Reese's View Of The World

Making Math Fun: Skittles

2012-01-11T06:31:00.000-06:00

Come see how much fun we had using Skittles for math!!

Come see what we've been up to!

2012-01-09T13:47:00.000-06:00

I've been having loads of fun over at Quirky Momma writing about some of the fun things we are up to!!

Moving On...

2011-06-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

I've changed formats & started a new blog for homeschool. Come visit me there!

Eating Our Elephant...

Shutterfly Christms Cards: Easy, Unique, & My Favorite!

2010-11-03T08:39:00.006-05:00

For the past 10 years, we have had a variety of Christmas card ideas...some years we wrote a Christmas letter, once we made a DVD with pictures & music for everyone, but lately I've found my favorite idea: sending out Christmas photo cards. I've tried a few companies and so far, Shutterfly has been my favorite.

I do most of my Christmas shopping online, so why shouldn't my Christmas cards be any different? I like being able to shop in my pjs, and I love being able to try various pictures to see which combination works best in our cards.

Most of my Mommy friends will agree...it's is so hard to get a group shot of all the kids together where everyone is facing forward and smiling...all at the same time! Now that Austen is in college, we only see him a few times a year so my group shot photo opportunities are few & far between. With Shutterfly cards, I can choose styles with multiple pictures so I can get good ones of each kiddo and not put all my eggs in one basket for a good group shot.

This year, I'm loving the brown cards:

In the above photo, they used the 1 Photo style, but you can choose to arrange the design any way you want & include more photos, different wording...totally customize it to your likes!

In addition to Christmas photo cards, Shutterfly has been my go-to source for our annual Christmas calendar. One year, when Reese was a baby, I found photo calendars online & made one for each of the Grandparents, Uncle Jeff, & all the Great-Grandparents. Little did I know I was starting a tradition! This is one of the favorite gifts every year...and my Mom never fails to drop the hint that "I hope one of these is my calendar!" when she comes to visit each Christmas.

I have searched the internet high & low, thinking I might find something "better", but every year I come back to Shutterfly...there simply is no better calendar creating tool! First, I love their background options. I customize the backgrounds for each person, knowing that Great-Grandma hangs her calendar in the kitchen and a bright pink background for February won't coordinate with her decorations....so I choose something pretty & subtle to match her kitchen. For our house, I pick wild backgrounds because I like seeing vibrant colors! For Grandpa, I know a beautiful, simple calendar is more his style.

You know another feature I LOVE? You can print, right on the calendar, every family member's BIRTHDAY (or any other event you want)! No more excuses for forgotten anniversaries, birthdays, etc. It's on the calendar!

Some months, I want to put lots of pictures. Other months, I want one, large perfect shot of something. Shutterfly has numerous templates for organizing the photos on each month's page so you can pick & choose how you want your final product to look. This year, I actually tried to design a calendar on another site, but I was limited to a max of 3 pictures per page, and only 3 layouts. BORING! Shutterfly gives me so many options...I've been spoiled. I didn't order calendars from the other company...I'm coming back to Shutterfly (again!).

The prices are very, very competitive and the quality of the finished product has always been top-notch. Head over to Shutterfly & see what you can find!

**Shutterfly has given me 50 photo cards as compensation for writing this review. However, we HAVE used Shutterfly for many years, and I would happily write a glowing review even if I wasn't compensated!!**

Rock Me Gently...Or Not

2010-04-23T19:33:00.000-05:00

Homeschool Means...

2010-04-21T19:36:00.004-05:00

Homeschool means spending a day telling stories to a baby camel as it rests in your lap...

and sharing a special bond with one of God's wobbly-legged wonders .

Pictures

2010-04-21T19:29:00.002-05:00

What to do when your boy wants to wear a tuxedo to dinner but spending the money on a full-out tux doesn't make much sense?

Go with the Tuexedo T-Shirt!

Thanks, Hubby, for the great idea!!

Happy Boy

The Mama and The Daddy....

Practicing the art of relaxation...

Hanging out together on a windy, drizzly night in the middle of the ocean...

being awfully silly together!

Another one bites the dust...

2010-02-18T07:38:00.002-06:00

And another tooth has fallen out of my baby's head.

Both front teeth are missing and I can't tell you how much I LOVE the way he talks right now.

I swear I am living with Cindy Brady :)

The Tooth Fairy made a double-visit this time.

Apparently, somebody scared her when she was taking the tooth away the first time & slid the envelope under Mommy's pillow.

Then Mommy forgot about that until Reese found it 2 nights later and woke me up in the middle of the night to show me.

Imagine his surprise when I told him of a tale I have heard, but never seen.

When someone scares the Tooth Fairy and she has to leave quickly,

sometimes she leaves the tooth behind!

So he put the envelope under his pillow for the 2nd time,

and she came AGAIN to get the tooth,

and this time left a quarter (she usually leaves a crisp $1 bill).

So...he got a Double Dip this time...

The Tooth Fairy needs to remember to take the tooth next time!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T07:18:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Reese, 7 months

TWELVE inches baby!

2010-02-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, February 11th 2010, the DFW area had an all-time record setting amount of snowfall for a 24-hour period.

Twelve inches

That is amazing!

How about the random picture from a trip to Fossil Rim? I didn't have any other new snow pictures so I liked this guy :)

Poser

2010-02-11T19:00:00.000-06:00

I ask for a smile, but this day, he was all about the

pose!

"Here Mom. Take my picture like this!"

Snow Day Again...Dang Global Warming...

2010-02-11T17:14:00.004-06:00

We've had a BIG snow day today! After school & lunch with our CoOp buddies, Reese and I came home to play in the snow. There was tons of it all around this time!

Throwing a snowball at Mommy's head...

A Texas child's snow gear:

Mom's purple ski gloves

Pants that aren't waterproof (layered with fleece pants underneath)

Wellies on the feet that are waterproof but not snow-proof (by the end of our playing his socks were soaked!)

We rolled a giant snowball!

Too many wrinkles, but oh well...

Happy to be playing in the snow with my boy!

Shaking the tree to make the snow fall on Mommy...

Love....

Just look at all that deep snow!

