Rangoli (32/180)

 R had a phone interview for a tree-planting internship (which he didn't end up getting, but it was still a learning experience to do the interview and application process.) He also worked for a neighbor.

D attended her Rebel Girls book group, and began a drop off ArtBake program.

W worked at Weaver's Way.

D and J began attending MAHC classes attended their religious education class.  The first week of MAHC classes included physical education and making rangoli:

D worked with Mammoth Math and read with support

J worked with Zearn math and read with support.

This week included 5 days of instruction.

Flood (27/180)

There was really impressive flooding on the Schuylkill river near our house from Hurricane Ida.  All the kids observed this historical scientific event with interest.  (No, they weren't allowed to touch the extremely dirty storm water.)

R began a class on A Young People's History of the United States: Columbus to Spanish-American War (to 1900) on Outschool.  

D began the Rebel Girls Book Club:  Amazing Women in Historical Fiction class on Outschool.

J and D attended their religious education classes.

J and D read with support.  J worked with Zearn math and D worked with Mammoth Math.

This week included 4 days of instruction.  

August (23/180)

 August was also a period of mostly rest.  

We went hiking and swimming in the woods:

R, D, and J participated as healthy controls in a study of lung function at CHOP:

We hit the pool a number of times:

D and J participated in a backpack packing project for IHN:

W led a LARP adventure for church, which D and J participated in:

W got his driver's license AND his work permit and began working on call shifts for our food coop:

Everybody went to the doctor and the dentist.  D and J went to the Morris Arboretum.

R began taking an Outschool class based on A Young People's History of the United States: Columbus to Spanish-American War by Howard Zinn.

I read to D and J: Ruby Red Shoes by Kate Knapp
Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari
The Gardener's Surprise by Carla Balzaretti
Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse by Lindsay Barrett George
Estelle and Lucy by Anna Alter
(This one was a bit disturbing.) The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach
Lift by Minh Lê
Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratun
Just a Second by Steve Jenkins
When You Need Wings by Lita Judge
If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World's People by David J. Smith

This month included 12 days of instruction.

July (11/180)

 We took more time genuinely 'off' this summer than usual.  It has been a long year and a quarter!

We completed 2nd, 6th, 9th, and 11th grades with evaluations and our traditional ice cream parlor visit afterwards:

We learned about fire safety by setting off minor explosives in our backyard on the traditional day to do such things (4th of July):

The girls did lots of hiking, including a trip up Hawk Mountain:

And some gardening:

We celebrated D's birthday with some crafts and (Health) a COVID vaccine:

Matt's aunt died after a long struggle with pulmonary illness, which was the occasion for a reunion with Matt's side of the family, most of whom we hadn't seen in 18 months.  There was music:

A visit to the National Gallery of Art, lots of crafting:

And hiking (D went up Old Rag for the first time) and swimming and horseback riding:

This month included 11 days of instruction.

Annabelle the Sennie (180 + 14 weeks)

R completed his Time4Learning classes and W participated in his MC3 classes. 

D and J worked with ETC, HWT, and Zearn.  They read with support.  

We welcomed a 16 year old Senegal parrot named Annabelle to our house this week.  She needed a new home and we were able to help a friend out by adopting her.  She isn't sure she likes us, but we all like her: 

We went to pick pie cherries from my dad's trees and got 11.4 lbs, which made about 4 pies!

Snails (180 days + 13 weeks)

J participated in an end of year in person class with her faith development group at church.

R completed his Time4Learning classes and W participated in his MC3 classes. 

D and J worked with ETC, HWT, and Zearn.  They read with support.  

D and J found: lots of snails in the rain, lots of plum cherries when the rain snapped a branch off a neighbor's tree (they made pie, a very labor intensive process), and raspberries (our bush is VERY HAPPY.)

W and R went to the beach with friends, the first trip away from home for them in well over a year!

Morris Arboretum (180 + 12 weeks)

 J participated in her Ballet, Jazz and Tap classes online.

R completed his Time4Learning classes and W participated in his MC3 classes. 

D and J worked with ETC, HWT, and Zearn.  They read with support.   D completed 

The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris.

J and D visited the Morris Arboretum - our first "field trip" in over a year!

We also visited our community pool for the first time since the summer of 2019!