Lately: January Recap

January has been another full month in our household! We've tackled some home projects, finished all the middle school applications, spent time with family and friends, and kept busy with Scout and school projects. Here's a peek at some of what we did this month:  

The Bear dens in Henry's Cub Scout pack took an outing to the Houston Mounted Patrol on one of the coldest mornings of the year! After a short presentation about the mounted patrol, we headed off to the barn to feed the horses. 

Handcuffs!

The Houston Mounted Patrol is open to the public, and we hope to visit again one day! 

While Henry and I were visiting the horse, Will was taking the ISEE  (entrance exam for middle school). It was a long 3 1/2 hour test but he did really well and Gene took him out afterwards for an Icee to celebrate the conclusion of the ISEE on an icy day!

More food -- dinner one night at Pondicheri.

In Hands On Art this month, the boys learned all about pop artist Jim Dine and made mixed media pieces with clay and bleeding tissue paper.

Henry's final piece

January also means the annual Bluebonnet Breakfast at school.

All 3rd-5th graders who read a certain number of the books are invited to attend the breakfast, where they are treated to enormous blueberry muffins.

Both my boys read all 20 Bluebonnet books this year (a HUGE accomplishment) and were honored on stage by our school librarian.

The fifth graders were invited on stage to help reveal WUES's top Blubonnet pick.

Will held The Chicken Squad, but our school's favorite Blubeonnet nominee was Roller Girl.

 More January updates to follow! It's been a full month!

Good Reads {December 2016}

Even though December is always a crazy-busy month, I managed to read ten books.  My secret? I tried audiobooks for the first time! I had resisted audiobooks because I am not an auditory learner, but I spend a lot of time walking Ruby and doing mindless tasks like laundry, so I downloaded the Overdrive app and checked out The Boys in the Boat from the library -- and now I'm hooked!

Here are my favorite books from December:

The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
This middle-grade adventure story was Henry's favorite Bluebonnet nominee this year and one that he couldn't wait for me to read so we could discuss.  Set in a dystopian future where a poisonous fog covers the planet, humans exist only on mountaintops, above the reach of the dangerous fog. Chess and his crewmates on a salvage vessel are racing to find a cure for their adoptive mother... and keep Chess's secret hidden from the evil Lord Kodoc.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown
I tried reading this book on paper and couldn't get into it, but the story comes to life on audio! This is the true story of the University of Washington's eight-man rowing team and their quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Who knew I would ever care about rowing? Incredible story.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
Galbraith is J.K. Rowling's pen name, and this was her first novel for adults. I listened to this an audio as well, and was drawn in to detective Cormoran Strike's world as he investigates Lula Landry's death.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
The boys and I had to read this over break for Name That Book Club, so we chose to listen to it on our drive to Palestine for the Polar Express. Claudia Kincaid and her brother run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and while there, get caught up in the mystery of an angel statue recently acquired by the museum. This Newberry winner was a favorite of mine as a kid and it was a hit with the whole family.

Frindle by Andrew Clements
We all listened to Frindle on the way to a hiking adventure. Frindle is funny and creative and I love that it explores language and the power of words.

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
I had never read Kingsolver's first novel, but it was fantastic. Taylor Greer sets out to escape her small Kentucky town and makes it to Tucson, Arizona, where she finds love and friendship in her new home. It feels very timely in our current political climate.

When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin
This middle-grade novel deals with loss and is heart-wrenching. Ben Coffin is a former foster kid who forges friendships with the librarian's daughter and a scruffy pup. Sweet and sad, it's a good read for dog lovers out there.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
This book got so much buzz over the summer, and I found it un-put-down-able. Eleven passengers board a plane on Martha's Vineyard and 16 minutes after take off, it crashes into the sea, leaving two survivors behind. The story alternates between the aftermath of the tragedy and the the victims' backstories. It's a quick, enjoyable read.

What have you read lately?

Wrapping Up: Winter Break

We are back in the swing of things around here and it is time to wrap up my winter break blog posts. We always love winter break because Gene is off from work for a whole week! This year, we did a tremendous amount of cleaning out and have sent out piles and piles of donated goods, recyclables and trash! Here's a peek at what we did when we weren't in clean-out mode:

Science experiments!

Stop-motion animation

A visit to the trains at Second Baptist Church

 

Time with the cousins!

Our annual NYE celebration with dear friends

Here's to 2017! I can't wait to see what the new year has in store for our family.

Christmas Break Hikes

It's no secret that we love to get out and explore the many parks around Houston! Hiking and being outside in nature is good for our spirits and bodies, and it's one of our favorite family activities. In addition to our very chilly hike at Fort Boggy State Park (in 28 degree weather), we took a few additional hikes closer to home.

Right before Christmas, we visited Lake Houston Wilderness Park on a pleasant, sunny day.  

Ruby loves hiking as much as the rest of us do!

Lake Dabney

Peach Creek

Spirit of Christmas version 5

Another favorite spot near town is Mercer Arboretum, and we'd never fully explored the trails on the west side of the park. Shortly after Christmas, we invited Gramma and Grampa to join us on a morning hike.

Boys + sticks

Family

We can't wait to get out and explore more!