Remember us??

It's been quite some time since we've updated. The good news is that it's because we've been so busy learning :)  To try and catch you up, in addition to the usual reading/writing/math/science/social studies/etc:

In October we:

• Studied Government, Presidential Elections, and Voting
• Attended the Greater KC Japanese Festival at JCCC
• Participated in Choir and ASL classes
• Went to see the middle school performance of Beauty & the Beast
• Started art class (manga drawing 101) at Kansas City Art Institute
• Had a visit from Grandma & Grandpa Sparks
• Learned to sew first pair of pajama pants from start to finish

In November:

• Participated in Choir and ASL classes; choir performed at Kingswood Manor senior care
• Continued class at KCAI
• Voted!
• Took part in the LSHE Spelling Bee (3rd place!)
• Enjoyed Thanksgiving break

In December (so far):

• Continued Choir (performance 12/13) and ASL classes.  Outside of class, she is learning to sign "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for our traditional Christmas eve reading
• Attended the Missouri Town 1855 Christmas celebration
• Toured Vaile Mansion to see the Victorian Holiday decor (to go along with reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol)
• Made Borax crystal snowflake ornaments, peppermint cream wafers, and fizzy bath bombs for Holiday Science
• Researched the Christmas traditions of other countries & time periods; studied Advent, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the history of the Creche, story of the Poinsettia and Candy Cane; read the gospels of Matthew and Luke; tallied the cost of the 12 Days of Christmas 2011 and 2012; and watching Miracle on 34th Street
• The next week and a half are jam packed, including a performance of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, to follow-up on our study of him earlier in the year.  Can't believe the first semester is almost over!!  

Here are some assorted pics of what we've been up to: