A Walk Along Pandapas Pond

The autumn foliage is beautiful so we took the day off from the regular scene of school work and headed off to Pandapas Pond in Blackburg for a glorious day of walking and observing nature in it finest!

Who can resist taking off their shoes and walking in the water!

Literature Fun-- Little House in the Big Woods

 While using our Latter-Day Learning curriculum, we have spent a two week period reading and discussing Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Through this wonderful story we have discussed how Laura learned--thus we learn too--how to:
---How to create strong families
---Work and wholesome recreational activities
---Importance of celebrations and traditions
---Cooperation
---A wonderful Bad Day....it's all up to us, we choose how to look at the day's events!
---Obedience
---Life Skills
---and of course, we covered various Literary Elements!

 

 To end our literature unit we had a celebration!  We made vinegar pie (and just to make sure we would have something to eat that we actually liked, we made a lemon pie too).
We also made farmers cheese, which turned out to be quite delicious!!  We served that with warm homemade bread.  To bring light to our table we made tin can lanterns using empty soup cans. We invited the Walkers over to share in our celebration!  Yea for a wonderful couple of weeks.  Our next literature fun will be with Bambi.

 

 

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers---A PCHS production

A wonderful play....and a great beginning to the upcoming drama year!

Cailin was cast as a townsperson.  Although this was a non-speaking part, she loved learning the dance steps and being with her "drama friends".

Jujitsu

I have, over the summer, been learning Sanshin Ryu Jujitsu through New River Jujitsu. I've learned quite a few things and have quite a bit more to learn. This is my first graduation, where I received  my yellow belt.

Graduation is set up where the three belt groups (white yellow orange, green green blue, and blue purple purple) will, one after another, go up and perform the throws, strikes, and blocks required to receive their belt.

Liam had been participating in the Jujitzu classes, but after a while became tired of them and didn't really want to continue.  So we had him stop,  Mr. Anderton and Mr. Asher went ahead and graduated him to a yellow belt because he did learn and know all the moves required for the upgrade.  This really inspired him,  He's back into taking classes and loves it!!!

Overcoming Fears....and a Sunday afternoon bike ride to Celebrate!

 Delaney has had a "bucket list" of sorts...only it's a "get over my fears" list. (Swimming and riding a horse at camp have been accomplished!)  Learning to ride a bike has also been on it.  She's been wanting to learn for a couple of summers now, but never seemed to get the nerve to really tackle this fear.  Grandpa Stumm came for a few days and he fixed many of the bikes....now there were no more excuses...it's time to get on that two wheeled metal thing and ride.  It took two nights in the yard and one day at the old school close to home for her to get the hang of balance, take off and speed.  I really think letting her just work on it, on her own for about 1.5 hours was the best thing for her.  I tried to help her by holding the seat while she rode, but sheer grit and determination is what was needed and she did it!  By the end of our time at the school she had it down....all she needed was time to practice.  Delaney, Cailin and Liam now take off most mornings before school work begins for a bike ride.

 On Sunday, Barry was home from work and we all were getting a bit stir crazy so we loaded the bikes into the truck and had a wonderful walk/bike ride.  Connor, Cailin and Ryan split the time between the two adult sized bikes available.  Delaney has lots of practice time.  In the end, she rode her bike for 3 miles!

I'm not sure what her fascination with little rocks or other such objects sifting through her hands is, but she loves it.

I can't believe Connor escaped me without getting a solo picture of him. 

What a smile!  That girl has done it!  Way to go Laney!!

Liam is also doing great at learning to ride his bike.  He needs one that is a bit bigger, I think that once he gets one that better fits him he'll be able to ride like a pro....hummm, I think I know a gift Santa could bring this year!

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