Renaissance Fair

A few weeks ago we took the PKs to the Renaissance Festival.  We had studied the Renaissance last spring and thought the PKs might really like to see it.  Then I heard that it can be a bit risqué and I got a little nervous.  But thankfully, it was pretty tame. We met PK1's favorite, Queen Elizabeth:

And saw a live joust:

Met the horse afterwards:

Danced the Maypole:

Watched Shakespeare reading a sonnet in the street:

Went down the big slide:

Saw a show about Leonardo Da Vinci and his brother.  It was decidedly not funny.  We fake laughed for awhile and then snuck out.

And ended up in the stocks:

First Day

The girls started their co-op classes last week.  PK2 has been waiting two years to join big sister and the big day finally arrived.  I now have a second grader and a kindergärtner.

Here they are with PK1's best school buddy.  They decided to be lab partners in science this year.  He is a piano prodigy.  No big deal.  She only associates with the cream of the crop! Go here for a clip of him playing the piano. Piano Prodigy

And since I put on some makeup to take them to their first day, I got in a picture too.

Can you spell Gubernatorial?

I couldn't really spell it myself until a few weeks ago.  This blog would be so much cooler if PD would let me post all of the inside stuff we see working behind the scenes in a state wide campaign, but alas, he has more discretion than I do.  He has allowed me to post these few pictures someone took in the "war room" the other night at the first gubernatorial debate.

I am so proud of PD and I am so happy for him.  He is finally doing what he is SO good at and has wanted to do for the last 15 years. It looks like someone else is proud of him too:

Oh and if you are keeping score..we were up by 12 last week and up by 17 this week.  SO the state of Ohio might actually have a chance after all.  And our little family will have four years of job security even if it is really long hours and mediocre pay. Oh well.

First Two Weeks of School (ish)

Most of our friends have been in school for a couple of weeks now.  We have kept up with many of our studies over the summer, but now we are easing back into our full routine.  The new routine will be pretty hefty as we are starting a few new things and I now have a kindergartener and a second grader! One week was really crisp and felt like fall, then the second week summer was back with a vengeance and we hit the pool almost every day.  When it was cool out, the girls spent several hours a day out in the yard on this blanket. Reading, playing, spying birds and resting. So good for the soul.  Don't you think?

Science - Watching the International Space Station fly over!

Home Economics - We are three batches into our search for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie!

Imaginative Play - Dress Up! - PK2 often adorns herself in this way while PK1 and I are focusing on our grammar lessons.  Then when we are done, she "surprises" us. Chinese dress courtesy of Chicago Aunt.

Wood-shop - Installing new kitchen cabinets!  It really speeds things along when a 5 year old wants to help.

Snack Time - Watermelon!

History - Our first trip to the Renaissance Festival - (more pictures of this to come)

No pictures of the math, Latin and grammar studies..that would be too boring.  Also a great deal of time was spent shopping for shoes.  Sadly, for the PKs, not me.  Next week will be the full schedule with their co-op class, basketball clinic, Awana, nursing home ministry, piano lessons and possible a new Spanish tutor! Please pray for me!