Exercising the brain, snoozing and other homeschooling thoughts

Today I had a wonderful time doing math. Math isn't always easy while you are homeschooling. Occasionally my teachers (Mrs. Wright, mom, and dad), think that I am part Einstein. You should look at my math (see picture!). A genuis could do it in 10 seconds flat, but I am nowhere near that. I am learning about factors and multiples with large numbers. They take a lot of time and get confusing and take a whole lot of exercising of my brain. It's like a marathon going on in my brain. "What is the lowest multiple of 12,10,and 6?" "What are the factors of this or that?" It's like the biggest workout for my brain! Will I even have a brain left after all of this workout? By the end of the year will the blood have disintegrated my brain and I'll be left with a brain the size of a pea? Or will I have an enormous brain, like big bulging muscles, from all of this working out? I'll go with option number 2. I will have to remind myself that I am choosing this option. I'm hoping that it will make a difference when I don't feel like trying.

Now about snoozing. It wasn't me who was snoozing. I have been up since the crack of dawn (not really), but I have been working hard. My dog, on the other hand, decided last night to stay up and party in her kennel. Therefore, she has been snoozing all morning. Sleep, sleep, sleep with an occasional ear push up is all she does. Later, she may perk up and expect us to take her to the dog park. No way, Jose. Why does she get to sleep in when she wants to and I don't? Don't tell me that it's because she is a dog and I am a person. What's the point of having a dog if they don't do anything? I guess she is cute and cuddly occassionaly. But that's not the point. She loves to bask in the sun and sleep while I am slaving away, basking in my misery. Are dogs heartless? Of course they aren't, but sometimes it seems like it. Just like people. Dogs are sweet animals when they want to be. How are they supposed to know when it is the right time? When they were pups, perhaps they did too many math problems and their brain disintegrated to the size of a pea. That's my excuse for all of dogkind. But no more excuses. I want her to get up and at least patrol the house, maybe even do a little of my math for me. Dogs would get more treats if they did math or homework for their owners. Don't they know this?

It was great hearing from so many of my old blogging friends. I've missed you dearly. Why would someone blog without any followers? Thank you for being one of my followers? I'll try to post another recipe soon. My mom has been thinking about all things pumpkin, so that is a hint about my next recipe. Say hello to the pumpkin! I personally hate pumpkin seeds but that's another story. I'll save that one for Halloween.

May the Red Plague rid us all of math!
Gracie

PS I twisted a curse from the Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt for my closing.

PSS If you haven't read that book, you must! It will become a family favorite.

My blogs new name and lemons!

I thought I would tell you about my new blog name. It seems only fair. Why is the new name "The Cute Girl Who Pokes"? I earned that name with blood, guts, and glory. Too bad, I actually didn't. It would make such a nice story. Here is the real story. I was at a fencing tournament a few years ago, and I was stretching out with my mom. One of the other fencers walked up to me and said "I wish I had my mom to help me stretch". We talked a little bit and then she said "Hey, you are cute and small and I am going to squash you like a fly!" Then I said, "I am cute, but I poke." So she dubbed me, "The Cute Girl Who Pokes". Dunh dunh dunh! That's how it all came about. By the way she was kinda right. I almost beat her, but then her sword had a technical difficulty and she ended up with a longer sword. No fair!

Do you see the picture of me? Of course you do! This week I am going to make lavender lemonade for my class. I went to a concert and while I was there, I had a popsicle that was a lavender lemonade flavor. I liked it so much, I thought I must learn how to make it myself. So that is what I did. I only really like the best of the best, so I have to have fresh lemons and fresh lavender. Luckily, both are easy to find in my neighborhood. My mom and I went searching for lemons. At first, it wasn't going so well. Then we found a tree covered in lemons but the people who lived there weren't home to ask if we could pick them. Then I asked a neighbor who was outside, about the lemons and he showed me a better lemon tree in the backyard of a vacationing home he was taking care of. Could you imagine that forging could be so easy and fun? I think I saved a lot of money by just asking. Now, we are headed to San Luis Obispo (SLO) to forge for lavender. It's everywhere so I don't think anyone will mind if we take a few here and there. Below you will find my recipe for making the lavender lemonade. It is my first original recipe and I hope you like it too.

Gracie


Lavender Lemonade

To make the syrup:
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
8 heads of lavender

1 cup of fresh lemon juice.
3 cups of cold water and ice to taste

Boil water then add sugar. When dissolved add lavender. Steep for 10 minutes. Take out the lavender. I like to save this super sweet delicious treat to suck on like candy. YUM! Combine remaining ingredients and pour over ice. Drink it up and enjoy!

P.S. Be careful not to drink too much lemonade because it takes the enamel off of your teeth. I learned that from my uncle who is a dentist. Thanks Uncle Scott! (Scott Wathen DDS in case you need a great dentist!)

New Beginnings

I'm back! I know there is no excuse, but a lot has happened since last December. Shall I fill you in on a few of the details? First you should know that we have done a bit of moving. The details are kinda boring but here is the exciting stuff. We moved from Denver to Austin in January and then in July we moved to the Golden State (California baby!). Morro Bay is my hometown now.

Morro Bay is a very interesting place to live. My town has its own pet rock, great cafe's (Top Dog), a good library, and great neighborhoods. Our new house is a perfect house for my family and it is so close to the ocean that I can walk there. I have my own room! From my balcony, I can see a little window of the ocean and it is breathtaking when the sun is going down. We even have fun neighbors. Morro Bay seems to be a pretty safe place to live.

Last week was my first day of school. I say first day, because I will only be going there two days a week and I homeschool the rest of the week...yipeee! On Friday, I had a fabulous bonfire at the beach with all my new school/church friends. I enjoyed the night thoroughly except when I got hit in the head with a sand ball!! The nerve of those boys! I am excited about school and the kind of year it is going to be.

Another good part about my new life is that I am back into fencing. I have a fabulous fencing club that I joined. They have good equipment and the people are as nice as fencers could be. You see, fencers can't be too soft or else they will end up being loosers.

So here is the deal with my new blog. I'm still reading, so you are still going to see new books listed at the top but you might not see as many because I am now reading harder books because 5th grade is in middle school and there won't be any real quickies (for the chickies). So instead, you may hear about my cooking. As part of my homeschooling, I will be cooking with my mom 2 days a week. Forget the old brownie mix, I will be making things from scratch. One of my favorite things to do is ride my bike to the farmers market, so I will be sharing glorious foods for your eyes to feast on. Sorry I can't give your stomach any, I'm planning on eating it myself. I also will be writing about fencing which I am sure you will enjoy. Lastly, you will be hearing a lot about my dream to go to France which I am hoping to do next year as an exchange student.

Again, I'm sorry for not writing for the last few months. I hope my new and improved blog will make up for it. Don't forget to leave a comment, pretty please with sugar and lavender on top.

Gigi