Kate couldn't seem to focus on schoolwork yesterday because she was too busy worrying about her afternoon dentist appointment (we've got a serious dental-phobe around here and that's a kid without any cavities?!--see quote of the week below) I could see it was going to be difficult to do any learning SO....because I am a newly converted Love and Logic parent (just taking some online classes) I gave her two choices:
Kate, would you rather

1. Do school and get your mind off your worries
2. Take the day off and do double schoolwork tomorrow

She chose #2. (and then curled up in the fetal position on the couch)

It worked out great, really. I got the house all clean and Kate got to spend the morning worrying 100% just like she wanted.

In the afternoon I took all the girls into the dentist office for their check-ups. We were greeted by the whirring sound of the drill and the overpowering scent of fruityness that's just doesn't quite do it's job of covering up the smell of latex and fluoride. (Ewwww. I'm cringing as I write.) You wouldn't believe the grim look on all the girls faces as they sat and waited their turns. In the end they returned from their checkups relatively happy with their new toothbrushes, a bag of prizes, and NO CAVITIES. Oh the relief on Kate's face!

Today, we did it. We doubled up on the schoolwork-- and all without any complaints.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: I wish I was a worm so I never had to go to the dentist (Kate)

Something you might see in Wonderland

For Art Day we gleaned our inspiration from Franz Marc. He liked to paint animals but not as they would appear in nature. As seen above he liked to use bold, bright colors, and shapes. The girls learned about blending primary colors to make secondary colors and mixing them with a little black or white to make different tints. After their pictures dried we cut cats out of them and glued them on construction paper. Another fun lesson with paint!

I am woman, hear me roar

Yesterday for school Kate read an article about Susan B. Anthony. She was a New Yorker, who, at the turn of the century, spoke out against slavery and fought for women's right to vote. Because of her and other suffragists, women in the U.S. were granted the right to vote in 1920.

Kate's assignment was to choose something she felt passionate about and write a speech to convince others to see her way. She waited for Dad to come home and then delivered this speech to us:

Back at It!

Okay, I have to say that we took the whole month of December off--and I HIGHLY recommend it. What a nice break from the routine and seriously, don't we have enough to do in December with all the recitals, parties, shopping, baking, and gifting?! We didn't throw ALL routine to the wind, however; the girls still had to clean their zones, do their reading, and have quiet time each day. But, we did try to do something fun and Chrismassy each day--even if it was a recital--(not exactly Kate's idea of fun) and honestly, I can't remember ever having a better Christmas season. Here are some of the other activities we did:

decorated a gingerbread house, sang carols around the piano, baked lots of treats, went to the local festival of trees, cut out paper snowflakes, made Christmas cards, shoveled snow, threw snow and ate snow, made a Christingle (see photo), sledding, ice-skating, going to the movies

Alright, I can't think of anything else, that was weeks ago. Maybe next year we can include some service in there????

Really, I feel like our time off recharged my batteries. Now that it's January I feel ready to get back to school full-swing and I think secretly the girls are too. Christingle: orange=world, candle=Christ, red=His sacrifice, 4 toothpicks=seasons, raisins=fruit of the world