May Day = Hearts!!

This year May Day is a very special day. This year we celebrate the arrival of the newest, littlest, and sweetest heart. Our own little Darling Heart. I don't know yet how to relate him to this pack of cards, after all, we've already got a Jack O'Hearts, and he's certainly not a Joker, I guess for now I'll just call him SweetHeart. For he is all that, and more.

Our little sweetie came into the world in the pearly, early hours of the morning, before the sun was even up. (And I can tell you that it was a LONG night!) After a lot of work, and such, we had a baby!


So... ta-da!

Apple Fest!

The lovely town of Long Grove, Illinois has an apple fest every year. With the kids at home wanting to do something different, we ventured out to Apple Fest.

One "must" at Apple Fest is eating apple cider donuts. The lines for the donuts are long, long, but worth the wait, because they are so yummy. Here Three and Jack O'Hearts are keeping themselves busy playing "Miss Mary Mack" on the wall while waiting for the line to move.


Little Four wants to play too, but she would rather dance to the music being sung at the nearby pavilion. We could hear the music everywhere we went, luckily the band was a generic cover band, and not playing something weird.

Nice Hair!

AT LAST!! Apple cider donuts. Yum! We found a sunny spot out of the wind, and enjoyed our treat.

They are covered in messy cinnamon-sugar, but no one minded.

We walked around a bit, stopping in some of the cute little stores, but decided it was time to go. Before we got to our car, it began to rain lightly, and we were treated to a beautiful double rainbow.


Deuce gave Four a pony ride back to the car, since she was a little sad that I didn't pony out the cash for the real pony rides!

Maybe next time.

So Long Friend...

I've been dreading writing this post - Our newest Heart - Astro - Passed away from suspected heat stroke a couple of weeks ago. Ace and Deuce were in New York visiting relatives when it happened. Not the best telephone call I've ever made.

I still feel guilty about it, he was struck down while I was taking him for a walk. I miss him too. The King of Hearts and I have been discussing a new dog, but I think it will have to wait for a while. The summer is getting too busy for me to try to get a new dog assimilated to our routines. So for now, we are enjoying Carmen. It is hard to tell if she misses Astro or not. She is clingier, and more affectionate for sure, but that could also be because Ace, Deuce, and Three are off at camp right now. The house is very empty with them gone.

So the summer ticks by.

Playing Cowboy

Jack O'Heart's latest passion is for cowboys. I love that we can do these "boys" units together, and he really likes to learn. For the cowboys unit, I've been reading aloud Ralph Moody's book, The Home Ranch. Although the boy drifts in and out of listening, while coloring pictures from the Dover "History of the Cowboy" coloring book, I think he's been mostly getting it.

Along with the book and coloring pages, we've been doing some activities out of Kicking Up Some Cowboy Fun! book. Mostly I like the book. It is full of interesting tidbits of information, and lots and lots of different things to do, from crafts to activities, to just thinking about things.The main drawback? It is completely disorganized, and there is no index. Argh! How frustrating to find just what you're looking for!

Today's activities were learning about the chuck wagon. Here is our chuck wagon. As you can see, Jack O'Hearts is our cookie!
The box at the back holds the food and cooking supplies. In the front is the bedroll, first aid, and clothing for the other cowboys (cowgirls.)
Three and four are enjoying their nice light, plastic meal of plastic play food. Yum-o!
Unrolling the bedroll - actually a blanket that I've had since I was a very little girl. It's a little threadbare, and stitched in a few places, but I don't feel bad playing with it out in the lawn!

Sewing Stuff

I've been sewing some stuff for my littlest daughter, fondly known as "the fourth daughter." These dresses are made using a pattern I purchased from Lil Blue Boo - The Sienna Dress.


The best part about the pattern is that the dresses are made from old t-shirts! What a way to recycle.



The Popeye one is pretty cute! Although she doesn't know who Popeye is, and keeps asking "Who's this guy?" Three tells her that his name is Adidas. Hmmmm.......


This last one is totally random, but I like the way it ended up. My next experiment is tie-dying some to see how that looks.

Darth Vader Leadership Tip #1

I was poking around the Carnival of Homeschooling, and I stumbled across a blog, new to me: Nolo Promiterre, where the author discusses Darth Vader leadership tips. I thought they were wonderful, and great fodder for thought on leading our own homeschool.

Darth Vader Leadership Tip #1 reads:

There ARE no good excuses. Even if a problem seems insurmountable, you address it, overcome it or find a way around it and continue on to your goal.

“Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship, not excuses.”
D. Vader
(Nolo Promiterre)

Deuce, my second daughter, has mild dysgraphia, which in short, means she has a hard time writing things. At fifth grade, normally, you would expect a student to be able to write a short essay, story, poem, book report or other written work.

Ace has always been a writer, and when I compare Deuce's written work with Ace's at the same age, I wonder where I've gone wrong. There is, however, no reason not to learn the subject matter, or to write well when it is necessary.

I have no good excuse here: First and foremost, I need to stop comparing them. These are girls with different strengths and interests. Sure Deuce is no natural born writer, but then neither are many wonderful authors.

Second, play to her strengths, and try to support her weaknesses. Deuce may not be a natural born writer, but she is phenomenally artistic. She draws with passion and detail. She builds and designs with flair and attention to detail. She also is gifted musically, and in mathematics. So for reading comprehension, do I have to have her write a book report, or can I have her interpret what she has read into something at which she can succeed, like an art project?

Third, typing is our friend here. She may have pain when asked to hold a pen and write legibly, but typing seems to be working out well for her. Deuce is almost as fast a keyboarder as I am, although she is slowed by poor spelling - and that is getting better daily, thanks to programs such as SpellingCity, the spell catcher on the computer, and daily exposure to words.

Fourth, daily practice with the pen. Here is a need to be sneaky. (If you're reading this, Deuce, I guess the jig is up!) Of course there is the handwriting book, but there are also the other things, like shopping lists (did I mention that Deuce loves to bake?), letters to relatives and friends, and her journal to name a few. These don't have to be formal, just worked in from time to time.

Little by little, the penmanship is improving, while all the while, I am giving her no excuse to not learn a subject or to read a book.

Tune into Deuce's blog here: My Place, My Space

DisneyWorld - Day One

Disney, Part 1: As you can tell, the flight was long, and the kids were TIRED when we arrived! We had to be at the airport at 7:00 or so - which meant getting up at 5:00 to eat, load the car and drive the hour or so to the airport.

What makes sitting on an airplane so dad-gum tiring, when all you are doing is sitting? Another mystery.






The weather in Orlando was certainly warmer than Illinois, though, and we were able to walk to Downtown Disney from our hotel. Downtown Disney is a nice place to wander around. There is plenty of Disney "flavor" to get the kids excited about going to the actual park, plus there are some decent restaurants there too.

Heading into Downtown Disney there is a great toy shop, with this neat giant Tinkertoy Sculpture. The kids are starting to perk up a bit.

Stopping for ice cream at the Ghiredelli Chocolate shop. Yum!

Double Yum!

Could anyone enjoy their ice-cream any more than this??

The Lego store in Downtown Disney is really neat. There are loads of models, big and small for people to see, and to be inspired by. My kids really liked the around the world models that were mounted on the outside of the store. This one is of Sydney, Australia.

Not in this picture: The gigantic Lego Sea Monster that was placed in the lagoon. It was really huge. I can't imagine how many green Legos it must have taken to create it.

"Mom - can I make this one?" Sure. Right. You just go right ahead.

We hung out for a while in Downtown Disney, but eventually made our way back to the hotel to rest up for the next day's adventure at The Magic Kingdom.

To be continued...

Independent Work Tuesday

Time for my kids' favorite day of the week, Tuesday. Independent Project Tuesday has been a smashing success so far.

Today: Ace discovered a re-use of a dog food bag by designing and sewing up a letterbox sit-upon. It has a pocket for a logbook, and a strap, so it is easy to carry. But the main benefit is that it makes a nice, clean place to sit when letterboxing, so you don't get all muddy or dirty.

Deuce created a recipe (and tested it out!) for chocolate-mint cupcakes. Right now they are filling the house with a really yummy aroma, while they wait to cool, and she can frost them with some buttercream frosting.

Three began working on a Brownie Try-it, a sewing badge, by making sewing/lacing cards of animals. She cut them out of a Your Big Backyard magazine, stuck them to cardboard, laminated them, and then punched holes so they could be laced with yarn.

Jack O'Hearts and Little Four have been testing the cupcake batter and the lacing cards. But now they are out side playing in a big puddle.

Additionally, Deuce and I played a game of Wholes: The Game to practice adding fractions. You can find directions to make it here.

It's Official

The Disney trip has been booked!

The tickets have been ordered, the hotel reservations made (and paid), the airfare has been booked as well. Now I just need a way to curb my excitement til we get there!

Yay!