According to the news station here, we've had 9.5" since December 1st...and 6 inches of that was just today! LOVE IT!

Blood

2010-02-10T10:16:00.003-06:00

We made BLOOD! OK, not really blood...but we used some stuff from the kitchen to represent the different components of our blood.

*Yellow liquid=plasma

*Cheerios & red food color drops=red blood cells

*White marshmallows=white blood cells

*Purple pompom balls=platelets

*Salt=salt and other minerals in blood

We talked about the job of each part of our blood & the Reese helped me put each item in our jar. It ended up looking pretty gross at the end :) but he had a great time putting it together!

Artwork

2010-02-07T08:56:00.003-06:00

Reese & I went to the Dallas Art Museum last Tuesday for their First Tuesday Free day. I really don't like driving to Dallas because there is always traffic, but a free day at the museum makes it worth it!

There is a whole room dedicated to children & allowing them to explore art, and there's even a great Craft Bar where you can choose from any number of supplies to make your own creation.

Reese used three cardboard shapes & I helped him tape them together so they stood in a house-shape. He took shells to put inside the house & a pile of pipe cleaners for the top of the house.

I was scratching my head trying to figure out how exactly we were going to get this masterpiece home, until he said "Now please take a picture of it so we can remember it forever."

He didn't want to take home a sculpture. His artwork piece was meant to be photographed :)

Let Your Voice Be Heard!!

2010-02-03T21:10:00.003-06:00

If you're here at this site, you're most likely a Mama, or a homeschool person, or a combination of the two! The third option might be that you're a freaky stalker, in which case this post won't interest you...move along now....

But...every single Mama I know has lots of opinions about everything...we share favorite Dollar Aisle finds from Target, where to find the best cardboard Great Wall of China to color (no joke...had that conversation today with my buddy Deb!), what laundry detergents work the best, what vitamins kids like, what 60-second-dry nail polish really works, etc.

Well, now there is a place to let your voice be heard on a grand scale...and get paid to do it & receive free product to test out! I know that I read some of the big, important Mommy-bloggers in the world, and they are always offering free things to their readers and writing up reviews for products companies have sent them to try.

You can get into the act now too by joining Business2Blogger! Just click on the chalk board to learn all about how you as a Blogger can connect with businesses who want to hear your voice...

Also...if you are a business and would like to get your product or service in the hands of real, live people and receive immediate feedback & publicity on their blogs, you can click that nifty chalkboard above as well & find out all about it!

I joined Business2Blogger today...come check it out and see if it's something you might like too!

Color Me Mine

2010-02-02T11:02:00.000-06:00

CoOp met last Thursday at Color Me Mine for a morning of painting fun! When I told Reese where we were going for CoOp, he instantly knew what he was going to make...a coffee mug for Daddy :)

He chose the colors & the mug and got right to work...

That tongue...comes out when the brain works hard!

"Mommy, don't show Daddy what I'm making until we pick it up when it's finished!"

The Color Me Mine lady was very nice.

She took the kids to the back room to see the kiln and told them about how they fire the pieces, and that it cooks them at 1,800 degrees! Wowza!!

We learned that if the pieces are fired and are touching at all, they will be permanently stuck together. And it takes about a full day to fire the pieces.

Who knew?

Pizza Fractions

2010-02-01T10:58:00.000-06:00

I found this Pizza Fractions game at the educational supply store last week & couldn't help myself. Love the pictures, and I especially love that it has six different spinners for the different games so that you can play it for the most basic level (identifying smaller fractions...perfect for Reese at this level) all the way up to making equivalent fractions for higher grades.

Of course, Reese was ready to dig right in when I brought it home & he loved the realistic look of the pizza photographs!

Science: Mixture vs. Solution

2010-01-31T10:46:00.000-06:00

In Science we have been working with water & reading about all the things it can do. Today, we read about solutions & mixtures and set out to make our own!

We gathered our materials. Reese chose what we would mix into the water...

oil, flour, sugar, blue food coloring drops, sand, & red powdered paint.

We made our predictions on which would become a solution & which would remain a mixture...
Reese was in charge of the mixing & observing...

And tasting...

he wanted to see what the blue food colored water tasted like...

gross....

and I had to stop him after a few sips because I just couldn't stomach feeding my child a cup full of food coloring!

We used a filter to see if we could separate the particles...

Reese watched to see if our predictions were correct...
Mixing our red powdered paint...

Mixing oil & water...

Once we were finished, we recorded our observations...

I'm still not sure about the flour though. When we stirred it, it looked like it had completely dissolved and was gone. But after it sat and I was cleaning up our things, I noticed a big lump of flour at the bottom of the glass, so I guess it remained a mixture?

Ancient Greece

2010-01-30T11:09:00.003-06:00

In History we have been learning all about Ancient Greek culture so this week we had a Greek Food Festival! Reese was beyond excited to wear a toga (thank you Hubby for knowing how to put a toga on Reese....Mommy failed miserably at that task and had Reese in tears!)

I made the laurel leaf headband from cardboard, tin foil, & a paper-sack headband...

My laurel leaf headband was construction paper leaves & a paper sack headband,

and my outfit was a sheet with a hole cut in the middle and a rope around my waist.

I read multiple accounts that women did not wear togas unless they were prostitutes (!!)

so this is NOT a toga! It is a traditional drapey-fabric thing women wore.

Our togas/drapey-fabric things lasted all of about 15 minutes and we decided they were uncomfortable for cooking & eating & playing...but they made for a fun picture!

Our Greek feast included roasted chicken (food of the peasants & land owners...for city folk, meat was too expensive with the exception of pork), cheese (goat cheese was what they ate, we ate colby jack because Mommy forgot to buy the Feta), grapes (grapes & raisins were popular fruit choices), and Goldfish (fish was a staple of their diet but Reese said a big "no!" to fish, so Goldfish were our substitute)!

During meals, they used bread to wipe their fingers instead of napkins, so we used tortillas as our napkins. The Greeks would then throw those pieces to the dogs after they wiped their fingers, but Reese liked bread too much and ate them! And no forks, so we dug in with our fingers.

The Greeks drank wine (although they watered it down because to drink it straight up would be barbaric!) so I bought some sparkling red grape juice for our feast. Reese also thought it was cool that he didn't get to drink milk with dinner because the Greeks thought drinking milk was also barbaric, as they saved the milk to make cheese & a thick yogurt-type drink.

While we ate dinner, we watched a Wishbone episode called Homer Sweet Homer, & it told just a bit about the Odyssey (although we had read much more about Odysseus already).

For dessert we made Loukoumades, which are a sort of Greek donut (although I don't think these were an ancient Greek treat...but whatever!). We made the dough (flour, yeast, salt) and let it rise. Then we took balls off the dough & fried them. After cooling a bit, we poured a syrup over them made from honey, sugar, & water (cooked down into a syrup) and sprinkled with cinnamon. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I would like them because I don't like honey, but Reese pegged the flavor just right when he said they tasted just like a cinnamon roll! The texture was more like a little dinner roll but the taste was really, really good.

Flip!

2010-01-30T10:44:00.002-06:00

Pancake-Flipper Extraordinaire...

and Daddy's helper :)

Pretzel Glasses

2010-01-28T15:27:00.000-06:00

I love how everything can become something else :)

:)

2010-01-27T15:25:00.000-06:00

Can I tell a secret?

It took a lot of work to get this picture that looks like it just "happened" :)

Let's just say that Reese was tired of Mommy trying to take pictures...

what a good sport!

Disney Fun

2010-01-26T15:22:00.000-06:00

Riding the parking lot tram is fun too!

Reese never, ever just "walks". He runs, jumps, skips, hops, twirls...I could never keep up with his pace if I did all the foot-work he did!

Watching a dolphin at EPCOT

A good sport about riding Mission Space: Green (less intense). Mommy took him on Orange once and I was terrified and will never do that again!

Our favorite park!

Please, Tooth Fairy, For The Love of Pete....

2010-01-25T15:20:00.000-06:00

Please come snatch this snaggle tooth from my son's mouth....

Because I don't know how much longer I can handle the

Dangly-Tooth-That-Can-Stick-Out-Of-His-Mouth!!!

Please help!

The Lucky One

2010-01-24T15:18:00.000-06:00

I don't know which one is luckier....

Getting to spend all your days with your best buddy is pretty sweet!

Dream Big

2010-01-23T15:16:00.001-06:00

Dream Big my son!

You can go anywhere your dreams can take you!

Valentine's Day Homeschool Ideas

2010-01-17T10:08:00.006-06:00

This year, we're taking the day off from our regular curriculum for a day in February to have some fun with Valentine's Day themed activities! Here's a bit of what I have planned so far....I would love to hear any ideas you have to add to our list!

*Of course, the obligatory Valentine Candy Heart Math activities.

Predicting how many hearts are in the box

Identify how many tens & ones in the estimation number & actual number

Sorting by color & phrase

Graphing the results for number of each color

Creating word problems & algebraic equations using the numbers of colors of hearts (How many green and orange hearts do you have? If you have 3 green hearts and you need a total of 7, how many more do you need...3 + x = 7)

Identify greater than/less than using colors

Use an internet site to create a pie graph showing different colors & discuss different types of graphs

*Using a large version of graphing paper, Mom will draw hearts & we will use RedHot candies to find the area & perimeter of different hearts.

*Play a matching game using "broken hearts" and addition facts

*Play Heart Bingo

*Play Hershey Kisses Battleship.

Using a 10 x 10 grid, we will label the x-axis with letters and the y-axis with numbers. We'll place a few Kisses on our grid and will play Battleship. This will help teach map reading skills, along with graphing skills and how to read the x-axis and y-axis of a graph or map. If you find the Kiss, you get to take it & eat it!

*Using a Hundreds Chart and clues, solve the Valentine's Day Hundred Chart Puzzle

Reese will have to follow my clues (Place a heart shape on the number that is equal to two tens. Place a heart shape on the number that is 10 more than 36. etc) in order to solve the puzzle, which ends with a picture.

*Place Value Chocolates activity

By reading the clues (I have a two in the thousands place. I have a five in the ones place, etc) we'll find the chocolate with the correct number and glue it into place. As an extension, all even numbered chocolates will be colored dark brown and all odd numbered chocolates will be colored light brown.

*Make Sparkling Valentine's Hearts with borax

We'll shape pipe cleaners into heart shapes & suspend the shape into a large jar by a pencil. The Borax solution will crystallize on the pipe cleaner. We'll talk about the science behind our work. The Borax dissolves in warm water but when the water cools, the molecules of Borax crystallize 0ut of the solution and stick to the pipe cleaner. We'll use our hand-held microscope to view the crystals.

We have been studying body systems in Science already, so I don't think we'll focus too much on the heart & it's job. If I can find an appropriate picture book about Milton Hershey I'd like to read that as well...or maybe there's a good website about him. Need to check that out...

So, we'll be doing a day full of math & science activities for our Valentine's fun :) What are your plans?

Week 17

2010-01-09T10:16:00.000-06:00

We are finishing up Week 17 of our Sonlight Core 1 curriculum. In Science, we are talking about our water system & the water cycle...how water gets from outside to your sink faucet. Very interesting stuff! We currently have saucers of water in various locations to see which evaporates faster, and we also have 4 petri dishes growing germy swabs from places on our bodies to see what will grow.

In Math, we are continuing to work on adding 3 numbers, double-digit addition, memorizing facts, fractions, skip counting, greater than/less than, equal/not equal, counting money, telling time, graphing, patterns,...whew! At the beginning of the year, I did not like our curriculum much (Horizon 1) but I have come to really like the spiral learning technique & the constant review Reese gets daily. I didn't' think we would do Horizon 2 next year, but I am starting to think I may stick with it. Reese has been doing really well with it, and it seems foolish to change if it's working.

Our History & Geography talks have gone from Egypt to ancient Greece. We started reading Greek Myths this week & Reese is fascinated by the stories! Yesterday, we read about Odysseus, the Trojan Horse and the Cyclops. Some of the stories are pretty gory (sticking a stick into Cyclop's eye to escape the his cave? Heck yes, Reese loved that story! ) We are reading a cute book called Usborne Greek Myths and I like how the stories are compacted down in to two-page versions. I have reserved a big stack of Greek myth books from the library & will pick them up today so we can read a little more in-depth about the different myths. Another favorite is King Midas & The Golden Touch.

