math & wrapping up some code

Lately for Math W has preferred to work on the floor instead of at the table. It is a bit harder for him to focus when there are toys in the room, but for the MUS blocks it makes pick up much easier and I am not sweeping (as many) blocks out from under the kitchen table. W finished Chapter 8 (Solving for the Unknown) and we will be squeezing in Chapter 9 before/during the holidays, 9A section today.

As for Explode the Code 1 1/2, W has only a few short pages left but it seems like the last stretch is taking so long. He likes some aspects of it, but loathes writing. W still needs to work on using lowercase letters more often since he prefers to speedily write in all CAPS. We will start up Explode the Code 2 in January, and have a couple of other grammar/phonics books to work in as well. Today he wrote a short letter to his great-grandmother in FL. I should encourage him to write more letters. That gives him more of a purpose, not to mention it is more fun sending real mail.

Happy birthday C!

Happy 3rd birthday to my little C! :) He is such a cutie and is growing by leaps and bounds. He loves listening to stories now and often picks out 3 or 4 at a sitting. C loves our Christmas tree (and rearranging ornaments). Poor little guy got an injury while outside playing during our FIAR co-op on Monday, so his boo boo has changed colors many times but is gradually getting better. He plays tough, no one gets in his way-- not even a rock. :)

We spent part of the day rearranging books and book cases so we can fit the puppy crate up on the loft near the boys bedroom. They are getting excited and we are learning together about how to care for puppies. One major thing will be making sure they pick up their toys unless they want the dogs to get at them.

C got many nice gifts from my aunt, uncle, cousins, his grandparents, auntie, and W made him a special lift the flap card. Julie visited for present time and we did errands. Tomorrow we are having a small party to celebrate his day so he'll get to see his cousins and friends.

FIAR: A New Coat for Anna

A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert is a post WWII story of a young girl who has outgrown her coat and her mother then uses things to barter with the farmer, spinner, weaver and tailor to get a new coat for her daughter. The book ends at Christmas time so it was nice to read this time of year, if you can find it at your library I recommend it. We rowed this book not "in a row", but rather over the course of a couple weeks as it overlapped some of W's other studies (a Little House book club carding/ spinning demonstration this fall, and also rowing Warm as Wool by Scott Russell Sanders).

Yesterday we had our FIAR co-op and used strongly brewed tea and blueberry natural dye to dye some strands of yarn and they came out really cute. We didn't use any mordant (these kids are young so this was a good demonstration anyway) but I can see getting into this and using our small loom to make some woven squares. W has done finger knitting in the past but I might reintroduce it to him again since it may help him slow down and focus while working on something relaxing and productive.

W hung his yarn on the tree and it makes a cute garland. This week we are preparing for Caleb's birthday, as well as preparing our home for puppies. We didn't initially plan on this happening now, but have hoped to get a dog for years and all of a sudden things fell into place pretty quickly. ;)