Meet Rose Mary

Annie's first completed knitting project. She is so proud and this doll has been going everywhere with us lately. We didn't use a pattern. She simply knitted yellow until she had a long enough dress and then we added white (she learned how to change yarn). We ended up with a rectangle. She sewed the seams, formed the head, braided the hair, knotted the necklace, and sewed felt around her base so she stands. I helped with one eye and the mouth, sewing the hair on, and some of the seam work.

She was having a hard time naming her. I asked her what some of her favorite names were and she said she liked Rose but she liked Mary too. So, she decided to name her Rose Mary since her eyes are the color of Rosemary.

Annie - Sharing a Laugh

In line with Annie's trickster energy she wanted me to post her Fairy Movie again.
It is hard to believe this was 9 months ago. But as Annie and I were watching this morning I was impressed by her narration and humored by Emer's interruptions but the ending had us in hysterics. We watched it over and over. Annie wanted to share a laugh with everyone!

Click to see the Original Post

Click to just see the movie

Samples of Our Work

With everything that we learn, each story that we read, for every subject, we manipulate it artistically. Most of the time we draw, sometimes we paint, sometimes we sculpt, or sometimes we turn it into a play with our toys or puppets. Below are just a few things we've been working on.

Artistic interpretation and handwriting practice for Paddy Plus. I love how she drew Paddy with cherry juice dripping down his face.

Perfectly Proper Pronouns. The idea behind this story is to set the mood for putting others first in speech. This line can simply be recited if she says, for example, "me and Emer". A great way to correct her speech without humiliation.

Artistic manipulation of a Korean Fairy Tale, Peony Peak.

Annie's drawing of the "OOL/ULE" family.

Wait...is that an Ewok in Paris?

4 Friends and Word Families

Here are our beeswax sculptures from our 4 Processes Story. We have Patty Plus who lazily rests under the cherry tree counting his cherries one by one, Max Multiply who cartwheels around quickly filling his bucket with cherries by the handful, Mini Minus, a giver, who feeds all the animals of the forest and tries to make everyone happy, and King Dominic Divide who demands an equal share for every hand. Annie also made a cherry pie to divide. We spent the past 3 weeks with these 4 friends before we moved on to our Word Family block. (more below)

Here is a picture of our Board drawing this week. It is the town of Conso Nant. The family of Oat, who got lost on an afternoon mountain hike, found help in the town with the N,C, Fl,B,V,G, and M houses this week. Stay tuned for the next exciting adventure of the ool/ule family. This chalk drawing was created by Annie, Mom and Em.

(this drawing is 3 feet by 4 feet)

Annie's Story of "OAT"

There Once Was a Goat

There once was a goat and he said at the top of his throat, “ I shall say words that have oat in them because I am a goat!”

And then he said, “ Oat, Oat, Oat I shall say. “ And then he put on his small coat. He wrote small quotes in a note. Then he said, " we shall vote on what my name shall be."

So they voted. Then he said,” What do you think my name shall be?”

One goat said, “I think your name shall be boat.”

Another goat said, “I think your name shall be dote.”

One said, “I want your name to be gloat.”

“I want your name to be tote” said one.

But another said, “I like bloat.”

And then that goat wrote a small note that said, “ I think my name shall be Float the Moat!”

By Annie

8-25-2009

Swimming Pool

We have been too busy swimming in our pool to post on our blog. Yes, that's right we got a swimming pool. It is 15' by 42" round. It is one of those cool blue pools with the blow up ring. It has been so much fun. You see, we've always wanted a pool and when we moved into our last house in 2000 we started a pool fund. We simply collected all of our spare change. There was just one major problem. I didn't know how to swim so I was too nervous to get one. But I have been taking lessons and am swimming laps at the gym. And Annie and Emerson are fish so we decided to get a pool. The coolest part.... Our pool fund covered the cost of the pool!!!! That's what 9 years of saving your change will get you! It helped that the pool was on clearance since it is the end of the season. But we still have 6-10 weeks of swimming in Central Texas.
It really makes these dog days of summer tolerable. Come on over and join us for a swim!!!

Grandpa Chuck and Daddy built a fence with a locking gate for safety.

Oceans

To complement our Ocean studies Mike took the kids to Corpus Christi. They enjoyed the beach and the Texas State Aquarium. He also took them to a Monster Truck show but I'll let him post about that.

Our Ocean Diorama....

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Hamilton Pool

Today we met our buddies Mary Sofia and Josie at Hamilton Pool. The pool is a collapsed grotto and canyon, formed by thousands of years of water erosion. There is a 50 foot waterfall that you can swim under too. The kids were champs as they hiked the 1/2 mile down the steep rocky trail and back up after a full morning of swimming with the fish under the water fall (which wasn't gushing but was still cool). My pictures do not do this place justice.

More Rochester Pics

Sweet Reese

Mike's Dad, Mike, his bro Ryan and Emerson

Annie, cousin Travis, Emerson, and Reese using Em as a footstool...

We just got back from a 10 day trip to Rochester, NY to visit friends and family. We got to meet our first niece, Reese. Of course we enjoyed seeing her mommy and daddy too. And her Grammy and Bompa.

Daddy and Uncle Ryan celebrated their birthdays together complete with a showering of rose petals collected by Annie, Emerson and Grammy.

Here's Reese and Emerson.

Annie and Grammy playing with baby Reese.

Great Uncle Dan and the kiddos on his Triumph. Dan and Jackie rode all the way from New Hampshire.

Amy (my friend since 1976) and Marty came from Boston with Flora and Charley. It was the first time meeting sweet Charley too. It was nice to see our kids play together.

Exploring a cool creek.

At the mini Wegmans inside the Strong National Museum of Play. This is one of the coolest children's museums in the States, for sure. This store is an exact replica of a grocery store complete with real cash registers and receipts.

Emerson is helping Charley fix his car.

Bompa pulling Emerson in a sled. There wasn't any snow but things sure were lush and green.

At Lake Ontario, Emerson and Bompa, aka Dr. Dirt, made a sweet sand castle.

We also got to meet Mike's sweetest and newest cousin, Travis, but somehow we didn't get any pictures with our camera.

It was awesome to see Grammy and Bompa and so many Grandmas, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends!