So, here are some highlights of our last few days (March 14 - March 18 2011):
- Jeremiah completed Pokemon White, which he received 6 days ago. =D
- Scratch art by Annalise, on several occasions. Sky with moon. Heart. Raven from Teen Titans under a night sky. The Scratch cat walking in a field with water running beneath.
- Trip to Clifton Park Center bounce house and Clifton Commons playground with Dad. More fun with snowbanks from the ice rink than on the snowed-in equipment.
- After a long, cold, and snowy winter, spring is ripening. We are all spending much more time outdoors. Jim has gotten his motorcycle out and rode to work today. I have begun getting the last of the wood brought to the front of the garage before it's lost in the undergrowth, and cleaning up the winter detritus in the front yard, prior to scooping and raking and, then, not soon enough, maybe, planting!
- Jeremiah and Annalise have been playing much more together outside, exploring the burgeoning insect life, the water flow patterns in the yard, the rate of snow melt, ball games, and taking walks.
- Annalise has brought out her "motorcycles" (bicycles), and has enjoyed catch and batting games, and playing with our dog, Corki.
- Annalise painted several pictures. Rainbows, horses, landscapes, etc....
- Jeremiah posted several comments to others' FlipNotes, chatted with his cousin and a friend on Facebook, and created a FlipNote for his new Pokemon character, Gemtra. He created an evolution for Gemtra and wrote a trailer headline, "I'm the star of the new series, the life of Gemtra."
- Kids spent time cleaning up in house, car, and yard.
- We celebrated Pi Day (3.14)! Annalise and I listened to a musical representation of pi, and she and Jim baked a delicious from scratch apple pie with a whole grain crust. yummy math!
- I've spent quite a bit of time tidying inside the house, streamlining our belongings and organizing for a feel of order and flexibility. Suddenly, Annalise is seeming more purposeful and deliberate in her play and creative endeavors, and I am feeling that it is a good time to assess and order things to reflect her new maturity.
- I've also been deep cleaning in Jeremiah's room, in preparation for the disassembly of his old bed and construction of another.
- Jeremiah began independently using the toaster oven.
- Annalise spent time building with gear toys, including assembling a musical fan with spinning LED lights.
- Talk about fairness, for all of us, and from all of us.
- Jeremiah and Annalise went grocery shopping with Dad. Jeremiah specifically chose to purchase fruit/vegetable and yogurt smoothies with ingredients I would like, in case I wanted to share. =)
- Jeremiah enjoyed counting money and making change (using only quarters).
- Jeremiah and I discussed bad breath, tooth enamel, and tooth decay. He has been avoiding brushing; turns out he didn't care for any of the several toothpastes we currently have. he tried baking soda, then decided that the strawberry flavored Colgate is most to his liking. we will continue to try other options until he finds a favorite. We also talked about alternatives, such as sugarless chewing gum, and rinsing his mouth with water after especially sweet foods or dairy products.
- Annalise put her entire face into the water ad blew bubbles for the first time! =D
- Both kids spent time trying to get the sound working on their ancient games computer. Turns out that the trouble is in the never-reliable DVD drive....the computer itself and the CD drive have sound.
- Both children enjoyed creating and discussing paradoxes with each other.
- Together, Jeremiah and Annalise chose ice cream to purchase from our Schwan's delivery man (a friend of theirs). Annalise paid for our order and received change.
- Annalise played a Spy Fox computer game that focussed on the environment and ecology.
- Both children enjoyed watching episodes of Wild Kratts that featured beavers, moose, and platypuses.
- Jeremiah enjoyed voice chatting with friends, using his DSi.
- Annalise spent time playing with her stable and model horses.
- Annalise enjoyed helping me prepare a simple dinner of baked chicken nuggets and assorted fruits and vegetables.
- Jeremiah has become increasingly interested in the nutritional value and recommended portion sizes of some of his favorite foods, especially snack items. He has been serving himself more in line with portion sizes, and indulging in more fruits and vegetables and fewer prepackaged snacks, of late.
- Annalise practiced some yoga (dead bug and happy baby poses), and did some stretching exercises. This led to a discussion of stretching muscles over time, and contortionists.
- Annalise explored Scratch sound clips.
- Live and Learn Homeschool Co-op St. Patrick's Day Party. Irish music; Jeremiah mentored friend Alana on DSi gaming; free play; indoor and outdoor exploration.
- Annalise edited a FlipNote, replacing the audio soundtrack with her own singing.
- We enjoyed $.50 double scoop cones at Stewart's Wearing of the Green ice cream day.
- For the first time, both children walked alone to their grandparents' nearby home. They called to let me know they had arrived, and again before they left. They repeated this the next two days, spending Friday afternoon with both grandparents, and a large part of Saturday with them and their aunt.
- Jeremiah created another Pokemon FlipNote, learning how to combine colors with the painting feature.
- Both children explored photo editing on the DSi, using features such as graffiti, rotation, and mirror imaging. Jeremiah is considering selling the resulting art.
- Annalise received some hand-me-down shirts at co-op, and chose to wear one with a koala on it. There was a description of the animal and its habits, and I read it to her at her request. Later, she played "Ground Koala", a game with an invented koala species that leaves the eucalyptus trees and burrows into the ground.
- Lots of outside play - the weather has been beautiful, if a little cool today (March 19).
- Annalise watched Jim start and ride his motorcycle for the first time this season.
- Jeremiah had a weird dream he couldn't explain, and wondered why he had had it. We discussed dreams as subconscious though; the brain telling a story or working out a problem while he sleeps.
- I watched some video clips and a PBS special on Irish music, culture, and geography. Bothl children watched portions with me, and were fascinated to know that I was named for the River Shannon.
- Annalise rediscovered a favorite computer game, I Spy Spooky Mansion Deluxe. After accidentally causing a glitch that combined two rooms, she learned how to do it intentionally.
- Annalise, bolstered by her walks with Jeremiah, asked if she could walk all by herself a short way, while I watched. She used her road skills beautifully.
- Our neighbors are selling a dirt bike. Annalise read "$1000" on the for sale sign, and noted that there was a "100" printed on the seat. "They could have just added a zero to that!"
- It was a sunny day, and Annalise and I made shadow statues.
- Annalise and I compared and contrasted two types of evergreen needles.
- Jeremiah and i discussed indoor traffic flow. He has a tendency to get in front of someone, then move more slowly than they are, or open a door in front of them.
- Annalise took some photos of animate and inanimate subjects, using my new camera for the first time.
- The PBS fundraising announcer said that they do not fundraise during their children's programming. However, they DO frequently pre-empt the children's schedule to air adult programming during which theyfundraise. We discussed the truth and ethics of their making that claim.
- After a pre-empted hour of children's programming on PBS, both children enjoyed watching Fetch!, which featured poetry and exercise challenges.
- Annalise hurt herself and did what she called a "pain dance".
- Kids watched Word Girl and Arthur, which was a making-of episode.
- We watched a video of Annalise at not-quite-three, when she still, absolutely adorably, said, "Mesame Stweet".
- While moving firewood, I found a curled woolly bear caterpillar, and brought it to the children, explaining that I didn't know if it was dead or dormant, but they could keep and observe it if they wanted to.
- This led to further bug hunting outside, but nothing was as interesting as Catercool (the caterpillar, who did wake up!).
- Jeremiah and Annalise discussed unschooling and their co-op with their grandparents.
- Both children ate dinner at grandparents' house twice. They watched new and vintage cartoons.
- Because Jeremiah is an awesome big brother, he offered to walk home to get Sheet, Annalise's lovey, which she forgot and then needed.
- Annalise and Jeremiah spent a considerable amount of time making "habitats" and mazes for Catercool using cardboard bricks, duct tape, and stones. Annalise and her aunt researched woolly bears online (using a smartphone) and found that Catercool will potentially become an Isabella Tiger Moth. Lise was sad; she was hoping for a monarch butterfly. They also learned what Catercool would like to eat. She also thought she has counted eight legs, and that Catercool was an arachnid. Her aunt helped her to spell "arachnid".
- Catercool escaped into a crack in the floor, and we fear he may be gone for good. Sadness, but thankful for two fun days, and knowing he was energetic when we last saw him.
- Children and I looked at the Full Worm Moon at perigee, just above the horizon. It was huge, orange, and lovely! I took some pictures which will likely not do it justice. yesterday, we looked at an online image of the moon's orbit, and size at perigee and apogee.
- Annalise played a computer game, Care Bears Let's Have a Ball! She enjoyed Puzzling Pipes, Cloud Soccer, Bumper Billiards, and bowling, as well as challenging her fast- emerging reading skills.
- The kids asked if we had vinegar (we did, but now don't) because they wanted to experiment with vinegar and baking soda combinations to see what would happen. Annalise thought she could make some with candle wax. Must keep vinegar in the house!
- Outside play under the perigee moon.
- We discussed possible diplomatic responses the kids could use when being teased or feeling bossed at their grandparents' house.
This is just some of what's been up with us between March 14-19. =D
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