Sapiens Vol. 1 by Yuval Noah Harari

Title: Sapiens Vol. 1: The Birth of Humankind

Author: Yuval Noah Harari

Publisher: Harper 2020

Genre: Comics

Pages: 248

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?

In this first volume of the full-color illustrated adaptation of his groundbreaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind’s creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.” From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens challenges us to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. 

Featuring 256 pages of full-color illustrations and easy-to-understand text covering the first part of the full-length original edition, this adaptation of the mind-expanding book furthers the ongoing conversation as it introduces Harari’s ideas to a wide new readership.

I didn’t really learn anything from this comic version of Harari’s book, but it was enjoyable. I really enjoyed how accessible this one is for every person.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• One last coop to teach for the (hopefully) semester. I taught the first four weeks of the spring semester and I’ve going to relish taking the b real.

• About 25% of the way through Cloud Cuckoo Land and it’s oh so good! I just want to curl up and read for the entire day.

• The big winter storm missed us, but it has been super cold the past few days.

• We have an early morning to switch out the library books before driving to coop. I hate early mornings.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Player (Beautiful #3)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 465

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Hanna Bergstrom receives a lecture from her overprotective brother about neglecting her social life and burying herself in grad school, she’s determined to tackle his implied assignment: get out, make friends, start dating. And who better to turn her into the sultry siren every man wants than her brother’s gorgeous best friend, Will Sumner, venture capitalist and unapologetic playboy?

Will takes risks for a living, but he’s skeptical about this challenge of Hanna’s…until the wild night his innocently seductive pupil tempts him into bed- and teaches him a thing or two about being with a woman he can’t forget. Now that Hanna’s discovered the power of her own sex appeal, it’s up to Will to prove he’s the only man she’ll ever need.

Hanna and Will were a great couple and I ended up enjoying their book. I’m still hung up on Max and Sara, but this volume does a decent job as getting me invested in these two characters. Hanna can be a bit naive at times and I was a bit annoyed by the whole “woman knows nothing when it comes to sex” trope, but Will was entertaining and a fun guy to be around. I flew through this one in just a few days. It had the right amount of steamy scenes and talky scenes. Plus we get some great cameos from our other characters and one big reveal at the end. I’m definitely going to keep reading the series as my fun light-hearted reads in between more serious fare.

Beautiful Bastard

• #1 Beautiful Bastard

• #1.5 Beautiful Bitch

• #2 Beautiful Stranger

• #2.5 Beautiful Bombshell

• #3 Beautiful Player

• #3.5 Beautiful Beginning

• #3.6 Beautiful Beloved

• #4 Beautiful Secret

• #4.5 Beautiful Boss

• #5 Beautiful

Next up on the TBR pile:

February 2022 Life Goals

Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.

• Read 15 Books ✓

• Map Out My Year ✓

• Work on a Craft Project ✓ - I’ve almost finished with my 2021 Memory Planner.

• Get a Jump on Our 1000 Hours Outside ✓

• Plan a Few Trips - Nope. Not yet.

• Plan Out Homeschooling for January - March - Working on it.

• Pull Down Christmas Decorations ✓

February Goals:

• Read 15 Books

• Finish my 2021 Memory Planner

• Log 10 Hours Outside

• Finish Coop Tasks for Winter

• Have a Movie Month

• Have a Valentine’s Day Party

Next up on the TBR pile:

January 2022 Wrap

January TBR Pile (16/22):

1. BOTM: TBD

2. Bookworms BC: The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz ✓

3. Friend BC: (Already Read)

4. Currently Reading Buddy Read: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles ✓

5. Romance: Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler ✓

6. Romance: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler

7. Romance: Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez ✓

8. Romance: Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday

9. Romance: Beautiful Bombshell by Christina Lauren ✓

10. Comics: Monstress Vol. 6 ✓

11. Comics: Lumberjanes Vol. 20 ✓

12. Comics: Far Sector ✓

13. Nonfiction: How Zoologists Organize Things by David Bainbridge ✓

14. Nonfiction: The Comfort Book by Matt Haig ✓

15. Fantasy: A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

16. Fantasy: House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

17. Fantasy: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse ✓

18. Fantasy: Questland by Carrie Vaughn ✓

19. Added: Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon ✓

20. Added: All the Feels by Olivia Dade ✓

21. Added: Once and Future Vol. 3 ✓

22. Added: Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedman ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 4753 pages
Pages Remaining: 429,551 pages

