of the trail though.   tunnel arch       The weather was perfect, sunny but cool and breezy. We saw a deer, a hummingbird, a blue bird, and some beetles and ants.  landscape arch longest arch in America at 306 feet opening; 6 feet in diameter at its narrowest point This is the point we turned around; I refused to climb up the top part of this trail on my hands and knees ...
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Homeschooling Through the Alphabet: M is for Moments

When you are raising children you learn to live for the little moments; you know those moments that make you laugh, smile, or have your heart melting just a bit.  Those moments you just know that you will remember for years and years to come.



When they smile their first genuine smile.

When they take their first steps.

Their first words.

The first time they sleep through the night or give you a real hug with their chubby little arms.

I find that in homeschooling my boys that I'm lucky enough to experience even more of those moments.

See, I not only get to enjoy all of those parenting moments but I also get to enjoy all of those teaching moments too!

The moments when my boys' eyes light up because they finally understood a difficult math concept they had been struggling with.

Those moments when I find them tucked away voraciously reading; so caught up in their book that they have completely tuned away the outside world.

When they have learned something new that they just can't help rambling on excitedly about it.

We also have more opportunities to make family memories and I get to enjoy all of those moments too! 

I get to watch my boys grow and blossom and play together.

I find them snuggled up together on the couch watching TV or working together to build the ultimate building.  They ask for sleepovers in each other's rooms and we often take off spur of the moment to enjoy days at the amusement park or the beach when most people are at work and school.

Homeschooling has helped us slow down and realize what life is all about.  We look for ways to strengthen our family bond and we strive to make each moment a wonderful new memory.

Homeschooling Through the Alphabet:

A is for Awe
B is for Boisterous
C is for Creativity
D is for Determination
E is for Expectations
F is for Fun
G is for Games
H is for Heart
I is for Independence
J is for Journey
K is for Kitchen
L is for Longevity

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