Thanks to Homespun for inspiring me to write this morning. I am borrowing her idea to write a poem based on this template.
I am from page, from Singer and black ink pen.
I am from the hot and salty Bay. From jellyfish that stung and clouds that disappeared.
I am from the flowering purple heather, and the hedgerow thorns that tore my clothes.
I am from page and silence , from moor and Avonel and pseudonyms .
I am from the anger and moonshine.
From brilliance and death.
I am from the South. From pyramids, crystal caves, and spells.
I'm from the Green Isle and ships on the cold northern sea, and a city in the swamp that fed me gumbo and Tabasco.
From the traitor to the north, the famous feud and the Sheriff who lived in a shotgun house.
I am from memories, lost and thrown away and those wished to be forgotten.
Monday, April 30, 2007
On my own
Z is visiting with her grandmother for the next five days. They are on a trip that promises to be both sad and (hopefully) fun.
So what am I going to do with myself this week?
The plan is to write. I'll let you know how it goes.
So what am I going to do with myself this week?
The plan is to write. I'll let you know how it goes.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Our Day
We had planned on going to a Ren Fair today but Z asked if we could just stay home. She is such a homebody!
She is so funny! This evening, using an example of one of Pere's she wrote a resume for her made up superhero. Here is some of it - she hasn't finished it yet.
Fleur Islam
Lakemere Ave #47
San Antonio, TX 93415
Special Abilities:
Very quick, can see in the dark, knows how to use a gun, is pretty, can swim, likes to be in dark places
Languages: French, Spanish, English, Egypshaan, Roman, Bulgarian, Russian, and Gubberish
Personal Projects: Saved "Magma Girl" from "The Crushing Million Year Old Popcorn!" Saved Brenda from "The Fearful Balloon!", defeated "The Dirty Bubble".
LOL
Earlier she made a gallery of Arts, Crafts, and Inventions in her room and invited Pere and I to view it and then allowed us to interview the "artists" (her stuffed animals)
We also played her favorite games Apples to Apples and Fluxx.
And we watched Planet Earth and learned about Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico. Wow!! Have you heard of this Mariposa?
She is so funny! This evening, using an example of one of Pere's she wrote a resume for her made up superhero. Here is some of it - she hasn't finished it yet.
Fleur Islam
Lakemere Ave #47
San Antonio, TX 93415
Special Abilities:
Very quick, can see in the dark, knows how to use a gun, is pretty, can swim, likes to be in dark places
Languages: French, Spanish, English, Egypshaan, Roman, Bulgarian, Russian, and Gubberish
Personal Projects: Saved "Magma Girl" from "The Crushing Million Year Old Popcorn!" Saved Brenda from "The Fearful Balloon!", defeated "The Dirty Bubble".
LOL
Earlier she made a gallery of Arts, Crafts, and Inventions in her room and invited Pere and I to view it and then allowed us to interview the "artists" (her stuffed animals)
We also played her favorite games Apples to Apples and Fluxx.
And we watched Planet Earth and learned about Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico. Wow!! Have you heard of this Mariposa?
Friday, April 27, 2007
New Books/Old Books
The Invention of Hugo Caberet
I had heard of this book from Mariposa so when I saw it today while I was out shopping I checked it out. It is very interesting! I didn't realize it had so many pictures.
I handed it to Z and she didn't look up from it again for 139 pages.
So that is the book she is going to take with her on her upcoming trip.
Some of you know I used to own a used bookstore. I still have hundreds of rare books that I kept to sell online. I also collect rare books on different topics - home management, Japan, etiquette and especially children's books. I have sooooo many children's books. Many of them are very Charlotte Masony and others are great non-fiction often sought out by homeschoolers.
I have also found a new used bookstore that I have the opportunity to go to every other week. I bought twenty the first time I went and today I found seven more! That's about a book a day! And several of the books I've bought there (for fifty cents or one dollar) are selling for big bucks online. Today I found this old Mother Goose Book. It is very seventies and so beautiful! Z loved it and took it to bed with her tonight. It is selling on the internet from between $30 - $200.
I am thinking it is time that I start selling my rare books and some of my personal children's library online. When we buy a house next year I don't want to have to bring all those books with me.
I had heard of this book from Mariposa so when I saw it today while I was out shopping I checked it out. It is very interesting! I didn't realize it had so many pictures.
I handed it to Z and she didn't look up from it again for 139 pages.
So that is the book she is going to take with her on her upcoming trip.
Some of you know I used to own a used bookstore. I still have hundreds of rare books that I kept to sell online. I also collect rare books on different topics - home management, Japan, etiquette and especially children's books. I have sooooo many children's books. Many of them are very Charlotte Masony and others are great non-fiction often sought out by homeschoolers.
I have also found a new used bookstore that I have the opportunity to go to every other week. I bought twenty the first time I went and today I found seven more! That's about a book a day! And several of the books I've bought there (for fifty cents or one dollar) are selling for big bucks online. Today I found this old Mother Goose Book. It is very seventies and so beautiful! Z loved it and took it to bed with her tonight. It is selling on the internet from between $30 - $200.
I am thinking it is time that I start selling my rare books and some of my personal children's library online. When we buy a house next year I don't want to have to bring all those books with me.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Hair
In sisterhood of one of my friends who let her daughter have a short haircut I wanted to share some pictures of Z without the traditional long locks of girlhood. The bob and then the wedge was her signature style until this last year where I finally allowed her to start growing it out. For my part I would love to cut it again...
the bob
do you see the wedge in the back?
and who is that cute baby she is sitting with?
short hair really fits her face
the bob
do you see the wedge in the back?
and who is that cute baby she is sitting with?
short hair really fits her face
Trinity College, London
So most of the day I have been researching Trinity College in London. Z's voice teacher taught Opera at the Trinity College of Music and today she brought up the idea of her teaching Z the same information she taught at that school and then having Z "sit the exams" with the eventual outcome of Z earning what would be the equivalent of a Bachelors degree in music. The Trinity College exams joined with the Guildhall in England and is now the standard for musical exams in that country. Their exams are also used in most British speaking countries - Australia, Canada, India, etc.
There are other places in the United State that teach to these exams and, from the looks of it, at lot of graduates teaching in the U.S..
There is so much more I want to know. Tomorrow I am going to call some local colleges and talk to someone in the music department and see what they think of this program.
It might be cool if Z could earn what would be considered a BA in music by the time she is eighteen. Then maybe she can teach music to help put herself through medical school. *grin*
I was given a copy of four of the songs used in the syallabus and they are very Waldorfy! One was called EarthFolk, another was about a boy who ran away to the forest with the gypsies and the lyrics of another were from Christina Rossetti's poem Who Has Seen the Wind. They are ever so much better than that Disney drek!
so... I dunno. I was very surprised to have this idea spring on me and I don't know what to think.
There are other places in the United State that teach to these exams and, from the looks of it, at lot of graduates teaching in the U.S..
There is so much more I want to know. Tomorrow I am going to call some local colleges and talk to someone in the music department and see what they think of this program.
It might be cool if Z could earn what would be considered a BA in music by the time she is eighteen. Then maybe she can teach music to help put herself through medical school. *grin*
I was given a copy of four of the songs used in the syallabus and they are very Waldorfy! One was called EarthFolk, another was about a boy who ran away to the forest with the gypsies and the lyrics of another were from Christina Rossetti's poem Who Has Seen the Wind. They are ever so much better than that Disney drek!
so... I dunno. I was very surprised to have this idea spring on me and I don't know what to think.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Two Things
Am I the only person who gets my six year old into bed by 8:00?
All the kids in my neighborhood (who have to be at public school at 8:30 in the morning) stay out playing until 8:00 or later, that includes other six year olds. Some don't get home till 9:30 from wherever they were staying after school.
If they have to leave for school at 8:00 then they must at least get up by 7:30 (I am assuming they don't eat a breakfast bar in the car on the way to school). Don't six year olds need more sleep than that?
Z normally gets up around 7:00 and she starts getting ready for bed between 7:30 and 8:00, though she reads in her bed for a hour or more sometimes.
Tonight I was feeling guilty because after dinner she practiced her piano for half an hour and then she would have to get ready for bed. But through our windows I could hear some of the other girls in the neighborhood outside playing. I talked to Pere about it and we thought about maybe pushing her bedtime later on a permanent basis so she could play late with the other kids. Unlike them she can sleep in if she needs to.
When she was done with her piano lesson she asked if her Pere would play this piano game where one person asks a "musical" questions and the other person plays a musical answer.
I told her that if she wanted to she could go outside and play with the kids instead. She went over to the window and looked out and then said "No thank you. Can I play the question and answer game instead?"
*grin* So I guess I was feeling guilty for nothing.
Although she did spend 4 hours today playing at the park with her friends so I understand if she preferred making music with her Pere.
All the kids in my neighborhood (who have to be at public school at 8:30 in the morning) stay out playing until 8:00 or later, that includes other six year olds. Some don't get home till 9:30 from wherever they were staying after school.
If they have to leave for school at 8:00 then they must at least get up by 7:30 (I am assuming they don't eat a breakfast bar in the car on the way to school). Don't six year olds need more sleep than that?
Z normally gets up around 7:00 and she starts getting ready for bed between 7:30 and 8:00, though she reads in her bed for a hour or more sometimes.
Tonight I was feeling guilty because after dinner she practiced her piano for half an hour and then she would have to get ready for bed. But through our windows I could hear some of the other girls in the neighborhood outside playing. I talked to Pere about it and we thought about maybe pushing her bedtime later on a permanent basis so she could play late with the other kids. Unlike them she can sleep in if she needs to.
When she was done with her piano lesson she asked if her Pere would play this piano game where one person asks a "musical" questions and the other person plays a musical answer.
I told her that if she wanted to she could go outside and play with the kids instead. She went over to the window and looked out and then said "No thank you. Can I play the question and answer game instead?"
*grin* So I guess I was feeling guilty for nothing.
Although she did spend 4 hours today playing at the park with her friends so I understand if she preferred making music with her Pere.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Books
I wanted to share Z's favorite books from her baby, toddler, and 2's ad 3's. While she has always taken books to bed with her to "read" back in those days I was the one reading to her. These books are the ones that I read over and over every day. There were some other great ones that I can remember that we checked out from the library but these are the ones that I still own. I still can't bear to part with some of those board books.
I would like to thank my friend Craig for giving Z this book.
These were very favorite board books. We read Good Night Moon to her everynight and it was the first book she memorized. I remember her little voice saying "Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown pictures by Clement Hurd"
The Maisy books were her next favorites. She still has the Maisy doll she used to sleep with. Of course she loved Madeline too.
These were her favorite of the Dr Seuss books. We had them all.
These two books are gorgeously illustrated. Trina Shart Hyman did the Red Ridinghood. She is my favorite illustrator along with Shirley Hughes. And the Jan Brett illustrated version was Z's favorite of The Three Bears.
I cannot count how many times I read these books. Luckily I loved them too.
Two new classics and a Golden Book
I prefer Frog and Toad to Little Bear - they are, IMO, very philosophical.
I read the Beatrix Potter stories to her everyday for awhile. But they can be enjoyed at so many levels I am sure I could read them again to her now and she would still enjoy them just as much. I remember she used to get worried everytime that Peter would be made into a pie by mrs. MacGregor. And she loved the Frog with "no teeth! no teeth!", and the Tale of Tom Kitten.
We love everything by Shirley Hughes - especially the Alfie books. We had an Alfie treasury from the library for awhile that had wonderful stories.
Z used to be called Poetry when I first started writing on the web about her. She LOVED these books and read them everyday, many times a day, for awhile. She had many of the poems memorized when she was two.
Peter Pan is my favorite children's book of all time. And the original Winnie-the-Pooh (nevermind that Disney drek) are wonderful, clever, and timeless.
These books are very old-fashioned and very sweet. They were just perfect for gentle days or for days that needed gentleness.
I would like to thank my friend Craig for giving Z this book.
These were very favorite board books. We read Good Night Moon to her everynight and it was the first book she memorized. I remember her little voice saying "Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown pictures by Clement Hurd"
The Maisy books were her next favorites. She still has the Maisy doll she used to sleep with. Of course she loved Madeline too.
These were her favorite of the Dr Seuss books. We had them all.
These two books are gorgeously illustrated. Trina Shart Hyman did the Red Ridinghood. She is my favorite illustrator along with Shirley Hughes. And the Jan Brett illustrated version was Z's favorite of The Three Bears.
I cannot count how many times I read these books. Luckily I loved them too.
Two new classics and a Golden Book
I prefer Frog and Toad to Little Bear - they are, IMO, very philosophical.
I read the Beatrix Potter stories to her everyday for awhile. But they can be enjoyed at so many levels I am sure I could read them again to her now and she would still enjoy them just as much. I remember she used to get worried everytime that Peter would be made into a pie by mrs. MacGregor. And she loved the Frog with "no teeth! no teeth!", and the Tale of Tom Kitten.
We love everything by Shirley Hughes - especially the Alfie books. We had an Alfie treasury from the library for awhile that had wonderful stories.
Z used to be called Poetry when I first started writing on the web about her. She LOVED these books and read them everyday, many times a day, for awhile. She had many of the poems memorized when she was two.
Peter Pan is my favorite children's book of all time. And the original Winnie-the-Pooh (nevermind that Disney drek) are wonderful, clever, and timeless.
These books are very old-fashioned and very sweet. They were just perfect for gentle days or for days that needed gentleness.
My Motives for Blogging
They are threefold
1. So my grandparents and mom and friends can read what their Z is up to. My grandparents and parents live on the other side of the country and don't get to see Z very often. I want them to be able to experience Z growing up. (I should post more pictures, I know)
2. To offer support to other parents with gifted kids, or homeschoolers by sharing what our days are like and what it is like to raise and educate an EG/PG kid. Everyone is different of course but it can be comforting to see other six year olds that are reading adult level books and doing multiplication and division. It is my goal that this blog be at least somewhat helpful to the gifted community. Also I really appreciate being part of the online gifted blogging community and reading comments from people who read graysacademy.
3. Because I like to write. This blog gives me something creative to do. I take a lot more pictures of Z because I know I'll put them on my blog. I try to think about my day in a creative way so I have something interesting to write about. I know I only succeed in making it interesting about once a week *grin* but if you are like me you would rather read less than steller writing everyday than have to wait a week for something inspirational. I do try to write something everyday. And it has been so interesting to go back and look at what I was writing over a year ago and how things have changed and how they stay the same.
1. So my grandparents and mom and friends can read what their Z is up to. My grandparents and parents live on the other side of the country and don't get to see Z very often. I want them to be able to experience Z growing up. (I should post more pictures, I know)
2. To offer support to other parents with gifted kids, or homeschoolers by sharing what our days are like and what it is like to raise and educate an EG/PG kid. Everyone is different of course but it can be comforting to see other six year olds that are reading adult level books and doing multiplication and division. It is my goal that this blog be at least somewhat helpful to the gifted community. Also I really appreciate being part of the online gifted blogging community and reading comments from people who read graysacademy.
3. Because I like to write. This blog gives me something creative to do. I take a lot more pictures of Z because I know I'll put them on my blog. I try to think about my day in a creative way so I have something interesting to write about. I know I only succeed in making it interesting about once a week *grin* but if you are like me you would rather read less than steller writing everyday than have to wait a week for something inspirational. I do try to write something everyday. And it has been so interesting to go back and look at what I was writing over a year ago and how things have changed and how they stay the same.
Monday, April 23, 2007
We had a great day.
Z got a lot of homeschooling done this morning - math, writing, Japanese, science, history, reading and even art!
In the afternoon we did our nine mile round trip ride to piano. It is getting easier and easier.
In the early evening Z went outside to play with the neighborhood girls. They were six, the little girls and two older girls. Pere and I stood around and chatted with the neighbors. We made plans to have one couple over for dinner.
Tonight it was my turn to read to Z and as I had just finished The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit (highly recommended for fantasy loving anglophiles) I needed to pick a new story. I had told Z I would read her a Sherlock Holmes mystery - I am thinking of starting with The Speckled Band.
