Friday, May 16, 2008
Not Dead! (Well, some of the kids are undead.)
I'm not dead!
You know you've been neglecting your blog when your dad calls to check if you're still alive. At least he didn't call the local police and send them out for a welfare check, although that would have been blogworthy!
I've been busy here and there. My big news today is that I've walked 100 miles in training for my MS Challenge Walk in October. Go donate money if you want to help out :-)
Of course, 100 miles doesn't seem like a lot when I think of all the miles my brother probably RAN in boot camp, but I'm still excited.
Speaking of, he graduated! He's a full-fledged U.S. Marine. Isn't he handsome?
And here is a photo of the homeschool project I was talking about earlier. The kids all dressed up and gave speeches as if they were famous people from history. Of course, they played a little fast and loose with it here and there, as you can tell from Blackbeard's light saber.
From left to right, and in order of time period: Cleopatra, Boudicca, Queen Zenobia, Mulan, Joan of Arc, Blackbeard, Susan B. Anthony, Juliette Low, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Frederick Libbey, Christopher Robin Milne and Andy Warhol. (Mine were Cleopatra (Maya), Joan of Arc (Sage) and Susan B. Anthony (Anya).
Afterwards, Anya (Susan B. Anthony) asked if she could be someone with a weapon next time, because her "Votes for Women" picket sign was of little use against Blackbeard and Joan of Arc when the speeches were over and the kids went out to goof off.
Finally, she and her special friend Sam (ie Andy Warhol) reverted to being zombies in an attempt to thwart their armed colleagues.
Yep, homeschooling at its best.
.*.*.
You know you've been neglecting your blog when your dad calls to check if you're still alive. At least he didn't call the local police and send them out for a welfare check, although that would have been blogworthy!
I've been busy here and there. My big news today is that I've walked 100 miles in training for my MS Challenge Walk in October. Go donate money if you want to help out :-)
Of course, 100 miles doesn't seem like a lot when I think of all the miles my brother probably RAN in boot camp, but I'm still excited.
Speaking of, he graduated! He's a full-fledged U.S. Marine. Isn't he handsome?
And here is a photo of the homeschool project I was talking about earlier. The kids all dressed up and gave speeches as if they were famous people from history. Of course, they played a little fast and loose with it here and there, as you can tell from Blackbeard's light saber.
From left to right, and in order of time period: Cleopatra, Boudicca, Queen Zenobia, Mulan, Joan of Arc, Blackbeard, Susan B. Anthony, Juliette Low, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Frederick Libbey, Christopher Robin Milne and Andy Warhol. (Mine were Cleopatra (Maya), Joan of Arc (Sage) and Susan B. Anthony (Anya).
Afterwards, Anya (Susan B. Anthony) asked if she could be someone with a weapon next time, because her "Votes for Women" picket sign was of little use against Blackbeard and Joan of Arc when the speeches were over and the kids went out to goof off.
Finally, she and her special friend Sam (ie Andy Warhol) reverted to being zombies in an attempt to thwart their armed colleagues.
Yep, homeschooling at its best.
Labels: family, homeschooling, military, MS Walk
.*.*.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Coming up for air!
This week we've been getting ready for a new co-op session (there were over 70 classes offered this time, which is incredible!) and finishing up with the last session.
In our group, co-op works like an education potluck. Everyone brings something to the table, a class, field trip, party, etc, and then they all get to join in the feast. So, there's a ton of opportunities out there for my kids that aren't necessarily something I could teach them or do for them myself.
For instance, tomorrow, there will be 15 kids dressed as famous people throughout the ages. They will give us a speech as their person, so there's a lot to prepare for. I had to get 3 of mine ready to talk. I now know more than I ever expected to know about Cleopatra, Joan of Arc and Susan B. Anthony! I'll post pictures after it's all over.
So tonight, I have to read through the zillion classes, compare them with my needs and my schedule, and get ready to sign up tomorrow. Whew!
Hopefully I'll be back in here in Tuesday with a little more time on my hands!
.*.*.
In our group, co-op works like an education potluck. Everyone brings something to the table, a class, field trip, party, etc, and then they all get to join in the feast. So, there's a ton of opportunities out there for my kids that aren't necessarily something I could teach them or do for them myself.
For instance, tomorrow, there will be 15 kids dressed as famous people throughout the ages. They will give us a speech as their person, so there's a lot to prepare for. I had to get 3 of mine ready to talk. I now know more than I ever expected to know about Cleopatra, Joan of Arc and Susan B. Anthony! I'll post pictures after it's all over.
So tonight, I have to read through the zillion classes, compare them with my needs and my schedule, and get ready to sign up tomorrow. Whew!
Hopefully I'll be back in here in Tuesday with a little more time on my hands!
Labels: homeschooling, kids
.*.*.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Art Deco, Art Nouveau, or Cheese?
Today, we went with our homeschool group to see the Art Deco exhibit at the Aurora History Museum. Before hand, I showed them many examples of Art Deco pieces, and used Art Nouveau work to contrast it.
When we got home, I put together a photo quiz for them, and I thought you all might like to see it, too.
Get your #2 pencils, grab some paper, and click here to take the quiz Art Deco, Art Nouveau, or Cheese?
For those of you who need a review, here are some definitions from Wikipedia:
Art Deco: The structure of art deco is based on mathematical geometric shapes. It was widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism, being influenced by a variety of sources. Among them were the, so called, "primitive" arts of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico, as well as Machine Age or streamline technology such as modern aviation, electric lighting, the radio, the ocean liner and the skyscraper...Other popular themes in art deco were trapezoidal, zigzagged, geometric, and jumbled shapes, which can be seen in many early pieces.
Art Nouveau: Dynamic, undulating, and flowing, with curved 'whiplash' lines of syncopated rhythm, characterized much of Art Nouveau. Another feature is the use of hyperbolas and parabolas in windows, arches, and doors. Conventional moldings seem to spring to life and 'grow' into plant-derived forms. Like most design styles, Art Nouveau sought to harmonize its forms.
Cheese: Cheese is a food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other mammals, by coagulating the milk. This is accomplished by first acidifying it with a bacterial culture and then employing the enzyme rennet (or rennet substitutes) to coagulate the milk to "curds and whey."[1] The precise bacteria and processing of the curds play a role in defining the texture and flavor of most cheeses. Some cheeses also feature molds, either on the outer rind (similar to a fruit peel) or throughout.
Or, here's a quick way to cheat. If a piece is linear, geometric, and dramatic, or reminds you of flappers or ancient Egypt, it's a good bet it's Art Deco. If it's organic, flowing, flowery and looks like something you might find at Rivendell, it's probably Art Nouveau. If you look at it and think, "Mmmm, that would be good with crackers!" put down Cheese.
