Up & Running ~ WooHoo!!

Well, we managed to get back on line, however, this computer is not accepting disks to load pictures. :`-(     However, just now, I tired hooking up the cameras and loading the pictures & guess what ?!?!! It worked!!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, to figure out how to get the printer to work!!!!!

Since my last big post about BeleChare, we have been faithful watchers of the Olympics, for what seems 24/7.  We have just antenna TV, but it's been all Olympics, with the occasional news, kid show, Rifleman, and M*A*S*H.  The boys worked on their mathematical mind building Lego's, "cleaned" their bedroom since a friend/brother was coming for a week.  The boys had a great time working on their train set.

 Later that night, Thursday, August 2, 2012 we (all of us!!! dad included!) went to Roper Mountain Science Center to watch a movie about astronauts from SC and hear Astronaut Charles Duke speak.

In this one he's describing his mission to the moon!

We had such a great time and learned so much from him!!!  Later the following week, the boys found a program on their computers that shows all the moon landings, they were ecstatic!!!

On Saturday, August 4, I went to Charlotte, NC for a homeschoolers conference.  It was fun, educational, and interesting.  It was hosted buy Homeschool Alliance of NC Inc. HA-NC and called Love to Learn.   It was different in many ways to all the other conferences I go to and have attended in the past.  It was cheaper!, you didn't have to 'sign up' for classes, you just walked in or out to meet your needs, you received a copy of Everyone's handouts in a book, no one told me when I came back, "We don't do that here" or " I think we should do it this way" or "the kids understand it this way better" or anything that killed my excitement form the conference.  I felt more confident in what I am doing with my boys now and have some ideas that I'd like to try.  If I get there great if not, there's always later.  I'm looking forward to next years already!


On Saturday, August 4th, Pumpkin was really been into playing MineSweeper on his computer.  Then he got the idea to make a grid and see where the bombs were and if they where they moved to the next few games.

I was really impressed with his thought process on this! 

Sunday the 5th, was a stressful day for Fireball Coyote & me.  He was SO excited to have his "brother" (a good friend from his old school who moved 3 hrs. away) come to stay for a week.  Fireball Coyote wanted him at our house right away, but "Cole"'s mom said we'd meet at 5PM.  (ugh!) Fireball went from excited to mad in a flash.  I tried to help him by suggesting to make Jell-o, but he ran hot & cold.  It became so draining I needed a nap.  We met them at 5 PM, had ice cream and the kids played at bit at McD's.  Then the fun started! ;-)


For the next week I had 3 boys doing Animal Jam on the computer daily, watching Olympics daily, working with Lego's daily, having pillow fights, fighting in general, riding bikes many days, watching PBS Kids: Arthur, Wild Kratts, Curious George, Cyber Chase, Rifleman, M*A*S*H, news, MeTV's Batman and going to the creek and discovering

"Creekie"

"Cole" had summer homework he brought with him and his mom said it was up to us if we got to anything or not.  I noticed that he had the scholastic book Freedom on the Menu - The Greensbouro Sit Ins by, Carole Boston Weatherford.  I had Pumpkin & "Cole" read it together, Pumpkin was surprised he was struggling with some words, so "Cole" took over.   Then I had them look at "Cole's" homework sheet while "Cole" worked on it.  

On Tuesday the 7th, we had a homeschooling playdate and field trip planning meeting.

 The kids played, the mom's chatted, we ate lunch.

On Wednesday, all 3 boys drove me crazy!!!  They were arguing, wild, refusing to go outside, made the monster in me come out ~ Ugh!  It was nuts in the house between TV, Lego's, playing a made up game they called "Cats", trying to help my M-I-L with her computer, AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!  Later that night dad took them for a tractor ride, the silence was golden!  To help Fireball Coyote & "Cole" calm down that night I had them read "Cole's" math homework, Math for all Seasons by, Greg Tang.  Fireball Coyote tried taking over "Cole's" reading and figuring out of the problems, then backed off.  When I explained "Cole's" homework sheet to him, Fireball Coyote wanted one too.  They worked on them together the best they could.

On Thursday, August 9th, we had another playdate, with old classmates we saw at the Charles Duke gathering.  It was very nice!!! They kids ride bikes, played on the playground, and we had a picnic lunch.

"Cole" in the background & one hot & tired Pumpkin.

The boys later that night had Kids Club at our neighbor's church.  They LOVE going there every month to listen to the Bible story/ skit, sing the songs, play & eat pizza and dessert.
(By now, everyone is getting very tired and sleeping ok, not well and nerves are starting to thin, but not show, yet.)


On Friday, August 10th, we went to another friends house from the old school, Pumpkin's Latin friend.  They all swam in their new pool, it's Beautiful!!! Ate lunch, rode bikes down to the lake & back to the house then swam again, ate dinner, dried off & came inside to play DS2 & watch CARS2.  We all had a BLAST!!!

On Saturday, all the boys were getting tired of each other and started doing their own thing - TV. outside, Lego's, and such.  Mid afternoon, dad took them all fishing (Yeah! More Peace & Quiet!!!) They came back in time for dinner, watch some TV then bed.



Sunday, August 12th, "Cole's" mom & dad came and got him in the late morning/ early afternoon.  They all had one last tractor ride, bike ride, and frog hunt before they arrived.  All in all it wasn't that bad of a week.  We had fun, learned new things, tried new things and grew from all of it.  Looking forward to next year's week visit already!

 Later that afternoon/ early evening we (dad, Pumpkin, Fireball Coyote, & me) all went to the fishing pond and fished.

Pumpkin's 1st catch, a catfish.

Fireball Coyote's 1st catch, a baby bass.

Inside a bass's mouth, for those of you who have never seen inside one. (my fish.)

Learning to bait a hook.

My bobber that was stolen by a turtle?!?

NO!!! You sneaky thing, you!!!

The culprit!!!! 

LOVE that tongue action!!!

Come here let me give you a kiss!!!!!

 Opie wanna be's ;-)

 When we got back it was Closing Ceremony time for the Olympics the rest of the night.


This week the boys have gotten back into their daily things ~ Lego's, the train set, PBS Kid shows, a small bike ride - that just included a tadpole, and now Pumpkin has just started soccer practice, with Fireball Coyote to start close behind.

Helping in the garden.

Sunflower head from the garden.

I like those golden drops there.

Yesterday, we made needed to make a mayo run.  We came across this at our local store

Smithfield's Race Car

Pumpkin said,"Look mom I can touch his teeth."
"Yes, you can also pick his nose too," I said.
Thus, resulting in the picture.
LOL

Today is more PBS Kids, bikes and Lego's

Side view.

Top left - Fireball Coyote's dragon, top center - his ship, top right Pumpkin's ship
Bottom center - Pumpkin's snake, bottom right - Pumpkin's alligator that can do a Death Roll.

The boys also have been writing to penpals in England.  It will be interesting to hear their view on the Olympics.  I know in one email I got they got stuck in traffic going back to their house and was shocked by it all.

Tonight ~ me yoga, Pumpkin soccer practice. Tomorrow ~ a trip to Oconee Heritage Center in the afternoon then R.M.S.C. at night for star gazing and a Mars Roller Coaster Ride.

Lovin' every minute of it!!! :-)