love to paint

Back in September we went on vacation to Maine, which included a very long drive up and a long drive back.  Along the way, I read an ebook titled Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay.  One would assume that this book is going to be another modern retelling of Emma (in which Mr. Knightley is a character.  Not so.  This story is the retelling of Daddy Long Legs with a conspicuous name borrowed from Austen's novel from long ago. Last year, I bought a copy of the classic, Daddy Long Legs.  I remembered enjoying it, so I wanted to see if I would share it with my girls.  After reading it, I shelved the book and actually donated it back to the library book sale.  I didn't like the moral tone of the book.  Sad to say, it's been a while so I can't remember what my specific concerns were, but I had enough concerns to realize that my girls wouldn't enjoy reading it and I wasn't going to force it upon them. I do like the premise of Daddy Long Legs, though...

This week I read a fun novel called The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen.  I've read a few other novels by Ms. Klassen, so I was looking forward to this one. The story follows Abigail Foster, who unfortunately, is to blame for the loss of her family's fortune.  Her family must find a new, much more affordable home.  An offer comes in the form of Pembrooke Park, where they will be able to live for a very reasonable rent.  Abigail and her foster accept on behalf of their family and so begins the adventure.  Pembrooke Park has several secrets it's hiding. The characters of the story are fun to get to know.  There were a couple that annoyed me (as any good antagonist should).  But, I particularly enjoyed the main character of Abigail and her relationships to the other characters. The plot moves along at a steady pace and you do get to know the characters as Ms. Klassen tells the story.  I do enjoy Ms. Klassen's writing more than other...

My 6th grade daughter is tackling subtracting negative numbers, which can be a tricky thing to explain ;)  I found a great page with explanations though, so I thought I'd share it in case it might be helpful to anyone... Adding and Subtracting Positive and Negative Numbers               Adding and Subtracting Positive and Negative Numbers How to Add and Subtract Positive and Negative Numbers Numbers Can be Positive or Negative: Negative Numbers (−) Positive Numbers (+) (This is the Number Line... View on  www.mathsisfun.com Preview by Yahoo