But tonight I told Z that we were going to "take a stroll down memory lane". I read her some of her favorite picture books from when she was really little
Tikki Tikki Tembo
The Wet Dry book
Madeline
Madeline and the Bad Hat
Maisy makes Lemonade
Makes Clean Up
I tried to read them using the same voice and actions that I did 4 years ago. I wondered if somewhere in her subconscious she recognized the cadence. Especially the Maisy books - she used to have all of those memorized. They were the first books she could read to me - that an Good Night Moon.
Z got a lot of homeschooling done this morning - math, writing, Japanese, science, history, reading and even art!
In the afternoon we did our nine mile round trip ride to piano. It is getting easier and easier.
In the early evening Z went outside to play with the neighborhood girls. They were six, the little girls and two older girls. Pere and I stood around and chatted with the neighbors. We made plans to have one couple over for dinner.
Tonight it was my turn to read to Z and as I had just finished The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit (highly recommended for fantasy loving anglophiles) I needed to pick a new story. I had told Z I would read her a Sherlock Holmes mystery - I am thinking of starting with The Speckled Band.
But tonight I told Z that we were going to "take a stroll down memory lane". I read her some of her favorite picture books from when she was really little
Tikki Tikki Tembo
The Wet Dry book
Madeline
Madeline and the Bad Hat
Maisy makes Lemonade
Makes Clean Up
I tried to read them using the same voice and actions that I did 4 years ago. I wondered if somewhere in her subconscious she recognized the cadence. Especially the Maisy books - she used to have all of those memorized. They were the first books she could read to me - that an Good Night Moon.
Earth Day
Yesterday we did manage to do some things to observe Earth Day.
Z and I each made collages from old Natural History magazines. Z's theme was "What the World Could Look Like if We Stopped Polluting"
and mine was "Being Green."
Then we replanted her hydroponic herb garden into regular pots. The basil had outgrown the container. She is also growing fennel and parsley.
And then we had some friends over and we served them a vegetarian dinner. Pere made vegetarian Thai red curry. I made a cheese, carmelized onion and olive pizza. And for dessert Pere made a recipes that will be familar to those of you who have been to LEGOland - deep fried apple fries with brown sugar. We rounded out the meal with some "organic" Stone Brewery Beer, 100% Organic Blood Orange Juice and organic French Berry Sparkling Lemonade.
I would also like to share some of the things we have been doing (at least what I can remember at the moment, this is not an exhaustive list). These first things we have been doing for years. The second list are things I started either right before New Years or at New Years as part of my resolutions
Live within walking distance to Pere's work (at least for two years, now he is 15 min away by car)
Walk to bookstore, movies, restaurants, grocery store, etc.
Eat less meat
Drive diesel - at least one of our cars, it gets 45 miles to the gallon
Use cloth napkins
Run the air and heat less often
Use appliances during off peak hours
Drink from water filtration center rather than buying single serving bottled water
Donate clothing and toys and household itens
Buy used items when possible instead of new ones
Reuse glass, boxes, wrapping paper, etc for crafts
New:
For science we are studying conservation and the environment
Recycle - our apartment complex doesn't so we drive our recycling out to a center every few days
Light bulbs - we changed them all to compact flourescent
Eat even less meat
Eat locally - Z is good about wanting to check to see how far food had to travel before we buy it
Shop at Farmer's Market
Ride bicycle twice a week instead of driving
Eat organic and whole foods
Grow our own herb garden
Read about 25 books on conservation an environmentalism - like the book It's Easy Being Green and put many of it's ideas into practice
Sometimes I remember to bring my cloth bag to the grocery
Stop eating at McDonalds
Conserve water
Use organic cleaning products
I am going to add one new "green deed" for Earth Day. We are going to buy food (and other sundries) with less packaging. This is all a work in progress and I was already trying to do this but I could do a lot better. I wasn't always thinking about it when I would buy individually wrapped string cheese for Z.
Z and I each made collages from old Natural History magazines. Z's theme was "What the World Could Look Like if We Stopped Polluting"
and mine was "Being Green."
Then we replanted her hydroponic herb garden into regular pots. The basil had outgrown the container. She is also growing fennel and parsley.
And then we had some friends over and we served them a vegetarian dinner. Pere made vegetarian Thai red curry. I made a cheese, carmelized onion and olive pizza. And for dessert Pere made a recipes that will be familar to those of you who have been to LEGOland - deep fried apple fries with brown sugar. We rounded out the meal with some "organic" Stone Brewery Beer, 100% Organic Blood Orange Juice and organic French Berry Sparkling Lemonade.
I would also like to share some of the things we have been doing (at least what I can remember at the moment, this is not an exhaustive list). These first things we have been doing for years. The second list are things I started either right before New Years or at New Years as part of my resolutions
Live within walking distance to Pere's work (at least for two years, now he is 15 min away by car)
Walk to bookstore, movies, restaurants, grocery store, etc.
Eat less meat
Drive diesel - at least one of our cars, it gets 45 miles to the gallon
Use cloth napkins
Run the air and heat less often
Use appliances during off peak hours
Drink from water filtration center rather than buying single serving bottled water
Donate clothing and toys and household itens
Buy used items when possible instead of new ones
Reuse glass, boxes, wrapping paper, etc for crafts
New:
For science we are studying conservation and the environment
Recycle - our apartment complex doesn't so we drive our recycling out to a center every few days
Light bulbs - we changed them all to compact flourescent
Eat even less meat
Eat locally - Z is good about wanting to check to see how far food had to travel before we buy it
Shop at Farmer's Market
Ride bicycle twice a week instead of driving
Eat organic and whole foods
Grow our own herb garden
Read about 25 books on conservation an environmentalism - like the book It's Easy Being Green and put many of it's ideas into practice
Sometimes I remember to bring my cloth bag to the grocery
Stop eating at McDonalds
Conserve water
Use organic cleaning products
I am going to add one new "green deed" for Earth Day. We are going to buy food (and other sundries) with less packaging. This is all a work in progress and I was already trying to do this but I could do a lot better. I wasn't always thinking about it when I would buy individually wrapped string cheese for Z.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Slow Day
Today we took it slow and it was great!
We ate snack food and watched too much television (cartoons, Sherlock Holmes and Poirot) and played board games and read and barely got out of our pajamas. Actually Z's little friend came over after lunch to ask her to come out and play and Z was still in her nightgown! *grin*
We actually had plans to do something to celebrate Earth Day. Well, I did take my recycling to the recycling center. *grin* I dunno, yesterday we were just so busy that I really needed to chill out today and not go to some big festival. Pere also had a busy and stressful work week and I think it was important for his mental health to hang out in his p.j.'s all day. :)
Maybe tomorrow we will do something to mark the day.
We ate snack food and watched too much television (cartoons, Sherlock Holmes and Poirot) and played board games and read and barely got out of our pajamas. Actually Z's little friend came over after lunch to ask her to come out and play and Z was still in her nightgown! *grin*
We actually had plans to do something to celebrate Earth Day. Well, I did take my recycling to the recycling center. *grin* I dunno, yesterday we were just so busy that I really needed to chill out today and not go to some big festival. Pere also had a busy and stressful work week and I think it was important for his mental health to hang out in his p.j.'s all day. :)
Maybe tomorrow we will do something to mark the day.
ice, candles and a sing along
Yesterday Z had a big day
In the morning she went ice skating with a friend.
They did a good job and actually left the side of the rink
but most importantly they had fun!
But we were all quite cold
Then that evening we went down to one our favorite restaurants in Santa Monica to celebrate her grandpere's birthday. Z actually met the husband and wife who own the restaurant. The man drew a picture for her and then sent a bottle of champagne to our table. She had a sip and didn't enoy it. *grin*
Then we went to see the Buffy the Musical - Once More With Feeling - at a theatre. It was a a benefit for pediatric AIDs.
They were also playing an episode of Angel and they were doing to Rocky Horror/Sing-along style.
Z loved it, of course. Here she is with some of the goodies - a Grrrr-Arg doll, a pin, and other things in the Sweet bag
Another goodie from the bag - Vampire Teeth
Striking a pose while we stood in line
In the morning she went ice skating with a friend.
They did a good job and actually left the side of the rink
but most importantly they had fun!
But we were all quite cold
Then that evening we went down to one our favorite restaurants in Santa Monica to celebrate her grandpere's birthday. Z actually met the husband and wife who own the restaurant. The man drew a picture for her and then sent a bottle of champagne to our table. She had a sip and didn't enoy it. *grin*
Then we went to see the Buffy the Musical - Once More With Feeling - at a theatre. It was a a benefit for pediatric AIDs.
