Lego tour and football

Yesterday we went out to the mall to see the Lego American Road Show.  It was such a treat for Marc as it combined two of his favorite things- history and legos.  :)

The White House-

 

Washington Memorial-

Lincoln Memorial

 Lady Liberty-

 Liberty Bell-

Supreme Court with statues-

U.S. Capitol-

They also had the Jefferson Memorial, Old North Church and others.

They had a great play area where you could build a vehicle, test it on the ramp and then display it.

Julia naturally made horses...

 Marc's all-terrain vehicle-

 Tucker called his, "the ground slapper, also known as the toothbrush car."

Marc had a scrimmage game against another team last night.  It was so much fun to be under the bright lights in the cool night air.  I forgot how much I enjoy watching middle school/high school football!  He's in white- the tall guy on the left-

 

 And all the little siblings had piggy back races and played games. 

Marky is in the middle of the line-

 

Go Big Bubba!  

This and That

Tucker has taught himself cursive writing.  I think he just saw Julia's handwriting book and got inspired.  He and his magnadoodle are always busy.  He goes to bed with it at night- usually drawing planets or who knows what. 

Lowercase-

Uppercase-

I saw this and asked what it was- he said it was the VeggieTales song on the piano.  It is! :)

He apparently really wants roller skates-




Speaking of roller skates and things he wants- yesterday he  made a Christmas list for us.  :)

Translation:
1. Hammock
2.  Planet Mobile
3.  Planet Sponges (he just thought that was a good idea- he's never seen them.  He said, "that way I could be cleaning the house with Uranus.")
4.  Telescope
5.  Space suit
6.  Swiss Army knife
7.  Solar system model
8.  Notebook
9.  Rollar Skates
10.  Uranus Teddy (they call all their stuffed animals 'teddys').

He loves Uranus so much- he wrote it a letter today-

 
And one good turn deserves another, right Charlie?

A few Sunday pics-

 

 

 This fall we are reading, "The Story-book of Science," by Jean Henri-Fabre (France 1823 - 1915).  It was originally published in 1917.  I just LOVE it.  We have only just started and we have learned about the age of trees and animals, the different metals and how they rust and which rust is dangerous to humans.  We have learned about plant lice and their apparently fascinating life cycle as well as the life of ants told in amazing detail.   It is told from the perspective of an interesting uncle talking to children.   And because it was written before religion was taken out of education there are beautiful reflections of God interspersed throughout.  For instance when learning about the life-spans of the different animals the author writes, 

"And besides, for man, my dear children, length of life is not measured exactly according to the number of years.  He lives most who works most.  When God calls us to Him, let us take with us the sincere esteem of others and the consciousness of having done our duty to the end; and whatever our age, we shall have lived long enough."

And in another part he writes,

"I want to inform you that to take up a great deal of room in this world is not the way to live in peace and to enjoy a long life.  There are people who take up a lot of space, not in the body- they are no bigger than we- but in their pretensions and their ambitious maneuvers.  Do they live in peace, are they preparing themselves for a venerable old age?  It is very doubtful.  Let us remain small; that is to say, let us content ourselves with the little that God has given us; let us beware of the temptations of envy, the foolish counsels of pride; let us be full of activity, of work, and not of ambition."

We have also read this summer "Christians Courageous," originally published in 1955.  It is WONDERFUL!!!  (Caveat:  it is definitely for older children- the language is very advanced, even for Marc and definitely for Julia- but I believe in reading "up" from a child's level).   I have been so inspired by the lives of heroic saints of antiquity.  

 

Fishing at the farm

This afternoon we drove out to BB and Poppy's to have lunch and play.  We swam for an hour or so, ate lunch and dessert and then fished!  Such a fun day!

 

 

  

All four children caught at least one fish- most caught two!

 

 

 

Poppy and Daddy have been teaching them how to bait their hooks and then how to get the fish off the hook when you are done.  You need wet hands so you don't remove the protective slime from the fish-

After Charlie caught his one fish he was "tired about dis fishing."  He and BB went joy-riding around the lake on the golf cart. :)

A fun day in the sun, but now we are resting.  :)