The answers will be in the comments, so you can check your own papers. Let me know how you did!
.*.*.
When we got home, I put together a photo quiz for them, and I thought you all might like to see it, too.
Get your #2 pencils, grab some paper, and click here to take the quiz Art Deco, Art Nouveau, or Cheese?
For those of you who need a review, here are some definitions from Wikipedia:
Art Deco: The structure of art deco is based on mathematical geometric shapes. It was widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism, being influenced by a variety of sources. Among them were the, so called, "primitive" arts of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico, as well as Machine Age or streamline technology such as modern aviation, electric lighting, the radio, the ocean liner and the skyscraper...Other popular themes in art deco were trapezoidal, zigzagged, geometric, and jumbled shapes, which can be seen in many early pieces.
Art Nouveau: Dynamic, undulating, and flowing, with curved 'whiplash' lines of syncopated rhythm, characterized much of Art Nouveau. Another feature is the use of hyperbolas and parabolas in windows, arches, and doors. Conventional moldings seem to spring to life and 'grow' into plant-derived forms. Like most design styles, Art Nouveau sought to harmonize its forms.
Cheese: Cheese is a food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other mammals, by coagulating the milk. This is accomplished by first acidifying it with a bacterial culture and then employing the enzyme rennet (or rennet substitutes) to coagulate the milk to "curds and whey."[1] The precise bacteria and processing of the curds play a role in defining the texture and flavor of most cheeses. Some cheeses also feature molds, either on the outer rind (similar to a fruit peel) or throughout.
Or, here's a quick way to cheat. If a piece is linear, geometric, and dramatic, or reminds you of flappers or ancient Egypt, it's a good bet it's Art Deco. If it's organic, flowing, flowery and looks like something you might find at Rivendell, it's probably Art Nouveau. If you look at it and think, "Mmmm, that would be good with crackers!" put down Cheese.
The answers will be in the comments, so you can check your own papers. Let me know how you did!
Labels: art, homeschooling, quiz
.*.*.
Monday, March 31, 2008
It's Snailing!
It's snowing and hailing, so the kids have decided it's "snailing."
Are you guys all geared up for the new season of Battlestar Galactica? If you're not, it looks like the SciFi channel is running it 24/7 this week. I'm exciting, I hope they find Earth!
I've been helping out with a new local homeschooling wiki, it's called Hands On Homeschooling, and it's pretty interesting. The woman who created it has some neat ideas, and the site has lots of local contributors so I hope it catches on. I'm learning how to edit her pages so that I can add museums, etc, to her listings.
My book discussion went well. I'm thinking of doing another one next co-op, but I'm not sure which book to choose. The book doesn't have to be recent (in fact, it's kind of better if it's not, so folks can get it at the library), I just want it to be interesting and influencial in some way. Do you have any suggestions? I was considering Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, because I've always thought it was hilarious, but I'm not sure it's a book I want to make other people read. I think that's one you have to come to yourself... Any ideas for me?
Congratulations, we made it! That's one less Monday between us and the End of Days, whew.
.*.*.
Are you guys all geared up for the new season of Battlestar Galactica? If you're not, it looks like the SciFi channel is running it 24/7 this week. I'm exciting, I hope they find Earth!
I've been helping out with a new local homeschooling wiki, it's called Hands On Homeschooling, and it's pretty interesting. The woman who created it has some neat ideas, and the site has lots of local contributors so I hope it catches on. I'm learning how to edit her pages so that I can add museums, etc, to her listings.
My book discussion went well. I'm thinking of doing another one next co-op, but I'm not sure which book to choose. The book doesn't have to be recent (in fact, it's kind of better if it's not, so folks can get it at the library), I just want it to be interesting and influencial in some way. Do you have any suggestions? I was considering Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, because I've always thought it was hilarious, but I'm not sure it's a book I want to make other people read. I think that's one you have to come to yourself... Any ideas for me?
Congratulations, we made it! That's one less Monday between us and the End of Days, whew.
Labels: books, homeschooling, sci fi
.*.*.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Happy Friday!
I've been away for a bit. So, it will be a longish post while I catch you all up.
First of all, I just have to say YAY about the newly announced X-Files sequel.
OK, back to my life.
We're over being sick, but it took far longer than I was expecting. I think the government should move their top-secret biochemical warfare labratories to Iowa, because they've obviously got some natural leg up in the supervirus production department. I can't remember the last time I've been so miserable! Even after the symptoms were gone, it sort of felt like the life had been sucked out of us for a while, hence no posts. Sorry about that, I did think about you all a lot!
Today we toured the Edgar Mine, up in Idaho Springs. It was great! I'm glad I was there with a group of friends, though, because I gave myself the giggles a few times. I just can't seem to take anything seriously, I'm such a juvenile. Stuff like when the tour guide was explaining how the ore was taken from the mine and sent to a "smelter," and I just knew there had to be a joke in there involving a "dealt-er" but I couldn't find it. I slay myself.
The other interesting thing that happened was that I think I had a panic attack. I mean, I definitely had a horrible panic moment, I just don't know if it would qualify as an attack or not. I've never felt like that before. During part of the tour I nearly lost control of myself. We were in a "refuge chamber," an area where the miners would gather behind a metal door if there were some sort of disaster in the mine. I was doing fine, cracking myself up with jokes like always, when suddenly I just HAD TO GET OUT! RIGHT NOW!
It is hard for me to understand, because on the one hand I wasn't worried about anything REAL, I knew there was plenty of air, I knew the mine wasn't going to collapse, I knew in my heart I was safe. But, at the same time, I felt a nearly paralyzing sense of fear. I started to tear up, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt that if I couldn't calm down, there was a pretty good chance that I was going throw up and then make a run for it. It was as if I had two minds, one was rational, and one felt like I was going to literally die if I didn't do something. When the tour guide lifted the door I was fine again, in the space of seconds. What does all that add up to?
I have to say that I've been in lots of enclosed areas like this, including two other mines (Lackawanna and Argo) in the last few years with no ill effects. Weird.
Enough of that!
We've been learning American Sign Language for the last couple of weeks. That's been fascinating. If you've never looked into it, you should! Since it's relatively new, it does away with a lot of the hassles of other languages you might learn. Forming tenses is quite simple, and much of it is intuitive, so it tends to stick pretty well, even for the kids.
Of course, Tiernan, who has a few issues with appropriateness in elimination, has decided that he needs to learn how to say, "I would like to pee and poop in your toilet, which I will then drink out of." He'll have LOADS of friends in the deaf community, you can tell.
