2nd Grade Halfway Mark!

We've reached the halfway mark for second grade and this girl is doing great! She continues to amaze me with all that she's learning and the things that she really digs into. Every day isn't perfect and there are plenty of moments when I think we're crazy for doing this, but then she gives impromptu lessons on displacement using applesauce as her tool at the dinner table with her cousins, or she gets excited to help plan our next trip and associates travel with things she's learned about the destination, and I know we're doing the right thing. She is a wild and free spirit, my feral child. She would not be content to try and shrink herself to fit into the tiny box that they'd try to put her in and so I will fight like hell to make this work as long as we can and as long as we're all thriving.

What other classroom encourages handstand lessons?

We had park day with the homeschool group a couple of weeks ago and the weather was just gorgeous! 

Cartwheels in the grass

Mom got in on the playing action!

We're always on the lookout for ways to incorporate some physical fitness classes into her routine. With the heat and sand storms and lack of green space here in Bahrain, letting her just run wild outside isn't a viable option. Last semester she did athletics at one of the private schools, but this semester she's a member of the UFC Gym and taking a variety of classes! 

Her first class was boxing!

Mixed Martial Arts! We're super excited to be introducing her to martial arts...odds are she's going to be cute and tiny her whole life and people are going to think they can overpower her or take advantage of her. We want her to be able to defend herself and know that she has the power to kick ass and take names! 

She's taking more STEAM classes and loving coding!

And we enrolled her in a new art class with a new teacher and are really happy with the switch! Her other art teacher from last year was super nice and we really liked her, but this new one is doing a great job working on techniques and has a lot in store for the kids!

We are also learning the power of following directions... my poor, literal child.

Stella was down last week with some tummy troubles and an abdomen full of gas and all the pains associated with that. So we had an easy week of resting, fluids, Miralax, and a new fun math puzzle book that she was happy to tear into while she jammed out to music on the floor nest she made. 

She asked to do some yoga the other day... I hope this becomes a regular thing for her! I try not to push it because the second I do, she decides to hate it. 

One of the lesser known benefits of homeschooling is the ability to dress however you want and learn in your jammies.... or, like today, a cape.

Her Pop Art, Andy Warhol inspired art from todays lesson! I think the cape really helped her creativity here...haha!


And another word about clothing in our house... I used to try and steer her in the direction of...not matching, but at least coordinating her clothing. You know, teaching her about complimentary colors and pattern mixing and all that fun stuff. I gave up after feeling like a broken record and then she finally told us a few months ago that the reason she picks out crazy outfits is because she likes to tell stories with her clothes. And with that little admission we've encouraged her and let her run with it and I have to say, it is one of my absolute favorite things she does! It's become part of our daily routine for her to tell her outfit story after she gets dressed and now I'm dreading the day she finally decides to coordinate (and crossing my fingers that day never happens!).

This is a story about foxes that have space inside of them and can teleport there any time they want to! 

This semester of second grade will see us with lots more math and reading, more Ancient history (including a trip to Egypt-hopefully), learning about dinosaurs, art class, martial arts, STEAM classes, and *fingers crossed* horse back riding if I ever hear back from the instructor!