Narration by Trial and Error

I am trying to incorporate more narration into our school day. We spent last year narrating from Aesop's Fables - one each week. That was a good beginning, but we really needed to expand on it.

This year, I have the children narrating the following:

history reading - daily
Bible reading - Mon - Thurs

Both of these subjects are books they read on their own.

I finally started our literature readings this week. I read aloud from a different book each day, then ask them to narrate.

Here's what I have found:

Robert - If he reads the book to himself, he can narrate beautifully. He uses words and phrasing from the reading and hits most of the important parts. I am very happy with how that is progressing.

On the other hand, read-aloud narrations are not going well at all. He cannot give me the simplest narration from an oral reading and I'm not quite sure how to handle this. I know it is part of his auditory processing difficulties, but I would still like him to do better at this. I plan on investigating further and finding things to help him.

Ruthie - She has a hard time with narrations all around. Reading to herself, read-alouds - all of it. I am currently having her read single pages and narrate after that. I am also trying to stop more frequently during read-aloud time and have her narrate. She is doing better, and I believe she will eventually conquer this difficulty, but it is slow going right now.

Today, though, she gave a wonderful narration (actually, 2 of them) from Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare reading. Let me show you what made the difference.


This is a chart showing the major characters of the story we were reading. I got this idea from Higher Up and Further In. With the help of the names written down (and my detailed drawings -ha!), Ruthie was able to tell the story back with no difficulty. She even used some of the phrasing from the story, which she never does. I was so very, very proud of her. And relieved. :)

I need to figure out exactly why this worked. Was it because the names were written down and she didn't have to remember them? Was it the combination of hearing the story and being able to look at the chart at the same time? I'm going to have to play around with it some and figure out how to apply it to our other narration subjects.

(P.S. Can you tell what Shakespeare story we read? Post the answer in the comments. I don't have a prize other than the personal satisfaction you will get from knowing the correct answer. :) )

Wrong Answer. Thank You for Playing. Please Try Again.

Other than a year in Colorado when I was 2, I have lived in Texas my whole life. However, I have been told that I do not have a Texas accent. Some say I do not have an accent at all. This obviously says that I don't.

Oh, and about reason (d) listed below, I was NOT born after 1980. Not even close.

What American accent do you have?
Created by Xavier on Memegen.net

Western. Like Midland, Western is another accent that people consider neutral. So, you might not actually be from the Western half of the country, but you definitely sound like it.

And if you're not from the West, you are probably one of the following:
(a) A Pittsburgher - the quiz can't tell the difference;
(b) Someone from Canada (probably southern Ontario) who doesn't have a Canadian accent;
(c) Someone from northern New England who doesn't have a New England accent; or
(d) Someone from Texas or the Heartland who was born after 1980.
You are definitely not from New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Detroit, the Deep South, etc.</font>

Take this quiz now - it's easy!

We're going to start with "cot" and "caught." When you say those words do they sound the same or different?

Different Same, no wait I mean different, maybe, a little bit different... Same

HT: By Sun and Candlelight

Simplification is the Name of the Game

I went to Starbucks the other night with a fellow homeschooling mom. I don't have many friends here that homeschool so getting to really talk about struggles, successes, tips, and tricks was a treat. Whenever we get together we stay 'til they kick us out (who heard of a Starbucks that closes at 9:00, anyway?), then stand outside and talk for at least another hour. Total bliss!

Anyway, one of the things we discussed is the need to keep it simple. I believe that as homeschoolers we get so caught up in the "neat" stuff we could do that we lose sight of our goals. Since one of the things Stephanie and I talked about that night was learning US Geography, I'm going to use that as an example.

I'm ashamed to admit how many different US Geography curriculums I've bought. It's at least 3. Maybe 4. My current process is to spend time every Friday on US Geography. I read from a book about the state (stories from its history, etc.), then we fill out maps and information sheets. 6 sheets for each state. 6!!! It took us 2 Fridays to do Rhode Island! Am I absolutely nuts?!

After my night at Starbucks, I started thinking about my goals for studying the 50 states. For each state, I'd like for the kids to know name, location, and capital. That's it. The rest is gravy. Neat gravy, but time-consuming-making-this-way-too-complicated gravy. Do I really care what the highest recorded temperature in North Dakota is? NO! (Sincerest apologies if you're from North Dakota. To be honest, I don't care what the highest recorded temperature is in Texas, either.)

So, I'm simplifying. Tomorrow is Friday. We are going to cover 1-2 states, depending on how long it takes. We'll need 2 maps for each state - a map of the US with that state marked and a map of the state with its capital and surrounding states marked. We might (might!) do a color sheet of the state bird and flower just because that would expose the kids to the names of more bird and flowers. Each week we will cover the names of all the states and the capitals of the ones we've learned. We will work our 50 states puzzle. They'll play with their Leap Pad that has a US geography game. That's it!

Ahhhh.... I feel better already.

And it's a wonderful thing.

There Are Different Kind of Intelligence

My son is pretty smart. Really. I'm not just a proud mama. Sometimes, though...

Saturday night, on the way out to dinner.

Robert: Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad.

Me: Hey, Robert.

Robert: What?

Then, again, Sunday morning...

Robert: Uh, Mom?

Me: Uh, Robert?

Robert: What?

He's a smart kid. I promise. Really, he is.

A Couple of Links

After a not-so-great day yesterday, we've got to get focused around here. I have a couple of post ideas brewing, but they will have to wait until later. So, I'm sending you off to visit other, more wiser blogs than mine. I hope you find something you enjoy!

The Homeschooling Carnival is up at The Common Room (one of my favorites!). Don't miss it!

Do you ever feel invisible as a mother? Then don't miss this. (HT: Real Learning)

That's all I have for now. And I just realized I only posted a link yesterday, too. Ugh.

I apologize from the depths of my heart. I'll do better in the future. I promise there won't be a single link in the next post. Wait. Is that good or not?

Online Watercolor Painting Lessons

I have wanted us all to learn how to paint with watercolors, but haven't wanted to spend the money on books (or lessons!). I did find some books at the library and have requested them. However, a few nights ago I had the brilliant idea to google it (duh!) and came across this web-site. It seems to be just what I was looking for.

You just gotta love google. When you remember to actually use it, that is.

Video

Have you seen this? I originally saw it over at Our Journey With Him. It's just wonderful.

Watching the Mailbox

I am a member of Paperback Swap. I love, love, love this site. If you're not familiar with PBS, be sure to check it out. I also love used bookstores, and frequent them often, but I have found quite a few books through PBS that I can never find used around here.