Oddly enough though, I can't seem to find how to say things like "pee" and "poop" in ASL. I finally found a sign for "toilet," but that doesn't allow me to convey the depth and subtlety of the process. Perhaps deaf people are just far more polite than my family? I supposed that's a given.
And, I can't wrap up the week thus far without letting you all know that my debit card was hacked and over $400 was taken from my account. No word yet on whether it will be put back, but I'm not holding my breath. You know, with a debit card, they can only get out however much money you have in your account, which 75% of the time would be a big fat zero. So, we've been victimized by the luckiest thieves ever, who happened to hit right after pay day. Figures.
Tomorrow I will be leading a discussion of the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for some of the adults in my homeschool group's co-op. If you've read the book and you're in Denver, email me and you can come hang out with us! Unless you're some kind of perverted axe murderer, that is. I've had quite enough drama this week.
.*.*.
First of all, I just have to say YAY about the newly announced X-Files sequel.
OK, back to my life.
We're over being sick, but it took far longer than I was expecting. I think the government should move their top-secret biochemical warfare labratories to Iowa, because they've obviously got some natural leg up in the supervirus production department. I can't remember the last time I've been so miserable! Even after the symptoms were gone, it sort of felt like the life had been sucked out of us for a while, hence no posts. Sorry about that, I did think about you all a lot!
Today we toured the Edgar Mine, up in Idaho Springs. It was great! I'm glad I was there with a group of friends, though, because I gave myself the giggles a few times. I just can't seem to take anything seriously, I'm such a juvenile. Stuff like when the tour guide was explaining how the ore was taken from the mine and sent to a "smelter," and I just knew there had to be a joke in there involving a "dealt-er" but I couldn't find it. I slay myself.
The other interesting thing that happened was that I think I had a panic attack. I mean, I definitely had a horrible panic moment, I just don't know if it would qualify as an attack or not. I've never felt like that before. During part of the tour I nearly lost control of myself. We were in a "refuge chamber," an area where the miners would gather behind a metal door if there were some sort of disaster in the mine. I was doing fine, cracking myself up with jokes like always, when suddenly I just HAD TO GET OUT! RIGHT NOW!
It is hard for me to understand, because on the one hand I wasn't worried about anything REAL, I knew there was plenty of air, I knew the mine wasn't going to collapse, I knew in my heart I was safe. But, at the same time, I felt a nearly paralyzing sense of fear. I started to tear up, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt that if I couldn't calm down, there was a pretty good chance that I was going throw up and then make a run for it. It was as if I had two minds, one was rational, and one felt like I was going to literally die if I didn't do something. When the tour guide lifted the door I was fine again, in the space of seconds. What does all that add up to?
I have to say that I've been in lots of enclosed areas like this, including two other mines (Lackawanna and Argo) in the last few years with no ill effects. Weird.
Enough of that!
We've been learning American Sign Language for the last couple of weeks. That's been fascinating. If you've never looked into it, you should! Since it's relatively new, it does away with a lot of the hassles of other languages you might learn. Forming tenses is quite simple, and much of it is intuitive, so it tends to stick pretty well, even for the kids.
Of course, Tiernan, who has a few issues with appropriateness in elimination, has decided that he needs to learn how to say, "I would like to pee and poop in your toilet, which I will then drink out of." He'll have LOADS of friends in the deaf community, you can tell.
Oddly enough though, I can't seem to find how to say things like "pee" and "poop" in ASL. I finally found a sign for "toilet," but that doesn't allow me to convey the depth and subtlety of the process. Perhaps deaf people are just far more polite than my family? I supposed that's a given.
And, I can't wrap up the week thus far without letting you all know that my debit card was hacked and over $400 was taken from my account. No word yet on whether it will be put back, but I'm not holding my breath. You know, with a debit card, they can only get out however much money you have in your account, which 75% of the time would be a big fat zero. So, we've been victimized by the luckiest thieves ever, who happened to hit right after pay day. Figures.
Tomorrow I will be leading a discussion of the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for some of the adults in my homeschool group's co-op. If you've read the book and you're in Denver, email me and you can come hang out with us! Unless you're some kind of perverted axe murderer, that is. I've had quite enough drama this week.
Labels: crime, homeschooling, newsworthy, sci fi
.*.*.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Where My Day Went
Yesterday, nine servers at Proboards crashed. This took down the forums that are the main communications for my homeschool group. All of the posts were empty, and the Proboards support team didn't know if we'd have *anything* left when the boards came back up. It was pretty grim, since we have over 27,000 posts. (I just figured it out, we average nearly 1500 posts per month, no wonder I'm hardly ever here any more!)
Because of that, I spent a lot of the day freaking out and staying close to my computer to see if there was any news. The Proboards support forums were up and down as they were overwhelmed with questions from the users of all their crashed servers, so I had to pop in a lot to try to catch them when they were working.
So, this is the sort of stuff I did on my computer yesterday.
I surfed ebay looking for cool fabric for an upcoming sewing project for Sage, and found what may be the creepiest clock in the world. Shudder!
I got caught up on those horrible girls who stole the Girl Scout's Cookie money. Did you read about this? Check out the article, one girl actually said, "We went through all that effort to get it, we got all these charges and we had to give the money back. I'm kind of pissed," and the other added, "I'm not sorry, I'm just pissed that I got caught." In the meantime, while this whole thing is in the news and the girls are being charged (one as an adult), the dumb twits got arrested for dine and dash at a local Denny's! Their parents must be so proud.
I found this most awesome skeleton nativity set while killing time at Etsy. (And you know how I love my nativities!)
Lastly, I found this interesting video. This guy is beatboxing AND playing the flute. He starts off with Inspector Gadget, and I think I heard a little Axel F in there, too. Definitely far more entertaining than anything I've ever been able to play!
Of course, now it occurs to me that I probably could have done some cleaning or something. Oh well!
In case you're worried, the boards are back up now, and we didn't lose much. I had to fix some formatting issues, but it was pretty much business as usual this morning. Can I get a "Hallelujah"?
.*.*.
Because of that, I spent a lot of the day freaking out and staying close to my computer to see if there was any news. The Proboards support forums were up and down as they were overwhelmed with questions from the users of all their crashed servers, so I had to pop in a lot to try to catch them when they were working.
So, this is the sort of stuff I did on my computer yesterday.
I surfed ebay looking for cool fabric for an upcoming sewing project for Sage, and found what may be the creepiest clock in the world. Shudder!