We are using Handwriting Without Tears to work on our letter formations & I have been so very happy with this program. I like that it has given Mommy the "language" to help make letters properly. For example, for the number 8, I had been having Reese just make two circles because I could NOT figure out how to explain the figure-8 shape. Well, HWT explains it like this: "Make an S and go back home". Duh. Seems so common sense, but I couldn't think to explain it that way! We are almost finished with the Yellow book (I think that's book 1?) and we are going to move onto the Blue book (Book 2?) in a few weeks.

We do daily reading & comprehension, grammar work, & creative writing activities. We also have a Bible study from our book Leading Little Ones To God that we do about 4xs a week.

We are also going to begin Explode The Code 3 because Reese has caught onto pretty much everything phonetic very easily, but the silent -e at the end of the words is not sinking in. So I'm going to pick that up next week along with the Blue HWT & start incorporating that into our mornings.

On Fridays, Reese has AGAPE homeschool PE classes. He has done gymnastics, bounce houses, & played group games, and this month he begins karate followed by a month of ice skating. I have also been happy with this program, & he seems to have fun for the hour of PE.

Let's see...what else...I think that about covers it. We work for about 2.5 to 4 hours a day, depending on what we have that needs to be covered...

That about sums up our year so far. We start Week 18 on Monday and will keep plugging along! We have 36 weeks total, and I have us finishing the first week of June as of now.

More Christmas Fun...

2010-01-06T15:17:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve, Grammie reads 'Twas The Night Before Christmas every year...

Reese decided he needed 10 carrots for Santa's reindeer. No less would do!

Christmas morning, and Reese shows us that this year, he is SIX!

Austen & Sissy came over and then the present-opening fun began...

Mommy was so busy enjoying the morning that she didn't get any more pictures of our Christmas!

Lost Post...

2010-01-05T08:36:00.000-06:00

Going through old posts and look what I found...pictures from our cruise at the beginning of December. Oops!

Daddy & Reese with Reese's special frog Clark Griswold.

We picked up Pirate Reese from Camp Carnival one night...

Karate chopping on the top deck...

Reese knows how to take it easy...

Mommy made a silly-face breakfast one morning & Reese wanted his picture taken with it...

Muffin eyes, Cheerio-freckles, & a banana smile!

Christmas Cookie Time

2010-01-04T15:08:00.000-06:00

Once a year, at Christmas, we go all-out with our cookie decorating! Mommy & whatever kids are home help me roll the sugar cookie dough & cut out our cookie shapes. After we bake them, Mommy makes special Royal Icing and colors them & puts the icings into piping bags.

This year, it was Reese, Daddy, Grammie, & I that did the cookie decorating & we had great fun. It was the first time Grammie had decorated cookies...can you believe it?

Reese chose the blue icing which had a small tip & it was kind of hard to squeeze out...

Here, Reese is working on Sant's special cookie...

The finished cookie was a tad...red....and Santa was very thankful Reese made such a special cookie with lots of icing & sprinkles of every variety!
We set a special table for Santa with his cookies & a plate full of carrots for the reindeer...

Merry Christmas!

2010-01-03T15:06:00.000-06:00

Grammie & Reese having a fun Christmas Eve...

Fun at the Sci Tech Discovery Center

2009-12-18T20:22:00.004-06:00

We're always up for a good Children's Museum, and the SciTech Discovery Center fit the bill recently! On display was the travelling exhibit "Grossology". Pretty much anything you never knew you wanted to know about your body.

How 'bout a pinball game where you get points when you hit the foods that cause gas?

Potatoes anyone?

The rectum & a pile of poo? Funny stuff!
Take my picture Mom!

Yes, you could even *smell* the anus at a smelling station...

but I passed on that one.

*har har...pun...har har*

This is the smelling station, and this little number is what almost made me throw up...

The smell? It was "FEET". GROSS.

Here, my dear boy is climbing the wall of skin with all its imperfections...
warts, hairs, zits, moles...
Reach for the scabies honey!

Reese, posing as a booger, in the huge nose...

We learned the difference between a booger & snot.

Wanna know?

According to the museum man, a booger is what you can flick, & a snot is the goopy stuff.

Now you know.

They even had a life-sized Operation Game.

Luckily, my friend Holly knows about organs, because I told Reese the lungs were the liver.

Thanks for setting me straight Holly...

Random Pictures From The Past Few Weeks :)

2009-12-05T09:28:00.002-06:00

Working hard at homeschool....
Family picture, Thanksgiving 2009

Jessie, Reese, & Austen, Thanksgiving 2009

Brothers!!

The Christmas tree is decorated & we're excited about Christmas!

Win A Party At Boomerangs!

2009-11-11T19:42:00.002-06:00

If your munchkins are anything like mine, Boomerangs is high on the List Of Fun Stuff To Do! Over at BurbMom.net, you can enter to win a party for 8 at Boomerangs! Hop over & enter...maybe it's your lucky day!

Pumpkin Express

2009-11-02T09:43:00.001-06:00

After driving by the FM Pumpkin Patch and finding it closed, yet again, we decided to head out to the Pumpkin Express to meet up with our friends. Turned out to be a great choice, because even though it was really muddy, there was nobody there for most of our visit!

Reese was all about the "scary face" this year. Apparently, smiles are not scary enough...

Although, he would oblige me every once in a while with a smile :)

Lots of fun jumping of the big hay stack!

He liked to jump and then run to see the picture on my camera...

The only thing I don't care for at Pumpkin Express are all the creepy Halloween things they have. There are "cute" Halloween things as well, but this haunted house facade behind Reese is one of those creepy things I don't like...but he does!

See? Creepy. Not my style. But it's his!

Another big jump off the log tunnel!

My boy...

See you next year!

Texas State Fair...thanks BurbMom.Net!

2009-11-01T08:43:00.000-06:00

Thanks to BurbMom.net and GMC, Reese and I enjoyed a free day at the Texas State Fair a few weeks ago!