I have gotten a lot of great books through there, but I still have a wish list a mile long. For some reason, several of my wish list books have come available recently. Here's what's currently heading to our house, and the reason I'm stalking the mailman.



Animal Habitats -- On Land, Ponds, Rivers, Oceans (Draw Write Now, Book 6)




I thought this would be great to have for our science studies this year (ocean creatures).


Celebrate America: Learning About the U.S.A. Through Craft Activities



I originally put this on my list when were doing Sonlight Core 3 last year. I thought about not requesting it when it became available, but I figure we can use it for American holiday celebrations this year, and we'll get back to American History next year. I'm always in need of art/hands-on projects.




Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes... in You and Your Kids




ahem... No comment.

Our School Schedule

I blogged here about using Ambleside Online this year. I showed examples of our first week's work here. I thought I would share how we break up and schedule the work from AO. Keep in mind that we are doing a combination of Year 1 and Year 2.

This is our first term's schedule (12 weeks). Some books change after that, so I will post the next term's schedule when we get there (and I've actually set it!).


I have highlighted the the things we do together. I try to alternate things that will require individual attention. So, while I help Robert with math, Ruth works on Bible and copywork. I also alternate things that require them to read the same book. Believe me, having them read the same book at the same time would not work. :)

I have found as we work through the schedule that some of these things don't take as long as I have scheduled. However, I like having the wriggle room for things that end up taking longer, so I'm just leaving it as is for now. Any changes eventually made will not be drastic.

Afternoons are for physical activity, reading, chores, instrument practice, any art projects we may do, and other things along that line.

Word Problems for the Morbid

We are using Christian Light math this year and really liking it. One interesting thing about their curriculum is that all the word problems for a particular Light Unit (17 lessons, including 2 quizzes and a test) are centered around a theme.

I was grading Ruth's math yesterday and came across the following two word problems. The theme is the ocean.

• A shark is not a good mother. After giving birth, she may eat some of her babies. If 9 mother sharks had 50 babies each, how many baby sharks is that?

Ohh - kayy... But then, even better...

• Those hungry mother sharks gobbled up 27 of the babies before they could escape. How many baby sharks were left?

I'm probably weird, but this just cracks me up. It must appeal to the slightly-macabre sense of humor I have. Where is that ROFL smiley, anyway?

Movie

I received Jane Eyre in the mail from Netflix today. I liked Ciaran Hinds in Persuasion, so I can't wait to watch it. It may be a few days, though. I have a meeting tonight and church tomorrow night. Maybe Thursday night...

Even More Wildlife

You may be tired of the wildlife posts, but just bear with me. I'm a city girl, so seeing this kind of thing in my yard just astounds me.

Typically, the only wildlife we see (aside from when we are actively trying to catch them) is this variety. Some people think they're a big pain, but I think they're adorable.




Imagine my shock at seeing THIS outside my window this week.


I know they're around (as evidenced by the above referenced post), but seeing one roaming freely through our backyard was just weird. I feel like I'm living in Over the Hedge.

Changes

Ta-da!

I'd love to take the credit for the changes here, but it is totally the work of my new best friend at Life With My 3 Boybarians. Isn't it wonderful? Isn't she wonderful? She's having a contest right now, too. She's volunteering to do a blog makeover for someone. Read about it here.

Well, I've got to hurry and post this so I can sit and stare at my pretty blog for awhile.

Small P.S. - I do claim the picture. I took it while on a cruise in February.

Pardon My Dust

I'm messing around with the template, and since I'm pretty clueless, this could be a dangerous thing.

School Days, School Days

Good old golden rule days...

I think that song goes through my head at the beginning of every school year.

This was our first official week of school. I am very, very pleased with how it went. We are not up to a full load yet (we still need to add in science and Latin, and I need to add in some art projects), but we still did quite a bit. I thought I'd do a show-and-tell of our first week. (Click on any image to see it larger.)

I chose a "just for fun" read-aloud - The Penderwicks. It is a wonderful book and we are all loving it.

For history, I made a notebook with sections for all of our AO books. When the kids read a chapter, they will narrate to me, then write a few sentences and draw a picture. I got the idea for the notebooks here. I already had a comb binder, but mine isn't nearly as nice as hers. It works, though.

Here's a page from Robert's notebook for Our Island Story. Yes, those are palm trees on the island of Great Britain. I have yet to convince him that even though it's an island, it's not tropical. We'll keep working on that. :)


Ruth wanted to share her page from the book Trial and Triumph. It's also a very good example of her drawing style - very Anime.


For our music portion of Fine Arts, we are using these CDs. I can give more details if you would like. Basically, they are a CD of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherezade, an a capella CD of hymns, and Wee Sing America for folk songs (which I confess we did not do this week). Obviously we are studying Rimsky-Korsakov for our composer. I couldn't find a biography, so we read about him on Wikipedia. Our hymn was "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross".


For our artist study, we are learning about Mary Cassatt. We read this biography and studied the picture "Woman in Black at the Opera". The kids looked at the picture for a while, then took turns describing it without looking. You can see that it's a 4x6 picture. I plan on making them artwork albums as described here.


We also got math and grammar done on assigned days. Yea!

For fun, Robert did a science expirement involving water, oil, and food coloring.


Things to improve on:

literature readings - they didn't get done this week
folk song - also didn't get done
art projects - figure out a way to make this work for us

For a break down of what we did each day, check out my other blog Our School Days. It is nothing fancy. It's just an easy way for me to track what gets done.

A New Year

School will begin here soon and I am making some changes. Shortly after I began homeschooling, I learned about the Charlotte Mason method of learning. I have added bits and pieces of it to our homeschooling days, but this year I'm jumping in with both feet and going for it.

We will be basically following Ambleside Online's schedule, but I will be doing a schedule combining Year 1 and 2 that I found here. This will cover history, geography, and literature. We will will also be following AO's composer and artist schedule.

The following will round out our year:

Apologia Elementary Zoology 2 - This is a study of ocean creatures. This looks like so much fun! I can't wait. I also got the lapbooks from Knowledge Box Central. We've never done a lapbook before, so it will be interesting to see if the kids like it.

Christian Light math - I thought about switching back to Abeka math this year, but I still have concerns with all the color on the pages as a distraction for Robert. This program is like Abeka in that it is a workbook and spiral, but the pages are much "calmer".

Rod and Staff English 4 - Okay, so an intense study of grammar is not very CM'ish, but I personally love R&S English and so we're sticking with it. We played around with other grammar programs, which has meant that the kids are now both on the same R&S level. This actually makes life easier for me, because I can teach them at the same time.

Prima Latina - This Latin program is actually intended for much younger students, but I'm still comfortable using it. I think it will make this subject easy for all of us. I hope! I'm considering getting a workbook for myself and learning this subject right alongside the kids.

