We have so loved having sun this week. On Monday we went to the Botanical Gardens and took a little walk around to check out what's going on in winter. There was a little "tractor" doing some digging that Kenna and Natalie thought was pretty fun to watch. Brynne took her art supplies and drew a picture of the heather garden. We discovered some varieties of rhododendron still blooming! Amazing how even in winter there is still stuff to look at.
This month in school we've been starting our study of ancient Greece. We're reading a slightly simpler version of Homer's "The Iliad and the Odyssey", as well as several other fun books. Brynne's been plowing through the D'Aulaire's book of Greek Myths. The D'Aulaire's are a couple that wrote and illustrated a ton of books for children in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. They were fairly prolific. I have not met a book that they wrote that I haven't liked. They are a little old-fashioned in their speech, but I love that they are so detailed while still being interesting to read. Most of their books have a large full-size painting opposite a full page of words so there is always something to look at while you read. (Another similar style author was Holling C. Holling - our family favorite of his was "Paddle to the Sea".) Anyway, Brynne has been devouring the book on Greek Myths. She's doing some of her own coordinating artwork on a large poster.
Since we haven't done much schoolwork for the past two weeks (over Christmas) we have spent this week doing math review. Can I just say one more time how I love my math curriculum? Sigh.
It makes me happy. Brynne is reviewing all her basic math operational skills to make sure that they are good and firmed up for middle school math. She's working on things like: order of operations, dividing and multiplying with decimals and multi-digit numbers, solving for x in simple equations, etc. Can't believe she'll be a sixth grader next fall. Logan is doing the same thing, but a little simpler. We're about ready to move into multiplication, but I like to make sure that the adding and subtracting is down pat. He's reviewing how to add/subtract with borrowing/regrouping, how to use money for simple purchases.
Kenna tells me everyday that she needs to "do math, do Odyssey, and do babysitting". Those are the three things that she thinks signifies that you are very grown up! She's getting better at counting and is pretty good at her one-to-one correspondence and identifying colors. While we were in Oregon, Grandpa T's assistant asked her what her favorite animal was. She said an elephant. We commented on how elephants are gray. She said no - they're silver! Pretty, shiny elephants. ;-) Kenna is super proud to be a Sunbeam now. She looked so adorable at Church on Sunday.
Natalie is still my slowest talker, but every day she manages to come up with new things to say. Today she said "help me", and "my turn" a lot. I loved hearing her say "I did it!" several times today. She also came up to me and told me she was poopy and then bent over and stuck her bum in the air so that I could see for myself. Thanks so much! Just for fun, I thought you'd like to know...she has pooped in the tub the last three times she's taken a bath. Grrrr. Showers only. Good thing Josh is so good at showering the girls. When I do it they scream (the hair washing bit) but he works some sort of magical spell on them and they behave. I think I'm too rushed and don't pay enough attention to where the water's going!
The only kid I don't have much to say on right now is Hannah! I know she read "The Chosen" with Josh. She and he are having a great time with her education. I hear bits and pieces and it sounds like things are going well. I know they decided to study the history of Spain (since we'll be going there this summer with Hannah).
I've been reading a fun series called "The Ranger's Apprentice". I finished book five of...I think ten. They've been a fun read.
I'm also reading President Monson's biography. Good stuff.
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