Keeping It Simple

Lots of stuff! Ready to read.  Because I want to be able to sit down at a moment's notice, the reading stuff (Barton System) stays out. While it might be considered a step back for Mark and James, I am using this with them too. They have many "dyslexia moments" in their lives, so I am hoping this gives them a step up. They are nowhere near as severe as their older brother, but I am so impressed with the system that I want to use it with all three boys. Mark likes it- he feels that it is able to master each concept more than in the other program (also one that I love) we were using. James is amazed that he no longer reverses his "b" and "d". About the tickets (shown top left)-  The boys would do their reading program anyway, but it is summer, so I thought some incentive would be nice. Each time a section of the lesson is completed, a ticket is awarded. Prizes can be purchased when they earn the "cost" of an item. Really, there is n...

And not catching anything. But that is okay. Everyone had a great time!   A slightly freezing James drives the boat. A pod of dolphins crisscrossed along side them for a while. They think this was the mom and baby they spied (most of the pics turned out blurry). I am hereby retracting my previous statement that Marky rarely smiles. Apparently it ain't so! This guy knows where the good stuff is.  Catching fish isn't the important part anyway- hanging out and having fun is. For James, it was all about the casting. He was happy to just hang on the pier and do that! 

Ostriches  Part of the earthquake exhibit. We did not actually go to the presentation that showed the connection here- we just had lots of fun admiring these little guys. This is also one of the items on Mark's list of favorite things at the museum (#3).  We did view the 30 minute long earthquake show in the planetarium- a subject close to the heart of all Californians. ;-) Sharks Rays The Living Roof Pike fish-  The Pike fish is also on Mark's "favorite" list ( previously  posted Alligator gar and White Alligator being numbers 1 & 2).  Rainforest:  Yup. Our very own rainforest in the middle of CA is housed in this glass building.  As we walked up the ramp that circles the building (you can sort of see it),  it took us from the forest floor to the understory through the canopy and ended at emergent layer. At each level there are exhibits with animals that would be found ...

I started to post some of our "staycation" a few days ago, but got hit with a bug of sorts (all of us but Mark have gotten some version of it). Still on day 1, we are moving on to the aquarium at the CA Academy of Sciences- Our long awaited visit (after listening to radio ads about it for months) to the "Animal Attraction" area. It is a small, crowded exhibit, so it was tough to really fully appreciate it on this day. We have a membership, so we'll be back to take another look. Yes, mom is going to take yet another picture of you!                                                                                   While we love going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, this one has a variety that we have not seen before (as the bay aquarium has lots of...