Art - I found some drawing lessons here. I would also like to add some simple lessons in things like watercolors, but I still need to investigate that.

The kids will be continuing with their private instrument lessons and homeschool orchestra as well.

Temptation

I went to my in-laws' house this morning to make homemade cinnamon rolls with my father-in-law. Friends are coming into town next Tuesday to stay for almost a week and I thought these would be a nice treat.

Number of homemade cinnamon rolls made: 18

Number of cinnamon rolls brought home, ready to be frozen: 16

Number of cinnamon rolls in freezer one hour after returning home: 15

It's going to be a long 4 days....

Tears

Little Malachi, who I first mentioned here, passed away yesterday. He got an infection and was unable to fight it due to a white count of zero.

Please pray for his family. Please.

Changes in the Air

Ruthie is 9, but growing up so fast.

Today, I found her in the bathroom, putting on nail polish. She had pulled her hair back in a ponytail, tucked in her shirt, and added a cute belt to her jeans.

It has begun.

Ahhh, the End Is Near

The end of the school year is coming. Life is slowing down. In the past couple of weeks, the following activities have ended.

• Orchestra
  
• Brownies
• Webelos
  
• Co-op
• Art lessons

As important as the activities are for the kids, I am so ready for the more relaxed pace of the summer. Sleeping late (I can dream, can't I?), time with friends, swimming, vacations. Ahhh...

Wild Animals in Suburbia, Part II

I recently posted (here) about seeing a possum in the backyard. Well, that was just the beginning of the excitement!

About a week later, Griff was using up the remains of a bag of mulch that had been in our garage. When he pulled his hand out of the bag, he felt something furry along with the mulch. This is what he found in the bag.



We had no idea what to do with the babies, so we decided to ask a neighbor who works for a vet. She volunteered to take them to the vet's office, where she could contact someone she knows who raises baby wild animals and releases them into the wild when they're old enough. We decided that was our best option, as we were not willing to leave them in the garage and we were afraid if we left them out at night for the possum to find, a neighborhood cat would find them first.

We were hoping that with the babies gone, the mama possum would leave, too, and our flower beds would no longer be disturbed. That didn't happen, though. After another week or so, Griff decided that he would contact a catch-and-release company and have them set up a trap.

So, that's what we did. The first night, we caught this. Can you tell from the picture what it is? I didn't want to get too close and my zoom is not the best.


The second night, we got the possum.


We decided to set the trap for one more night, and caught another one of these.


Where are all these animals coming from? What in the world is wandering around the neighborhood at night? I had no idea!

We decided we are out of the animal trapping business. We cannot afford to rid the neighborhood of wildlife, one animal at a time.

Recital

Ruth had her first recital recently. She has played cello for about a year now. She did a wonderful job and we were so very proud of her. I also thought she looked beautiful up on that stage.


This is my favorite picture from the recital. Can you see how furrowed her brow is? (click on image for a larger picture)


Ruthie is very focused when she performs (she is also in a homeschool orchestra). She has a real presence on stage and is very expressive. At the reception after the recital, a woman came up to Ruthie and said, "You played very well today, but what I really enjoyed were all your expressions!"

We call Ruthie our "drama queen", and that's not always a good thing. In this case, though, it really added to her performance on stage.

Sweet and Funny Boy

We got home tonight after spending the evening at my in-laws. I noticed we had several messages on the answering machine. The first was a friend returning a call. The second was from my son (he must have borrowed the phone at my in-laws).

"Mom, I just want you to know that I really, really love you."

That brings a smile to a mother's heart.

The last message was also from my son. I'm not sure what exactly he was saying, but it was obvious some creature was attacking him and not allowing him to talk. "Get away!... Ack!... No!"

That also brings a smile to a mother's heart.

Sweet, funny boy.

A Matter of Perception

We finished up and e-filed our taxes at 6:30 last night. The whole thing was a nightmare, but that's not what this is about.

We knew we were going to owe this year. In the midst of our problems with our taxes, the amount owed was always close to $800. So, we've thought for about a week now that that's what we would be paying.

When we got all the problems fixed, we only (!) owed $460.

So now, I feel like we got a tax refund! LOL

Funny

Griff went to Carraba's for lunch today with Ruth and his mom. (I was out with Robert) At the end of the meal, they all shared a Dessert Rosa.

The dessert disappeared very quickly. When it was gone, Ruth said, "Wow! Point, click, and go!"

Wild Animals in Suburbia

I was talking to the kids as they worked at the kitchen table this morning when I saw something scurrying through our yard out of the corner of my eye. It looked like...

"Kids! Look! It's a possum!"

Much excitement was to be found until he/she disappeared under our fence. The kids wondered if it would have played dead if we had run out there to see it. "Then we could have taken pictures of it!" (Yep, they're my kids.)

Ruth told her dad about it later and found out that he had seen a baby possum in the driveway as he left for work this morning.

I think we can quit wondering what's been digging around in the flower beds.

Update on Malachi and a New Prayer Request

I learned this morning that Malachi's latest biopsy shows that his blood is free from leukemia. Praise God! Please pray that this remission continues. He is currently in the hospital because of some nodules in his lungs. The doctors believe that they are some type of fungus. Pray that he can be healed from that and go home.

If you are not familiar with Amy from Amy's Humble Musings, please keep her in your prayers. She is pregnant and experiencing debilitating morning sickness. Her husband is updating her blog occasionally to keep us posted on her condition. Apparently this is typical for her pregnancies. Medications which have helped in the past are having no effect. Please pray that this passes quickly and that both she and the baby are healthy.

I hope that you and yours are having a wonderful Easter!

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Believe it or not, I'm talking about a plant.

Griff and I do not have what I would call a green thumb. Witness the fact that our azaleas put out 2 or 3 blooms this year. That was a sad, sad thing. Our neighborhood was filled with yards full of azalea blooms, except for ours. We are pitiful.

However, we have had great success with a few plants. One of them is called Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrows (we shorten it to YTTs). They are called this because of their flowers. When they first bloom, they are dark violet. The next day, they are a paler shade. The following day, they are white. Here is a picture of one of ours.


I love this plant. It will bloom repeatedly throughout the warm weather. Once winter hits, it no longer blooms, and can look kind of scraggly (is that a word?), but it quickly recovers once it warms up.

I'll be posting more pictures of "winners" for the black-thumbed among us. :)

History Notebook Pages

I have wanted the kids to make history notebook pages all year long, but haven't gotten around to it (a very common problem with me). I suddenly realized that the year was winding to a close. If I wanted to do them (and hopefully get into the habit of them for next year), I needed to start NOW.

