Winter Wanderings

After too many days avoiding the frigid temperatures and ice-laden driveway, the boys and I ventured out for some serious fresh air yesterday. They wanted to "dig for dinosaur bones" so we grabbed a few shovels and made our way into the woods. We didn't find any bones (maybe next time) but we did make a few discoveries along the way. Peeled-back birch tree bark revealing a pinkish skin underneath; "soft like carpet" tree moss and lichen; animal tracks (something "fast, and dangerous like a coyote or a fox"....or our neighbor's dog); and some eye-catchingly bright orange fungus growing on a stack of logs.

Plans For Social Studies Decided

Originally I planned to begin Story of the World 1 this fall, but decided to wait until first grade as intended. Before diving head-first into something as complex as ancient history, I'd like to give D a more "gentle" introduction to the world. An introduction to the globe, to maps, to the continents, to the many different cultures and customs around the world. And I want to accomplish this through children's literature, which I feel is the best way for D to personalize, understand, and absorb what he's learning. I found the following book on Amazon, and am hoping it will guide me towards a decent selection of book ideas as well as other resources:

Discovering World Geography With Books Kids Love (Eleanor B. English) http://www.amazon.com/DISCOVERING-WORLD-GEOGRAPHY-BOOKS-KIDS/dp/1555919650/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203443559&sr=1-1

Now if only Mr. UPS Man would be so kind as to deliver a package to me today!Once it arrives, I'll be able to get a better feel as to whether or not this will fulfill the geography/history needs for D's Kindergarten year.

Memories of a Summer Friend

In summer-noon flushes
When all the wood hushes,
Blue dragon-flies knitting
To and fro in the sun,
With sidelong jerk flitting
Sink down on the rushes.
And, motionless sitting,
Hear it bubble and run,
Hear its low inward singing
With level wings swinging
On green tasselled rushes,
To dream in the sun.

(Lowell, "The Fountain of Youth")

"P" is for Pancakes and Patriots

Nothing beats a Sunday that starts off with daddy's egg-free, nut-free pancakes and ends with a serious game of football, especially when that game is the Superbowl, and even more-so when it's YOUR TEAM playing!! Ok, so maybe a big stack of homemade buttermilk pancakes made with eggs and cooked in bacon grease beats out the allergy-free kind we've had to adapt to. And, yes, actually WINNING the Superbowl instead of losing in the final 35 seconds (sheds tear) would've helped as well. But to two young boys who got a mouth full of sticky yumminess 35 seconds after being called to the table for breakfast and then getting to stay up LATE to watch an exciting football game, well, nothing beats a Sunday like that.