Day trip
This morning my oldest son and I made a quick trip to Manhattan. He had an acting audition, so we made a day of it. I left schoolwork at home for my other guys.
We actually got to the location earlier than our scheduled time, so he was able to be evaluated sooner than planned. We did cover some academics on the way up, however. He watched a Latin video on nouns, and then he did some extra practice with decimals in his Singapore workbook. Lunch was spent at Planet Hollywood near Times Square. We both love greasy cheeseburgers and fries. Driving in NYC is usually a treat for me if I’m in my husband’s little car because I can speed around with the taxis and honk at people-yes, I’m serious.
Easiest birthday party ever
I am all about making things easier for myself these days out of pure selfishness. There’s a great deal on my plate with homeschooling and everything that goes along with that. So, when it came time to celebrate my daughter’s birthday with her friends, I suggested a Girl’s Night Out. There was no prep work that had to be done by me!
Here’s what we did….My girlfriend and I took my daughter and 4 of her girlfriends out to dinner at a local eatery. From there we went to Justice, a girlie clothing store. They were each given an allotment to spend at the store. Once the girls finished shopping there, we drove to Jo-Ann’s, a craft store, where they purchased matching cloth fabric bags with various iron-on appliqués with their given allotment. Our last stop was to Barnes and Nobles where the girls used their final allotment to purchase a book. The night ended with the party eating banana splits at my house. FYI-giving them a certain amount to spend encouraged them to think about math in a practical sense. They had to decide if their purchases were within the parameters I had set. Of course, I had a hard time saying “no” to any of them, but they really did a good job working within their boundaries.
They already had their goodie bags from their purchases, so I didn’t have to get those together. I didn’t have to entertain them because the different shops provided their amusement.There was nothing required of me except to keep them safe and happy. I don’t think I’ll ever plan a traditional party again.
Simplify your life-love it!
A season for everything
We traveled to watch the production of “Jonah” today at the”Sight and Sound” theater in PA. Pretty amazing show. The actors are quite talented, and the set and music are equally impressive. I found myself teary several times as I listened to the actors’ dialogue, although admittedly I did nap for a couple of minutes in the beginning. I’m paraphrasing but the actor who played Jonah made the statement that there’s a season for everything. That concept always strikes a chord in me as I truly believe that.
Traveling to that part of the country also gave my children the opportunity to see how the Amish and Mennonite communities live and work. The horse and buggy, the lack of electricity, the hanging of clothes out on a line, the attire….Their way of life is somewhat foreign to my kids. I want them to appreciate and respect how other communities and cultures live so seeing the show in a place where we could discuss such things made for an interesting day. Plus, grandparents were with us which is always nice.
Do ballerinas rule the world?
My daughter performs in the local production of “The Nutcracker” this weekend. She has really enjoyed practicing her clown part and will soon enjoy performing for an audience. It’s been a wonderful thing to watch as a mother. She has recently told me that she wants to dance even more than what she’s already committed to during the week, and for a fleeting moment my mind had visions of her becoming some famous dancer one day. Then, my thoughts started asking whether that would be an ideal career choice for her, the abuse to her body, the endless hours of practice, the rejection, the salary, etc. These kinds of things I think about all of the time with all of my children. I guess it’s just part of being a parent. The future will really boil down to what they find interesting and if they have genuine gifts and talents in those areas. Who knows..Wish I had a crystal ball sometimes.
The Tortoise and the Hare
Excelsior, the Classical/Charlotte-Mason cooperative we are a member of, attended a play of Aesop’s Fables performed at the local community college. The kids really enjoyed watching the performers, one of which was the talented daughter of a homeschooling girlfriend. The rest of our day was spent enjoying some holiday munchies and rotating classes of science, music history, and language arts. My oldest son delivered his oral presentation of Thomas Edison to his peers. I had one of those surreal moments as I watched him speak thinking how he’s growing up so fast. It’s those moments that encourage you to continue with this homeschooling business.
Ivy League Homeschooling 