A Hobbit Birthday

Daniel turned 13 last weekend, and requested a Hobbit/Lord of the Rings themed day.  The hobbit hole cookie cake made and decorated by Tera. 

Second breakfast with homemade lembas bread (also by Tera). 
 

Tera made signs for every room in the house and had gifts for Daniel every hour of the day.  Some home made gifts and  other things she has collected over months.  

Presents, posing and shenanigans!

Snacks and dinner
(Tera made all these beautiful signs)

Tater tot Casserole
Grapes
Fruit Salad
"They come in pints" Root Beer

Nacho cheese ring chips
Keebler Elf cookies

 Daniel loved his Hobbit/Lord of the Rings day! 

Happy 13th Birthday, Daniel!

Our son....

13 years ago, you came into this world as a baby.  Crying...screaming...helpless.   You survived toddlerhood and all those character shaping elementary school years. 

Now, you're no longer a little boy.  You're a young man!  

A young man that:

asks questions about the world we can't always answer
has matured so much in this last year

always can make us laugh
is a great friend
loves an adventure 

 

sometimes makes up want to pull out our hair at the roots
loves quantum physics and chess

 











plays the flute beautifully
has made us so proud
we love more than anything!

We are so proud of you and love you more than words could say!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!!!!

Playing in the Fountains

Curriculum and Extra-curricular choices for 2015-2016

9th Grade:

Math- Saxon Algebra 2
World Geography-  Trail Guide to World Geography,  Glencoe World Geography and Cooking up World History
English 9-  Easy Grammar:  The Ultimate Series-Grade 9; Spelling Power; Sharon Watson's Jump In!  Writing Program; Literature Selections- Billy Budd, Sailor; Christy; Teyve's Daughters; King Lear; Watership Down; Jane Eyre; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Collection of short stories (and 2 more selections yet to be determined)

Electives:
PE- Fencing, swimming and daily exercise
Chess- Chess club attendance, daily chess practice through Chess.com and Chess Magnet School, various books and videos, and tournaments
Music Appreciation- Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers, Enrichment Studies Composer Study packets, Music Theory, Cindy Downes' Music Appreciation Unit Choir and concert attendance

Extra-curricular: 
Highlander Chorale and Community Choir
4-H
Fencing
Chess club
Community service


8th Grade:

Math- Saxon Algebra 1/2 and Algebra 1
History- History of US Volumes 8-10 with John Hopkins University Student Guide; Documentaries
Science- The Brain, Carbon Chemistry and The Elements units from Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop; Science bowl topics
English 8- Daily Grams 8; Spelling Power; Sharon Watson's Jump In!  Literature Selections- The Wizard of Oz, Off on a Comet (more selections yet to be determined)

Extra-curricular:
Flute lessons
4-H
Science bowl
Chess club
Fencing

1st Grade:

Math-  Saxon Math 1 and 2; Easy Peasy Math 1
Language Arts-  30 minutes of reading per day; Read alouds; 
Spelling Power; Handwriting practice
History- Easy Peasy Level 1 and Lesson Pathways
Science- Easy Peasy Level 1 and R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Life Science
Music and Art- various lessons

Extra-curricular:
Karate
Chess club
4-H Cloverbuds
Swim lessons

Fun weekend

It was a busy weekend for us!  Tera and I were invited to attend a ladies' night out at a friend's church.  It was a blast from the past.  I will go on record saying that I totally rocked the 80s television show quiz.  Tera is always a willing participant in any kind of game/group activity.  So, it's fun when we get to go out together!  

Saturday morning found us at a library chess tournament.  Tera came in first and Daniel was second in a 4 person tournament.  

Sunday was open house at DENSO.  JP has worked there since 2007 and we've never actually seen his working conditions.  It was wonderful to get a tour and see where Daddy works...and ice cream.  Oh yeah, ice cream is awesome! 

After our tour, we headed out to Townsend to meet with our friends.  It's becoming an annual tradition to meet for 3 of the kids' birthdays.  These kids have grown up so much!  

Here's some pictures to compare:

Friends...