Catch Up

It has been many months since I posted here.  I was really busy teaching at McWeeds, then we were all sick, then my mom spent a good portion of the summer in the hospital.  It was a rough summer, and I am only now starting to get back on track.  So I am going to narrate a picture dump here, and then try really hard to be more consistent about posting.

 CJ had a fantastic birthday.  He was super excited about his science kit.  He chose Mexican food for his dinner, so taco bar, nacho bar, quesadillas, etc.

 He also picked an ice cream cake, after the disaster that was Eliza's cake.

 We studied molecules for one of our science classes, and made yummy edible element molecules.

 We are continuing to study French.  We have done several seasonal walks.  We have been focusing on writing this year.  Lots of writing.  We studied bacteria and fungi with a science kit with experiments.  The kids loved it.  For McWeeds we did creative journaling, book club, several science topics, ancient history, and civics topics.  The kids loved them all.  We took a spring physical education class, and are now doing a homeschool phys ed curriculum with some friends weekly.  We have been studying the periodic table, and having fun playdates.  We did a project oceanology trip in the spring.  We have been doing lots of cooking and baking together, and the kids started their own blogs, so far focused on expository writing.  The kids made their first communion in the spring as well.  Most of the year I have been awful about taking pictures, though I have been keeping track of our activities and schoolwork.

 We enjoyed the homeschool day at Old Sturbridge Village in May.  The kids got so much hands on history, and it was a memorable day.  One of my proudest mommy moments was when CJ stood up for his sister and friend, when a rather rude and unfriendly little boy tried to cut in front the girls at an activity.  CJ told him he needed to wait in line as they had.  The boy said he was older so he could do what he wanted.  CJ explained that age didn't matter and that his sister and friend were going first.

 We took a wonderful spring trip to the natural history museum and botanical gardens at Roger Williams Park.  It was a lovely group trip, and I hope to repeat it soon.

 We took a nice long Memorial Day hike along the airline trail.  Saw such pretty sights.  We also enjoyed the educational day at the Robin Hood Renaissance Festival.  The kids always adore a good Ren Faire, and since it moved from Norwich this was our only trip this year.

 This summer the kids started swim lessons.  They loved it and are learning a lot, though the price is ridiculous.  I am hoping that after this session we can skip lessons and just practice.

 Wigwam festival at Mashantucket Pequot Museum and field trip to Battleship Cove.  I think Rich enjoyed the battleships as much as the kids did.  It was a great day.  We also visited the Maritime museum of Fall River that day.

  The geeklings LOVED their first convention.  They took Jedi training, went in the TARDIS, won cards at a panel, and loved seeing the cosplay.  It was fantastic.

 We went to visit model trains, and also did the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat.  It was so beautiful and the kids learned so much about the river.  We also did a homeschool trip to Quassy.  Took a great trip to Tantaquidgeon which included native crafting and great demos.  We have studied decimals, fractions, and continued multiplication and division.  Also while I was extremely sick my good friend took the kids to Providence Children's Museum. 

 We took a trip to Boston, did the Mary Baker Eddy library Mapparium, Freedom Trail with all the cool museum church and graveyard stops, and the Boston Museum of Science.  We especially loved the Pixar exhibit. 

 We finished our art curriculum by making our own Jackson Pollack style paintings.  The kids loved this and created some lovely pieces.

 We had a fantastic time going to Cabela's where the kids really learned a lot about local fish, and even where asked to help feed the fish. 

 Great trip to the CT Science Center, can't wait to go back and see the new exhibit.

 Honey harvest, the kids helped and loved tasting the honey.  They have been coming up with new ways to use the honey.  Eliza created a great recipe she is going to blog soon.

 They learned to sew with Miss Marta, and made a shell collecting bag.  Then they went on a beach walk to use them.  We will be doing a project with the shells later this fall.

 We went to visit a cousin of my dad's and had a nice family day in Massachusetts, and loved seeing the start of the foliage.

 We had a fun science day full of kits and experiments. 

 Excellent trip to Pumpkintown with friends.

We have been doing Sonlight that we have been kindly allowed to borrow, and Saxon math.  We have been working on spelling, and making lots of trips to the library.  CJ is taking piano, Eliza recorder.  They have been learning coding, and using Khan academy.  We are loving Story of the World.  We watched the lunar eclipse together and studied it.  We pressed our own cider after picking apples.  We have done snap circuits, and studied artists, scientists, and inventors.  The kids built geoboards with Rich and have been using them.  They are currently working on a cloud flipbook report.  We have some fun Walktober events coming up, as well as some cool field trips and activities.  It is going to be a fun and full fall season.