Revival

Well, here I go again.  Yet another attempt to revive The Blog.  Seems like whenever I read, I'm motivated to write (what irony).  And tonight, I enjoyed looking at a project that someone did, where they took a photograph of themselves every day for 365 days.  It was inspirational, because she's an amazing photographer... and while I really wanted to do a challenge like that, I knew it was unrealistic, because there's no way I'd have the time or creativity  to take a cool  picture of myself every day ...and I'm sure you'd all be bored looking at the same exact pose 365 different times.  So I figured, why not give you a small verbal snapshot of myself each day, along with an occasional visual snapshot?  Just typing that makes me feel narcissistic, but my motivation is pure.  It really has little to do with showing myself to you because i know you're all desperately waiting, but had more to do with saving moments in time for myself to look back upon --- which i think just made me sound all the more self absorbed.  Oh well... I guess I can't escape it.

So.   here we go.  Snapshot day1 ... oooh! since i seem to be changing the direction of The Blog - yet again- maybe i should change the title -yet again... will consider the title, "Snapshots."  What do you think?
-distracted- let me start again.
Snapshot day 1:

Today I finished reading "Hank the Cowdog" to my kids.  This was fun for me, because I remember reading it (and meeting the author!) when I was in 5th grade.  They all enjoyed it just as much as me, and kept begging me not to put it down. :)  It was also a little sad, though because I know that our cuddling-on-the-couch-around-a-good-book times are coming to an end, because my two big kids will be going to public school this fall.

Choice one:  if you want Karina to be sad about this decision, continue reading here:   *SOB!*  {runs from computer and throws herself on the bed in a fit of tears and cries herself to sleep}

Choice two:  if you want Karina to be happy about this decision, read here:   *WaHoo!!*  {leaps away from computer and celebrates her upcoming freedom by doing the  happy dance until the clock strikes midnight}

Did I mention that I've also been reading a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book to the kids?

Science vs. Fairy Tale

Today's science lesson began with an introduction to the animals of Australia & its surrounding islands.   I read to the children, "Unlike other mammals, monotremes do not have any teats.  Instead, baby monotremes lick up milk that seeps out of glands in the mother's skin."  This very interesting fact was followed up with a question from Evelyn, "What's a teat?"  I answered matter-of-factly, using simple words that she would understand easily, "It's like a mamma's boobie, where the baby gets it's milk from."  The light turned on in her mind, and she exclaimed knowingly, "Oh!  Like Boobie and the Beast!" 

Shortly after, we learned about the birds of New Guinea.  Our book described the way male birds of paradise fluff up their feathers & show off their good looks in order to attract a female.  It went on to tell about bowerbirds, who atract their females by building elaborate "bowers", decorated with flowers and berries.  The female selects the male whose bower impresses her the most.  (as a sidenote a bower is defined as, "A large nest made of grass and bright objects, used by the bower bird during courtship displays; A shady, leafy shelter or recess in a garden or woods; A woman's bedroom or private apartments, especially in a medieval castle; A picturesque country cottage, especially one that is used as a retreat" --isn't that romantic!?)   Check out this picture of the beautiful bower that was built for one lucky chick. (found on Nick Triantafillou' flickr site--a great photograph don't you think?)

This lesson on how birds pick their mates seemed like a great opportunity for me to teach my children the importance of picking a good mate for themselves.  I explained how, just like birds, different people are attracted to different things in a husband or wife.  Some people are attracted to a good looking person.  Some are attracted to someone with lots of money, or a nice home.  Some people want someone with similar aspirations, etc.  Then I said (especially to the boys), "Do you think that if you choose a wife just because she's pretty, that you will be happy for the rest of your life with her?  People's appearances change as they get older, and they won't look the same as they did when they were young.  So if that's the only thing you look at when you pick someone, you might be disappointed when you get older."  Zachary thought about this for a minute, while I went on to talk about other things you can look for in a spouse.  And then he said, "Then you should pick someone because you like their hair, because your hair stays the same when you get old."    Guess that's what the handsome prince was thinking  when he rescued Rapunzel. 

The joys of democracy

As I was cleaning my kitchen (finally), Chloe ran up to me and asked if policemen were allowed to be in charge of the president. "No," I told her, "the president is in charge of the policemen."

"Good!" She said, & ran off down the hall, shouting at Zachary, in a snotty voice, "I'm the president, so I'm the boss of you, and you have to do whatever I say!"

