Sunshine Daydream

sorry folks we seems to be expericing some technical difficulties

2010-11-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

No, I have not fallen off the planet, been kidnapped by the Russian Mafia, or finally been institutionalized......My lack of posting is actually the result of a faulty PC. It seems my USB ports have malfunctioned and are no longer "recognized" by windows. This brings me to a conundrum to post sans pictures or not at all. Let's face it folks we all look at blogs for the pictures.....well except for those really witty political/philosophical blogs (of which this is not). So unless I am struck with some profound revelation which I must share with the world this blog will temporarily be on holiday. Let's hope I can resolve this problem quickly....I have so many cool things I want to share!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-20T09:41:00.000-04:00

Let Them Eat Cake

Fiber Fest

2010-10-15T12:56:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend we attended a local Fiber Fest. It was full of beautiful hand spun fibers, handwoven baskets and yummy wool!

The merchants and artisans were amazing and inspiring! T and O each got to try their hands at weaving and spinning. T has decided he would like a spinning wheel for Christmas.

We enjoyed watching the sheep shearing. They all looked so skinny once they were shorn

I was amazed with the silk weaving. It is hard to believe that such a beautiful fiber can come from such humble beginnings.

To spin the silk cocoons they must first be soaked and degummed. Then the magic can begin!

O was especially taken with all the animals. She made fast friends with the angora bunnies and the alpacas.

How cool is this? My friend is spinning the angora's fur as he sits patiently in her lap!

This festival was such a learning experience for us all. I love that my children are seeing all the work that goes into the materials they use everyday. So much of the world is oblivious to the countless hours and resources it takes to make just one t-shirt. I'm sure we all would be less wasteful if we could see the human chain behind the products we buy and discard so nonchalantly.

Autumn 2010 OHC #3: Horses

2010-10-14T11:26:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we completed the OHC# 3: Horses. We are blessed to live near the Chincoteague wildlife refuge which has wild horses. We traveled through the preserve yesterday observing the horses in their natural habitat. Their graceful beauty was stunning. The origins of the Chincoteague ponies is shrouded in mystery. There are two theories of how the ponies came to live on Assateague Island. The legend is that a Spanish galleon wrecked off of Assateague Island and the surviving ponies swam to the island. However, there is little evidence supporting this theory, and the more likely origin of the ponies is that early 17th century colonists let their animals loose on the island to avoid fencing laws and livestock taxes. Whichever theory is true, the free-roaming ponies of Assateague have been living there for hundreds of years. According to Wiki the breed varies greatly in physical characteristics since there is no true breed standard. Chincoteagues are known for being easy keepers and often do not require shoes. Most are between 12 to 13.2 hands (48 to 54 inches, 122 to 137 cm) high, but when raised under domesticated rather than feral conditions, some have been known to reach 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm). Chincoteagues come in a variety of colors and patterns, with pinto being common. The Chincoteague Pony was made famous by Marguerite Henry’s 1947 children’s novel Misty of Chincoteague.

After we observed the wild ponies we traveled to a local horse farm to study the ponies more closely.

We compared the lengths of horse and dog necks and observed how each was suited to facilitate their eating habits.

We also studied the horses tail. The tail functions to help the horse balance and the long tail hairs are used to swish away insects. Horses also express themselves with their tails. While running in a pasture you may see a horse lift its tail over its back signalling high spirits. A floppy tail may mean a relaxed horse. An irritated horse may swish its tail in a cat like manner.

As usual we had a wonderful time with this week's nature study and can not wait to complete next weeks study of apples.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T11:14:00.000-04:00

Fun at the Firehouse

2010-10-12T17:11:00.001-04:00

Today, in honor of fire prevention month our pre-school co-op took a field trip to the fire station. The children learned about fire safety from a wonderful volunteer firefighter...and then he started up the truck and let them explore! They had a blast...O particularly loved pretending to drive.

After the children stopped using the firetruck as a jungle gym the fireman let loose a torrent of water. The air was filled with the squeals of delighted children. It is always an added bonus when education becomes joyful! I love the real life experiences the children get with homeschool!

An Autumn Hike to The Beach

2010-10-08T01:28:00.000-04:00

Outdoor Hour Challange-Autumn Series #2 Geese

2010-10-07T00:03:00.003-04:00

This weeks Outdoor Hour Challenge was to observe and study geese. Part of this study included a comparison of ducks and geese. We once again ventured to our local wildlife refuge to perform our observations. Luckily this refuge is a major resting stop for migratory birds; duck and geese included. We found a large Canadian Goose population but only a few ducks (mainly Mallards). The children were able to make a few comparisons; most notable the difference in the length of the animals necks, and the difference in their bird calls.

We wanted to delve further into this weeks challenge so we decided to continue our study at our local zoo. This zoo has a very diverse population of waterfowl. We were amazed by the vast difference between all of the different duck subspecies. The colors of some of these birds were breathtaking. Each of the children chooses a different type of duck to further study once we returned home.

T choose a Mandarin duck .

O choose the Red Headed duck.

While this week's study was supposed to be about geese I must admit we were much more taken with the ducks:)

Handmade Holiday 2010 Update

2010-10-01T18:34:00.000-04:00

Whew, it's October already! That leaves only 12 weeks until Christmas. Ack!!!!! It is time to kick it into high gear. I have begun compiling my ideas for gifts and am now shopping for the supplies. Here are some links to the cool projects I plan on trying this year.

City Windows Table Runner
Dog Leash
Ribbon Key Fobs
Painted Fabric Silhouettes
Letter Pillows
Quiet Books
Pillows
Napkins
Placemats

These are just a few of the ideas rolling around in my head....who knows what I will actually complete:)

Harvest Houses

2010-09-26T22:52:00.003-04:00

We made harvest houses today in celebration of the Autumnal Equinox. Who said gingerbread houses were only for Christmas? I started by making this gingerbread cookie recipe. While the dough was chilling I drafted a simple house template out of cardstock. Here is one I found online if you just want to print it out and use it. Using the cardstock template cut out two of each piece.

Carefully place the house pieces on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown around the edges...11-15 minutes.

Next use the remaining dough to cut out the accent pieces...having fall themed cookie cutters really helps out with this:)

Bake the accent pieces on an ungreased cookie sheet 8-11 minutes until the edges are lightly brown. Let all the cookie pieces cool and harden for 24 hours before beginning house construction. To construct the house first select a base; we used watercolored cardboard but really anything sturdy will do. Next mix up the house cement...AKA Royal Icing. I used Alton's recipe and it was perfect. I did add food color to achieve this awesome orange color:) Place the icing in a pastry bag and prepare for piping! Liberally pipe the icing on the back sides of the front house piece and attach a wall segment to each side. Let this harden and then attach the back house piece using the same technique. Let this set for at least 20 minutes before attaching the roof. Next liberally pipe each house peak with icing and carefully attach the roof pieces. Let house sit for at least 1 hour before attaching the remaining decorations.

After 1 hour, I filled two pastry bags with the remaining frosting and let the kids go wild piping and decorating their houses. These are the end results.

Happy Fall everyone...now go make a house:)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T21:01:00.000-04:00

Bidding Summer Farewell

2010-09-21T23:57:00.001-04:00

When I awoke this morning I had every intention of homeschooling....and then I walked outside. I was greeted by the most beautiful late summer day, which was in fact beckoning me to run off to the beach. So we did:) We took this opportunity to have on last beach day, and what a glorious day it was. Sand, surf and sunshine abounded as we bid a fond farewell to summer. Lately I have been giddy with anticipation for fall, but the beauty of today has left me feeling bittersweet. I shall miss the salty sea air and sun kissed children of the summer...

