In Which We Hit the Books. In a Manner of Speaking.

Our return to our usual routine today began on a cold note. Really, really cold - and we all had to go out bright and early (for us) into it, to take Drew to science class and then to head to Target for a couple of things.

So cold.

But we survived, and came home ready to get open the books that had been tucked away all December.

Well, maybe we got out the new play-doh first and made some fun things for a long time. But while the boys were making monsters and eyeballs, I read aloud in Peter Pan and asked them some quizzing questions from Acts, and Aimee and Drew attacked their respective schedules with fervor. (They really did!) Later, Ryan and Chase did some reading and some math, and took care of their triops. (Is that singular or plural? I barely even know what they are..)

Below is one of the creatures. They are barely visible, and in this picture can hardly be distinguished from other specks in the water, but they really do swim around and appear to be thriving.

In the interest of full disclosure, the house took a hit.

But we got most of everything done, and in a mostly peaceful manner (except for that brief time of discord when one of my boys was likening his reading assignment to slavery), so all in all, it was a good start to our week and the new semester.

Tomorrow...we attempt a project I skipped over the first two times we studied Ancient History in The Story of the World (four and eight years ago - yikes!) as we will begin mummifying a chicken!