milk science

We checked out some fun science project books from the library the other day. While this activity didn't last us very along, it was easy, amazing, and very beautiful. All it takes is:

milk
food coloring
a toothpick, or something similar
dish soap

You pour some milk into a shallow pan. Add several drops of food coloring. Then dip the toothpick in the soap and touch it to the milk.


The colors suddenly swirl and shoot around the pan. Very cool.

feed the birds

We headed out to the park the other day and realized we even had some crackers in the car to feed the ducks.

(A note about the crackers...I've stopped buying crackers for many months, but this week, I bought some plain, ol' Saltines. Checked the box, they had the least, but pronounceable ingredients. When I let the kids try them, they LOVED them. Joaquin said: "Mom! Where did you GET these???They're delicious!!")

Anyways, apparently the ducks thought the same thing! We were immediately surrounded.


Joaquin liked the hand feeding.


Yes, it hurts!!


There was only one brave soul that dared hop up onto the table.


Is it me, or does this remind you of Mr. Popper's Penguins?


It's so hard to get a picture of the three of them. Diego's just a little short.


We headed over to the sand pit after that...Diego is always very concentrated around sand.


And for a bit, their imaginations returned. The sharks were circling the ship and no one could slide off into the water. It's been a while since I've seen them play like that. So sweet.


Diego finally got a turn as captain.


Then it was time to go!

shrinky-dinks

Joaquin's famous last words (said while whining): I don't want to make shrinky-dinks.

Forty-two pieces later, I'd say they are highly addictive.


And the great inspiration for even making these at all can be found at scissorspaperwok. She made the most beautiful buttons from shrinky-dinks. Definitely check it out.

easy dough experiment

We've been playing with dough for over a week now. One day we decided to bake bread (which turned out badly, by the way) and finished way before the kids were ready to be finished. So I gave them some flour and water and let them experiment with how much makes a good dough.

That day, Isabela even made hers into a pizza dough...we actually put pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni on it, cooked it in the toaster oven, and ate it. Yes, even after her hands had squished all in it for like twenty minutes...and we're still here to tell about it.

Joaquin kept his in plastic and pulls it out every now and then...it just needs a little more flour when it gets sticky and it's good as new.

And it's cheap enough that we made a new batch when Isabela's friend came over.


Just flour and water.

How much? That's just part of the fun.

i heart faces....water

Water is a great theme for this week of HOT, HOT, HOT. This one is an oldie, but reminds us of our swim team season this year. He looks like he's getting ready to dive right in!!



Check out other water entries at i heart faces.

bubbles!!

Easy bubbles...forget the glycerin they always recommend. That's what always held me back from trying this before. I've never seen it before and certainly never remembered to buy it at the store.


Just try a half cup or more of dish soap and some water in a pan.And any kind of blower....plastic cups worked great...so did a sand filter toy with lots of holes in it.



We even tried plain old string tied in a loop.


Toes don't work so well.

stamp it

We happened to go in Michael's at the right time the other day, and they were doing this fun and easy craft for free. All you need is:

craft foam
paint or ink pad
something pointed like the wrong end of a paintbrush

Draw your design into the craft foam pressing a little hard so it makes a good indentation.


Then you can roller or sponge paint...or even use a stamp pad to get ink on your design and then stamp it on paper. It would make great wrapping paper.


Or cards. Joaquin thought of coloring in the design that it makes and that turned out neat.


Or just make a picture. Warning: Maybe it's just me, but this craft might be more fun for moms than kids.

bored? game

Learn during the summer? NO WAY. When I was little, I did absolutely NO learning June through August.

Wait. I remember taking cooking once in summer school. (It didn't help.) And once I went away to an artsy camp I think. My memory is fading of that, but I do know I made one of those plaster strip masks of my face at the camp.

Unfortunately for my kids, times have changed.

Ever since we dipped our feet into homeschooling, learning just seems so exciting...and possible...and fun...and everywhere. And summer seems like the perfect opportunity for creative projects.

Remember the states the kids chose to read about this summer? Alaska and Hawaii. Polar opposites.

Really it turned into mostly Alaska. Isabela and I came up with a great idea to make some kind of a dog sled board game, and Joaquin ran with it. He forgot all about surfing the waves in High Tide in Hawaii.



And it really is a fun game. With easy directions. It's kind of a cross between Uncle Wiggly and Trivial Pursuit...only all the questions are about Alaska.

You choose a dog to start the race.


And follow the path around the icy, snowy lakes and across slippery rocks. There are short cuts and long ways.


First one to the finish, wins.


But beware...we know all the answers.

there but for the grace of God...