Not to worry we were able to do "night school"" when we returned. I love the flexibility of homeschool!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-15T21:02:00.000-04:00

First Day of School and Our Schultüte

2010-09-13T22:42:00.002-04:00

Well, today was the day...Back To School! Each year we kick off the first day of school with a schultüte. Schultütes are a German tradition that date back to the 1810.

On their first day of school German kids receive a schultüte, which is a large cardboard cornet filled with sweets and little presents. When we decided to homeschool I wanted to find a tradition we could adopt to make our first day back exciting and special. I started searching for back to school traditions and came across the schultüte. I made them last year and they were a huge hit with the kids...T has been asking me for weeks when he was going to get his cone:) They are very easy to make. First I twisted a large sheet of poster board into a cone shape. Then I hot glued it together and trimmed the top to make it level all the way around. Next I tapped wrapping paper onto the outside, and placed tissue paper around the top. Finally you stuff it full of goodies and affix a ribbon. Our cones were filled with school supplies, snacks, stickers, one back to school outfit, and a small toy. Here is a tutorial I found if you want more details and pictures.

We had a very successful day without ANY complaining or foot dragging. So...... 1 day down, and 179 days to go:)

Our Curriculum for 2010-2011

2010-09-10T21:30:00.002-04:00

We are all excited to begin our school year this Monday....and by we I mean me:) After hours of research I have finally decided on our curriculum choices for this year. So without further adieu here they are:

Language Arts
The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading
First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind Grade 2
Writing With Ease levels 1 and 2
MCP Plaid Phonics

Literature and Readers

Sonlight Core 2 read alouds
Sonlight Core 2 regular readers

Spelling
All About Spelling Level 1

Math
Singapore Math 2A and 2B
Math Mammoth Grade 2 (supplement)

History
Story of the World Vol. 2
Story of the World Vol. 2 Activity Guide

Science
Elemental Science Earth and Space
Handbook of Nature Study and the Outdoor Hour Challenge

Handwriting
Handwriting Without Tears Grade 2

Whew sounds like a lot.....we will also be participating in an art co-op twice a month using Artistic Pursuits and attending a homeschool PE class weekly. Later this week I will be posting our weekly schedule.
I'm sure your all wondering how one can fit this all in with three children and at work from home business....I know I am:)

A Homeschool Schedule Ephiany

2010-09-05T13:25:00.001-04:00

We were planning to start our 2010-2011 homeschool year this coming Monday 9/6. However life, and out of town doctor’s appointments have gotten in the way. I will have to push back our start date to the following Monday 9/13. This late start was giving me much angst last night until I had a light bulb moment....we could switch to year round homeschooling. The more I thought about it the better it seemed. I ran the logistics through my head all night and this morning put it all down on paper. I think this is the answer to many of the homeschool challenges we faced last year...namely BURNOUT.

Our new schedule will consist of mainly six week school sessions with one week breaks in between. The exceptions will be two week breaks at Christmas and birthdays, and a six week break for summer. This works out to 36 weeks of school and 14 weeks of breaks. It will leaves us with 2 extra weeks of breaks to use throughout the year for floating holidays or just life happenings :)

So here is a rough sketch of our new academic calendar:

Sept. 13-Oct. 22 6 weeks school

Oct. 23-Oct. 31 1 week break

Nov. 1-Nov. 19 3 weeks school

Nov. 20-Nov. 28 1 week break

Nov. 29-Dec. 17 3 weeks school

Dec. 18-Jan. 2 2 week break

Jan. 3-Feb. 11 6 weeks school

Feb. 12-Feb. 20 1 week break

Feb. 21-Apr. 1 6 weeks school

Apr. 2-Apr. 17 2 week break

Apr. 18-May 27 6 weeks school

May 28-Jun. 5 1 week break

Jun. 6-Jul. 1 4 weeks school

Jul. 2-Jul. 10 1 week break

Jul. 11-Jul. 22 2 weeks school

Jul. 23-Sept.2 6 week break

I am happy to have one more week to get things organized for the school year and this schedule really fits our family dynamics so much better than the traditional school calendar. I have high hopes for a successful year now!

Craft Hope....Pillowcase Project.

2010-09-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

Today I started sewing my pillowcases for Craft Hope project #9. Craft Hope is a love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those who need them. It is their hope to combine their love for crafting and desire to help others into projects that make a difference around the world. In support of pediatric cancer month Craft Hope is teaming up with ConKerr Caner to make pillowcases for terminally ill children. ConKerr Cancer was established two years ago to put smiles upon the faces of terminally ill children in the hospital. They provide bright and cheery handmade pillowcases for these children. They have succeeded in delivering 225,000 pillowcases up to this date. They have a goal of providing a beautiful pillowcase for every seriously ill child in North America by 2012. Here is the pattern ConKerr Cancer provides for making the pillowcase. Please feel free to use whatever pattern you’d like, but make it for a standard size pillow. This page provides a regional directory of hospitals and coordinators for ConKerr. Please direct questions and mail pillowcases to the coordinator in your area. Please do not mail the pillowcases directly to the hospital. The deadline for this project is September 15th. So get to sewing and spread the seeds of hope one stitch at a time.

The Calm Before The Storm

2010-09-02T12:57:00.000-04:00

It seems hurricane Earl is headed our way. Yesterday we decided to venture to the beach and observe the already raging sea. I am often awe struck by the sheer destructive force of Mother Nature, yesterday was no exception. The ocean churned and exploded onto the shore with each passing wave. The children were mesmerized by it's power. The duplicity of the ocean is a lesson best learned early in life, we have taught our children to respect it from the beginning.

I'm using this opportunity to explore the topic of hurricanes with the children. We are reading from the Don't Know Much About Planet Earth and Eyewitness Explorers Weather books. We also found great information on these websites Weather Wiz Kids Hurricanes-A Unit Study for Kids . We will be preparing our hurricane disaster kits tonight and bunkering down for tomorrows storm. I will keep you all posted how we fare!

Handmade Holiday 2010

2010-08-30T11:16:00.002-04:00

Once again I will be striving for a handmade holiday season this year. I am starting earlier in hopes of creating everyone’s gifts by hand. I will be joining Plain and Joyful Living in this challenge. We can all do our part to promote a more sustainable world this is just one small step. I will be posting links and ideas for a handmade holiday throughout the coming months. If you would like to join me in this endeavor here is the Plain and Joyful Living button to share:

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T12:01:00.000-04:00

Our Butterflies

2010-08-23T22:25:00.000-04:00

We awoke Saturday morning to a flutter of wings. Much to our surprise and delight the butterflies had emerged overnight. We were not expecting them to hatch for another few days. As a result we had not yet put any food in the house for them. In order to ensure there survival we opted to release them immediately. We watched them in rapture for a few moments, awed by their beauty. We then traveled to the backyard and watch them swiftly escape from the enclosure into the beautiful morning of an August day. We were only able to catch this one picture before they took off. We had an amazing time with this butterfly study and plan on doing it every year. We will be studying up on different types of butterflies over the winter and will plant butterfly attracting plants in the spring...come summer the caterpillar hunt is on!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-18T18:49:00.001-04:00

Three years ago today we walked away from this head on collision without a scratch.......

