Artist & Crafts

The neighbors are enjoying a craft time with the Artist this afternoon. She led them through making paper plate lions first. You can see them on the table. Now they are beginning some Thanksgiving turkeys.This seems to be her forte. I have little patience to lead crafts like this myself.

Chores

Twice a year we have a dreaded chore -- changing the batteries in the smoke detectors. It is dreaded because the noise is bothersome, especially to the Engineer. And also because one of our alarms seems to come down easily for battery replacement, but remounting it is quite a trick. I'd like to pass this chore along to the kids, but it will be a long while before they can do it. Rick is just tall enough to manage the first floor detector. This week I plan to change up the weekly chores that the kids do. The Engineer is able to handle more work now than he could a year ago. And the Artist can have a little of her work changed around too. More dishes for the kids and less for me--Hooray!

Autumn Joy

More Science

Both kids are studying chemistry this year. The Engineer is working with book I of Adventures With Atoms and Molecules. The books (there are two in the set) are full of simple experiments. They do not take too long to read, prepare a write up, conduct or discuss. I'm so pleased with the way they fit the capabilities of a third grader.

For most of the experiments we can go from the initial reading through to writing the conclusion in one class period. It is fun to watch the Artist watch her brother. Almost every experiment I hear her commenting, "Oh! I loved doing that experiment!" or something similar.

Here the Engineer is observing the behavior of two water droplets merging on a sheet of wax paper. Next he observed the way two oil drops behaved when they joined. Finally he noticed the difference when one oil and one water droplet touch on the wax paper. Suddenly, the polarity of water molecules had meaning in his young mind.

The Artist is enjoying her chemistry set. As befits her age, her experiments are a little more complicated. She is working from the booklet that came with her Thames and Kosmos Chem C1000 kit. Several of her experiments can be done is succession, but a few coming up in the next weeks are longer and more complicated.

In addition, she is working with chemicals that require taking some precautions. I told her the way her goggle-strap was playing with her hair, and the paint spatter on her smock made her look like a mad scientist.Here she is adding acids and bases to water with a few drops of the litmus solution she created a few days ago, and noting the changes as they occur.
Both children have always enjoyed science.

Back to Work

We've had a week of very little school due to illness, but finally this morning everyone is ready to go. The kids will complete a very full work load this week as I'm giving them report cards for the first quarter on school on Friday.

Until today, the Artist's seventh grade chemistry class has involved only reading, note taking, & making diagrams. Finally today she got to crack open the chemistry kit -- that big, enticing box that has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of months.

She was assigned to conduct the first four experiments in the book this week. Her excitement, and mine, waned a little when she read (and I recalled) that today's work was just preparing a solution that needs to rest for 24 hours before we use it.

Nonetheless, she had fun trying on the goggles, wearing her gloves and playing with the test tubes. She carefully measured the prescribed amount of water into a test tube and then added some litmus powder. She sealed the tube and shook it. Now it rests on a shelf in my kitchen window, "out of reach of small children." Tomorrow's science experiment time should be more fun.

In other subjects I'm humbled by my son. The Rosetta Stone German lesson we are working on he just passed with 98%. On Saturday I got an 88%, thus failing the lesson. So I need to do it again! I have my work cut out for me.

Miss Black Belt!

Last night the Artist learned whether or not she passed her black belt test. The day began like any other, but after dinner the Artist confessed to me, "I'm nervous!" Later in the evening when Rick and I were talking we both were pleased with the confidence and poise she showed during the day of the test, the month-long wait, and last night when she got her results.

Before class the Artist was chatting with her grandparents. When the class and the belt ceremony began there was a miss communication between Rick and me as to whether we were taking video or still shots. My mother-in-law was also taking pictures, so I'm putting our two sets together here.

In this video the Artist is being awarded her belt.

Here we think we're snapping a photo and
--surprise--
the camera is set on video!
The Artist received her red-black belt back and
is instructed to introduce herself to each
of the students and audience members with her name
and her new title.

Greeting the black belts and students:

As she made her way down the line of students introducing herself, she came to a familiar little boy, the Engineer. I guess in all the excitement, or maybe it was snippets of a captivating TV show, he forgot to change into his uniform after dinner. The other children in street clothes are new students who have not yet received their uniforms.

Two more videos with a few more words about earning a black belt
at Parma Family Martial Arts Center:

Congratulations, Dear!

Retreat!

Between fishing trips and jury duty and special appointments and a school retreat the last three weeks have been a whirlwind. We did get a good deal of schooling done. More than I expected, in face, although I can't prove it because I accidentally copies over one of the Artist's schedule documents. I guess I'll need to get that glitch worked out before I think about creating transcripts!

Most recently we attended a home school retreat with many of our friends on the campus of the Concordia Ft. Wayne seminary. We left as soon as Rick arrived home after work on Wednesday. By the time we arrived at the dorm all the kids were abed, so it was fast work to get the Engineer and the Artist into bed. We unloaded the car and joined the other adults in some conversation before bed.

Lots of town time for playing and games!

There were many babies in our group this year.

Thursday morning the kids had lots of play time together and we all attended chapel together. After lunch the children participated in a cookie decorating extravaganza.

We were spoiled with lots of wonderful home-cooked meals!

Space was limited to 13 places, so the kids decorated their cookies in shifts.

In the afternoon, we all enjoyed each others talents in one of our group's largest recitals. Children of all ages and some of the parents participated in this most enjoyable afternoon.

The Anticipating Audience!
Thank you for the photo, Barb.

The Engineer plays Fur Ludwig.

The Artist, the Engineer, and their cardboard guitars perform Turkey Love Song.

The Artist plays a version of The Entertainer.

Some members of the Christ Lutheran Church Youth Choir sing.

In the evening the group went to dinner and mass at Redeemer Lutheran church near downtown Ft. Wayne. Afterwords the kiddos drifted to bed and the adults had time for discussion, conversation and hilarity. Midnight mad libs gave us a new running joke about having "puffy fights." I wonder who will be able to work that into the conversation the most between now and the next retreat?

Friday we attended chapel in the morning and attended a professor's lecture about the Order of Creation. I wonder what goes through the professors' minds when they see a room of students ages infant through grandparent filling the chairs in the room. I gave the engineer some paper and told him he could write down anything in the lecture he thought was interesting or important. He raised his hand a few times for questions. (I guess we don't need to worry about how shy he is anymore). He did ask one question I am sure the professor never had to answer in class before, "How do you spell 'Greek'?" After that I moved so I could sit by my son and take care of his spelling questions!

A few years ago someone on the campus taught our group the Lord's Prayer in American Sign Language. This year we had the same lesson again. This time we will need to remember to practice it so as not to forget.

Sign Language instruction.

Signing the Lord's Prayer.

Friday evening we had something new -- a ballroom dancing lesson. We learned the swing and the fox trot. Maybe I shouldn't say I learned the fox trot, because two three days later I don't think I could do it again. But Rick and I had great fun mastering the swing. What fun we will have next time we are on a dance floor!

The gentlemen learn their steps.

The ladies learn their step patterns.

One last review, and cue Music!
Thanks again, Barb!

Putting it all together.