"You want me to learn something to you?"

So one of our family's favorite movies is "School of Rock".  We've watched it countless times, and now Mary is able to quote entire scenes.  This one is especially awesome~
Mary, you get an A+ and fifty gold stars!

Chicago Brass Band

There was a fundraiser tonight for the Greenhouse featuring the Chicago Brass Band.  It was a toe-tapping good time!  Even though we just saw an awesome concert yesterday, the kids really loved this performance, too~

"Jump to It!"

Wheaton College's Symphonic Band offers a free children's concert.  We always love it.  This year, the following music was featured:
Pastime by Jack Stamp
http://www.jwpepper.com/2434157.item

Aesop's Fables by Scott Watson
The Hare and the Tortoise, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Dog and the Bone, The wolf and His Shadow
http://www.jwpepper.com/2702965.item

Young Person's Guide to John Williams by Jay Bocook
Prologue from "Hook", Hedwig's theme, theme from ET, Raiders March
http://www.jwpepper.com/2701367.item#

Kitchen Can Can by Jacques Offenbach
http://www.jwpepper.com/2480701.item

Art in the Park by Robert Sheldon
http://www.jwpepper.com/10050598.item

Chicken Dance by Larry Norred
http://www.4Shared.com/audio/kZVQ1xO4

Halo Suite themes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjgot4cEGIo

Writer's Block

Charlie is in a writing class at the Greenhouse.  Mary has been picking up some tips.  "The Lion and the Bird" - she's so earnest ~

If you didn't know it, you'd think there were actual paragraphs of English on those papers~

My Gym

Mary and Sam were invited to a  friend's birthday party at a little kids' gym place.  They had a lot of fun!  Sam on the zipline~

And Mary~

PDO

Mary started a Parent's Day Out program at a local church.  Charlie went to a preschool program here when he was four.  She's very excited~

For the gentle wind does move silently, invisibly. ~William Blake

Today we visited a wind farm.  I am fascinated by wind turbines, and since we are studying physics this year, it seemed like a perfect field trip!  The people at Invenergy were so friendly and helpful~

Everyone had to wear a construction hat to protect(?!) us if a blade fell on our heads~ 
Our group from the Greenhouse~
A little bird's nest in one of the propeller blades~
These things are huge.  We saw some being transported earlier last year and at first had no idea what they were~
I must be part Dutch.  I love watching these~
Corn growing beneath the wind turbine, near the nuclear power plant.  Delicious?
The Exelon nuclear generating station~



Looking up, inside the turbine.  An employee proposed to his wife up there~
So much data~




The littlest student~



It was pretty cool getting a close up view of this wind farm~
Since we were already so far west, Jacqueline and I decided to stop by a local apple orchard.  They had some bees for us to check out~

We were the only ones visiting and the owner was very friendly and took us on a tour~
Honeycomb~
Hives (decorated by local girl scouts) ~

We bought some local honey to enjoy at home.  A fun, interesting, and exhausting day!