Weekly Report 14 November - 18 November

It has been an interesting week to say the least!

Saturday

Louisiana Man helped me with science. I am intimidated by science projects and experiments. Louisiana Man engineered a balance and hung it from the ceiling fan/light. He thought it was an improvement on the design in the book and triumphantly called me to come take a look.

Louisiana Man: And people wondered why I got a Master's degree!

Michele: Um, Honey, your Master's was in Anglo-Saxon literature.

Louisiana Man: Yes, and it broadened my mind.

Michele: 'K

Then it was off to the first of two birthday parties this week. Never fear, Mommy Lawyer's husband kept the peace with his pink light saber! ;)

Monday

We got a bit of extra work done on Monday because Nutmeg had no violin lesson. It is amazing how much time is spent on driving around here!

There just happened to be a Degas painting featured on Monday in our beloved Metropolitan Museum Art Calendar. I was lazy and decided that would do for the week's Picture Study. Then we read Degas and the Dance. It is a wonderful introduction to the artist and some of his works. I am hoping that my little ballerinas will continue to look through it in the coming weeks.

We went light on art this week, but I do have more Degas activities planned.

I recently discovered Anna Nilsen's books, and Nutmeg has enjoyed solving the puzzles in two of her books. We have had the game Art Shark which is also by Nilsen. I hope we can start playing it this coming week.

Nutmeg is still perfecting Tchaikovsky's piano piece Mazurka, and we listened to Tchaikovsky Discovers America by Classical Kids.

Tuesday

Tuesday's school work included the "usual suspects." We began SOTW vol 3 chapter 7 and learned about tobacco and "unwilling colonists." The girls were not thrilled about the pictures I found of smokers' lungs. They weren't thrilled about the pictures of healthy lungs either!

Buttercup did a fantastic book report on Magic Treehouse's Thanksgiving on Thursday. I have a love-hate relationship with this series. Make that like-hate. The writing is abysmal, but the stories are just so darn handy for history and even science! I hope Madeleine Takes Command and the stories on her iPod will balance out Magic Treehouse!

Wednesday

Wednesday was a big day at our house! Nutmeg got braces!!!

Doesn't she look cute? She is still excited about them, but she is uncomfortable. It is amazing that we can see progress on certain teeth in the first couple of days!

Thursday

Thursday was a special day for Princess Buttercup: she had her fall piano recital. She did a great job playing Alligator Walk. Her class also sang two class songs and played an ensemble piece. For the ensemble piece, the class was divided into two parts. This helps them with auditory discrimination. In the middle of the piece, they accompanied themselves as they sang in Solfege (do-re-mi). It never fails to amuse me when I notice all the moms, including myself, tapping their feet, nodding their heads, mouthing/whispering the counts or notes, and occasionally letting a "shhh" escape on a "rest!" It is amazing how invested a mother feels about her child's recital piece!

Then it was dinner with my parents who came to the recital, and a trip to one of those frozen yogurt places where you load your healthy, low fat frozen yogurt with every imaginable candy and confection.

Friday

I hope today will be a stay-at-home-day which is actually rare in the life of a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom! I plan on a few video segments from Discovery Education on Degas, and maybe we will check out the conservation of mass with sugar cubes and water.

Here is one last picture from the week. When you hear my children complain that learning Latin is a chore, think of this picture of Buttercup learning Latin, and don't feel too sorry for them!