Current Read - House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland; Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren; Sapiens Vol. 1 by Yuval Noah Harari

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (0)

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 305

• Books Read: 2

• Books Acquired: 0

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 303

February TBR Pile:

1. BOTM: TBD

2. Bookworms BC: (Not Reading)

3. Friend BC: Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (reread)

4. Friend BC: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

5. Currently Reading Buddy Read: Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

6. Jane Austen Rereads: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

7. Fantasy: Gilded by Marissa Meyer

8. Horror: House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

9. Romance: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler

10. Romance: Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren

11. Romance: Beautiful Beginning by Christina Lauren

12. Romance: Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren

13. Comics: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

14. Nonfiction: How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

15. Nonfiction: Share You Stuff, I’ll Go First

16. Mystery/Thriller: The Hidden by Melanie Golding

Movies watched

• Eternals - I liked it, but felt like there was enough in there to make 2 movies.

• Sing 2 - Enjoyable kids movie.

• Matrix Resurrections - At times, trying too hard to be clever…

• The Duke - Delightful British biography comedy.

TV Shows watched 

• The Witcher S2 - A very exciting second season.

• The Bachelor - Still don’t like Clayton…

• Below Deck - My silly guilty pleasure show.

• The Great S1 - We’ve almost made it to the end of the first season. I am really enjoying it.

• Doctor Who - I just didn’t love this season at all. It felt very disjointed.

• Righteous Gemstones S1 - How did we not watch this one yet? Oh so good!

• Only Murders in the Building S1 - Delightfully fun.

Comments - A very decent showing for this month’s reading. And we knocked out some television series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W20: Getting Used to Winter Walks

What We Studied

We ended up with a light week, but covered some ground.

We found a visitor at Heron Haven

Literature and Poetry

We started our new read aloud. There’s a dragon, a journey, and a collection of folklore stories. I’m digging it. Not sure how much Arthur is, but we’ll keep going.

• The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky

• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Math

Arthur worked through 3B Unit 7 about capacity. We discussed milliliters and liters. We’ll be finishing the unit this coming week.

• Logic Liftoff

Social Studies

We covered two Indian Empires for our middle times. Specifically, we learned about Razia Sultana.

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• When on Earth

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

Arthur Independent Time

To allow for one-on-one time with Quentin, I have added an hour of independent work time for Arthur. Each week, he will have a mix of packet work (mostly grammar and math review), independent reading time, and special projects. Many of his projects will be aligned with our literature selections (some taken from B&R Language Arts curriculum) and history.

Science and STEAM Coop

For science, we did a mini unit on weather to coincide with our coop theme. At home we learned about the weather and various weather states. We tracked the weather and working on some activities. In coop, I taught the older kids and we discussed what makes the weather and made a weather station.

• Snow is Falling by Franklyn M. Branley

• One Snowy Morning by Kevin Tseng

• First Snow by Nancy Vlau

• Some Snow Is... by Ellen Yeoman

• Snow Day! by Candice Ransom

• The Snow Day by Komako Sakai

• Sizing Up Winter by Lizann Flatt

• What Will the Weather Be? by Lynda Dewitt

• Watching the Weather by Lisa J. Amstutz

• Weather Words and What They Mean by Gail Gibbons

• What Makes a Blizzard? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

• Kate, Who Tamed the Wind by Liz Garton Scanlon

• Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse

• The Fog by Kyo Maclear

Art/Music

None this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included. We covered a variety of snow activities, shapes, colors, and math.

