Animal Research. Phew.

The third graders in Rose #1's school have to select an animal to research, make a 3D model of, write a book about, and generally live and breathe for 3 months.

Animal Research ("AR") is done! Rose #1 selected the gray wolf. She made her own habitat and model (really truly did it almost all herself unlike - AHEM - some of the other kids). She wrote a beautiful book about wolves, which she dedicated to her teacher.



All very, very sweet and cute. I am sorta glad AR is over. Another milestone down. Great job Rose #1!

p.s.: Anyone have any ideas what I should do with a 3D model of a wolf? With evergreen branches and cotton balls?

Rose #2 was a scarecrow

Front row, second from the left: It doesn't matter that her scarecrow was an AUTUMN scarecrow. You try finding hay that you can send to school with a 6-year-old. At least the leaves were sewn together on a string. Otherwise they would have been totally unmanageable!

By the way, the lovely teacher in the middle is Mrs. Swenson, who was Rose #1's first grade teacher and is now Rose #2's. She is a great teacher with very helpful perspective and advice. She is also a total fashion plate and gorgeous to boot! We really like her.

Still here...

Tonight I took the girls to the park after dinner. Rose #1 did the monkey bars all the way across for the very first time! This might sound wrong - like it should be Rose #3 or something - but it's not. Rose #1's little hand makes it hard for her to do the monkey bars, but she hooks her wrist over and she finally was able to go all the way across. Way to go!

Rose #2 and I read a Berenstain Bears book (shuddering sigh) and Harry Potter before bed. Reading Harry Potter out loud is really fun. The chapters are too long - J.K. Rowling should have had us parents in mind when she was setting chapter length - but otherwise it is a great read. Rose #1, my daughter who reads at a 10th grade level in 3rd grade, listens to the story too. I love reading to them. I know my days of reading to them are numbered. Going to love it while I can.

Rose #3 put on her kitty cat boots, her fleece, her grubby size 7 too-big pants, put her hair back behind her ears so I could fasten her helmet, and proceeded to ride a tricycle to the park. The tricycle is about six sizes too small, so she kept flailing out of control with her knees hitting her chin. Time to get her a real bike - with training wheels. Poor grubby little urchin.

Saturday at the Science Museum

Today was a Katy Saturday, so we had to think of something fun and special to do. Science Museum of course! I didn't know that Kate had never been there, otherwise I might have asked her mother first.

She sure loved the musical stairs though!

The Roses LOVED a show about the curse of the mummy, King Tut, which is a big exhibit at the museum right now. Kate was scared of the guy giving the show (he was kind of enthusiastic and loud) so I couldn't get her to sit with her cousins.
Right when you enter the museum is a big map of the world. Rose #3 (who insisted on wearing her tiara!) loved it.

Rose #2 was having a good time, despite the grimace on her face:

And Super Smiley Rose #3 again:

Here's the crew. What a sweet group of girls:

OK, So This is a Cute Baby

In Which We Welcome a New Family Member

We have been blessed with a new addition.

Not really.

"Arnold," formerly known as "Buddy," is the class crustacean from Rose #1's class. Rose #1 very earnestly asked me about two weeks ago if I would write a note for Buddy to come live with us after his gig at school was done.

Sure! No problem! Crayfish have a life expectancy of 4 weeks, right? Plus certainly some other mother will write a note, so there will be a drawing, of course. Rose #1 won't WIN. No way. We never win.

Oh, we won all right. Buddy/Arnold is ensconced in our old fishtank now. Yuck. Slimy. Pinchy. Gag.




But Rose #1 is over the moon. Rose #2 wants a hamster. I just want a guarantee that I never, ever, ever have to touch a crayfish!

Sunday Fun Sunday

We had a lovely playdate this afternoon with Rose #1's very good friend...from daycare when they were just babies in the baby room. All the Roses posed with her today on the couch. When you have a playdate with one Rose, you kind of get a package deal...
Here are the best buds...

And Rose #3, who totally crashed and burned at the end of the night. On the kitchen floor. Right in front of the refrigerator.