Luckily, we were at a good place to start. We just finished studying the writing of the Declaration of Independence. I think the beginning of our country is a fine place to begin.

I got some 8.5x11 paper that is sort of patriotic (color-wise, anyway). I printed off a picture of the Declaration of Independence from the internet. I then gave the kids the option of printing the title on the computer or hand-writing it. They both chose to use the computer. They then had to write a few things about the famous document. We cut things out and glued them on the paper. Here are the final results!


Robert's is on the left. I gave him guidance on where to place things (read "told him exactly what to do"). I left Ruth free to do her own thing. I found her placement rather interesting. :)

They are nothing fancy, but they are done, and we are (hopefully!) on our way to making notebook pages on a regular basis.

I Am SO Not Surprised

You Are 70% Left Brained, 30% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Update on Malachi

Little Malachi is having his third round of chemo this week. I don't know specifics, but I do know his parents said this is "very serious". Please continue to keep him and the family in your prayers. My heart aches for all of them.

Prayers Needed

I found out at church this morning that the 14 month old son of one our families was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) this past week. Please pray for little Malachi, his parents, and his big sister Emily.

As I receive updates, I'll be sure to let y'all know.

Pachelbel Rant

This video is hysterical. (I rate it PG for some cuss words.)

Deep Thoughts

Quote from Ruthie:

"I really wish they hadn't built the Tower of Babel."

My daughter is a thinker, so we wait expectantly...

"It's just one more thing I have to learn about."

And sometimes she's just an eight year old. :)

A New Schedule

We had the most productive week we've had in a long time this past week. I instituted a new schedule, and while we weren't perfect, we did stick to it pretty well.

I have been giving each of the kids daily assignment sheets for awhile, but I have been letting them choose the order of the subjects. What I found is that they would save all their "hard" work (like math and grammar) for later in the day. It would then either not get done, or get stretched out for way too long. Choosing their own schedule for the day was not working. So, I took the choice away from them.

I now let them know in what order their subjects will be done. I try to vary them so that I can spend time with each child for the subjects that that require one-on-one. I did not go so far as to set a schedule for exact times of the day, but I did put general time limits on subjects. So, if they have not finished math in 30 minutes, they still go on to the next subject. If they finish a subject early, I have them pull out unfinished work and do that.

Ruthie has done amazingly well with this. She finished her work before noon every day. Robert fought me on it, but he also got his work done much more quickly than normal. And, by the end of the week, he seemed to have almost completely adjusted to it and was no longer fighting me (as much, anyway).

I also managed to fit in the history project (make a hornbook) and science activity (make craters in a bowl of flour with rocks) that I've been trying to get done for literally months. I felt very good about that.

So far, this schedule has worked the best of any we have tried this year. I am sure I will have to tweak it over time, but for now it is working, and I will take that.

Books!

Books, glorious books!

We went to the library today and I actually got a couple of things for myself for once. We even (shock!) ventured upstairs to the (gasp!) adult section of the library.

I will now have the following two books sitting on my bedside table, waiting to be read.

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (I've only ever read her Little Women series)

and

Unveiled by Francine Rivers (highly recommend by a friend - It's a fictionalized account of the story of Tamar from the Old Testament)

Now, let's see if I can actually find the time to read them!

UPDATED: added links

Some of My Favorite Posts

For those of you who use bloglines, do you use the "Keep New" option in the bottom right hand corner of posts? I was a happy girl the day I found that. I was always thinking, "Now, where did I see that recipe/craft/inspirational post?" and this nifty feature has solved my problem (for the most part). I have quite a few posts that I keep "new". I thought I'd share some of them with you here.

A Bravewriter's Life in Brief has a yummy-sounding lemon scones recipe that I think Griff would like.

Blest with sons has the CUTEST picture of a Barbie Bible Study.

Homeliving Helper has an excellent post on Good Housekeeping that I read when I need a good, swift kick in the pants.

Kim at Life in a Shoe mentions some George Sarris Bible CD's that I absolutely must look into.

Rocks in My Dryer reviews a children's book that sounds just wonderful.

I hope you see something you like. I know I did.

The Problem With a New Computer

We used to have 2 computers. With the new one, that makes 3. I will be using the new one mostly, but will still use the PC for some things. (The 3rd computer is our old Mac. Griff also has Linux loaded on it and that will be its main OS now. I will rarely be on it.)

Since I will be going back and forth between the two computers, I decided to move all my bookmarks to del.icio.us. I exported all my books and copied them to del.icio.us. I am now in the process of going through each bookmark and putting appropriate tags on them.

I have 715 bookmarks. I need to put tags on at least 577 of them. I figure it will take me about a year.

Advice From Nancy Drew

I loved to read Nancy Drew books when I was young. They were so exciting! Mysterious! Fun! Hokey!

Okay, that last one I didn't discover until I picked up one of my old books a few years ago. I read and enjoy a lot of children's books as an adult. Nancy Drew has not stood the test of time. For a young girl, though, they were (and are) wonderful. I cannot wait for Ruth to start reading them. (Griff is the same way with Robert and The Hardy Boys.)

A couple of years ago, my in-laws gave me this tiny book. And it is tiny - only 3"x3". It also has a bookmark with a little magnifying glass on the end. Cute!

Enclosed within the pages are some of the great pearls of wisdom of Nancy Drew, Girl Detective. Here are some of my personal favorites.

• When bound and gagged, you can still tap out HELP in morse code to attract attention. --The Clue of the Tapping Heels
  
• If you hear the telltale sounds of a helicopter, step away from a blaze in the fireplace. The copter might send a downdraft into the chimney and shower sparks all over your sleek coif. --The Myster of the 99 Steps
• Make your date work for you--send him on B-level errands you can't seem to fit into your busy schedule. --The Clue in the Diary
• If a guy's hunch results in a dead-end, don't flaunt your better judgment and intuition in front of him. Smirk secretly to yourself. --The Phantom of Pine Hill

and my personal favorite

• If you see something resembling a shark in a river, don't fret. It's more likely to be a small submarine operated by thieves. --The Mystery of Lilac Inn.

What a fun book for a trip down memory lane!

Just so you know how obsessive I am about the proper use of apostrophes!

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

HT: Higher Up And Further In

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

I totally missed Christmas here at Imagine, but I just hate to see the whole season go by without sharing what we did. So, I decided an end-of-season summary was better than nothing!

We spent time making ornaments and these absolutely adorable chocolate cake trees. Can I share instructions for a Christmas craft after Christmas? Is that acceptable? (BTW, the girl in the middle is a friend of the kids'.)



Here is a picture of my family at church on Christmas Eve.