This just would not do. I followed her back to her room and informed all of the children that it's important for a president to treat her people well, otherwise they might vote her down --or worse: form a military coup to bring her out of power forcefully. This pleased the other children greatly, and as I walked back to the kitchen, they were debating what to do with their president.

A few minutes later, they were all marching around the kitchen chanting, "Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote!" 3 year old Evelyn interrupted her chanting, turned to chloe and said maliciously, "We are the enemy! Vote! Vote! Vote!" And they marched out of the room.

Back in the playroom the political debates continued.

Gideon: "Well, I'll let you play the Wii!"

Chloe: "I'll let you play whenever you want!"

Gideon: "I'll give you candy!"

Chloe: "I'll give you candy too!"

Zachary and Evelyn cheer!

Then Zachary runs to me, "I'm the congress, and I'm making a law that Chloe can't be president anymore."

The chanting resumes: "Vote! Vote! Vote!"

As I think about it, this doesn't sound much different from how adults behave when it comes to politics. As I go back to my dishes, I congratulate myself on a successful moment of minimal-effort homeschooling. And then I'm jolted back to reality as I'm whacked in the head by a foam dart that one of my darlings just shot at me. (who's idea was it to buy those dart guns for christmas, anyway?)

A little Arabian trivia

after a wonderfully fun summer, we've gotten back into the homeschool routine. while I don't enjoy all of the extra work on my part, I'm really enjoying homeschooling, for the simple fact that *I* am learning so much!

this week, we've been studying the middle east, and muslims & arabs. Did you know that in the Dark Ages, after the Roman empire was defeated, the muslims conquered much of the known world? Well, that's not the interesting part. What's interesting, is all of the things that we've gotten from their brilliant minds.

For example, in England, at that time, they were still using sun-dials. So one of the kings invented this way to measure time by how long it took a candle to burn. But guess what the Arabs were doing? inventing pendulum clocks!

Also, the wool from sheep was a very expensive way to make clothing, so they figured out how to make fabric from cotton. Then they would stamp it with ink patterns, called... Calico!

AND...the shepherds would watch their sheep eat these cool little berry things, & then dance around with all kinds of energy. So they decided to take the beans from these plants, roast them, grind them, & use them to make drinks... and that's where we get... Coffee!

I'm so amazed to learn these interesting things about an empire and time that I knew nothing about... All thanks to home school.

...and one more thing: the next time you write a phone number or a math problem, you can thank the arabs that we don't use roman numerals anymore! :)

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!

Today was the kids' first day of school! YAY! CRAZY, BUSY, FUN! Tomorrow will be Chloe & Gideon's first day to *go* to school! (if you remember, we're doing a homeschool/public school hybrid) They're just THRILLED! Tuesdays (9-2) will be art, P.E, music, & spanish. Thursdays will be history & science, & the rest of the time they'll be with me! Evy & Zachy will be in preschool tomorrow, too, so i'll have TWO HOLE HOURS to myself! yay! i plan to spend some time w/my mom. :) should be nice. --in the future i plan to use that time for shopping & errands. Thursdays, Zachy will be in preschool, but evy will be w/me.

It's a really full schedule, but i'm really excited. YAY!

More Legal Stuff regarding homeschool

okay, i know i've not been posting for ages, & now you're probably drowning in my posts, but a lot of you have been asking about what's going on w/the homeschool laws in California. So, here's the latest email I got from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association:

California : Court Filings Complete

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

On May 19 all the filings of the legal briefs to re-hear the case In re Rachel L. were completed.

The Court of Appeal, which made the fateful decision on February 28, 2008 to declare all homeschooling illegal unless the parent is a certified teacher, will now begin the process of considering the arguments. The current schedule anticipates oral arguments to begin this June.

HSLDA has been at the forefront of the process to defend the right to homeschool in California and across the country. In this case, we were able to successfully help Gary Kreep of the U.S. Justice Foundation, who represents the father at the center of this case, Mr. L., to prepare the arguments to grant the petition for re-hearing. When the Court of Appeal granted the petition for rehearing, the original opinion was vacated and no longer has any legal effect.
Furthermore, in the latest round of filings, we have also been able to provide substantial assistance to the Alliance Defense Fund, which is partnering with the U.S. Justice Foundation in order to make the strongest argument possible to preserve homeschool freedom in California . So much is at stake, and all parties involved have shared their unique perspective to present the best case possible.

HSLDA has also filed a friend-of-the-court brief in conjunction with Focus on the Family and Family Protection Ministries to show the benefits of a home education. These arguments draw on the extensive development of homeschooling and the successful track record of parents educating their children at home.

