Journal Categories
Journal Tags
Monday
Dec072015

October recap

Because there was more to the month than a couple of field trips. 

Fourth grade means the first weekend homework assignments

Nightmare Before Christmas love

Sewing for Halloween

Hallowe'en Nights at Greenfield Village

Run Scream Run race

Fall birthdays tailgate

Fall birthdays dinner out

school as usual

getting old, and celebrating it

Pumpkin beer tailgate

Halloween 

Sunday
Dec062015

To Washington D.C., in 99 pictures

Our annual fall away-schooling adventure took us to Washington D.C. this year. The weather was great, the crowds were relatively low, and we had a great time. And we may have learned something, too.

Days 1-2: Getting there is half the fun...old inns, mills, and covered bridges in Pennsylvania.

Day 3: the White House (where we saw the Presidential dogs playing in the yard), and the monument side of the National Mall

Day 4: our first day of Smithsonians, including the Museum of the American Indian, and the Air and Space Museum, plus dinner at a gastro pub in our neighborhood

Day 5: Our second day of Smithsonians, including the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum (not as good as the one in Chicago)

Day 6: The first slightly chilly, wetish day. We started at Arlington Cemetery, then drove down to Washington's Mount Vernon for the afternoon. 

Day 7: The National Zoo on a wet morning, then the weather cleared for dinner in Maryland at the National Harbor, followed by a tour of the monuments at night.

Day 8: Ford Theater, the Capitol Building, The Library of Congress, and The Supreme Court Building. 

Day 9: our last full day, and the only really cold and wet one, we drove to Jefferson's Monticello

Friday
Dec042015

Greenfield Village field trip

One event in early October was a trip to Greenfield Village with our homeschool group. Field trips for our group are somewhat of a free-for-all: take advantage of group rates the group arranges, but get there whenever and see whatever you want, the schedule is up to you. A lot like homeschooling in general, really. It was a beautiful, warm day. We started earlier than most of the other families, but found the others shortly after lunch time for fun with friends.

Thursday
Dec032015

September recap

So here’s the thing: my real camera barely saw the light of day in the month of September. I don’t know if it was exhaustion after such an eventful August, or the advent of school frustrations, or if it was that the constant demand of the daily photo finally drained my photographer’s energy. Whatever the reason, as each September week came to an end I found myself scrambling for pictures to fill the seven days, then putting off not only the photo snapping but the blog updating as well…for just one more week. But of course, the bigger the hole, the harder it is to fill.

There were few events in September that even prompted camera usage, and when those moments came around I was found myself suffering from guilt paralysis—just seeing the camera reminded me of all those great shots I’d been failing to take, so I usually just left it in its bag. 

But then October was significantly more action-packed, and each passing event left me yet another folder of unedited, unposed pictures, creating a continually growing pile of work between me and getting caught up. 

That’s how, in December, I find myself behind three months of unreported happenings, and if I don’t dig myself out soon, I never will. So I’ve made a deal with myself—just photos, just recaps of major events or whole months. No editing, no weekly posts, no wordy explanations and I’ll be caught up in no time!

So here, posted in the first week of December, is finally a recap fo the month of September.

Water play on the last summer weekend before school


A first go at homemade pizza on the Green Egg


S'mores in the backyard with neighbors


Tea with good friends on an afternoon off


Football. September was about lots of football.


First concert of the fall


Halloween shopping a little early


Newsies on stage in Grand Rapids (during the Art Prize show)

Tuesday
Sep012015

School portraits

Because when you're homeschooled you can take your school pictures anywhere you want...even in Stratford (Canada).