On Christmas Day, I made the decision to sit back and enjoy and forget picture taking. However, I did get a picture of a few things before and after.

I absolutely love our Christmas tree. It's a pre-lit tree and boy, howdy, has that made my life easier! The day I take the tree out and the lights don't work, I will be tossing it and buying another one. It is just that wonderful.



Our tree is covered with a hodge podge of ornaments. No theme tree for me! I just love how it looks.

Favorite Christmas gifts:

Ruth's favorite was her I-Dog. This thing is so cute. It will light up and "dance" (actually just shakes its head and ears) to the music. It also growls when you pull its tail. Adorable!



When I asked Robert what his favorite gift was, he said, "Jesus. He's the gift God gave us." It was enough to make me melt in a puddle on the floor. However, the Lego Mindstorm was also popular.



Griff's favorite was probably our new I-Mac. Oh.my.word! The speed! The screen resolution! The speed! Can you see that he's watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on the computer? To say that we could never do that on our old computer is a massive understatement



My favorite (sorry, no picture) is the GPS for my car. Griff really hit the jackpot with this one. I go to so many places that I've never been to before (field trips!) that this will be used often. Love it!

It's interesting to note that all of the favorite gifts (other than my GPS) were from Griff's parents. They truly spoil us!

This past Saturday, we had Christmas for my side of the family. We had a great time! We did a $10 gift card exchange where we got to steal from other people. Poor Ruth did not keep her Barnes & Noble gift card (although she did end up with Best Buy, which was a good second choice) and Robert was thrilled to steal a Wal-Mart gift card. I ended up with Bed, Bath & Beyond and Griff ended up with... I have no clue! LOL!

Here's a picture of me with my sisters and brother.

Oh, Quit Yer Whinin'!

After further thoughts on my previous post, I've decided I don't want to give up on the blog. I will be making an effort to post more frequently and share it more openly.

I would make it a New Year's Resolution, except I don't believe in those. (Hey, that could be a post!)

A Blog Crisis

I am really struggling right now about what to do with my blog.

• I do not update it often.
  
• I have ideas, but never follow through with them.
• I have other things that need my attention more than this blog does.
  
• Writing is a struggle for me, and not something I enjoy. (can you say math geek?)
  
• I get about one reader/day. Sometimes less.
• I am shy about sharing my blog. (probably the reason for the number of readers) My family doesn't even know about it! (other than my husband)
• I haven't figured out the "identity" of my blog. Homeschooling mom? Mother of a child with Asperger's? Christian mom? I know it can be all those things, but I feel it needs an emphasis.
  

However...

• I love the idea of a blog
• I really do have things I'd like to share with others.
• It's a great way to keep track of everyday events. (Of course, I'm not using it for this.)
• I want to improve my writing (and enjoy it!).
  

Right now, the cons are greatly outweighing the pros. If I don't hear from the few readers I have (I'm looking for advice here!), I'll probably call it quits.

A Breakthrough!

My two kids love to go outside every day and play on our swingset. Consequently, there is very little grass and a lot of dirt under the swings. Now that the weather has turned cooler and the kids are no longer in flip-flops all day, we are having a big problem with dirt being tracked into the house.

We have them stomping their feet before coming in, and leaving their shoes right inside the door. However, Ruthie often forgets. When she does, I have her sweep up the mess.

Last week, I noticed quite a bit of dirt on the kitchen floor. While in the car later, I asked Ruthie if she had done that. She admitted it, and I told her she would need to sweep it as soon as we got home. She willingly agreed to do this.

A few minutes later, Robert piped up. "Mom, I don't think it's fair that Ruth has to clean up the dirt."

Me: "Why not?"

Robert: "Because I'm the one who did it."

People, this is huge. HUGE, I tell you. Accepting the blame, personal responsibility, a guilty conscience... These are all things kids with Asperger's struggle with. I can't tell you how important this is.

I immediately told Robert how happy and proud I was of him for admitting this. (I still am. I get this warm, fuzzy feeling when I think of it.) He seemed very happy and proud of himself, as well.

He and Ruthie discussed it and decided they had both made the mess and they would clean it up together. And they did.

I am one happy, proud mama.

Weight Loss

I've been losing weight lately. How am I doing it? To be honest, all I'm doing is eating less. Really! My meals are smaller and I seldom snack. I'm also exercising, but the cold weather has slowed me down on that. (I don't believe in suffering too much!)

Over the past 2 months, I've probably lost 15-20 lbs. I have no idea of the exact number because I have lousy scales. However, I was able to buy a size smaller pants a few weeks ago, and Sunday I wore a skirt that I haven't been able to wear in a couple of years.

I'm still waiting for somebody to say something. Even my DH didn't say anything until I made a comment. Then all he said was, "You have lost a lot of weight." (men!) It's hard when you know you look better, but nobody says a word. I figure I will need to lose another 10 pounds for anybody to notice.

So, if you know me IRL and see me, I could really do with a "Girl! You look fantastic!"

:)

Funny Stuff

Want a good laugh? Check out the Carnival of Kid Comedy over at Life in a Shoe.

I'm Just Sayin'

I love Diet Coke. Specifically, I love fountain Diet Coke. Even more specifically, I love McDonald's fountain Diet Coke.

So if I go to McD's after a hiatus of several weeks and order a large Diet Coke and not discover until I've driven away from the window that it's a regular Coke, that's just a real bummer. (blech!)

Really?

You paid attention during 97% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

HT: Half Pint House

Delay of School Called Because of Warm Weather

40 degree weather is just an hour away, so the kids are outside swinging in their pajamas, making the most of the 70 degree weather while it lasts.

I love homeschooling.

The (Supposed) Death of a Beloved Part of Our Home

We went out for awhile this afternoon and when we got home, I noticed the house was a bit, well, warm. The air conditioner (yes, we run the a/c year-round in Houston) was on, but no cool breezes were wafting from our vents.

Bummer.

When Griff got home, he took a look at it and discovered the fan is not working. We are hoping that it is the motor, which Griff can replace himself. (I have a very handy husband.)

BUT, the good news is, we have a bit of time to solve our problem. Take a look at our weather forecast.


Check out tomorrow. High of 70. Low of 37!!! Wowza! Think a cold front is coming through tomorrow?

Now we've just got to get through the warm evening and we'll be okay. It sure beats the time the a/c was out for 3 days in June.

Early Morning Wake-up

I have a stop watch. This stop watch has an alarm. It is set to go off at 5:00 am. I have no idea how it got set. I have no idea how to change the setting or turn it off. For several years, this stop watch has been stored in a cabinet in the laundry room.

