Beautiful, Fun, Learning Days

I hope everyone is getting out and enjoying their spring.  We can't believe how cool it has been here this May!  Normally in May we have hot days~high 80's.  Then it cools back off for a while in June.  This May it has been so pleasant in the days, and quite chilly a lot of mornings.  It's been wonderful weather to get out and enjoy activities without being hot. 
  We haven't done very much in the way of formal "school" the last couple of weeks, except a couple of days of math, Bible time, and lots of reading.  Here are a few highlights~
~All 6 of us went to the zoo.  This is the first time the big girls have been in several years. It was almost empty, and, again, a beautiful, perfect temperature and day.  The zoo has a Monarch exhibit right now, and we all loved it.  The screen pavillion was *filled* with Monarchs.  The elephants were having a ball that day~dancing and being funny.  One was stealing the other's hay, and that one was raking his all up trying to keep the first one away from it.   The "hay stealer" also grabbed onto his ear with his truck; pulled his ear around over his face, then walked backwards in circles for several minutes.  We read and saw that day that each elephant has it's own personality. 



~All 6 of us played miniature golf.  The little girls are getting quite good these days.  They've really learned to slow down and aim.  It won't be long until Marissa is giving us a run for our money.  In fact, she was only 8 strokes over the winner (ME!!  : )  )  She would have been even closer, except toward the end for about 2 holes, she had a cramp in her side or something, and she really bombed out on those 2 holes. 
~They got to pet a foal and watch it nurse.  THAT made their day.



~Went to the aquarium for a class on pollution.  Saw the "Babies" exhibit, went through the shark tunnel (got a glimpse of the ellusive sea turtle, Sally), and got to touch the sting rays. 
~Played baseball with our homeschool group
~Went to Dollywood for about 2 1/2 hours yesterday after baseball.  Experienced thankfulness that the approximately 400+ kids at the front gate were about to board their yellow buses to *leave*!!  
~Have been observing (not necessarily by choice) the cicadas that are taking over.  "Those are ugly creatures", as she shivers.   Have seen one coming out of it's shell, and have discovered they have big red eyes.  Have been "enjoying" their loud songs.  Today, we researched and found some neat facts about them.
~Watched the men from the water dept. hook up the meter to hook us to city water, and helped dad hook up the pipes.  (We've stalled as long as possible going off of the well, but the water has gotten really bad, even with laser filters, etc.)
~Made, painted, and weighted cars for the AWANA Grande Prix.  Marissa's car won 3rd for Best Design in the older kids. 
~I got 3 free puzzles (Scramble Squares) from Betsy this weekend, and they are *such* a challenge.  Marissa and I had to cheat a little to find a starting piece.  James conquered his without help, but it took probably close to 2 hours. 
~And, as always, have had some great learning conversations about geography, history, science, math, God, and life.
And, I had my own 24 hour learning and get-away experience this weekend that I'll share about later. 

Letitia