A Week, Briefly (1/28/19)

We thought we were going to receive Pixie's college track assignment this week. . . but we didn't.

Now we are edgy.

It will come.  There's no doubt of that, but the waiting is hard.

Lots of events were cancelled this week due to the extreme cold--MOCSA, church youth night, seminary--but the funniest one involved Pixie.  Her college campus was not closed, so she went to class and settled into her favorite study corner to use the time wisely until dance would start in the late afternoon.

But it started snowing--a slippery, icy snow that caused further cancellations . . . including the closing of her campus.

Somehow she didn't get word.

Campus security traveled about securing the buildings and was shocked to find Pixie, contentedly studying away.

"What are you doing here?" the officer asked.

Surprised by the question, she answered simply, "Studying."

"The campus is closed.  Didn't you hear?"

"No.  I had no idea.  I'll go right now!" she replied as she hurriedly gathered her books and pens into her backpack.

"Do you need to call your ride?" he asked as he realized she was young and nervous and alone.

"No, I have a car.  I can leave right now."

He escorted her to the door with much caring advice, "The roads are slick.  Drive slowly.  Please drive slowly.  It's deadly out there.  Drive slowly."

Before driving home, Pixie checked with her studio director to find that the new snow storm did cause dance to be cancelled for the evening.

She made it safely home.

And then temperatures rose steadily each day to reach nearly 60 degrees by Saturday. :)

There was more indoor reading and creative play than usual this week.

 Regardless of outside conditions, we maintained a regular week of school--Morning Meeting, Symposium, Academy, Individual Work.

One Morning Meeting we made a storyboard to get a sense of the many stories of Christ contained in Mark 1.

There's only one science book left in this set!

Math is so, so, so hard, but she's learning!

Another Shiller book done!  I'm breathing sighs of relief because I hate them even though he loves them!  He's thrilled to start book 3 (the last one), and I'm looking at the new Simply Charlotte Mason math book 2 for next year.

And I sent the kids to play outside every day.

I think they're playing charades. :)

They turned the woodpile into a ship. I took a faulty picture because the beam behind Little Princess's head was the mast, and it had a cardboard flag on it.

 Well bundled, no one was harmed a bit.

I prayed and pondered joining co-op this semester, and decided to commit to going . . . then had some experiences that have me rethinking that decision.  This week I pulled the class I created and submitted from the line up, and I'm praying again.

Pixie is teaching at co-op--4 classes.

But I have to make a decision in the week ahead about whether all of us are going or not--at least Pixie's teaching is going to allow us priority registration if we do decide to go, so that we are ensured of getting into the classes that we need to make the days remotely doable.

But I did learn about a new once a week school-for-homeschoolers opportunity for the two teens I'll have at home next school year.  The fees are quite low, and the teens will work for high school credit in American Lit., Biology, and Health and also prepare for the American Lit. and Biology CLEP exams.  After much discussion, Super Star and Belle and I have decided this would be a great blessing for them, and we've committed to that.

Classes start in August.

(And the American Lit. texts are on sale at Christian Book for over 60% off right now!)

Mister Man used some Christmas money to purchase some new toy friends.

They lend themselves to much imagination, storytelling, drawing, and handwriting practice!

We tried to link to the Colorado Ballet's school performance of The Wizard of Oz, but the web host was overwhelmed, and we were unable to connect.  I'm grateful they sent us a link to watch the recording, and plans are to do that as soon as we can.

I took lots of pictures of Pixie teaching at dance practice with the hope of using the pics for a scholarship application, but none of them were good enough to even bother editing.

Here, she jumped into the dance to take the place of an absent student.  I need a new camera! And a real photographer to help. :)

Later, Pixie and I worked on another scholarship application (this one requires essays).

The teens and I headed out to Book Club on Friday while the young ones had a great Dad day at the park.  This meeting's book was Of Mice and Men, and the discussion was passionate.  We watched the 1992 movie version with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.  Teens and adults alike were speechless at the end . . . and the adults had all already seen the movie before!

Then the adults gathered upstairs as a few extra moms joined us to plan this year's homeschool graduation.  We'll have 5 or 6 teens between us (I say "or 6" because one young man would like to join us, but his dad has yet to be willing to commit), and we're planning a truly lovely ceremony.   One mom has already run a homeschool graduation for her oldest, so she's experienced, and she's an outstanding group leader to boot.  I consider her presence a significant blessing.

I'm in charge of the diplomas!