They were also playing an episode of Angel and they were doing to Rocky Horror/Sing-along style.
Z loved it, of course. Here she is with some of the goodies - a Grrrr-Arg doll, a pin, and other things in the Sweet bag
Another goodie from the bag - Vampire Teeth
Striking a pose while we stood in line
Friday, April 20, 2007
another example
Here is another example of the weird old-fashioned way that Z talks:
This morning her Pere was giving her a hug before he left for work and she said, "That wasn't a real hug. It was too quick! Don't pain me with your false hugs!"
*shakes head*
This is what comes from reading too much historical fiction. Can you relate?
This morning her Pere was giving her a hug before he left for work and she said, "That wasn't a real hug. It was too quick! Don't pain me with your false hugs!"
*shakes head*
This is what comes from reading too much historical fiction. Can you relate?
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Being a Gifted Advocate
I just volunteered myself to be the "gifted go-to" person for a new public school's homeschool program.
At first I was just writing to the coordinator about Z's specific case and asking if she will be able to grade skip in the homeschool "classes" they are going to provide. I ended up linking to some good articles on Hoagies about HG/EG/ PG kids and offering to have them consult with the Davidson group to set up a suitably accommodating program and then offering my own time to work with them on setting up a program.
Hmmm, so what is going to happen if they are interested? *wry grin*
I guess I would really love the opportunity to help. :)
That is what I was trying to do with this blog. Which is why I decided to take it public again.
I have done a lot of research on giftedness and I know I could use it to help more than just my own daughter. I have a lot of ideas of things I could be doing in this area - both in real life and online.
At first I was just writing to the coordinator about Z's specific case and asking if she will be able to grade skip in the homeschool "classes" they are going to provide. I ended up linking to some good articles on Hoagies about HG/EG/ PG kids and offering to have them consult with the Davidson group to set up a suitably accommodating program and then offering my own time to work with them on setting up a program.
Hmmm, so what is going to happen if they are interested? *wry grin*
I guess I would really love the opportunity to help. :)
That is what I was trying to do with this blog. Which is why I decided to take it public again.
I have done a lot of research on giftedness and I know I could use it to help more than just my own daughter. I have a lot of ideas of things I could be doing in this area - both in real life and online.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Time for myself
When I tell people that I homeschool I often get asked "How do you make time for yourself?"
Really it is not that hard. Z has certain subjects where she doesn't need me at all and I can go take a shower or sequester myself in my room for awhile. I can give her a history or fiction book to read and I just got 30 - 60 minutes to myself.
Then there are subjects where she likes me to be within ear shot so she can ask me questions, but I can be doing other things like laundry or cooking. These days she doesn't need me much for Japanese or writing.
Then there are subjects where I need to sit next to her because she has frequent questions. But still I can check emails or pay bills or read something light, like a magazine. I still like to sit next to her while she is doing EPGY math because they introduce something new almost every class. Also grammar falls in this category.
Of course there are still classes where I am actively engaged in teaching Z. Science, Art (at least the first half, the second half she creates her own thing), piano, voice and usually history. And there are a lot of other times where I am doing something one and one with Z.
But there are also times where she has a playdate and her and her little friend disappear into her room for a couple hours and I am free to write or read. She also takes 4 + hours of classes during the week that I could drop her off at, although I never do. I always stay and read or write. She also likes to play alone in her room for more than an hour every day.
Anytime she needs me I am there. There have been many times where she has walked in on me while I am taking a shower so she can ask me a school (or philosophical) question.
My point is that I am not at a loss for "me time", not really. Of course if she went to school and I didn't have a job I guess I would have a lot more time but that wouldn't really happen. If she was in school I would definitely be working, at least part-time, and then I would have less time to myself than I do now as a full-time homeschooling mom.
Also, not only does homeschooling give me a good amount of time to do my own thing but homeschooling itself is very rewarding. I enjoy it more than any other job I ever had. Maybe I will write about that next time.
Really it is not that hard. Z has certain subjects where she doesn't need me at all and I can go take a shower or sequester myself in my room for awhile. I can give her a history or fiction book to read and I just got 30 - 60 minutes to myself.
Then there are subjects where she likes me to be within ear shot so she can ask me questions, but I can be doing other things like laundry or cooking. These days she doesn't need me much for Japanese or writing.
Then there are subjects where I need to sit next to her because she has frequent questions. But still I can check emails or pay bills or read something light, like a magazine. I still like to sit next to her while she is doing EPGY math because they introduce something new almost every class. Also grammar falls in this category.
Of course there are still classes where I am actively engaged in teaching Z. Science, Art (at least the first half, the second half she creates her own thing), piano, voice and usually history. And there are a lot of other times where I am doing something one and one with Z.
But there are also times where she has a playdate and her and her little friend disappear into her room for a couple hours and I am free to write or read. She also takes 4 + hours of classes during the week that I could drop her off at, although I never do. I always stay and read or write. She also likes to play alone in her room for more than an hour every day.
Anytime she needs me I am there. There have been many times where she has walked in on me while I am taking a shower so she can ask me a school (or philosophical) question.
My point is that I am not at a loss for "me time", not really. Of course if she went to school and I didn't have a job I guess I would have a lot more time but that wouldn't really happen. If she was in school I would definitely be working, at least part-time, and then I would have less time to myself than I do now as a full-time homeschooling mom.
Also, not only does homeschooling give me a good amount of time to do my own thing but homeschooling itself is very rewarding. I enjoy it more than any other job I ever had. Maybe I will write about that next time.
Enter if you dare
*grin*
So I decided to open my blog back up to the public. Please don't throw any virtual tomatoes my way for making you all go through that whole signing up for a google account rigamarole.
So I decided to open my blog back up to the public. Please don't throw any virtual tomatoes my way for making you all go through that whole signing up for a google account rigamarole.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Either Or
Sometimes I feel like we are wasting time and not getting to all the cool things we could be studying.
Othe times I feel like we are wasting time studying all those cool things when we could be at a park on a nature walk, or visiting an art museum or spending the day at the beach collecting sea glass and shells.
Somedays I want to throw my carefully made plans out the window and just spend the day on our bikes, stopping only for sustenance and maybe a nap.
Other days I want to let Z go on playing her made up games in her room for hours and hours, and maybe on those days I would get some writing done.
Today I wanted to help Z write a short book and illustrate it with pictures from Printshop and embellish it with borders and special fonts. But today life got in the way and instead I had to go shopping at three different stores (the inconvenience of trying to eat organic).
I am looking forward to summer coming. But I think I shant wait that long. Maybe spring shall be our time of year to frolic. It gets so hot here in the summer anyway. Perhaps summer is the best time to stay indoors and study. But Spring, on those happy days when the sun and the breeze come together to make the outdoors to inviting, then Z shall be allowed to play barefoot in the gardens and dig in the dirt and pick up bugs and name them and bring them home. And on days where Spring showers make the warmth of home the coziest place to be, well on those days I will help her write a book or have a tea party with my dear Princess Z and forget about plans and lessons and remember play.
Othe times I feel like we are wasting time studying all those cool things when we could be at a park on a nature walk, or visiting an art museum or spending the day at the beach collecting sea glass and shells.
Somedays I want to throw my carefully made plans out the window and just spend the day on our bikes, stopping only for sustenance and maybe a nap.
Other days I want to let Z go on playing her made up games in her room for hours and hours, and maybe on those days I would get some writing done.
Today I wanted to help Z write a short book and illustrate it with pictures from Printshop and embellish it with borders and special fonts. But today life got in the way and instead I had to go shopping at three different stores (the inconvenience of trying to eat organic).
I am looking forward to summer coming. But I think I shant wait that long. Maybe spring shall be our time of year to frolic. It gets so hot here in the summer anyway. Perhaps summer is the best time to stay indoors and study. But Spring, on those happy days when the sun and the breeze come together to make the outdoors to inviting, then Z shall be allowed to play barefoot in the gardens and dig in the dirt and pick up bugs and name them and bring them home. And on days where Spring showers make the warmth of home the coziest place to be, well on those days I will help her write a book or have a tea party with my dear Princess Z and forget about plans and lessons and remember play.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Z quotes
Z says so many weird things every day. Mostly we just laugh (at) with her and if we can remember it at some later date we laugh some more.
