This and that

Juliabug is on an artistic kick.  She drew this yesterday just for fun.  

She was copying this painting in the dining room that was painted by Memaw.

And I love this spider sitting on a web and catching a fly that she made out of modeling clay.

Speaking of which, why have I never gotten modeling clay before?  It's awesome- it doesn't dry out or make little crumbly pieces everywhere like playdough.  The children had a blast with it.

 

Tucker's solar system.....of course.  :)

Pope Francis has declared this Church year the Jubilee Year of Mercy and encouraged all the faithful to seek a plenary indulgence by walking through the doors of Mercy at designated spots (as well as completing the other things- confession, no attachment to sin, etc.).   The doors symbolize that God's arms of mercy are always open for us to come home.  The children and I went this week.   In our diocese the doors were put on our home parish.  They changed the usual cut glass doors with these beautiful wooden doors with meaningful symbols.

Tucker got a hair cut at Sports Clips this week and the lady gelled his bangs back.  He looked like Mr. Cool.

 Charliebear made this polar bear at co-op.  He wikes it. :)

Last night I read this book to the children.

Then we watched this movie.

They were excited it was a story by Hans Christian Anderson because last Friday we watched this movie-

We have started this book and it's almost over all of our heads in parts.  But we are pushing through to challenge ourselves.  

We completed "The Storybook of Science" in December.  It's probably one of my all-time favorite science books and I will reread it in a few years with Tucker and Charlie.  Now we have started his "sequel" The Secret of Everyday Things.    It's in the same format- with Uncle Paul explaining things to his nieces and nephews.  We love it.

Well we are off to a basketball game!

Snow and such

Our homeschool co-op at church is back up and running.  Here's Charlie's class making snow globes. Marc's class is putting on a play and he is the "beggar".   They really do a learn a lot in the two hours they are here.  In the older classes last semester they brought in a cancer doctor who explained how cancer affects cells.  

We got just a little snow during the storms.  Marc made a lego snow fight-

We completed "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" this weekend, and I think we will stop there as far as the series go.  I hear the last two books are have older themes that we may not be ready for.

And here is Sissy at her lessons this weekend-

Our Latin tutor still comes every week.  She uses Tucker's easel for the lessons. We have changed curriculum (again!) and are now using the Little Latin Readers.  It's ecclesiastical Latin and before we were doing classical.  I really like them and the children listen to the CDs every day.  So if you ever wonder about Latin programs we've done almost all of them by now!  

More this and that and Overheard

Just a few pics and thoughts.  The weather is cold and we are hunkering down and getting a lot of school work done.  

Our precious neighbors gave us the best tasting scones I've ever had and they make cold days better.  I let the children have 1/2 a scone for snack around 4:00 and then the other half for after supper dessert.  Win/win.

We are reading aloud like crazy.  Marky, Julia and I finished A Wind in the Door in two days.  We just couldn't stop.  Every time I said, "okay, let's stop here," I heard "pleeeeeease just a few more pages."  :)

Now we are over 1/2 way through A Swiftly Tilting Planet in one day.  :) 

After dinner Daddy has been reading to us from The Book of Life at night.  He has a lap full of boys and sheep.

This afternoon the best big brother went down to the garage and put several boxes together to make Tucker a rocket!  Tucker LOVES it!!!

He left the screen blank and Tucker made over ten different "space scenes" that he puts on there as he "flies around."

 Charlie explained most of the buttons.  The ones on the left take you to different planets.  The one in the middle is ignition, black ones are landing gear, red is emergency stop.  We asked what the big button on the right was for-
Charlie:  "Dat's for da music!"  :)

The rest of the afternoon was filled with Charlie in his space suit, Tucker making space scenes and tons of pretend play in the stars.

Julia would hug Charlie during "blast off", and Tucker would be mission control.

Oh, and here are some Tucker quotes.

Tucker:  Why did Saturn go to the fair? ...  Because he heard there was a ring toss!  :)

Today as I was reading Tucker walked in and said, "Mommy."
Mommy:  "Tucker, I'm in the middle of reading, is this important?"
Tucker:  Yes, I need to know the name of the planet that orbits around Pollux.
Mommy:  What is Pollux- I don't know what you are talking about.
Tucker:  Mommy, you know- it's a star!  It's bigger than our Sun, but smaller than Regal!  I just can't remember the name of the planet that orbits it!

While I was doing schoolwork with Julia I hear a crash and scream upstairs.
Mommy:  What's going on up there?!
Tucker:  Nothing Mommy, we're just trying to have a little fun.  :)

Charlie walked through the room holding scissors.
Mommy:  Charlie what are you doing with those scissors?
Charlie:  Taking them to Tucker, he needs them!
Mommy:  Tucker, what do you need scissors for?
Tucker from the other room:  Oh Mommy you know I love a little crafting.  :)

At lunch today we were playing 20 questions where the person can only answer yes and no questions for you to discover who they are.  When it was Tucker's turn we soon realized that he was a planet.
Mommy:  Are you a planet?
Tucker:  Yes!
Mommy:  Are you an inner planet?
Tucker:  No.
Marky:  Are you an outer planet?
Tucker:  No.
Mommy:  Time out.  Tucker, is this planet even in the Milky Way?
Tucker:  Um, no ma'am.
All of us:  (sigh)
We have since learned that we can't play guessing games when he leaves our galaxy.  :)

This and that

Just pictures from the week.  The children had science class at the science center this week.  Julia made an atom.  Marc's class did a lot of nano-technology experiments.  The little boys learned a lot was well.  I love that I don't have to do science experiments at home.  :)

That doesn't mean we don't have science experiments at home.  I just don't initiate them (although I usually end up cleaning them up!)  :)

When Tucker turned seven he really, really wanted to go to ballroom dance.  It starts at age 7.  So we let him go Friday and he learned the waltz.  He LOVED it!

Saturday we went to the March for Life downtown.   "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.''"  Matthew 25:40 

That afternoon Marky had a basketball game.  They went into overtime and then several of Marky's teammates were fouled out.  So it was only four guys on our team versus five on theirs and we lost by only ONE point!

We've been playing BINGO at night.  The children love it and everyone can play.  Charlie has learned his large numbers well by playing this.

 Daddy has added to the fun by putting a dollar in the middle of the table and letting the winner have it.  :)

 

 

 Charlie loves to be the announcer.  "Beeeeeee...........firty-free" is what I hear for B33. 








A few Sunday pics

 

 

 Julia had her "Little Flowers' meeting today.  They learned about St. Jane Frances de Chantal and the Holy Name of Jesus.  They made a precious sun where they wrote the various names of Jesus on the rays.