The Jeweler's New Table

Lu got a fold-able, transportable display table 

for his jewelry business.

He used it yesterday for the first time.

It was slightly too big for him to carry down from the mountain, 

so I helped him out with that part. 

Once we got to his preferred spot, he set up his table beautifully, 

with crystals and bones and shells, 

on an old blue bed sheet.

He sold three pairs of earrings, about $10.

He's saving up for an iPad :)

End-of-Year Show 2012

 Today was our project's end-of-year show. 

Lu participates in two of the project's five groups.

This was his eighth time around.

He's been in the show since he was two years old,

and he still loves it.

He'd been counting down the days in excitement.

Here are some moments from the singing and dancing...

Next year he'll be dedicating four half-days to project activities. That's four more hours a week than he was doing this year. It will put a strain on our homeschool schedule, and it looks like we'll be sacrificing some subjects (like grammar) to make room for the heavier commitment. But seeing Lu enjoy dance so much makes it unquestionably worth it.

We've been running the project for 10 years - so, many more than we've been homeschooling. As homeschoolers now, it's an extra benefit that Lu has several hours of being with other children and learning to work in a group, right in our back yard. This has meant that socialization has never been an issue, or something we've had to go and look for. Since there are no homeschool co-ops, libraries, or art schools around here, it would be very difficult.

The way the project works is that the students become assistants, and then teachers; so Lu is aiming to be teaching workshops in a few years. He'll have to be able to lead group activities confidently - like team-building games, arts & crafts, and dance warm-ups.

Well, I'm exhausted after organizing all of that - rehearsals, diplomas, costumes... Now, I'm officially on vacation for six weeks. We'll still be doing some math, and some reading, but it's pretty much holiday time in my house until next year.

Hope you're having lovely days!

Lake Days

We pretty much skipped school this week, and did a lot of swimming instead. The lake has been beautiful, which makes us especially happy because it was at risk of dying from cyanobacteria outbreaks. Luckily, it seems to be in a process of self-cleaning, and is fine to swim in again. 

The lake was the main reason we moved here. 

It is said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

 

Lu had his first dip in the lake when he was 3 months old,

swam in the shallow waters by the beach as a toddler,

and now he's diving off the rocks into the deep water.

 

 We are so grateful for our healthy lake,

and so sorry for the sickness we caused it with our trash, 

use of fertilizers, soaps, chemicals, motors...  

I hope that we are the people who will re-learn to respect the world we live in - the air we breathe, the water we drink, the earth that feeds us, and the beauty that inspires us.