ELA

• Biscuit Phonics Books

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Math

• Lollipop Logic Book 1

Other

Field Trip

On Monday we had a nice walk at Heron Haven. It was a bit icy, but it was lovely to get outside for an hour. This wasn’t a big coop field trip, but a more spontaneous outing to take advantage of the weather.

Documentary Selection

I have carved out a one hour time block each week to watch a documentary related to our studies. We ended not watching anything particular.

Misc. Picture Books Read

• The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright

• Let's Pop, Pop, Popcorn! by Cynthia Schumerth

• Jackrabbit McCabe and the Electric Telegraph by Lucy Margaret Rozier

• Interrupting Cow and the Chicken Crossing the Road by Jane Yolen

• Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

• Max and Marla are Going on a Trip by Alexandra Boiger

• Snow Falls by Kate Gardner

• Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakast by David Ezra Stein

• Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise by David Ezra Stein

• In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek

• I am by Human: A Book of Empathy Susan Vrede

• I am Love: A Book of Compassion by Susan Vrede

• I am Courage: A Book of Resilience by Susan Verde

• I am One: A Book of Action by Susan Verde

• I am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde

• When the Snow Falls by Linda Booth Sweeney

• Tidy by Emily Gravett

High

• Tuesday morning we had a lovely relaxing playdate with a friend. The friend had to leave the coop, but it’s nice to continue the friendship.

Low

• We lost a whole afternoon of school because I decided that we needed to clean up the playroom. It needed to be done, but involving the kids meant that it took almost four hours.

Next Week

• Finishing 3B Unit 7 for math

• Continuing reading Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

• Concluding weather and climate change for coop

• Covering China for history

• Getting acquainted with Renoir for art

• Working on phonics for Quentin

• Spending more hours outside

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Title: A Gentleman in Moscow

Author: Amor Towles

Publisher: Penguin 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 462

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - January (Putting Off Reading)

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

I waited so long to read this! Already this is going onto my Top 10 of 2022 list at the end of the year, it’s that good! Towles has crafted a beautiful story of love, loss, human connection, and change. We get to journey with the Count through 30 years of his life under hotel arrest. We see him share in the joy and pain of others he encounters. We see him develop strong bonds with many others. We see him notate the changes happening in his beloved home country all while not being to experience them outside of the building. Within the plot, Towles sprinkles passages of philosophy and culture and life lessons. I have marked so many passages in my book that it just looks silly. I found myself rereading certain passages over and over again, committing them to memory (the coffee making paragraph is a particular favorite). I was so incredibly sad when I reached the last page, but also so glad that I was able to spend so much time with a wonderful and interesting human being.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #3

On my bedside table: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler; How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

On my tv this week: We binged only Murders in the Building S1. Oh so good! Yesterday we started Resident Alien S2. it’s been a wild television show week.

Listening to: I completely caught up with the Maintenance Phase podcast so I started diving back into some other podcasts that I’ve gotten behind on.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Leftovers / Tobe out for dinner

• Tuesday - Maafe

• Wednesday - Spicy Shrimp Burrito Bowls

• Thursday - Jalapeño Popper Bacon and Bean Soup

• Friday - Baked Firecracker Chicken

• Saturday - Tuscan Kale and White bean Soup

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: I have a ton of school stuff to organize, a couple of craft projects to finish, and a kitchen pantry to inventory.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Morning walk at OPPD Arboretum; Book Club

• Tuesday - Virtual National Weather Service Tour; Trivia @ Edge of the Universe

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Home Day

• Saturday - Home Day; D&D

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Still working on my 2021 Memory Planner. I’ve completed through September. That’s means only two months to go.

My simple pleasures: Hot chocolate, nature walks, new puzzles

Looking around the house: Blergh. I should do some house work today.

From the camera: View of the wetlands at Heron Haven. Look at all those geese and ducks!

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Title: The Comfort Book

Author: Matt Haig

Publisher: Penguin Life 2021

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Winter TBR Pile

THE COMFORT BOOK is Haig’s life raft: it’s a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle reminders to Haig’s future self that things are not always as dark as they may seem. Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science, and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.

