Weekly Report 19 September - 23 September

Jerry's parents came from "out west" to visit us this week. I am so thankful that our homeschool schedule allowed the girls to spend lots of time with their grandparents! I did not take pictures for some reason, but I believe the girls have many sweet memories saved in their hearts.

Very little school got done, according to legal requirements, but there was much enrichment. Both girls learned to ride bikes without training wheels in the past 10 days. Nutmeg has never been much interested in bikes. When she saw her little sister zooming about without training wheels, something clicked in Nutmeg's brain. While Jerry and I were at a wedding this past weekend, Nutmeg called us to tell us she had learned how to ride without training wheels on her sister's bike. Guess who has a new bike? ;) The secret, by the way, is finding a gentle, grassy slope, and letting the child learn what balance feels like.

Buttercup and I took a very wet walk and observed different forms of spider webs and different kinds of evergreens all bejewelled with rain drops. Buttercup also informed me of her desire to have an ant farm. I said yes, meaning a contained, purchased ant farm. Buttercup misunderstood, and I caught her heading out with a plastic container... Let me know if you have ant farm recommendations!

We also had an unusual Nature Sketch experience. I kept seeing these gorgeous sunflowers on the side of the road. I pulled over, and the girls observed and sketched...looking out the car window! I wonder what Anna Botsford Comstock would think!

The girls and I also sketched this cleome from our garden. Buttercup and I collected and scattered the seeds, but Nutmeg does not like to touch Nature these days.

Cleome is commonly called "spider flower," which reminds me of a story that I forgot to tell you, Mom. 2 weeks ago, while driving the girls from music, I heard gasps and sputterings from the back of the van culminating in the following:

"You have a spider on your head!!! AAAKKKKK!"

"Girls, that is not funny. You cannot play tricks on the driver!"

"We're not lying, Mommie! You have a spider on your head! Look in the mirror!"

Gentle Readers, I looked in the rear view mirror. There was a rather bulky arachnid on my head rest.

I switched into Super Mommie Mode. (Unlike that long ago day before children, when I just jumped out of the car and let the car plow through the garage door,) I waited calmly at the red light and then turned into a parking lot and divested myself of the wee beastie. Ick.

Composer and Artist Study got pushed back a bit this week. We still had last week's pictures displayed and listened to Corelli in the car, but we did not get to to the reading and narrating I planned. I can't be sad about an extra week of Rubens or Corelli though! We are doing picture study on the painting of this lady today.

The sun is shining this morning after a night of much-needed rain. I think Buttercup and I will read Not Only For Ducks: The Story of Rainthis morning. I learned about this series on this post.

I hope you all had enriching studies this week!