We met up with lots of our buddies, rode tons of rides, had a fantastic *free* lunch at the GMC tents, & even got to check out the 2010 GMCs. I was truly impressed with the gas mileage of the new crossovers!

Fun with my boy!

We LOVED the Lego Tents!

Where is Reese anyway?

Lots of building opportunities at the Lego Tents...
We were challenged to build something that "started with an A, but not an apple" in 2 minutes...Reese built a jail for our Alpaca...

And Mommy built the Alpaca!

It was really hard to think of something that started with an "A"...

We rode lots of rides with our buddies, then the boys got their faces painted.

Reese was frustrated that he had a limited selection to choose from (Mommy would only pay for the cheapest category of face paint, Reese wanted the full-face paint that cost $20!)

So he ended up choosing the scorpion, which was scary enough to please this boy...

This was us riding the gondola...

We had never visited the State Fair before (and I've lived in the DFW area for 11 years now!) and I'm glad BurbMom provided this opportunity so I would drag myself out there. The weather held out and stopped raining for a day, the rides were fun, the crowd was not bad at all, & Reese and I had a fantastic time.

Apparently though, we missed a whole bunch of the exhibits that are a big part of the State Fair. Next time we go, I'm going to see if we can tag along with someone who has been before (Deb!, Melissa!) and they can show us the ins and outs!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T09:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

Hey....It's Me!

2009-10-31T09:11:00.003-05:00

Well hello! How long has it been now? Almost a month I think?

Oops :)

So what has Reese been up to? Let's see...the last post was about our September cruise (fun!) so in the past month, we have:

*Gone to Grammie's for a dinner with my cousins and their kiddos. Stopped by Pottsie's for breakfast on the way home & found a new favorite breakfast potato casserole.

*Visited the Ft. Worth Zoo for homeschool day. It started out as a very rainy morning, but it burned off about 2 hours into our day and the rest was nice. Luckily, Mommy is always prepared and had our Disney ponchos ready for the rain!

*Had a blast at homeschool PE each week. We've met at the park on nice days, at the rec center on rainy days...Reese is in a group of 6 & 7 year olds and they've spent the month of October playing group games. November takes us to a bounce house place for lots of fun!

*Reese visited the dentist and had his first cavity. Boo!

*Played baseball with our wonderful Coach Picquet from last Spring season. While our team may not have won many games, Reese has had a blast playing & I'm glad Coach came back again for the Fall. I'm hoping he puts together the team again in the Spring because Reese really meshes well with Coach Picquet & you can tell he likes coaching the boys! Our last game is tomorrow...if it doesn't rain!

*Saw Charlotte's Web at the Irving Arts Center. Love the prices, love the location. Their performances are always great, and this one didn't disappoint. I thought it would be fun to see the play at the IAC since we had just finished reading the book together for school.

*Traveled to Disney for a few days. Reese is *almost* tall enough for the last roller coaster in the entire park that he can't ride yet...Rockin' Roller Coaster in the Hollywood Studios park. He's got about 1/2 inch to go, and he was bummed he didn't get to ride it this time. We'll be back soon though, so maybe he'll have a mini-growth spurt between now & then and can ride!

*Visited two pumpkin patches, neither of which were the FM Pumpkin Patch. With all the rain we've had, I think there were only 2 sunny days when we could have gone, and both of those days were already full of things we had to do. So...this is the first year in about 8 years I haven't taken someone to the Pumpkin Patch!

*And, of course...SCHOOL! Reese has completed one of his readers and was very proud to put the certificate at the back of the book on the refrigerator! It is interesting to see his speed progressing, & I'm pleased his comprehension remains high.

Math is probably Mommy's least favorite subject to teach, and we tackle that first every day to make sure it gets done while we're both fresh! Lucky for me, Reese has grasped concepts like telling time, counting money, and addition fairly quickly. The only thing he struggles with is place value so we keep working through that. And lately he seems to want to read his numbers backwards ("36" is sixty-three) and that little skill is driving Mommy batty. But, again, we keep working through that and he'll figure it out, I know!

In History & Geography, we've been talking about ancient Egypt and mummies and King Tut...fascinating stuff for both of us! Did you know that King Tut's father's tomb has never been found? Reese declared that we need to travel to Egypt and find it :)

We also do a daily Bible study, handwriting practice, grammar, poetry & nursery rhymes, & other things thrown in here & there.

I am completely pleased with our Sonlight curriculum, and have started thinking about what we're going to do next year. The *only* part of our curriculum I'm not totally keen on is the Horizon Math program. It's just OK, but not something I really like...how it's laid out, how it jumps around concepts. I am hoping to attend a curriculum fair in the Spring so I can look through some other options for 2nd grade. Horizons Math, however, is one of the options Sonlight offers, so I can either choose a different program through Sonlight, or order something completely separate. We shall see!

So...in a (big) nutshell, that's what Reese has been up to! He is very excited about Halloween and trick or treating tonight. He's going to be a "Gold Scorpion Ninja". Mommy misses the days of cute clowns and piggies and pumpkins...but I know it comes with growing up!

When You Find Just The Right Souvenir

2009-10-02T06:52:00.000-05:00

Uh, yea.

$9 later.

The perfect souvenir from Mexico!

Homeschool: It's A Family Affair

2009-10-01T06:49:00.001-05:00

Zoe tries to pace herself during Phonics...

Seems that the beanbag chair makes a great dog bed!

The dogs usually come sleep in the room while we do our work...

school is a family affair!

Never Underestimate The Importance Of Creature Comforts

2009-09-30T18:36:00.001-05:00

I'm just glad I made the list this time...

I Don't Even Ask Anymore...

2009-09-21T09:15:00.000-05:00

Some days, doing school in your boxers is just what you feel like...
But I won't ask why they're pulled up to your neck!

BINGO!

2009-09-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

I am so glad we are home together,

learning & playing...

I am lucky to spend my days playing Sight Word Bingo

and skip counting by 5s and 2s...

I'm happy that learning to read means snuggling on the bed

and digging into books of poetry, history, wonderful classic literature.

I love that getting ready for school means

brushing our teeth; pajamas welcome.

And I'm most happy that I get to spend all day, every day

with my son and my husband.

