November

November started off with a party.  My friends 40th Surprise Birthday Party.  Let's just say it's one he won't forget! ;-)

Monday the 5th we headed back to the doctors, since both were sick.  In the evening Pumpkin had his All-Star Soccer game, sadly the lost 12-0.

Lately, the boys have been BIG time into the FB games, Social Empires and Dragon City. (It's been making me CRAZY!)

On Tuesday they had "art" with Nona and Pumpkin would up having an unpleasant time.  Nona gave him spelling words from a conversation they had and made him write five words 3X each.  He confessed, "I did it just to make her happy. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."  He also told me that he didn't feel there was as much art going on as last year.  In addition to not liking her saying, when he was done, "Why don't you get on the computer or watch TV now."

While playing Dragon City on Facebook, Pumpkin got the idea to write down all the dragons he has and their weaknesses (for battles).  In the process of doing this he realized that he now knows how to spell dragon & weaknesses :-)

Thursday, Pumpkin had part one of two at R.M.S.C. for Lego Mars Rover class.  Fireball Coyote was at our neighbors and then went to Kids Club with them.

I realized driving around when Pumpkin was in class, I don't miss traffic,  in the mornings or evenings.

Pumpkin had the camera ~ me driving.

We picked up the clay that made it through the kiln.

Went to trade the car for the truck & the boys got a dune buggy ride.

Fireball Coyote & i walked around the gardens at R.M.S.C. on Friday while Pumpkin was in another class.

Passion Flower from the Passion Vince or aka Maypop vine.

Pumpkin was in a tree identification class.  He knew everything the man talked about except one thing on leaves.  :-) After he was a bit disappointed knowing everything, but I put a positive spin on it by saying, "See you know A Lot.  More than you realize!"

Walking through the Christmas lights to be put up at the pond.

Then we went to pick up my friends kids at our home field.  Pumpkin reminisced about soccer & was mad he didn't learn the moves they did.

Fireball Coyote play with another child there.

When we went back to their house all 7 kids played various games of tag, had a snack, and watched Garfield on Nexflix.  Everyone enjoy themselves.

They gathered up leaves & jumped in them.

I didn't see Pumpkin hiding behind Fireball Coyote.

Let the Leaf battles begin!

Time Flies When We're Having Fun

For the past two weeks we have been a relaxed busy.  There has been two trips to the doctors for a "severe cold" (required penicillin for both). This kept our weeks low key ( no Latin for 3 weeks & no "art" for two).  With Halloween, our PBS favs (Kid shows, Nature, Nova, & Nova science Now), computer games, soccer practice, an All-Star game (we lost :-(  ), and just everyday life stuff, time flies.  Here's some pictures of some of the happenings.

We had a caterpillar start to change.

Found a baby Praying Mantis in the house.

Worked with the toothpick structure.

Pumpkin's coded language.

Took measurements on a HUGE potato ( 7 inches long, 3 inches high, &  3 inches wide).

The boys are hooked on playing   Sploder! and Facebook games.

We did out pumpkins as we ...

watch Charlie Brown  :-)

"Take my picture mom," says Pumpkin.      ("AAAAAAAA, you didn't tell me you were going to kill it!")

We LOVE our pumpkin seeds!

Fireball Coyote got a bit frustrated & dad helped.

Pumpkin worked on his costume.

Daniel Boone & Charlie Brown's ghost. 

On to Trick or Treats.

Some games in the town we Trick or Treated in.

Can't wait to see what he has!

There was yard work, vacuuming leaves.

Ninjago Legos ~ $5    Playing with it in the middle of Walmart ~ Priceless.

Cranes, Cabs, Giraffes, the 1800's and Clay

I started this post last week, but then checked on a local giraffe and she was in labor, so here it is now.  (amazing what life and homeschooling brings.)

Two weeks ago ...

The boys helped dad a bit with his metal stand, by measuring.  

And holding it so dad could weld.

Then they would "play" with sticks.