Also, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has filed a brief in conjunction with the Attorney General of California, which supports a parent’s right to homeschool. Their brief begins with this statement: “Recognizing that home-schooling has a long and positive history in California and across the nation, the State of California provides a broad statutory framework that authorizes and regulates the practice.” In other words, the Governor and Attorney General are strongly arguing for no changes to the current law. To read the brief click here.

While we do not know what the court will decide, you can be confident that hundreds of hours were spent by many different organizations to defend your right to homeschool.
We hope and pray for a successful outcome in this case.

Sincerely,
J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

Our New School

Well, we just finished a meeting with the principal of the new home school. She really has great plans for this school! She's eager to let parents keep their independence, but give as much support and resources as are available. If I wanted to, I could send my kids to school from 9-2, three days a week. Or i could never set foot in the school, and do whatever I choose. I can have my kids do assessment testing. or not. I can use only their curriculum. Or whatever I choose.

They'd like to offer PE - like basketball, or swing dancing, or jazzercize (and get this! the parents can do it too! --for FREE!). And electives, like kindermusic (again, for FREE!), or language, or pottery, and science experiments, and lots of hands-on exploration & field trips.

This is their first time to try this, so i'm sure it will have some kinks, but the heart of what they would like to do with the school sounds really great! So i'll be signing the kids up to begin next August! YAY!

And if worse comes to worse -- or is it: "worst comes to worst" --or "worse comes to worst?" or "worst comes to worts?" ... whatever.... if it all goes bad, I can just withdrawl the kids, & i've lost nothing. sounds like a good deal to me. :)

oh.. and one more interesting tidbit... ANYBODY can enroll in this school --anywhere in the country. isn't that interesting?

finally something interesting -or- Public Home School?

I don't know how it is in the rest of the country/world, but here in our city, the schools get paid for each day that each child attends. So if a child is sick, or goes away on vacation, the school doesn't get paid. Becuase our state government is financially irresponsible, money is really tight for the local schools. Some of them have gone so far as to ask parents to pay them out of their own pockets if their child is going to be absent for an extended amount of time.

Many parents are dissatisfied with the public school system and have chosen alternative "non-public" methods of schooling (such as private or homeschool). Because students equal money to the local schools, the school system is losing money with each child that goes somewhere else. So they came up with this great idea to keep students in their district: "If they want to home school, we'll make it part of the school system, so we can still make money!"

So our city is now offering a "public home school." If we join the school next year, I will still be teaching my kids at home, but i'll get a mentor teacher who will help me plan & set goals each month. There will be optional classes three days a week (including foreign language, art, & some staples: math, science etc). I could do as much or as little of those as I would like. And, I'm told that I can use whatever curriculum i choose!

This is all very exciting to me, because i really like to be able to choose *how* my kids do school, but I feel like i'm drowning in the world of homeschool, and could really use some extra (free!) classes for my kids to be involved in, as well as someone to coach me through it all. This feels like the best of both worlds. I'm a little leary, feeling like this is too good to be true, and there must be some sort of catch, but assuming everything is as good as it sounds, I think i'll enroll my kids for this coming fall! yay!

more on the homeschool ruling

For those of you who are interested in all the the homeschool hubbub here in CA, I thought i'd give you a little more info.

On a personal level, after a few days of panic, we haven't changed anything we're doing.
We're members of a few different homeschool groups ranging from our local city group, to the national Home School Legal Defense Association. The HSLDA is basically our lawyer, should we need one for any reason. Before this time, California has been very homeschool friendly. it was one of only 12 states that have NO homeschool laws in place ... which meant that we were free to teach how we wanted. All we have to do is register as a private school, & follow the same guidelines that any other school has to follow (attendance and vaccine records, etc). So it's been pretty simple. So far, nothing has changed for us. We've recieved several emails from all our different groups. Here are some clips from one of the latest - including a statement made by the governator:

***** ***** ***** *****
Current Situation
Nothing has changed in California regarding your homeschool. HSLDA maintains that the advice they have given home school families for some twenty-five years is still accurate and that filing a private school affidavit, or enrolling in a private school independent study program (I.S.P) are valid options under the law in California....

