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-Yesterday we went to see the Oregon Ballet do their once a year practice in the park. The tent is set up in the south park blocks in Portland's Cultural District, just south of Downtown. Anyone can go and watch the dancers and it is all free! Eva really wanted to watch and also let me know she does not want to actually dance because she has some practice of her own to do. I was surprised actually how quickly she tired of watching the rehearsal. There were several breaks between action when the choreographer would talk with the dancers and show them moves, etc. We are going back on Friday morning to watch a free kids class, just to see what that is all about and I am hoping we can make it to one of the performances on Saturday, after the farmer's market. That may be more interesting to her. Samuel actually really enjoyed himself and was also surprised when Eva wanted to go.

-We just finished up Bedknobs and Broomsticks by Mary Norton. We enjoyed it but really wished there had been more exploring and as Samuel said, less about their lives. I ordered the movie from the library and am curious about it now that we have finished the book. Samuel is generally disappointed by movie adaptations of books (James and Giant Peach, for example). Not sure how this one will go over because if I have seen it, I do not remember it.

-Season 3, volumes 1 and 2 of Lost in Space finally came in through inter-library loan. That is currently playing in the background. Samuel and I did the math about how many episodes that makes and I have conveniently forgotten at this point. I would say many, several, a lot. And so far they are still trying to get off of that planet...

-Eva has been enjoying the Peep website and its games. This is a new series we found on DVD at the library and I believe is a partial inspiration for her own character Chicky, along with her own stuffed chick who she carries around in a small basket, like a portable nest.

-I am still reading the Happiness Myth and have added to that And the Skylark Sings with Me by David Albert, a book about one family's journey homeschooling their two musical daughters. It is an inspiration to parents whose children are following paths that the parents do not necessarily share. Neither Albert nor his partner were particularly musical and yet were able to help their daughters pursue their musical interests. I am really enjoying his thoughtful ideas about the public school system as well.

-I am also reading Spineless Wonders by Richard Conniff and I highly recommend it if you enjoy spending time with bugs. It is a perfect time of year to read it, what with all of the spider webs and ants and flies and bees...

-Oh and also Suze Orman's Women and Money. I have read her before and she can get pretty hepped up so I made sure I was in a relaxed state of mind when I picked up the book. It is geared toward empowering women and has some interesting commentary. I am skimming quite a bit of it because as I said before, she gets pretty hepped up and I was hoping to feel good reading it, not more hepped up myself. I like reading organizational books sometimes though and tend to enjoy them more if I let myself skip around and skim quite a bit, take some here and there and then move on.

-Samuel spends quite a bit of time looking over the lego website, particularly the parts with the bionicles. He has the first of the newest Toa Mahri, the red guy (a.k.a. Toa Jaller). Today I noticed the two of them looking at pictures of the Toa together. Don't worry if you don't undestand this last paragraph. There are a lot of bionicles around my house these days, all set up and ready for something or other. I have been following this saga for years.

-Berenstain Bears

-Jay Jay the Jet Plane

-Geronimo Stilton

-Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs and other Tomie dePaola

-Stephen Kellogg

-Wildlife of Star Wars, A Field Guide by Terryl Whitlatch and Bob Carrau

-Oh and this is a pretty funny take off on Star Wars that is a lot of fun to watch