Theory vs. Reality

Charlotte Mason is a woman whose teaching methods have branched off into a homeschooling "style", and I would say ideally, our style follows that of the Charlotte Mason philosophy. She encouraged short lessons, leaving afternoons free for imaginative play and exploration, and taking Nature Walks frequently. I have posted a few times earlier about our Nature Walks and how pleasant they often are. However, sometimes the theory of pleasant, relaxing Nature Walks filled with exploration and inquisitive learning does not line up with reality, especially when 3 boys are involved. Here's how the one mile walk looked:

The beginning:

Continuing:

This happened about 3 times:

But it always went back to:


And then we finished up with:

And when we went home, I was more tired than they.