Field trip=Happiness

For homeschooling my kiddos I use a program called K12. Specifically here in AZ it is AZVA or Arizona Virtual Academy.  It is state funded and everything is free to our family.  I love the curriculum.  It means almost no prep time for me and I know that my kids are getting a great education. They also participate in state testing and get report cards. They are considered public school students on independent study. We are what you call online learners. It is a lot of work though and we have to be diligent in doing our school work everyday so that we don't get behind.  That is a good for me.  It keeps us accountable for our work.  Because we are state funded there are a few AZVA administrators who keep in close contact with some of our State Senators.  The school organized a field trip and luncheon for the kids to meet the state senators and to help encourage them to keep our funding. We met 4 senators. It was very interesting and made me feel better to know that we have some senators who are concerned with our schooling options.  Then the kids did a scavenger hunt around the capitol.   There are a couple of really cool monuments dedicated to men and women who have served in the military. They have the anchor from the U.S.S. Arizona that went down in the Pearl Harbor attack. They also have a monument dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Korean War. Somehow my kiddos didn't know that my dad had served in the army in the Korean War. They were so excited to see the monument and know that their grandpa had served their country.  I love the opportunities that my children have by learning at home with me.