Christmas! (148/180)

J and D went to their observation dance classes:

We were on break from MAHC, and the girls were sick most of the rest of the week, so it was fairly low key.  

R made a graham cracker gingerbread house:

And we did make it to the Christmas Eve Nativity Pageant:

We celebrated as a family on Christmas morning, and with my father's side of the family in the evening:

I read to the kids:

The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree by Stan Berenstain


Jingle Bells: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition by James Lord Pierpont


Night Tree by Eve Bunting


W and R exercised sometimes.

We baked treats for the holidays!

This week included four 'days of instruction'.

Getting Ready for Christmas (144/180)

D and J went to ballet class.  We went to visit my grandparents very briefly:

The kids went to their MAHC classes.  Here's W in Debate Club:

W also participated in a community Improv show.  And played D and D.

J had her birthday party!  I missed it - this is probably the first time I've missed something like this for a birth.

We got a Christmas Tree and decorated it.  All the kids attended worship which told the story of the origins of the Universe, and sang in church.  D sang in the Family Choir with Matt!

I read to them:

Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson


Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels by Deborah Heiligman


The First Christmas by Robbie Trent


The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle


My First Chanukah by Tomie dePaola

W and R exercised.

They watched documentaries and listened to podcasts.

This week included 5 'days of instruction'.

J turns 4! (139/180)

J and D went to Ballet.

All the kids attended their MAHC classes.  It was the first week of a new session!  J is in the Nursery, D is in Board and Card Games, Art, and Heroes of the Environment.  R is in Board and Card Games, Explosive Science, and Move It, Move It.  W is in Roman Mythology's Readers' Theater, Capoiera, and Debate Club.

R in his Move It Move It class.

W played D and D twice.  He attended his Teen Program classes.

J turned 4 on Friday.  She had a lot of plans!  She bounced on our trampoline, I took her for a ride on the local transit train, we got lunch and a cupcake, she opened presents, we did cake and ice cream after her favorite dinner and then we all went ice skating.

We went to see the School Free Players production of The Wyrd Sisters - it was great!

The kids attended their religious education classes, and sang in church.

We have been reading a holiday book each day, but they haven't gotten logged.

R read independently: E-mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld

They watched documentaries and listened to podcasts.

D and J did a lot of drawing.

They exercised.

This week included 7 'days of instruction'.

Ordinary Time (132/180)

All the kids went to their MAHC classes.  Here is R decorating ugly sweater cookies:

Note he is sopping wet - it was raining hard that day!

W played D and D three times, including DMing for his friend's birthday party.

He attended the Teen Program at MAHC.

W, D, and J attended their religious education classes and sang in church.  D attended the Family Choir rehearsal.  R was sick - poor guy!

R read independently:  

Danny and the Dinosaur: Too Tall by Bruce Hale


There's a Fly Guy in My Soup by Tedd Arnold

I read to them: Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber

R and D copied text.  D read Bob Books.

W, R, and D worked with LOF.

They watched documentaries and listened to podcasts and newscasts.

W and R did some mountain biking.  We went for a walk.  W and R exercised.

This week included 4 "days of instruction".

Thanksgiving By Ourselves (128/180)

D and J went to ballet and R went to Parkour.

All the kids went to their MAHC classes.  In Little House Cooking, we made butter:

The girls did a lot of drawing just about everywhere they went:

On Thanksgiving and before we cooked and cooked and cooked - everyone helped at some point - and feasted!

We also took a bike/hike in the woods:

D taught J how to climb a favorite piece of furniture:

We did not do much formal lesson work this week due to the holiday.

I did read our chapter book to them.

All the kids attended their religious education classes and sang in church.

This week included 5 'days of instruction'.

Cake It! (123/180)

All the kids have been enjoying How to Cake It.  R made a cake in the style:

R went to Parkour.

All the kids went to their MAHC classes and W went to his Teen program classes.

W played D and D twice.

W and R received clean bills of health at the dentist.

We got our passport pictures taken.

We did more NeighborhoodLoveNotes with our actual neighbors this time.  D and J did some of these:

R played soccer.

All the kids attended their religious education classes and sang in church.  This week included a collection of food for a homeless family (living in a shelter) to have a Thanksgiving meal.

W and R read independently (but didn't finish anything).

I read to them:

I Know an Old Teacher by Anne Bowen


Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo


Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss




W, R and D used LOF.

R and D did some copywork.

They all watched documentaries and listened to podcasts and discussed current events.

#NeighborhoodLoveNotes (117/180)

D and J went to ballet, R went to Parkour.

All four kids went to the polls with a parent or grandparent.  All four were deeply distressed and disappointed by the election results, in developmentally appropriate ways.

They all went to their MAHC classes, and W went to his Teen Program classes as well.  Here's R in an obstacle course: 

D, R and W had soccer.  W's team took second place for the season.

D, R and W tried out a new Parkour gym in the neighborhood:  

W played Dungeons and Dragons twice.  

I took R, D, and J to the Art Museum:

They all attended their Religious Education classes and sang in church.  We did Neighborhood Love Notes outside as part of RE.  These are the ones D and W made.

W worked with LOF.  

R read independently:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown


I read to them:

Rap A Tap Tap by Leo Dillon


Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy by Carl R. Sams II


They exercised and walked and biked.

They watched documentaries and listened to podcasts.

This week included 7 "days of instruction".