A couple of weeks ago, this stop watch made its way out of the cabinet. I'm not sure how it happened, but it did.

It is now in our bedroom. Somewhere in our bedroom. I have no idea where. I have looked under, over, and through everything.

Every morning, the silly thing goes off at 5:00 am. I wake up and try to find it. However, it only goes off for one minute. So, I have one minute to wake up, remind myself I've got to get up and find it, and quickly (ha!) follow the sound. No luck so far. All I've succeeded in doing is stumbling out of bed in a daze and kind of staring around the room. I have managed to open a few dresser drawers to see if the sound gets louder, but that's it.

The whole thing is pretty comical and we have been able to laugh about it, but I really do need to find it.

I think I'm going to have to set my alarm clock earlier than the stop watch alarm so I can be completely awake when the thing goes off.

Lucky me.

Things I Have GOT To Get Done

I have a few things that I really need to get done. They will not stop swirling around in my mind, so I'm going to post them here. I find that I can relax a bit once I've written things down. Let's see if it holds true for posting.

1. Get my passport.
Did I mention I'm going on a cruise in February? No? Well, I am! :)

2. Make Ruthie a black skirt for her orchestra concert.
She has to wear a skirt, and rather than search from here to Timbuktu for a black skirt long and full enough for a girl playing cello, I decided I'm going to make it. First stop is find the pattern! Her first concert is next Saturday, so I need to get busy!

3. Get tuxedo shirts for both kids for same concert.
Luckily I know exactly where to find these. - Hobby Lobby!

My Friend Monica

When I was in 2nd grade, a family moved in down the street. They were Hispanic, and living in a very Caucasian (read white!)-heavy town, I had never seen a family of that skin-tone before and I remember thinking they must be black. (That's not really important to the story. I've just always remembered that for some strange reason.)

None of that mattered, though. They had 2 girls! The family who lived there before had boys, and while we did all play together, I was thrilled to have girls living so close. Their oldest girls, Debbie, was 2 years older than me. Their other daughter, Monica, was a year younger. We were all friends, but Monica and I were especially close.

I spent a lot of time at Monica's house growing up. I can remember her mother growing peppers in their backyard. I had fajitas for the very first time at her house (this was WAY back before every Mexican food restaurant in town had them on the menu). We used to lay out in her backyard. Her dad used to laugh at the pair of us - Monica with her beautiful brown skin and me with my whiter-than-white-never-tanned skin.

They had a lot of extended family in the Houston area and they were often over at the house. I got to know her family very well. They often joked that I was the adopted daughter. I loved Monica's family as much as I loved her.

Over the years, we have not kept in touch much. We were in each other's weddings. We went to each other's baby showers. Our kids went to each other's birthday parties when they were young. Monica and her parents came to my mom's funeral. But the day-to-day communication hasn't happened much. We talk to each other about once a year.

Monica called me this week to invite me to a Southern Living at Home party at her house. (She knows I've always enjoyed those type of things.) I am so excited to go. Not only will I get to see Monica, but her family will be there. I can't wait!

Oh, Those Tricky Old Testament Names

So, Ruthie is narrating her Bible story to me today.

Ruthie: Ahishothel told Absalom...

Me: Ahithophel

Ruthie: Afifofel told Absalom...

Me: Ahithophel

Ruthie: Athithothel told...

Me: Ahithophel

Ruthie: How about we just call him "Mr. A"?

Weekend Plans

We are going camping this weekend. Robert's cub scout pack is having a family campout this weekend and, after 3 years in scouts, we are finally going on one. We have been camping twice in our married lives. Once in Arkansas pre-kids, and once at Guadalupe River State Park with my sister's family when the children were small. I think Ruthie was about 18 months old.

Being the non-campers that we are, I have been borrowing all of our camping gear from friends and family. Luckily my sister Alicia and her family LOVE to camp, so I was able to borrow quite a bit from her. A couple at church offered us their gear when they found out we were camping this weekend, so I was able to round out our supply needs after finding out what dear sis was missing (or, rather, couldn't find).

I am really looking forward to this weekend, and so is Ruthie. Griff and Robert - not so much. I am so looking forward to getting away and really relaxing for a couple of days. It's supposed to be cool this weekend, too. "Cool" being a relative term, of course. Highs in the low 70's. Lows in the 50's. Ahhhh...

I hope to come back with fun stories and lots of pictures!

A Good Weekend

We had a good weekend. Not exciting, but good.

On Saturday, Ruthie had a volleyball game. She is playing on a team at the YMCA. They are not what I would call a good team (sorry, sweetie!), but they are having fun and learning. We were excited today because Ruthie actually got two serves in a row over the net. Woo-hoo! Way to go!

After lunch, Robert and I headed out to the Sea Center in Lake Jackson for a Cub Scout field trip. It took us over an hour to get there, and I was not looking forward to the drive, but Robert had a great time. I have some pictures that I'll try to add later with more info about this trip.

Apparently a cold front came through Saturday night because we woke up to cold weather on Sunday. At least, cold for us. It was 55 degrees when we left for church. Brrr! It felt great, though. Finally!

At church, we found out we are going to two services next week. (How did we miss THAT announcement?) They are adding an 8:00 worship service and we're going to try our best to make it to that. Our old church had an early service and we loved going to it.

Griff had an orchestra performance that afternoon. I don't know if I've ever mentioned that he plays double bass. He hadn't played in years, but started again recently and has found 2 community orchestras to play with. The performance yesterday was really good and very enjoyable. One of the pieces they played was "Pictures at an Exhibition", which is one of my favorites.

After the performance, we went to Carabba's for dinner. Yum! Griff took to the kids for ice cream, but I was exhausted and so I headed home.

I must have been very tired, because I went to be at 8:30. Wowza! I though I would wake up at dark-thirty, but I actually slept 'til almost 6:30.

I also watched a good movie this weekend. It was North and South. No, not the civil war miniseries. This one is set in England in the late 1800's. If you like period piece movies, I highly recommend it.

So, let's see... Good times as a family, good weather, good music, good food, good sleep, and a good movie. Yep, that's a good weekend.

* post edited because I wasn't quite happy with it
** sigh... edited again because I forgot the link for the movie

Overheard

Robert (after about his 10th reminder to finish his copywork): "My pencil is lazy today."

All (well, not all) About Ruthie

Ruthie was my surprise gift from God. After trying for 2 years to get pregnant the first time, you can imagine my surprise when I turned up pregnant when Robert was only 8 months old. I was in shock and denial for the first part of my pregnancy, but God knew what I didn't. Ruthie would be a joy and the blessing I was not smart enough to ask for. I thought I would share some things about her. I could go on and on, but I will choose 8 things, because she is 8 years old.