I feel so blessed...beyond words...

Please Choose Something Easier....

2009-09-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

Reese was given the task of "writing a sentence that lists three of your favorite foods." We were working on using commas in a series, and I was hoping he chose things that were easy to sound out. Not only does he struggle with handwriting, but when you throw in sounding out big words it takes FOR.EVER.

So, what three foods does he choose?

Really? A fortune cookie and a baked potato? That's a whole lotta sounds to figure out!

I did like how he sounded out pasta ("postu").

He is such a hard worker :)

Is There A Groucho Marx In The Room?

2009-09-17T16:42:00.000-05:00

The Bucket List

2009-09-16T16:41:00.000-05:00

Have a great day!

Reason #23 I'm Glad We Homeschool

2009-09-14T17:25:00.003-05:00

Today, during 1st grade Math, we were working on word problems.

The very first problem of the day was about balls...

And the conversation went something like this:

REESE: "What kind of balls can I draw? Any kind?"

MOMMY: "Yes, you can draw any kind."

REESE: "So I can draw testicle balls?"

Perhaps this would have been his first visit to the Principal's office today! Instead, we had a silly laugh and he decided to draw tennis balls. That boy...I tell you what....sometimes he's a walking one man comedy show...

**Sorry for the really bad picture...my cell phone doesn't quite understand focus!**

Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth

2009-09-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

On the 2nd Wednesday of each month, the Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth hosts Wonderful Wednesdays, a free event for families of all ages. It is designed as an "informal introduction to the Modern's collection and special exhibitions."

We entered into the museum's beautiful front doors & were greeted by two very cheery & friendly museum docents who introduced themselves, shook my hand, and then introduced themselves to Reese. I was impressed with their enthusiasm and the fact that they introduced themselves!

We went upstairs and the docent gave a quick overview of museum rules with suggestions from the kiddos...no running, no touching, talking softly. She also discussed the artist whose work we would be seeing today, Williams Kentridge. The docent showed a map of Africa, and we located Kentridge's home country of South Africa (we also came home and marked this on our world map on the wall as well).

After seeing the art work, which in this case was a room full of videos on the wall (really neat stuff!), we went into another gallery for an art project done in a similar manner to Kentridge's work.

Our goal today: create artwork that had movement. The children tore paper (it was actually roofing paper...what they lay down before putting down shingles on a roof) into different shapes, and then connected them with brads. The roofing paper was quite heavy and tore nicely in the children's hands.

This is my favorite picture of the day.

His hands are busy moving, but his "artwork showing motion" is perfectly still...

I know I'm not really knowledgeable in artsy-fartsy things, but some things at the museum I just didn't "get". Take this:
It is an acrylic & chrome box. That's it. This looks like something that came from IKEA or Target. I don't get it.

And this:

Two large blocks of pink granite. They weren't carved into anything. They were just blocks. Don't. Get. It.

We toured the museum after our art class finished & have definite plans to return. We weren't able see much of the museum because they were closing & literally kicked us out. I was wondering why all these people were watching Reese & I and talking on their walkie talkies. Finally someone said "We are closing." I felt like an ass....

Wonderful Wednesdays are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 4:00-4:45. The museum closes at 5:00, so I would recommend arriving early to tour the museum. Admission is free on Wednesdays, and the art class is also free!

And just down the road is the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens, so you could even bring a picnic & make an afternoon out of it!

Time To Make The Brownies

2009-09-12T16:19:00.002-05:00

Last weekend Reese asked if I would make brownies, but I didn't have any brownie boxed mix left, so we checked the pantry and did have ingredients to make them from scratch...

Not sure what's up with the smile, but I'll take what I can get!

So we put everything together, and Reese kept saying over and over again how glad he was that we had "scratch" to make the brownies with today!
In the end, he decided he didn't like them. They were very cocoa-y and not so chocolate-y. I will happily buy the boxed brownie mix in the future...way easier!

Of Turtles & Geese....

2009-09-08T16:33:00.003-05:00

Two funny comments, made my Reese, this week during our science studies....

When talking about migration, we were reading about loggerhead sea turtles. There was a cute picture of a turtle laying eggs in the sand, and Reese turns to me and says:

"Why do turtles lay eggs but you lay babies?"

As we continued our discussion & reading about migration, we found a picture of geese in our science book. Reese & I love to watch the geese fly over our house, and since he's been little I've pointed out the "V" shape.

Our science book had a great picture of geese flying, and explained with drawings about how the air from the front goose's wings spiraled up and gave the geese behind him a lift, and the 2nd geese's wings made the air spiral up to the goose behind him, and so on.

It was a great illustration & I thought it made a great point.

So in our Question & Answer section, when I asked Reese why geese fly in a "V" shape, he replied:

"To make words for people who look at them."

Of course, we went back over the real reasons, but Reese just cracks me up every day with some silly thing that comes out of his mouth.

We are now on week #4 of our 1st grade year. I keep meaning to detail our curriculum here but have yet to get that done. It has been a very productive 4 weeks, with a few bumps along the way. But it's exciting to work together, as a family, to get over our little bumps and move forward. I feel so blessed to have our family at home working together!!

Tell A Story About Your Family

2009-08-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

The Assignment:

"Dictate a story about your family."

Guess who loves his Daddy? :)

LOVE me some kid-spell!

2009-08-29T15:33:00.000-05:00

Way back when, when I was a first grade teacher, one of my favorite parts about my job was reading what the students wrote & how their letters came together to make the words they heard in their heads.

Today, we were working on similies & my first instinct is to always write whatever Reese says. Instead, I handed him the pencil & had him write it himself.

I think it is beyond freakin' cute the way they creatively spell things. There is a time for proper spelling, & there is a time for getting your thoughts from your head onto paper...
Like when Reese was trying to spell "vibrations" in the picture above. He heard V-B-SIN. Very telling to a teacher that he is hearing the beginning sound of each syllable. The next step in the writing progression should be that he hears the vowels more often.

He worked so hard to figure out the sounds in that big ole' word!

How Can A Bunch Of Wire Cost $52?

2009-08-28T15:21:00.001-05:00

When it was time for Reese to pick out his frames, I was sure I could find a suitable pair from the $9 rack. I tried and tried...he tried on every pair but they just weren't right.

So we moved down to the next rack...the $18 frames. He tried on some big black rectangle frames that matched his big brother's exactly, but they were too heavy for his face and didn't work.

Hmmm...Reese moved down a bit and saw the Spongebob Squarepants frames. First, I really hate licensed cartoon products. No offense if you dress your kid in the latest Dora the Explorer jumpsuit, but it's just not my preference. I let him try different Spongebob frames on while I searched for something in the cheaper frames.

And then he turned around, and had the perfect pair of frames on his cute little face.

I loved them, he loved them. I looked at the price.

$52?

For some silly pieces of wire? Why did this wire cost $40 more than the other wire? Ugh.

I made my poor boy try on every.single.frame they had, and none of them were THE pair. Except the Spongebob frames.

OK...edit that. There were frames (for kids, mind you) that were over $200, but I didn't even touch those!

So we went with the $52 Spongebob frames (which frankly I don't get because there isn't one single of SB anywhere on the entire thing...there's just a tiny word that says "Spongebob" on the inside of the earpiece!).

Reese is so proud of his new glasses, and I think they fit his face perfectly. AND WalMart gives a 12 month warranty on the frames for any breakage so I felt a little better about buying a 6 year old a $100 pair of glasses (you mean lenses cost extra?).

And they're just for reading, so he won't be wearing them full time. Less wearing=less breakage!

How's It Hanging?

2009-08-27T15:19:00.000-05:00

He has now progressed to shimmying up the doorway, and lifting up his feet so he's suspending himself by his hands. Strong boy! He thinks he's so funny going up so high :)

Reading To Mommy

2009-08-26T14:30:00.000-05:00

I meant to post this last week, so now I'm catching up! Reese reading:

Place Value

2009-08-25T15:41:00.002-05:00

Working hard with our place value math manipulatives...

Place value was always such a hard concept for my first graders, but perhaps it was confusing because it was done in a large group.

Reese and I had fun making up our own games with the "cubes" and "rods",

and we'll keep working on it but I think it made sense!

Camp Tonkawa: Native American Day

2009-08-25T14:19:00.002-05:00

Last week, Reese & I joined our AlphaBuds and went out to Camp Tonkawa for their Native American Camp day.

We had a fantastic, full day (we were there for about 6 hours!) and learned all about the Tonkawa Indians. How they lived, followed the buffalo, how they hunted and cooked, what they lived in, etc.

The pictures from the day are on my other computer, but there are two videos from the day that I liked.

Mrs. April taught us the Water Song, which they sang to give thanks for the water. Reese dug the tune...watch the head-bob at the end...

The second video was one of the activities Reese was most excited about...archery! During his first attempt, the arrow just lobbed into the ground. But his second shot went much better..

I'll do a post soon with our pictures from the day. It really was a neat place.

And we'll just forget about how Mommy managed to lock the keys in the car, and our friend Patti had to give us a ride home (over an hour!), and how Daddy had to take us back out to the car that night (another hour), and then we drove home (another hour).

Not the best ending to an amazing day...but we won't talk about that!

Concentrate....Concentrate

2009-08-23T07:58:00.000-05:00

My boy is exactly like his Daddy...

When he's focused on a task...

Out comes the tongue!
Exactly, exactly...just like Daddy :)

One Week Down...

2009-08-22T07:56:00.000-05:00

First Day of School, 2009

We've worked hard this week...

One week down, 31 to go!!

Power Rangers Can Read Too!

2009-08-21T16:33:00.003-05:00

One of the things I adore about this age is the progression of learning to read. We worked on Saxon Phonics K last year, & this year we are using Sonlight's phonics program.

I can't tell you how proud I am that Reese is reading. And I'm even more proud that he's comprehending what he's reading. Even when it's choppy & I don't think there's any way he's making sense of the sentences, he can answer my questions about the story.

AND...it's pretty cool that you can dress like a Power Ranger for your school day :)

Trip Report

2009-08-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

We left August 8th for our first cruise out of the Port of Galveston. We usually leave from Port Canaveral, FL but decided that since Galveston was a driveable location & we were bringing Jessie & her BFF, we'd give it a shot.

The drive from home to Galveston took about 5 hours but it was a great drive. No traffic. Straight shot down the highway. Definitely more convenient than having to fly to Orlando!

When we got to the port, we used EZ Cruise Parking. I would highly recommend using their service again (and we will when we cruise out of Galveston in a few months). They have gated parking for a reasonable fee. For an additional fee, you can have your car covered or washed while you are gone. We made our reservation ahead of time online which saved money, and they offer a free shuttle to the cruise terminal which is just a few blocks away. The only negative about EZ Cruise Parking was that the parking spaces were small. We drive a Mazda CX9 crossover SUV and when we returned to the car after the cruise, Jeff had to crawl over the passenger side seat because a huge pick up truck had parked too close to the driver's door.

Since we were limited on our time choices (the girls had to be back for school), we went with the 5 day cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy. We had 5 people and didn't want to split into two rooms (I wasn't comfortable taking someone else's child along and putting two teen girls in a room across the hall!), so we were left with the Penthouse Suite as our only option. Poor, poor me...I know. *wink*

We have cruised a handful of times and I had no idea what to expect from a Penthouse Suite. When Reese, Jeff, & I cruise we get a balcony room, and it's fine for the three of us. But I was concerned about us all being on top of each other now that we had 5 people.

Boy was I wrong!

This room was the biggest cruise ship room I've seen! We had two Queen beds (the second bed was the couch that folded down) and Reese's roll away twin bed, and there was still ample room for walking around. During the day, the room steward folded Reese's bed up and moved it to the side (you can see it in the far left corner) which left even more room.

The other thing I wasn't sure about was storage space...especially since we were bringing two girls with lots of clothes, shoes, & accessories! No worries though here either...there was a walk in closet. Wowza!

That picture was only half of the storage space...there was more on the other side! Even though this cruise cost about 3 times what we typically pay (we cruise off-season and don't bring 5 people!) I felt like the room was worth the extra cost.