Candle Crafting

2010-08-16T22:39:00.000-04:00

For O's 4th birthday I bought her a wonderful beeswax candle craft kit from Magic Cabin. We decide that today was a great day to try our hand at candle making. The kit is designed for children 5+ but she had no problem doing this craft independently. This was an easy and highly gratifying craft. The children marveled out their handiwork and I enjoyed the simplicity of it all. The smell alone was worth it. We made both tapered and pillar candles and embellished them with designs cut with cookie cutters. We used our candles this evening and had ice cream sundaes by candlelight. We have many sheets of beeswax left and will definitely be making more candles in the near future...I'm thinking these would make excellent Christmas presents. The kit makes 12 pillar candles or 24 tapered candles, of course if you want to make smaller candles the numbers are flexible.

Pupa Time Excellent.....

2010-08-13T23:58:00.001-04:00

Ladies and Gentleman we have pupas! On Wednesday evening our caterpillars stopped eating and began wandering around the enclosure looking for a place to pupate. Here is a bit of forewarning to any future caterpillar rearers. Before they wander, they poop A LOT one last time. They empty out their whole digestive tract so this last poop/frass is kind of runny and diarrhea like. Yummy! Apparently Frass is the official word for caterpillar poop...who knew? Once Black Swallowtails find a place to pupate, they will stay in that spot for a while without moving very much, sometimes for as long as 24 hrs. Eventually they spin silk thread to attach themselves to the object they decided to pupate on. After another 24 hours or so (depending upon the temperature) they molt one last time. After this molt they are no longer a caterpillar/larva, but a pupa that has formed a chrysalis. Black Swallowtail chrysalises can be any one of three colors. The most common is a dark brown color, that makes it look like part of a stick. This is the kind we have. Less common are a green color and a light brown. Here is an excellent slide show of a Black Swallowtails life cycle...it is so COOL! After pupating for 9-11 days our adult butterfly should emerge from their chrysalises.
We are so excited! I will post more pics when they emerge.

The Forest Fairy Queen

2010-08-12T22:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday O was really pestering me to come up with a pipe cleaner craft. I was in a hurry, and in the middle of my weekly baking. I could not stop to accommodate her. So I dug deep into my frazzled brain and came up with this simple leaf crown craft. I sent her into the backyard to collect leaves and returned to my cakes. When she reappeared I quickly punched two holes at the bottom of each leaf and had her string them onto a pipe cleaner of her choice. Once she had filled the whole pipe cleaner up I twisted the ends together and VIOLA instant Fairy Queen!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-11T10:02:00.001-04:00

Summer's Bounty

OHC Summer Series #7 Summer Cattail Observations

2010-08-10T17:43:00.000-04:00

OHC Summer Series #7 Summer Cattail Observations

Last week we were able to complete our first Outdoor Hour Challenge of the summer. We have been so busy this summer we have not been able to complete any challenges. We were very excited to return to our cattail colony and observe it's seasonal changes. Here is a pictures from our spring visit for comparison.

Our colony had grown exponentially and was awash with flower spikes. We were able to find several ripe flowers on the ground. When ripe the heads disintegrate into dense cottony fluff, from which the seeds disperse by wind. The children had a blast playing with these billowy spikes and were amazed by the sheer quantity of seeds produced from a single spike.

We only have one season left of our year long cattail study. We have all enjoyed watching the amazing life cycle of this beautiful plant unfold. Here are the links to our winter and spring studies if you would like to share this journey with us.

Winter Cattail Study

Spring Cattail Study

Constructing Caterpillar Abodes

2010-08-09T23:15:00.002-04:00

For months now I have been planning on buying a butterfly growing kit. Today we decided to take things into our own hands and construct one. Thanks to our gigantic butterfly bush we have a flourishing butterfly population in our backyard . Not surprisingly we now also have a flourishing caterpillar population in our vegetable gardens. My flat leaf Italian parsley and carrot plants are literally overrun with black swallowtail caterpillars. We wanted to save both the caterpillars and the plants and decided that building a new home for the caterpillars was our only option. I was able to search the web and locate the Bug Guide which has a detailed page on rearing caterpillars. Apparently caterpillars are very particular about what they eat. Individual caterpillar species have a particular type of food plant (or family of plants) that it is associated with. Moving the caterpillars onto other plants would not suffice. So we repurposed two old Ikea storage bins into a fantastic caterpillar abode.

Next we needed to construct a pupation site. Butterfly caterpillars should be given stems and branches from which to suspend their pupae. I was able to find a suitable rock in the backyard and hot glued fallen tree branches on to it.

Then we harvested some parsley from the garden, wrapped it in a moist paper towel and placed it in the caterpillar house. The parsley will need to be replenished every 1-2 days. Finally it was time to introduce the caterpillars to their new home.

Here they are home at last

Happy World Breastfeeding Week

2010-08-01T23:55:00.003-04:00

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information, and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large. To say I am an avid breastfeeding supporter would be an understatement. I am a very passionate and proud lactivist. I have practiced extended breastfeeding with all of my children and am currently nursing my youngest. Here are a few links to help inspire and educate you. Let's face it parenting is hard, breastfeeding shouldn't be. Society as a whole needs to embrace the culture of breastfeeding. Parents and caregivers deserve to be inspired, motivated, coached and cheered on!
Le Leche League
KellyMom
Best for Babies
Dr. Sears
101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child

A Taste of Sunshine

2010-07-30T12:21:00.001-04:00

The children and I made some very simple and delicious orange popsicles the other day. I first saw this on the Childhood Magic blog. The children have been bugging me for ages to make popsicles at home...the only problem is I can't find BPA free popsicle molds. This simple recipe solved that problem! To make these delicious treats first cut each orange in half and juice it. Once you have juiced all your oranges, pour the juice back into the orange halves. Place filled orange halves on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about three hours. Remove, lick, and enjoy!

Let the Good Times Roll

2010-07-22T22:58:00.000-04:00

We ventured into the world of marble painting today, I thought it would be a nearly mess free painting experience......I was very mistaken! Don't get me wrong I LOVE a good mess but today I was up to my eyeballs in scone dough and trying to provide some independent crafting for the masses. The basic premise is to place a piece of paper in a box top, and roll paint covered marbles around in it. Seems simple enough right? Well, within moments we had paint covered marbles flying through the air and beautifully marbled kitchen floors:) Things did not go as planned (do the ever?), end results were a dozen burnt scones, one paint covered kitchen, and some beautiful art. On the bright side the activity was a big hit for the children, my "I don't do art boy" even had a blast...must have been the marbles:) T's usual response to arts and crafts is "I do art mom...Lego art!". * Note to self please reserve marble painting for afternoons with plenty of time and a lot of paper towels:)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-22T00:00:00.004-04:00

2010-07-19T15:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we made balancing butterflies. This projected was featured on Childhood Magic and it is quite a magical activity to do with children. First I made a symmetrical butterfly template by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out my design. Then I traced the design onto watercolor paper and the children painted them. To make the butterflies float you must evenly apply pennies to the underside of each top wing. We used tape...I am not good with super glue:)

Once secure the butterflies will magically float! We had a blast with these butterflies! The children walked around all day with them balanced on their noses, heads, shoulders, and toes:) I must say I equally enjoyed the whimsical quality of these creatures....(she types as a butterfly alights her shoulder).

