Work Plans for the Week of April 28, 2014: Geography and Government

Even without formal work plans, last week turned into a very productive school week. We had one inspiring morning at the Indiana Statehouse, followed by an enriching afternoon at a museum of Native Americans and the West (where the kids were introduced to, and LOVED, the work of Ansel Adams!). Will discovered Scrabble. We spent a morning exploring our possibly, depending on contractor bids for crucial repairs, new house and property--

view up from the root cellar

--and have been building many castles in the sky regarding this potential adventure. The kids attended 4-H workshops on geology and recycling, and experienced their first Color Run. Will had chess club. We watched Breaking Away, a movie that is filmed in our hometown (much of it blocks from our house), and had some interesting conversations about what the movie portrays vs. our personal experiences, particularly in regards to the Town and Gown theme--side note, but one of my major fascinations (I have many) is the phenomenon of the "college town." The kids began learning dressage in horseback riding class, and Will had one fabulous morning helping to film some promotional/marketing material for the IU Art Museum, although she claims that the cameras were NOT focused on her when she accidentally dropped a cup full of red paint onto the floor and it basically exploded all over her--seriously, she had red paint inside both ears, and up her nose.

The biggest event of the week, however, was the 5th Annual Trashion/Refashion Show! I have to process my thoughts AND my photos and videos later, but I'll just say that it was, once again, a wonderful experience for us, and the show was the most splendidly produced that it's ever been. Syd had a wonderful time and did an amazing job--seriously, that kid has great stage presence. Right this minute, she's just finished sleeping off our late night (culminating in an honest-to-gawd parade led by a local, indie, honest-to-gawd marching band), and then we're going to make yet another attempt to wash off all that hairspray and mascara before we head over to our volunteer gig.

And that brings us to this week's work plans! We're still on an alternate school schedule, although we should get the answers that we need this week to decide whether or not we'll actually be moving next month. Daily work this week will consist of Kumon math drill workbooks (got to use up those consumables if we're moving!), journaling, and A-Z Mystery Flags:

Even though I got Will's buy-in before I bought this, she still doesn't *really* like it, nor did getting her buy-in reduce the complaining as I'd hoped, BUT I can't deny that it's great cursive writing practice, which is why I bought it. After completing this, there's surely no way that the kids won't be proficient at cursive...

Surely?

Special projects this week include prep for the kids' Iceland project for next week's International Fair; a Girl Scouts anti-bullying program for Will, as well as work for both kids on their various Girl Scout badges; a social event at the place where we volunteer; a ballet performance to attend; math class and horseback riding class and nature class; more study of American government (I think I'll have them make this branches of government lapbook, for starters); and wildflower botany--I want to make wild violet jelly!

And don't worry--when I no longer have a spiky ball of anxiety in my belly (house buying is so anxiety-making! And did I tell you that Grumpy Neighbor, whose complaints to Animal Control about us are never heeded on account of they're all false, has now apparently taken to complaining to Housing and Neighborhood Development about invisible trash in our yard? And someone from HAND actually came out and left a warning on our front door to remove the trash that doesn't exist, because... I don't even know why? And then Matt took photos of our yard, and I sent them to HAND and asked them to tell us what specifically about our yard is not in compliance so that we can fix it, even though there's no freakin' way that there's anything in our yard that's not in compliance? And I'm anxiously/eagerly waiting to see what exactly they're going to have to say for themselves? And wondering what Grumpy Neighbor is going to do to us next? And wishing that someone offered anti-bullying seminars for grown-ups?), I'll have a little celebration for myself.

Okay, a big celebration. 

With balloons. 

And brownies.

And crazy dancing, although that's pretty much a given daily, celebration or not.