I got caught up on those horrible girls who stole the Girl Scout's Cookie money. Did you read about this? Check out the article, one girl actually said, "We went through all that effort to get it, we got all these charges and we had to give the money back. I'm kind of pissed," and the other added, "I'm not sorry, I'm just pissed that I got caught." In the meantime, while this whole thing is in the news and the girls are being charged (one as an adult), the dumb twits got arrested for dine and dash at a local Denny's! Their parents must be so proud.
I found this most awesome skeleton nativity set while killing time at Etsy. (And you know how I love my nativities!)
Lastly, I found this interesting video. This guy is beatboxing AND playing the flute. He starts off with Inspector Gadget, and I think I heard a little Axel F in there, too. Definitely far more entertaining than anything I've ever been able to play!
Of course, now it occurs to me that I probably could have done some cleaning or something. Oh well!
In case you're worried, the boards are back up now, and we didn't lose much. I had to fix some formatting issues, but it was pretty much business as usual this morning. Can I get a "Hallelujah"?
Labels: crafting, holiday, homeschooling, video
.*.*.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
I thought that this year I would post about my daughter Anya's special Valentine.
Anya has known Sam since they were 7 and 8ish, and they glommed onto each other from the very start. They both love monsters (including Godzilla!) and they love the same kinds of video games. Hey, I know of marriages with less than that for a basis!
Here are a couple of pictures of them from yesterday's Valentine's Day party. (They were taken by Liese.)
I thought this one turned out cute.
And here is an action shot of them drawing a "monster" card to send to the soldiers...
Ah, young love. Sigh.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
.*.*.
Anya has known Sam since they were 7 and 8ish, and they glommed onto each other from the very start. They both love monsters (including Godzilla!) and they love the same kinds of video games. Hey, I know of marriages with less than that for a basis!
Here are a couple of pictures of them from yesterday's Valentine's Day party. (They were taken by Liese.)
I thought this one turned out cute.
And here is an action shot of them drawing a "monster" card to send to the soldiers...
Ah, young love. Sigh.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
Labels: holiday, homeschooling, kids
.*.*.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wow!
Our homeschool group had a Valentine's Day party today. Instead of exchanging Valentines this year, the kids made cards to send to a platoon the group adopted. Also, people brought stuff to donate, so we could send it all along together.
I was SHOCKED at how much stuff there is to send! It filled up the back of my car. That was so cool!
We also ended up with a huge bag of cards and a banner.
I just thought that was neat :-)
.*.*.
I was SHOCKED at how much stuff there is to send! It filled up the back of my car. That was so cool!
We also ended up with a huge bag of cards and a banner.
I just thought that was neat :-)
Labels: holiday, homeschooling, kids, military
.*.*.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
The Co-ops Thirteen!
 |
Our homeschool group offers a co-op 3 times a year. The way it works is sort of like and education/socialization potluck. Everyone who's interested offers at least one class (or field trip, or party, etc) and that's the price of admission for them to participate in what everyone else has offered. Our co-op is run by Renee over at fefyfomanna! These are the ones we're doing. 1. Follow in the footsteps of Dinosaurs Course Description: Follow in the footsteps of dinosaurs and of ancient insects four feet long! We will meet at South Valley Park (Jefferson County Open Space) for this two mile hike. We will follow the guided trail, with descriptions of the dinosaurs and giant insects that once lived here, the geological formations, and the Native American cultures that dwelt here in more modern times.2. Lapbook/Unit Study Idea Night (this one is from Maura at Woodstone Prairie.) CLASS DESCRIPTION: If you are lapbooking, notebooking, journaling or using unit studies as part of your homeschool this is a chance for you to share what your kids are doing and get some new ideas.3. Tour Celestial Seasonings CLASS DESCRIPTION: from http://www.celestialseasonings.com/visit-us/index.html4. Tour CiCi's Pizza Class Description: Come join us for a tour of Cici’s pizza. Tour the kitchen facility and make some pizza. Afterwards we can all enjoy the buffet lunch together.5. Gun Battle in the Park CLASS DESCRIPTION: This will just be like a park day, only please bring any TOY guns you have, and the kids can have a battle. My sons love to do this, especially with lots of other kids.6. Adults Only: Book Discussion (This one is offered by Heather N at Life as We Know It) CLASS DESCRIPTION: We will be reading and the getting together for a discussion of the book The Reluctant Journey of David Conners. Find out more information on the book here http://www.navpress.com/Store/Product/9781600061523.html7. Mom's Night Potlucks I signed up for 2 of these, Potato Bar and Appetizers and Dessert.8. Tour the Edgar Mine in Idaho Springs CLASS DESCRIPTION: Students and staff at the mine conduct guided tours for the general public throughout the year. Tours generally last one hour, but can be tailored to accommodate some special requests. More than one-half mile of underground workings representing over 100 years of mine development are covered on the tour. Lighted displays showing drilling, blasting, and mucking equipment are displayed on the mine tour and items of discussion include mining practice, mining economics, and the role of the mining industry in modern society.9. African Safari (this one comes from Liese at The Colorado Adventure) CLASS DESCRIPTION: Passport to Africa. We’ll travel from the Sahara to the Kalahari, and visit the rain forest and Savanna on the way. We’ll listen to stories from Africa and make some sand art, rock art, loincloths and necklaces. We’ll learn about rivers and an oasis and play some games. We’ll make some small drums and learn how to send a message to a far away tribe. Leave with a folder full of pictures and games to play at home. I’ll send you a passport to fill out, bring it with you for our trip.10. What is Yeast? CLASS DESCRIPTION: We'll learn all about yeast and how it works by doing three experiments. We'll watch what happens when we feed yeast, make bread with yeast, and make root beer with yeast.11. Making Pillowcases CLASS DESCRIPTION: May daughter and I will teach how to make a basic pillowcase. Kids will learn to thread a machine, sew a straight line, and sew a zig zag line.These next two are classes that I'm offering! 12. Make Pysanky CLASS DESCRIPTION: Pysanky are Easter Eggs created by using a wax resist method, and are originally from the Ukraine. (The singular is pysanka.)13. Sara and Jen's Excellent Adventure (Sara is another mom, we're working this one together.) CLASS DESCRIPTION: Give your child a first hand experience of history. In this co-op, the kids will choose a true life historical figure, dress as that person, and give a little talk to the rest of us telling about their life in the first person. (For instance, "My name is Cleopatra and I was born in...") Please also have your child add his or her interpretation of what this figure would think of our modern life. So far for this one we've got Susan B. Anthony, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Elvis Presley, Mother Jones, Leonardo DaVinci, Boudica and Blackbeard the Pirate. There are still quite a few kids who haven't decided yet, so this should be pretty great! |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Labels: homeschooling, Thursday Thirteen
.*.*.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Life is going on and on and on!