I was given this book at our bookish retreat book exchange. I didn’t quite know that I needed this little book of pieces of comfort, and yet this was exactly what I needed this winter. Pandemic fatigue and worry has done a number on my mental health and I definitely needed a bit of comfort. This little book is filled with Haig’s collection of words to comfort and lift up. Not a book to read straight through, but one to pick up and read a few pages when you need a little pick-me-up.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List Update #1

After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want to accomplish this coming year and I want to make some intentions for each season. For winter:

1. Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project - We officially have 4 hours posted. Not a great start, but the weather has really been hindering us.

2. Have a birthday day out for my 40th!

3. Weekend trip to Chicago

4. Read 50 books (16/50)

5. Day trip to Des Moines

6. At least 6 zoo visits (1/6)

7. Trip to see the frozen waterfall at Platte

8. Movie Month February .

9. Weekly Game Day/Night with Arthur — We started this, although terrible attitudes caused us to miss a week.

10. Make winter crafts

11. Design board for future kitchen renovation

12. Make Valentine’s

13. Have a monthly (indoor) picnic

14. Finish one craft project - I’m currently 70% of the way finished with my 2021 Memory Planner. Hoping to finish soon!

15. Monthly bingo/trivia nights - Our last one got canceled, but I’m making up for it with a trivia and a bingo night in February.

16. Go sledding

17. Buy a new Nebraska State Park permit ✓ And we’ve even used it once already.

18. Do a donation drop - I’ve done a toy cleanup, just need to gather some more things before doing the drop.

19. Take the kids bowling

20. Dye my hair purple

21. Log 50 miles on the treadmill

22. Learn to knit

23. Replace 50% of my socks ✓

24. Make homemade cinnamon rolls

25. Complete 3 television series - We finished The Witcher S2 and It’s Always Sunny S15, but no big series yet. I really want to finish Hustle something this season.

Up Next on the TBR:

Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedeman

Title: Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWork

Author: Reeves Wiedeman

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2020

Genre: Nonfiction - Business

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Christened a potential savior of Silicon Valley's startup culture, Adam Neumann was set to take WeWork, his office share company disrupting the commercial real estate market, public, cash out on the company's forty-seven billion dollar valuation, and break the string of major startups unable to deliver to shareholders. But as employees knew, and investors soon found out, WeWork's capital was built on promises that the company was more than a real estate purveyor, that in fact it was a transformational technology company.

Veteran journalist Reeves Weideman dives deep into WeWork and it CEO's astronomical rise, from the marijuana and tequila-filled board rooms to cult-like company summer camps and consciousness-raising with Anthony Kiedis. Billion Dollar Loser is a character-driven business narrative that captures, through the fascinating psyche of a billionaire founder and his wife and co-founder, the slippery state of global capitalism. 

This was a terrible book. In that, it detailed the rise and fall of pretty terrible company. In the vein of Jon Carreyou’s Bad Blood, Wiedeman set out to trace the trajectory of another unicorn startup. I am not well-versed in business, but I have been steeped in Silicon Valley startup mindset. WeWork fell into all the traps for ego and idealism at the expense of security and realism. Right away, I could not stand Adam Neumann but recognized exactly how he charmed his way to the top and then back down. At times, the writing got bogged down in numbers when I wanted it to tell a bit more of a human story. But overall, this was a fascinating read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Starting 2022 with Some Videos

This looks so weird. I must see it!

This looks strange and intriguing. I must add to the list.

Such a delight!

We can’t wait for the second season!

Oh yes. This looks right up our alley.

Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin

Title: Far Sector by

Author: N.K. Jemisin, Jamal Campbell

Publisher: DC Comics 2021

Genre: Comics

Pages: 213

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The first murder in 500 years. Twenty billion suspects. One hope.

