Hillsdale - Grammar School session 2022

 Last spring, I was hired to teach third grade at our kids' school for the following school year.  Our children's school is a Hillsdale affiliated classical school, so party of our training is at Hillsdale College.  It was a wonderful time to listen to amazing lectures from engaging professors and get to know my colleagues better. 

Daniel Coupland was my favorite speaker, but there were so many interesting topics and presenters.  It was such a blessing to be able to step back into the classroom as a student. 

And what a blessing to get to know these wonderful teachers and administrators better. 

The arboretum was incredible.  So peaceful. 

Hillsdale Library

afternoon walks in the sunshine with colleagues are the BEST by the way

So are afternoon Facetimes with my babies

Uno!!!

A cool moth I saw on my morning walk

Looking forward to this summer for more amazing presentations and time with great people. 

The photo booth was fun

Heading home

Our flights were delayed on the way back and we had some trouble with one colleagues ticket, but eventually we made it onto the plane back to Colorado. 

First Day of School 2017 and the Solar Eclipse

We decided to start our school year the day of the solar eclipse.  What better day to start than one that involves such a great study in science?  :)  And what a fun day it was.  In fact, as we studied aspects of the solar eclipse on Ava's very first day of school ever, she told me, "This is the best day ever, Mommy!"

Some cute first day shots (there's a bunch more at the end of the post...haha)

We watched live NASA coverage on their website for awhile and learned all about solar eclipses and saw neat pictures. 

When it was set to happen (at 93% totality) in the Denver area we headed outside with our pin hole viewer to see the shape of the eclipse.  

Hard to see in a picture, but you get the idea, and the girls thought it was fascinating to see the little sliver appear on the paper.  

Our neighbor had a pair of safe glasses to view the eclipse that she let us borrow so we could all take a look and not burn our retinas.  

 

I pointed my camera up and took some shots and the the eclipse showed up in the shots (ghosted), but really rather cool, I thought.  

 The kids also noticed the eclipse shapes on the ground made by effect of the sun shining through trees.  After finding them on driveways, they ran around the cul-de-sac looking for the eclipses in other spots (on cars, houses, chairs, etc).  

 

We enjoyed chocolate chips on mini marshmallows to make little "total eclipses"

We drew eclipes with sidewalk chalk

 

The girls added some very interesting notes and pictures to their nature journals.  It was cute to see what each of them drew and Kayla was like a sponge and her journal writing reflected just how much she soaked in.  

That evening we had eclipse oreos for a treat. 

And another blast of First Day of School 2017 pictures because they are just so cute.  

A fun start to the beginning of what promises to be another fun year!