***** ***** ***** *****
Governor’s office press release Friday, March 7, 2008
Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement Regarding Court of Appeals Home Schooling Ruling
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the recent Second District Court of Appeals ruling on home schooling:

"Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will.”
***** ***** ***** *****
Background
This ruling resulted from a Juvenile Court case on allegations of abuse or neglect, which originally had nothing to do with homeschooling. When the Juvenile Court judge would not prohibit the parents from home schooling their children, the court-appointed attorneys for the children went to the California Court of Appeals. The Appellate Court went further than they needed to, and essentially ruled that State law does not provide any options that allow parents to teach their own children at home.

Future court action on this Appellate Court ruling cannot occur until after March 29th. This ruling is a very serious matter but not a cause for panic. There are legal options still open to pursue in the Courts. HSLDA is working to overturn this decision in the courts. In other words, this Appellate Court ruling is not the final say.

It is important to realize that no laws have changed that affect private schools whether in one’s home or on a campus. California is still one of twelve states where homeschoolers can operate legally under the private school provision. See our Legal Fact Sheet. The Court does not have the power to change the law but only to interpret it, and this court has made critical errors in their interpretation of private school laws as they apply to private home education.

No court has the authority to universally order every homeschooler into a public or private campus school. ......
***** ***** ***** *****
What can homeschoolers do right now to help?
(1) This court's ruling could provoke well-meaning individuals to seek a legislative remedy. Legislation at this time would be detrimental to our current freedom to home school privately in California . If you become aware through first hand knowledge of any such attempt to have a legislator introduce legislation addressing or dealing with home schooling, please contact us at contat@pheofca.org immediately!

(2) Please encourage your home schooling friends to join HSLDA now for two reasons! (a) Membership in and contributions to HSLDA will help provide the financial resources needed to carry on this complex and lengthy court process for judicial relief from this current ruling. This will benefit all homeschoolers. (b) HSLDA membership will protect your family should you be contacted as a result of this Appellate Court ruling. This will also give you the piece of mind that, whenever you might need it, you have immediate support from the only experienced highly successful team of attorneys specialized in defending private home schoolers in California and our Nation.

(3) In all situations, it is the Lord Jesus Christ Who is our refuge, provider, and protector (Psalm 50:10-15). He is sovereign over all. Our Lord reigns! We are asking that you pray daily and also consider some kind of periodic fasting during this protracted battle that is shaping up. Pray for:
* those in authority, especially the judges involved in this case,
* the Long family involved in this case,
every fellow private homeschooling family
* HSLDA as they prepare to not only handle this situation but as they respond to all future legal contacts,
* for us here at Family Protection Ministries that God would sustain us and that we will be able to intercept every legislative proposal that could further erode our freedoms,
* CHEA and every other home school organization in California , and
* all other individuals and groups supporting this effort to defend home education.

(4) Continue on with a peaceful heart in your homeschooling and family life
********

also, for those of you who think that online petitions are useless (Glenna ;~) ) . I don't really know, since I'm not a lawyer, but i'm told that if you give all the important information, they they hold up. The one that i asked you to sign is put out by the HSLDA... they're experts in the law, so I figure they would know, & they wouldn't ask us to do something that would be useless.
Thanks to all of you who signed! :)

And, i thought you might like to know that I just checked the petition site, & it now has 184,500 signatures!

News Flash...please pray!

When I went to the homeschool convention last year, my eyes were opened to the battle that was fought for our freedom to homeschool. Just like people died and suffered and fought for my rights to be free as an American, people before me have fought and been imprisoned for their rights to homeschool. And i am able to glide with ease, through my homeschooling process because of those people who fought before me.

Well, just last week, a homeschooling family was challenged in our state, and a judge basically ruled that homeschooling is illegal. Needless to say, this ruling has HUGE consequences in regards to education in the state of California. One article I read estimated 166,000 California students who are home schooled! If that many people want to choose homeschooling as an option for their children's education, you would think that a government "of the people, by the people an for the people" would allow their people to do it legally!!!

anyway.. I could rant and rave about the government and the school system, but I don't think there's any need. this is a big deal for our family, since we have, thus far, chosen homeschooling as the best option for our kids' education. It would be very sad to be forced to do something that we don't consider to be the best option for our family.

I'm not usually a political activist, but this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. So...whatever state you are in, if you homeschool, and would like to keep that right; or if you don't, but think that children belong to the parents, not to the state, and that parents should be allowed to choose what's best for their children; you can go here to sign the petition to keep homeschooling legal. It only takes a couple minutes to type your name and give a voice to The People.

