August 18

Using the Scientific Method to test how many pennies this piece of fettuccine can hold. We guessed 15. It was 80!

 Kat and I had a date night last night. We went out for dinner, went to Wal-Mart to buy some slime-making supplies (the girl is obsessed), ice cream...

 ...and we ended the evening with the movie "Wonder" at an amphitheatre. Fun night! Kat thrives on one-on-one time. Too bad she isn't an only child! Ha!

August 17

Clay took the day off work for us to go to the state fair. It stormed all night and was raining pretty good when we left for the fair. Alot of the fair is indoors, so we stayed inside while it was raining, and for the most part, it worked out great. When we did venture out, it was mostly overcast. The crowds were down due to the sketchy weather, so I call that a win!

The fair is one of our family's favorite activities. My city kids love the farm animals, the shows, and this year, we bought them all fair food (yum!). When they were little, I would pack lunches. Without a stroller, it's hard to haul around food for six people.

  

  Clay was chosen to come on stage for one of the shows. He was a good sport. The kids got a kick out of it.

  Kat's in paradise.

 

 Eating a donut burger, on the back of a tractor. Perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids tried to convince Clay we need a pet rabbit. He wasn't going for it.

August 16

We were supposed to go to our annual NOT-Back-to-School party yesterday, but our van battery decided to die. Bapaw to the rescue! It worked out for us that we didn't go, because the people that did go, got caught in the rain.

August 15

Yesterday was Lucy's first piano lesson. When Elliott decided that he no longer wished to do piano, we just slid Lucy into his spot. Apparently she was pretty excited about it (other than refusing to do a recital, but we shall see...). She had a backpack full of books on her back, but she insisted that she also carry in the bag with piano music, she wanted to go first in lessons (before Julia), and she started practicing as soon as we got home. My baby is growing up!

August 14

 Yesterday was our first co-op. Elliott is beyond thrilled (ahem) to be back in school. I love our co-op and especially our co-op friends.

 

 First hour Julia and Kat are in an Intro to Theatre class. I am the assistant. This class is going to be great! The teacher has a theatre degree, is passionate about it, and is also hilarious. They learned about all the different jobs in the theatre, Greek chorus, and then pretended to be a Greek chorus, moving in unison. She's got big plans for this semester (including Shakespeare).

 Second hour I am taking pictures for the yearbook. I snapped this picture of Lucy's States and Stories class.

 Third hour I am helping Shannon in Botany, but she is the lead teacher. Elliott's in this class. The kids learned about taxonomy and then had to classify their shoes. 

Fourth hour I am helping in the Elementary Chemistry Physics class. I am not teaching this semester. Not one class! Woot! I overdid it last year teaching two science classes. I will be teaching one class in the Spring, but I get to coast until then!

August 13

Big news in our house! Julia has decided to quit gymnastics. It came out of nowhere (for Clay and I). She has thought it through and seems happy with her decision. She wants to try other things, which gymnastics doesn't really allow time for. She is excited to be able to attend youth group and have slumber parties and be a typical teenage girl who now has 14 more free hours per week! We will miss seeing her compete, but that is about it. I just got 6 hours of my week back not having to transport her back and forth to the gym! Woot!!! She is also interested in attending public school for high school, so we are starting to research that, possibly having to move to get her into a better school, etc. Lots of big changes coming... pray for us, please!

Today is our first day of school for the 2018-2019 school year. 

  "I wat to be a cop" (Where does she come up with this stuff!?!)

Lucy (1st grade)
Math: Singapore Math (1B & 2A)
Phonics: Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading 
Reading: Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte's Web, My Father's Dragon, Tale of Despereaux
Bible: AWANA verses
Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting
Spelling: A Reason for Spelling
Typing: Typing Instructor History: American Girl books (Kaya, Felicity, Josefina) 
Grammar: First Language Lessons Level 2 (with Elliott) 
Logic: Thinking Skills
Science (at Co-op): Burgess Bird Book
Geography (at Co-op): States and Stories
Literature (at Co-op)
Writing (at Co-op): IEW Bible Heroes

*Lucy will also begin piano lessons and gymnastics (recreational - NOT competitive) this year, and continue attending AWANA Sparks.

