Dana Robb - July - weekly hikes, Antelope by Moonlight ride, and end of school year presentation

Goal 1: End of School Year Presentation

Homeschool accomplishments often go unrecognized so last year we started a new tradition, suggested by Latter-day Learning.  We invite all our family over for a night of ethnic food, culture, and an art show. The boys work all year on a report of a country of their choice.  They focus on all aspects of the mathematical, physical, and political geography of that country.  By the end of the year they've put together a power point presentation.

They really get into it, finding photos, video links, etc.  Then we choose a couple recipes and make ethnic food.  Let's just say that's my favorite part.  This year we studied European Geography.  London chose to report on The United Kingdom. We prepared some shepherd's pie and after much persisting attempted to make a Battenberg cake, recipe here.

Isaac chose the country Greece.  For his report we served Dolmas.  Mmm.  Our favorite.  And learned how to make kok (pronounced coke), the Greek version of cream puffs.

In art, we studied the Medieval age.  We learned about gold leafing, painted on fresco, made our own illuminations, created some mosaics, experimented with egg tempura, discovered metal work, built our own cathedrals, stitched some needlework and tapestries, and played with pottery.  Just to name a few things.

This night has become one of our treasured traditions.


Goal 2: Hiking - It's one of my favorite things to do, especially with my kids.  We had an awesome month exploring some favorite spots like Hidden Falls (Little Cottonwood Canyon) where London caught a lizard.  And then discovered some new favorites, like Catherine's Pass up at Albion Basin where we were surrounded by fields of beautiful wildflowers-Indian paintbrush, catnip, yarrow, elephant head, valerian, dock, wild geranium, etc.  This year's hikes were made all the more rewarding because I could actually identify some of the plants and herbs (thanks to classes from Emily Saddler ) and even harvested a bagful of yarrow and catnip.  Feeling so successful!  Here are a few highlights:

Hidden Falls

Yarrow

London caught his first lizard-she is happily eating up all the spiders and earwigs we find around our yard.

Lamb's Canyon

Lamb's Canyon

Catherine's Pass

Catherine's Pass

Goal 2 - Antelope by Moonlight.  

Where were you Nora??  Oh ya, we didn't get there til after 10:30 p.m. and by then everyone was well on their way.  Did you see the couple on your way back without headlights?  That was us.  So here's the story. Chris and I planned on leaving around 8:00 p.m. which would get us to Antelope Island about an hour before the race started.   But I failed on two accounts.  First, I didn't let Chris no how long it would take to get there, and he didn't feel rushed to go.  Second, I thought the race started at 10:30 - not 10:00 p.m.  We were still packing everything into the truck when I realized it was 9:00 p.m.  By the time we crossed the bridge to the island, we were looking at a trail of bike lights ahead, already on their way  Oh and as we were crossing the bridge, I thought it was raining; we were getting pelted hard.  Only took me a few minutes to realize it was bugs, not raindrops splashing our windshield.  Then we realized that it was probably too late to purchase the headlights they were offering.  We weren't supposed ride without them.  But I didn't drive all the way up there just to give up a few miles away.  So we drove on.  Luckily, they let us go with only the moon to light our path and we rode out of the deserted parking lot around 11:00 pm, a full hour after the race started. 

If those had been the only setbacks, we would have had a great time, but one problem after another got me down til I was practically in tears and wondering why we were even there.  And yet, I was determined to finish the 24 miles.  It was the only accomplishment left.  But even that was taken away from us.  We reached the halfway point at 12:30 a.m. as they were cleaning up the refreshment stand, only to be informed that they were picking everyone up and putting bikes on trailers within half an hour.  The rangers required everyone to be off the island by 2:00 a.m.  I should have given up then, but I am not a quitter.  We headed back, thinking we could beat them.  And we almost did.  It was 1:50 a.m. before they caught up to us.  We were two miles from the finish.  Two miles.  It's a good thing I have such an amazing husband who kept encouraging me on.  

Putting all the disappointments aside, it really was a beautiful ride, and the weather was perfect.  Looking back, I've decided that all those disappointments happened because next year we will have such an awesome time that we will be able to look back and smile. 

So come next year, who's joining me??  (I won't mention that every muscle in my back and and legs hurt the next morning, or that I came home with 25 mosquito bites--including a couple on each butt cheek.  That would just deter you more.)

Next month's goal focuses on healthy eating.  And at this point in our busy summer, it's much needed.