Halloween Fun

Halloween has come and gone at our house. The pumpkins have been carved,


The costumes have been made,


The crafts have been prepared.

Trick-o-treating was a lot of fun too. The kids came home with much candy, and watched movies and ate themselves sick.

Although we love Halloween here, I am thankful that it only comes around once a year.

Something Homeschool Related

Not letterboxing for a change, although I've got 3 boxes ready to plant, and plan to get out sometime this weekend with my reluctant boxer, Deuce.

I tried something different today. Following the lead of Gina at Spotty Banana, we're making Tuesdays "IPT" day. (Independent Project Tuesday)

So, you might wonder, what did the kids do today with so much leeway? Ace finished her paper for American Government. (yay!) Deuce learned how to upload her photographs on to SnapFish, so she could have an empty card to film a movie onto. She then made a concept board, scenery, and came up with props and such for a "Polly Pocket" music video. Sadly, there is no good way to hold a Polly and make them dance, so she tied yarn around their necks, and it looks like the gallows dance (to me, anyway.)

Three decided she'd like to work on a Brownie Try-It badge on doll and puppet making. She began with the yarn doll. We worked on one together, and it turned out quite nicely. Then she made one for herself. Ace, Deuce and the others also got in the act, so for about 2 hours they made yarn dolls and talked about them. During the discussion, they decided that they would film a short movie about the yarn dolls, now called the "Its." They created a whole mythology about the Its and their enemy, the evil "Things." I'd relate it here, but as it is lengthy and complicated, and about yarn dolls, I won't. It was very creative, however.

So what did they learn? What skills did they use? How many skeins of yarn did they go through? I'm not sure, but as I was tucking Deuce in tonight, she told me that now she loved Tuesdays. Stay tuned.

Boxing with my kids

Yep, another letterboxing post. This time with pictures - no spoilers, though. The day was lovely, sunny but cool. Perfect fall, crunchy leaves. We had a good time looking for a series of 6 boxes that was hidden in a nearby forest preserve.

These two had a nice time exploring off the trail.

Ace stamping in.

Three and Ace sharing a log.

Deuce was more interested in building fairy houses and finding Osage oranges and interesting fungi, but she had fun despite herself.

It's amazing what a mood lifter going out into the woods for a couple of hours is. When we began, it was pick, pick, pick, but by the end of it, even Deuce and Jack O'Hearts were getting along (and that's saying something!)

During the hike, in addition to the Osage oranges, we found black walnuts, acorns of several varieties and hickory nuts. They are all rolling around the back of my car right now.

He Blinded Me with Science!!

Jack O'Hearts is learning about osmosis. Here he is getting an experiment together. The science book is a nothing-special book I got in the dollar section of Target, but he is having lots of fun learning, plus, it comes with stickers. Everyone likes stickers!

Pouring the water into the cups

Measuring the baking soda.

Putting the cotton string between the cups

Drawing the results.

After the experiment had set about a week, the water had gone up into the string, and left deposits of baking soda on the string. The string was also hard as a rock, even though there was still water in both cups. I didn't get pictures of that part.

A good experiment!

The boy thought so too!

Brace Yourself!

Do you notice anything different about Ace in the side bar?

Maybe you need to see it closer:

How about now?

BRACES!!!
Okay, See them now??



Good.

Boxy boxy

It was a boxy boxy weekend!

First, my lovely little sister came down from Minneapolis to take some CEC over at O'Hare. She crashed on the futon. Sadly, we didn't get to do as much damage together as we would have liked, but we still managed to have fun and eat an entire cheesecake.

Second, my friend Mo and I went up to Waukesha, WI for Boxacon 2009. We had a fantabulistic time exchanging stamps with our letterboxing friends, asking (and answering) tricky questions for more stamping fun, and then to top it all off, tromping around in the woods for four hours to find a whole bunch more stamps. It was truly paradise!!

Then today my sister and I decided we would find yet more boxes, and travelled north to get about 5 more. Plus it was a nice day for a good walk. I'm hoping the tromping around in the woods is an adequate substitute for a work-out. It is a lot more fun, that's for sure.

Tomorrow it is back to school stuff as usual. Ace is still working on that novel, and will hopefully finish off her chapter in the math book. Deuce has had violin practice challenges. So much so that I have threatened her with missing our friends' halloween mini-golf party if she doesn't get her music down. Ug. I hate having to do that. Three is reading like a champ. She just needs to keep moving along with her stuff. I have more material about Spain that we haven't done yet, but it is time to move on to learn about France. I guess they will just have to play a little catsup.

