The Pollard Place: September: Birds, Falling Leave

September arrived! We were studying birds for Science because the kids (especially Henry) love birds. We had a great time with this unit, and it made me really happy that the kids are able to pick what they want to study because we are homeschooling. There were some really cool things that were included in the curriculum and I looked and found some other ideas and projects to supplement. We did an experiment with bird beaks using different tools and different things that a bird might eat. It was really exciting for the kids to do something hands on and also cool because they learned why certain birds' beaks are shaped the way they are.

Another experiment we did was to learn about how bird feathers can repel water, like ducks. We cut out construction paper to look like feathers and rubbed oil on half of them. Then we sprayed all of the feathers with water and saw the difference. We also made homemade bird feeders and hung them up in our yard! For Art we did a video that had step by step instructions on how to draw a blue bird! The kids really enjoyed it, and we did it twice to get a little bit better. I think our favorite part was going out and bird watching! We did that a few times, and always went to the same spot. It was a new place for us, close to the dam and the birdlife was really exceptional! Sometimes while we were bird watching I would read some poems about birds to the kids, and then they would write down their observations, draw the kinds of animals they saw, and write some of their own poetry. They shared their poetry with each other on the last day, and Gigi came so she got to hear it too.

We also looked for owl pellets at the park, and found a few of them! Later we put on gloves and dissected them, finding tiny little bones inside. Then we practiced being a woodpecker by getting chocolate chips out of apples.

My friend Chelsea came out to visit! We were supposed to do a girls trip to the San Juan Islands, but my anxiety came back in March and I've been having a bit of a hard time with it. Traveling always makes it worse, so I was really nervous about doing it. Chelsea was awesome and just came out to my house and we hung out and had a great time! She wanted to check out a clothing store we have here so we went shopping and ended up buying the same cute outfit! We also went boating and went for a little hike. It was so fun to have her here! She is a great friend.

Henry played soccer again! He really is getting to love this sport and really enjoys playing it. He did well this season, making some goals and having some good assists.

It was time for Amelia's birthday again! I can't believe how fast time is going. I now have a four year old! I'm out of the toddler years, and because she is my last little baby it is particularly hard for me to accept. She wanted to start with a breakfast of Judy's donuts. Then I showed her the pictures of her as a baby, and we talked about the day that she was born. After breakfast she opened some presents, and then I needed to babysit Alora so she came over while we did some school. After school I let the kids watch shows until it was time to go to Classic Skate for her party! She had the best time, and then we went over to Rusty's office for cake and ice cream. My sweet little Amelia Rose is five years old now. She is a joy and keeps our energy up as much as she makes us laugh. We are so lucky to have her in our family.

The girls started a gymnastics class and have been loving it! I think this might be Della's favorite sport, and it's Amelia's first one so she's just happy to be doing anything. They're doing really well!

Amelia has started her preschool! She has really taken to it, and asks to do it all of the time. She loves cutting, or maybe she hates it. I don't know, but she is very intense about cutting with scissors.

One Sunday afternoon I wanted to show Rusty Cascade Springs Trail, but the older kids didn't want to go. We left them home for the first time, and I was pretty nervous. But they did great and it was fun to show Rusty the Springs! We didn't walk around very much but just a little bit on the boardwalks. Amelia was looking for little baby frogs and she said, "I think I saw a froglet!"

For Spanish, we had been practicing a puppet show. When we were ready, or as ready as we were going to be, we performed it for Rusty. It was so stinkin funny. They did good!s

I really wanted to have back to school pictures for the kids, even though we were not going to school, so I set up a little photography session. It also worked really well because I got to get pictures of Amelia in the sailor dress that I wore when I was that age. I love my cute little kids!

