Project 365: Weekly Wrap-Up

February 28

The little ones requested to make "an experiment" today. They also call this "making potions." We had to go to Wal-Mart this morning for a plastic tub (Princess birthday party stuff is everywhere!) and some food items. I let them buy some Great Value distilled vinegar and several packs of Kool-Aid, which are vital "potion" supplies. They also used an old science experiment bag of flour, a box of baking soda, empty bottles filled up with water, and some hotel lotions.

This is something they like to do about once a month (although they haven't done it for a few months since it has been so cold outside). They have a great time with big bowls, eye droppers, spoons, measuring cups - whatever they want to take out there as long as they bring it all back inside and clean up their mess.

My 5 year old came inside with this concoction. He said, "Try it!" I said, "No, thank you!" He leaned forward and whispered so sweetly, "Pretend." Ohhh, I'm a little slow sometimes. Me: "Actually, I do want to try it...mmm, this is tasty! Very fruity tasting with some white powdery chunks! Thanks!" He giggled and went back outside.

March 1

We are so relieved; soccer season has returned! Just in time. Our little ball of energy wouldn't be contained (This winter has been hard for him!) within the walls of this house any longer. First practice was tonight. We are so thrilled; his coach from last season agreed to return, and his entire team is back together again.

And I am thrilled about my new printer/scanner/copier we bought after soccer practice. Our old one tanked, and this one is pretty AND wireless! Ryan set all 3 of our computers up to print from it. And it's sitting so nicely in our bedroom. (Our old one would get piled up with papers, etc. sitting in the homeschool room.

The boys always latch right onto big chunks of Styrofoam when purchases like this are made. They make great car garages and fortresses for little plastic monsters. For one day, anyway, before I toss them into recycling.

March 2

Today at his school, Tornado was to dress up like a favorite book character. True to his unique and wonderful self, instead of choosing some ordinary character, my son's costume involved an esophagus and stomach. (This is the child whose Halloween, etc. costumes have consisted of things like "a storm," "a tornado," and a "television." Store-bought stuff isn't fun enough for him.)

If you haven't figured it out, he is the "old lady who swallowed a fly." He LOVES these books. There are quite a few of them if you're not familiar with them. There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell (and then there's the Ocean, Sea, Bell, Pie, Trout, Bat, Snow...I think that's it; we have all of them except maybe the Bat one.). They're very catchy and fun to read.

Well, this particular night, the boys had to get haircuts. They both looked handsome and great afterward, but Dash was MORTIFIED when he saw his hair. He couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Fortunately, he waited until we walked out to throw the drama. "I look awful!" "I can't go to school (homeschool co-op) like this!" (That was my favorite one. He said it so DEFINITIVELY, like it was a fact.) "I don't want anyone to see me!" "I can see skin!" He was WAILING.

(Above, he's waving his hands because he didn't even want me to take his picture.) I felt sorry for the guy because I know he really felt embarrassed inside (and having been the queen of feeling embarrassed and self-conscious when I was young, I understand), but it was hard holding in my giggles. Because it really was a nice haircut, and he was really overreacting.

He did, in fact, go into Homeschool Academy wearing a baseball cap the next day. However, he took it off within five minutes and hasn't complained about it since.

March 3
our bedtime stories tonight - all cute and recommended

March 4

Workbox Day

I wrote about my new Workbox System in my last post. We still love them, and they are definitely easier to fill and maneuver.

A few of the things my kindergartener was working on:

Use the blocks to make the patterns on the cards.

I wanted him to do these puzzles, not only for the learning aspect, but I'm trying to go through our puzzles to see which ones are missing pieces, etc.

his Abeka handwriting pages - homework from his Homeschool Academy he attends twice a week

cutting and pasting activities

He had to complete a few pages from this Short Vowel I workbook. I usually put post-its on the pages they need to complete if it's one that I don't want to rip out the pages.

I like this series of vowel sounds workbooks. I think they have been beneficial to both of the boys, and they were a little less than $3 apiece (although some of them I got for half of that price).

A few of the things my 4 year old worked on:

She completed several puzzles. She also worked on some puzzle matching cards I bought at Dollar Tree.

She did a couple of coloring pages and worksheets, too. She is always excited about doing her assignments. She and her oldest brother don't like to stop until their assignments are completed, unlike Dash who likes to try rationalizing that it should be perfectly suitable to watch a long movie after finishing one assignment.

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers link-up