Heidelberg, Germany

Our Week

Just down the road is a fantastic Art Museum. I saw that they had a homeschool class offered once a month and signed us up. This month we saw photography by this man: Toyo Miyatake.

He was a Japanese American who is best known for taking photographs of the Japanese American people in the interment camp of Manzanar during WWII. We got to walk around the exhibit and view his photos and then participate in an art activity related to his work.

After we viewed his work the art instructor took a picture of the kids and printed it out. Owen and Meg then had to draw items they would take with them in a suitcase if they were asked to leave their home.

Owen's drawing

Meg's drawing

Then the kids slipped their pictures in plastic sleeves and had to draw barb wire over their photos.
We talked about how the Japanese Americans may have felt and what they may have taken with them. I learned so much from this exhibit and the kids really enjoyed it. We had lots of great discussions after this visit.

Meg takes "orders" on her "phone" and then she and her friend work frantically with Play-doh to fill the order.

Spring Soccer has started! The teams are huge. Which we are a little bummed about but apparently no one wants to coach. So the poor coaches that did sign up have big numbers! Here is Owen's team the: VIPERS!

Friday night in the neighborhood!

I have a "Sunshine" File - I know... I know pretty cheesy but I started it years ago as a fourth grade teacher and just slip things in it now and then. I received an email from a great friend this week. She was my mentor mom when I was in Germany and she was such a source of wisdom and humor! We lost touch when I moved and I hadn't heard from her in over 3 years. She sent me an email this week and told me how she had been thinking of me. Anyway, I printed it out and stuck it in the file.

Meg is a little organizer. She loves to label things. This just made me smile!

Here is Meg bundled up for Owen's soccer game. It was sooooo cold!!

Meg's up!! This is her getting ready for her game. I have been so proud of her. On the second night of practice she kicked the ball and it hit a kid in the face and gave him a bloody nose. She cried and cried about it. I told her it was an accident but she felt horrible. I thought she would throw in the towel but she has been hanging in there. Then on Sat. at their game they lost 6- 0!! I thought we would have a teary ride home but she jumped in the car and said, "that was fun!"
She made a little BFF with the girl in front of her!!

I thought that it was funny that she and her little soccer buddy were chatting away when this little guy came up and just tried to join in the "girl talk" .

GO FIRE TIGERS!!! (love the team name)

GO MEG!!

So Owen and his buddy were the same number for indoor soccer and get this... SAME NUMBER for SPRING SOCCER by total chance!! I think if Meg had been number 8 we would have played the lottery this week!

I found this little table for a few dollars at Habitat for Humanity.

I knew exactly what I wanted it for...... my overhead!! Picked up this overhead at the goodwill for $10.00 and LOVE IT. Had one when I taught....I'm pretty old school.... I went to Staples looking for transparencies i wasn't even sure they made them anymore but the gal helping me said, "Oh yea, some of my professors still use them." That made me happy!

And here she is in all her glory!

and found this little hanging book shelf at a second hand store.

We got Meg this hat for fifty cents. They are hosting Derby Day at the Library on post at the end of the month and we are going to decorate it!! Stay tuned to see what we come up with. They are giving prizes for hats and costumes. I told Owen he should dress up as a jockey.

Meg picked up this little wallet at a second hand store.

Boys crack me up. Their newest trick is to take a cell phone hook it up to this little speaker and play music while they roller blade on the basket ball court. They get all pumped up about this and they think they are super cool out there jamming to tunes.