Seagulls

Look what we saw in our yard this morning! We have never had seagulls in our yard (not even in our neighborhood)! We do get ducks all the time--which we love! Now the kids are excited about having seagulls! Sweet kids! :)

Linz

Crawfish Disection

Doesn't he look like he's having fun?
Linz

A Day At The Children's Museum

Stink Bug just got blasted by an air cannon!
Wheel Bug in the Bubble Room













June Bug and Water Bug on a Transit Bus

Light class #2

In science today we talked about how a light bulb glows and did an experiment. We talked about concave and convex lenses and made our own with wax paper and water. We played "scientific term hangman," and used the scientific method to see if light curves or is straight, to see if light bounces and to see if light can be stopped. The kids had lots of fun and hopefully learned something too!
Linz

Our Littlest Student

We are starting him early! :)

Worm Disection

June Bug did his first worm disection earlier this month. He did it with our Homeschool Group and worked with a partner. By his picture you can tell he's having a great time!
Linz

Rembrandt

Today was our first day of "art" since having Baby Water Bug. The kids are always drawing, painting or making crafts but today was our first organized (is that the right word?) art lesson. We talked about Rembrandt and studied his masterpiece: "Man With Helmet." We added new words to our Art Word Wall--monochromatic, shade and tint. We went over correct placement of the eyes, nose, mouth, ears and neck when drawing a face. The kids then drew portaits and painted them using only one color. Stink Bug did cry over having to paint the whole paper leaving no white showing. Jitter Bug cried that he couldn't make his face like mine but quickly got over it (mine was no masterpiece!). I had to keep telling him that whatever he did was great. In the end they looked GREAT! I'm looking forward to hanging them up! Next week we will be looking at Paul Klee's "The Goldfish."
Linz
the picture up top is all that was left when the kids were done

Baby Bug

Baby Water Bug just hanging out!

Horse Feet

Lightning Bug wrote a story today and I thought I would share. Enjoy!

I wish I had horse feet. I could beat my brothers and sister at a race. I would sit down funny. I could never draw. I could get goal at soccr very quickly. I could jump over a fence wich would be cool. The End

Light

Last week was our science class. This month we are focusing on Light. It just so happened that it was Ladybug's turn to report on a scientist and she had picked Thomas Edison-perfect! With the older group Ladybug read her report to the group and the the kids looked up more info on him, wrote the info on a piece of paper and glued it to our Edison poster. The kids then wrote their new scientific words and we went over last months words. We did an experiment using opaque, translucent and transparent objects. Next we made viewers out of yogurt cups. We painted the inside black. When the paint dried we put a pin hole in the bottom and covered the top with wax paper and secured it with a rubber band. I took the kids into the bathroom, which Dad had darkened for us, lit a candle and put the viewers base up to the flame (about 20 inches away). What did the kids see? Try it out for yourself and find out.
In the younger group the kids read the Edison poster and a book called Light by Becky Olien. They wrote their science words (they can do anything with their science words--use them as spelling words, play memory...), we talked about reflection, why the sky is blue, where rainbows come from and we went into our darkened room took a flshlight (that had foil over it with a pin hole in it) and a ball. One kid took a ball while the other held the flashlight. The kid with the ball stood at an angle fom the one with the flashlight. Then the one with the light tried to hit the ball with the light (bouncing off the mirror), then they switched roles.
Both groups had lots of fun and so did I! I posted a picture of Ladybug reading her report-she put it on a roller box!
Linz

Crash!

My oldest son, June Bug, received "Heelys" for Christmas from my parents. He was so excited and then realized they were too small (our 12 yr old is a giant with a size 10 1/2 foot ;) and when he puts his hand to mine his are an inch taller-and I have big hands...for a girl), Grammie and Grandpa sent them back and the new pair came last Friday. June Bug put them on and he looked like an expert immediately! He went to Homeschool Group wearing them and had lots of fun. That night the kids were all talking in the kitchen with Daddy and I and June Bug was just skating through us as we all talked. One of the kids stepped in front of his path, as he was coming through, just to tease him. They jumped out of the way at the last second to avoid being hit. At the same time, June Bug turned to avoid hitting them and slammed into the counter, flipped over and landed face first on the floor! We took him to the hospital and found out that he broke both bones in his left arm! He is our first kid to brake a bone! He is doing well although his arm still hurts. He is very independent and doesn't ask or take any help (except his chores :)). I find Stink Bug doing things and I'll ask him why he is doing it and he says that June Bug has a broken arm and needs my help. What a good little brother. Right now he is carrying up his brothers laundry and then he will be folding it so June Bug can go camping with the scouts. He still skates around with Heelys much to his Dad's dismay! New house rule: No Teasing Anyone While On There Heelys!
Linz

Getting Bigger!