D-Day

2010-07-17T23:36:00.002-04:00

That folks is the last picture taken of T before life as we knew it came to a screeching halt......it was taken the day before he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 4. On this day we played at the beach, ate crabs and reveled in complete and ignorant bliss of what the future held for us. 7/17 will always be a day of grief and celebration for our household, it is D-Day....Diagnosis Day. Everyday, but particularly this one, I think about how different our lives would be if we didn't have to face this disease. I grieve for the things my son will be barred from, the ramifications to his health, and his unattainable dreams.....no astronaut for him, no CIA operative, no sailing solo around the world. Luckily T has not come to this realization yet, and I let him dream big as every child should. While this day brings me sadness it also brings me great pride. I am so very proud of my son. He faces this disease with optimism and courage each day. He rarely complains, never asks why me, he just accepts this burden with grace. So on this day we celebrate him. He gets to do whatever he wants. Today he wanted Coldstone Creamery, the Olive Garden and a new book. So that is exactly what he got...that and a whole lot of insulin.

(Our first night home from the hospital T sleeping with his new glucose monitor)

Please know and recognized the signs of Type 1 Diabetes. There are no known causes, it can strike anyone at anytime.

Going Nutty...

2010-07-16T10:25:00.001-04:00

The boredom bug hit hard at my house yesterday. To combat this elusive and cantankerous creature I had to pull out all the stops. We finally settled on painting but after I had set up the table I realized....we had NO paper. So I had the children forage outside for things to paint. The children found these awesome nuts shells under our Beech tree. They were able to craft the cutest hedgehogs, butterflies and turtles out of them....with a little help from mom:) We also studied the Beech trees bark, leaves, and fruit after we read about it in our Peterson's First Guide to Trees.

Paper who neeed its......

Domesticity

2010-07-15T22:21:00.000-04:00

domestic poem

Eileen Moeller

nightfall I sink

into dishwash meditiation

streaming china prayer wheels

crystalline bells of the lost horizon

crockery mandalas

chanting din and lull of running water

breathing slows

moist heat muscles soften

zen poems drip from silverware

my air humming out

in a cleansing melody

washing the frantic stew of a whole day

down the drain

along with the suds

those transients rainbow things

with the thin skin of

a passing moment

Each moment is a gift...even the ones filled with dirty dishes, stinky laundry, and grumpy kids...savour it!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-14T10:08:00.001-04:00

14 years later

A Fairy Good Birthday

2010-07-11T20:51:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we hosted O's 4th birthday party. It was a grand fairy soiree. We donned our wings, painted our faces and reveled in the land of enchantment. Here are a few pics from our adventure.

The Food

(I was able to find all natural jelly beans, sprinkles and marshmallows at Whole Foods...SCORE!)

The Festivities

One Very Pooped Fairy Princess

Our Lake Vacation

2010-07-05T23:19:00.000-04:00

We were fortunate enough this year to take a much needed vacation. We had not been on a family vacation in nearly 5 years! We returned to our favorite vacation spot, a quiet little cabin on a lake in New Hampshire. I have been vacationing here since I was a small child.......so 30 years. It is a rustic 1920 cabin that sits right at the waters edge. It is blissfully simple...no phone or telly. We spent our days swimming, canoeing and fishing.

At night we were serenaded by the loons. It was such a delight to see my children discover the wonder and joy of this magical place. It brought back cherished memories of my sister and I frolicking through the woods, swinging in the hammock and building elf house under the eaves of the white pines. I am so thankful we had this time to reconnect with each other and the splendor of the world around us.

We will definitely be returning next year! I'm thinking of going back in the fall....

Easy Garden Craft

2010-07-03T10:19:00.000-04:00

We made very easy and cute garden signs yesterday using foraged birch bark and glass beads. While on vacation last week the children and I collected various barks and branches from the local flora. To make the above garden sign we punched holes in the bark with a standard hole punch. I used a sharpie to decorate the bark with O's name and a meandering vine design. Next I had O string glass beads onto a piece of wool yarn. We then threaded the yarn through the holes and tied off each end. Viola! The sign looks so beautiful hanging in the lush green gardens.

Here is a gratuitous shot of our flourishing vegetable gardens. The children and I are fully enjoying this venture, and the results speak for themself!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-30T12:03:00.000-04:00

Death by Sconing

2010-06-11T13:46:00.003-04:00

Whew! Sorry for the long overdue posting but I have been baking my tail off! This week alone I have baked 250 scones and 12 cakes. During the spring and summer I am the pastry chef for a local coffee shop...I bake from home and deliver my wares weekly. This is a great set-up...until you try and bake three weeks of inventory in one week. We will be taking a long overdue vacation next week for 10 days(Yay!), but this means I must bake in advance, hence my absence from the blogosphere. Thanks for not giving up on me:) Here is my go to scone recipe in case you need to bake up some of your own tasty scones.

Cream Scones with Dried Cranberries
adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe

The most traditional sweet biscuit–like texture is obtained by using both butter and heavy cream. The easiest and most reliable approach to mixing the butter into the dry ingredients is to use a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Resist the urge to eat the scones hot out of the oven. Letting them cool for at least 10 minutes firms them up and improves their texture.

Ingredients:
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a lower-protein brand, such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup heavy cream; plus 1/2 Tbsp
1 Tbsp. coarse sanding sugar

Instructions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Whisk together or process with six 1-second pulses.
3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Add the currants and quickly mix in or pulse one more time. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.
4. Stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
5. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a countertop and knead the dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Press the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface. With a pastry brush gently brush the top of the dough with reamining heavy cream and then evenly sprinkle the sanding sugar over top. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)
6. Bake until the scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Makes 8

Flower Power

2010-06-05T09:40:00.000-04:00

O and I painted with flower blossoms today. The garden is bursting with beautiful spring flowers and we had a wide array to choose from. O decided to use clover, pincushion and dandelion flowers. The results were amazing! We stayed with a simple color palette of primary colors. O is learning about color theory and this activity was a great way of incorporating nature study and art! You have to love interdisciplinary preschool studies!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T09:03:00.000-04:00

Mud Puddle Monday

2010-05-31T20:04:00.002-04:00

Ah.... the joys of mud. It was a scorching 90 degrees here in the mid-atlantic today. When it's this hot there is only one remedy for cranky kids...the backyard sprinkler. So I fired up the water and left the children gleefully prancing through the cooling downpour. This is what I found when I returned ......

Mud glorious mud.....oh how I love thee. The above posted mud puddle provided hours of free, open -ended, and cooperative play between ALL of the children. Who knew mud puddles also had the ability to perform miracles:) I think I'm going to have to flood the backyard more often!

It's beginning to look a lot like....

2010-05-30T21:47:00.002-04:00

SUMMER!

Today was a glorious day filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of summer. We are all antsy for summer vacation and this weekend was a sweet (and sour) taste of things to come.

Blueberry Lemonade

1 cute assistant

1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice

3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

1 Tbsp. frozen wild blueberries per serving

Method

1. Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

4. Pour over ice and garnish with 1 tablespoon frozen wild blueberries.

Birding on a stormy day

2010-05-28T11:59:00.000-04:00

When we arrived on the Island yesterday an unexpected storm rolled in. This put a damper on our beach excursion but opened the door for us to do some birding. We live near one of the most premier birding sites on the east coast. Today we were able to find and identify quite a few shore birds. Here are the highlights:

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Glossy Ibis

Laughing Gull

We had a great time on our bird expedition. The storm tranformed the Island into a mystical realm, it's beauty was breathtaking.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T19:20:00.000-04:00

Look Who's 1....