The City Enduring, a booming metropolis at the edge of the universe, hasn’t experienced a violent crime in generations. The Emotion Exploit has erased its citizens’ full range of feelings, allowing three resident races to overlook their turbulent history and coexist peacefully—until now.

Rookie Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein is still adjusting to her assignment to protect this strange world when a brutal murder rattles its social order, threatening to undo centu r ies of controversia l pro gress . As the populace rises up against the legacy of the Emotion Exploit and leaders grapple for power under threat of a new war, Jo must rely on her unique instincts—as a Green Lantern and the only human in this sector—to solve the crime and guide the City Enduring toward a more promi sing future.

I don’t usually read “cape” comics, but I made an exception for one written by N.K. Jemisin. I mean, who an resist another story from Jemisin? For this one, Gerard Way resurrected some of the side stories from the DC Universe into a new series called Young Animals. In this volume, we get a story about a solo Green Lantern in the far searches of the sector struggling to understand the culture, the people, and the murder of a citizen. Immediately, I fell for the complicated society full of rogues and confusion. And then we get the murder mystery to keep up going. And finally, we get Sojourner herself. I loved the weaving of her background on Earth and her current standing as a Lantern. Strong, yet flawed women are my catnip and Sojourner is exactly what I needed. I really enjoyed this story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler

Title: Mistletoe & Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2)

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 422

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana's determined to prove that she belongs...even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town's hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.

And really...how hard could it be?

The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it's not getting any easier now that his dream girl's back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it's clear she needs help, fast...and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It's an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong...together.

Still enjoying this series of romances. Lana was an intriguing character in the first book and I was hoping we could get to learn more about her. Thankfully her story is the entire second book. Right away we dive right back into the story of Moose Springs and it’s colorful inhabitants. I’m glad we get to see what happened with Zoey and Graham but the main focus is shifted away from their story. We get to follow Lana as she struggles to find her place within her family and with the town. We get some great banter between Lana and Rick, but not as much as I would have liked to see. And I kept forgetting that these books are closed door. I would have like a romance a bit steamier than what we got. And yet, I’m still going to read the third book in the series.

Moose Springs, Alaska

• #1 The Tourist Attraction

• #2 Mistletoe and Mr. Right

• #3 Enjoy the View

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W19: Winter Hikes can be Refreshing

What We Studied

We ended up having a few outings this week, but also

Literature and Poetry

This week’s theme was trickster tales of Africa. It went along nicely with our history unit covering Mali. We also did a mini lesson on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to honor his legacy.

• Martin Luther King Jr.: Preacher, Freedom Fighter, Peacemaker by Pamela Hill Nettleton

• Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford

• Poetry: The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky

• Trickster Tales of Africa

• A Ring of Tricksters by Virginia Hamilton

• Stegothesaurus by Bridget He’s

Math

We continued with our Logic Liftoff book and the various logic puzzles that I’ve found. Arthur finished Unit 6 from 3B and is ready to move on.

Social Studies

We covered the middle times chapter on the Mali Empire. We learned about Mansa Muse the famous city of Timbuktu.

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• When on Earth

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• The Magic Guard by Baba Wague Diakite

• The Fire Children: A West African Creation Tale by Eric Maddern

• The Hatseller and the Monkeys by Baba Wague Diakite

Arthur Independent Time

To allow for one-on-one time with Quentin, I have added an hour of independent work time for Arthur. Each week, he will have a mix of packet work (mostly grammar and math review), independent reading time, and special projects. Many of his projects will be aligned with our literature selections (some taken from B&R Language Arts curriculum) and history.

Science and STEAM Coop

For science, we are covering emotions and socio-emotional traits. Quentin has really taken to discussing the various books.

• DK My Mixed Emotions: Anger

• Millie Fierce by Jane Manning

• Be Positive! by Cheri J. Meiners

• The Way I Act by Steve Metzger

• Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller

• Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down by Lindsey Rowe Parker

• Don't Be Afraid to Drop by Julia Cook

• I Can Handle It! by Laurie Wright

In coop, we had our second week about Famous Nebraskans and Iowans open house. The boys had fun and we met some new friends.

