Company's Coming...

So all will be quiet at Living Waters for a nice long weekend. Have a good one!

Field Trips and Plain Old Fun

We've been busy with activities and outings this week. We went to our science museum's celebration of NASA's 50th birthday - complete with astronaut meetings, robotic demonstrations and a live presentation. From there it was off to that mecca of materialism also known as Disney On Ice. We're not eating for the rest of the month after spending unheard of amounts of money on one teacup snow cone, one Prince Philip Sword of Truth, and one Cotton Candy crowned with Minnie ears.

Today the girls and I attended an American Girl Doll event at our local Barnes and Noble. Each month they highlight a different doll -- today it was Addy in honor of Black History Month. The program was really impressive: excerpts from the first book were read, the girls played school in Addy's day (replete with slates and chalk -- big hit with my girls), and a beading craft to finish off the afternoon. They can't wait for next month's Samantha program!

Finally, a package arrived from Gramma. These aren't just packages -- they usually weigh well over 30 pounds (this one 41) and are generally full of clothes and other goodies. My children have never had the experience of actually going to a store and trying on clothes, thanks to the benevolence of my in-laws. Outfitting four growing children is not for the faint of heart -- thanks Gramma and Gerry!

Knit Together

When I was a newly married grad student at Yale, a friend taught me to knit. I remember the other twenty-something women, looking at us with part condescension, part nostalgic longing, as we pulled out our needles and poured over patterns. Whether they thought we were quaint or queer, I'll never know, but no one else was asking for instruction.

When I was pregnant with my first born, I knit her a baby sweater, fully intending to do so for any subsequent children. That, as you may well have guessed, was the only sweater that got done. I still have the front piece of her sister's sweater on needles waiting to be finished.

Bobo has been wanting to knit forever. After countless finger knitting chains, I decided it was high time she try the needles. She's off and running now, with the basic knit stitch down pat. She's working on a scarf for Nellie, her doll. When she finishes, we'll move on to a project from Kids Knitting. There's a few things I've been waiting to tackle in this book myself.

I've got a knitting partner again!

Not To Be Left Out

Crockett rarely gets in on the home schooling action. He's either napping when our main lessons are being accomplished, or he's being passed around in an effort to keep him occupied (and away from glue, math worksheets, and just about everything else).

But real learning, of course, happens all the time and he's right there in the midst of it... when it doesn't involve glue, math worksheets and just about everything else. Check out the wonder, the curiousity, the love of learning! More importantly, check out this amazing toddler water table at our science museum!

Elbow's Excitement

Elbow finished her Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten last week. Determined to finish, she read the last three books in one sitting -- painstakingly sounding out each word. This took a good half hour, if not longer. I love her eagerness!

I will admit, there was a carrot at the end of the stick. Phonics is the one academic pursuit we attach a reward too. After finishing a complete set, the reader gets to pick a prize (within reason, of course). I'm not sure how this happened, but Bobo was sure to tell Elbow all about it when she began phonics. Now we're stuck. It is pretty sweet, though, to hear the others rooting their sister on: "You're almost done -- then you get a PRIZE!"

When Bobo went through Hooked on Phonics, there were five levels, marketed at ages 4-8. Once she caught on to reading, there was no stopping her and she finished all five in less than a year. (Surely this had nothing to do with the aforementioned prize...) They've since changed their format to three levels: Kindergarten, First, and Second grades.

Most home schoolers seem to prefer Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. We started with Hooked on Phonics for no other reason than Bobo saw them at the library and wanted to check them out. I think it's a great system. The books are engaging and offer a real sense of accomplishment. We don't use the CD much, or the flashcards. The workbook and books are plenty of practice and move along at a nice pace.

Elbow has been waiting by the window (literally) for the First Grade box to come. (I bet there's no mail tomorrow for Presidents Day -- Must.Find.Diversion!). Congratulations to our newest little reader!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A busy day around here...

• We're making these adorable little favors for each family in our home schooling group


• We're finishing off this week's lessons with an abbreviated school day: Latin review, last stanza of copywork, violin/piano practice


• We're going to a roller skating Valentine's Day party!

