Isn't it Just Ducky?

We were at Arby's yesterday for lunch (shhh!) and this elderly lady came up to our table and starts cooing at Greyson. Then she pushes my food out of the way, lol, and tells the kids that she wants to show them something. She then goes into this huge production about how to draw a ducky from a number two. She's obviously given this demonstration to more than a couple kids. She's having a blast. The kids are enthralled. Life is good. This morning, the first thing Cameron did was draw an entire page full of duckies. I wish I had some way of letting her know that, but she was just a random stranger committing a random act of kindness. I have no idea who she is or if we will ever see her again, but I think I will always remember her. :)

Today for school, Cassia insisted that we start out with music. It had been a while since we did Poco a Poco, but they remembered it all. We learned about the dotted half note and read a story about the neighbors who live on Beat Street. Cameron played his recorder to the beat and Cassia strummed the guitar.

Afterward, Cameron got out his slot car track, Greyson took a nap, and Cassia got comfortable in front of Starfall while I took a shower. The rest of the morning was filled with playing and a couple chores and some errands and some general life stuff. We watched Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest. I always wondered why that movie never hit it big - it sounded so good - now I know, lol. Then Cameron went on a gigantic slot-car race track building frenzy. I finally stopped him so that we could do some schoolwork and he was quite cooperative with the whole thing! In fact, he was downright happy to oblige.

So we sat on the floor in the dining room - because the table was covered in race track - and started his first official spelling list. We read the words and did a page and a half of related activities (half the lesson) and then I had him write the words in his new Spelling Notebook. I bought him a little 4-1/2" x 3-1/4" notebook to write all his words in that he can carry around with him for quick reference and study. Like that's going to happen, lol, but really, you never know! If nothing else, it made the words "special." In case you are curious, here are the words: tub, bus, bat, see, sit, and us.

Next we started Chapter 4 in math... multiplication! I never would have thought to teach my 5 year old multiplication, but there it is. At this point, it is just illustrating the concept that 4+4+4 is 3 fours. He seems to get it. Cassia was very interested too. She was laying on the ground with us, counting all the apples and bananas right along with him. It was SO nice to just have her there watching and joining in rather than fighting for attention. Perhaps my little girl is finally gaining a little bit of maturity? (*knock on wood*)

And that brings us to now. Greyson is happily strumming/thumping away on the guitar. Cameron and Cassia are out in the backyard enjoying an unseasonably beautiful day. (We're actually wearing shorts and sundresses today! It's supposed to rain again on Wednesday though so we are taking advantage of it while we can.) The house is reasonably clean and for some reason I feel like we got an extra couple hours today. How did that happen?? :)