2010-05-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

On Sunday E turned 1. It's hard to believe it's been a year since his birth.

We've gone from this:

To this:

To celebrate we had an Uno fiesta! The day was filled with good food, friends and family. Oh, and one heck of a cute birthday boy!

E is such a joy and delight! I can't wait for a lifetime of more birthdays to celebrate with him:)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-19T12:52:00.000-04:00

National Museum Day

2010-05-18T21:53:00.001-04:00

That's right folks today is National Museum Day. To celebrate we packed up and visited our local heritage museum; which was free today:) As a life long learner I have taken my children to museums from the very beginning. I am pleased that this has fostered a deep love for them. Today's museum housed social and cultural pieces that spanned the last 700 years. The children we especially fascinated with the leeches and blood letting exhibit. I was inspired and awed by the quilts and fiber arts the museum exhibited. Here are a few pics from our journey back in time.

What is you favorite museum to visit?

My Beautiful Life

2010-05-17T15:25:00.000-04:00

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day

For it is Life, the very Life of Life.

In its brief course lie all the

Verities and Realities of your Existence.

The Bliss of Growth,

The Glory of Action,

The Splendor of Beauty;

For Yesterday is but a Dream,

And To-morrow is only a Vision;

But To-day well lived makes

Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,

And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.

Look well therefore to this Day!

Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!

-Kalidasa

Today's Beauties

first steps

homemade waffles

stopping to smelling the flowers

new life

gifts of friendship

fresh dough

What is bringing joy to your world today?

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T16:46:00.002-04:00

Before

After

OHC Spring Series #5: Year-Long Cattail Study

2010-05-12T16:19:00.000-04:00

This week we completed the OHC spring series #5: Year Long Cattail Study. We began our cattail study in the winter. Here are some pictures of our cattails from our winter study.

We were excited to see the seasonal changes at out study location. The cattails leaves were a lush green.

The children were also able to quickly identify the vast difference in the water and surrounding vegitation of our study site. This colony of cattails grows in a marshy wetland near the banks of a river.

We also saw remnants of last years flowering spikes peppered amongst the new growth.

The austere brown stalks offered a sharp contrast to the verdant new life which surrounded them. I loved how this study enabled the children to witness the life cycle of nature first hand. We look forward to continuing this study throughout the year. I can wait until the flower spikes emerge!

Ancient American Civilizations

2010-05-11T13:32:00.000-04:00

This week in history we are studying ancient American civilizations. We began our study with the nazca culture which flourished from the first to eighth centuries AD beside the dry southern coast of Peru. The Nazca culture is renouned for their large geoglyphs. The geoglyphs of Nazca or "Nazca lines" are a series of geometric shapes, miles of lines, and large drawings of animal figures (some as large as a football field) constructed on the desert floor in the Nazca region. The hundreds of individual figures range in complexity from simple lines to stylized hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, fish, sharks or orcas, llamas, and lizards.

According to Wiki: The lines are shallow designs made in the ground by removing the reddish pebbles and uncovering the whitish ground beneath. Hundreds are simple lines or geometric shapes; more than seventy are designs of animal, bird, fish or human figures. The largest figures are over 200 metres (660 ft) across. Scholars differ in interpreting the purpose of the designs, but they generally ascribe religious significance to them, as they were major works that required vision, planning and coordination of people to achieve. Here is an example of a monkey geoglyph.

As part of our study T designed and drew his own geoglyphs.

We also briefly studied the Olmec culture which were an ancient Pre-Columbian civilization living in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. The most familiar aspect of the Olmecs is their artwork, particularly the aptly-named colossal heads. As no known pre-Columbian text explains them, these impressive monuments have been the subject of much speculation. Once theorized to be ballplayers, it is now generally accepted that these heads are portraits of rulers, perhaps dressed as ballplayers. Infused with individuality, no two heads are alike and the helmet-like headdresses are adorned with distinctive elements, suggesting to some personal or group symbols. There have been 17 colossal heads unearthed to date. According to Wiki the heads range in size from the Rancho La Cobata head, at 3.4 m high, to the pair at Tres Zapotes, at 1.47 m. It has been calculated that the largest heads weigh between 25 and 55 tons.

The heads were carved from single blocks or boulders of volcanic basalt, found in the Tuxtlas Mountains. Here is an example of an Olmec Head.

T constructed his own Olmec head out of playdoh.

We plan on studying ancient American civization more in depth in the coming weeks. T seems especially interested in them due to their close geographic proximity.

Great American Post Card Swap

2010-05-07T12:47:00.000-04:00

Well the swapping has begun. Aimee over at Adventures and Pursuits has organized a Great American Postcard Swap. 50 families (one from each state) will swap postcards over the next year. Each state will have their own week and will send out 49 postcards, one to each state, during that week. It will go in alphabetical order of the states. At the end of 50 weeks we will all have received a postcard from 49 other states. This week we received our first postcard from Arkansas.....there was a bit of a mix-up and Alaska and Alabama are a bit delayed.

An entire wall in the playroom has been dedicated to displaying our postcards. When we receive a post card the children first find the state and it's capital on a US map. Once it has been located we place a push pin in the capital and then connect it to the postcard using embroidery floss. Next we use a measuring tape and calculate how far away each state is from our state. In addition, we are learning a few state historical facts, the state bird, the state tree, and state motto. We hope to use this swap as an opportunity to not only learn US geography but also practice math and map skills. The children are very excited about this swap...who doesn't love getting mail! I plan on doing a swap update once a month.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-05T21:13:00.000-04:00

Haiku

2010-05-01T22:40:00.002-04:00

This IS the moment
Who knows when the fates may strike
Bask in the mundane

OHC Spring Series #3: Spring Bird Study

2010-04-30T12:24:00.001-04:00

This week for our Outdoor Hour Challenge we studied spring birds. Our focus was the Red-bellied Woodpecker. We live in an eastern deciduous forest and this area is teeming with woodpeckers year round. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker of the Picidae family. It breeds in southern Canada and the northeastern United States. Its common name is somewhat misleading, as the most prominent red part of its plumage is on the head; the Red-headed Woodpecker however is another species that is a rather close relative but looks entirely different.

For this challenge we walked around our neighboorhood listening for their distictive call. Red-bellied woodpeckers are noisy birds, and have many varied calls. Males tend to call and drum more frequently than females, but both sexes call. Often, these woodpeckers "drum" to attract mates. We are having a blast learning different bird calls and plan on trying to learn and identify a new call each week. Here is a picture of a woodpecker visiting our feeder.

Eight years ago today......

2010-04-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

I love you my dear...each day is a gift. I am honored to share this journey with you.

Life. On Mondays

2010-04-26T10:56:00.001-04:00

Unity

Stephanie from Ordinary Life Magic (too) is hosting Life.On Mondays. Want to play?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T11:34:00.000-04:00

Playful Learning

2010-04-20T12:13:00.001-04:00

After the hectic weekend of birthday revelry, Monday morning was looking pretty grim. The natives were restless and extremely resistance to doing anything that remotely resembled "school". So I threw my lesson plans out the window and broke out the games. I have to thank Kat from Stuff on My Blog for this wonderful M&M math activity. We graphed each color of M&M comparing the quantities and making simple word problems based on color distribution. We also used the M&M to construct patterns, practice skip counting and illustrate basic multiplication and division. You have to love school supplies that are edible!