There but for the grace of God, go I.

I'm sure I first heard this phrase from my mom. I had never liked it much...with it's yoda-like grammar structure. Plus, being young, it just didn't make much sense to me. The young are invincible and untouched by tragedy, for the most part.

But now, the phrase is often silently whispered in my thoughts.

And once the other day in Maymont.

We ended up getting separated here. The two older kids had gone to the bathroom with dad, and I got sidetracked taking cute pictures of Diego. When we came back up to the bathrooms, they were all gone, so Diego and I headed on to the waterfall, where I figured they'd be.


We cut through a bamboo path and came out close to the waterfall. People were drenching themselves under it, so we sat down to watch. We dipped our feet in the cool brook that was flowing by us, and I kept a tight squeeze on Diego's arm so he wouldn't go plunging down below. And we waited. The others weren't there. After fifteen minutes, I figured they must have gone on to the japanese garden, so we packed up and headed over there.

And we found them crossing the stepping stones. Joaquin was going full speed yelling, "Watch me!" And Juan Pablo was unusually quiet. Isabela was holding his hand.

Before I had a chance to fuss about being left behind at the bathrooms, JP says, "It was a good thing you weren't with us."


It turns out, Isabela had slipped off a very high rock. And here's the God part. Juan Pablo was below and reacted fast enough that he caught her. To hear Joaquin tell it, Isabela said, "Hey this looks like fun," then slips and starts screaming and waving her arms around. And it is quiet funny to see him do it.

But really it's not funny at all.

It could have been much worse. But the only injuries were a banged up ankle, a bleeding pinkie toe, and Juan Pablo scraped up his arm and pulled some shoulder muscles.

There but for the grace of God, go I.

So does this mean, if something worse had happened, God's grace does not exist?


I don't think so.


Afterall, it's just a saying.


But it gives us pause to think. And be thankful.


The fall didn't stop us from climbing high....


...or hoping to.


But we're glad there are others to help us down.


We finally made it up to the Dooley mansion, and this day we decided to take the tour. Only, two minutes after it began, Diego started squirming and whining, so before we could get kicked out, I excused myself with him. The guide said, "Come back when you're older!" Oh yeah, and see those black grates on the house like a dungeon? Joaquin pulled one of them off.


So Diego and I hung out waiting for the others. We made a new plant that reminded me of Horton's clover from Horton Hears a Who...and acted silly.


And even though I kept a close eye on this little runner, at one point, he stood on the edge of a rock wall gazing down at a tumbling waterfall. Although I was too many feet away to be comfortable, he stayed put.

There but for the grace of God, go I.

Grayhaven

Grayhaven....it sounds like the name of a castle from medieval times. Misty clouds rolling along the moonlit sky with the sounds of metal armor clanging and horses hooves stomping the ground below.

But it's not. It turns out, it's a nearby winery....The Farm Table held a family event there this past weekend. Just one more reason I'm thankful we joined. Their mission is not only for people to eat healthier, but also enjoy it!


Here's the most recognizable flag on earth these days. Don't know it? Well, don't admit it, but you must not watch soccer. (It's South Africa's...where the last World Cup was held.) I saw it and immediately thought, 'Wow, they must really like soccer,' but after some deductive reasoning, I'm now thinking the owners are from South Africa.


The beautiful wooden door on the house also caught our attention...along with large cattails and giant koi swimming in the pond surrounding it.


Did you know that wine grapes had thicker skin and lots of seeds? Someone just told me that. Interesting.


Isabela dressed the part. Check out those pink boots!


And the kids were immediately drawn to this old merry-go-round....but after spinning on it for AN HOUR, Joaquin thought it wasn't that merry. We actually had to leave early because he felt sick...luckily he didn't GET sick. He really has an iron stomach.


Watch out for those balloons!


I think Isabela was most impressed by the woman who painted her face, Ingrid...who happened to be the author of The Fabulous Flying Fandinis...a book we had checked out from the library before. And Ingrid generously gave her a copy of the book. Here she is sharing it with her Dad and Ana...and I don't think she put it down the whole ride home. Thanks, Ingrid!


"Hey, Diego...I think someone's trying to get your attention!"


Look at this amazing table. The Farm Table isn't just some fruit and vegetables in a box...although it's delicious. It's not just an education on eating healthy...although it is. And it's not just recipes in a newsletter...although we've discovered some great new tastes. It's a community gathered around local, farm grown food. If you've thought about joining, it's not too late!


Even the horses enjoyed the carrots.


Okay. So we don't always have to be healthy...Diego enjoyed a mouthful of brownies, too. Thanks to The Farm Table for a great day!