Today she was pretending to be a servant girl to the royal family and helping the royal cook (Pere) make dinner for the Royal family.
She would tell Pere what to say to order her around. "Pretend you tell me that I am not allowed to sit down while we are cooking because I am only a servant." and Pere would oblige.
At one point she yells out "What do you think I am? Some kind of dwarf you can order around!" LOL
Also, at her request, Pere told her that she was only a servant so she couldn't have ravioli for dinner but had to eat gruel instead, to which she responded "What do you think I am!?? Some kind of animal?? If I was an animal I would b very feathery!"
!!!
*shakes head*
I find her so hilarious.
Today she was pretending to be a servant girl to the royal family and helping the royal cook (Pere) make dinner for the Royal family.
She would tell Pere what to say to order her around. "Pretend you tell me that I am not allowed to sit down while we are cooking because I am only a servant." and Pere would oblige.
At one point she yells out "What do you think I am? Some kind of dwarf you can order around!" LOL
Also, at her request, Pere told her that she was only a servant so she couldn't have ravioli for dinner but had to eat gruel instead, to which she responded "What do you think I am!?? Some kind of animal?? If I was an animal I would b very feathery!"
!!!
*shakes head*
I find her so hilarious.
Colorado
We have some friends who have a sheep ranch in Colorado. They also raise free range chickens and geese and have a donkey and a few horses.
A couple times Pere and I have gone there and helped them during the lamping season. When Z was four we took her along and she helped Pere and I with taking care of the rest of the farm while our friends handled the birthing of 40 ewes.
The guest house is a 1930's kit house.
she loved it and would have fit in well as a girl in another era
Her main job was hand feeding the gosling
feeding the chickens
petting some lambs
having a snack
Picked a dandelion
caught one of the chickens
hugging one of the giant farm dogs
feeding hay to the donkey
singing to herself
Relaxing at the neighbors winery. (she just had water!)
Hopefully we will be able to take another trip there next spring.
A couple times Pere and I have gone there and helped them during the lamping season. When Z was four we took her along and she helped Pere and I with taking care of the rest of the farm while our friends handled the birthing of 40 ewes.
The guest house is a 1930's kit house.
she loved it and would have fit in well as a girl in another era
Her main job was hand feeding the gosling
feeding the chickens
petting some lambs
having a snack
Picked a dandelion
caught one of the chickens
hugging one of the giant farm dogs
feeding hay to the donkey
singing to herself
Relaxing at the neighbors winery. (she just had water!)
Hopefully we will be able to take another trip there next spring.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
two songs by Z
Today at dinner Z wrote down two songs
Fairies (Fays)
Halle Elhaen ((editors note - this means Hello, friend in fairy) Fairies
Come here, play with me
Give me flowers, give me leaves
I love you fairies
Play with me
and the next one was
Inside the Forest
Deep Dark in the
Heart of the forest
Forest Fairies are there
They flit, they fly
Making a party
as hard as they try
Their race is the smartest
of them all
Come and play with me
After she wrote them down she sang them very sweetly to us.
The first song she sang in happy but slightly wistful voice and the second song in a eeiry and more wistful voice.
I am worried that Z is coming down with a cold too. She has been crying a lot today. She cried because a movie scared her and she was afraid to go into the bathroom. She cried because she spilled her soup at dinner. And she cried because she banged her leg on the stairs. Poor girl. Usually when she has been crying like this she ends up having a cold the next day.
If it isn't a cold I wonder what it is. She was also really sad because she said the day went by too fast and all she got to do was build a robot with Pere. I reminded her that she did a lot:
She watched cartoons, she had breakfast, she played in her room, she built a robot, she played Scrabble, she had lunch, she played in her room, she went swimming, we went to the bookstore, we went to the library, we went out to dinner, and we watched a movie. That is a lot, right?
The thing is that Z is a homebody and she especially likes to be home on the weekends and play with her father.
Fairies (Fays)
Halle Elhaen ((editors note - this means Hello, friend in fairy) Fairies
Come here, play with me
Give me flowers, give me leaves
I love you fairies
Play with me
and the next one was
Inside the Forest
Deep Dark in the
Heart of the forest
Forest Fairies are there
They flit, they fly
Making a party
as hard as they try
Their race is the smartest
of them all
Come and play with me
After she wrote them down she sang them very sweetly to us.
The first song she sang in happy but slightly wistful voice and the second song in a eeiry and more wistful voice.
I am worried that Z is coming down with a cold too. She has been crying a lot today. She cried because a movie scared her and she was afraid to go into the bathroom. She cried because she spilled her soup at dinner. And she cried because she banged her leg on the stairs. Poor girl. Usually when she has been crying like this she ends up having a cold the next day.
If it isn't a cold I wonder what it is. She was also really sad because she said the day went by too fast and all she got to do was build a robot with Pere. I reminded her that she did a lot:
She watched cartoons, she had breakfast, she played in her room, she built a robot, she played Scrabble, she had lunch, she played in her room, she went swimming, we went to the bookstore, we went to the library, we went out to dinner, and we watched a movie. That is a lot, right?
The thing is that Z is a homebody and she especially likes to be home on the weekends and play with her father.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Z's friend
Z has a little friend who is PG. They have known each other since both girls were three.
When this girl was 3 1/2 I was blown away cause she was doing long division. She is _very_ advanced in math and science and in memorization. English is not really her first language so I am not sure where she is in that subject area.
Anyway today we were hanging out with them at the library. Z had found a book on rocks and minerals and I reading through the glossary in the back to find her favorite stones and them looking them up in the book and reading about them.
My friend was reading a book with her daughter about Iron. I overheard her ask her daughter "what is the atomic number of iron?" and her, just turned six year old daughter replied "Twenty-six" so then they started discussing it's electron shell configuration...
wow.
When her daughter stepped away I asked my friend "She just knew the number was 26?" and my friend said 'Yes, we study the period table." *grin*
This little girl always amazes me.
When this girl was 3 1/2 I was blown away cause she was doing long division. She is _very_ advanced in math and science and in memorization. English is not really her first language so I am not sure where she is in that subject area.
Anyway today we were hanging out with them at the library. Z had found a book on rocks and minerals and I reading through the glossary in the back to find her favorite stones and them looking them up in the book and reading about them.
My friend was reading a book with her daughter about Iron. I overheard her ask her daughter "what is the atomic number of iron?" and her, just turned six year old daughter replied "Twenty-six" so then they started discussing it's electron shell configuration...
wow.
When her daughter stepped away I asked my friend "She just knew the number was 26?" and my friend said 'Yes, we study the period table." *grin*
This little girl always amazes me.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Dog Catchers and Detectives
Today when I was driving Z to voice lesson we saw a medium sized white dog (with silky curly poodle type hair) running out in the middle of a busy street.
I turned the car around and followed it and parked the car and called for it. I got it to come to me and I saw it had no tag on it's collar. I wasn't sure what to do. We were already quite late for Z's lesson from chasing after the dog.
So I called my husband and asked what I should do. He said it probably knows its own way back home.
So we left it and went to Voice. But Z was crying all the way. She worried that it would get hit by a car, or that maybe it was lost, or abandonded. We both felt really bad.
So after class we drove back the same way and looked for the dog. But we couldn't find it. Z cried some more. :(
When we got home Z went online and googled LA animals shelters and then looked for the dog online. I didn't think it would be online yet. I called around at local shelters but I could only leave messages. So we don't know what happened to that poor dog.
For lunch I told Z she could watch t.v.. She could have watched Looney Tunes or Smurfs or some other cartoon. But she said she really wanted to watch Agatha Christies Poirot. Then she laughed at Hastings bad ideas and Poirots silly mannerisms and tried to figure out "who done it" :)
I turned the car around and followed it and parked the car and called for it. I got it to come to me and I saw it had no tag on it's collar. I wasn't sure what to do. We were already quite late for Z's lesson from chasing after the dog.
So I called my husband and asked what I should do. He said it probably knows its own way back home.
So we left it and went to Voice. But Z was crying all the way. She worried that it would get hit by a car, or that maybe it was lost, or abandonded. We both felt really bad.
