My girls!

I mentioned that this is Hannah's senior year.  She got to paint her parking spot, and she did a fabulous job!  I helped her come up with the idea.  I was hoping she'd do something with some meaning.  When discussing this with her sister, we decided she is very much like the Queen of Hearts in Alice and Wonderland sometimes.  She hand drew this with chalk and then painted it for like five hours straight.  In fact, she squatted the whole time and couldn't feel her feet for more than a week.  She literally collapsed several times because she couldn't feel her feet.  So she learned a valuable lesson, and hopefully will take breaks next time.

This is a screenshot.  I still need to get a picture of her with her spot.

Hannah has also been running a little side business where she sells dog portraits that she draws.  One of my mom's friends ended up having her draw every dog she's ever had and hung them all up.  Here is the screenshot of her dog wall.  I am super proud of her!

Genevieve dressed up like one of her favorite teachers for "Dress like a Teacher Day" during Homecoming Spirit Week.  I snapped a picture right before she walked out the door in the morning.  I was seriously amazed at how much she nailed it though when I saw the school's Instagram post.  She straightened her hair and wore a different pair of glasses (not prescription) to complete the look.  The only thing she was missing was the Doc Martins.

Her teacher is in the middle of all the students that dressed up like her with the lanyard around her neck.  She complimented Genna on her outfit being so similar to her own.

 

Second Semester School Updates *edited with a few more pictures*

We started back to school the week following New Year’s Day. We had a slow start because they had been on a light schedule during December. They are all ahead in their work, so we took the opportunity to do art projects and read books together about Advent and Christmas. They did a little bit of Grammar and math flash cards so they weren’t completely off track. The long “break” has made it harder to get back into the swing of things.

Judah (2^nd grade) is getting so distracted by everything from his pencil to his brothers, and he is getting work done at a snail’s pace.  

Bobby (Kindergarten) is adding numbers up to twenty in his head like a boss now and he is reading very well too. He’s read over 20 early readers to me since finishing his 100 Easy Lesson book. I’m adding in word searches and extra math books to slow him down a little and keep him busy.

Bob is perfecting his reading with massive quantities of comic books: Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, and Zita.

The other day around 4pm, I found him reading comic books for the fourth time and asked him if that's all he'd done all day.  His response, "Well, I did my school too."  At that point I shooed him outside until dinner.  Only in our house do you have to force kids to stop reading and go play outside.

Drew (3^rd grade) is getting the hang of long division and still working on his cursive being natural. He and Judah are starting Latin this semester and we are trying a new program, Classical Academic Press’s Latin for Children. So far the grammar has proved challenging, but I’m not concerned that they fully grasp that yet since they are starting young. I mainly want the exposure and vocabulary so they can see it again and again and it be easier in the upper school years.

The big kids are back in school for only about a week now.  Hannah had grown quite accustomed to distance learning, but the other two were sick of the computer, missing the social interaction, and losing focus and determination in their schoolwork.  They had an independent study project that they all completed just before going back to school.  We are still adjusting to the new norms of traveling to school and back everyday.

Basketball season is wrapping up here in a week.  The girls are both on Varsity together, but they lost a lot of girls this year .  Their team is mostly ninth graders playing against juniors and seniors.  It has been a humbling and challenging experience.  It is fun to see my two daughters playing together again.  I am team mom and I have been running the books/clock this season for all home games so that I can attend the games.  My sister and I played on the same team in high school and my dad used to do the books for my games in high school.  It brings back memories.

This is what this year's support of their sisters looked like...

Marie's Wedding

The 6th graders at Great Hearts have a special dance/celebration every year after they read The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens called Fezziwig's Office Party.  The teachers dress up in full costume.  The students are encouraged to dress in Victorian formal attire.  I was surprised, but many parents got into costume as well.

I already had a commitment that evening with Brian for our Family Enrichment group and was on the fence about accompanying him to the event or just sending him with a friend.  I am so glad I decided to go!!!  It was a blast!

When I told him I decided to go with him to the party, he simple said, "Okay," which disappointed me.  I was looking for a little enthusiasm since I was making a sacrifice.  When I asked why he didn't sound too excited about it, he said that he didn't think he wanted to dance.  I said he didn't really have to.  He then proceeds to tell me that, actually, he did have to because he volunteered to demonstrate the dances to the parents who may not know them.  Great Hearts promotes old fashioned dances like the Virginia Reel and Marie's Wedding.  I think it is super funny that he volunteers for everything, even when he really doesn't think he likes to do it.  He gets that from his mama.  I also have a volunteer problem, but I hear that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

You can spot him in the picture pretty well with the green scarf.  This is one of the demos he did for the whole class, parents, and all.

The party begins with a formal sit down dinner with parlor games at the table.  The teachers serve everyone.  Then everyone helps clear away the tables for the dancing.

I love to dance and although I knew the Virginia Reel, I did not know Marie's Wedding and it was my favorite of all!  I cannot tell you how much fun it was, and I could go on gushing about it, but I'll just leave you with this, if you come visit us, I may teach you Marie's Wedding in our living room.

Isaac forbade me from posting any videos from the evening, but here is some random group of people doing the dance in case you are interested.

Her first dance! Wait, what?!

Hannah is a freshman this year and for the high school at Great Hearts they have a winter formal dance.  Normally, I'd not be a fan of that whole idea.  They have ballroom dancing only, no dates allowed, well chaperoned, and old school music to go with that ballroom dancing.

So, the girls and I spent the whole day at a retreat with some Dominican sisters.  We had confession, Mass, and adoration  All perfect ways to get ready for one's first dance, right?

I curled her hair and took her to the dance.  She had a great time and filled up her dance card with friends.