The Tempest

C has spent the past 7 Saturday afternoons preparing and practicing to play Miranda in a kid-sized rendition of Shakespeare's The Tempest.

She did a great job; she remembered her lines, she projected her voice, she subtly prompted Ferdinand....

Ms. B, the teacher who led this class, is a rare human being. She's one of those teachers the kids love--she's passionate about the topics she covers, she relates to the kids sensitively and with honesty, she redirects with such a deft hand that actual discipline is unnecessary...C just loves her.

Next term the Shakespeare class is only open to older students (it alternates,) so C is going to skip the Saturday enrichment program all together. It works out nicely that the YMCA basketball program fills the Sat am time slot.

Our Current Reads

What we are reading:

Roller Coasters: Or, I Had So Much Fun I Almost Puked

C has a Saturday afternoon physics event with the UC Society of Women Engineers coming up next week. This is a great program. She missed the last one (Take Apart a Toaster Day--reverse engineering) due to her Super Saturday class. This evening she spent quite a bit of time looking at pictures and schematics of the roller coasters at our local amusement park. She has elaborate plans for the visit I have promised when the park opens in the spring.

Johnny Tremain

This is C's book club selection for December. She was hesitant to start it as it meant she'd have to set aside the Artemis Fowl series she's engrossed in, but she came to a stopping point and picked up Johnny Tremain. It turns out she loves it. I'm relieved. She reads so much fantasy and sci-fi (not that there's anything wrong with that!) --I'm glad to see her branch out into other genres.

How Underwear Got Under There: A Brief History

The other day C was at a parks program & T and I had some time to kill, so we went arranged to meet a friend to swim at the YMCA. Afterward, she asked to stop at the library on the way to pick up C. We didn't have much time (and R was ready for his nap,) but considering that she's a rather reticent reader, I agreed. It turned out she had an agenda. She wanted books about fashion. We picked up a history of girls' clothing in America, a book on costumes, and my favorite, How Underwear Got Under There.

When Things Fall Apart

Someone recommended this book to me a year or so ago when I was having a hard time around the birth and death of a baby I loved. Everything was just too raw and too much at the time--I didn't have any kind of perspective for reading a book. Now I do, and I love this book. I've read Zen shorts--those little metaphoric stories--and I've really enjoyed them, but I've never gotten very far with Buddhist philosophy. This is different. This book speaks to me.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire

This is D's book. We have just finished watching the Star Wars movies with the kids (which they loved, of course.) D was on a mission to find the first book that continued the story beyond Return of the Jedi...he bought it two days ago and he hasn't put it down. I am so grateful that I am married to a reader!

and last but not least...

My Little Counting Book

R loves this book. In fact, he loves it so much that even though it's a board book, I've had to repair it with clear packing tape. There are pictures of strawberries (his favorite,) kittens (a close second,) ducks, trucks, balls and kids. What's not to love!?! I read this book several times a day.

More, More, More Said the Baby

R loves this book, too. I love the rhythm and the ritual of the text. "Little Guy's daddy runs like anything just to catch that baby up...and then he gives that little guy's belly a kiss right in the midle of the belly button. 'More,' laughs Little Guy. 'More. More. More.'" Some books I don't mind reading over and over (and over and over.)

Bridging from Brownies to Juniors

C has completed her final year of Brownies. Being the fearless Brownie leader, this is as much of an accomplishment for me as it is for her.

As one of the requirements for the Bridging patch (a rainbow for her Juniors sash,) the girls had to complete a service project. They settled on a supplies drive for the SPCA. As we were short on time (see "Drinking from a Fire Hose,") we designated a mason jar as our fund collector and asked our friends and loved ones to donate their spare change. To my enormous surprise, we raked in nearly $70!!

The girls and I went shopping with our wad of cash, met up with the other two Bridging Brownies and headed over to the SPCA with a van load of cat food, treats, toys, cleaning supplies, office supplies and various and sundry other donations.

To complete the Bridging project, we held a ceremony. With the help of our other fearless leader, my good friend Alice, the girls planned an executed a lovely ceremony involving songs, artwork, and an actual bridge. After the ceremony, we refreshed ourselves with Brownies, Junior Mints and Lime-ade.