Details from the nightstands

  First off, all the books mentioned in the previous post have been purchased by me or borrowed from our library. No free reviews copies for me. I only have time to write about the books I read this week. I want to give the Boxcar Children their own post.
   Locked On by Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney was one of the books I bought with my birthday amazon card. I would have had to wait months to get it from our library and I'm not big on delayed gratification when we are on a break from school. I did weigh the fact that I was purchasing a $15 book that I would read (inhale) within 2 days. I'm not sure what that comes out to on a hourly entertainment rate, but it's not much. I'm mostly greedy about my shelf space and if I don't know that I'll love the book I usually wait and get it from the library first. This book falls in with some of the new Maeve Binchy books. I'm excited to see old characters return, because I'm one of those people who always continue the story in my head after reading the book. Let's just say that I am probably not the target audience for this type of book. I'm not sure why I started reading Clancy, but I've read almost every book he has published.  It's like watching my boys play COD, but I know the background of each of the shooters.I admit that although I do know what a flash bang is and the science behind them, I thought the war scenes didn't sound like Clancy in Hunt for Red October/ anything he wrote alone. I ended up just skimming through several pages of what seemed to be forced, show-offy (is that a word?) military details. John Clark, Ding and the Ryan's are all back with their Secret Service detail and all the same people over at the CIA. Edward Kealty seems like Teddy Kennedy with the politics of Obama. I was anticipating a good visit with my insider friends over in Washington and I wasn't let down in that regard. I thought the plot dragged a little in the military detailing this time. The thing that left me feeling all "meh" was the cliffhanger ending. A lot of Clancy stories have continued into the next novel.I think he jumped the shark. He couldn't have been worried about getting another contract for another book. It's like being at the movies where the supposedly dead killer opens his eyes during the last camera shot and everyone practically yells out, "sequel"
    
   In Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, Bryan Sykes, professor of genetics at Oxford, describes his research and conclusions on the Genetic Atlas of Britain project. I was hoping for more imagined descriptions like he put in his previous book, The seven daughters of Eve. Basically, this book gives a excellent description of how DNA can be traced back far enough that the label"Celt" doesn't really apply to anyone who claims to be from the UK or Ireland. It did lead me on a rabbit trail over to National Geographic where I am thinking how cool it would be to participate in this.


   

On the nightstands

In an effort to step up  posting more than once in a blue moon; I offer this post on what we are reading this week. It's a another birthday week at our house as well as a big week with the construction project. We'll have clean laundry for Christmas if we can keep the momentum going. Anyway, here you go:
Saxons,Vikings and Celts - me
The Small War of Sergeant Donkey- read aloud
The Yellow House Mystery- read aloud
Mystery of the Roman Ransom- Mary (technically on her history list for school)
The Lady in Blue- me
Locked On- me (remind me to complain about the cliffhanger ending)

I'm going to try and write up my thoughts on a few of these tomorrow after we build some marshmallow structures and see if they are earthquake proof. BTW, I don't get any sort of kickback from amazon. In the great state of Illinois we are exempt from their rewards programs. It's just easy to link to them.

This is actually my cake from last month. We saw the idea on pinterest and I talked it up enough so the kids made it for me. We also had soda. It was a sugar fest.

Garrett's 18th Birthday

Notice his smile is actually just as big for the candy as it was for the cash. :)
Happy Birthday!

Musical Doodle......

R-R-R Round and round the record spins all day.

Listen again, it takes you far away.

Trying to stop it is futile

So just listen now to my musical doodle!

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

Listen again to the Musical doodle!

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

Doo-doo-doo-doo.

Musical Doodle

This is what was in my head during school, while picking up insulation that blew into the yard, and at our scout meeting this afternoon. Tomorrow my goal will be to simply listen to another song that will drive this one away. Far away.  

Sonlight- it's like a tractor beam pulling me to the mother ship

As usual, we are flying through our planned curriculum.
I say "as usual" because this happens almost every year. Even the years like this one where we should be distracted enough to not get so far ahead. But, we seem to be unable to obey the schedule provided to us. This year we only have 2 students at the academy and apparently they are running at lightning speed.

I will admit that we'll be turning the Sonlight schedule on its side so that we read a lot of one book each day.     Still, we settled into the couch with a contented sigh and read 60 pages of the boxcar children on day 1. I am thrilled to finish up core A with our youngest. We had started a year ago and ended up putting it aside until we could sit through chapter books. Mission accomplished. This is my third go round with Core G and I am looking forward to all that entails. It is my first time reading those books with a girl. I'm wondering if I can con her into sword fighting like I did with my older boys? :)

Random web wanderings

One winter hat off my shopping list. I especially like the double rainbow ribbons.

Trying to get Chorepad set up on multiple ipods. Hopefully, we'll get the chores under control. I sooo hate begging for someone (anyone) to empty the garbage.

Toy Soldiers on xbox 360. A WW1 themed toy soldier strategy game. This game reminded me that never once during my school time did we ever get as far as WW1. Or maybe we skipped it, cause we did read about WW2? Hmmm. Anyway we are having fun and when you win the game throws out period type sayings. History and gaming? Me likey.

I am seriously thinking of stealing this idea and using it upstairs.... Narnia in real life?

We are planning yet another weekend of home repair. Hopefully, the rain will hold off long enough for us to finish a big outdoor project.

September 22- The Anniversary of Lost and....

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/09/happy-hobbit-day-seven-geeky-ways-to-celebrate-frodo-and-bilbos-birthday-with-your-kids/


We'll be having Chicken Pot Pie for dinner and mushroom pizza for lunch. I'm planning some map making activities as well. Second breakfast is a given.....