LIGO

Doug took Jackson and Jordan to LIGO to learn about gravitational waves the day after Halloween. They had to get up at 5 and drive 3 hours to eastern Washington to go the homeschool activities they had available that day. Then they had to drive home three hours. It was a long day!

All the homeschoolers were split into 3 different age groups and rotated through the different activities. First there group went on a tour. 

They're standing with one of the arms on LIGO that they shine a laser through to test the gravitational waves. It's 4 km long.

This is the control room.

Next they explored the exhibits.

They also listened to a lecture. Doug wishes they would have done the lecture first so the kids would have known better what everything was during the dour and exhibits. They still seemed to have fun and learned a lot!

Picture Dump

Kenzie and Aubree made a hideout while they waited for their cookies to finish baking.

Kenzie found a spot to put our new Paxton poster.

She also made a guitar.

Coleman painted his volcano.

After Kenzie, Coleman, and I sold back our candy to the orthodontist we went shopping at Claires (Kenzie has been dying to go since she got birthday money). Coleman had to take advantage of this photo op. 

Kenzie bought lots of things and found some great clearance deals!

Coleman was still in his costume from the candy selling.

A few things about Coleman

Last week my kids were talking about how some moms get up and make their kids breakfast in the morning. Coleman said "Yeah, but they don't get to choose what they want." Then Jackson mentioned the mom's will make pancakes sometimes. Coleman said, "Yeah, dinner food." Haha He's probably never had pancakes for breakfast. (And he would probably never choose it. He loves his yogurt :))

Recently I changed how we do video games here. Before we would have a certain time they could play that was about two hours long. But hoping to motivate Jordan to work harder I changed it to that they could play whenever they were done with their work. It hasn't really helped Jordan's work ethic,  but it has changed how hard and fast Coleman works He is usually finished with all his tasks (practicing the piano, brushing his teeth, doing a clean up breakfast job, cleaning his room, reading, plus moving the Roomba around the house) and his typing program on the computer, and his handwriting workbook by about 9. After that we just have scriptures and history that we do as a family at 9 and then math and language arts. He's finishes everything so quickly and uses his time wisely and is able to play video games longer than everyone else. (Jackson and Jordan do have more things they have to do each day, so it would take them longer even if they worked as hard as he does.) Coleman is also usually the only one that will actually remember to do all his tasks (especially his clean up breakfast job.)

Halloween Fun!

We've had a great time celebrating Halloween!

Our ward trunk or treat was on Saturday.

Colemans' costume was so cute!

We had a party at co-op.

The first hour we had normal classes (we played Lego Island for Lego class.)

We gathered all the kids up for a group picture. We have about 40 kids!

Then each of the second hour teachers led a station that the kids rotated through. Coleman's outdoors class teacher did freeze dance.

Anna and I did Bingo..

and a cakewalk at our station.

There was also some sponge painting. 

There was also a skull coloring project, but I somehow didn't get a picture of that.

On Halloween we had dinner at Ashlee's house with my parents, the Schofields, and the Merrills. Then we all went trick or treating.

The kids got a ton of candy!

Kenzie ate a lot of candy that night and proclaimed she was dying afterwards. 

She made herself a cute bat costume. I love her creativity!

Cam was a cute pirate.

After trading their candy, the kids chose all the candy they didn't want to sell to the orthodontist. They ended up selling about 6 lbs. I loved that it made them really think about if they wanted the candy or not, instead of just thinking they would probably eat it sometimes, even it wasn't one of their favorites (when they probably wouldn't.) With the candy, canned food we brought, and costumes Kenzie and Colie wore (Jack and Jordan were on a field trip with Doug) they each got $4.

It was a great Halloween!

Carving Pumpkins

We carved pumpkin on Saturday. The kids did theirs mostly on their own. Kenzie and Coleman had a little help cutting the top off and getting the insides out, but did the rest on their own.

Jordan made a 6 sided pumpkin. He worked for about an hour and a half. Here's all his designs: 

This one says hello.

This says Happy Halloween

End of Soccer

The kids finished their soccer season last weekend. Everyone but Jackson had an end of season tournament. Jackson's age group only had two teams from Covington (and two from Auburn, but Auburn wasn't doing the tournament with us) and one was clearly better than the other (although one improved much more than the other:) so I assume that's why they didn't have a tournament for him.

His team played great their last game. They one 3-1 (I think) and Jackson had a a goal and an assist.  His assist was almost a goal. He kicked the ball solidly to the goal, but it bounced off the goal and another kids was there to kick it in. It was a fun game to watch!

Coleman's team lost the only game they played. They had control of the ball most of the time, but the other team scored on a breakaway. Coleman played goalie the whole time. He is saying he doesn't want to play in the spring because he doesn't like being goalie (because he doesn't run around and he gets hit a lot) and he doesn't like not being goalie. :) We'll see how he feels once it's time to sign up.

Doug took him to his soccer party at Puerto Vallarta while I took Kenzie to hers (on the soccer field after her game:)) and then took the rest of the kids home for lunch. 

Kenzie was put as center forward for her game. She scored a goal and her team one 1-0 (their first win of the year!)

 They lost their second game 2-0, but played well. It would have been tricky if they had won because they would have played the next game at 1, and Jordan's team (Kenzie's coach is his coach as well) was supposed to play their first game at 1:30 at Covington Fields, not Kentwood (although his game ended up started about an hour late.) 

Cam came with Grandpa to watch Kenzie's play.

Kenzie getting her certificate.

Her team got matching socks instead of trophies this year.

Jordan's team won their first game!

And their second so they were the 5th/6th grade league champions! Jordan played defense both games and had some great defensive moves!

Jordan's team party was next to the field too. We love quick easy parties:)

Jordan and Bryce

Solo Violin Performance

Jackson had solo night at his group violin class. He played Twinkle, twinkle. He did a great job, but but a little embarrassed to play a song he thought was so easy. They were supposed to pick a song that was really easy for them though.

All the performers. The kids could either wear a costume or performance clothes.