Fall School Days

As a working mom, I am often challenged to find the balance between work and family life. While I believe the work I do is important to our community, I know that when all is said and done, I'm not going to have wished I worked more. Fortunately, my work affords me enough flexibility that I can arrange to do most of the "special events" at Moira and Hannah's schools while Alan takes care of the day-to-day activities. It's a decent balance most of the time.

Allisonville Academic Achievement Awards
I probably won't forget the first time Moira earned an academic achievement award as a first grader at Allisonville, in part, because I didn't know what to expect. It's really more of an attendance and conduct award at this stage, but I was pleased that she earned it, and below is a picture of Moira, her friend Talah, and Principal Pomerenke. 


Conner Prairie
Moira's first field trip of the year coordinated with the IB curriculum at Allisonville around understanding the past, present, and future. So, we headed to Conner Prairie, a fantastic living-learning outdoor history park that is set in the mid-1800s. Moira and her classmate Ty'lashia discovered all kinds of interesting facts about the past in the morning (like what you could buy in a general store, what toys little kids played with, how young girls learned to walk with proper posture, how they cooked a cake on the hearth, and so much more). In the afternoon, they joined another group and learned about American Indians and how they traded goods, like beaded belts, with settlers, how wool is spun into yarn, and how candles are made. We had a great time, and Moira put together a great project for her school around the past and present after this experience (she focused on the dollies, of course, and how they were made out of corn husks--as compared to the dollies of today). 










Bonfire Night
Another Allisonville tradition, apparently, is bonfire night. There is a giant bonfire, music, food trucks, hay rides, and s'mores stations. The girls had a blast. Alan and I found it to be a bit overwhelming because as the evening grew darker and darker, it was harder and harder to figure out where our kids were! I keep reminding myself that parenthood is a continual exercise in relinquishing control.  





Goose the Market
And last (but not least), Hannah and Moira attended a family learning day with Aunt Kate at Goose the Market (right around the corner from her house). The pre-K class at the Children's Museum was doing a project on opening a restaurant, and conveniently, Goose the Market's owners' son attends the preschool. So, the kids got to have the unique experience of accepting food deliveries, making sandwiches, scooping gelato, and working the cash register. Priceless!




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