Halloween in December

Many of you know that I am a fan of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. I am also a big fan on his new book in the Heroes of Olympus series, The Lost Hero. While my son enjoys the books, I think I take the fandom to a different level. So when our Nanowrimo kickoff was scheduled for Halloween I knew exactly what costume I would wear. I hastily texted my friend (also an adult...most of the time) and excitedly told her what I was going to be. Grown women jumping up and down in excitement over a children's book is quite a sight to behold. We texted back and forth as I read through the book, like a good mother previewing it for ds. Okay, really I just couldn't wait and I wanted this to be a book Z and I shared together. We have now finished the book, but at Halloween we were just getting started.

Those of you that have read the book will get my costume (thrown together in short order with a small budget). I went as a Roman demi-god. Perhaps my portrayal as a middle aged demi-god will serve as a reminder that demi-gods can safely reach adulthood without dying. I did not take a picture of my full outfit, but along with the decorative t-shirt I carried a plastic sword plucked from the playroom and my 3-foot long stuffed wolf. Her real name is Astrum (yes it's mine. No, I don't need counseling, it was a gift from Tigger). She played Lupa on Halloween. My adult friend got a kick out of it. The cashier at the pet store (where I had to go buy food for my real dog, who is not a wolf) smiled at my shirt and tattoo. He had a real tattoo, but not as cool as my fake one.

This is my fake tattoo. I used a Bic extra fine marker and was fairly pleased with the way it turned out. I was also reminded of those days in school when you would write on your shoes. Then I also thought of those pesky to-do lists that always get misplaced. I have since made a few notations on my hand. Seriously we've were in chaos mode for most of November and there were times I couldn't find paper. This particular tattoo took a few days to wear off.

All good Roman demi-god know who their real hero is.

Although in the book the other demi-gods wear plain purple t-shirts I had to decorate mine. I used a Sharpie to decorate this shirt, which means this ain't never coming out. Again turned out fairly well for having little time and even less money.

While I may personally enjoy Homer as much as Virgil I had to pick sides for my costume.

I had great fun with this. My mythology buddy just sent me an Olive plant for our new house. I have named it Olivia. Olive plants symbolize harmony, wisdom, and triumph. What more could a middle-aged demi-god ask?

Transition, a new science sourcebook, and fleece pants

Our transition is still in process. Today I'm sitting in our cozy bungalow that is 90% completed. Completed as in ready to move into, not that all of our stuff is here. But we now have internet and we'll be able to breath again. Okay, I know living without internet is not the end of the world, but it's part of our educational budget and our entertainment. Especially this winter. This will be our first winter back where it gets cold. By cold I mean you have to sleep in socks for more than two nights out of the year. By cold I mean own a coat and wear it. By cold I mean being thankful for buying the fuzzy Old Navy scarf before we moved.

I had to go buy a couple of pairs of fleece pants. The other day I had on four layers on my torso, tank top, long sleeve t-shirt, sweatshirt, and jacket. Yuck! But we're here and I must adapt (or hibernate, which is entirely possible with the internet and homeschooling ;)

Speaking of hibernating today I have been curled up with the above book The Sourcebook for Teaching Science. This was a fantastic find on amazon. It's geared for grades 6-12 and written for science teachers. As the mother of a child who likes science I'm excited about this resource. I just received it today (thank you Amazon Prime!) and have thumbed through the first seven chapters. Not only will Z learn a lot from this book, I will too. There are chapters on the vocabulary of science, reading of science materials, and writing on science. This will be most helpful for developing those skills needed to write a proper science paper. The companion website is also full of links and hints.

An adult who desires to expand their understanding of science could find this a valuable tool as well. If you combined this resource with the book Science Matters, a book on Scientific literacy, you could have a great self-education course covering the major areas of science.

It's warmer out today and so I ventured outside. However, this evening I will probably pull on those fleece pants, settle down in the quiet of my new house, and enjoy my new science book. Tomorrow I'll finish organizing the kitchen.