Family Trip

What a wonderful weekend spent with family! The six mile bike ride nearly did me in, but the day was spectacularly beautiful and sunny! My nephew is almost two and loved playing peek-a-boo at the front door. It was really special having both my Mom and John's Mom with us along with my sister and her family. Thank you so much for the birthday trip!

Spring Painting On The Patio

And then Sarah painted on the patio. I love how she painted Black Kitty for Daniel and presented it to him later on. So sweet how she thinks of her brother...she is growing in love!

Visit With Miss Marilyn

The kids love to show Miss Marilyn their projects when she comes over. Here Sarah is showing Marilyn her rendition of the Knight Bus from Harry Potter. So inventive how she made all three stories from cardboard boxes and cups! Dan is sharing his plushie notebook with his most recent writing samples. We so enjoy being with her when she comes over and the kids always flood her with their most recent creations...and she floods them with lots of love and approval. Thank you Marilyn, what a precious gift you are in my life!

We Interrupt Literature For Lunch With An Afternoon Experiment

We've been reading Archimedes and the Door to Science, and have been thoroughly enjoying it! We slowed down to one chapter per day because the material intensified and today, while reading about oil and water, I asked the kids if they knew which was heavier. They both guessed oil. Well enough of that! We broke out the water, glasses, canola oil and food coloring and had an afternoon experiment! Now they both KNOW oil is lighter than water! I love Daniel's green in the last photo...his favorite color!

Our Friend's Farm

What a treat today was! We got to spend some time with friends...always wonderful to visit them! We were delighted and surprised to see they added more chickens, a milk cow and baby goats to their farmyard! Sarah was enchanted with picking up the chickens and avoiding the goat "hugs" and she actually got to milk the cow (me, too)! I did not know that unlike horses, cows cannot kick back, only to the side...horses kick back and not to the side. Have to keep my animals straight or I'll get walloped! Daniel was NOT at all interested and took into the house with the other boys (who were not out climbing the tree) to the computer screen to learn "Comic Life". What a blessing to be able to be with friends today! P.S. Thanks for the birthday brownies!

Literature For Lunch-New Lunch Read Aloud-Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick

This is capturing Daniel as the beginning chapters are a sort of narrative about Archimedes, the young boy. Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick is our afternoon read aloud for now.

UPDATE: this is a great science book! we've discussed levers and got talking about oil & water when I realized we could do a quick experiment in the kitchen with oil and water!

Finally Finished Greek Myths

We LOVED this book! Absolutely well written and captivating! This is one of those books that we enjoyed day after day and now bid it a bittersweet farewell.
Original Post:
http://homeschool-scrapbook.blogspot.com/2012/01/literature-for-lunch-new-lunch-read_20.html

Mommy's Helper TEAM

Starting today, both kids are Mommy's Helper for each meal, every day of every week. No more waiting around for someone to serve them. All three of us are preparing each and every meal! I am pleasantly surprised how this is becoming a habit and how much they are growing in skill in the kitchen. How I wish I had kept them close to me in the kitchen from a young age!

UPDATE: 4/12/12 Wednesday...I'm amazed at how competent both are becoming! Less whining and complaining each day. What a blessing to our family life to have all of us preparing meals together!

UPDATE: 11/15/12 Thursday...I don't make the kids lunches ANY MORE! They seem to do it all now! Dan is "broccoli man" and prepares our roasted broccoli with me several times a week.

Easter Hike 2012

What a crazy gorgeous day! We hiked a nearby trail and ate lunch on a log. Sweet Sarah toted her picnic backpack complete with plates! A wonderful way to celebrate Resurrection Day together.

Starring Denny Hall As Hogwarts!

Every year it is tradition to visit the cherry blossoms in the Quad at the UW. This year's trip was phenomenal because of the fabulous sunshine! Here's good ol' Denny Hall which the kids thought looked like a real-life Hogwarts! But this post is actually not about a trip to our local state university, but the topic today is Harry Potter.

Daniel is a voracious reader, I mean he practically speed reads...so he consumes these large Harry Potter books in a day or two. He has LOVED them! We've been watching the movies together as a family and have been delighted with Harry's world and movies which are stuffed full with lots of intrigue and action. We are all so eager to watch the last two movies, but we are waiting for Dad and Dan to finish book #7 first!

This Friday Was Really GOOD!

In years past, we've colored Easter eggs with the Gs and this year we finally got together again. What a delight to have them over to celebrate Good Friday!

Today's Joy: Park Day!

What a gorgeous day! We tossed the bikes in the van (LOVING THAT!) and headed to our neighborhood park. I love this space...it has smooth paths for bike riding. I can sit on a bench and still see the kids zooming around. When they get tired of riding, there are swings (which they rarely use!) and play equipment as well as basketball hoops and a little bridge, dirt path and tiny pond with a tree to climb and the popular tire swing.

We didn't do the park much last summer as the weather was cool and wet. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed watching my children this year. I have peace of soul I've never known before and it effected my visit to the park in a wonderful way! I loved watching the kids push each other on the tire swing and ride around on their bikes. Of course, any outing with Sarah involves collecting sticks! There's a stand of native currant (Ribes sanguineum)...both pink and white-drool!

The best part of a park day is having Dad meet us on his way home. :)