7/18/13: First Grade

We started Elodie's First Grade year last week on Tuesday, July 9th with My Father's World Learning God's Story.  Her grandma came down the morning before for some good grandma time and then she had her first day of dance camp in the afternoon so that's why we didn't start on Monday.

 

 This is her on Monday.  So cute for her dance camp!

 For the past 8 days, she's been reviewing handwriting and working on making a scroll.  We've started patterns this week in Math and she's so bright at patterns.  She's been able to complete the ones in her math book ("CBOM") and with her Unifex Cubes with no help.  Tonight, we read a book "Fish Patterns" and she was able to complete all the verbal patterns in the book.  She was also able to label ALL the patterns in the book correctly, ie: AB, AAB, ABB, ABC, ABBA, ABBCD, etc.  It was pretty incredible.  I also realized this week that she can read what I'm typing on the computer over my shoulder and, for awhile now, she's been able to tell us what Dave and I are spelling out loud to each other.  We've also been doing a short devotional to start each school time.  We also do a little science time each week.  Last week, we found an anthill and laid honey-soaked bread on it and watched what happened.  Our chrysalises also hatched into butterflies so we released our butterflies last week after daddy got home.  This week, we made a soil and water jar to see how soil separates into hummus, clay, sand, and rocks.

7/4/13: Independence Day

Dave caught a cold Tuesday morning but was feeling better after spending yesterday home in bed. This morning we started out the day by driving Dave to the airport to meet up with his team going on a mission trip to Mexico City, Mexico to work construction for a week at a home for rescued girls.  After we got home, he called to say that security confiscated his peanut butter (lame!) and that Andy had spilled coffee on his shirt.  Later, I got a text saying his flight was delayed.  Then I received another text saying his flight was cancelled due to volcanic activity near Mexico City.  He finally called to say they were getting rebooked on a evening flight to SFO and then to Mexico City.  I called him back to ask if he wanted a new jar of peanut butter and he said yes.  Only problem: the kids and I needed to eat lunch, I needed gas in my car, and I didn't have another jar of PB.  :)  So the kids and I scarfed down our lunches while I made two PB&J sandwiches for Dave, in case he needed them for his late night/overnight flight or tomorrow if they didn't get to a grocery store before leaving for work.  Then I grabbed a shirt for Dave and clothes for Callen (he was still in pjs) and we took Dave's car to get PB because it had gas, and we headed out to the airport for a second time.  The kids were excited to see their dad again and I took the opportunity to get photos of them in their Fourth of July attire together.  Later Dave told me that on his second time through security, they confiscated his shaving cream.  And of course, they later found out that the Mexico City airport did not have any ash on the ground and was open the whole time.  The U.S. was the only country that had airlines cancel flights.  Lame-o.

Tonight the kids ate popcorn while watching the Capital Fourth show on tv.  After Elodie saw Neil Diamond sing, she exclaimed, "Now that guy can sing," and all I could do was laugh!  Then we watched the fireworks and I've never seen two kids SO excited to see anything.  They danced and danced to the music and squealed with joy watching the fireworks. :)  They are currently marching along with the Army Band.  Callen was so proud of himself b/c he was bowing with his hands behind his back