Hope to post some pictures of the day's events later. Have a great day...

Dad Daughter Dates

When I was growing up, my Dad and I had special times together we called DDDs, short for Dad Daughter Dates. We went to the Boundary Waters on canoe trips, took a great trip to Norway when I was in fifth grade, went out for dinner and shopping (he was a softie... I remember convincing him to buy me an entirely wool outfit from Benetton. It was this great sweater and stretch pant ensemble, beautiful and expensive. And itchy. Very itchy. To this day I don't wear wool. My husband splurged one Christmas and bought me a Dale of Norway sweater. I wore it long enough to get a family Christmas picture and then promptly returned it. Life's too short to be that uncomfortable, for that much money).

My mom and I had our own traditions: an annual ski trip with other mothers and daughters (we always got snowed in at a hotel and got to miss extra school: bonus!) and nights out at Chi-Chis Mexican restaurant. My mom would have one strawberry Margarita and talk in funny voices on the car drive home. It was all for show - I'm sure she wasn't driving while tipsy - but I remember it made me laugh a lot.

I'm so thankful that Hubby has taken up the tradition with the girls. They went to a Dad Daughter Dance at our health club on Friday night. The girls were so excited - all giggles and bounciness. I even let them wear some lipstick! You'd of thought they won the lottery. The came home with new dance moves to show off (Did I mention Hubby once won a James Brown Dance Contest in New Orleans?) and memories of a night out with Dad.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

My baby is one today! We celebrated a bit last weekend while Gramma and his Great Aunt were in town. The big kids were so excited to present him with his gift, they practically had it unwrapped before he got to it.

We also had a little party after church today, meeting some new friends for lunch. All told, the birthday boy is all worn out and snoozing away upstairs.

Next up: baby's first haircut, obviously!

Ash Wednesday

We did pancakes - full of butter and syrup - for Shrove Tuesday last night, getting us ready for our Lenten disciplines. This year, we're trying to "take something on" as well as "give something up." Here are our plans, still being tweaked a bit (me especially).

Hubby: Reading the Large Catechism, memorizing the Small Catechism, reading The Pastor: A Spirituality, fasting on Thursdays.
Me: Getting back to quiet times of bible reading and prayer. Since our move these have been few and far between. Giving up sweets.
Bobo: (Who once declared, at age 3, "I'm giving up Sunday School for Lent"). Giving up sweets and trying to read her bible.
Elbow: Giving up coming out of her room at night (it takes her much longer to fall asleep than her sister and she likes to come out and let us know she's still awake). Adding a "lunch and dinner time bible story."
Toddzilla: Not quite convinced this whole Lenten thing is a good idea. Still undecided.
Crockett: He's claiming the privilege of the young. Although, unfortunately, I think he's trying to give up his morning nap!

Update...

To my great relief (and Hubby's - I think he had nightmares of having to shuttle us all around all the time), I passed! I am now a proud Ohio driver. Phew, that was a close one.

Failed. Again.

This is getting embarrassing. As you may know, when you move to a new state you have to take a written test in order to obtain a driver's license. In North Dakota, I failed miserably while my husband whizzed through without a missed question. Adding insult to injury, they revoked my license right there on the spot; he had to drive me home and bring me back the next day.

In Ohio, they have the decency of letting you keep your old license. Yes, that means I failed here as well. Before you go thinking I must be the world's worst driver (which I very well may be), let me ask you this: Do you know "the minimal tread bare a tire can be?" or "how many hours one must spend in jail after receiving their first drunk driving citation?"

I didn't think so.

So I'm off to try, try again this afternoon. I've actually studied, so I should be ready. By the way, the tire tread answer is 1/16; the requisite jail time for a first offense of drunk driving is 72 hours.

Ohio BMV here I come! (By the way, I couldn't even find it in the phone book because everywhere else I've lived called it the DMV).

Not Quite On E Week, But...

Thanks, Eileen, for the tag!

I send it out now to Jennifer and Divina and the many other blogs that inspire me on a daily basis...