Wow, it's been SOOOOO busy here!
I don't know if you all remember, but a few months ago we got a houseguest, she's staying here while she is going through a (rather nasty) divorce. Well, a lot has changed here recently, and her kids are coming over to visit her here several times a week, and every other weekend. It's TOTALLY AWESOME to see them, but it's hectic here because that makes 9 kids in the house pretty regularly. So, it's chaos, but a good kind of chaos.
I've been doing a lot more walking, I'm gearing up for a long walk in the fall. I'll give you more details when I iron them out. I'm up to 10-12 miles a week, and I haven't gotten lost again! Plus, today, I met another woman who was out walking, and we exchanged phone numbers so I may have a walking buddy right in my neighborhood!
in about 15 minutes, we'll be doing signups for our homeschool group's co-op. Tomorrow I will try to come back in and let you all know what we're going to be doing, unless the 9 kids thing overwhelms me, in which case I'll be back on Monday!
.*.*.
I don't know if you all remember, but a few months ago we got a houseguest, she's staying here while she is going through a (rather nasty) divorce. Well, a lot has changed here recently, and her kids are coming over to visit her here several times a week, and every other weekend. It's TOTALLY AWESOME to see them, but it's hectic here because that makes 9 kids in the house pretty regularly. So, it's chaos, but a good kind of chaos.
I've been doing a lot more walking, I'm gearing up for a long walk in the fall. I'll give you more details when I iron them out. I'm up to 10-12 miles a week, and I haven't gotten lost again! Plus, today, I met another woman who was out walking, and we exchanged phone numbers so I may have a walking buddy right in my neighborhood!
in about 15 minutes, we'll be doing signups for our homeschool group's co-op. Tomorrow I will try to come back in and let you all know what we're going to be doing, unless the 9 kids thing overwhelms me, in which case I'll be back on Monday!
Labels: homeschooling, walking
.*.*.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
As Col. Smith of the A-Team says:
I love it when a plan comes together!
Remember back in February of last year, when I blogged a list of people I hoped would contact me if they vanity googled themselves? Well, it worked! I got an email from my locker partner from junior high and high school. Yay!
So, here's hoping the rest of the folks get a hold of me, too!
We're still cranking on the Hogwarts unit study. I currently have 50 books and videos out of the library, most of which are for this project. So, if I've been a little quiet lately, it's because I've been busy educatin' the brood.
.*.*.
Remember back in February of last year, when I blogged a list of people I hoped would contact me if they vanity googled themselves? Well, it worked! I got an email from my locker partner from junior high and high school. Yay!
So, here's hoping the rest of the folks get a hold of me, too!
We're still cranking on the Hogwarts unit study. I currently have 50 books and videos out of the library, most of which are for this project. So, if I've been a little quiet lately, it's because I've been busy educatin' the brood.
Labels: homeschooling, life
.*.*.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
A Term at Hogwarts
A lot of families in our homeschool group have decided to follow the same unit study this month. We're starting La Paz Home Learning's A Term at Hogwarts. We're having a graduation ceremony at the end of the month, with a feast! Until then, we'll be studying hard.
Of course, the first thing I had to do was to dork out and make mini Hogwarts scarves for my kids to wear. I made the little cards they attach to as well, I just culled some art from the net (they were reproduced a zillion times over at different sites, which I hope means no one will mind if I use them for my kids). The verse is taken from "The Sorcerer's Stone," it's modified from what the Sorting Hat says.
They sorted themselves, which surprised me. I thought I'd have to intervene.
So, for the rest of the month, this is where my kids are:
Anya: Gryffindor
Maya: Slytherin
Sage: Ravenclaw
Tiernan: Hufflepuff
Today we made Goblin Slobber and studied owls and chamomile.
.*.*.
Of course, the first thing I had to do was to dork out and make mini Hogwarts scarves for my kids to wear. I made the little cards they attach to as well, I just culled some art from the net (they were reproduced a zillion times over at different sites, which I hope means no one will mind if I use them for my kids). The verse is taken from "The Sorcerer's Stone," it's modified from what the Sorting Hat says.
They sorted themselves, which surprised me. I thought I'd have to intervene.
So, for the rest of the month, this is where my kids are:
Anya: Gryffindor
Maya: Slytherin
Sage: Ravenclaw
Tiernan: Hufflepuff
Today we made Goblin Slobber and studied owls and chamomile.
Labels: crafting, crochet, homeschooling, kids
.*.*.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Mint-y Fresh!
Yesterday we toured the United States Mint, right here in Denver.
When you were a kid, were you confused that it was called a mint, but they didn't make mints there? Or, am I the only one? Also, I used to watch the soaps with my step-mom and think that Scotch must be so great, because I thought it must taste like butterscotch. Maybe I'm just weird that way.
Anyway, I learned a few interesting things while I was there. You know the dollar coins? (Is it just me, or do they look like bus tokens? I did not approve that design, no one ever asks me this important stuff.) They're going to make one for each of the presidents, at least up through Ford. Also, they're going to change the design of the penny for something-about-Lincoln's-anniversary-or-something. Sorry, my mind was wandering a bit. But, I thought it was cool that they're going to mint different pennies, and I thought I would at least pass that little bit on.
They're almost done with the quarters. They'll end next year with Alaska and Hawaii.
I'm wondering what they are planning to do next. It would be a shame to go back to the same old designs after all this neat stuff. I felt such a let down after the run of Bicentennial Quarters when we went back to the plain old eagle on the reverse, didn't you?
I was thinking that maybe we could all vote and get all sorts of people put on our coins. Why isn't there a coin for Harriet Tubman or Charles Lindbergh, for instance? Or, we could just go all pop culture and get some Elvis Presley quarters. I'd love to see an Aladdin Sane-era David Bowie on the dollar coin, wouldn't you? And, we couldn't go wrong by putting Stephen King out there, in my opinion. Heck, they do stuff like that on stamps all the time, why not currency? Just a thought, I say let the people decide.
Who would you like to see on a coin?
.*.*.
When you were a kid, were you confused that it was called a mint, but they didn't make mints there? Or, am I the only one? Also, I used to watch the soaps with my step-mom and think that Scotch must be so great, because I thought it must taste like butterscotch. Maybe I'm just weird that way.
