FIFTY

Matt's latest insect frame. A tarantula and a tarantula wasp. 

2020 week fifty

Poised for homework. 

Salem is the best of all kitties. 

Poor Karen is molting and she looks absolutely wrecked. Here's the 2020 mascot. 

My cute classroom door decoration.

Vera has made a Harry Potter obsessed friend. Recess has been revolutionized for her. 

Happy Santa Lucia Day! The day when the oldest daughter in the family wears a lighted wreath crown (we opted for not actual candles) and wakes her parents with a tray of coffee and cookies (or St. Lucia buns, but as we already had a mountain of gingerbread we decided to not do more baking). Originally Dec 13 was thought to be the shortest day of the year and this ritual was symbolic of the coming of the lighter days of spring. Later it was Christianized to be about the coming of "The Light of the World" since the feast day was so close to Christmas. St Lucia was a martyred saint who brought food to Roman Christians hiding in the catacombs. Santa Lucia is supposed to wear a white dress and red sash, but a giraffe onesie has its own particular flair. 

We spent the rest of the rainy Sunday delivering Christmas nuts to some of our friends in the area. This Christmas elf was more than happy to doorbell ditch everyone. Or pound so  loudly on the door we would flinch every time. Sorry friends if you thought someone was trying to break down your door. 

 

Quotes

Theodore

"I'm playing sink or drown! Sink! Drown!" He was trying to determine which household items float or sink, but the idea of sink or drown sounds a lot like the premise to most witch trials. If you aren't a witch you will sink, if you are we will drown you!

"What in the whiskery world?"

Me- "Are you hungry for breakfast?"

T- "I'm hungry for Christmas!"

At school Theo is called "Mr. Pockets" because he always has his hands in his pockets -especially when he's supposed to be helping to clean up. Also because sometimes insects crawl out of his pockets during nap time.

I also asked his teacher during our Parent-Teacher Conference if he is particularly loud at school, she seemed surprised. She asked, "Theo? Loud? Not really. He's one of our quieter ones." Is that right? Saves all his volume for us I guess. 

Veronica

At top volume all week "FIVE GOLDEN RINGS! Four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!"

We watched Home Alone this weekend and V was particularly struck by the sassy older cousins who said, "11 kids, 6 adults, 2 vans, and a partridge in a pear tree." She's been adding that bit of sass to the end of most of her sentences...