So after class we drove back the same way and looked for the dog. But we couldn't find it. Z cried some more. :(
When we got home Z went online and googled LA animals shelters and then looked for the dog online. I didn't think it would be online yet. I called around at local shelters but I could only leave messages. So we don't know what happened to that poor dog.
For lunch I told Z she could watch t.v.. She could have watched Looney Tunes or Smurfs or some other cartoon. But she said she really wanted to watch Agatha Christies Poirot. Then she laughed at Hastings bad ideas and Poirots silly mannerisms and tried to figure out "who done it" :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Keepsakes
Tonight instead of reading to Z from Enchanted Castle we looked at the things in her room and talked about them.
On her bookshelf:
"See that? That Marsupilami? Do you remember where you got that?"
"Yes, M, our student from Belgium."
"That grasshopper made out of palm fronds?"
"Hawaii! What about that fan and parasol?"
"Your Grandmere brought you those from Spain. See that box with the yellow flowers on it, your Tante Juliet made that for you.
Then the things stuck to her wall on the corkboard and keepsake board:
"Remember where you got that fan?"
"Paris!"
"Look here is your name tag from the Gathering and here is your name tag when you worked at my bookstore."
"Tell me about the Playbills"
"Well Les Miserables was in San Francisco and we saw Wicked when you were 4 1/2. It was my birthday present. And here is your medal from karate and your honorable mention from your piano competition. And here is a picture of you with your librarian and here is one with the director from your old preschool..."
I went on for a little while describe more of her artifacts. They are really just a small percentage of the mementos I have saved for her. I really love them. I know they mean so much more to me than they do Z. But she did really enjoy me telling her the stories behind all the things in her room.
:)
On her bookshelf:
"See that? That Marsupilami? Do you remember where you got that?"
"Yes, M, our student from Belgium."
"That grasshopper made out of palm fronds?"
"Hawaii! What about that fan and parasol?"
"Your Grandmere brought you those from Spain. See that box with the yellow flowers on it, your Tante Juliet made that for you.
Then the things stuck to her wall on the corkboard and keepsake board:
"Remember where you got that fan?"
"Paris!"
"Look here is your name tag from the Gathering and here is your name tag when you worked at my bookstore."
"Tell me about the Playbills"
"Well Les Miserables was in San Francisco and we saw Wicked when you were 4 1/2. It was my birthday present. And here is your medal from karate and your honorable mention from your piano competition. And here is a picture of you with your librarian and here is one with the director from your old preschool..."
I went on for a little while describe more of her artifacts. They are really just a small percentage of the mementos I have saved for her. I really love them. I know they mean so much more to me than they do Z. But she did really enjoy me telling her the stories behind all the things in her room.
:)
Monday, April 09, 2007
Our homeschooling
Math EPGY - beginning algebra (problems like Mary and Sue have 17 apples, Mary has 7 more than Sue. M - S = ?, M = ? and S = ?) and division
Japanese - writing about her weekend in hiragana
Writing - 1st Draft of article about her favorite holiday (Hanukkah)
Language Arts - going over misspelled words from above article
Science - Read about wetlands and learned about how buffer zones protect bodies of water. Made a model of a buffer zone.
History - Read half of chapter of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (First Quest for Sir Launcelot)
Art - Read about carving and made her own soap carving of a butterfly
Reading - Read Baldwin Tales - Robert the Bruce and the spider and King Alfred the Great and the Cakes
Singing - Practiced new songs - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, I wanna be like you (from the Jungle Book) and Beauty and the Beast.
P.E. - Rode bike for 1 hour and 20 minutes
Piano - lesson w/ composing
And here is a picture of Z , from this weekend, in her Grandmere's backyard. She had decorated it with the pink petals. (She didn't pull them off the planet but found them on the ground under the bush)
Japanese - writing about her weekend in hiragana
Writing - 1st Draft of article about her favorite holiday (Hanukkah)
Language Arts - going over misspelled words from above article
Science - Read about wetlands and learned about how buffer zones protect bodies of water. Made a model of a buffer zone.
History - Read half of chapter of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (First Quest for Sir Launcelot)
Art - Read about carving and made her own soap carving of a butterfly
Reading - Read Baldwin Tales - Robert the Bruce and the spider and King Alfred the Great and the Cakes
Singing - Practiced new songs - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, I wanna be like you (from the Jungle Book) and Beauty and the Beast.
P.E. - Rode bike for 1 hour and 20 minutes
Piano - lesson w/ composing
And here is a picture of Z , from this weekend, in her Grandmere's backyard. She had decorated it with the pink petals. (She didn't pull them off the planet but found them on the ground under the bush)
Singing and Adventures
Today we rode the bike with the trail-a-bike to piano again. I am getting faster at it. It only took about 20 minutes to go 4.5 miles. I have to go somewhat slower because I have Z attached - partly for safety and partly because with her bike and her I am toting another 60lbs.
On the way there Z made up a song about Morgana Le Fey sung to the tune of Cruella De Vil. I thought that was pretty cool. :)
Before we went into piano I told Z that I really want her to be a good girl and listen to the teacher and not argue and to just do what she says. I said that I want her to be noticably good so that I, and her teacher, would give her compliments. And guess what? She was and we did! Her teacher didn't even know about what I said and she told Z "You were so good today. This is how you always should be because then we get to do fun extra composing at the end."
Because Z listened and tried to do what the teacher said they got through their normal work early and they had extra time to do a composing game that Z really enjoyed. :)
On the ride back I thought I would try taking a different route. I ended up riding all around and even back-tracking some trying to find a way around a huge hill that I didn't realize that between me and our house. Eventually we just got off our bikes and walked them up a huge five block hillside. The ride down hill would have been the bonus if I didn't have Z on the back. I was worried about going too fast with her so I hit the brakes a lot.
It ended up taking me an hour to get home. But it was a fun time and a good workout. Z made up a song about team work on the way home. It was really cute.
On the way there Z made up a song about Morgana Le Fey sung to the tune of Cruella De Vil. I thought that was pretty cool. :)
Before we went into piano I told Z that I really want her to be a good girl and listen to the teacher and not argue and to just do what she says. I said that I want her to be noticably good so that I, and her teacher, would give her compliments. And guess what? She was and we did! Her teacher didn't even know about what I said and she told Z "You were so good today. This is how you always should be because then we get to do fun extra composing at the end."
Because Z listened and tried to do what the teacher said they got through their normal work early and they had extra time to do a composing game that Z really enjoyed. :)
On the ride back I thought I would try taking a different route. I ended up riding all around and even back-tracking some trying to find a way around a huge hill that I didn't realize that between me and our house. Eventually we just got off our bikes and walked them up a huge five block hillside. The ride down hill would have been the bonus if I didn't have Z on the back. I was worried about going too fast with her so I hit the brakes a lot.
It ended up taking me an hour to get home. But it was a fun time and a good workout. Z made up a song about team work on the way home. It was really cute.
Boomerang and King Arthur
Last night I ordered some more cable channels, including Boomerang for Z and Biography (they show Poirot episodes) for me.
This morning I had several shows recorded that we could watch together at lunch time, including Smurfs, Flintstones, and Looney Tunes.
When Z was a baby and toddler we had a channel that played Looney Tunes and we recorded a bunch for her and used to watch them sometimes. Looney Tunes are my very very favorite cartoon from my childhood and still in my top five favorite t.v. shows of all time.
When Z was 18 months old I read The Plug In Drug and we pretty much stopped all t.v. for Z (except movies on the weekend.) Eventually we brought back some shows, but mostly grown-up shows like Buffy.
So really Z probably doesn't remember watching Looney Tunes and I think she has only seen a few episodes since she was a little toddler.
So for lunch we are watching the newly recorded Looney Tunes and I was so very pleased to see that the first episode was The Wild Hare, which was the first official episodes with Bugs Bunny! It was so classic! It was the first ime Bugs kissed Fudd, and pretended to die and said "What's up Doc'?" *big grin*
Z is laughing and laughing and I am reminded of what a clever show this is and how many great references it has. I am soooo glad we got Boomerang. I know I said it was for Z but I guess you can tell I like it a bit too. ;)
As for King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table... well today Z told me that reading that book is her favorite part of homeschooling these days. I am impressed because the language is really old-fashioned. It reminds me of Shakespeare because they say things like "How now, good Knight? What cheer?"
