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A few random bits from last week -- I was going to do it yesterday but I accidentally published the First Communion post instead.  So this is a day late. 

1.

Kieron just signed up for College Board -- yikes!  My 5th child is almost through his freshman year! I feel old.

2.

First Communion is a month away for Paddy and Aidan, so I'm stepping up on the preparations.   Yesterday I went through part of the See and Pray Missal with Aidan.   This worked well.   We just looked at the pictures and talked about what they were.   I'm scouring the house for picture books to do with First Communion with him.

3.

With Paddy, I am going through the 2nd grade Living My Religion.  What he already knows, he narrates to me or I just discuss it with him.    In this way we are reviewing and making sure he understands the basic story of God's love for us.

4.


I shared my difficulties with teaching Aidan addition facts with my mom, and she suggested songs to help him memorize.  I think it's worth a try!  I found this Addition Song on youtube.   (he's not too fond of rock or rap, so I want to stick with simple).  If anyone happens to have found some math songs or chants online would you let me know?

5.

I saw a Steller Jay outside my kitchen window.   It landed on the huge glacier that is our deck, looked at me, then flew up to the deck light where Jays have traditionally been in the habit of hatching and raising the next generation of bold blue crested avians.

6.

So maybe spring is on the way???  In spite of 10 feet of snow outside?? Brendan actually got a bit of a sunburn sitting outside yesterday, even though the temperature didn't rise above 60 degrees.  Hope is the thing with feathers... 

7.

Speaking of that, this is National Poetry Month.    Which seems to be a good tie-in with the Poetic Knowledge book study that Mystie is hosting.

8.

I'm really trying to decide whether to continue K12 with Paddy next year.   I love having everything laid out for me, but I'm not sure it's good for me.   And we have slipped behind -- it's been so busy around here.

9.

The boys have been playing lots of board games recently.... here are the ones they brought out yesterday.

•  Castle Panic
• Scotland Yard
• Mystery of the Abbey
• Robo Rally
• Who's the Thief?

10.


An interesting conversation:  Homeschooling Freedom (at First Things) -- there are a lot of comments but if you scroll down, Tony Esolen wrote a really substantial comment.   And later, Suzie Andres commented too.


11.

While my mom was visiting from Alaska last week, we drove to Thomas Aquinas College and got to see the student version of Iolanthe. It was fun to see my daughter and her friends, fun to get out of the snow, and fun to see Fairies and MPs on the same stage at the same time.

12

We also got to see what looked like a Western Toad.    Sean's friend Matthew found it and brought it in to show us while we were talking about unschooling in the TAC commons.   I really miss the flora and fauna right now.    It seems like it should be spring here, but the snow is still almost up to our roofline!