need HELP from the states!

I'm not sure how I can get this to work out

BUT

I've been teaching a small group of K-4th graders U.S geography using the
Discover America State by State series by Sleeping Bear Press
these are some of the books we've read through and used

     

The books are a great introduction to the U.S states and luckily our county library carries all the titles.  Yippee for my pocketbook me!

We gone through most of the first 13 states this year; we scrape booked, watched videos, cooked, read, and sang our way through America's first 13 states.  Now that we've reached the end of this school year we are preparing for our

end of the journey fiesta!

The kids each chose a state to focus on.  They are making huge posters, drawing maps and landscapes; writing limericks and developing their speaking voices .  They've been working very hard on these posters; making invitations and even learned the Star Spangle Banner to perform for the invited guests.

As a treat for them I thought it would be great to get postcards mailed to them, or presented, from the states they are going to speak about at our fiesta.

If there are any readers out there from

South Carolina
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts

and can send a postcard to a great kid...please email me!

We would all be so grateful!!!

Book Club

Once a month a group of young teens meet at my home for a 'book club'.  The kids choose the books for the group to read and our gatherings usually involve food, drinks and LOTS of chatting.  Just think of what a cluster of 13-16 year old kids sound like.

It's just amazing how much this age group eats...

and since most of didn't see each other for Pentecost Sunday

I thought I'd add a little bit of the Holy Spirit

Tongues of Fire Cupcakes

idea from Kelly @ Catholic Cuisine

now to the book

This month's book "The Phantom Tollbooth"

was whimsical, fun to read and sparked an evening of word plays among the kids.



The suggested  grade level for the book is 5-6th grade

but

I think, and the kids agreed, that this little book is suited for

all ages.

It's a book of philosophy, using creative words to make many intelligent points.

The kids all agreed that they would rather stay focused than end up in 'Doldrum'

and

going beyond the 'Land of Expectations'

was sometimes harder for adults to do than them.

I'd have to agree.

Next month's book takes us in a whole other genre

Happy reading

This Moment

{this moment}

 - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same visit SouleMama
for the extra special moments of the weeks

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

The tree was pretty!

But there is nothing 'prettier' than a father enjoying the beauty of something alongside his daughter.

{happy}

Princess has been loving our library story time visits.  She gazes at the books for the entire time and has begun to 'allow' her older sister to read to her.  Usually she only wants me to do the reading but, thankfully Rose has won her over.

The sister bonding time over a book makes me very happy!

{funny}

At our library's story time, Rose was selected to be play the dragon from the story St. Gorge and the Dragon.  She took her part quite seriously and had the audience in tears from laughter.

As a bonus the balloon storyteller allowed Rose to take the dragon (plus the wings and fire) home with us.  It's been fun!

{real} 

Deciding on a picture for our 'real' moment of the week was hard.  We've been in the garden a lot this past week.  Our 'ladies' pictured here, have been a focus.  They've slowed down their egg laying and there has been talk over retiring them for a new little flock.  Since we don't have the space to keep our original 4 hens (one has already died) retiring them means getting 'rid' of them.

That's a pretty real concept around here.  Everyone has an opinion of where they should go.  One young boy, I won't mention names, thinks making soup out of them would be great.  He looks at them as food!  And they are...really.  Others are seeking alternative methods that don't involve a stove.  I have my views but I won't mention it since I may get a certain young girl upset with me. 

Then we see this picture of Georgia looking in on Mrs. Chirp to see what she is up too....they are soooo nosey!  They are funny-social hens...so funny in how they interact with us.  We'll see where they up in a month or two.

Please visit Like Mother, Like Daughter

for more

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

moments

:o)

Worms Galore

"Vermicompost is the product of composting utilizing various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste (not to include meat, dairy, fats or oils), bedding materials, and vermicast. Vermicast, also known as worm castings, worm humus or worm manure, is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by species of earthworm"

~ Wikipedia

Fancy definition to say we have worms, and lots of them, in a newly made 'worm box'.  Put together by my Max.

On a side note, here is a funny story about this box and bag next to Max. 

We had ordered our worms and then I forgot about them.  One afternoon there was this box on the kitchen counter.  "Oh wow, what could this be", I stated to no one in particular.

Immediately I began to open it, secretly thinking it was something pretty just for me.

There was some paper covering, it was put aside and waiting there for me to open was this mesh looking bag.  Still, having not connected the dots I grabbed the bag

and

WHOA!!!!

The bag began to MOVE!!!!

I yelled out, stepped back and screeched.

Just as quickly as I was engulfed in creepiness and confusion; I realized what was in the bag,

it was the very worms we had been waiting for.

