Projects

The boys made a castle out of fruit loops for one of our history projects.


And I made a pair of tiny pants.



Front

Side

Bending quality

Back side

Friday

Friday's are suppose to be our art day. The idea is to introduce the kids to different artists and art forms, and just generally have fun with art. Here was our first day. No introduction to artists just a time to paint the nutcrackers the boys got in their Christmas stockings.

Mixing paint

A Moorish Feast

Our homeschool "activities" help us experience other cultures in some respects. Our first activity once back from our trip was to have a Moorish feast.


We sat on the floor on pillows (under the tablecloth to keep them clean). We ate Arroz con Pollo, pita bread and grapes. We had sparkling grape juice for drinks (though I'm sure theirs wasn't sparkling, that's what we had on hand).


The baby just watched.

Kimonos and Haiku

We just studied Japan in our history. The boys designed their own kimonos.

And wrote haiku (This was a fun exercise and a simple way for kids to start writing poetry. It's not too long or complicated.) The boys each chose two seasons (one chose Spring and Winter; other chose Fall and Summer) and we set to work. I'm hoping to have them each write on the other's seasons soon. Here are two of my favorites:

Spring by a 6-year-old

Warm sunshine, snow melts

Turning to water, feeding

First blooms of flowers.

Summer by a 5-year-old

Cold water moving

Pushing feet in the stream

Sticks pass by slowly.

They didn't just churn these out; it took lots of questions and answers, but the thoughts, ideas, and phrases are their own.

Ninja Cursive

This ninja really enjoys cursive handwriting. "It's not so hard as I thought it would be."




This guy can write a "C."


He's learning to write italic style!

Bones, Bones, Bones

We finally made it to the skeleton in our science studies. The boys had a great time putting together a large skeleton: Mr. Jones they named it.



Here the boys are with Mr. Jones (the floor skeleton--from Robin Amos) and Mr. Bones (the smaller 3-D version, complimentary of Uncle Max and Aunt Amy, our doctor relatives).

We're almost the same size.

Hangin' out with Mr. Jones.

Celebrations

To celebrate learning to read, we went to McDonald's for milkshakes and then on a walk in Griffith Woods.

The boys with Daddy

Are we having fun yet?

Mmm! Milkshakes: chocolate and vanilla!

The path we started on.

Then we left the beaten trail to walk by the river.

The walk back.

Well done 4-year-old!

Hurray! I can read.

May 19, 2009, I finished my learning to read book and read my first Dr. Seuss all by myself: Green Eggs and Ham.


I am only 4!

Phony Pharaohs

Still in Egypt, we made Pharaoh's false beard. The boys took them off and now pretend the "beards" are squid.

McCabe Monkeys

We've been studying Egypt off and on in our history book: ancient Egypt (when we made sugar cube pyramids) and now the Middle Kingdom of Egypt.

Today we made sock monkeys.




"Bot"



"Dexter"



"Monkey"



When Daddy comes home, the boys plan to have a puppet show.