A is for Apple

This week, in school, the kids are learning about apples. So when I was at the store today, I bought one of every kind of apple. Then I brought them home, and we tried a little bit of each. It was very fun. It's really interesting how different each apple tastes. Had a been a good homeschooling mom, we would have charted how they tasted, what they looked like, and which ones tasted best. But I didn't think of that until affter the apples had been eaten.

But here's what *I* found out, for any of you may be hunting for the perfect apple:

Royal Gala: Delish! :~P crisp and sweet, w/an extra fun little extra taste that I can't describe. My favorite.

Southern Rose: also crisp and sweet. my 2nd favorite

Braeburn: mildly sweet and sour. And not as crisp

Honey crisp: crisp and tart - but not like a Granny Smith.

Granny Smith: crisp and SOUR --Gideon's favorite. :)

Red Delicious: used to be my favorite until I tasted the first two. Compared to them, it's only a little bit sweet. --but on the bland side. Crisp.

Fuji: used to be another favorite, but compared to the others, it's soft and a little bland --just a touch of sweetness.

Pacific Rose: my least favorite. crisp but very bland. No point in tasting that one. --which was disappointing, since it was one of the most expensive in the store.

Gideon enjoys his Granny Smith

Audiobooks

When Heather visited a couple weeks ago, her son had some audiobooks that she had purchase through itunes. I never knew they had adiobooks! After she left, i did some looking into what itunes had. They've got some great stuff. I'm so excited, because there are so many great books that i'd love to read with my kids, but just don't have the time to read them all. Now, they can listen when i'm busy, and as often as they want. So fun!

I just bought Shel Silverstien's Where the Sidewalk Ends. It's so fun, because he narrates it himself. I'll see if i can get one of them on the blog-player, later.

The kids are also in the middle of The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary. That's been fun so far.

I already purchased the book, Charlotte's Web, for school this fall, but i'm afraid of turning into a mushpot when Charlotte dies, & being unable to read it. So, maybe i'll get that one as an audiobook, also.

some other audiobooks that i'd like to get for the kids are:
Pippi Longstocking
Charlie & the chocolate Factory
Peter Pan
The Narnia Saries
The Little Princess

Any other suggestions?

Art class

one thing i'm really excited about w/the new curriculum I'm using, is a book called, "Drawing With Children" It's a kind of art curriculum that was designed for young kids. In it, the author talks about research that's been done that show that children who learn art in school, actually end up doing better in math & language arts than kids who don't. She's broken down drawing into 5 basic shapes, and says that just like you can learn to read music, you cam learn to draw. Very interesting. I think it'll be fun. :)

back to school

well, now that my summer is having a bit of a lull, i thought i'd start thinking about the upcoming school year. I've chosen a curriculum that I found at the homeschool convention: My Father's World. I was very excited about it at the convention. It seemed to be much more simple than the last curriculum I used. And simplicity is my motto for my life right now. However, after reading through it, the last few days, I'm already feeling stressed. EEK! I just have to keep going back to the fact that God told me to do this, and that He is excited to show himeself strong to me, as I lean on Him. I'll be excited to reach the end of the year & be able to look back & see how God's hand was in all of it from the beginning.

More Winnie the Pooh

just had to share another excerpt that tickled me: That Eeyore. :)

"Nobody tells me," said Eeyore. "Nobody keeps me Infromed. I
make it seventeen days come Friday since anybody spoke to me."
"It certainly isn't seventeen days---"
"Come Friday," explained Eeyore.
"And today's Saturday," said Rabbit. "So that would make it
eleven days. And I was here myself a week ago."
"Not conversing, " said Eeyore. "Not first one and then the
other. You said 'Hallo' and Flashed Past. I saw your tail in the
distance as I was meditating my reply. I had thought of saying
'What?' - but, of courese, it was then too late."
"Well, I was in a hurry."
"No Give and Take," Eeyore went on. "No Exchange of Thought:
'Hallo--What'----I mean, it gets you nowhere, particularly if the other person's
tail is only just in sight for the second half of the conversation."
"It's your fault, Eeyore. You've never been to see any
of us. You just stay here in this one corner of the Forest waiting for the
others to come to you. Why don't you go to them sometimes?"
Eeyore was silent for a little while, thinking. "There
may be something in whatyou say, Rabbit," he said at last. "I must move
about more. I must come and go."
"That's right, Eeyore. Drop in on any of us at any time,
when you feel like it."
"Thank you, Rabbit. And if anybody says in a Loud Voice
'Bother, it's Eeyore,' I can drop out again."

I just love Winnie The Pooh!