Oops

Anyhow, we've been learning about the anatomy of the worm

and looking up worm boxes/bins.  There are lots of styles to choose from but we went with

cheap economical.

All that is needed are

A sturdy bin

two lids

moist newspaper strips for the bedding

a shovel full of dirt

the worms

and walla

a boy has his own vermicomposting bin

this is his summer project and so far he has been quite responsible in feeding the population of 500 or so worms.  Keeping them happy with our kitchen scraps so they don't try to escape (they tried once already..the bedding was too wet).

We've seen lots of youtube videos and read several sites like this one and this one

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

Capturing Contentment in the Everyday…

{a newbie introduction}

{pretty}

I wish the photo wasn't so blurry.  The tabernacle viewed from the outside of St. John's Cathedral in Fresno.  I took this while we were visiting her.  The church is beautiful! 

{happy}

Kids are always 'happy' when there is a trampoline involved...

...and a sister who can do some pretty cool tricks.

Mommas are also 'always happy' when they get off that thing in one piece without needing a trip to the ER.

{funny}

Princess does this, often.  Sits with her chicken.  The name is Noche (the hen's not hers ;-)).  Apparently there was a lot to think about.  They sat side by side for quite a while.

{real}

No, this isn't really real.

~

This is

more like the kids I know.

Sharing moments with Like Mother, Like Daughter...

Homeschool Conference

The Southern California Catholic

Home Educators

Conference

June 24-26, 2011

I'll be there!

Hoping to see some old friends

Maybe meet some new ones

&

plan to enjoy the presence of the

Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles

@

The Sacred Heart Retreat House



On the Ascension of Our Lord

  O Lord Jesus,

I adore You,

Son of Mary,

my Savior and my Brother,

for You are God.

I follow You in my thoughts,

O firstfruits of our race,

as I hope one day by Your grace

to follow You in my person

into heavenly glory.

In the meantime,

do not let me neglect the earthly task

that You have given me.

Let me labor diligently

all my life

with a greater appreciation for the present.

Let me realize

that only by accomplishing

true human fulfillment

can I attain Divine fulfillment

and ascend to You at the completion of my work.

Book Review ~ part II

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

Oh Mr. Trenton Lee Stewart did it again!

I was glued once more to the pages of this book. 

Dishes were left to build a small hill, lunch resembled PB & J, "what math" I mumbled inbetween a line or two....

Just kidding!

But, I did search for any time available and did carve out  time to sit and read.

Book 2 (the first beingThe Mysterious Benedict Society)

dives us right into the lives of the amazing four; Kate, Reynie, Sticky and Constance.  This time though their friendship takes on a different task.  What is to be an exciting reunion with Mr. Benedict becomes an adventurous journey to save Mr. Benedict.

The schemes, excitement, and clue finding continue with the Perilous Journey and I found myself more intrigued with these four kids jetting off on their own to save the adults...yet again!  Their skills have blossomed as their trust and loyalty to one another has.

Mr. Curtain is back, of course.  But the added wickedness of his plot to control is...

Aaahhh sorry can't go on.  Really the book is great and should be read.

The age group is still around 9-12...but I haven't been 9 or 12 in, well, in a VERY long time.  So I'd say it's a fun read for most ages.

Up next, and already read, is the review for

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

A Cupcake for a Birthday

I thought I'd post the pictures of Rose's birthday from...oh a month ago!  I just never got around to posting them.

Our Rose is a connoisseur of cupcakes.  She enjoys making them, decorating them and of course eating them.  So when I asked her what theme she wanted for her birthday she made a very obvious choice.

Cupcake Wars

The idea was pretty simple.  Each older member of the family was to make their own set of cupcakes.  The guest at the party were then to taste/judge each cupcake and Rose would be the announcer to which baker made the best tasting cupcake.

~ menu ~

by me

Dark chocolate cupcake with a peanut butter frosting

by Lucy

Vanilla & mango cupcake with a mango glaze

by Max

Simply white cake with a cream cheese frosting

The guest arrived for an early dinner and then we were off for a quick t-ball game with Rose

If memory serves me, I think they won.

We all had such a great surprise with the unexpected visit from my sister and sister-in-law.  They drove 3 hours to celebrate Rose's birthday.   It was a huge, happy, shock to see them walk through the doors.

Just awesome!!!

Our nephew, little D, with Princess

We were filled with sweets, grub and drinks by the end of the night...Papi ended up bringing out his disco lights from back in the day...yikes!

Oh and the winner of the cupcake war....

Max!

(I won't even write what he used for the cupcake...but it was in a square shape)