I just wanted to post an updated picture of our sweet baby! He weighs 16 1/2 pounds and is 14 weeks old! Time flies when you are having fun!
Linz

Chef Wheel Bug

We have a budding chef! Almost every time I cook supper or bake cookies/pies Wheel Bug HAS to help. None of my other kids HAD to help coook at 2 and 3 years old. He has helped mke two appple pies, many batches of cookies, too many cakes to count and many other yummy foods. He loves to stir and measure ingredients. His newest venture.....creating new food concoctions. For lunch on Monday he made a pb&j with cheese sandwich! He ate the whole thing! I put up a picture of him measuring out m&ms for a batch of cookies, staring at himself in the mixing bowl, reading the recipe for supper to Mommy, rolling cookie dough in cinnamon and sugar and of course eating his pb&j with cheese sandwich! Such a sweet chef!

Linz

Halloween

Ladybug was a Skeleton, Stink Bug was an Evil Jester, Lightning Bug was a Vampire, Jitter Bug was a Zombie and Wheel Bug was a Chicken. June Bug thought that he was too old to trick or treat so he stayed home and handed out candy.




Ladybug made ghost cupcakes (from scratch) all by herself for Halloween. She shared some with friends and her brothers and sister.

Poison Ivy

We have not quite gotten back into our routine yet. I was planning on getting back into our "real" school work (sitting down at the table school work) on Monday but the boys got poison ivy. Yeah I know that does not sound like a big deal but it is spreading throughout the house. First June Bug got it then passed it to Stink Bug then on to Daddy then sadly to me. We have a two week old baby and his Dr. said it is dangerous for him to get it. We have been very careful from the begining--washed the sheets everyday, washing hands all day, keeping the boys off the sofa and away from everyone, keeping their towels in their room so no one else can accidentally touch their towels and STILL it is being spread! So I will try to get back to our normal schedule next Monday. In the meantime the kids play games, read, write in their journals and do some independant work. Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop the poison ivy from spreading?

Linz

He's Here!

That's right--we had a baby boy! I had him October 4th. He is such a good baby (he is asleep in my arms while I'm typing this) and the kids are all so happy and helpful. Blogging will be less for awhile as we try to get back into our routine. Here is a picture of him--oh no bug name yet.

Linz

Getting Ready For Baby

Wheel Bug helped Mom and Ladybug put the baby's clothes away into drawers! It won't be too long now!

Linz

Barometers

Tuesday was Young Einstein Club again. For the older group we finished making our electroboards, discussed our scientific terms they had defined over the last week and a half, listened to an older child talk about the water cycle and then we made a barometer. To make the barometer we used a large (cleaned out) fruit can with cling wrap stretched over the top and secured with a rubber band. We put a straight pin through the end of a straw and taped it to the top of the can so that the pin end is hanging about 1/3 over the edge. The kids will be checking their barometer 3 times a day for a week.

With the younger group, we made rain gauges. We made them out of soda bottles and put markings up the side as measurments. We wrote some science words in their notebooks, listened to the same girl talk about the water cycle and then we made a cloud in a bottle. To make a cloud in a bottle we took an empty jar and filled it to the the top with hot water and put the lid back on and left it for 2 minutes. Them we removed the lid, poured 90% of the water out and put on a lid that was to big and that we had punched holes in. We put some ice cubes on top and let that sit for 3 minutes. After the time was up we removed the lid and ice and sprinkled chalk dust into the jar and reclosed the jar with the tight fitting lid (for 2 minutes). After the 2 minutes were up we looked at the jar at eye level and saw a cloud (it almost looked like fog). The kids had a lot of fun. When we were done with the experiment we talked about thermometers and how they work. We will not be having science class for another 4 weeks because of our baby that is about to be born! Try making a cloud in a jar--happy experimenting!

Linz

2 Wheeler

Last night the kids came running in from outside saying, Lightning Bug is riding the neighbors 2 wheeler! We ran outside to see her riding along like she has been doing it the whole summer. Last winter she tried to teach herself in our front yard on a broken bike! She was given a new bike for Christmas and Dad put her traing wheels on so that's how she has been riding--til last night. Today Dad will be taking off her training wheels and she is so excited!

Linz

Farm Pictures