We still have some lessons yet to do today, but I'm having yet another one of those achy, mopey SAD days -- so I sat Emme down at the kitchen table with some kid scissors, Elmer's glue, 3 bags full of assorted pieces of felt, foam, and fuzzies and guided her towards making a nature picture.  It was her final decision to make a beachy theme -- part will be underwater with sea creatures and part will be the beach itself, complete with real seashells.

I'm trying to give her some focused direction in her free time so she will not be wasting away watching t.v.  I have to say, she does watch a lot less t.v. than she used to, but still too much.  I KNOW I need to cut her back further, and that is where the extra arts and crafts come in. 

My Mother's friend gave us a huge shopping bag FULL of crafty goodness!  Tons of things to keep a little girl entertained through the colder months when she is indoors much of the time. 

I AM going to try and get us out for nature walks -- but the Michigan winters can be brutal -- and I don't see our walks being long ones.

I'm being awfully negative today, aren't I? 

On a more positive note -- I am trying a new recipe for dinner tonight.  Kielbasa bean soup.  It smells so yummy and filling!  It should be about another hour.  If you'd like to see the recipe, it's posted at my_other_blog. 

A good friend of mine from our Fly group and HS group sent me a link yesterday for  Teaching_with_Movies.  She and my other friend had nothing but great things to say about it.  Their children range from ages 5 to 16.  I think I am going to use one of their sample themes (Wizard of Oz) and see how it goes over with Emme.

I wanted to give you this other link that is just fabulous -- but I have LOST it!  It had Peter Bruegel the Elder and other famous artists and you could see the painting, have discussion questions, and even do a puzzle of the painting.  I hope I do find it, and if I do, I will share!

Sherry