« October 2008 | Main | December 2008 »
November 27, 2008
Question of the Day
From Connor: "So, is Santa Claus bi-polar?"
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!
Posted by lynx at 11:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 23, 2008
Weekly, Or Something, Report
We are so taking this week off.
My students are doing very well. Mom, however, is just done.
Milestones: Connor finished Latin Prep book one! Aidan finished Singapore 4A! Griffin finished Right Start B!
Changes: The kids have lobbied to ditch Greek, and start Spanish. So we've started Galore Park's So You Really Want to Learn Spanish Maybe we'll bake cookies for our sweet Hispanic neighbors, to sweet-talk them into talking to us in Spanish. We also like to watch Star Wars in Spanish.
We've jumped full-force back into Classical Writing. The break did us good. Connor is doing well in Diogenes, and Aidan is doing Homer A like it's nothing. I'm sure it helps that, since I have a much better understanding of the Classical Writing philosophy, I'm more laid-back about how we implement Homer.
Diogenes has Connor reading Julius Caesar. Informally, Connor has been re-casting the play in modern political terms. And that's all I'm saying.
We're still enjoying Tapestry of Grace. Yes, really. I know, and I'm sorry. However, if you don't have a pathological need to have all your kids on the same history topic at once, and if you are good at coming up with age-appropriate questions and discussion points, TOG is nothing you need. I love the scheduling, and I so love having good questions already done for me.
Aidan is nearly done with Unit 1 of Henle Latin, which is pretty awesome for a 5th grader. Until I can get around to buying the next Galore Park book, Connor will spend some time with Fr. Henle, too.
I was going to list what we've read this month, but I don't remember. I'm reading Johnny Tremain aloud now. Hmmm. Connor read Early Thunder, And Then What, Lafayette?, Alas, Babylon ... he finally finished Lord of the Rings.
Aidan read Sign of the Beaver, and the Hitchhiker's trilogy. He's run out of Heinlein books, for now.
This week will be all catch-up and crafty holiday things.
Posted by lynx at 10:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 22, 2008
Halo Kitty
Look at the coolness! I made this today, for a Christmas present for Aidan. I did it using freezer paper stencils. I've never used freezer paper stencils before, but, being me, I couldn't start with a simple design. Oh, no. But it turned out pretty well, didn't it?
I need to finish off the legs somehow, and figure out what to do with the smudges of paint above and below the figure.
But look at the coolness!
Posted by lynx at 9:12 PM | Comments (6)
November 17, 2008
Trek Gets Cool?
Wow. Who would have guessed that Star Trek could look this cool?
Posted by lynx at 9:21 PM | Comments (6)
November 14, 2008
Life with my children
Me: Did it ever occur to you that I know more than you do?
Lachlan (age 6): No.
Lachlan: Um, Mom, um .... um ... I forgot ... wait ... (puts his fingertips on either side of his head, scrunches up his eyes) ... wait, I have to look inside my mind ...
Connor: Oh, you have to watch out for those decimals. Decimals will kill you if you give them 0.5 of a chance.
Why we get nowhere whenever we try to revisit learning Spanish:
(If you don't know any Spanish, it's supposed to go like this:
Person one: Hola! Como te llamas? Hello, what is your name?
Person two: Me llamo (name). Como te llamas? My name is (name). What is your name?
Person one: Me llamo (name). Que tal? My name is (name). How are you?
Person two: Bien, gracias. Adios! Fine, thanks. Goodbye!)
Me: Okay, Aidan, tell Connor "hello" in Spanish.
Aidan: O, hai!
Me: No. In Spanish. Say hello and ask his name, and then ask how he's doing.
Aidan: Hola! How is your llama?
Connor: My llama is in a coma. How is your llama?
Aidan: My llama is Aidan. How tall are you?
Connor: About five foot four. And how tall is your llama?
And that's about where I give up. Actually, that's where I gave in, and started singing "Llama in a Coma," but it's the same thing.
Posted by lynx at 11:52 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 7, 2008
Should students be able to graduate after 10th grade?
New Hampshire is doing something right.
Yes, absolutely, students who are ready early should be able to escape high school.
Posted by lynx at 11:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 4, 2008
Where are the lines?
I thought voter turnout was going to be huge?
No line here. I walked in, voted, walked out.
I registered to vote via mail. Yes, they did ask me for ID. However, my ID is from Michigan, not Virginia. They accepted my voter registration card as proof of residency ... you know, the one I got through the mail with no proof of residency. I was prepared. I had every kind of legal document proving identity and residency that you could hope for. I was hoping they'd ask for some.
At least they asked for my ID.
I was pleased that they offered a choice between electronic voting and a paper ballot. I went with the paper.
This was a very odd election, in that it's the closest I've ever come to voting a straight ticket. Weird. One lone Independent for Representative spared me from that indignity. But my vote for McCain/Palin has been cast.
Posted by lynx at 9:15 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack