NaBloPoMo Day 2...Errrr...4

So I'm clearly really amazing at this blogging thing.  To be fair (to myself ;)) I've spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning the last couple of days; our foster care placement coordinator is coming tomorrow and I'd like him to see our home as the awesome and safe and loving place that it is (and not the chaotic and messy butalsoloving environment the kids sometimes create ;)).

A couple weeks ago we went apple picking at a local orchard.  It was great, the kids were great, we got lots of apples, and have made some delicious applesauce (with a fun new kitchen gadget).

NaBloPoMo! Homeschooling!

Well this year has just flown by, hasn't it?!  I barely blink, it seems, and it's been over 3 months since my last post.  But, have no fear!  NaBloPoMo is here!  I have a lot of catching up to do, so let's get started, shall we?

First off, my hard drive up and quit last week.  Like, one day my computer would turn on, and the next day it would not.  Fortunately Michael is a compulsive hoarder smart and resourceful husband, and had kept my old hard drive just in case this exact scenario happened.  Unfortunately, somehow in the transition Aperture (my photo editor) decided it did not want to open anymore.  Michael assures me that the photos (all 50,000+ of them) are still on my computer, I just can't access them right now.  So for tonight, you get pics from my phone :)

At the beginning of September, the journey of homeschooling two (plus a toddler for fun!) began, and I am loving so much about it!

Excited to start learning!

First day of Classical Conversations.  That's Milo and Isaac holding hands on their way to the childcare :)

Christopher Columbus craft time

Handwriting (yes, they do cursive)

Maya copies her history sentence to practice handwriting *and* memory work.

Charlotte is still working on her letters, and doing a pretty fantastic job for being barely 5 when we started!

Math with Mr. Demme

School field trip to the Akron Art Museum

School field trip to the pumpkin patch

Reading Comprehension (in case you can't tell, this is a rag doll, exactly like the ones they made in Little House in the Big Woods)

Freedom to take road trips!

Homeschool Halloween Party

Home Economics 

Milo, our free entertainment :)

Ballet Recital Wrap-Up

The Saturday before Memorial Day is quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the year, as it is the day that we get to see all the kids from Maya and Charlotte's ballet studio perform what they have been working on for the last several months.  Their hard work is evident, and it is so neat to see the progression of skill from the teeny tinies (Charlotte's class this year) all the way up through high school seniors.  I may be biased, but Thursday preschool ballet and Thursday ballet 2 were definitely the best dances of the evening ;)

The weeks leading up to the recital were filled with mostly excitement but also some stress ~ Milo somehow got ahold of both scissors AND Maya's recital costume...let's just say I'm thankful for my mom's sewing abilities!  On top of the hole-in-the-irreplaceable-costume situation, I was also slightly (ok, majorly!) stressed about Charlotte.  She's an amazing and wonderful and talented and smart and beautiful little girl, but she doesn't always show that to the world, and I never know how she will handle new and stressful situations.  Guys.  She blew me away!  She rocked her little dance like it was the most natural thing in the world and made at least 2 people cry with all her overcoming-anxiety-and-sensory-overload and stuff :*)

I am glad for the break we have now from school and (most) activities, but I am definitely looking forward to ballet starting again in the fall.

Of course, pictures:

I told Maya to make a silly face, and she told me that "ballerinas don't make silly faces".  So of course Isabella had to do this (she's amazing :))

Maya, Charlotte, and Isabella with their awesome teacher Miss Kristen

 This next series of pictures isn't my favorite in terms of composition, but you have to watch the progression...

Out of about 20 shots, I don't have even one where all three of them are looking at the camera!

Isaac wants in on the action...

...then Milo joins in...

...

...starting to look a little mischievous there, fellas...

"are the grown-ups watching?

"Ok, do it!"

Milo isn't totally sold on the antics yet...just wait for it

There ya go.  Little brothers stealing the show :)

Isaac giving Milo some pointers

Breakout!

The Heisman