Anyway, I learned a few interesting things while I was there. You know the dollar coins? (Is it just me, or do they look like bus tokens? I did not approve that design, no one ever asks me this important stuff.) They're going to make one for each of the presidents, at least up through Ford. Also, they're going to change the design of the penny for something-about-Lincoln's-anniversary-or-something. Sorry, my mind was wandering a bit. But, I thought it was cool that they're going to mint different pennies, and I thought I would at least pass that little bit on.
They're almost done with the quarters. They'll end next year with Alaska and Hawaii.
I'm wondering what they are planning to do next. It would be a shame to go back to the same old designs after all this neat stuff. I felt such a let down after the run of Bicentennial Quarters when we went back to the plain old eagle on the reverse, didn't you?
I was thinking that maybe we could all vote and get all sorts of people put on our coins. Why isn't there a coin for Harriet Tubman or Charles Lindbergh, for instance? Or, we could just go all pop culture and get some Elvis Presley quarters. I'd love to see an Aladdin Sane-era David Bowie on the dollar coin, wouldn't you? And, we couldn't go wrong by putting Stephen King out there, in my opinion. Heck, they do stuff like that on stamps all the time, why not currency? Just a thought, I say let the people decide.
Who would you like to see on a coin?
Labels: david bowie, elvis, homeschooling, stephen king
.*.*.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Not Dead!
Unlike most of the folks on the Titanic! I know, that was a painful segueway...it will make sense in a minute.
It's just been a crazy run of migraines and field trips here at Casa Horde. The migraines are unfortunate, and the less said about them the better, but the field trips have been cool!
Yesterday, we were able to get in to see the Titanic Artifact Exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. They were showing a lot of the stuff they brought up from the wreckage of the Titanic. It was AWESOME, in every sense of the word. I'm hoping to go back on a day that isn't so packed. Homeschooling families are pretty smart, but none of us realized that yesterday was a school holiday. Duh!
When you enter the exhibit, they issue you a "boarding pass," a card with the information of someone who actually sailed on the Titanic. Then, at the end, you can check the huge list and see if your person survived or not. I was issued the card for Mrs. Margaret Ann Watson Ford, a mother of 5 travelling in 3rd Class. Even though she was in 3rd Class, I held out hope for her that she would have made it into one of the life boats. That is, until I read the little biography given for her on the card. It says, "Margaret had been deserted by her husband after giving birth to their fifth child and had difficulty supporting her family. When she heard of her eldest daughter's success in the United States, Margaret decided to take her family there." Yeah, she's going down, you just know it. I was right, too, her whole family was lost. Poor thing.
Oh, and if we all end up with the plague (again), you'll know where we got it. One of the things we all loved about the exhibit was a giant iceberg you were allowed to touch. It was made of real ice, and was taller than all of us. We were all running our hands over it, and talking about how cold it must have been in the water, when I looked and saw a little boy LICKING it! Right then, I realized that this behavior had probably been going on all day, and here we were rubbing our hands all over this big germy mess! I'm sure a lot of kids couldn't resist licking it, it was actually pretty tempting.
Then, I started to get the giggles. All I could picture in my head was someone on the deck of the Titanic, who couldn't evacuate to the lifeboats because he'd gotten his tongue stuck on the fateful iceberg! In my mind, it looked sort of like this:
I'm not sure where this exhibit will travel to next, but if it comes near you it's a definite Must See! I've got to run, we've got another field trip today. See you tomorrow!
.*.*.
It's just been a crazy run of migraines and field trips here at Casa Horde. The migraines are unfortunate, and the less said about them the better, but the field trips have been cool!
Yesterday, we were able to get in to see the Titanic Artifact Exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. They were showing a lot of the stuff they brought up from the wreckage of the Titanic. It was AWESOME, in every sense of the word. I'm hoping to go back on a day that isn't so packed. Homeschooling families are pretty smart, but none of us realized that yesterday was a school holiday. Duh!
When you enter the exhibit, they issue you a "boarding pass," a card with the information of someone who actually sailed on the Titanic. Then, at the end, you can check the huge list and see if your person survived or not. I was issued the card for Mrs. Margaret Ann Watson Ford, a mother of 5 travelling in 3rd Class. Even though she was in 3rd Class, I held out hope for her that she would have made it into one of the life boats. That is, until I read the little biography given for her on the card. It says, "Margaret had been deserted by her husband after giving birth to their fifth child and had difficulty supporting her family. When she heard of her eldest daughter's success in the United States, Margaret decided to take her family there." Yeah, she's going down, you just know it. I was right, too, her whole family was lost. Poor thing.
Oh, and if we all end up with the plague (again), you'll know where we got it. One of the things we all loved about the exhibit was a giant iceberg you were allowed to touch. It was made of real ice, and was taller than all of us. We were all running our hands over it, and talking about how cold it must have been in the water, when I looked and saw a little boy LICKING it! Right then, I realized that this behavior had probably been going on all day, and here we were rubbing our hands all over this big germy mess! I'm sure a lot of kids couldn't resist licking it, it was actually pretty tempting.
Then, I started to get the giggles. All I could picture in my head was someone on the deck of the Titanic, who couldn't evacuate to the lifeboats because he'd gotten his tongue stuck on the fateful iceberg! In my mind, it looked sort of like this:
I'm not sure where this exhibit will travel to next, but if it comes near you it's a definite Must See! I've got to run, we've got another field trip today. See you tomorrow!
Labels: homeschooling, migraine
.*.*.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Now I Get It!
Now I know why The Wizard of Oz was set in Kansas. Oh my goodness gracious but it's windy here! We're kind of afraid to leave the camper...we might be the only thing holding it down! We're about 300 miles from Denver, so we should be able to get home with no trouble tomorrow.
Hopefully the camper will still be in one piece. Today we suffered a near catastrophic failure. One of the latches that holds the pop up down while you're driving just completely tore off and blew away (sorry if we hit you, we didn't notice when it happened or we would have stopped to render aid.) The other latch gave up, and the camper started opening in the dastardly cross wind. Did I mention the wind?
Do you live in Kansas? If so, is it always like this?
Hmmm, to catch you up, since I posted last, we went on a tour of Steamtown National Historic Site in PA. This dovetailed nicely with our trip to the coal mine, since the anthracite coal mined there was a big part of the growth of the railway system. BTW-we now know the difference between anthracite and bituminous coal, do you?
We left PA, and in one day made it all the way to Richmond, IN (through most of PA and all of Ohio). We stayed at a cute little RV park there (Grandpa's Farm).
The next day, we drove through Indiana, Illinois and a lot of Missouri, stopping in Columbia. We visited their Bass Pro Shops, which was neat but much smaller than the one in Denver (yay Denver!) I believe that Missouri must be some Native American word meaning "Dang it's hot and humid here!" We were grossly unprepared for the 80+ degree heat (at 120% humidity, at least). People must have A/C there, or else they come from stronger stock than I do. I briefly considered dying, it must be cooler 6 feet underground, right?
