Friday, October 28, 2011

Oh, Friday...

so nice to see you again.

While we have school scheduled for Fridays, if all work is completed earlier in the week: leisure reading or art.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Una mujer

La niña estudiar Español.

Not much excitement around here today.
As I type, E is working on Spanish, J is playing Peter Gun on his bass and X & V are researching whether or not it is legal to own an armadillo... and Lucy snores at my feet. *Yawn* Wish I could join her nap... except for the floor part.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Dropping like rocks

Wait... It's dropping like flies, sinking like a rock. Lol! Whatever.

For astronomy, X had to gather rocks of varying weights & sizes and a bowl of flour.





















Then drop rocks from different heights into the flour. Observing the displacement of the flour and then craters created.






















Impact craters. Fun!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Model Making

One of V's classes is botany.  Today's lesson is about the parts of a flower.  What's more fun than researching flowers? Building one! Well, and sniffing them. We walked around the neighborhood & did that, too, although I failed to photog the adventure. Boo on me.

I know, his handwriting! Oiy
At the other end of the table today is X.  His current literature study is poetry.  The question he is stuck on: Unscrambling names, particularly, George MacDonald.... shhhh don't tell him.  The answer is 2 paragraphs above the question.  He's just being frustrated because I won't let him play with clay. 

Mr. Grumpyface
Also, allow me to introduce, Raven.
Member of the species, Felinus Interruptus.

(Edited to add:  I have no idea why the pictures are sideways. Will have to wait for my tech guy (Mr.) to get home & figure it out. I've got to get to writing & grammar with E. In the meantime, tilt your head.)

Monday, October 17, 2011

Monday afternoons

Every Monday, from 4 until 6 o'clock, the kids have music lessons.
J: bass
E: acoustic guitar
X: electric guitar
V: drums
The lessons are in a residence, not at an office/studio, so while one is playing, the rest of us read, okay, I'm usually crocheting, in the car. Not exactly ideal, but we make it work.



Update: And sometimes, it doesn't work.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Upstairs

Why? Why would I go upstairs (where all the boys live)? Why would I go upstairs before 9 in the morning? Before fully caffeinated!?

I have no idea. Genuinely do not remember why I went up, but I know why I came back down.

It is shameful up there. Really. Truly. Bad. Rather... it was.

Today, at V Academy was a life lesson day. Hours of practical application home economics.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Here, Piggy Piggy...


While looking about on the interwebs a few days ago, I came across a truly genius idea.

As fabulously beautiful, genius, and generally amazing as my children are, there is a tendancy to not always have the best table manners.  Bring in, little piggy.  This plastic pig was once a part of a farm set that has long been fogotten.  He now sits in the center of the dining room table, waiting.

When anyone (yes, including Mr. & myself), show bad manners at the table, they get the pig.  It is then handed off to the next offender.  Whomever is left holding the pig at the end of the meal, must clear the table of everyone's dishes

Now, before you start an email campaign to tell me how I'm going to ruin their fragile little self-esteems, know that they are ages 9-14.  I've already ruined them.  You're too late.  But thank you for caring ;-)