Failed Science Projects, Dead Tadpoles, and Lots of Sludge

Over the past couple of weeks we've been having a lot 0f fun. We're excited about school...especially history and science. We get most of our basic stuff done in the morning and then spend the rest of the time doing science or history projects. Not all of our projects have gone smoothly. We made this "sun viewer"...all we saw was a small spot of light that was coming through the pinhole. Not sure where we went wrong.

Sometimes the boys will just paint or draw a picture of something they've learned about. Luke likes experimenting with the different colors. :o)

Ethan likes making "potions" in his water cup.

I found this cool little thing in the dollar section at Target. Luke used it to put numbers in order. I need to find some other cool things to do with it.

We've been learning about nomads in history. Ethan made "cave drawings" like they would have done. He had a lot of fun with this and came up with some cool stuff. These are pictures of the men harvesting wheat.

Today we got to do one of our favorite things. We met the Rodgers at Springbrook Park. The kids only played on the playground for a few minutes and then spent the rest of the time at the creek. We actually saw a little beaver. It was so cute. He checked us out and then turned around and went back in the drain under the road. The boys caught a bunch of minnows and stuff. I think my boys killed a few. :( They don't do well when petted and squeezed and then dropped on the concrete. It's funny because Emily was a tomboy growing up and I was pretty much the opposite. But...I know boys....so I try not to show that I'm totally grossed out by stuff so they don't start throwing it at me and chasing me with it. :o) Emily on the other hand...catches stuff for them and will hold anything. I admire her for that!

They thought they found eggs but they were some kind of fruit from a nearby tree.

My boys have never gotten in the little pond by the fountain until today. My friends little boy went right in without even thinking about it! So...Ethan did too. DISGUSTING! It's all sludge and frogs and nastiness!

I'm so blessed to be able to homeschool. Even though most of the time I feel inadequate and a little overwhelmed...I know that this is what God has called me to and he is so faithful! I love my little guys so much.

Block Party

Saturday we got to be a part of the back to school block party that Water Angels did. It was amazing. They gave away almost 600 backpacks, school supplies, food, free haircuts,etc. There was so much fun stuff for the kids to do as well. Most importantly, they preached the gospel with words AND actions! I'm always so challenged by the love that the Mitchums and others show to these people. It was really neat to watch the homeless volunteer their time and minister as well. It is a real testimony to the discipling that is being done.

It's been such a sweet blessing to develop relationships with some of the people. We've really fallen in love with them. The boys have made some good friends too.

Fly....

While Ethan was working on some schoolwork yesterday...I caught Luke in my room. He was jumping on my bed from one end to the other, flapping his arms as fast as he could. He was grunting and straining...giving it his all. I snuck in and caught some pictures. Then he told me he wished he could fly. He said he kept jumping and flapping his wings but he just kept falling. Then he laid on the bed and let me take a few sweet pics. He's such a sweet little boy. The other day, I was folding laundry (laundry room is in bathroom) and he brought all of his cars and had them lined up on the back of the toilet (I know...yuck). As I walked out to put some clothes away he grabbed up his cars and ran after me and then put them all on the floor next to where I was. Then I went to walk out of the room and he sighed and said, "mama...can ya not leave me again?". He just loves to cuddle and be with us. Love him!

School days....

The past week or so, we've just been trying to figure out our schedule and how to make things work smoothly around here. I find that the hardest part for me right now is keeping Luke busy. I don't want him to just feel like he's been pushed away all day...but, he wants to be on my lap and have my full attention...which I love....just makes it hard to work with Ethan or get anything else done. He also wants to go from one thing to the next very quickly. I'm trying to get him into the routine of following his workboxes...but, right now he just takes them in any random order. Or...he's just not interested in them at all and finds something else.

Ethan's loving astronomy. He asks to do it every day. This is from the dollar section at Target.

Luke's using Hooked on Phonics like Ethan did. He will play their cd-rom for a little bit...but not too long, of course. :o)

Painting rocks...

Today we learned about the sun. I've learned something new every time we've done astronomy. The boys got to take magnifying glasses out and see what happens when the suns light is concentrated in one spot. This also showed them why you shoudln't look directly at the sun...the lens in our eye is shaped like a magnifying glass and it can cause our retinas to be burned.

Melting chocolate and burning leaves....

Then played for as long as we could stand the heat...

PROUD....

It was so cool to go vote and see my husband's name on the ballot. He ran for State Executive Committee. He only lost by a little more than 500 votes. He had almost 4,000 votes!!! Chad really has a passion for seeing this country return to the republic that it was meant to be. I can't wait to see what doors open up for him in the future. As we were leaving, some people holding signs outside asked the boys who they voted for...they both pointed at Chad and said, "him!". The all laughed...they didn't know we really had just voted for him. It was a fun family experience.

The Heavens....

Psalm 19:1 says "the heavens declare the glory of God." Good thing our "model" of "the heavens" is nothing like the real thing! The boys had a great time making a model of the solar system. They had to measure each balloon and try to make it on as accurate a scale as possible...all except for the sun. I got the biggest balloon I could, but, it still wouldn't be accurate.

After school we went over to the park to ride bikes. The boys and Sweet Pea ended up jumping in the creek. It was SO HOT! We didn't stay as long as we normally would...we just couldn't.

I started a reward system for Ethan. For every chapter book he reads he gets 5 points. After 20 points he'll get to pick a reward from the dollar store...I know...sounds terrible...but, they actually love going to the dollar store! He took a flashlight to bed tonight so he could finish one of his books. He looks so grown up...can't believe how time is flying by!

Whew! What a day!

We had a pretty good first day of school. We got a late start doing chores and Bible because the boys slept in and I wasn't about to wake them up! I was up until after midnight making bread and getting other food ready for the week. So, after we finally got that stuff done, we did our handwriting, math, reading and other basics first. Then, after lunch, we did science. I'm really excited about our science curriculum this year. We're studying astronomy. So, today we read the first part of our lesson and then did a little diorama of stonehenge. The boys had a lot of fun making them. I love all of the hands on stuff that we will be doing. I think it will help keep their attention.

I also started phonics with Luke today. I wish I had recorded it today when he read his first word. It's like it hit him all of a sudden that he read it all by himself and he got SO excited. It was so sweet.

Sweet Pea was kind of bored. :( She actually falls asleep like that all the time....cannot be comfortable.

Then, the boys went outside and caught a slug...one of my least favorite things on the planet. I got out Ethan's knife to poke holes in the top of the jar and he said..."mom, I think I better do it. It's more of a man's job." I cracked up. I don't know where he comes up with stuff!

So, it was a good day....it will just take some adjusting and getting into a routine.