M+B=E2O2

Fun day!

I had to go to SB to see my surgeon this morning, so I decided to make a day of it with the kids. I was done by 11am so we had plenty of time to play. The plan was to go to the Maritime Museum, however we got slightly sidetracked by all the random pianos on street corners. We found a place to park and went to investigate. Turns out it was a project called Pianos On State St and it was very cool! They had 12 pianos set up. We did three of them before the kids were hungry and ready for lunch. I would have loved to have gone with a bunch of our piano playing homeschool friends, too bad the installation is over on the 12th!

 

 

We headed to the harbor for some lunch, then couldn't resist a short beach walk before hitting the museum.

 

 

 

The museum was awesome, very hands on and kid friendly. We spent well over two hours there and could have probably stayed longer, but I really wanted to get home before dark. Unfortunately, we were driving while one of the most beautiful sunsets was happening. I made sure all the kids turned around to look since I couldn't.

 

 

 

I love spending time with the kids like this. This is by far one of the best parts about homeschooling. Impromptu piano street concerts, awesome lunch time discussions (we discussed which super power we would want and why, also talking about the downfalls of various super powers), walks on the beach and a near empty museum, full of amazing stuff to play and learn with. A fun filled day, capped by an amazing sunset and homemade chicken soup in the crockpot waiting for us. I don't know that it could get any better.

 

 

 

 

 

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Movie Review

I just wanted to recommend a wonderful movie that we watched today.  It is called Piano Grand! A Smithsonian Celebration.   I've had it from Netflix for at least a month and have finally gotten around to watching it.  (We've had the TV off for the better part of the last month).   The kids and I are all taking piano lessons so we've a particular interest- but I really recommend this for anyone who love music in general.  There is a wide range of genres from classical to pop.  Billy Joel is the MC and is very entertaining.  He plays "Piano Man" and it is just amazing! (I have always loved that song).   I told Ben I really wanted to get it, however looking at the price on amazon....maybe I'll just get it from Netflix a few more times!!!  The kids enjoyed it and were very inspired.  There were in and out, not sitting for the whole thing- but when they were in they were enthralled. 

He can read

I just wanted to take a quick minute to boast a bit of unschooling success.  We do very little structured learning around here.  Lots of reading, playing and interacting, but no real curriculum on any sort of regular basis.  I've especially not pushed reading.  Last night I was reading an ABC book to Evan, Ben has been concerned that he knows is letters verbally but doesn't recognize them.  I haven't been concerned, but since we both need to feel comfortable in this journey I made a point to help Evan with letter recognition.  As we sat looking at the book and reading, Owen would join in and read words that I had no idea he knew.  Next we read a level 2 reader.  He's never read a level 1, and I couldn't find one on his shelf (I know we have some though).  We were able to take turns reading each page.  He could easily read 70-80% of the words with out help.  I don't think he even knew he could read as much.  He proclaimed in the middle of the book "This is so much fun!!!"  How cool is that.   

In other learning news both Evan and Emma are making progress in our piano lessons.  They are roughly at the same level and both having fun with it.  It is definitely more of a struggle for Emma, but she is very determined to move forward.  Slow and steady is her pace in life though so I'm not worried.  As long as she is content with her pace and wants to continue, we will.  I was beginning to wonder if she'd ever get  the first note of the first variation of "twinkle twinkle little star". She has shown me that she can and does get it,  now we are working on consistently being able to reproduce that bit using each of her fingers on her right hand.  Once we get there we'll move forward in the actual song.  Evan is doing the same thing, but with him we are working on him playing with a bit more, um, gentleness.  He goes at the piano like he does all else- with HUGE energy.  That translates to banging out the notes!  He too is working on that first bit ("Mississippi Hop Frog" -playing a note for each syllable) on each of his fingers- gently.  I think he will soon be ready to move on to the actual song soon.  Olivia knows how to sit at rest and bring her hand up to "ready" she will also play a single or doulbe note, every so often she has even done "Mississippi Hop Frog" but that has been very occasional.  Owen is flying.  Our teacher said that our biggest challenge will be to slow him down.   He is roughly two songs behind me in the book.  One and a half after this mornings practice.  He is doing so well and learns so fast!  I only have to play a section/line for him a few times and he will pretty much nail it.  If it weren't for the fact that we will be out of the house most of today I'd bet that he'd have "Lightly Row" down pat by days end.  Since we'll be gone and he won't have all day to go back and forth piddling on it I'm gonna put my money on tomorrow afternoon.  It is fun to watch him  learn and play,  I'll have to grab his MP3 player and upload one of the recordings he made of himself with it.  Very cute. 

Ok Well, I'd love to write some more, but I have to get me some breakfast and then get our crowd ready to head out for the day.  We are going to a symphony performance for kids.   After that we are going to head out to our regular park day.  I'm hoping the winds don't kick back up- they were blowing upwards of 40 -50 mph last night- news reports saying gust of 60.  It's supposed to be blowing around 20-30 mph today.... we'll see.  The park we go to is in the foothills which tends to be a bit more windy. 

If you have 4 minutes

This is a cute song....

Music

Yesterday I decided to keep the appointment I had made Monday with a piano teacher.  I almost canceled but, well I've just been soooooo anxious to get the 2 big kids started in music that I just couldn't wait.  AN this was an interview type appointment so I figured what the heck. 

When Emma was an infant I spent a week at a conference in Philadelphia at the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential called "What to do With Your Brain Injured Child".  It was an amazing week, and while I believe Emma would still be doing well had I not taken the course,  I think she benefited from it tremendously and is likely farther that she would have been otherwise- and honestly I'm glad not to know anyway.  It may have made no difference, but  what if it did?  One of the many things I learned there was Suzuki method of teaching music.  We saw several examples of children learning under the method during the conference- all by children who carry such labels as : developmentally delayed, autistic, asperger's, down syndrome, etc.  I was in awe to say the least.

In the early years we just couldn't afford to have lessons, as we added more children to the family that became even more of a problem. We  have now reached a point where we can do lessons.  So last week I set out to find a Suzuki instructor for either violin or piano that lives nearby.  After many phone calls, several no's and passing on of names, we found a teacher.  Her home has a studio built in and she teaches piano.  It will be a drive of about 35 minutes to get there, but after the interview yesterday, I think it will be well worth it.  She has summer sessions coming up, but because I have some logistics to work out, so we will likely start in the fall.  She tends to follow the local school district for holidays, makes it easier for most of her families, but she was just thrilled to learn we were home schooling. 

I left with the papers to be fill out and a CD to play as much as possible for the kids.  I've already loaded it to my ipod so that we can listen in the car and in the house.  Now we need to find a used piano and a place to put it! LOL! 

What is just as exciting for me is that I will get to learn along side them.  I have always wanted to learn to play the piano.  I took lessons for a bit when I was a kid, but not long enough to get past one handed playing.  I have very specific memories of me frustrating my piano teacher because I would frequently just "play by ear" instead of trying to read the music.  If only my parents had heard of Suzuki and found the nearby Piano School (she's been teaching in this area since the early 80's so I could have had lessons from her if they had known!)

The new semester will start in September, so that is how long I have to figure out what to do with Olivia and maybe Evan for 3 hours while we go to piano.  Plus we have to find a piano.