1. She loves to draw. And I mean LOVES to draw. She goes through stacks and stacks of paper. I started buying her spiral-bound drawing pads just so I would stop finding pieces of paper all over the floor.

2. She has a very dry sense of humor. She writes comics and some of them have her father and I rolling in laughter.

3. She has my mother's blue eyes.

4. She is tall for her age. If you do the "double your height at age 2" thing, she is going to be six feet tall. I don't think she'll quite reach that height, but she is going to far surpass my 5'3" self.

5. She always cries when reading sad books or seeing sad movies.

6. She loves dogs and wants one desperately. So far we've resisted, but I'm sure we'll give in some day.

7. She is very open. She often comes to me and say, "Can we talk?" We'll go off alone somewhere together and she'll share a concern or question with me. Sometimes it's as simple as wanting permission to watch a particular TV show. Other times it's a problem she's having with a friend or even with me. I hope she never stops doing this.

8. She's smart and she asks the hard questions. Her teachers at church are always telling me about the questions she asks them, putting them on the spot. She definitely keeps us on our toes!

I could indeed go on, but I said 8, so I'll stop.

Thank you, God, for giving me my Ruthie. I love you, sweetie!

A Momma's Pride

Griff got a call from a friend from church a couple of weeks ago. They were scheduling fathers and sons to pass communion trays and he wanted Griff and Robert to participate. I was a bit anxious about how Robert would handle it, but I needn't have been. Griff was with him the whole time, instructing him on how to carry the trays, which pews to pass them down first, how to pick up trays and pass them on to other pews, and how to return the trays when finished. And he was so obviously excited and proud of himself. On his first trip down the aisle, I could see him looking for me. When he saw me, he gave me a big grin. Several people around me chuckled. His joy was very obvious to everyone.

Later, I was praising him for doing such a great job (for the umpteenth time) and he finally said, "Mom, stop. You're making me blush." Such a funny, sweet boy.

I didn't know this until we got to church this morning, but the whole service was youth-led. The song leader's son was with his father, helping with that job. His sweet, mic'd voice could be clearly heard singing the songs. He is 8 years old. All the prayers and scripture readings were done by boys ranging in age from 9 years to 13 years. Two middle-school-aged boys did short sermons. They both did a fantastic job, too.

It was incredible seeing all these boys up there, leading us. They are the future of the church and it did my heart good.

The occasion for this special service was the kick-off for LTC. Robert and Ruthie are both old enough to participate this year. We haven't made our final selections, but so far Robert wants to do reading and sign language. Ruthie signed up for reading, art, and scrapbook.

It's going to be a great experience. I just know it is.

(BTW, I've realized that my blog posts tend to be Robert-heavy. My next post will be all about our Ruthie. )

Take Your Kid to Blog Day

Blest with Sons hosts Take Your Kid to Blog Day every Friday. It is a great opportunity to show off what your kids have done, or let them have a turn at blogging. I'm participating this week, showing off some of my children's work from this week.

I am pretty eclectic in my homeschooling approach, but one thing I absolutely love is Charlotte Mason's narration method of learning. For my non-homeschooling readers, basically you read to your child (or they read themselves), then they retell it back to you. Here is a good, short explanation of narration and its benefits.

Anyway, back to the kids. I have been attempting narrating since we started homeschooling back in January, with limited success. Ruthie is capable, but hasn't liked it. Robert has really struggled with it. His Asperger's means that he has difficulties with comprehension and expressing himself, so narrating can be a real struggle. The I read Linda's advice to start with Aesop's Fables. We started and still struggled, until I came upon the idea of having them narrate to me while I typed it into the computer. Success! They both loved this. Ruthie took to it right away, but Robert, while he tried harder, still struggled.

This week, Robert gave me the following narration for the fable of the The Wolf and the Crane. Read and enjoy. :) (The punctuation is mine, but the words are all his.)

A greedy wolf had been eating too much and got a bone
stuck in his throat. He couldn't spit it out nor swallow
it, and of course he couldn't eat anything. So he asked
for the crane's help. He said, "If you can get this bone
out of my throat, I will reward you greatly." The crane did
as he asked and took the bone out. Then the wolf left.
The crane said, "What's my reward?" The wolf answered, 
spinning around angrily, "Tch! Isn't it enough
that I let you take your head out of my throat without
biting it off?" The moral is do not expect any reward for
serving the wicked.

It's absolutely wonderful. I almost cried and I did have to hug and hold him close when he was done. When you have a child that struggles, breakthroughs mean everything.

In the spirit of fair play, and because I am also proud of Ruthie's narration, here is hers.

There once was a greedy wolf who was eating and got a
bone stuck in his throat. He could not move it up or down
and he couldn't eat. It was a bad state of affairs for
the wolf. He went to the crane, thinking that she could
surely get it out with her long bill. The crane, as you
could imagine, was very nervous about putting her neck in
the wolf's throat. But the wolf promised her a reward, so
she did it. When she pulled her neck out, the wolf started
to leave. "What about my reward?" she called. "What?!"
cried the wolf. "Haven't you got it? Isn't it enough that
I let you put your neck in my throat without snapping your
head off?" The moral is expect no reward for serving
the wicked.

Want to show off how smart, funny, or cute your kids are? Head over to Blest with Sons and join in the fun.

A Father's Love

If you have not heard the story of Dick and Rick Hoyt, you need to go over to Higher Up and Further In and read about it and see the video there. In fact, even if you have heard the story, you should go over and hear it again.

I saw a video of them a year or two ago and it is one of the most incredible stories I've ever heard.

Go. Now.

9-11

I have been thinking for weeks about posting my "where I was" story for 9-11. However, I've decided I'm not ready to do that yet. That day affected me on such a deep level, changing who I was and how I thought of my way of life. I have never been the same.

I'm just not ready to talk about it yet.

My thoughts and prayers today are with the families of the 9-11 victims, the victims who survived and are having to deal with the lasting effects, our soldiers, and everyone else who struggling with the memories of that horrible day.

Out of My Comfort Zone

Our school year this far has been pretty, well, to be perfectly honest, boring. We've been at it for 6 weeks and I'm about to start banging my head against the wall. I have no idea how the kids are feeling, but nobody's having much fun around here. And really, what's the point of homeschooling if you can't have some fun.

So, I'm doing something I said I would never do. We're doing a Konos unit study. My friend Heather is a Konos fanatic, but I have been resisting. It just seemed like so much work. And it may very well be. But, something has got to change. So, we're off on a new adventure.

