TwoCowgirls: Jr. First Lego League, Frida Kahlo, and the Bell Museum

This has been such a fun week! It was full and stress free :) I learned something that I need to do differently (more about that later). It seems that I have a big revelation each week. He he. Live and learn, right?

Here's what we did this week:

Monday:

Piano...co-op...and Jr. First Lego League! Lego league was great, as usual. We started digging into the really fun stuff, and brought out the technic Legos for the team to explore. They worked on their own creations, then received the challenge to build a car. Class ended with a little friendly race, boys vs. girls. Fun times! Elise made a necklace out of a gear. Grandpa would be proud ;)

Tuesday:

Today was their first day of art class! We're meeting up two times per month to do art with a group of other kids, using the Meet the Masters curriculum. The day before class, we watched a slide show about Frida Kahlo, so my girls knew all about her life, and what inspired her paintings. I was really impressed by the artwork that all the kids created in class!! We had a really talented group ;) I should also mention that this class is being held at the most beautiful library. I need to find out the history of it. When we got home, we did our regular school work. When that was done, Elise made more art. In fact, she'd proceeded to spend all her free time over the next few days making fruit art. It's pretty sweet!!

Wednesday:

Today we woke up bright and early and met friends at a nature center. It was so nice out (60's in November in Minnesota? Yes, please!). The kids threw rocks in the river, chit chatted, made their own Mad Lib's, you know, regular kid stuff ;) I had good mommy chit chat time. It was nice! Afterwards, we went home, had lunch, and drove to Iowa because it was sunny there, and we wanted to soak up the last rays before winter. It was quite the impromptu adventure! There are so many cute little towns on the way down there! We decided we'll do that trip again when we have more time, and can spend the night somewhere. We'd like to go on an Amish tour, and check out a Norwegian museum that Bud read about when he was mapping our route.

Thursday:

Our day started out normal, with our regular old school lessons (math, reading, spelling, literature, you know...the basics). In the afternoon I would normally have class, but my class was cancelled, sort of. I still had to DO class during class time, but it was on my own. We had to go up to the Cathedral of St. Paul to look at religious symbols. It was so interesting! The girls have both been there, but neither of them remember it. We spent a lot of quality time looking at the paintings, statues, stained glass, images of saints, and of course, the giant Lego Cathedral in the basement.

Friday:

Field Trip Friday! This week we went the Bell Museum of Natural History. I didn't think I had been there before, but there was a display that I remember so vividly (a bog that we get to walk through), that I think I must have been there for a field trip when I was really little. Anywhooo, we started out watching a presentation about space, then listening to a naturalist talk about the displays, and then we got to explore in the touch & see room, where the kids got to touch a snake, look at bones, and so much more. It was really great! Millie originally wasn't going to come, but when we left she said, "I'm really glad I came." Here's the part I learned this week: When setting up field trips, I really need organize two to be going on at the same time. One for older kids, and one for younger. The class was great for Elise, but waaaaaay too simple for Millie.