amelia riding a bike

I recently read a book called A Thomas Jefferson Education. In it, the author says that everyone should read five books before they move on to some other books, so I have begun that list. One of them is called The Lonesome Gods. It was really handy because we already had the book upstairs in our giant stash of Louis L'Amour books. I was really, really loving that book and was super into it. I took it with me to the kids' gymnastics class so that I could read it while they did their thing. When I tried to find it the next day, I couldn't so I looked everywhere. I even called the gym but they weren't open that day so I went and drove there because I would be able to see it through the window. It wasn't there! So I tried really hard to find it on Amazon but it wasn't there, any bookstores, anything. I started calling around and asking people if they had it and I was having no luck. Amelia heard me on the phone and then she said, "Mommy is that your book you've been reading?" And I said, "Yeah I lost it and can't find it." She said, "I have it! I know where it is!" I didn't really believe her, but sure enough she came back down the stairs holding it. She had been "reading it" in her bed haha. Little stinker.

Henry and Rusty went riding on the moto track! They loved it obviously, and I was not as anxious as I thought I would be so there's that.

It's just so beautiful outside and we never get to stay home from church because Rusty is in the bishopric, so we decided to use the zoom link for stake conference and listen to it while we did a drive up Pine Canyon and then parked and walked out on the WOW trail for a ways and did a scripture study there. It was so lovely!

We finally went to the new Farm Country! They had redone it but we haven't had a chance to get there. It was amazing! The new playground is huge and the kids loved it. The animals are awesome and spread out so you feel like you to get to see them more. And they have a new train!

I had been looking and looking for my Halloween tote, and I finally found it! I had my old decorations, but the new ones I bought last year that I was so excited about was not in the same area. I had to keep going through boxes and organizing things. Which was probably a good thing because I needed to go through the rest of the stuff to unpack it anyways, it's been almost a year. BUT I FOUND THEM!

Hopefully it will become an annual thing, but last year and this year we went to the fish hatchery at Strawberry Reservoir. We watched them work, saw the salmon coming down the river, and also got to listen to him explain what they are doing and why. After the fish hatchery, we went and hiked around an area just to the side of the highway. It was absolutely magical. It was a little bit windy and while we were walking around some of the beautiful fall leaves would slowly fall down around us.

Jessica and I went and saw the Addams Family at the Hale. It was really well done, and I had never seen it before so that was fun! Yay Halloween!

As a nice field trip for our bird unit we went to the Tracy Aviary! We had been before but it was in the winter, and it was a short trip. This time it was much warmer and they even did a show! This show was incredible, similar to the ones done at Disney World. It was amazing to see all of the birds and learn so much about them! We went with our new friends, the Mammadovas.

Jasmine the Gray Crowned Crane!

After the aviary we went over to the zoo! I didn't know that my membership had expired, so that was a bummer. But the zoo was so fun! The kids loved seeing the animals, and we even saw a little baby gorilla!!

Apple Cider Day was on a Saturday like normal, but it started when Henry had his soccer game still. So we decided to go late to Apple Cider Day so that he could play. He got two goals in a row at that game! Apple Cider Day was fun; Uncle Brent was kind of grumpy about us being late but he is just kind of grumpy in general haha. The kids rode horses, we drank apple cider and had yummy food.

Amelia insisted on carrying her own chair to the game haha

The whole gang

Twins

Henry's Highlights:

Henry is killing it for soccer!
He has loved doing this bird unit. He remembers all of the names of the birds; his memory really is incredible.

Adeline's Adventures:

Please don't bother me: "Do not come in unless it is an emergency" sign on door

Super loves her gymnastics class

Amelia's Updates:

Was unloading the dishwasher and the silverware is her job. She was mad because she didn't want to do it so she put all of the spoons upside down in the tray. Little turd
We were driving up for a hike and she said, "I JUST SAW A FEMALE TREE!" I said, "What does a female tree look like?" She said, "Female-ish." "Amelia, what does female mean?" "Girl". I mean, what the heck is going on in her mind??
In one of her prayers she said, "Please bless Dad can be a good listener to Mom"
Hid in a box and then would pop out and say, "Hide out box! Hide out box!"
Said "froglet" for a small/baby frog

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