A Day At the Zoo

As part of our "school" schedule we go on lots of field trips.   What we decide to do is dependent on the season, the weather and in all honesty whatever we feel like! Today we went to visit one of our favorite zoos.

The girls were so excited.  As soon as the car doors opened they stormed onto the lawn marveling at all the small pumpkins lying about in celebration of the season! Then they ran ahead to strike up a conversation with the owner.  He loves talking to the kids. 

Shortly after cajoling them into the reception area, a tour guide welcomed us and took us all around the property telling us fun and interesting facts about the animals.

Of course a big part of the fun at this zoo is interacting with the animals!  Many are roaming about freely and the kids may pet, pick up and observe as they please.

The girls loved having a conversation with the macaws!  And Caramel tried to pick up a baby goat and soon thereafter yelled out in disgust, because it's belly was wet (let's just leave it at that shall we)!

We also came across a cat munching on a field mouse it caught just a short while before we got there!  The mouse, although dead, was thankfully still intact.  They were intrigued since our cat has never munched on a mouse at home.  Knight is an indoor cat and thank goodness we do not have rodents running about.

Tonight both of them told me how much they appreciate me taking them on these excursions and having so much fun.  Both told me "I'm the greatest mom ever and that they love me soooooooo much!"  And aren't those the sweetest words ever to roll off our children's lips?!  Like honey.

Tadpoles

The big, bright yellow sticker on top of the FedEx box read "Open urgently!"

After pulling apart several bubble wrapped envelopes we sighed a great sigh of relief to find they were still alive!  The little tadpoles finally arrived.

They are to grow into leopard frogs over the course of the next three to five months.

Every now and again two beaming little faces pop up from behind the island counter top to report on a new observation they make.

"Welcome to your new home Sarafina and Winter!"

Stargazing

We've been learning about the solar system this week.  So when hubby suggested we go stargazing last night we grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

A local group of amateur astronomers get together regularly to study the night sky and once in a while they invite the public to use their telescopes to marvel at the wonders found in outer space.  There was nothing "amateur" about the ten or so telescopes they've setup on a concrete slab next to the observatory, though!

Staring at nebulae, double stars and next door galaxies I don't know who were more excited - us or the kids?

It is a wonderful way to teach children about the world around them!

Getting Ready For Halloween

After a morning filled with learning we headed out just after lunch to the library.  We head out to the library at least once a week and return with never less than 20 books to add to everything else we are working on.

I threw into the pile two books I found about the Halloween holidays and since both are chapter books it will provide for several occasions of reading about this wildly popular holiday in the States.

After reading a few chapters from both books we all were super excited to do something Halloweenish and decided to enter the holy grail kicking off the holiday season in our home - the attics upstairs.  Every time we decide which one to open first it is always preceded with a huge debate about what items we stored away where.  Then it is followed by a five minute effort to find the right key.  Don't ask me why not any one of us have yet taken the one key that works off the bunch, but we have not and therefore we go through this ritual every time we have to unlock the attic doors.  My excuse is that it makes it just so much more exciting, doesn't it?

It's like letting them lose in a candy store. 

Fudge:  "Mom, this one has the wreaths!  Ah, I just love these soft feathers!"

Caramel:  "Is the witch in this one?"

Mom:  "No I think it is with the Christmas stuff in the other attic.  Fudge, can you please go put these jack-o-lanterns outside the front door?  And Caramel, please take the blow up Tigger dressed in his Halloween cape and set it up in the foyer!"

Fudge:  "What are these things?"  (While holding out a ball of cobweb gauze.)

Mom:  "I'll show you!"

Hanging wreaths, putting out candles, draping cobweb gauze over the mantles and lighting the rooms with twinkling witch hats and orange pumpkins the excitement level grew and grew.

Once it was done we were in such a great mood we baked an apple pie.  I lost count how many times they came around that oven to take a good whiff and ask "how much longer before it is done?"  But with cinnamon and nutmeg filling every nook and cranny in our home who can blame them?

Dinner Table Conversations

Mom:  "So how was class today?"

Caramel:  "It was a little bit complicated."

Mom:  "How is that?"

Caramel:  "Well, it was not easy.  Complicated you know.  Fortunately I like complicated!  It just means I have to use my brain a little bit more!"

She might not know it, but inside I was beaming; smiling from ear to ear, because I know we all are so much more happy in life with a positive, determined attitude.  I encountered my fair share of people telling me what they think I'm able to accomplish and what not, but fortunately those statements were like fuel rejuvenating a fire.  

But I also know it is not how it always works.  Even though a large part of who and what we are were decided long before it ever gets challenged, sometimes what people say, cut to the quick.  And it hurts.  So seeing these resilient, determined spirits sprout roots makes me happy!

Weeding

This year we found weeds overtaking large patches within the shrub beds surrounding our home.

The girls and I decided to tackle the front yard this weekend.

Sure, it would be much easier to hand a few hundred dollars to a landscaping firm to do this for us.  But we'll miss out on a sure fire way to help instill lifelong values in our children.  So, turn the T.V. off, close the computer and get outside to teach great virtues like hard work, responsibility and being stewards of our great mother earth.  Learning about critters, plants and "what makes a weed a weed?" along the way are thrown in for free!

Wow!  Girl power rocks!