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I have neglected to post about our school days these past 3 weeks! We have delved into the subjects of Winter, Giraffes and The Olympics.  3 weeks ago we read the poem Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Lewis Stevenson. This was the first time we've centered our week on a poem, though many children's books rhyme, this is a true poem. The children did not understand the idea of a poem, although we talked about the rhyming words, and how there was a pattern to the rhyme. The kids enjoyed discussing animal prints and we made some prints in play-dough with plastic animals. We have seen bunny tracks as well as deer tracks in our backyard in the mud/snow, and this excites us. We read the books, Big Tracks, Little Tracks by Millicent E. Selsam and Crinkleroot's book of Animal Signs as well as The Mitten by Jan Brett . The children enjoyed making "snow" art using black construction paper and shaving cream mixed with Elmer's glue. This tactile activ...

Snow continues to fall outside. We get out some and we enjoy coloring the snow with colored water, making tracks, snow angels and snowmen. We've also kept busy inside. The children helped choose fabric for window treatments for our schoolroom and last weekend I sewed them together. We also shared a fun evening crafting Valentine's Day cards and baking heart shaped oatmeal cookies (make cookies into a sheet and cut out hearts with cutter). I am trying to enjoy the special aspects of winter (snow, winter holidays, and time for indoor crafting) because I know that in the summer, I'll miss these quiet days.  

These past two weeks Dan and Catrina have been in the states with Eva and Aidan. We have enjoyed two full weekends together, celebrating belated Christmas (at Mom and Dad's in VA), Dan's Birthday (spent at Ash's home in VA), Catrina's birthday, and introducing the cousins that haven't met. Tristan and Eva hit things off well and attended the same Sunday school class both at Burke Community Church and Calvary Church. Anastasia and Acadia were together and Aidan and Brayden are the same age. Of course, that leaves baby Gwedolyn. She's the youngest of the bunch and all of the cousins love her. Aidan and Bray are especially gentle and loving toward her. Pretty amazing that two one year old boys could be so sweet with a baby. We all really enjoyed watching the children interact and connect. We even enjoyed a snow day together! It was really a special time. About ten minutes after Dan and Catrina drove away from our home Anastasia said, "I miss my cousins!"....

This past week's story: The Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha. A story about summer! Imagine that! I almost forgot that season existed! What a beautiful book that transported the kids and I to a warm and vibrant place. We enjoyed learning about Jellyfish and the coast of New England. We were introduced to a new art medium this week, oil pastels and we attempted to match the colors on photo copies of the book cover. We also made jellyfish out of egg cartons and yarn and out of Jell-O and licorice. Tristan and Ana enjoyed both, but the Jell-O jellyfish actually looked like a jellyfish! The children really enjoyed repeating Mark Shasha's name. Before we read the book each day we had a couple rounds of "shasha", "shasha". We talked about creation day 5. God created the creatures of the sea and the birds of the air. God's creation never ceases to amaze us, nor do we ever bore of it. Jellyfish are one of those creatures that I don't really underst...