We have had a good week or two of school so far.  Bill's parents arrived from Vermont last week so school is mostly a morning thing until they leave.  We are really enjoying their visit.

Tonight we drove to the Chilkoot River to view bears.  We certainly got a good show.  There were a sow and two large cubs as well as two other single bears, all brown bears.  They were picking fish out of the river like there's nothing to it.  Momma shared a couple but then insisted on eating her own catch after that so the babes were on their own.  Actually, they did well catching for themselves...I feel some moralizing coming on...I'm resisting.

We are half done with Europe in our geography course.  So far we have enjoyed several European foods: apple pancakes from Germany, runzas from Czechoslovakia and Champs from Ireland to name a few.  The 10 Days in Europe Game has really helped us learn what countries are in Europe and where they are.  For literature we are reading aloud the book: The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp.  I will have to check back in to report what we get done in the second half of the unit.

Enthusiasm for robotics petered out for a bit.  The kids were having a terrible time with the sound sensor.  It only took a couple hours for Bill, his parents and myself to figure out what the thing was doing.  I guess we really needed a fifth grader (we have 4th, 6th and 9th).  Well, the sensor is fine it was understanding the programming that stumped us all.  We got it in the end and figured out another "problem" we were having, too.  hmmm...that moralizing feeling is coming back...I think I will end now and go to bed!

good night from Alaska.