We Won't Be Going Under the Bridge for a While

Remember this bridge?...



And how Gerrick likes to hang out under it?...



Well, today we saw this...


It could be a Copperhead or a Northern Water Snake. It was at least 24" long, but I didn't get a good enough look to see the shape of its eye or head. (And I still haven't gotten a better camera!)

The brush growth is just too thick to continue safely going down there. We'll have to wait until late fall to go back. Though I don't mind snakes from a distance, I might just completely freak out if Gerrick or I were bitten by one! This one that we saw today was close enough at about six feet away in the water.

Drawing Breakthrough

When we got home late yesterday afternoon, Gerrick wanted us to get out our nature journals and draw things that we had seen at Cheekwood. This was huge! He has never suggested doing this before. I was so excited that he actually drew (and drew and drew...) without getting upset or frustrated. :)

Pond, Creek, and Waterfall

Turtle

Flower

Deer
(He said, "They look like aliens, though--their faces aren't right.")

A House
(Initially, he was drawing the mansion at Cheekwood, but the plan changed midway when he decided he'd rather use red and it became "just a house".)

He did not like that I chose to not paint or otherwise color my deer. He wanted to "fix it" for me with a light brown pencil. :)

Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Art Museum

"This place is so beautiful! I wish Daddy could be here with us."

"I want to come here hundreds of times!"

Beginning Reading & Sequencing

Recently I decided to start cutting apart some of the the little stories that are in our reading workbook from the Hooked on Phonics kit, mix them up, and and have Gerrick put them back in proper order. This gives him more practice with phonetic reading, but also makes him really focus on content and meaning. Plus it's like a puzzle to him and more fun than just reading it again straight out of the the workbook.

Book Sharing Monday: All Night Near the Water

All Night Near the Water


"The ducklings follow in a row around the shoreline weeds, through a driftwood maze,..."

What Kind of Camera Do You Use?

Someone recently asked what kind of camera I use. Funny...because I really want a new camera and was wondering what all of you use.

I have had the same camera for the past six years: a FinePix A205 2MP.

I have definitely gotten my money's worth out of this little camera, but it is time to move on. I'm satisfied with the quality of photos it takes outdoors, for the most part, but not with indoor/low light situations. I would love an SLR, but I don't think I would actually use it as much as something small I can just toss in my bag like the one I have now. So...what do you use? Do you love it, hate it? Why?

New Bikes

Zyrtec works! He's feeling much better and was able to go to his soccer game this morning and ride his new bicycle this afternoon. Yay! :)

Allergies Attack

Gerrick has gotten more irritable by the day this week. His allergies have progressively gotten worse. He takes Claritin year round, but even mixed with Sudafed, it is not working this spring! He hasn't slept well the past two nights. He's congested, itchy, has a runny nose, and now his eyelids are swollen. Last night we gave him two doses of Benadryl and this morning we changed from the Claritin to Zyrtec. Hopefully, that will work better.

Anyway, this afternoon we were supposed to go to a homeschool class at the zoo. I thought if he rested all morning, he might be okay to go to the class and just visit the indoor part of the zoo. He grudgingly agreed to this plan even though he had really been looking forward to ALL of the zoo...




But then, five minutes before time to get dressed, he fell asleep. He hasn't napped since he was 2 1/2 (except for 5-10 minutes in the car a few times)--so you know he feels bad. I just couldn't wake him.


He woke up an hour later and said, "I'm ready to go to the zoo." Well, we live about 45 minutes from the zoo, so you know we've missed the class at this point. Remember what I said about him being irritable? Yeah, you can imagine how he reacted to this news. Here's my attempt to make it up to him--going out on the patio just long enough to eat an orange sorbet & ice cream bar. What was I thinking? Making my little nature lover go back inside on what is probably the most beautiful day of the year was not an easy task--all he wanted to do was go for a walk.


Now we're snuggled on the sofa watching The Pirates of the Caribbean, hoping these meds will kick in and make him feel better. Any advice?

Spiderman, Stunt Rider, & Skeleton Pirate

Here are a few action highlights of the week--just so you don't think we're always in the woods. :)

Honing the Spidey skills...


Trying out the neighbor's ramp...



Now for this silent video clip, you'll have to imagine the pirate that he's fighting as well as The Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack that is playing in the background...

Catching Caterpillars

There has been lots of play with tent caterpillars this week.

Earth Day Exploring