The King of Hearts is out in Vermont this week. It is going to get pretty lonely around here with out him. I hope he gets some good pictures of leaves.

Hib Gun, Hib Out Sride

Four is very distressed.

I took the crib out of the bedroom today. She has to sleep in the big girl bed in the same room as Jack O'Hearts. She has been running around calling: "Hib Gun! Hib Gun!" "Hib Out sride." (Which translates to: Crib Gone! Crib Gone! Crib Outside!

The crib is dis-assembled and is put away in pieces in the basement. It is NOT outside; but to her anything that is gone MUST be outside. Therefore the crib is outside.

She's been outside looking for the crib all day, calling "Hib! Hib!" It still is not outside.

We'll see how tonight goes.

Field Trip today

The kids and I took a field trip out to Hebron, IL to pick apples. It is a bit of a haul, but the place we like to go - Royal Oaks Farm Orchard - is really worth the trip. Little Four just walked from tree to tree, eating apples like crazy. She adores apples. I think her first non-family word was "apple." She even named her favorite teddy bear "Apple." (Of course the other ones are "Blue" and "Swiss Meat.")

We picked Gala apples which are at their best right now. Crispy and sweet. Yum! After that, we wandered over to the little gift store and got some hot-from-the-fryer apple cider donuts. They are so amazing. You could smell them cooking all over the orchard, how could we resist?

While we were leaving, Michelle, from Bargains Rock! arrived with her kids. We chit-chatted for a bit, but we were on a mission for a letterbox that was planted nearby, and we wanted to get on the way. We found the trail head, and began walking. Now, it didn't say how long the journey was going to be, but we didn't really expect it to be quite as long as it was, which was really long.

Deuce found over a dozen different frogs and toads, however, and we found some of the COOLEST mushrooms and fungi that we've ever seen. I wish I would have thought of bringing my camera. The letterbox found, we headed back to the car when I LOST MY CONTACT! I squinted like a pirate the whole way back. Arrr.... matey.

Still, despite the ups and downs of it all, the heat, the mosquitoes, the persistent sound of whining, we did have a really good field trip adventure.

The First Week

The first week back to school has been bumpy. This is because of a few reasons. First, we haven't really done anything much school-wise all summer. It is pretty hard getting back to a schedule after slacking off for three months or so. Second, my expectations for the the kids have gotten higher. Ace is in Junior high now, so her homework has ratcheted up accordingly. Deuce has fifth grade to navigate, and Three has second grade stuff to do. Plus, Jack has just begun kindergarten work. This leads naturally to third, I'm spreading myself a little thinner. Only a little, though. Ace is pretty much doing her own thing. I poke and prod and keep her on schedule, but mostly she does her own thing.

As for Deuce and Three, it is totally hands on. Especially for Deuce. Don't ask why. She just needs more attention than pretty much anyone I know. Jack has been especially helpful with keeping Four busy. They play pretty nearly constantly outside. So long as they can be out there, they are out there, digging holes all over the yard.

This year Deuce and Three are doing a big geography unit. Deuce was really enjoying finding latitude and longitude of cities around the world. I think I'll just keep throwing this in. It seems to be a fun thing for her.

My goal this year is "No Tears." So far, so good. I wonder how long it will last....

Some Photos from our Vacation

Up in the middle of Wisconsin is a little old farm house. It is owned by my husband's family. Every year we make the trek up there and spend a week or more "roughing it." What I mean by that, is there is no computer, no television, and virtually no cell service. What there is, is a lot of sunshine, fresh air, birds, stars, and playing out in the fields.



Our relative proximity to Oshkosh makes the EAA Museum a must-see. Ace and Deuce flew, this year, in the Young Eagles program. They were very excited and happy about the experience. Both want to make flight a part of their futures.



During our vacation, we also visited a neighboring ostrich farm, an old train, and did a fair amount of letterboxing.

Everyone was relaxed and refreshed and ready to be home for a while after the vacation. And isn't that what vacations are all about anyway?

Too Cute stuff

Two year olds are too cute. I think I've looked at a dozen cute toddler/preschool blogs, with gorgeous photography, terrific crafts and inspired stuff. I feel a little discouraged. Don't get me wrong, I've got the cutest toddler in the world, as well as a really handsome almost 5 year old (did I mention he's got a birthday coming up?) My seven year old is lovely, the 10 year old is adorable, and my nearly grown 12 year old is becoming a breathtaking young woman.

So why the angst? I guess because I am a lazy blogger?

Oh well.