Poverty Encounter, Descanso Gardens, & Pacific Airshow

One of our homeschool moms asked if I would arrange a field trip to the Poverty Encounter in North LA. It was a moving experience; we walked through four areas where the environment and videos communicated various ways in which children (and their adults) find themselves in poverty. It was incredibly eye-opening for all of the attendees. 

Feeling what loads of bricks feel like

 

After our interactive experiment, our group participated in packing food boxes that would be distributed to impoverished areas.

We wanted to pass some time in North LA before driving to the beach so I did a quick search and discovered a botanical garden near us. We were able to enter in for free with our reciprocal pass! It was a lovely garden to spend an hour in.

 

 

Patrick had found an amazing deal for us to stay near Huntington Beach for the Pacific Airshow. While at breakfast, one of the Royal Air Force Falcons (Parachute Display Team) was eating breakfast in his uniform. We struck up a conversation with him, and he gave Colleen one of his pins.

We opted to watch the air show from the free side of the beach; we ended up being almost on the centerline of the show. It was phenomenal! The kids played in the sand and ocean between performers.

 

 

 

 

A favorite performer - the RAF Falcons! It was like a choreographed dance in the air.

 

 

We were disappointed that the Thunderbirds and other US planes would not be performing; but we did enjoy the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

 

Such a fun weekend in LA!

 

Family Time - Walks, Hikes, & Beaches

I still marvel each year that our summer is actually the end of August through the beginning of October. We've been taking long walks on the weekends as a family; this particular afternoon Colleen pulled her roller skates out.

 

Family hike on a Sunday afternoon - it was a short hike but steep up to the gazebo at the vistapoint.

 

 

In lieu of a chia pet, we just grew chia seeds on a wet paper towel. Amelia set up an old phone with a timelapse setting over the course of a day to watch the effects of phototropism which we had studied earlier this week.

We've been getting the kids extra climbing time in throughout the week.

Roko came over one afternoon to play games with Austin.

Colleen working hard on her quilt.

Amelia takes care of her own pointe shoes now when she needs a new pair.

We started this 2000 piece puzzle, anticipating that it would take us a few weeks to finish. 

We have been watching the History Channel's shows on military dogfights as Austin learns more about airplanes. (We are all fascinated!) so Austin and Colleen end up pretending dogfights frequently.

Our friends lost their 2 year old son last year and invited various families to spend a Sunday afternoon at a new-to-us beach to celebrate his birthday. The kids played hard boogie-boarding and in the sand.