We also played sight word bingo and phonogram bingo. I called each sight word and phonogram out to T who than had to locate them on his bingo card. O was very determined to join in the fun. To facilitate this after I had called out the word/sound to T, I placed the card in front of O and she would search for the duplicate word on her bingo card.

We rounded out the day with some read alouds and T reading a Star Wars book to me. Did the day go as planned....No. Instead we had a day filled with laughter, fun, and learning....Score!

Life. On Mondays : Texture

2010-04-19T11:20:00.003-04:00

Stephanie of Ordinary Life Magic (too) is hosting life on Mondays. Here's ours.

In the Garden

In a Galaxy Far Far Away....A Stars Wars Birthday Party

2010-04-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was T's 7th birthday. To celebrate we threw the Star Wars party of the century. The house was filled with fellow padawans hoping to complete their Jedi training. My husband led them in training and then awarded them their lightsabers. Once armed they helped defeat the Darth Vadar piñata and destroy the Death Star. After all this annihilation the young Jedi's feasted on lightsaber cake and bestowed T with his gifts.

I upcycled an old box to create the Death Star toss.

The piñata was fashioned from a paper mached balloon and painted using this design.

The lightsabeer cake was easily constructed by cutting a 13x9 sheet cake into 4 equal slices and tapering one of the slices. I wanted to use rolled fondant but went with flavor over aesthetics...what doesn't taste good swathed in cream cheese frosting?

I think T's face was plastered with a smile ALL.DAY.LONG. I must admit I was pretty geeked out by the whole Star Wars theme as well. I can not believe I am the mother of a SEVEN year old! Thank you T for sharing with me the joy of motherhood. These past seven years have been the most beautiful, adventurous and hilarious years of my life.

OHC Spring Series #1: Year-Long Tree Study

2010-04-15T14:34:00.004-04:00

This week we continued with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Spring Series #1: Year Long Tree Study. We stretched this study over a two week period so we could observe the buds opening and the leaves emerging. Each of the children have their own trees to study, T's is a Kousa Dogwood and O's is a Bloodgood Maple. We began this study in the winter and will continue it through the year.

First up is the Bloodgood. Over the last two weeks the leaves have fully emerged and the foliage is just gorgeous. I love how the sunlight kisses the leaves igniting their color.

Next is the Kousa. The leaves are just beginning to unfurl. They should be fully emerged in the next two weeks. Kousa dogwoods bloom later than their indigenous counterparts. We have both native and imported dogwoods in our garden. I can not wait for them to blossom, it is one of my favorite spring sights.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T12:09:00.000-04:00

Life. On Mondays: Unfolding

2010-04-12T17:51:00.005-04:00

Stephanie from Ordinary Life Magic (Too.) is Unfolding. Here is our artwork unfolding.

Unfolding

This tie dye craft was inspired by Wendolonia.

All Aboard

2010-04-11T20:51:00.000-04:00

Today the children and I jumped in the car for an unplanned adventure. We set our course south and headed down the open road. With infinite possibilities stretched out before us we laughed and sang songs until our course steered us to....The Railroad Museum. What a wonderful surprise it was discovering this small gem. The "museum" was a collection of antique railway cars open for exploration. T and O had a blast climbing up each platform and peaking into times gone by. Each car was a snapshot into the forgotten past....

I found the trains themselves to be quite beautiful...I was especially drawn to this deco stylized hand rail.

We had an amazing afternoon, I will have to throw caution to the wind more often and set out on the uncharted path.

The National Arboretum

2010-04-09T11:18:00.001-04:00

Last week I had the immense joy of visting the National Arboretum. As luck would have it the cherry blossoms were peaking and the sight of them was simple breathtaking. Each blossom became a poem, beckoning me to read it...savour it.

The arboretum is also home to am amazing bonsai collection. I find the art of bonsai fascinating...the discipline and devotion involved is so inspiring.

This specimen has been in training for nearly 400 years.

Above all it was a glorious day to share the beauty of spring with my children. And Jedi battles with Grandpa of course.......

Quilt Update

2010-04-08T12:15:00.003-04:00

Well here is the long overdue quilt update. The quilt top and back are complete and basted. Today I will drop off my quilt sandwich at the local shop for it's machine quilting. Then comes the binding...I am a bit intimidated by this step. It may take a few attempts but I am confident I can do it...it's all about having the right attitude. This is to be a baby quilt for my dear friend Dixie's new daughter. I have named the quilt "Triumph" for my victory over quilt phobia and Dixie's HBA2C! So here it is......

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T21:19:00.001-04:00

Easter.....A Bunny Tale in Pictures

2010-04-05T23:57:00.001-04:00

On Island Time

2010-04-01T12:34:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a glorious spring day here in the Mid-Atlantic. We took full advantage of the weather and visited our local barrier island. This island has three half mile hikes that are perfect for small children. We were able to do the salt marsh, and maritime forest hikes but were unable to do the dune hike because of recent storm flooding. These hike are only doable for a few months each year....the flying insects are insaitable once it warms up!

We also visited the island nature center and took full advantage of the touch tank. We are currently studying invertebrates in science and were able to observe echinoderms, mollusks and crustaceans in the nature centers aquariums.

We capped the day off with a frolic on the beach, where E got sand in his toes for the first time. I am so lucky to live in an area that boasts such an array of natural habitats. My little nature explores are always ready for their next adventure.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T10:04:00.000-04:00

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

2010-03-29T19:55:00.000-04:00

This mornings spring showers brought a welcome excuse to get wet and muddy! While T was finishing up school O did a hands on weather study:) She merrily laughed as she jumped from puddle to puddle. The grey skies certainly didn't put a damper on her spirits.

Later, T joined her to perform buoyancy experiments in our newly formed backyard lake. First we collected various yard objects: twigs, pinecones, leaves, barks, and stones. We then hypothesized which would sink and which would float. Objects that float are considered positively buoyant and inversely objects that sink are deemed negatively buoyant. The idea of buoyancy was summed up by Archimedes, a Greek mathematician, in what is known as Archimedes Principle: Any object, wholly or partly immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. From this principle, we can see that whether an object floats or sinks, is based on not only its weight, but also the amount of water it displaces. Next we built craft stick rafts to further explore buoyancy.

We then added various objects to the rafts in order to determine how chaning an objects mass affects it's buoyancy.

I love how homeschooling allows me to turn even the most mundane object (puddles) into learning opportunities. We all had a blast and were amazed by how educational a good rain storm could be!

Bulbs, Bulbs, Everywhere...and Corms Too!

2010-03-25T22:24:00.001-04:00

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Winter Series #10 Early Spring Bulbs

While it is now officially spring we completed this challenge last week when it was still "winter". We walked around our neighborhood searching for the welcome sight of spring bulbs and corms. These bright flowers seem to shout out "hooray for spring", it is a much needed reminder that spring will indeed return again. We were able to find crocus, daffodils (jonquils), and hyacinth.

"Daffodils" (1804)

I wander'd lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T18:59:00.000-04:00

Streamer Eggstravaganza

2010-03-22T23:09:00.001-04:00

Today O and I used up leftover party streamers to make some colorful spring crafts. Our theme of the day was most definitely EGGS...I tried to branch out but O was very adamant about our subject matter! To create our collages we used a paintbrush and applied watered down white craft glue to our cut out images.