This morning I had several shows recorded that we could watch together at lunch time, including Smurfs, Flintstones, and Looney Tunes.
When Z was a baby and toddler we had a channel that played Looney Tunes and we recorded a bunch for her and used to watch them sometimes. Looney Tunes are my very very favorite cartoon from my childhood and still in my top five favorite t.v. shows of all time.
When Z was 18 months old I read The Plug In Drug and we pretty much stopped all t.v. for Z (except movies on the weekend.) Eventually we brought back some shows, but mostly grown-up shows like Buffy.
So really Z probably doesn't remember watching Looney Tunes and I think she has only seen a few episodes since she was a little toddler.
So for lunch we are watching the newly recorded Looney Tunes and I was so very pleased to see that the first episode was The Wild Hare, which was the first official episodes with Bugs Bunny! It was so classic! It was the first ime Bugs kissed Fudd, and pretended to die and said "What's up Doc'?" *big grin*
Z is laughing and laughing and I am reminded of what a clever show this is and how many great references it has. I am soooo glad we got Boomerang. I know I said it was for Z but I guess you can tell I like it a bit too. ;)
As for King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table... well today Z told me that reading that book is her favorite part of homeschooling these days. I am impressed because the language is really old-fashioned. It reminds me of Shakespeare because they say things like "How now, good Knight? What cheer?"
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Last night celebrated Tante Juliet's birthday. We ate at a Japanese Teppan restaurant. Z was excited to be able to speak Japanese to the staff but our server and cook we both American. *wry grin*
This morning, after watching cartoons, Z went out with Pere and collected kindling. Then Pere showed her how to start a fire, in our fireplace, with flint and steel. Pere is really into the outdoors and survival skills and he has taken responsibility for teaching Z how to do some of those things.
This afternoon we have a Lakers game and then Z and Pere have a plan to work on some LEGO projects. Some of Pere's spaceship were knocked around by the cats and bits have fallen off of them. They are going to fix them up.
I have been entertaining myself cleaning. (yes, I like to clean.) I cleaned out both cars yesterday and today I organized Z's room. I love doing that. I like to move things around so that they seem more appealing to Z. Today I took out all her play jewelry and set it next to a pretty tabletop mirror and Z was very excited to see them. But, funny kid that she is, she decided to use the jewels to represent food and "cooked" up a feast.
This morning, after watching cartoons, Z went out with Pere and collected kindling. Then Pere showed her how to start a fire, in our fireplace, with flint and steel. Pere is really into the outdoors and survival skills and he has taken responsibility for teaching Z how to do some of those things.
This afternoon we have a Lakers game and then Z and Pere have a plan to work on some LEGO projects. Some of Pere's spaceship were knocked around by the cats and bits have fallen off of them. They are going to fix them up.
I have been entertaining myself cleaning. (yes, I like to clean.) I cleaned out both cars yesterday and today I organized Z's room. I love doing that. I like to move things around so that they seem more appealing to Z. Today I took out all her play jewelry and set it next to a pretty tabletop mirror and Z was very excited to see them. But, funny kid that she is, she decided to use the jewels to represent food and "cooked" up a feast.
Friday, April 06, 2007
What else happened this week
This morning I took Z to see the musical Annie at the local theatre. It was very well done. I have never seen the musical and I was surprised to see some musical numbers that aren't in the movie.
I got back the test results (of you could call it that) from Z's recent I.Q. test with the local school. Basically it just says that she qualifies for their highest level programs, which are for highly gifted kids.
Wednesday I worked out so hard that yesterday I could barely walk. LOL. I felt like someone beat me with a baseball bat. *ouch*
Z's ticcing has disappeared for the time being. That is good news.
Z did end up going on 3 auditions with week but one was a callback for the first one she went to on Monday. That one was for the L.A. Film Festival. It looks like she didn't get the part but I really want to see the commercial anyway. It had a really clever script. But still I was tired of the driving on the first day back. *sigh* We are trying out the new , supposedly less busy acting arrangement. We will see how it goes.
Periodically I ask Z what she wants to be when she grows up and she says "An astronaut. And a Doctor. Maybe a Doctor for Aliens. (she has used the term Zenobiologist before). And a mommy... and a fairy princess."
*grin*
I got back the test results (of you could call it that) from Z's recent I.Q. test with the local school. Basically it just says that she qualifies for their highest level programs, which are for highly gifted kids.
Wednesday I worked out so hard that yesterday I could barely walk. LOL. I felt like someone beat me with a baseball bat. *ouch*
Z's ticcing has disappeared for the time being. That is good news.
Z did end up going on 3 auditions with week but one was a callback for the first one she went to on Monday. That one was for the L.A. Film Festival. It looks like she didn't get the part but I really want to see the commercial anyway. It had a really clever script. But still I was tired of the driving on the first day back. *sigh* We are trying out the new , supposedly less busy acting arrangement. We will see how it goes.
Periodically I ask Z what she wants to be when she grows up and she says "An astronaut. And a Doctor. Maybe a Doctor for Aliens. (she has used the term Zenobiologist before). And a mommy... and a fairy princess."
*grin*
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Eragon
Anyone's kid read Eragon? Z is just starting it and I wonder if it is too mature (i.e. is there sex in it?) I am checking it out now but I would appreciate feedback from you all if you have any.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Lists
Lists really work well for me and through me they benefit Z as well.
I know pretty much exactly what we are going to work on each day for homeschooling. I know pretty well what order we are going to do the different subjects in. I have a list.
I know which resources we are going to use on different days. For example, for science we do Planet Patrol and an experiment on Monday, she works in her Theme book on Tuesday, Thursday is Brainpop ( I also have a list for that) and Friday we read science books.
Now of course it doesn't always work out that way and I am really flexible on that. Yesterday we read our science library book instead of doing her theme book.
Having that list keeps me from being lazy and getting off track. My lists help me make sure that we actually get to art and geography. I helps me do the hands-on experiments instead of just learning everything through books.
My lists help me actually use some of the wonderful resources that I spent hours researching.
But my lists are nothing more than "what could be." If something better or more interesting comes up my lists don't keep me from doing them.
Besides my predeliction for list making I really love finding just the right educational resources and designing curriculum tailored to Z's interests, strengths and weaknesses. All this is part of the reason why unschooling is not a comfortable option for us.
I know pretty much exactly what we are going to work on each day for homeschooling. I know pretty well what order we are going to do the different subjects in. I have a list.
I know which resources we are going to use on different days. For example, for science we do Planet Patrol and an experiment on Monday, she works in her Theme book on Tuesday, Thursday is Brainpop ( I also have a list for that) and Friday we read science books.
Now of course it doesn't always work out that way and I am really flexible on that. Yesterday we read our science library book instead of doing her theme book.
Having that list keeps me from being lazy and getting off track. My lists help me make sure that we actually get to art and geography. I helps me do the hands-on experiments instead of just learning everything through books.
My lists help me actually use some of the wonderful resources that I spent hours researching.
But my lists are nothing more than "what could be." If something better or more interesting comes up my lists don't keep me from doing them.
Besides my predeliction for list making I really love finding just the right educational resources and designing curriculum tailored to Z's interests, strengths and weaknesses. All this is part of the reason why unschooling is not a comfortable option for us.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Chores
So Z does chores.
She has almost always been doing chores and we have never be okay with her complaining or displaying a bad attitude about her chores.
When she was still crawling (so before she was 9 months old) I used to keep her books on the bottom shelf and her toys in baskets on the floor. Before bed we would play a "game" where she would crawl her toys and books back to their home. To her it was just another game - kids like putting things in baskets. :) It became second nature to her to tidy up after herself.
Now I don't mean to say that she doesn't kick her shoes off and leave them in the middle of the floor or brush her hair and leave the brush on the dining table. But when I ask her to put her things where they belong she does it without any hard feelings because it is ingrained in her that things belong in their place.
(Does that sound anal? *grin*)
When she was still in diapers she started helping me do the laundry. Then, as now, Z was my little shadow and wanted to do everything with me. So when I started doing Flylady and began doing the laundry every morning Z was right there and wanting to help. So I taught her how to sort the laundry into colors, darks and whites.
Soon after that she started putting the sorted clothes right into the washer and adding soap.
