I am so grateful that we are surrounded with good people and good things to learn and do. There has never been a time like this in the history of the world.
This year, besides adding several families to our science co-op -- we're studying physics and chemistry -- we are also doing a history co-op and studying world and American history from 1600 to 1850. This is my favorite period to study. Luke likes medieval, Quinn likes ancient, and Lindy and Adri like modern history. But I love to read about the colonial period, the French and American Revolutions, the Napoleonic wars, Jane Austen land, etc. Wednesday we are doing the play The Tempest, which I scaled down to kid level by using a narrator, while keeping Shakespeare's own words for the characters' lines. We'll film it, then let the kids enjoy seeing themselves acting.
Another big part of this new year is that we are involved in our stake musical production of The Savior of the World. This is taking up our Saturday mornings through the beginning of December, but it is totally worth it. We'll be onstage in costume singing in the chorus in many scenes, or we will be up in the balcony as angels (we all like to sing, except Luke, but we are going to need help if we're to sound like angels!)
Quinn is again in the Youth Orchestra of Prince William (our county), and all the kids are also taking lessons in their instruments of choice (Quinn's violin teacher is Russian, and has the cutest accent!) Adri is going to start teaching guitar lessons to the little pirate above, Luke's friend Emily. And they are working three days a week at Cox Farms Fall Festival again.
So we'll have a very busy fall, then it should slow down a bit by Christmas time.
Lindy has changed her major again, to Geology this time, and hopefully it will stick. That girl has always liked rocks, but does she really want to hike through the wilderness and pound on them with hammers? We shall see.