O needed a little help cutting out here collage pieces but was able to adhere them all herself. The results were beautiful. At first we just did eggs.

Later we experimented with pictorial scences.

Finally, we used up our paper scraps to craft this beautiful egg.

We twisted each scrap tightly around the end of a pencil, once firmly attached we dipped it into glue, and then applied it to our template. This was a time consuming project but it was the perfect way to spend a rainy Monday afternoon. We were able to chase away the gray skies with our colorful masterpieces.

Glass Beach

2010-03-21T19:36:00.002-04:00

I know spring has finally arrived when I find myself once again strolling down glass beach. We are lucky to have our very own treasure cove just around the bend. At low tide this small strip of sand reveals it's bounty.

The sea loosens it's grip and the beach is awash with the fragments and trinkets of days bygone. Each piece holds it's own secret history. I wish I could exhume these stories, instead I must revel in their beauty alone. Time and the sea have transformed these discarded objects into some of my most prized possesions. I have amassed quite a collection.

Here are a few of my favorite items:

I know this spring and summer will include many more trips to glass beach and I can't wait to discover what the sea returns to me.

Spring Equinox

2010-03-20T22:21:00.001-04:00

On two days each year, the fall and spring equinoxes, day and night are of equal lengths. The earth is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun. Today is the day, spring has finally sprung! The children and I spent most of the day outside celebrating the return of spring. We visited our local playground and walked down main street reveling in each ray of sun. Today I took my children's hands and step lightly into the joy and beauty of springtime.

The spring equinox is also the first day of the Persian New Year. Each family celebrates the New Year by preparing a special table filled with seven items that begin with the letter "S". These items represent happiness and good fortune for the New Year. Tomorrow we plan on packing a picnic with seven "S" items and celebrating the return of spring Persian style!

Sew Much Better

2010-03-19T23:04:00.001-04:00

My foray into sewing is showing vast improvement! It has required all the tenacity I can muster and a whole lot of four letter words.....but here are a few pics to highlight my success story.

This is my first pattern sewn dress...boy was that a learning experience!

Next up is a darling sundress based on this tutorial from Lil Blue Boo. I was using up my scrap fabric and this is the result.

Here is my skirt trifecta all sewn with the beautifully detailed tutorials provided by Ikat Bag's blog.

Finally something for me...this GIANT tote bag was created using the excellent tote tut on the Sew Mama Sew blog. I love that blog!

It has been refreshing to discover that you really are never to old to learn something new. My next venture will be woodworking...I'm getting the itch to build bookcases...wish me luck!

Childhood Delight...The Joy of the Open Road!

2010-03-18T23:53:00.000-04:00

The World's Fastest Bicycle

My bicycle's the fastest

that the world has ever seen;

it has supersonic engines

and a flame-retardant sheen.

My bicycle will travel

a gazillion miles an hour --

it has rockets on the handlebars

for supplemental power.

The pedals both are jet-propelled

to help you pedal faster,

and the shifter is equipped

with an electric turbo-blaster.

The fender has a parachute

in case you need to brake.

Yes, my bike is undeniably

the fastest one they make.

My bicycle's incredible!

I love the way it feels,

and I'll like it even more

when Dad removes the training wheels.

--Kenn Nesbitt

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T21:50:00.002-04:00

Donated 11 inches of hair today to locks of love:)

Mammals in Winter

2010-03-16T23:55:00.002-04:00

Outdoor Hour Challenge: Winter Series #9 Mammals

This week challenge was to focus on winter mammals. During the winter many mammals become elusive. We are fortunate to live near a National Wildlife Refuge which provides an excellent locale for our weekly adventures. Today we were able to hike a trail and drive through the preserve on a "mammal hunt". The children were very excited to discover multiple sets of deer tracks. Our area is heavily populated with white-tailed deer and this particular refuge is also home to an introduced Asian species the sika deer. Based on the size of our tracks we were able to identified them as white tailed deer. In addition to these tracks we spotted squirrels, and the scat of wild horses. We also found these tracks but were unable to identify them due to their degradation.

We plan on continuing our mammals study throughout the spring in hopes of discovering more animals.

Mazes, Minotaurs and Minoans

2010-03-14T22:21:00.000-04:00

This week in history T studied life in early Crete. He was especially taken with the myth of King Minos and the Minotaur. He built a maze out of legos and used a string to mark the path out just like the hero of the myth Theseus. We used the suggestion in the SOTW AG and built a Minoan ship. To construct our Minoan sailing ship we used this wonderful tutorial from Ikat Bag. Our Minoan sailing ship is even complete with a black sail. According to legend Theseus was supposed to put a white sail on his ship if he had successfully slain the Minotaur. Alas, poor Theseus forgot to change his sail and returned home donning a black sail. His father King Aegeus was so distraught over his son supposed death that he flung himself into the sea. To honor his father’s death Theseus named this sea the Aegean Sea. We have had a blast reenacting this myth. All week I have overheard T engaging in fierce battle against the Minotaur and sailing home victorious....there has even been a dramatic suicidal death plunge scene using a lego mini-figure. T is enthralled with this period of history. We have begun reading D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths and it is a hit so far. This history smitten Mama is thrilled to see T so engaged in the stories of the past.

Finding the Pot o' Gold

2010-03-11T09:38:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I created a St. Patty's Day scavenger hunt for the children. I started the endeavor by crafting mischievous leprechauns for each child. I used this tutorial from the wee folk arts blog.

Next I made fabric "sacks" of gold from black fabric squares filled with Rolos and tied off with shamrock ribbons. I found this great pot o'gold idea from the make and takes blog.

I then hid the leprechauns with their gold pots in my closet in front of a beautiful rainbow crafted by O.

Next I wrote out 20 clues for finding the gold and hid them throughout the house.

T had to read the clues aloud to O and then they searched for them together.

To say this was a hit would be an understatement. My home was filled with squeals of delight as the children ran from clue to clue. At last my little treasure hunters discovered the gold.

The pot's of gold did not last long...it's hard to be frugal when there's chocolate involved. This activity was a wonderful way to get T to practice his reading without him realizing it. On each clue I tried to include words that T needs to practice or words which correlated to our recent phonics lessons. You have to love homeschooling subterfuge. I have many more St. Patty's Day activities and crafts planned...I love St. Patty's Day and I'm not even Irish:)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T18:23:00.000-05:00

A taste of things to come...SPRING!

2010-03-09T23:59:00.001-05:00

I think the end is near...the end of winter that is. It has been one crippling, bone chilling, stir crazy season here. This winter has won the distinguished honor of being the snowiest winter EVER recorded. The natives have become restless and I fear mutiny may soon be at hand. My body is physically craving the sun's warmth....can anyone say Seasonal Affective Disorder. It seems old man winter may finally be loosening his grip. Today, in the Mid-Atlantic it was a balmy 60 degrees. We celebrated this small victory with a trip to the zoo, the park and ice cream! A smile was plastered on the faces of everyone we met today...it seems we all missed the sunshine. I'm sure the cold will return with one last slap, but for now I'm dusting off my flip flops:)

Starting our day off right

2010-03-08T10:52:00.002-05:00

We are definitely in the minority when it comes to television consumption. We do not have a cable subscription, and due to our rural location do not receive a clear digital transmission. This translates into no network television for our household. The children do watch DVDs but their total screen time each day is limited to 2 hours which includes the use of the computer and video games. Recently, the children had fallen into the bad habit of watching a DVD while waiting for and eating breakfast (I am not a morning person). Inevitably the kids would not want to turn off their program when breakfast was over, and tensions would rise for everyone. It is hard to segue into the school day with pouty children. After weeks of dealing with grumpy resistant children in the morning I have finally reached a compromise. Each morning, while I am preparing breakfast, the children sit at the kitchen table and listen to a book on CD. We continue to listen to the story while we eat and then discuss the book after the meal has ended. I'm happy to report that everyone is pleased with the solution:) It's a definite win-win for me, I now have happy entertained kids and part of our read aloud schedule complete! How do you and your children start the day? I'm always looking for new ideas to make the mornings a little more bearable for this night owl of a mother.

