This morning NT was up early as usual to learn about grids on PBS's Cyberchase.

Afterward, I read several chapters of Hardy Boys The Secret of the Old Mill aloud while NT designed and created a "Vikings" banner on the floor next to me. He cut the letters freehand out of construction paper and then we punched holes and strung them all together on a ribbon. We talked about spacing and balance and he learned that he needed to string the letters on in reverse so the letters were in the right order when it was all done.

While reading the Hardy Boys we looked up the word "counterfeit" and "oppressive" and talked about what a thesaurus is vs. a dictionary. We talked about what the word "descriptive" means and looked up the words "happy" and "sad" in the thesaurus.

NT and I practiced using a tape measure to measure the table he made for me earlier this year so Grandpa Alan can help him add braces so it doesn't wobble. We measure in both feet and inches and talked about which direction to pull the tape measure in when you are measuring something that goes all the way to the floor.

Liz went to visit Minna & Grandpa Alan where they practiced writing "Sebastien" and watched The Nutcracker ballet on DVD.

NT had one of his favorite friends, Brenna, over and they played both indoors and out for several hours--pirates, Marbulous, sword fights, football (in the living room!), wrestling...they never run out of ideas when they are together!

Late this afternoon NT & Liz set up their own makeshift bowling alley in the living room using cardboard building blocks for bowling pins.

NT wrapped up the long day by quietly working on more paper airplanes out of one of his library books.