Top O'Dunes! (30/180)

 D attended her Zoom book group.

We spent a large portion of the week at Top O'Dunes in Harvey Cedars, NJ.  

(Here, the girls are seeing dolphins, LOTS of dolphins, although cell phone cameras aren't really up to capturing them in the water.)

All the kids participated in a donation drive for the Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Main Line.

Also, this is what 5 recipes of banana bread look like:

D and J read with support.  W and R read independently.

I read to the girls: 

Really and Truly by Émilie Rivard and 
Always by Alison McGhee

This week included 3 days of instruction.

Shirts (27/180)

 D attended her book club via Zoom.  J attended a ballet class via Zoom.

D was asked to alter 25 shirts for her dad's company - for pay.  She did a great job, completing the work in just 2 days (with help from mom and sister.)

W and R read independently.  D and J read with support.

D and J both worked with Explode the Code, Handwriting Without Tears, and Zearn math.  Both practiced ukelele.  D journaled.

I read to the girls:  

Captain Cat by Inga Moore

Water Boy by David McPhail

This week included 5 days of instruction.

Tropical Storm (22/180)

 D participated in her Zoom book group.  They are discussing 

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich.

J participated in a Zoom ballet class.  D and J both participated in a Zoom Staging Journeys class.

There was a major storm which rained 6 - 8 inches in 12 hours, raising the river we live above 24 feet above normal.  This provided a great opportunity for learning about how waves form, how tsunamis form, how tides and the moon work, how the river systems work, how flooding works in a river valley, and measuring rainfall.  Here's J and a friend draining excess water out of the pool: 

J read with support and worked with ETC, HWT, played number card games, and began learning to play the ukelele.

D read with support, did math sheets, worked with HWT and ETC, journaled, and began learning to play the ukelele.

R and W read independently, and both walked many miles with friends.

W prepared healthy meals for the family.

I read to the girls:

A Second, a Minute, a Week with Days in It: A Book about Time by Brian P. Cleary


Counting on Frank by Rod Clement


Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel

This week included 5 days of instruction.

Fishing Trip (17/180)

R went on a fishing and hiking trip with Matt.  They camped outside a friend's house the first night and then got a hotel room the second night to stay socially distanced.  They had a WONDERFUL time:

D took over pool chemistry while they were gone:

R, D and J read or read with support.

I read to the girls: One Odd Day by Doris Fisher


A Very Improbable Story: A Math Adventure by Edward Einhorn


A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston


Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy

This week included 4 days of instruction.

Lemonade Stand for Charity (13/180)

We visited a 6 week old foal at a family member's home in Central PA.

D and J attended Staging Journeys on Zoom.

D and J helped stage a "Stuffie Sleepover" at church! 

W, D, and J attended their religious education classes.

D and J helped stock and staff a lemonade stand for charity.

All the kids read or read with support.

I read to the girls:


Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus

This week included 4 days of instruction.

Chincoteague, VA (9/180)

The girls had an opportunity to go to Chincoteague, VA with our next door neighbors whom we have been quarantined with.  They own a vacation home there and their kids wanted our kids to come visit! 

D sewed herself a travel pillow, and they were able to float, build, swim, and boat for a couple of days.

R, D, and J practiced reading.

This week included 3 days of instruction.

In which nothing really changes very much (6/180)

We've taken a bit of a break.  Most external classes are done.  One exception was the Staging Journeys show premier: https://www.stagingjourneys.com/2020-spring-show/.  It was amazing and there was a big let down when the show was over.

Our library has reopened for pickup of books on hold only.  We finished these books so we could return them!

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen
Say It Again by Brian Cassie
Squish!: A Wetland Walk by Nancy Luenn

We also got our pool to work (FINALLY) and since this picture was taken have been learning lots about pool chemistry since it quickly turned pea-soup green. 

We went for some hikes:

D and J did some fancy baking:

And we learned about fire safety in practice on July 4th:

W and R continue to game with at least six households of friends and cousins around the country.

Since filing to homeschool this year, the first two weeks of July included 6 days of instruction.