No, it’s not quite Halloween yet, but it is a pumpkin-y day. The school is having parties and a costume parade today and I am looking forward to going in to watch. Yesterday I went to Honor’s class and was able to help with their pumpkin party. It was a “fun day”, but it also included a bunch of learning activities. The kids each got a pumpkin and had to measure it, weigh it, guess whether it would float or not – and test it – then when we carved it. We had to measure how much goop and seeds we scooped out, and how thick the skin was. Honor got a pumpkin that didn’t like to stand up, but as we looked at it laying flat, she determined that the place we cut the stem off looked like a mouth saying “Woooo!”. She drew on the eyes, I cut it out, and we ended up with a screaming pumpkin (although perhaps we should have called it a biting pumpkin, because everyone wants to put their hands - and heads - in the mouth… nom nom nom!)
Hopefully the kittens will settle down before I have to leave the house. They are very clingy today, especially Ninja Cat. I have had a cat (or up to three cats at a time!) appear on my shoulder any time I sit down today (yes – even right now, although one is under the chair attacking my toes). Earlier, Ninja Cat climbed all the way up into my arms as I was standing at the counter trying to make coffee, and they were all over everybody as we were trying to get ready for school and breakfast. The cats have now moved, and are in a massive, three-kitten pile-up on another chair (for a change) having a wrestle-fest. This is usually what happens before they collapse in a fuzzy heap and sleep for hours. This is a good time for them to nap, because it means they will wake up right about the time the kids get home… time for more play and active kitty company!
And they love to distract… I mean ‘help’… with homework.
btw. I love having a table in the kitchen. I can help with homework as I clean up and as I prepare dinner. The kids also have plenty of room to work together, and they do enjoy helping each other. Brian gave Honor a practice spelling test yesterday, and they both read to each other for their reading time. Honor is also picking up some basic multiplication because Brian explained it to her, and she now she asks for problems when we quiz Brian on his math facts.
Kittens are big helpers when it comes to unpacking school backpacks!
Who needs TV?
Note on the on-going kitten name dilemma – we think the pale cat’s name will be Princess Pixie Allspice. Yes, a mouthful for a little cat, but this is a cat that requires a complex name, she’s not one for simple labels.
Oh no! They’ve gotten into the kleenex and are shredding a tissue all over the living room… and are growling over bits of their ‘prey’ too!… I don’t think this is a ‘toy’ I want to encourage. Guess I better go do the mom thing and redirect their energy in a positive way. More later…
2 comments:
Princess Pixie Allspice.. Love it! What do you call her for short?
The kids and I tend to call her Pixie. Sometimes Brad and I refer to her as Allspice. When she acts like the Princess who is in charge of all that she sees... often... we call her Princess. We still call her Sweety and Sugar when she's being snuggley, and Baby when she needs it. :D Fortunately she likes it all.
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