This guy above says it all! HA and BOO!
Mt. Vernon is the best time on Halloween but you have got to go early to beat the massive rush. The experience is so worth it though!
The best part is running into friends that we haven't seen in a while!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
BIG CHANGES
It has been several weeks since I have blogged and I have missed it. There have been some wonderful changes for the girls and I. As the girls are getting a little bit older ... they have been showing interest of attending "a" school. Ha! That is an interesting thought since we have homeschooled for 6 years. I felt a bit saddened to hear of their curiosities yet happy to see them blossom with confidence and adventure and to take on the challenge. But, of course that means they will have to put up with me thoroughly investigating every school in town. Yes, you heard it right!
As the story goes ... I did investigate as though I thought I did. I choose a private school and I sent the girls to stay an entire day to see what it is like to be at school all day long. I too stayed for a while and then left and about cried hoping they would hate it. I arrived to school super early and the only mom sitting in the parking lot with my window rolled down listening to the activity inside the open door classrooms from my car. I sat and waited eagerly to hear of how their day went.
School is now over and I get them from their classrooms and hop in the car and they "loved" being at school! I about died inside yet came alive instantly! So, we went back the next day and I enrolled them. About a week and a half goes by and I am hearing an increase of things that I don't like to hear and the girls are concerned as well. Kayla would report how the teacher is nice but lectures everyday about what they won't be able to do in middle school. She reported daily how there was little to zilch math instruction on the board. Mainly worksheets and then go over answers ... then of course the weekly "packet" of homework that I mainly had to sit with them and do. What it their homework or mine? I would say mine!
I about died! No way was I going to sit daily in the evenings and do homework! I believe they are at school 6-7 hours a day and they should have plenty of time to get their work done in class. After all, we did homeschool and I taught them for 6 years so I know how long it takes to teach and get the work done!
Two weeks go by and it is the same soggy story of concern from my kids and they were telling me that I am paying for a waste of their time. Love them kids! So, I then went to the one last school that I didn't go to as I thought it was something else that didn't fall into my "Category " of a quality school. I am very picking and the outside of a building needs to look a certain way before I even park in front of it. ha,ha,ha!
Thank goodness I choose to stop at the school and walk thru the front gate one morning. It is a expeditionary school and it was amazing! The leadership, teachers, the interaction with the kids.... everything! The atmosphere was almost to strange to be for real in the fact that the kids in the class seemed to want to be there and were wanting to learn and in a way that I myself had never seen or experienced. Two days later I brought the girls to stay a day to see and experience the difference ... after all at this point ... they only know of homeschool and the one private school. I stayed for 7 hours and visited with the director and I stayed and observed both classrooms. Within a couple of hours I new for sure this was it and .... it was. We enrolled and are loving it! My kids love it and everyday they come home from school with an ear full of EVERYTHING they did during their day. AMAZING! The main difference is the way the material is presented. It is presented in a way that is intriguing and captivating to a child to want more and it works. My oldest can't wait to write a book report, she loves her quiet reading time and talks about how math is so amazing and how the teacher explains it in a way that keeps her positive and her light bulb is on shinning brightly. My youngest says she is doing things in class not to just have fun but that she is learning at the same time and she loves her math and spanish daily.
As a former homeschool mother ... putting your kids in school is a hard decision to make. If the atmosphere in its whole is right then the transition is easy. I can breathe and know that the end of the day my kids are happy, feel safe, the kids surrounding them are nice, and most importantly they are learning .. not only school subjects but about life.
Trisha
As the story goes ... I did investigate as though I thought I did. I choose a private school and I sent the girls to stay an entire day to see what it is like to be at school all day long. I too stayed for a while and then left and about cried hoping they would hate it. I arrived to school super early and the only mom sitting in the parking lot with my window rolled down listening to the activity inside the open door classrooms from my car. I sat and waited eagerly to hear of how their day went.
School is now over and I get them from their classrooms and hop in the car and they "loved" being at school! I about died inside yet came alive instantly! So, we went back the next day and I enrolled them. About a week and a half goes by and I am hearing an increase of things that I don't like to hear and the girls are concerned as well. Kayla would report how the teacher is nice but lectures everyday about what they won't be able to do in middle school. She reported daily how there was little to zilch math instruction on the board. Mainly worksheets and then go over answers ... then of course the weekly "packet" of homework that I mainly had to sit with them and do. What it their homework or mine? I would say mine!
I about died! No way was I going to sit daily in the evenings and do homework! I believe they are at school 6-7 hours a day and they should have plenty of time to get their work done in class. After all, we did homeschool and I taught them for 6 years so I know how long it takes to teach and get the work done!
Two weeks go by and it is the same soggy story of concern from my kids and they were telling me that I am paying for a waste of their time. Love them kids! So, I then went to the one last school that I didn't go to as I thought it was something else that didn't fall into my "Category " of a quality school. I am very picking and the outside of a building needs to look a certain way before I even park in front of it. ha,ha,ha!
