French Word Count Update

For the first few weeks of school, Conor and I would breathlessly quiz Savannah about what French words she learned that day. It was as if we expected her to be fluent after 3 days. We were just excited, but it didn't have the effect we hoped for.

An idea has to be Savannah's before it is a good one, so she would stubbornly refuse to tell us ANY French words. 'I won't EVER speak French! Only English for me!'. So we stopped asking and wouldn't you know it, this week Savannah has told us all kinds of French words.

She can count to 15, she knows red, blue and yellow. She says hello and good-bye and thank-you and please. She can sing a song about cleaning up and she can sing the good-bye song. (I only understand the au revoir part of that song, but there is more). The whole thing is quite charming. She even asks the teacher to translate for her. 'How do you say 'This is my orange pumpkin girl?''

I can't wait until she can order for me in Paris.

The French are serious about chocolate

From a chocolate maker's website in France:

"Like a magic potion, chocolate is a source of intense, unique pleasures. In order to fully savor the desirable characteristics of a good chocolate, it should be consumed in a quiet environment. Chocolate unfolds all of its aromas and its ideal texture at a room temperature of about 21°C. Brilliance, roundness, intense flavors, the crunch of the brittle coating that gives way as you bite into it... these are the first forms of expression challenging the senses."

Wow - I have not been appropriately savoring my chocolate's desirable characteristics. I just eat it.

A good question might be "Shannon, why were you on a French chocolate website?"

Well, why not?

POTD: School Snack

I got to take some candid photos at Savannah's school today for the newsletter. It was so fun and interesting to see how things function there during the day.

I honestly didn't know much at all about Montessori programs until Savannah started at this school. I'd heard good and bad. I do think that it's a good choice for her. I like the structure and the emphasis on responsibility. All the kids seemed to be having fun when I got there. It was during 'independent work time'. They are also allowed to get their snacks whenever they want, so there was a lot of snacking going on as well.

POTD: Late summer garden suprises

These popped up in the last week. I honestly thought the bulbs were duds - I guess they were just procrastinators.

A New Computer

It pays to have an in-house IT department - I got my computer back.

POTD: My kid is awesome

This will soon be a large print in our home.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 40th Anniversary to Gaga A and Gaga B!

POTD: Sassy New Haircut

Plus the sunflower....The bob is back!

She was so good at Bird's Barbershop this time - almost no wiggling. The fun, techno music got her. She had a mohawked, skunk-striped hair stylist this time - I Love Austin.

POTD: Not involving Savannah

Not a photo of the pumpkin, but she did pick out these sunflowers.

Here's your bit of lovely for the day.

POTD: Birthday Party

POTD: Once more with feeling

Ha!

POTD: Crazy Straw