 

 He's sticking with being a fireman again this year.

Elliott (3rd Grade)
Math: Singapore Math (3A & 3B)
Reading: BJU Press 3rd grade
Bible: Who is God?
Logic: Building Thinking Skills Level 1 & Chess Tactics
Computer: Easy Peasy
Typing: Typing Instructor 
Spelling & Vocab: Zaner-Bloser Spelling Connections
Grammar: First Language Lessons Level 2 (with Lucy)
Geography: Carmen Sandiego
Science (at Co-op): Botany/Astronomy
History (at Co-op): Story of the World, Vol 2: Middle Ages
Writing (at Co-op): IEW Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales
Americana (at Co-op): American Humanities 

*Elliott will continue with Jiu Jitsu, AAU Basketball, and will move up to AWANA Explorers.

"I want to be rich" (this girl... *sigh)

Kat (7th Grade)  
Math: Algebra 1
Science: BJU Science 6 
Literature: Black Beauty, Out of the Dust, Christmas Carol, Witch of Blackbird Pond, To Kill a Mockingbird, Call of the Wild, Carry on Mr Bowditch  
Grammar: Easy Grammar Plus  
Vocabulary: English from the Roots Up, Vol 2
Geography: Simply Charlotte Mason: Journey to Africa & Journey to South America, Central America, and Australia 
Bible: Old Story New
Critical Thinking: Building Thinking Skills Verbal & Figural/Think-a-Minutes/Chess 
Home Ec: How to Sew a Button (book), How to Build a Fire (book), and cooking dinner once a week Writing (Co-op): IEW C
Lego Robotics (Co-op)
History (Co-op): Notgrass America the Beautiful
Intro to Theatre (Fall)/Art (Spring) (Co-op)

*Kat will continue taking golf lessons with Bapaw and participating in youth group

Future lab scientist?

Julia (8th Grade)
Math: Algebra 1
Literature: Black Beauty, Out of the Dust, Christmas Carol, Witch of Blackbird Pond, To Kill a   Mockingbird, Call of the Wild, Carry on Mr Bowditch
Grammar: Easy Grammar Plus  
Vocabulary: English from the Roots Up, Vol 2  
Geography: Simply Charlotte Mason: Journey to Africa & Journey to South America, Central America, and Australia  
Bible: Old Story New
Critical Thinking: Building Thinking Skills Verbal & Figural/Think-a-Minutes/Chess 
Home Ec: How to Sew a Button (book), How to Build a Fire (book), and cooking dinner once a week Writing (Co-op): IEW C
Science (Co-op): Apologia Physical Science
History (Co-op): Notgrass America the Beautiful
Intro to Theatre (Fall)/Art (Spring) (Co-op)

*Julia will continue with piano lessons and youth group and ... ?

August 12

 

 Elliott had basketball practice yesterday. 

 Clay and I went to a friend's 40th birthday celebration. Afterwards we went downtown for MMA fights. Not my cup of tea. Not even one little bit. There were some guys from Clay's gym in the matches, so he wanted to come show support and hang with some of his fellow jiu jitsu buddies. I mostly people-watched. Let me tell you what. MMA fights do NOT disappoint as far as people-watching goes. I felt like an old lady. It was too noisy, too crowded, too smokey, etc. I would much rather be in my bed with a good book.

August 11

Some of Clay's lake pictures.

 

 This was when we got caught in the storm. Make sure to zoom in on Mamaw Pat.

August 10

 

 

And that's a wrap for out summer send-off. Time to get back to school next week.

August 9

 Gus loved the pampering this week.

 Do you see Elliott's face? That is pure joy after he finished skiing.

 Doesn't Kat looked thrilled?

 More fishing with Bapaw. This time he caught a bass.

 

 

 Elliott made a new friend

 

 The kids caught quite a few little bluegill. Really little.

I love Lucy's face in this one.