Carter and I were out at Michael's (the store) last weekend, when I came across some of these wooden-bone dinosaur kits. Does anybody else remember doing these as a kid? A grabbed a stack to do with Sean - ther were about a dollar apiece, and I can't resist a deal like that. We made the Triceratops Sunday night, and had a blast. A brief aside about this picture, though: I think it's hilarious that when I asked him to smile for me, he technically did - but his eyes are still fixed on the computer screen. Heh.
I've been sticking to my plan to go for a hike every Saturday morning. It's been about six weeks, and the only Saturday I've missed was the morning of Carter's birthday party - there was just too much stuff to set up at the house for me to squeeze a hike in. But other than that, I've been going every Saturday, rain or shine. I'm really starting to get to know my way around Maudslay a lot better, and don't bother bringing a trail map anymore. To be honest, it isn't a very accurate map and really wasn't much help anyway. I plan to keep this up all through the winter, as well. I eventually plan to branch out and add other parks to the pool, but for now, I am enjoying Maudslay that I don't have much of an urge yet to go elsewhere.
"You live and learn. At any rate, you live."
- Douglas Adams
I read an article this morning about new research showing that you have to make mistakes in order to learn. Seriously? This is considered "new research"? This is what I have always believed, and is one of the fundamental principles of the way I raise my kids. To quote the article: "For years, many educators have championed 'errorless learning,' advising teachers (and students) to create study conditions that do not permit errors." To me that doesn't sound like learning, but rather memorization. And how long does memorization usually last? Just long enough to pass the test - that's how long. Being afraid of making mistakes just means that you will never really learn anything.
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We had Carter's third birthday party last weekend. We rented a moon bounce and had it at home. We had looked into doing it somewhere else - like Party Playland or Chuck E. Cheese's, but at most places you only get an hour and a half, and then they toss you out. I've been to a few of those parties, and they always feel so rushed. And renting the moon bounce for the whole day was the same price. Every had a great time - even the adults. The kids were all starting to 'help' Carter open her presents, so I went in the moon bounce with all of the kiddos to distract them. I was tossing people off of the walls, flipping them over, starting pig piles - even the kids I don't know as well got into it. Carter got lots of great presents, including a toy mailbox that she's had her eye on for a long time. The weather was cooperative, the food was great, and glorious, glorious fun was had by all. |
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This time Sean drew the two of us together. I'm the tall one, in case you couldn't guess. I love the grumpy look he drew on himself - he really captured reality with that one. Heh.
Another drawing Sean did for me. He says that it is a "friendly spider". He excercised a little of his 'artistic license' with the leg count, I think. :)
Here is Sean's self-portrait. I love that the eyes are starting to get more sophisticated than just dots.