Art/Music

Nothing this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included. We covered some simple phonics lessons featuring the digraph Th. We did more alphabet review. We also covered the months of the year, opposites, and shapes.

ELA

• The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

• My Papi has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero

Math

• Lollipop Logic Book 1

• Fish, Swish! Splash, Dash! by Sure MacDonald

Other

• A Little Book About Opposites

Field Trip

We met our coop friends at the SAC Museum to learn about air travel. The boys had extra fun the play areas. And I had got to chat with some of my friends.

Documentary Selection

I have carved out a one hour time block each week to watch a documentary related to our studies. We watched more PBS Eons videos. Eventually we will finish watching all of the published videos.

Misc. Picture Books Read -

• 365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental

• Unicorn is Maybe Not So Great After All by Bob Shea

• Unplugged by Steve Antony

• That's My Carrot! by Il Sung Na

• I Feel Teal by Lauren Rille

• When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland

• Girl Versus Squirrel by Hayley Barrett

High

• We went on a winter hike at Schramm State Recreational Area. The temps were hovering around 35 degrees and the skies were clear. We were careful to walk on the edges of the path avoiding the ice. We also stopped at the fish hatchery ponds and the geologic formation. It was a good couple of hours outside enjoying nature.

Low

• Night time reading didn’t really happen this week due to bad attitudes (and books falling on my head). Here’s hoping next week goes better.

Next Week

• Starting a new read aloud

• Learning about Indian Empires

• Covering Unit 7: Capacity

• Exploring weather and climate change for coop

• Continuing emotions for science

• Hoping to cover Renoir for art

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #2

As I look outside my window: It’s clear and bright, but probably very cold. I haven’t decided if I’m leaving the house today.

Right now I am: Getting ready to dive into my reading hour. I’ve got a graphic novel and a nonfiction business book sitting here ready for me to pick up.

On my bedside table: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler; Far Sector by NK Jemisin

On my tv this week: Wr continued with The Witcher S2 and The Great S1. And we finally started watching The Righteous Gemstones.

Listening to: Lots of hard rock playlists. I’ve been mixing it up. Somehow the hard rock has been calming me done while I’ve been making dinner and doing house chores.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Sausage, Potato, Spinach Soup

• Tuesday - Chicken Shawarma Fries

• Wednesday - Leftovers

• Thursday - Jalapeño Popper and Bean Soup

• Friday - Peanut Sauce Chicken and Broccoli Bowls

• Saturday - Maafe

• Sunday - Italian Noodle Soup

On my to do list: Laundry, put away laundry, vacuum, make a cake, make dinner, prep dinner for tomorrow (chicken needs to marinate), print some photos, organize some photos, maybe do a library run

Happening this week:

• Monday - Winter walk at Heron Haven

• Tuesday - Playdate at Friend’s House; Book Club

• Wednesday - Regular Home Day

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Regular Home Day

• Saturday - Regular Home Day

• Sunday - Currently Reading Zoom

What I am creating: I’m still working through my 2021 Memory Planner. I’ve completed up through July and I just started at the new year. I’m hoping to be done by mid-February. I did hit an obstacle in that I didn’t clean out all the photos from our road trip in September. That’s going to take a minute.

My simple pleasures: Time with friends (even all masked up and cautious), continuing to be healthy, less headaches this week, reliving our road trip by cleaning out the pictures.

Looking around the house: J has been tackling some random projects including getting a bookcase for his books, removing some random old things (like the radio in the bathroom), and buying garage door insulating kits. Here’s hoping he can finish something today.

From the camera: We visited SAC Museum this week during a very cold day. We haven’t been in almost two years and it was nice to visit again.