We're going to be doing the Attentiveness study, mainly because that's the same one Heather is doing and she can hold my hand through it. We'll be starting with sound, ears, and music. It also includes frontiersmen (including a Lewis & Clark study), animal tracking, and Indians. If the first part goes well, we'll continue with that.

I'm nervous, but also excited.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. (Really. I will.)

Blog Naming

Are you curious about the process bloggers go through to choose a name? Barb over at A Chelsea Morning has asked for your reason. Blog about it, then go over to her blog and leave a link to your post.

I actually shared my reason for the name "Imagine" in my very post, which you can see here.

Really Funny Commercials

Have you heard the "Real Men of Genius" radio ads for a particular brand of beer? They are hysterical! While I am not endorsing alcholic beverages of any sort, you gotta appreciate the pure brilliance of this marketing campaign.

Here's a link to a list of many of them. My personal favorite is #52 - Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy.

Go and listen and laugh.

This Is Just So Typical!

So, I'm looking for Robert's Cub Scout belt. His first meeting of the year is tonight. I know I have seen it recently. I'm pretty sure it was hanging on the belt hook in his closet, but no, it's not.

I ask Robert if he's seen it (a long shot, but maybe). He also thinks it's in his closet.

I look everywhere I can think of, but still can't find it.

I email Griff at work and ask him if he's seen it. No, he hasn't.

30 minutes before we are to leave, I find it.

It's in the bread basket.

????

Ingredients for a Fun Morning

Needed:

1 soft wax ear plug, divided in two

1 ear

$275.00

1 9 (almost 10!) year old boy without any sense

Directions:

Insert ear plug into ear. Have Dad spend an hour trying to remove. When that fails, you get to miss school the next morning while you see the pediatrician. After a valiant effort by the doctor, you head off for the ENT to give him a chance. After an hour in the waiting room, the nice doctor is able to remove the ear plug and you get to go home.

Now, doesn't that sound like a great way to end the week?

Well, That's Just Your Opinion

We have been doing school since the beginning of August, which is about 2.5 weeks earlier than the local school districts. I made this decision for a couple of reasons.

• I wanted plenty of time for fun stuff this year and didn't want to feel like we were falling behind by taking a day off.
• It is as hot as blazes outside (exactly how hot is "blazes"?). I'd rather have time off on a pretty fall/winter/spring day.

This has already paid off. We got less than a full day done last Thursday. Friday was great, but it is our "enrichment" day (music & art appreciation, history projects, science expirements, etc.). On Monday we met some friends at the park for lunch, then the kids had their first orchestra rehearsal, so very little school was done. And, of course, the field trip yesterday.

Ruthie does not seem to see things quite the way I do, though. I was talking to Griff on Monday evening, telling him how crazy things had been. Ruthie piped in with, "Yeah, our homeschool is falling apart."

Today we are hitting the books hard. We don't want our homeschool to fall apart! :)

Fun Was Had By All

We went on our first official field trip of the year today. A co-op we did some things with last year organized a trip to see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit. In addition, we could choose other things to do at the museum as well, all at the cheap-o group rates. We chose the IMAX and Cockrell Butterfly Center.

We went through Body Worlds very quickly. It was really too much for the kids. It was very graphic. I'm not sorry we tried it, though. I liked the parts I did see.

We had time before meeting our group at the butterfly center, so we spent time in the normal Exhibit Halls. They have a great hands-on section for kids on the ground (basement?) floor. The kids always love that.

After that, we headed to see the butterflies. I always love this part. They have a "tropical rainforest" you can walk through with thousands of butterflies fluttering about. Here are some of the better pictures I took today:



The kids are now asking to raise butterflies. I talked to one of the moms who has done it and she told me to check out this web-site. I'm seeing a side-excursion in our science studies for awhile.

They also usually have a couple of experts wandering through, showing something. Today, they had a giant walking stick.


See that hand? That's MY hand. The kids wouldn't touch her (yes, she female), but I decided to put on my brave hat today and let that thing crawl on me. Aren't I a good mom? :) I have never seen a walking stick that looks like this one. I meant to ask where it was from, but I forgot. I've google'd it, but haven't found it yet. If anybody can give me more info, I'd appreciate it.

They also have an entomological exhibit with all kinds of bugs to check out. When I saw these, I just had to take the picture.


They are hissing cockroaches. The white one is an albino hissing cockroach. Can we all say "EWWWW!" I really can't stand these things. They are one of my "WHY?!" questions for God when I get to Heaven. I can handle just about any bug except these.

After lunch and more museum, we headed to the IMAX to see "Ocean Oasis". I had no idea Baja California had that kind of aquatic life. Beautiful and amazing. Ruthie especially loved this.

After one more trip into the museum, we headed home. It was a full day, but a great one. The kids have been to the museum on many school field trips, and I have gone with them, but I don't ever recall having so much fun with them. It was so much more relaxing than previous field trips. We all had an excellent time.

Overheard

From my soon-to-be-10 year old son...

"When I grow up, I'm going to eat pancakes and eggs and milk for breakfast."

(pause)

"Of course, I'll need a wife or someone else to make them for me."

Sleep (or the lack thereof)

I had 2 nights this week where I was unable to sleep and was up 'til 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning.

Today, I made up that sleep with a 4 hour nap. (yowza!)

This means I will not be able to go to sleep tonight until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning.

And so the cycle continues....

Unfinished Business

I have a flaw in my character. Okay, more than one, but we're zeroing in on one for now. I am always starting projects, then fading at the end and never finishing them. (Can we talk about the trim painting I haven't finished from 3 years ago?!) I have several posts that I said I would follow up on, and never did. So, here we go.

Remember Hurricane Rita? (I know that was almost a year ago, but I point to my previous statement about the trim painting. A year is nothing!) All that drama was, for us, for nothing. The storm moved east. We got some wind and some neighbors lost some branches on a tree. We got very little rain. We even watered our yard the next day.

Stray Kitty - She is still part of her family. I'm still refusing to name her, although we have considered the names of Sneak and Spook. She's an odd thing. She will only stay on one side of the house (breakfast room, kitchen, dining room). She rarely ventures out from there. If I go into the kitchen, she follows me around and just stares at me. She doesn't meow. She doesn't need food or water. She just watches me.

I never told the story of my trip to Galveston. We did go and we did have a good time. We went to Schlitterbahn on Tuesday. That was fun, except for when we lost Ruthie for 30 minutes. That was NOT fun. Maybe I'll tell the whole story of that someday.

My personal Diet Coke challenge - Well, I didn't come close to the sticking to the one a day, but I did manage to make 3 12-packs last 2 weeks. That's not quite 3 a day. Definitely an improvement.

If there's anything else you're wondering about, just ask. I'll give an update.