Gari Melchers Belmont- Art Education

Kaylee has been interested in art since she could hold a crayon. Our homeschool group offered art classes at a place we had not yet discovered, Belmont. Belmont was the home of an artist named Gari Melcher. There is more information about Belmont here. 

Over the last few months, we've attended each of their educational art classes and went on a tour. There is more information on the educational tours and art classes here.


The first field trip we took to Belmont was an art lesson about spray art....

Orange is her favorite color right now. 

My little artist.

Adding the final touches of glitter. 

Taking a tour around the front of the house. 

On a scavenger hunt with a friend.

Kaylee was very excited to be chosen to be the pretend
model for the Gari Melchers painting, "The Fencer."

On our second field trip to Belmont, we went to the class on sculptures. We watched the video about Gari Melcher, took the tour, and did the scavenger hunt, again. But, then Kaylee sat outside and made a sculpture out of clay.

Concentrating on her art.

Working hard.

All done. She made a pony.

On our last trip to Belmont, we took the last class. It was a class on watercolors. 

Kaylee tracing a colorful leaf.

Coloring the leaf with a special watercolor pencil. 

Kaylee's leaf is colored with the watercolor pencil. The next step is to "paint" the leaf
with a wet paintbrush to blend the colors. 

Kaylee was offended by the teacher during this class. The teacher thought that Kaylee had not colored in the leaf completely. So, the teacher "finished" coloring it in for her. I don't think that the teacher did it intentionally. Kaylee was polite and didn't say anything, but I could see by the expression on her face that she was upset and felt like the art work was no longer her own. I later explained to Kaylee that the teacher was trying to help. 

We enjoyed Belmont and all it has to offer. We would like to go back when there is really nice weather and follow some of the nature trails that are around the property. 

Show and Tell

Kaylee was excited to attend her first show and tell event. We were invited through one of the homeschool groups we are members of. She decided that she wanted to take one of her hermit crabs and teach the group and them.

Before the day of the show and tell, we went to the library and got a few books about hermit crabs. She made a list of the facts that she thought was the most important. She also copied a diagram from one of the books to show the parts of a hermit crab.

Kaylee presenting her hermit crab. 

Kaylee did a great job! She really likes speaking in front of people. Especially, when it's a topic she is interested in. You can watch the video of her presentation below...

Our first camping trips

This summer we decided to get a pop up camper. It gives us some freedom to travel and not worry about the expense of a hotel room. We bought a used pop up that needed some work. It ended up needing more work that we had anticipated, of course.

On our first camping trip we decided to travel a short distance. We stayed at a campground on Lake Anna. It was only a 30-40 minute drive from home. We figured that if it didn't work out then, we could just pack up and go home. There were a few issues, but we worked through them. I believe camping in a pop up is a learn as you go kind of thing.

Breakfast our first morning of camping. 

 I made the waffles at home before we left and just popped them in the toaster that morning. 

Reading the comics by the campfire. 

Kaylee really enjoyed our first trip with our pop up! 

A few weeks later, it was our 15th wedding anniversary and we wanted to take the camper to Virginia Beach. I was a bit nervous driving 2-3 hours pulling the camper on the highway and being so far from home. It ended up being a great family trip. The only challenge we had was that it was raining when we had to fold up the camper and head home. Not a big deal, but it was a muddy wet job. We had to open up the camper and air it out for days.

Kaylee helping to set up the lights under the canopy of the camper. 

Our first morning at the Virginia Beach campground.

It's been a but stressful preparing the pop up camper for camping and driving while pulling it, but it is worth it. We now have a cheaper alternative for traveling and taking family vacations. We all enjoy travelling and we can't wait until it is warm enough to go camping again.

Christmas Break 2014

We had a busy and fun Christmas time. Tomorrow, we go back to official homeschooling and regular life. The decorations have been put away. The house has been put back in order. This time of year I always feel conflicted. I am sad that the Christmas season has passed, but I'm happy to be back to the regular routine again. Here are the highlights from our Christmas.

One of the first things we did to celebrate the Christmas season was go to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. We got a great deal from Busch Gardens. We got tickets for $12 each. They were only to be used on certain dates, but we made it work. Kaylee and I actually went twice. We went once as a family and then we went with friends.

Kaylee posing in front of a Christmas tree. The weather was pleasant the day we went as a family.

We went to see the penguins.

Kaylee and Frosty.

One day during the week, we went to the mall to see Santa. Kaylee had a Christmas list to share with Santa. 

Kaylee with Santa. Her doll Kirsten that she got for Christmas last year also went to see Santa.

Our homeschool group offered discounts to Great Wolf Lodge for certain days in December. We took advantage of those and spent two nights at Great Wolf Lodge. It is a resort and indoor water park.

Kaylee at Great Wolf Lodge.

We attended the homeschool Christmas party at the bowling alley.

Kaylee loves to bowl with her friends! 

At the Christmas party, we paid extra to go to the mobile gem mining lab. 

There were also discounted tickets to the ICE! show at the Gaylord Hotel in the new National Harbor right outside of Washington DC. We really enjoyed this event. I underestimated how cold it was going to be. It was 9 degrees. They gave us parkas to wear over our regular coats. Brrr. 

I found that the best way to enjoy this show was to step outside and warm up, then go back in again. As far as I know, you can do this as many times as you would like. Those hand warmer packets helped, too. We enjoyed the Frosty the Snowman theme. Our favorite part was sliding on the ice slide. 

The ICE! show was Frosty the Snowman theme. 

Kaylee all snug in her parka in an ice tunnel.

We loved the slide made out of ice! 

A slippery and cold ice slide. 

Family photo!

We decorated gingerbread men and a gingerbread house.

Kaylee showing off one of her gingerbread men.

Of course, Kaylee helped make Christmas dinner.

Kaylee helping to make dinner rolls.

Then, it was Christmas morning. Santa was generous, as usual, to Kaylee. We had a great Christmas. 

Kaylee with her doll Kirsten and her new doll Isabelle. 

Kaylee trying out her new pogo stick. 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a blessed New Year. 

A Montessori Thanksgiving 2014

The main goal of a Montessori education is to promote the joy of learning. It is a process that is child directed and at the child's pace. This brings satisfaction, confidence, and independence in a child. Independence is fostered through teaching life skills that Montessori calls Practical Life. Montessori children learn from a young age to dress themselves, hang up their coats, put away their toys, help cook, clean, and basically be an active member of their family and community.

Kaylee often enjoys helping prepare dinner and helping around the house. She especially enjoys helping at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This Thanksgiving was no exception. When we make pies she likes to make her own individual pumpkin and apple pie. We do all of our baking the day before Thanksgiving. 

Kaylee putting the homemade pumpkin pie crust in her individual sized pie pan. 

Measuring just the right amount of brown sugar. 

She really likes to use the apple peeler/slicer/corer when we make apple pies.

Putting the top crust on her apple pie. 

Each year, she likes to make cookies out of the extra pie dough. She rolls the dough and uses the cookie cutter to make heart shapes. Then, she sprinkles them with cinnamon and sugar. And we bake them.

Kaylee's left over pie dough cookies before they are baked. 

The pumpkin and apple pies are completed. Kaylee made her own matching individual pies. The cinnamon rolls are about to go in to the oven! 

I bake the cinnamon rolls the night before Thanksgiving to have for breakfast the next morning! 

Lastly, we make the homemade pull apart honey oat rolls. I make the dough in the bread machine. They are a lot of fun to roll into balls and place in the pan. This was a family activity. 

Montessori is a part of just about everything we do. Kaylee enjoys the independence and she has really developed a joy for learning. 

Happy Thanksgiving!