Math update

Friday was a big day for Caleb. He finished Math-U-See Epsilon and even got a 100% on his last test!


Monday he is going to start Math-U-See Zeta. We are also going to be using the Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents (as serious as they need to be). This will be the first time using A Life of Fred book, but I have read really good reviews so I thought we would give it a try. For more information about the Life of Fred books look here and here.

Books Read in January

In The Orangery

Fiction
-Piccadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse
-The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (review)
-Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (review)
-Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer, Annie Barrows

Non-Fiction
-Clean & Simple Scrapbooking-The Sequel by Cathy Zielske
-The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford
-Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster

The Delani Dance

Delani has a dance that she does when she really likes something. I caught her doing it to "Hickory, Dickory Dock", but she lost interest at the end and had to go on to bigger and better things.

Book Review: Emily of New Moon

I read Emily of New Moon for the L. M. Montgomery Reading Challange.

After Emily Starr's father dies, Emily is taken in by her mother's family. The Murray's pick lots for her and she goes to stay with her Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura & Cousin Jimmy (who isn't quite all there)at New Moon. New Moon begins to grow on Emily even though she kept under very stiff rules.

When she is sent to school her schoolmates and teacher make fun of her. Emily holds her head up high and becomes friends with Ilse, the doctor's daughter. She also makes friends with Teddy, who draws wonderful picture and Perry, the hired boy.

Emily discovers that she can write poetry and stories, which is a source of contention with her Aunt Elizabeth. Mr Carpenter--her new teacher, begins to critique her writings and giving her his honest opinions. Emily learns to love New Moon as she slowly starts blossoming into a young woman.

Emily of New Moon was a good read, but the whole story seems to be sad. It is a darker tale maybe even a more realistic view of life, but to me it lacks charm of the Anne Series.

On a side note: I have almost completed Emily Climbs the second book in the series. I am enjoying this one more than Emily of New Moon.

Book Review: The Blue Castle

Since I decided to participate in the Lucy Maud Montogmery Reading Challenge I dug out my grungy copy (pictured below)of The Blue Castle.



Valancy Stirling has spent her past 29 years living a very sheltered life being a docile daughter and the family joke to the "Stirling Clan". The only ray of light in her world are the John Foster books that she reads and her "Blue Castle" that she dreams about. One day Valency receives some news that changes her life, she defies her mother and the "Stirling Clan" and moves out to take care of Roaring Abel's (the town drunk) fallen daughter, Cissy. Gradually a new world opens up to Valency and she becomes friends with the notorius Barney Snaith. After Cissy's death, Valency and Barney get married. Cut off from her ridged and snobby family, Valancy and Barney make a life for themselves in their "Blue Castle". Then one day their marriage is put to test. Will Valency's "Blue Castle" survive?

As I have stated before this is my favorite non-Anne book. If you haven't read it I suggest you go get it and plan to enjoy a great story. It is a lovely 20th century fairy tale.

Daily Mugshot

Daily Mugshot

Here is a very interesting and fun idea.

Life: Imagine the Potential

Look at this face!

The new face given while eating breakfast.

Family Picture

Having a great time with my mom and dad who are visiting.

Delani-9 months

Today Delani turned 9 months. She is becoming very mobile. She is crawling--but army style. She can sit up on her own and get back down to crawl. She has started to pull herself up. Every once in a while she evens lets go for a second or two! She is eating a lot of baby food (the most I have ever fed any of my kids) and some table foods. And she hasn't cut a single tooth!

Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge

While checking my Google Reader I came across this listed in recommendations. Since I love the Anne of Green Gables Series and own most of her books, this challenge just has my name on it. Another plus is the kids and I are currently listening to "Anne of the Island".

I think I am going to try to get throught the "Emily Series". I started reading through "Emily of New Moon" as a teenager but never got throught it. If I can't get through it this time I will go for "Blue Castle"--my favorite non-Anne book!

What We Are Doing.

Monday found us starting school back up. Chantry has just started Math U See Alpha.


Tuesday brought Papa and Grandma for a visit!


And Delani is discover all sort of new things she can do. Pulling herself up, crawing everywhere and discovering new things to get into--much more exciting than those Christmas toys!

Amazing Video--One Year in 40 Seconds

One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

If you go here you can read about why and how it was put together. Pretty interesting!

Here is another version done in two minutes.