Leaping Lemurs! A trip to the zoo....

Three of the kids and I headed out today to the Detroit Zoo with the promise of a lovely temperate sunny day. Everyone else in Metro Detroit apparently had the same idea! I've never seen the zoo parking lot overflowing with so many vehicles. The zoo itself was busy but not too overcrowded. We wandered about looking at everything and taking pictures. We haven't been in a long while. Suzy didn't even remember the place!

My favorite were the leaping lemurs - both ring-tailed and ruffed. They were fighting - so cute! We were also impressed with the meerkats, crocodiles, peacocks, prairie dogs, and polar bear.

Check the slideshow for some pictures.

Lisa's Logbook - June 26

Current Mood:  A tad annoyed
Outside: Sunny and 74
Wearing: brown capris, brown top, brown sandals
Tunes: 80's tunes
Kids Are: Suzy (and her bad attitude) is cleaning up the kitchen, David is on facebook, James is drinking lemonade he bought from the kids across the street, and Emily is doing something for her dad
Hubby Is: laying down
A Giggle: I always laugh out loud when reading Evanovich! Also I saw more ugly faery tattoos - these were a pair on a lady's shoulder blades. She was wearing a wife beater and the ugly anime-style faeries were staring at me as I left the grocery store.
Something New: I bought a new eyeshadow kit. It has 6 different compartments. SMOKY EYES......
Something Yummy:  the grape salad I had at Alex's open house and recreated for book club last night.
Blessings: Bob and David worked on the van and it's running good now.
Reading: Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich and Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell (on the Kindle)
Watching: Lord of the Rings: Two Towers in the theater, Life on Mars, IT Crowd (finished the Netflix eps), Psych Season 5
Considering: a trip to the Detroit Zoo

Working On: making a coach list for the soccer meeting tomorrow night, slowly sorting through things, getting the camper all set for our trip
Accomplishments: Completed week 2 of 10K training. Cleaned out the bottom cupboard of the hutch. Finished both Anne of Green Gables AND The Tempest.

Looking Forward to: LOTR: ROTK in theater!, going to the zoo, camping, kids that don't whine
Pic: Book club movie time!

Mapping the World by Heart

One of the things I am going to do with the kids this summer is Mapping the World by Heart. I've been reading about this curriculum for years, and a discount buy on Homeschool Buyer's Co-op induced me to purchase it for this summer. Our co-op was planning to do this as a class, but the course didn't make the cut after member voting.

Here's an introductory video to the curriculum.


In case you don't have the patience to sit through the video, the goal of the program is to teach kids to draw detailed maps by heart. Suzy is a bit young for the program, as it is designed for grades 5-12, but she could do it again when she's older if need be.

So, check back at the end of summer for our completed maps. I've offered to pay the kids for their maps in order to make the geography time more palatable. Until then, here are a couple samples of maps done by middle school students (more samples HERE):

Lisa's Logbook - June 19

Current Mood:  Cheerful, but Achy
Outside: Sunny and 76
Wearing: brown capris, brown and white tank top, brown sandals
Tunes: 80's tunes and some country
Kids Are: 3 are watching a DVD, David is upstairs doing something (probably working on a computer)
Hubby Is: reading the paper
A Giggle: What do clouds wear for pants? Thunderwear!
Something New: changed up my meme. Also got a haircut
Something Yummy: Minute Maid frozen lemonade cups (100 calories and 4-packs were on sale for $1!)
Blessings: Such GORGEOUS weather this week! Given some lovely furniture!
Reading: The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendie McClure; listening to Anne of Green Gables
Watching: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring in the theater, Life on Mars, IT Crowd
Considering: upcoming books for book club
Working On: getting books ready for a book sale
Accomplishments: Finished entering almost 300 soccer registration forms. Completed week 1 of 10K training. 23 years of marriage.
Looking Forward to: LOTR:TT in theater!, Book Club

Pic: a pic of my hair cut, though all you can really tell is the length. I actually was hoping for it to be a bit shorter, but I can do that next time.

Suzy's Mini-golf Party

Suzy's 9th birthday party at a local mini-golf center. I didn't upload photos of the guests, but if you want to see all the photos, email me for the link.

Lisa's Logbook - June 12

Current Mood:  relaxed
Outside: Sunny and 63
Wearing: Camp NaNoWriMo tee, khaki capris, socks and tennis shoes
Tunes: nothing really
Kids Are: 3 are down at the playground, 1 is probably napping
Hubby Is: somewhere around here
Made Me Laugh: Going out to eat with my friends after we saw X-Men: First Class. I think we tried the waiter's patience.
Made Me Sad: I hate answering this question!
Made Me Smile: A video of the actor who portrayed Boba Fett telling my son to take his friend Sky out to dinner. Ask me to link you on FB if you wanna see too.
Blessings: We were given a pool. Now we have to reassemble it and buy a liner.
Reading: the same: Max Lucado's Out Live Your Life and The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Simonsen; listening to Anne of Green Gables
Watching: X-men: First Class in the theater, X-men, X2, Life on Mars, Robin Hood Season 1, and Friday Night Lights
Considering: going camping next weekend. Also thinking about redoing this meme.
Working On: entering the soccer registration forms into the computer
Accomplishments: The co-op schedule is online!
Agenda: Working 4 hours M-F, karate, LOTR in theater! Our anniversary this weekend. Starting the 10K training this week.

Pic: The 3 older kids mini-golfing at Suzy's party on Friday. (Pix from her party coming up!)

Lisa's Logbook June 6

Suddenly taken ill Sunday afternoon and did not finish this, so I am answering it with Monday's answers instead. 
Current Mood:  Queasy (viral gastroenteritis? bleh)
Outside: Sunny and 82
Wearing: blue tee and black shorts
Tunes: nothing really
Kids Are: 1 doing dishes, 3 are somewhere doing something. lol
Hubby Is: at work
Made Me Laugh: A really ugly pair of "fairy" tattoos I saw on a woman's legs while I was out shopping. Ick.
Made Me Sad: Emily had to miss her last soccer game because she was sick.
Made Me Smile: Getting to go to Coldstone Creamery with a friend.
Blessings: a friend lent us the math curriculum David needs
Reading: Max Lucado's Out Live Your Life and The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Simonsen; listening to Anne of Green Gables
Watching: The IT Crowd, MacGyver
Considering: how to put together the summer learning plan. It would have been done except I was SICK. :-(
Working On: entering the soccer registration forms into the computer
Accomplishments: Finished reading the Message Bible (NT and OT)
Agenda: Working 4 hours M-F, karate, a curriculum sale, belt promotion ceremony, park day, Suzy's party, Alex's open house

Pic: Suzy with a bunny at the Family Fun Day on Memorial Day.