When she was 3 she attempted to make her bed every morning. You couldn't bounce a quarter off of it by any means but that wasn't the point. It was more about making her a member of our home in yet another way. She is not just a child but a member of our family that was capable of providing a useful service.
When she was 4 she was really into The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She loved me to give her a rag and order her to scrub the floor. Seriously! She learned a lot about applying elbow grease to various jobs around the house during that phase.
At some point last year she got tall enough to put the dirty dishes in the sink and now she is even rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher.
She also makes her own lunch sometimes and helps her father cook. She watches over the cats and does a great many other small things for us and for herself.
Sometimes it makes her proud and sometimes she doesn't feel like it. But, just like Pere and myself, she has learned to take care of her responsibilities with a good attitude and I think that is so important. Not to be preachy but I don't see many kids learning this lesson these days (or even in my day) but I think being of real use to your family helps provide true self-esteem to child and young adults as well as preparing them to some day live successfully on their own.
She has almost always been doing chores and we have never be okay with her complaining or displaying a bad attitude about her chores.
When she was still crawling (so before she was 9 months old) I used to keep her books on the bottom shelf and her toys in baskets on the floor. Before bed we would play a "game" where she would crawl her toys and books back to their home. To her it was just another game - kids like putting things in baskets. :) It became second nature to her to tidy up after herself.
Now I don't mean to say that she doesn't kick her shoes off and leave them in the middle of the floor or brush her hair and leave the brush on the dining table. But when I ask her to put her things where they belong she does it without any hard feelings because it is ingrained in her that things belong in their place.
(Does that sound anal? *grin*)
When she was still in diapers she started helping me do the laundry. Then, as now, Z was my little shadow and wanted to do everything with me. So when I started doing Flylady and began doing the laundry every morning Z was right there and wanting to help. So I taught her how to sort the laundry into colors, darks and whites.
Soon after that she started putting the sorted clothes right into the washer and adding soap.
When she was 3 she attempted to make her bed every morning. You couldn't bounce a quarter off of it by any means but that wasn't the point. It was more about making her a member of our home in yet another way. She is not just a child but a member of our family that was capable of providing a useful service.
When she was 4 she was really into The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She loved me to give her a rag and order her to scrub the floor. Seriously! She learned a lot about applying elbow grease to various jobs around the house during that phase.
At some point last year she got tall enough to put the dirty dishes in the sink and now she is even rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher.
She also makes her own lunch sometimes and helps her father cook. She watches over the cats and does a great many other small things for us and for herself.
Sometimes it makes her proud and sometimes she doesn't feel like it. But, just like Pere and myself, she has learned to take care of her responsibilities with a good attitude and I think that is so important. Not to be preachy but I don't see many kids learning this lesson these days (or even in my day) but I think being of real use to your family helps provide true self-esteem to child and young adults as well as preparing them to some day live successfully on their own.
Japanese update
Z's Japanese tutor left today for a two week trip back home to Tokyo. For homework she asked Z to write in a journal every day in Japanese.
She wants her to write the date and day of the week on the top and then write what things she did and what time and, if she has time, write it in hirgana rather than romaji.
I love this assignment because I think it is pretty hard but at the same time just the right thing for Z to move ahead in her studies. Z will have to refer to her notes a lot at first I think but in two weeks I think she will have gotten used to writing the time and about what she does on a daily basis that she will have expanded her memorized vocabulary greatly.
Today she wrote "I woke up at seven. I did Yoga at eight" in romaji and hiragana. That was all the time she had before we had leave to have lunch with Pere and then go to her Science class.
*************
My friend complimented Z very nicely today. She said that Z always pays attention in Science class and always behaves herself and seems very interested. I was happy to hear that. :)
She wants her to write the date and day of the week on the top and then write what things she did and what time and, if she has time, write it in hirgana rather than romaji.
I love this assignment because I think it is pretty hard but at the same time just the right thing for Z to move ahead in her studies. Z will have to refer to her notes a lot at first I think but in two weeks I think she will have gotten used to writing the time and about what she does on a daily basis that she will have expanded her memorized vocabulary greatly.
Today she wrote "I woke up at seven. I did Yoga at eight" in romaji and hiragana. That was all the time she had before we had leave to have lunch with Pere and then go to her Science class.
*************
My friend complimented Z very nicely today. She said that Z always pays attention in Science class and always behaves herself and seems very interested. I was happy to hear that. :)
Monday, April 02, 2007
Morning Update and an audition
This is what Z did for homeschooling today:
Yoga and pilates
EPGY math - commutative law of multiplication
Japanese - created a calander of months and weeks written in Japanese and filled out with personal information and then answered 30 questions regarding months and weeks. Like "What month is your birthday in?"
Wrote first draft of article "My Greatest Goal".
Read four pages from Planet Patrol book for science and then did an experiment outdoors indentifying things in our topsoil. Read about the Dust Bowl of the American midwest during the Depression. Researched millipedes on the internet.
Read the Math storybook Sir Cumference and the First Round Table.
Read about the history of Cartooning and drew a caricature of her Pere and a comic strip starring her original character Super Cell.
During lunch she watched a Magic School Bus episode on bees and honey.
******************
Z agency called today and asked if she was ready to start going on auditions again. I explained that she had been feeling burned out and asked what they suggested we do. They were surprising accomodating and said that they could just send her out on T.V., movie and national commercials. They said that a month might go by without her have any auditions but sometimes she could have a couple a week.
I talked to Z about this and she smiled and nodded. We agreed to try it.
But then they also asked if Z would go on one today. They said it was very dialogue intensive and they thought that would be a great opportunity for Z to stand out. Z looked over the "sides" for it and saw the amount of dialogue and then told me to write back her agency and tell them "Yes."
Yoga and pilates
EPGY math - commutative law of multiplication
Japanese - created a calander of months and weeks written in Japanese and filled out with personal information and then answered 30 questions regarding months and weeks. Like "What month is your birthday in?"
Wrote first draft of article "My Greatest Goal".
Read four pages from Planet Patrol book for science and then did an experiment outdoors indentifying things in our topsoil. Read about the Dust Bowl of the American midwest during the Depression. Researched millipedes on the internet.
Read the Math storybook Sir Cumference and the First Round Table.
Read about the history of Cartooning and drew a caricature of her Pere and a comic strip starring her original character Super Cell.
During lunch she watched a Magic School Bus episode on bees and honey.
******************
Z agency called today and asked if she was ready to start going on auditions again. I explained that she had been feeling burned out and asked what they suggested we do. They were surprising accomodating and said that they could just send her out on T.V., movie and national commercials. They said that a month might go by without her have any auditions but sometimes she could have a couple a week.
I talked to Z about this and she smiled and nodded. We agreed to try it.
But then they also asked if Z would go on one today. They said it was very dialogue intensive and they thought that would be a great opportunity for Z to stand out. Z looked over the "sides" for it and saw the amount of dialogue and then told me to write back her agency and tell them "Yes."
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Daddy Time
Z really loves the weekend when she gets to play with her Pere.
This morning she got out some mensa quiz cards (I found them when own the bookstore.) and she and her Pere worked through a few of them. They also played chess this weekend and lots of rough-house games invoving balls.
I am so happy for Z that she has this close relationship with her father. He teaches her chess and math and how to cook and everything about basketball and helps her practice piano He reads her her bedtime story every other night (right now they are reading Magic Kingdom for Sale).
This weekend he was also teaching her the Four Questions for Passover in Hebrew. For the last 6 years she has been the youngest at the seder but this was the first year we got it together enough to teach her.
Today we also saw Meet the Robinsons. It a really good! It is funny and sweet and quick.
This morning she got out some mensa quiz cards (I found them when own the bookstore.) and she and her Pere worked through a few of them. They also played chess this weekend and lots of rough-house games invoving balls.
I am so happy for Z that she has this close relationship with her father. He teaches her chess and math and how to cook and everything about basketball and helps her practice piano He reads her her bedtime story every other night (right now they are reading Magic Kingdom for Sale).
This weekend he was also teaching her the Four Questions for Passover in Hebrew. For the last 6 years she has been the youngest at the seder but this was the first year we got it together enough to teach her.
Today we also saw Meet the Robinsons. It a really good! It is funny and sweet and quick.
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