Questland by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Questland

Author: Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Mariner Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Literature professor Dr. Addie Cox is living a happy, if sheltered, life in her ivory tower when Harris Lang, the famously eccentric billionaire tech genius, offers her an unusual job. He wants her to guide a mercenary strike team sent to infiltrate his island retreat off the northwest coast of the United States. Addie is puzzled by her role on the mission until she understands what Lang has built: Insula Mirabilis, an isolated resort where tourists will one day pay big bucks for a convincing, high-tech-powered fantasy-world experience, complete with dragons, unicorns, and, yes, magic.

Unfortunately, one of the island's employees has gone rogue and activated an invisible force shield that has cut off all outside communication. A Coast Guard cutter attempting to pass through the shield has been destroyed. Suspicion rests on Dominic Brand, the project’s head designer— and Addie Cox's ex-boyfriend. Lang has tasked Addie and the mercenary team with taking back control of the island at any cost.

But Addie is wrestling demons of her own—and not the fantastical kind. Now, she must navigate the deadly traps of Insula Mirabilis as well as her own past trauma. And no d20, however lucky, can help Addie make this saving throw.

I grabbed this book on the recommendation of the local library. They post a round-up of their favorite books from the year and this one intrigued me. I am always up for a fantasy adventure story and this one was enjoyable. Instead of Jurassic Park crossed with Westward vibes, I got big Ready Player One vibes. I loved all the references to various stories and little references here and there. Once we got to the island, I loved the exploration of the land and the overall mystery. I wanted to spend more time in the exploration phase. But we had to hurdle forward toward the big boss battle at the end. I was slightly annoyed that the final showdown was quick and frantic. I almost felt that someone should have died earlier in the story to really up the ante. But it just didn’t happen that way. And ultimately, I wanted more from the ending.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Title: Black Sun

Author: Rebecca Roanhorse

Publisher: Gallery 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 464

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter Seasonal TBR

A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

I borrowed this from a friend as multiple head recommended it for me. And boy, were they right! This was a beautiful complicated story of struggle and identity set in not our world, but one related by so many cultures and stories. We meet a wonderful cast of characters all with their own agendas, secrets, and ambitions. I loved following each one as they came closer and closer together in the city of Tova. Xiala was my favorite character of the lot. She was a fascinating person with such an interesting background. The writing keeps pushing us forward to what we know is not going to be happy ending (at least in this first book), but we are kept wanting to turn the pages until the end. I was right there along for the ride and couldn’t wait to see how the characters all come together. As to the creation of the story, I loved reading Roanhorse’s author note at the end discussing the inclusion of a variety of cultures and myths and legends. I can’t wait to see what she does in the second book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Once & Future Vol. 3

Title: Once & Future Vol. 3

Author: Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Publisher: Boom Studios 2020

Genre: Comics

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When an ancient helmet at the British Museum is taken, Bridgette and Duncan are confronted by another hero of yore, one who will lead them to facing off against their most formidable challenge yet...a beast and his mother.

Although Bridgette and Duncan stopped Arthur from retrieving the Grail and separated him from the legendary scabbard of Excalibur, the undead King of the Britons still has his sights on returning to our world and returning to power. By inadvertently changing the story of the famous King, Duncan and Gran have thrown the Otherworld into shambles, allowing for new legends and characters to make their appearance - and bring a world of trouble along with them.

But when an ancient helmet at the British Museum is taken, Bridgette and Duncan are confronted by another hero of yore, one who will lead them to facing off against their most formidable challenge yet...a beast and his mother.

New York Times bestselling writer Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Star Wars) and Russ Manning Award-winning artist Dan Mora (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Klaus) deliver the next chapter of the critically-acclaimed series that took the world of comics by storm!

Collects Once & Future #7-12.

Oh I am so incredibly into this comic series. We get appearances from three more story characters and learn more about Merlin and Nimue and Arthur. Lots of action in this volume and lots of gore. Love it! Can’t wait for the next one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• We’ve been out and about multiple days this week. I am thoroughly peopled out.

• Took the opportunity to replace most of my socks this week. Funny how the little things make me happy.

• Caramel lava cakes are delightful. That’s all.

• Thinking about dyeing my hair for my birthday. Maybe?

Next up on the TBR pile: