The great germ experiment

With all the talk of Swine Flu swirling about, I thought it was a good day for a lesson about germs.

Materials needed: lotion, glitter, paper towels, soap, sink

Have child rub a drop of lotion onto both hands

Put a pinch of glitter (germs) on child's hand and have her make a fist and then press both hands together. Explain how easy it is to spread our germs (after sneezing, for instance).

Have children shake hands - again to illustrate how easy it is to pass germs. If your child accidentally wipes her eyes, nose or mouth DON'T stop her. This is a good way to illustrate how easily the germs can get into our bodies.

After a few shakes, have the child look at all the new germs on her hands!

Let her try wiping the germs off with a paper towel. Notice how difficult it is to get the germs off and how the germs don't "disappear" once they are wiped onto the towel.

Now have the child wash her hands with soap and water. Discuss how EASILY the germs are cleaned off the hands.

Piano Lessons

Sydney, Delaney and I started taking piano lessons in mid-February and have been LOVING it. Mr. Luke, a man from our church who is not a "piano teacher" but has been playing the piano since he was 4, is our instructor. He comes to our house on Tuesday afternoons and usually brings his two daughters (ages 4 and 5) along to play with Sadey. It's good for use all.

Sydney and I are working on the 2nd book of the Bastien series. I am not ashamed to say that she is whipping me, but it's been a healthy competition for us both.

Delaney is still working on the first book in that series. Truth be told, she plays just as well and just as many songs as Sydney and I. The thing that's keeping her in that first book is that she can't read the music and has been playing completely by ear. She does a fabulous job, but of course she should probably learn how to read the music before she gets too far into her lessons. She's doing great though and I'm extremely proud of her for sticking with it even when she gets frustrated.

Big head?

Wow! Who knew this was all you had to do?

2009 Flower Garden - part 1

Sydney has been begging to have a flower garden since we first moved into this house in March 2007. We finally got started on it this week.

We are actually planting a little late by Florida standards, but even after being here for 3 years, we are still running on Indiana time. We decided to start from seeds because (1) we're homeschoolers who can't pass up a good learning opportunity and (2) seeds are 20 cents a package whereas a flat of flowers is more like $10. We can do the math.

We did have to splurge on the little Jiffy greenhouse for $6 at WalMart, but it is reusable so it was money well spent.

It was pretty easy. We just had to add water, aerate, plant the seeds, put the lid on and now we are waiting for some growth.

I should be....

updating my blog with everything we've been doing over the last two-ish months

-- or --

exercising

-- or --

folding laundry

--or --

helping my hubby get the kids ready for bed

-- or --

seeing what my quiet (and hopefully sleeping) 4 yo is doing in the other room

-- or --

writing a thank you note to someone for something (I'm sure there's someone I've neglected)

-- or --

planning my dinner menu for next week

-- or --

planning the next week of school

-- or --

prepping for our last co op class

-- or --

practicing the piano...

-- but --

I'd rather put on my jammies and climb into bed with a cold can of Pepsi, my new magazine and a crossword puzzle.

Ahhhhhhhhhh. Heaven.

Homemade Playdough

What You Need

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 T cream of tartar
• 2 Tsp food coloring
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 cup water

What to Do

1. Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tarter in a medium pot
2. Add water, food coloring and oil
3. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Don't worry if the mixture looks like a lumpy mess; it's turn into dough
4. When the mixture forms a ball in the center of the pot, turn off the stove and let it cool. Then take it out of the pot and put it onto a floured surface. Knead it several times.
5. Store in the Ziploc bag or airtight container in the fridge.

*Special Note: Due to the high salt level of this playdough recipe, it is potentially toxic to domestic animals and should be handled with care. Make sure your dog doesn't eat it.

Adventures ~ Week 16

I should apologize for these brief weekly summaries. If I had written them a few months ago when we had actually done the work, they probably would be more interesting. Don't let my poor writing and descriptions discourage you from TOTALLY loving MFW. It is an awesome program and has been a lot of fun for the kids (and for me too!).

On to Week 16!

This week we learned about Jesus as Immanuel/Emmanuel. We studied and memoried the first verse of the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It's one of my faves and I had fun belting it out, though I think Sydney might have been mortified. Sadly, there's no video to convince you of my wicked awesome voice. Shucks. Anyway, our memory verse this week was Matthew 1:23 "...they will call him Immanuel" - which means, "God with us."

Rhode Island and Vermont were the states we studied this week. We also did some reading in American Pioneers and Patriots and learned about Daniel Boone in Exploring American History.