Fireball Coyote climbed a tree.

I noticed my tadpole has hind legs growing.

Monday, Oct, 15, 2012

the boys had an evening classes at R.M.S.C.

A quick stop at the pond first and spotted turtles.  Can you spot 4 of them?

During Fireball Coyotes class he and his partner made a crane and lifted objects.

In Pumpkin's class he learned about horseshoe crabs.

Proud of his paper horseshoe crab.

Papers about what he learned and a vile of horseshoe crab blood ~ in powder form.

Tuesday was Nona art, Latin, All-Star Soccer practice.  Wednesday, our PBS Nature, Nova, and Nova science Now programs were about Wolverines, Forensics on Trial, and if science an stop crime.
Thursday, I rearranged the boys room and they hung out.

Fireball Coyote did a Halloween magic square game.

He spun a raw egg to see if we could scramble it in the shell.  So far we haven't had any luck. :-(

Friday, Oct. 19, 2012

we had a small group field trip to the Ashtabula House that was built in 1825.

We learned about the history of how the house was established and history of the area.  What people were like and what they used for trading or bartering.

Making Indian Trading beads.

We had to make "calling cards" to get into the house.

The receiving room.  Children were NOT allowed in here unless asked by mom to play the piano.

In line to go to school ~ by age.

Answering the teacher's question.

The hats worn because having a "farmers tan" was considered low class.

A game called stairs. 

All week we were GLUED to the computer because

 Autumn, at the Greenville Zoo, was expecting at ANY time!

Marble maze had Fireball Coyote hooked again.

As I said above,  I was working on this blog when I looked and here comes a baby!

Dad encouraging mom ~ so sweet!

After 49 minutes of labor at 11:49 PM a baby was born :-)

This past week we have been up to ~

Monday ~ hanging out, All-Stars Soccer practice and the birth of Kiko the giraffe, Tuesday ~ a doctors appointment, running around, All-Stars Soccer Practice, Wednesday ~ an all day (8 hrs.) playdate, our evening of PBS - Nature ~ The Magic of Snowy Owls, Nova ~ Iceman Murder Mystery,  Nova science Now ~ How Smart Can We Get?  

Thursday ~ we went on a small group field trip to The Trail Potter.  They got to do an hour with the wheel, an hour with a slab, then lunch and painting time.

Learning the fast version of wheel work.

Leveling out the top and forming the inner shape.

What to make?

A bowl for starters.

 Then they switched.

This was SO cool! I wish he would of kept it like that, but he didn't.  He had other plans.

This was SO up Fireball Coyote's alley!

He even had fun "washing it off."

Paint time.

Dad went to a tractor show for the day and weekend so in the evening the boys and I had an "all night" movie marathon.  We watched ~

from 8 PM ~ 1:30 AM

Today, Friday, we were to go gemmin', but my friend had in-laws pop in unannounced at the last minute. (DARN!) :-(  We'll get there one day. So instead we started another movie marathon

Took a break and went to the library and the boys worked Animal Jam, back to the house for Wild Kratts and other PBS Kid Shows, a candle light dinner (which dad doesn't like)(and NO tv on!! WOOHOO!!! We had a lovely conversations!!!!!! ), played "Soccer Monkey in the Middle" ( I figured to would help work on their skills), and back to the movies ~ ending the night with Schoolhouse Rock Earth and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang.  I think the boys enjoyed our special days and nights together.  I know I enjoyed the extra snuggling on the couch. :-)





One day about two weeks ago, I had the idea to compare my bread machine bread to the bread my husband prefers. We compared how quickly they became stale.  In addition to which molded first.

The store brand with NO Artificial Preservatives is on the top and my bread machine is on the bottom.

We noticed they both staled about the same, but mine molded quicker since it has NO preservatives of any kind.  I asked which they wanted to keep eating seeing this ~ I have one that wants just the bread machine bread and the other said he just wants bread and doesn't care which kind it is.

Did you find all four?