Thank goodness I choose to stop at the school and walk thru the front gate one morning. It is a expeditionary school and it was amazing! The leadership, teachers, the interaction with the kids.... everything! The atmosphere was almost to strange to be for real in the fact that the kids in the class seemed to want to be there and were wanting to learn and in a way that I myself had never seen or experienced. Two days later I brought the girls to stay a day to see and experience the difference ... after all at this point ... they only know of homeschool and the one private school. I stayed for 7 hours and visited with the director and I stayed and observed both classrooms. Within a couple of hours I new for sure this was it and .... it was. We enrolled and are loving it! My kids love it and everyday they come home from school with an ear full of EVERYTHING they did during their day. AMAZING! The main difference is the way the material is presented. It is presented in a way that is intriguing and captivating to a child to want more and it works. My oldest can't wait to write a book report, she loves her quiet reading time and talks about how math is so amazing and how the teacher explains it in a way that keeps her positive and her light bulb is on shinning brightly. My youngest says she is doing things in class not to just have fun but that she is learning at the same time and she loves her math and spanish daily.
As a former homeschool mother ... putting your kids in school is a hard decision to make. If the atmosphere in its whole is right then the transition is easy. I can breathe and know that the end of the day my kids are happy, feel safe, the kids surrounding them are nice, and most importantly they are learning .. not only school subjects but about life.
Trisha
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Graffiti Art
My sample
This month we focused on "Graffiti Art." The kids were stumped as they couldn't figure out what word to use. In the end, they picked a word and went to work. They all did a fabulous job!
This month we focused on "Graffiti Art." The kids were stumped as they couldn't figure out what word to use. In the end, they picked a word and went to work. They all did a fabulous job!
They each wrote their word and then bubbled around the original work and erased the original pencil markings. From there they added the 3-D if they choose to or the color fill. Two of the students choose the brick wall behind their word ... which came out great. To create that they learned to line their paper after and stagger the brick lines. Then mixing several black, reds, yellow and browns ... they created the brick colors. They worked for a solid two hours!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
2011 Disco Party!
Here I am in my 70's Disco outfit that I made for the "Moms Disco Party Night."
Way fun with the Disco make-up!
Me and the Greatest Disco party host!
My HOT date!
The girls on the dance floor.
We had a surprise guest show up mid way thru the party! Summer and her man from Summer's Dance Works showed up and taught us all the Hustle. In the end they gave us a finale performance.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
ROYAL POOCHES
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| I had art class this week and it was fabulous! My kids did a great job! We worked on "Royal Pooches" for this class. Above and below are my two samples. I love Deep Space Sparkle for art ideas! |
I worked on a white board and created columns for my lesson on the dogs. The kids decided on which dog they wanted to draw and then focused on that dog as I was doing my lesson. I drew all the dogs at the same time but started with one feature. I drew the crowns first and the kids were to create a crown of their choice then I went on to the facial features.
Above and below are some of the kids finished Royal Pooches.
They drew their dogs with pencil then used tempera paints. After they dried they used black marker to outline the dogs.
A few of the kids working hard. This class runs 2 hours long and they all work so hard. They love what they create in the end.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
2011 Art Class ~ August ~ POP ART
Above is some of my samples of pop art.
Below is a sample from two of my kids in class.
I decided to start out the school year with pop art. I like funky art and it is super fun. My main goal while teaching this class is for the kids to create their art on their own. And go with the flow. I encourage them to LOVE what they create! The kids are only allowed to make positive comments about each others art. Below are some of the kids finished projects.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
It's over! Darn it!
Our AMAZING director, Joanne Robertson!
The show is over and it is so sad! Darn it!
It is to bad that Kayla only had one night to do the show as Lucy! They worked so hard and it ended so fast. But, she had the best experience and this new theater group is magnificent!
She loved all the audience members coming up to her after the show to congratulate her.
Lucy and Charlie Brown
Friday, July 22, 2011
You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
The show is great! Come tonight, July 22nd 7pm ( Kayla is Lucy ) or July 23, 7pm.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
SHOW TIME!
Here are the two Lucy dresses that I made for the show. Kayla's is the one on the right.
Here is the back of her dress with the bow.
Here is the front of the dress.
These are the large flats that are up right on the stage.
Friday, July 22nd at 7pm Kayla is Lucy!
The other showing is July 23 at 7pm but Kayla won't be appearing as much as she is a schoolmate in this showing.
Park Avenue Theatre presents... You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
Showing at Trinity Presbyterian church in Prescott off Park Ave. and Copper Basin.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Auditions and cast selection
Auditions are always scary!
Kayla wasn't sure if she wanted to audition and be rehearsing for a show all summer or just relax for the rest of her summer.
Well, auditions were at 6pm and at 4:30pm she was still undecided.
She decided to go and watch. Then after a few minutes she decided to audition. They always ask for volunteers and Kayla volunteered to go second and did a great job singing, "I Know Things Now." They didn't call her back up to read from the script this day, so we went home and returned the following night. She was called up three times to read the character, Sally and once acting as Woodstock. We went home that night thinking she had a chance of possibly being cast as Sally, Woodstock or chorus.
Well, to our surprise she got the lead of Lucy! This part is HUGE! With over 110 lines to memorize and lots of singing .... she is excited and already getting it down. She will be transformed into Lucy in no time. It is great to see her come alive with this character!
BRACES, YIKES!
The time has come!
Kayla got her braces on this week.
It was a shared experience with her good friend, Kassy.
This was the most uncomfortable part. The mouth spreader! Kayla did very well!
All done!
The girls and Dr. Young! He is the greatest orthodontist!
And of course we can't get braces on without visiting Yogartz!
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