Our science lessons this week were about air - how it expands, contracts, and rises. we did a couple of experiments to see the effect of temperature on air. I think the girls' favorite was when they made the coin "jump" on top of the bottle.

Adventures ~ Week 15

This week we continued a lot of the things we were working on last week - reading Farmer Boy, learning America the Beautiful, memorizing and understanding John 14:6, studying birds and in social studies we learned about New Hampshire, Virginia, New York and North Carolina.

Our Bible lessons were pretty interesting this week. On Monday we talked about how God does not always lead us the way WE think we should go - but always in the best way. Too bad I often struggle with thinking His way can't possibly be the best way *sigh* Tuesday we went on to learn about the Most Holy Place and what it meant for us when it ripped. Good stuff.

The state study was a lot of fun this week. We reviewed the Jamestown settlement when we studied Virginia, learned about the Statue of Liberty and did some comparative measuring for New York, but I think Sydney enjoyed North Carolina most of all because she got to fly paper airplanes in school. We learned all about the Wright Brothers and then did experiments to see what we could do with paper airplanes.

The Wright Brothers made four flights the first day they got their plane in the air. The first one lasted 12 seconds. The longest flight made it 59 seconds. We've come a long way since then.

Adventures ~ Week 14

Week 13 was a Thanksgiving Unit. We did read the Thanksgiving Story, but skipped most of the planned activities and did things on our own.

This week, Week 14, included the study of four more states -- Connecticut, Massachussetts, Maryland and South Carolina. We continued our bird study in science, started reading Farmer Boy and began listening to and studying The Nutcracker ballet.

We also began learning the words and history behind America The Beautiful. Apparently I was a bad student because I never realized that the song was written by a teacher visiting Pikes Peak. A dear friend of mine actually posted pictures of that area so my girls could see what Katherine Lee Bates was looking at when she wrote the poem that eventually became the song. To me, there's nothing more awe inspiring that those Purple Mountain Majesty (even when Sydney insists that they are blue).

Our Bible lesson verse for the week was John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Amen.

Adventures ~ Week 12

This is the week that we finally began our study of the states. MFW gave us a fact sheet about each state, along with flag stickers and little cards with the state bird and flower. Each time we look at a new state we:

1. Locate it on the big US map
2. Color the state on our personal maps
3. Read over the facts about the state (this includes some info about history of its statehood, famous people from the state, nicknames, state symbols, funny/outdated laws, etc)
4. Complete any listed activities
5. Read library books about the state during Book Basket time.

We are following the order of statehood, so this week we studied Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Georgia. Our activity for Pennsylvania was to make a model of the Liberty Bell and for Georgia we were supposed to make a peach cobbler -- but we didn't because we were overloaded with desserts at the time. We'll probably do it this summer when we can use fresh peaches.

This week's science lessons were all about birds. We spent some time discussing mammals, reptiles and birds and learned about warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals. We then Googled all the state birds that we studied this week so we could see them "live" and hear their calls. Both Sydney and Delaney love to find birds in the yard, so we also got out the binoculars and wandered around the yard to see what we could find.

Ous Bible lessons this week also related to birds.

We have the greatest friends in the world!

Our lovely, wonderful, sweet and generous friends (The Petersons) decided to replace their piano with a new digital version and asked if we wanted their old one...for freeeeeeee! Of course we jumped at the chance. Before it arrived, we needed to make a piano bench. B graciously gave up his homemade weight bench (that's why the legs are off center) and we went to work.

I still need to buy some trim to go around the edge of the bench to cover up the staples. I'm not sure what will hold up to the kids' little fingers. Ideas?

Thank you Petersons!!!!!!!!!!

New cookware

I'm replacing all my old, toxic nonstick cookware with enameled cast iron (in case you are wondering what to get me for the next holiday *wink wink*). This is the first piece I bought - a Staub Dutch Oven. I *heart* this pan.

Delaney, who isn't even allowed to use the stove yet, *hearts* it too and has asked if I'll give it to her when I die. Sweet kid.

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Imagine walking down your driveway, looking up and seeing this over your head.

This little critter is a spiny orbweaver. It kind of looks like a crab and a spider had a baby :) They make their webs between the trees - at least in our yard. I've never seen them before we moved into this house, but I guess they are pretty common.

This is not the same one, but it's a better picture. We found this one in the yard a few months after we moved in. Since then we've found red and green ones as well. They are quite colorful little critters. See what I mean about looking like a spider crab?

This is some sort of river birch. We got out our Florida tree field guide and try to narrow it down, but that's as close as we got. We have a few trees like it in our yard and none of them are the same.


