The homeschool event Monday was so nice. The country we focused on was Peru. All the kids did a presentation (music, clothing, sports, food, tapestries, animals, etc), the families brought great Peruvian food/drinks (and lots of it), and you wouldn't even notice we were in a room with 21 kids ages 3-13! The kids had a fun time, loved the food, and enjoyed seeing everyone. Yesterday, I did get some cleaning done, but not the stuff on the schedule. One day, I will actually do it, I swear! LOL. K was thrilled to receive another letter from her penpal in Spain (her Kindergarten best friend moved there - and they've been writing each other for 8 years!) and promptly wrote back. For some reason, the kid has never mentioned having email - which I'm actually glad about since there's something I feel is so special about a handwritten letter. K is also eager to start on the Barron's Earth Science book she chose from B&N last week. I plan on reading it together with her. She started knitting again and is getting J to pick up a book every now and then, too.

K has such a huge collection of books that J has to find something she'd like. She is showing interest in the My America series of books, so we'll see. And she has been really busy with dance. Competition season is underway and her first one is now at the end of February. There are costumes to be stoned and fitted, routines to be perfected, and fees to be paid. Between the tuition, fees, costumes, fundraisers, and soon hotels, we're so broke. But the good news is that B got a new job and will be starting in a couple of weeks!

The hamsters are 3 weeks old today! They are so big now that the mama has to push them off her when more than 3 come over to nurse at once. They can travel through the tubes pretty well now and some are so friendly that they go right into your hand when you put it in the tank. Instead of Goliath, K chose a small tan one - the only one with a white patch on her back. They're all so cute, it's hard to think we won't have most of them in another 2 weeks.