Today we were only planning on making it as far as Salina, but we decided to press on to get to Hays. There was a campground listed there in our directory that sounded reasonable. Well, it wasn't. It was a parking lot in the bad part of town. I'm glad we still had plenty of time, we just turned around and headed back to the highway. Well, we stopped at a smellydirtybad gas station on the way. I'm sure there are better parts of Hays, KS, but they're not where we were.
Oh, and we almost went to Historic Fort Leavenworth. I got it into my head that we really needed to stop and see if they had a tour or something, and we jumped off the highway. Then we drove and drove and drove and drove, and finally stopped at (another) nasty gas station to ask directions. It turned out that we were still pretty far from the base, and that we'd have to present ID and fill out paperwork explaining what we were doing there before they'd let us in to see the museum. At that point it just didn't seem like a good idea anymore, and we turned back. Well, I don't think it EVER seemed like a good idea to Davin, but he was very kind about it.
There it is. If we don't get home tomorrow, it's because we blew away. The wind appears to be headed north, so you should start looking for us in Nebraska somewhere...
Miss you all, hopefully I will be able to post soon when we're home!
.*.*.
Hopefully the camper will still be in one piece. Today we suffered a near catastrophic failure. One of the latches that holds the pop up down while you're driving just completely tore off and blew away (sorry if we hit you, we didn't notice when it happened or we would have stopped to render aid.) The other latch gave up, and the camper started opening in the dastardly cross wind. Did I mention the wind?
Do you live in Kansas? If so, is it always like this?
Hmmm, to catch you up, since I posted last, we went on a tour of Steamtown National Historic Site in PA. This dovetailed nicely with our trip to the coal mine, since the anthracite coal mined there was a big part of the growth of the railway system. BTW-we now know the difference between anthracite and bituminous coal, do you?
We left PA, and in one day made it all the way to Richmond, IN (through most of PA and all of Ohio). We stayed at a cute little RV park there (Grandpa's Farm).
The next day, we drove through Indiana, Illinois and a lot of Missouri, stopping in Columbia. We visited their Bass Pro Shops, which was neat but much smaller than the one in Denver (yay Denver!) I believe that Missouri must be some Native American word meaning "Dang it's hot and humid here!" We were grossly unprepared for the 80+ degree heat (at 120% humidity, at least). People must have A/C there, or else they come from stronger stock than I do. I briefly considered dying, it must be cooler 6 feet underground, right?
Today we were only planning on making it as far as Salina, but we decided to press on to get to Hays. There was a campground listed there in our directory that sounded reasonable. Well, it wasn't. It was a parking lot in the bad part of town. I'm glad we still had plenty of time, we just turned around and headed back to the highway. Well, we stopped at a smellydirtybad gas station on the way. I'm sure there are better parts of Hays, KS, but they're not where we were.
Oh, and we almost went to Historic Fort Leavenworth. I got it into my head that we really needed to stop and see if they had a tour or something, and we jumped off the highway. Then we drove and drove and drove and drove, and finally stopped at (another) nasty gas station to ask directions. It turned out that we were still pretty far from the base, and that we'd have to present ID and fill out paperwork explaining what we were doing there before they'd let us in to see the museum. At that point it just didn't seem like a good idea anymore, and we turned back. Well, I don't think it EVER seemed like a good idea to Davin, but he was very kind about it.
There it is. If we don't get home tomorrow, it's because we blew away. The wind appears to be headed north, so you should start looking for us in Nebraska somewhere...
Miss you all, hopefully I will be able to post soon when we're home!
Labels: camping, homeschooling, travel
.*.*.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Workin' in a Coal Mine...
Or, at least we visited one! We all went up yesterday to tour the Lackawanna Coal Mine. After having visited the Argo Gold Mine up in Idaho Springs, CO, it was interesting to see how they were similar. But, they were really quite different, too, and not necessarily in ways I'd expected.. At the coal mine, our tour guide, Harold, had actually worked the mine in the pre-OSHA days. He was a teen then, and so he had a pretty unique viewpoint on the whole operation. So, if you're out in Lackawanna County, PA, I'd highly recommend stopping by!
We'll be in PA for another day, then we're going to start heading home. We haven't figured out the route yet, because we're kind ofliving in denial about the big drive ahead. We don't have any time left to visit people, so it will be 1700+ miles of driving, camping and getting up and driving some more. If you're praying people, please keep us in mind?
When I get home, I will post some of the pictures we've been taking. Next time, I'm going to bring the cord and post them as we go!
Thanks to all of you who've been stopping by, I'm so happy to see your comments!
.*.*.
We'll be in PA for another day, then we're going to start heading home. We haven't figured out the route yet, because we're kind ofliving in denial about the big drive ahead. We don't have any time left to visit people, so it will be 1700+ miles of driving, camping and getting up and driving some more. If you're praying people, please keep us in mind?
When I get home, I will post some of the pictures we've been taking. Next time, I'm going to bring the cord and post them as we go!
Thanks to all of you who've been stopping by, I'm so happy to see your comments!
Labels: camping, homeschooling, travel
.*.*.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
The Face Behind the Blog
I saw this over at RennyBA's Terella, and it looked like a fun idea. You can find the original post that started it all, over at David Airey's blog.
Here's the plan, as summed up by RennyBA:
You guys have actually seen about a billion pictures of me already, I'm not shy! So, I thought I would find one that's different from all the others. In this one, I'm not flashing a big smile, or making a funny face. Well, it's sort of a funny face, I was trying to be serious but I couldn't really keep it together...
Gosh, I look like my dad there!
As you know, I'm a homeschooling mother of 4, and my family is coming up on our first year of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
I've been married to my husband, Davin for 15 years now. We met in high school in 1985, when he was dating my locker partner. I didn't start dating him until 4 years later though, lest you think I stole him!
I have a host of health issues (PCOS, hypothyroid, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines) that I don't talk about very much on my blog. I don't talk about them much in person, either, as I find "denial" to be an excellent way to deal with this stuff, especially the chronic pain. So, most of the time I just try to ignore it when things are going wrong, unless I just can't, then I dip into my magic bag of pharmaceuticals and check out for a while. So, if I seem a little "woowoo" when you're talking to me, I may just be on drugs. ;-)
I started and now co-lead a homeschool support group here in Denver. This is the closest thing I have to a "job" right now. It's a lot of fun, and it's great to watch all of the kids in the group growing and learning! And *I* am learning so much, too! I am such a different person now than I was 5 years ago when this started, more patient, more resourceful, and more willing to butt out of people's business (I'm kind of nosey, did you know that?) Any amount of work I have put in to helping get and keep the group running has come back at least tenfold in opportunities for my kids and my family, and I'm so glad I've been involved with the homeschool community in this way.
