So, you may be wondering....why monkeys, gryphons, and turtles?  Perhaps I don't remember that famous line so well...or maybe it never occurred to you?  Actually, I just couldn't think of anything else to write about! 

It refers to my chickens...uh, children...

My husband came up with their nicknames shortly after they were born...and I don't know if it was intuition or if they just grew into their names...but they all fit!  Our monkey is swift and gangly, our gryphon is a (lovable) monster, and turtle...well....she has this cute way of looking at you like she just popped her head out of her shell-completely surprised, but happy to see you...she got the name because my husband said she reminded him of that little cartoon turtle who used to plod along happily without a care (does anyone out there remember his name??)

Back to life through our emerald tinted glasses....

Christmas 2005

To this school year, I mean.... We are near the end of our 180 days and I've just found a history curriculum I'm happy with.  How do I fill in the blanks for this year's history????  It was such a hodge podge of this and that...ARGHHH!  I've decided to use Amy Pak's Time Traveler series in conjunction with TruthQuest History.  Lots of reading + lots of hands on activities=a happy historian over summer vacation?  Let's hope so....

Today we embarked on one of the activities from the New World Explorers CD...Spice cookies...now, it's not likely valuable spices were used to make cookies....but, hey, we have refrigerators and freezers nowadays to preserve food!  Cookies are a MUCH better use for cinnamon, don't you agree? 

The necessary ingredients...

The other necessary ingredient...

TA DAH!!!!!!