We went for a hike last Saturday afternoon and man was it cold! We didn't last too long on the trail but I was able to snap a few good pics of the kiddos.

We've taken some time off from any formal learning to do some spring cleaning and gardening. But we've been reading lots of great books and tending to our little indoor garden. Last weekend we decided to transplant our growing shoots to larger pots. The kids painted the pots and decided that they would like to give some away as Easter gifts this year. By the end of the day they looked like true artists and nature lovers with paint in their hair and dirt in their finger nails.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by http://www.soulemama.com/

Science Fair

We had a homeschool science fair this week and both D and J were proud to display the projects they have been working on for the past few weeks.

D made a board game to go along with his research on Atlantic cod, American lobsters, flounder, and sea clams. I loved his creative ideas. He designed the board on his own and made all the game pieces out of fimo clay.
At home this week our little garden began to grow! We love watching the tiny shoots make their way up through the soil and grow taller each day.

Digging in the dirt

Sunday was a glorious day in New England. It was sunny, crisp, and clear, and there was the tantalizing feeling of warm weather soon to be at hand. And while it is still too cold to start our garden outside, we spent some time starting a little garden that we will eventually transplant to our porch at Saquish, where we spend the summer by the beach. We'll nurture these little seeds over the next few week and peek anxiously each day to see if anything is sprouting.

We took time out to run in the woods, play on the swings, and cuddle our pets.

And to watch worms poop. At least, this is what I was told the worms were doing.

While watering the plants, J accidentally knocked the tray over and dirt, seeds, worm poop and all went flying. We laughed it off and scooped everything back into the pots, and I assured her that's just part of gardening. And if there is nothing to show for our efforts but worm poop, that's okay too.

Spring has sprung???

It is a beautiful day today. Crisp and sunny, not too cool. The perfect day to get outside, get dirty, and start our garden. But before we head outside here is a summary of this past week.

D finished hockey for the year, which he is none to happy about, but it comes at a good time as his theater rehearsals are increasing as the kids get ready to perform their play, Much Ado About Nothing. Dylan has been cast as Dogberry, the policeman. He worked on estimating and division this week, and on reviewing antonyms, synonyms, compound words, pronouns and antecedents, and homonyms. It sounds like a lot, but it was basically all review. We also discussed the book, Meet Addy, which is part of our literature curriculum. D is feeling a bit unenthusiastic about the past few literature selections he has been assigned. I think in part he has decided to complain about any and all assigned reading, and partly he is tired of reading books with female protagonists. And I have to agree - between Meet Addy, Strawberry Girl, Caddie Woodlawn, and Number the Stars, there is a whole lotta girl power going on. So we might skip a few of those books and choose something together that interests him more. He is still devouring the Guardians of G'Ahoole books and I think he is currently reading book 10. D also wrote in his journal and worked on his science project which is just about finished. He went to art and percussion lessons as well. In Keva class he and his classmates built a Roman city and staged a battle between the Romans and Visigoths.

J, K and I read lots of books about spring, hoping that would usher it's appearance along. We read Listen, Listen, An Egg is Quiet, The Spring Equinox, A New Beginning, When the Eart Wakes, and All About Frogs. She also worked on her science project and finished two books this week, Katy No Pocket, and Mouse Soup, which she checked out from the library.

J also worked with place value and number order with her Math-U-See blocks. She had a great time at skating lessons, though I'm pretty sure she spent most of the time either sitting or lying on the ice.

K has become quite the puzzle master these days and has done many of them over the past few weeks.

She also worked with scissors a lot this week, though I find myself constantly asking "What is the only thing we cut with scissors?", to which she replies "Paper" while attempting to cut her doll's hair off. Oh well. I guess dolls with crew cuts aren't the worst thing in the world.

Hat!

I knit my first hat!

While this might seem silly to some of you who live in nice, warm, normal places where April brings dependable spring-like weather, it is perfectly fitting for those of us living here, in New England, who woke up to this today.

It's mother nature's way of saying "Ha! April Fools!" Anyway, D seems to like his new hat. He wore it all day.

This Moment

I don't have a picture for my 'This Moment' post. There were many along the way, but none that stuck out for me this week. But this moment, this actual moment as I sit here typing is lovely. D is practicing his German pronunciation and being entirely goofy. He could star in his own WWII movie as Herr Silly-Pants. J is playing her violin in the other room and K is cuddled up in a blanket on the couch. My kitchen smells of freshly baked cupcakes and my sleepy dog is lying at my feet. Life is good.