Sydney's journal. She drew the birch tree and added some leaf rubbings for good measure.

Delaney's journal

My journal

Happy Goat Day!!!

Goat Day. I wish I could say that I understand it. But I don't. I really and truly have no idea what it's all about.

Last October we were told that there was a fabulous family event called Goat Day at the pioneer settlement about 1 1/2 hours from our house. We had been to the settlement before and really had a good time, but it was uber rainy that day so we thought it'd be fun to go back. We were envisioning some sort of pioneer re-enactment having to do with goats - maybe demonstrations on how to make goat cheese or something??? Yeah, I don't know -- but what would you think?

So we loaded up the car on a warm October Saturday morning, drove cross country and were greeted with a HUGE line to get into the settlement. You have to understand that this settlement is literally in the middle of nowhere. Well, it's actually in a park - but the park is in the middle of nowhere. The line to get into this place was HUGE! Did I say that already? Yeah, well the size merits a bit of repetition. It was like we were waiting for Springsteen or something.

After waiting about an hour to get into the park, we were accosted by a guy wanting $5 a person. "For Goat Day?" we naively asked. The place was like a giant parking lot. No goats or pioneers anywhere to be seen. So we paid our $20 (it was a long drive and we figured we ought to at least go see what the heck was going on), found a parking space in the back forty and walked forever before we found some action.

OK so now I've been to Goat Day and I still have no clue what it is. It was kind of like a carnival with lots of inflatables for the kids to jump on, pony rides, food and craft booths and even a greased pig event. Honest.

There were also a lot of political signs and booths and pamphlets being passed out...but no goats. I wonder if it's some sort of beginning to the political season or something? I really just don't know. We did make our way over to the pioneer settlement though and saw two goats in a pen. But that was about it for the event's namesake. We'll need to go back again this year to ask more probing questions. Last year we just wandered around saying, "This is Goat Day." The kids still think it's hillarious and for whatever reason will pipe up with "Happy Goat Day!" at the oddest moments - just to make us all laugh. It always works.

Here are the kids outside the general store at the pioneer settlement. Notice their authentic, made in China, pioneer toys :)

These really ARE authentic pioneer toys - made from corn cobs and feathers. The kids loved flying these things all over the house and Lilley thought they were tasty *yum*

We had a good time chatting with these ladies. They showed the girls how the wool is dyed and spun and turned into clothing or blankets.

Happy Goat Day!!!!!

Beach Day

Every now and again you need to put away the books and go enjoy some of God's greatest gifts.

This is why we live in Florida.

Spelling Bee

So after being accused of having "the longest Halloween in history and then the longest New Year in history" - I thought it might be time to add a bit more life to the blog :) Love ya, Laura *smooches*

Moving on to January 2009...

The kids participated in their first Spelling Bee on 1/9/09. They were extremely nervous, but they both did really well. Delaney placed 3rd in the 1st grade "fun" division.

Sydney's group of 4th graders was quite large, but she ended up in 4th place...and now she'll never forget how to spell the word HARPOON for the rest of her life. Good times.

Great job, girls!!!!!

New Year's Eve (12/31/08)

What better way to ring in the new year than with your family. There's nothing more fun that Make Your Own Pizza Night, movies, Wii, Shirley Temples, funny hats & glasses and watching the ball drop at midnight!

Good times.

Delaney loses her first tooth

12/27/08
She couldn't be any happier.

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 came with it's usual fun and excitement. Sydney planned another family party complete with a fancy meal and games.

All three girls were in the Christmas play at church again this year. Sadey reprised her role as a sheep while Delaney and Sydney swapped parts this year - Sydney was Mary and Delaney was an angel. It was another beautiful candlelight service.

We exchanged our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve which is always a huge hit with the kids. They love picking out gifts for each other and we think it's important that they focus on making other people happy so they don't get caught in the "gimme gimme" trap that is so prevalent this time of year.

Christmas morning came early - for the first time EVER! Usually we have to wake the girls up, but this year Sydney was up bright and early and full of excitement. We let them dig into their stockings while B & I tried to wake up a bit, then we passed out the gifts.

Delaney REALLY wanted the Swim to Me Puppy this year. I'm not sure WHY, but she loves it.

Sadey wanted a scooter like her big sister. I was nervous that she'd hurt herself, but she did great!

Sydney was ready for a "real" digital camera this year. She loves this one because it's PINK.

Even Lilley found something good under the tree this year!

The best thing about Christmas? Aside from it being the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, of course - was that it was WARM!