I love to knit, crochet, and do all sorts of crafts. I think it's some sort of weird compulsion with me, it helps me to stay sane in all of this chaos! Sometimes, among the dishes, laundry, cooking and home education, it seems like the crafty stuff is the only time I get to actually FINISH something!
I actually need to go, we're leaving for a field trip in a few minutes and I need to make sure we're all dressed and decent. If you play along, let me know, and I'll spread you some linky love!
RennyBA's Terella
David Airey's blog
.*.*.
Here's the plan, as summed up by RennyBA:
Step 1: Post a short article with you photograph(s).So, here I go!
Step 2: Include links to other people that have displayed a photo, or include their photos in your post, adding a reference. Include a link back to Airey's post.
Step 3: Tag as many others as you like in your post to spread the meme.
Step 4: E-mail Airey and he will list you on the original post. (This step is not required but unless you do this step, the whole point of the network is gone.)
You guys have actually seen about a billion pictures of me already, I'm not shy! So, I thought I would find one that's different from all the others. In this one, I'm not flashing a big smile, or making a funny face. Well, it's sort of a funny face, I was trying to be serious but I couldn't really keep it together...
Gosh, I look like my dad there!
As you know, I'm a homeschooling mother of 4, and my family is coming up on our first year of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
I've been married to my husband, Davin for 15 years now. We met in high school in 1985, when he was dating my locker partner. I didn't start dating him until 4 years later though, lest you think I stole him!
I have a host of health issues (PCOS, hypothyroid, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines) that I don't talk about very much on my blog. I don't talk about them much in person, either, as I find "denial" to be an excellent way to deal with this stuff, especially the chronic pain. So, most of the time I just try to ignore it when things are going wrong, unless I just can't, then I dip into my magic bag of pharmaceuticals and check out for a while. So, if I seem a little "woowoo" when you're talking to me, I may just be on drugs. ;-)
I started and now co-lead a homeschool support group here in Denver. This is the closest thing I have to a "job" right now. It's a lot of fun, and it's great to watch all of the kids in the group growing and learning! And *I* am learning so much, too! I am such a different person now than I was 5 years ago when this started, more patient, more resourceful, and more willing to butt out of people's business (I'm kind of nosey, did you know that?) Any amount of work I have put in to helping get and keep the group running has come back at least tenfold in opportunities for my kids and my family, and I'm so glad I've been involved with the homeschool community in this way.
I love to knit, crochet, and do all sorts of crafts. I think it's some sort of weird compulsion with me, it helps me to stay sane in all of this chaos! Sometimes, among the dishes, laundry, cooking and home education, it seems like the crafty stuff is the only time I get to actually FINISH something!
I actually need to go, we're leaving for a field trip in a few minutes and I need to make sure we're all dressed and decent. If you play along, let me know, and I'll spread you some linky love!
RennyBA's Terella
David Airey's blog
Labels: crafting, fibromyalgia, homeschooling, life, migraine
.*.*.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Blah.
Today is a blah day. I'm having a ton of fibro symptoms, and I'm just getting really bored with this whole pain thing. I don't remember signing up for this, maybe I should have read the fine print more closely or something.
Today at our homeschool group's park day, a huge crowd of kids got together and dug an ENORMOUS hole in the sand. Anya then created a tunnel in the side of the pit that she could fit her head and shoulders into. I thought it was pretty cool, so I snagged a picture of it.
One of the things I love about homeschooling is stuff like this. The kids digging together were between the ages of 2 and 11, and the older kids were having as much fun as the littles. None of that "too tragically hip to have fun" stuff that I remember from being that age.
I've started doing some cross stitching again, because I don't have enough crafts around to keep me busy, I guess. I don't know who took this photo, but it's proof that I'm hard at work at least some of the time! (Editing to add: Davin says he took the photo. Thanks, Davin! I love you!)
Ignore the mess on the desk behind me, that was a one time thing and my house doesn't normally look like that. (Riiiiiight.)
How is your week coming along?
.*.*.
Today at our homeschool group's park day, a huge crowd of kids got together and dug an ENORMOUS hole in the sand. Anya then created a tunnel in the side of the pit that she could fit her head and shoulders into. I thought it was pretty cool, so I snagged a picture of it.
One of the things I love about homeschooling is stuff like this. The kids digging together were between the ages of 2 and 11, and the older kids were having as much fun as the littles. None of that "too tragically hip to have fun" stuff that I remember from being that age.
I've started doing some cross stitching again, because I don't have enough crafts around to keep me busy, I guess. I don't know who took this photo, but it's proof that I'm hard at work at least some of the time! (Editing to add: Davin says he took the photo. Thanks, Davin! I love you!)
Ignore the mess on the desk behind me, that was a one time thing and my house doesn't normally look like that. (Riiiiiight.)
How is your week coming along?
Labels: crafting, fibromyalgia, homeschooling, life
.*.*.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Crap!
Where is my life going? I feel like I'm never home any more. Of course, that could be because I'm NOT. We've about camped ourselves to death getting ready for our big trip later this month. In case I haven't told you all, and I probably didn't because I don't know when I could have, we're going on a cross country camping/visiting family trip from here to Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania at the end of the month. Please pray for our safety and sanity as we go!
I think we've got ourselves pretty well ready, and we're comfortable with our pop up and everything, too. Whew!
I thought this comic strip was hilarious, and just goes along with my Jen diatribe from last year!
Just so you know we're still learning, even if we're not blogging... We were studying word roots today, and we found that the word "pencil" comes from the same word root as the word "penis." Think about THAT the next time you're writing your name in the snow...
.*.*.
I think we've got ourselves pretty well ready, and we're comfortable with our pop up and everything, too. Whew!
I thought this comic strip was hilarious, and just goes along with my Jen diatribe from last year!
Just so you know we're still learning, even if we're not blogging... We were studying word roots today, and we found that the word "pencil" comes from the same word root as the word "penis." Think about THAT the next time you're writing your name in the snow...
Labels: camping, homeschooling
.*.*.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Field Trip Day!
Spent the day up in the mountains. I'd post pictures, but I can't find the camera. I'm going to go dig around some more...
How was your Monday?
.*.*.
How was your Monday?
Labels: homeschooling
.*.*.