Crystals...

2010-03-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

The Outdoor Hour Challenge-Winter series # 6 Salt Study

This week the children and I did a salt study. We were able to grow our own crystal by evaporating a saturated solution of salt water in a sunny windowsill. The children were fascinated by the results, which I must say were very beautiful. The kids learned that a crystal is an organized grouping of atoms, or molecules. Each crystal has different properties and shapes. For example, sugar crystals are oblong and slanted at the ends; salt crystals are cubic. With the use of a hand lens the cubical salt crystal formations were clearly visible.

Next week we will be doing a winter bird study. We have filled up the feeders and are eagerly anticipating our winged visitors!

Breaking through to the otherside

2010-03-04T22:24:00.000-05:00

Wow....February was a rough one for us here. We all came down with a serious case of the February funk! I must say last week I nearly threw in the homeschool towel and the dreaded P word was uttered...Public School...(shudder). I was turning into the type of mother I despise...I began to understand why animals eat their young. It seemed no matter what I tried T would not stay focused and do his schoolwork. I was screaming constantly and if I believed in corporal punishment it would have happened! I was overcome with frustration and guilt...who was this raving lunatic I was becoming...homeschooling was not worth ruining my relationship with my child over. Instead of giving up I took an giant step backwards and a deep breath inward. T and I sat down and had a very serious and loving conversation about continuing this journey together. In the end we both decided that homeschooling is the best path for our family. I explained to T we were partners in this adventure....ultimately he must take responsibility for his own education. I am merely his guide. The balance of our homeschool had become seriously skewed, I had become the domineering teacher and T the cowering student. I believe real education can only happen when your desire for knowledge is self driven not imposed. I was single handedly destroying my sons love of learning. Thankfully I was able to see the error of my ways and understand that this thing called homeschooling is a marathon not a sprint. This week we were grateful to see the return of March and merriment to our home. I hear spring may be not very far behind!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T15:44:00.001-05:00

Block Party

2010-02-23T23:08:00.000-05:00

Well the quilt quest is going swimmingly. I have decided to forgo the traditional block type quilt and instead sew a baby sized coin stack quilt. There is a wonderful tutorial at the Moda bakeshop for this darling little coin stack quilt. I do not want to bite off more than I can chew so I am keeping my first quilt simple. To make my life even easier I'm using already cut charm packs of the Moda fabrics Swanky line. I LOVE this fabric it is modern, feminine and just a bit ritzy. I have completed 1/3 of the quilt top and am very pleased with the results. Alas, I left my camera cord at my Pops and am unable to post any work in progress pics. Teaching yourself to sew at 31 is quite an adventure, thankfully I'm armed with my seam ripper and plenty of wine......

I'd rather be quilting.....

2010-02-18T19:57:00.000-05:00

I have always dreamt of being a quilter...telling my story with vibrant patches of fabric. Alas, I always fail. Every quilt I have attempted has turned into a disastrous pile of scraps. I covet the beautiful quilts that inhabit the blogosphere.. their creators live on in a mythical realm to me...they are Quilters. I am going to lay out a challenge to myself, by the end of 2010 I will join these fabled creatures and become a quilter. I will complete at least one quilt this year, and I will document this project here in my little corner. I believe I found an ally in my journey today. I unexpectedly discovered a gem of a quilt shop. Upon entering the shop I was greeted by 12 smiling faces. Thursdays it seems is open sew day, the shop was alive with the sounds of art in motion. It was crammed full of humming sewing machines and fellow fiber enthusiasts. I think my heart nearly exploded with excitement...I had found an honest to goodness sewing circle. I was asked to join with open arms and look forward to doing so next week. These women house decades of experience, and I'm sure that my quilt will come to fruition with their assistance. The fun is just getting started here so please check back often to see who wins in "The Battle of the Quilts".

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T19:57:00.000-05:00

Memory Monday on Tuesday

2010-02-16T00:40:00.001-05:00

Today's memory is of the first Valentine's Day I celebrated with my now husband. It's hard to believe it's been thirteen years...we were freshmen in college and newly dating. Our college did not allow on campus freshmen to have vehicles. This roadblock left our dinner pickings slim....the dining hall or pizza delivery. But then we had an epiphany...taxi cabs. We made the call and were romantically whisked away. I remember sitting in the cab holding his hand feeling like such an adult (Ha Ha). The dinner was wonderful and one of our most memorable dates (obviously). Who would guessed what the future held for us. Thank you dear for being a better husband than I deserve most days and treating me like your Valentine all year through. Thirteen years later I still feel like that young girl in the car, dizzy with love and drunk with possibilities.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have a day full of love and sticky kisses. Here are few of my vintage Valentine's cards just for you:)

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Valentine's Day Craft Roundup

2010-02-14T10:36:00.000-05:00

Here is a small sampling of the V-Day crafts we made this year. With back to back blizzards you can only imagine the quantity of heart related crafts I have been subjected to these past 10 days.....Construction paper and glitter need to be in any emergency survival kit if you have children:)

First up is this Valentine's Day inspired tic-tac-toe game. Roots and wings has an awesome tutorial for making these super cute gifts.

Next, is this super simple and fast headband....felt is the best fabric ever. Modeled by lovely mother...the diva would not cooperate.

Here is the Valentine's card the children and I crafted together. We melted broken crayon into these decorative tart molds and attached them to our cards (Note to readers...glue guns do not work with wax crayons). We had to use industrial strength packing tape to get a good fix.

Finally, I made these felt rose wrist corsages for the little ladies in my life. Here is an easy tutorial for how to make the roses. Once the roses were constructed I cut a band of felt slightly bigger than O wrist, attached a button and stitched it all together. Viola, she is ready for the ball :)

Snow Day Quandary?

2010-02-11T09:55:00.002-05:00

As the second blizzard in 5 days howled outside I was faced with a dilemma. As a homeschooler could I institute a weather closure? The public schools here have not been open since last Friday, we however have persevered...until yesterday. Yesterday we hit the proverbial snow wall....cabin fever was in full throttle and the whole family had come down with a case of the grumps! So, I threw in the towel and submitted to the lure of the snow day. I remember as a child praying for snow days, fitfully sleeping at night while periodically peering out the window searching for that elusive flake. Ah...the joy of a snow day. As homeschoolers my children will miss out on many of the rites of passage that accompany public school enrollment (thank goodness); but what about snow days. I have decided to keep this age honored tradition and to bow down to Old Man Winter. We shall embrace these small breaks and use them as an opportunity to play together as a family. These years together at home are much like that elusive snow flake....gone before you now it. What about my fellow homeschoolers...do you have snow days? Also if anyone has any snow day traditions or activities to share I'd love to hear them!