St. Louis Zoo

2025-26 School Year–Week Sixteen

Back to work following a nice (long!) Christmas break!

We got right back into it with adding and subtracting rational expressions with different denominators in algebra. In history we read about the Easter Uprising and Indian nationalism. We picked up where we left off in Treasure Island. In science we started learning about forces, beginning with gravity. We talked about different denominational beliefs regarding the Sacraments in religion. She began a two-week project writing a movie review. We continued our overview of the US Constitution (and also discussed some of the power given to state governments). For our first week back, I chose what I foolishly thought was going to be an easy recipe from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook for Ice Cream Bonbons inspired by Addy. It was NOT an easy recipe, with every step being a different exercise in frustration, but we made a memory with the disaster it ended up being!

We also visited the St. Louis Zoo, and spent some time in the primate house, where the spider monkeys were very obviously interested in Chickadee’s hat!

We have one more week of math before the quadratic formula makes an appearance!

Oktoberfest 2025

Time to look back at all of the Oktoberfests we attended this year! I had a great time wearing my favorite Rare Dirndls various places and celebrating my heritage!

First Chickadee and I went to Grant’s Farm in mid-September. This was a first (or at least the first time in a long time) for us. We were there pretty early, so we didn’t get to see the entertainment, but we did share a pretzel and it was top-tier…super buttery and one of the best we had!

Next was Belleville Oktoberfest, which is always something of a disappointment to me…the pretzels weren’t even very good! But it was an excuse to wear a dirndl and walk down Main Street.

Third was my favorite local Oktoberfest in St. Charles, MO. The music and dancing were amazing and the pretzels were delicious! Plus, it seems like the most authentic one in our area (says the woman who has never been to Munich…).

We always celebrate Oktoberfest at home. I made our standard German feast of schnitzel and spaetzle and red cabbage, with Black Forest cherry torte for dessert (not to mention fondue with pretzels, pickles, and brats for lunch), and not to brag, but the pretzels at our establishment are pretty good, too!

For the second year, we went to Soulard’s Oktoberfest, and I have to say, I really love this (relatively) small event! The pretzels were only so-so, but the cheese sauce was excellent, and the brass band was one of our favorites!

I was worried we weren’t going to make it to Zootoberfest at the St. Louis Zoo, but we managed to get there on the final day. As always, the pretzels are the best in the region (and the beer cheese they serve with them is outstanding), and I got to hear a polka band, complete with accordion!

This was a really fun season of festing…I’ll leave you with Brasshaufen Brass Band (a group we enjoyed both in St. Charles and Soulard) doing one of my favorite Oktoberfest numbers. Prost!