Ryleigh had her first ever field trip on Tuesday. The trip was to a local "farm" that is more tourism than farm, but they make it work. I'm guessing they receive an educational grant or two from the state, and the state sends some cooperative extension folks to help talk to the kids about the animals. Volunteer farmers, dairy farmers, foresters, and gardeners help the kids learn a little bit about everything and even do a couple of crafts. The kids all come away with a small pumpkin, a honey bear full of soybeans, corn, and wheat, a bookmark, and a straw filled with local honey. We also had a hayride, which probably made all the hot sun and listening to the adults talk on and on worth it for the kids.
On Wednesday, RJ receive the Special ME award for his classroom. Special ME is given to a student in each classroom each month to recognize their contributions to the classroom through responsible and kind actions and hard work on their schoolwork. The kids get a donut, a water bottle filled with coupons for free stuff from local restaurants, and a spirit stick for their backpacks. Way to go, kiddo! School pictures were also on Wednesday, so I was able to get RJ not to wear a dinosaur t-shirt for the presentation--instead he wore a dinosaur button-down.
On Friday Ryleigh had open gym to make up for a gymnastics class she missed. We get home from open gym around 9:15, which makes Saturday morning a little more painful than usual. But, we were still up and at 'em, as RJ had coding at 9:30, Ryleigh had ballet at 11:00, and RJ had a birthday party at 11:00. Jip had to go to a retirement ceremony that morning, so Ryleigh went with me to coding and knocked out a couple tasks from her homework matrix. I then dropped her off at ballet, entrusting her to another parent there. I ran RJ across town to the birthday party. I then went back to ballet and hung out while Ryleigh did her thing. Jip picked up RJ at the party and we met at a restaurant for lunch. Then we all headed out to find Jip some steel-toed shoes he can wear with khakis. We didn't find what Jip needed in the store, but the kids got new shoes out of it. We then did a little clothes shopping for Jip to make sure he has clothes to go with those steel-toed shoes that are arriving from Amazon later this week. When we pulled back into the neighborhood, the annual neighborhood party was in full force. I didn't RSVP, as I was thinking we may miss it (and maybe didn't feel like going ;) ). But, the kids were welcomed onto the climbing wall and the bouncy square and at the Hawaiian ice food truck. So, Jip and I hung out in our cul-de-sac (oh yeah--Jip also climbed the wall once) and let the kids wear themselves out.
Sunday allowed us to divide and conquer the morning. I took RJ to Ninja Zone and Jip took Ryleigh back to Hunt Club Farm for a birthday party. Ryleigh was so excited to get to hold the chickens and feed the goats since they didn't get to do that on the field trip.
Monday was a virtual learning day. Thanks to Hurricane Florence closing school for four days, we have to make up some time missed. So, we have virtual learning days, where the kids stay home from school, but complete assignments. The middle school kids and high school kids get to take home their Chromebooks and just do regular schoolwork. Elementary school is a little more challenging and the teachers had to get creative. Ryleigh did something on Citizenship. She make a list of the ways she was a good citizen on Sunday. Then she drew some pictures and we made a poster presentation with the pictures form the birthday party to show being fair and diligent and trustworthy. RJ's assignment was about matter, so he had to go somewhere and pick up track and complete a matrix about the properties of the matter. RJ also did a poster presentation with photos of the trash he took and some facts about glass, metal, and other types of trash he picked up in our local park. Both kids did a nice job. It was a little tough convincing RJ that he needed to do more than the minimum (completing the matrix), but he felt accomplished when it was done and we think he learned a little something.
We were so busy this week, RJ asked me if we could have a normal week this week. It will be nearly normal, but we are throwing in family photos with our favorite local photographer on Saturday. And Jip leaves for Maine/New Hampshire on Sunday for his week of observation of a shipyard inspection. But, hopefully we can find some time in there just to chill and do our normal, everyday things, like reading for 20 minutes or playing with Legos. As always, pics to come. Until next time, cheers!
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