I've been reading Winnie The Pooh to the kids, and have loved every moment of it! A.A. Milne is just so clever & witty! I love his out-of-the -box thinking, and the way he phrases things. I think a lot of it is over the kids' heads, but I'm really enjoying it, & would recommend it to any adult.

today, we were reading about pooh & piglet as they traveled from house to house, to wish everyone a happy Thursday (as an excuse to visit, in hopes that someone will offer them Tea). After leaving Rabbit's house, pooh & piglet have a conversation:

"Rabbit's clever," said Pooh
"Yes,," said Piglet, "Rabbit's clever."
"and he has Brain."
"Yes," said piglet, "Rabbit has Brain."
There was a long silence.
"I suppose," said Pooh, "that that's why he never understands anything."

Chloe couldn't understand why I was laughing so hard that I couldn't read anymore. Maybe it has something to do with all of the Brainy people in my life...

I especially like Eeyore's dry humor:

"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily.
"so it is."
"And freezing."
"Is it?"
"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."

Here's an excerpt from when Eeyore was knocked into the water by Tigger:

"Eeyore!" cried everybody.
Looking very calm, very dignified with his legs in the air, came Eeyore from beneath the bridge.
"It's Eeyore!" cried Roo, terribly excited.
"Is that so?" said Eeyore, getting caught up by a little eddy, and turning slowly round three times. "I wondered."
"I didn't know you were playing, " said Roo.
"I'm not, " said Eeyore.
"Eeyore, what are you doing there?" said Rabbit.
"I'll give you three guesses, Rabbit. Digging holes in the ground? Wrong. Leaping from branch to branch of a young oak-tree? Wrong. Waiting for somebody to help me out of the river? Right. Give Rabbit time, and he'll always get the answer."
" But, Eeyore," said Pooh in distress, "What can we -- I mean, how shall we--do you think if we----"
"Yes," said Eeyore, "One of those would be just the thing. Thank you, Pooh."
"He's going round and round," said Roo, much impressed.
"And why not?" said Eeyore coldly.
"I can swim too," said Roo proudly.
"Not round and round, " said Eeyore. "It's much more difficult."...

He kinda reminds me of House. :)

anyway, it goes on and on. but it's so very delightful, that I had to share a little.

Green, Blue and Red make Donald Duck!

In school, we just learned about how a television works. Afterward, we looked at the TV screen with a magnifying glass, so we could see all the tiny squares that make up a picture.

body parts

awhile back, chloe asked me why boys and girls had different "wee-wees". I gave her some very basic answer about making babies, and she was satisfied with that. Out of curiosity, i asked some other mothers what they would have said. The answer i liked the best was, "so you can tell them apart." of course! how simple is that? Well, Chloe asked me again, a couple days ago, "mom, why do girls' wee-wees look different from boys'?" This time i used the simple answer: "So you can tell them apart." And chloe said, "but we always keep them covered so no one can see them." Sheesh. I guess it wasn't such a simple answer after all. So, I went back to my first answer, and told her that boys use their wee-wees to put something into the girls' so that she can make a baby. Chloe liked this answer better, and added, "but they don't get stuck together" (Remembering the butterflies, and how they took hours to mate) :)

That explains it!

Chloe is learning letter combinations in one of her reading workbooks. Her latest lesson is with "nd" as in, "wind". For her most recent lesson, they showed three pictures. The first was a picture of someone holding a blue ribbon (the word would be "win"), the second was of wind, and the third was of a window. Then they showed the written word, "wind" and asked her to circle the corresponding picture. Chloe circled the picture for "win." I asked her to read the word to me, and she read it correctly, so i showed her how she should have circled the picture of wind. On the next page, they showed the picture for win, and they asked her to circle the word. This time she circled the word, "wind." I was a little frustrated that she made a mistake with the same word right after I explained it, but I began to explain it again. I pointed to the picture and said, "Chloe, what is this a picture of?" and she said "Someone who winned (wind) something."

Good-bye, Butterflies!

Well, we had five butterflies. Two were girls and three were boys. --doesn't make a great mix. it was wonderful at first. The couples hooked up, and the mammas laid their eggs. And then poor Tiny Tim came out of his cocoon and tried to find himself a honey, but they were all taken. He kept going after the girls, and they kept rejecting him. Poor guy. so after a couple days of frustration, I put him out of his misery and set him free.

A couple days later we released the others. They sat around for a long time, and let me take their pictures before they all finally few off. you can see the complete set of photos on my flickr account, and you can some of see my favorites here: