A Pinch of This and That:
The tree lot has been set up since the day after Thanksgiving. The proceeds go to pay for a portion of the boys' camp costs. Pippi has garnered a lot of attention on her trips around town, so Michael had her hang out at the tree lot to help get some attention for the tree lot.
Aaron next to a load of trees:
Eve helped unload trees because she loves to help with stuff like that (cleaning her room is a big NO, but she is eager to carry trees):
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Zoo Atlanta with my sister, Tracy, nieces, Jessica and Haley, and with the Taylor kids:
Noah wanted to be helpful by reading the map:
The birds were very skittish. After 10 minutes, Jessica was the only one who could get a budgie to eat from the seed stick we bought:
Eve loves to hang out with her big girl cousins:
Rachel and Haley...Beautiful:
Komodo Dragon:
Komodo Dragon and a boy that probably tastes like chicken:
Dead mice...nom...nom...nom:
Jessica gets a close up:
Eve gets to pet a hedgehog:
The second time around the budgies are a little less skittish:
Rachel worries that mom is not around to get the photo. (Oh ye of little faith):
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Baking Braided Christmas Bread:
Sister Weiler pouring salt. (I love how the salt granules are suspended in the air)
Rachel was an enthusiastic participant:
This song kept going through my mind as the girls worked the bread:*******************************
Music education
Rachel was busy switching channels when I heard this amazing voice throw out a few words and made her go back. I love the voice of Lou Rawls and this song makes me remember listening to the radio as a kid, so I offer this great youtube video (it also uses the word "need", so I see a running theme in my own twisted way):
A Pinch of This and That:
The tree lot has been set up since the day after Thanksgiving. The proceeds go to pay for a portion of the boys' camp costs. Pippi has garnered a lot of attention on her trips around town, so Michael had her hang out at the tree lot to help get some attention for the tree lot.Aaron next to a load of trees:
Eve helped unload trees because she loves to help with stuff like that (cleaning her room is a big NO, but she is eager to carry trees):
********************************************
Zoo Atlanta with my sister, Tracy, nieces, Jessica and Haley, and with the Taylor kids:
Noah wanted to be helpful by reading the map:The birds were very skittish. After 10 minutes, Jessica was the only one who could get a budgie to eat from the seed stick we bought:Eve loves to hang out with her big girl cousins:
Rachel and Haley...Beautiful:
Komodo Dragon:
Komodo Dragon and a boy that probably tastes like chicken:
Dead mice...nom...nom...nom:
Jessica gets a close up:
Eve gets to pet a hedgehog:
The second time around the budgies are a little less skittish:
Rachel worries that mom is not around to get the photo. (Oh ye of little faith):*******************************************
Baking Braided Christmas Bread:
Sister Weiler pouring salt. (I love how the salt granules are suspended in the air)
Rachel was an enthusiastic participant:
This song kept going through my mind as the girls worked the bread:*******************************
Music education
Rachel was busy switching channels when I heard this amazing voice throw out a few words and made her go back. I love the voice of Lou Rawls and this song makes me remember listening to the radio as a kid, so I offer this great youtube video (it also uses the word "need", so I see a running theme in my own twisted way):
What’s Up?
:::::::Zoo Trip from Last Week:::::
:::Book Reviews::::
Some bizarre and interesting facts mixed with some conjecture about creatures we live with on Earth. Some amazing adaptations and some that are rather freaky make me think that being human is not to shabby.
A sad, but necessary cautionary tale of human intervention in Florida has to do with people putting an abundance of bird seed out to encourage birds to visit their gardens, but it causes the birds to produce young too early. The adults can eat the seeds, but the hatchlings need grubs and larvae, so they often die of malnutrition.
One of my favorite stories was about the male lyrebird from Australia. The lyrebird's ability to mimic sound has me in awe!
Another great story is about sheep not being all that dumb. There are sheep in Yorkshire, England who would run and then tuck and roll to get over the cattle grates to raid the farmers gardens.
Another interesting fact that no eels have been witnessing reproducing in captivity. Eels...who would have thought they would be the masters of restraint?
A quick and enjoyable read.
::::::
Paul Yeager injects a lot of personality along with his informative book about weather. He dispels many weather inspired myths and clears up many queries on why the weather does what it does. He explains that though we Southerners perceive humid air as heavy it is actually lighter than dry air. He states, "It just feels heavier because we feel warm, clammy, and disgusting." (He speaks the truth about that perception, indeed). He also dispels the myth about "heat lightning"...(hint: there is no such thing). A great gardening tip from p. 198, "water the garden after it rains". This promotes deep root growth and conserves water. Yeager states that if you are certain on a light rain will fall you can water while it is still raining, "Ont only will it have the same effect on the garden, but it will give the neighbors something to talk about." A wonderful book for understanding our world.
:::::::::Piano Lessons:::
Eve is enjoying her piano lessons. She is experiencing some frustration with reading the notes consistently. The pattern is the same as we see with her with reading books. I have taken to sitting with her during her practices and trying some different strategies. I have her tell me what note she sees. I have her tell me what notes to play. Then she plays the piece. She goes through it about 3 times to play it consistently. Part of her reading problem has her recognizing the note immediately, then forgetting the same note a few measures over. I think it is part confidence part developmental delay. She gets claps, hugs and kisses with each success. I am having to remember the lessons I had as a kid. I could never get my left hand to play staccato correctly with my right, so I gave up lessons. Michael is our fallback since he reads music.
Eve also picks up Aaron's guitar... (it is a lonely guitar and likes the gentle stroking). Michael and I plan to trade it in and get a 3/4th size guitar for Eve as a Christmas present.
:::::::::::Dr. Who::::::::
Just wanted to give a shout out to Matt Smith for being, yet another, enjoyable Dr. Who. His take on the Dr. is pretty cool. Our entire family like his portrayal. We also like his companion, Amy Pond. Their was a collective sigh of sadness when Rory was absorbed into the crack in space.
Later, gators!
Burnin’ Daylight
Hey folks! My dad always says that to tell people that times going by and you need to get to work. Well, I need to go for a walk and do housework, but I wanted to post some of the layouts I have been working on.
I still have to work on more zoo pages and the Easter pictures. We had a great time at my dad and Alice's house with my sisters, Katherine and Tracy. The kids loved the confetti, or cascarones, eggs the best.
We think we might just hide the confetti eggs next year and have the candy in the house for them to get afterwards.Eve got a tick on her neck at an Easter egg hunt the day before. The hunt took place in and near some woods. She asked me what the bump on her neck was and I said, "OHHHH MICHAEL, Eve's got a tick!"
She was really brave while Michael grabbed a knife and slide the blade under the mouth part and put his thumb on the tick's head. He pulled and the tick let go after a brief tug. He hopped down and tried to wonder off, but I had Michael kill him. This upset Eve. She thinks that even ticks deserve to live. I, on the other hand, did not feel so inclined. They can play in the woods, but not on my family. From some of the tick pics I could find on line I think it was a male, but I'm not sure of the species. You may find Eve with a shirt, or poster that says, "Be Kind To Ticks Week", but I won't be at the rally.We dropped by my mom and Jim's on the way home from the Easter festivities at dad's. The kids were refortified with bags of sugary treats. Grannies are the best!
:::::::::::::TESTING, TESTING...1, 2, 3...
Taylor kids 1, 2 and 3 are testing this week. They are taking the Criterion Reference Test. The reading portion was yesterday and I didn't hear any moaning and groaning, so I guess they felt okay about the questions.
:::::::::::::Time to Walk...
Daylights a wastin! Smiles!