Our cruise itenerary took us to the ports of Progresso & Cozumel, Mexico. I suppose we aren't typical cruisers, because we don't get off the boat. We love port days, when the ship is empty and there aren't many people in the pool, at the restauraunts, or just around the ship in general. It almost feels like we have the whole boat to ourselves!

Day 1 was port day & at sea, Dayy 2 at sea, Day 3 Progresso, Day 4 Cozumel, Day 5 at sea.

Reese relaxing and watching a movie before going back to Camp Carnival.

The beds were amazingly comfortable & we all slept like rocks.

Look at those lips...

Reese moved up to the next age bracket at Camp Carnival and was now with the 6-8 year olds. The first day he didn't like Camp Carnival, but I think it was mostly because there were so many more kids in there than he was used to. When we cruise off-season, there's a handful of kids but this time it was packed.

Well, the above is true for Carnival cruise lines. On the Disney cruises, the kids club was packed all the time with lots of kids!

By the second day though he decided we were too boring and that he'd give Camp Carnival another try. Lo and behold, it was better :) From then on out, we brought him back with us for meals and some afternoon resting time but that was about it!

The girls were completely entertained as well. I was thrilled as they searched out every free activity they could find...samples of makeup & perfume at the shops, tasting rum cake samples, eating sushi, singing kareoke, taking naps on deck, playing tag with the walkie talkies, trying on jewlery at the jewlery shop, taking in shows, ordering room service, going to high tea...and these were just the stories we heard about.

We don't ever go to the sit-down dinners, because frankly, they take too long and we don't like to eat a 2 hour dinner! But the girls enjoyed getting dressed up and going to dinner...

Reese loved blowing bubbles on the balcony...

And of course there's always yummy food and towel animals!

My Child, With Balls Of Steel That Throw Sparks When He Walks...

2009-08-17T07:58:00.002-05:00

Every Carnival Cruise trip, the kids' club has a talent show. This year, Reese didn't want Mommy to help him at all to decide exactly what he wanted to do. I offered lots of suggestions but he kept saying no & that he would figure it out.

So I had absolutely NO idea what we were going to see, other than he had told me he would be "Square Dancing". Mind you, he had one morning to prepare his dance, so I wondered how a bunch of 6-8 year olds were going to learn a square dance.

So when we arrive at Stripes Disco for the Talent Show, we see Reese's little friend Noah in his TawKwonDo uniform, and another little girl dressed in a jazz outfit (complete with dance shoes) and holding a CD of her music.

These kids came prepared?

Whatever...Reese has no fear.

So Noah does some great routine to music. The Jazz Girl danced a cute dance to her CD. Then it's Reese's turn.

When the counselor asks Reese if he is going to dance, his reply? "Probably not."

But he did dance, and Lord help him, that boy has guts!

Afterwards, I asked him where he learned such a great dance called the Square Dance. Turns out, he was playing the video game Dance Dance Revolution in his head while the music played.

He picked the music himself. He shut his eyes so he could "see the game and not the people."

And he wouldn't have stopped unless I shut the camera off and told the counselors (quietly) that he would keep dancing until they stopped the music! :)

He said he was so nervous, but we were so proud of him. As Hubby said to me, "It takes balls to get out there with NO plan!" The other kids had memorized routines, but Reese just went with his heart and danced for the room full of kids & parents!

I'm trying to convince him to sing the Star Spangled Banner for the next cruise, but he isn't keen on my idea. Oh well!

It's Carnival Time!

2009-08-14T21:26:00.003-05:00

We got back yesterday from a fun cruise with Carnival out of Galveston.

We had a great time all together...

I have lots of pictures to share, but I wanted to put this one up tonight...

Look how happy this boy is :)

He loves going to the "kid's club" on cruises!

Those darn unsocialized homeschoolers....

Overwhelmed. What? Me?

2009-08-07T12:25:00.002-05:00

Exciting stuff happened last weekend...the FedEx man delivered two important boxes!

Reese's 1st Grade curriculum arrived and we couldn't wait to dig in and see what Mommy had ordered!

Lots of exciting books, instructor guides, manipulatives, experiments...

And more....

Overwhelmed with all of the items? Me? *cough cough* Nah!

I have to keep reminding myself that these are the supplies for our entire year and that if I laid out the supplies from my 1st Grade Teacher Days it would have looked just as massive an undertaking.

Luckily, Hubby always reminds me to eat the elephant one bite at a time & it does help me to remember that this isn't all for Day 1! :)

I've sorted through all the Instructor Guides and placed everything in the notebooks for Mama. We will begin our school year on August 17th & I can't wait...this curriculum from Sonlight is heavily literature based which makes me so excited!

And...it is a little less intimidating once everything is put on the bookshelves, in the cabinets, organized in the binders, etc.

But don't even get me started on the fact that my baby boy is a 1st grader...I remember when I taught 1st grade that the students seemed so independent and "big" by the end of the year. Don't even get me started I tell 'ya....

'Cause Being Pregnant Ain't Always Pretty

2009-08-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

I always thought I'd be one of those "pregnant only in the belly" people. Don't ask me why...maybe cute pregnant ladies on TV planted that seed in my head.

I am 5'2"...a shortie. When I was pregnant, I gained a lot of weight. I was just two pounds shy of 200 pounds two days before Reese was born. I was really, really heavy. I couldn't bend my fingers to make the "number 3" because my joints were so swollen. I had developed carpal tunnel in my right arm. I couldn't stand for very long because it was just so tiring.

But I still wore a bikini up to the day my water broke, because I just thought I was "pregnant in the belly".

It's only after looking back six years at the pictures from the day Reese was born that I realize just how heavy I was. It was craaaaazy!

Reese & Mommy, June 2003

Reese & Mommy, October 2005

Green Beans RAWK!

2009-07-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

Or not....

What Happens When My Baby Gets Penicillin...

2009-07-29T09:49:00.001-05:00

This was from three years ago, when Reese was little and had a crazy cough we couldn't get rid of. Doc prescribed some penicillin...and 8 days into the 10 day treatment, Reese woke up with this:

Turns out he is highly allergic to Penicillin, just like his Daddy & sister, and it took a few days for these crazy spots to go away. We made a stop by the hospital when his fingers and ears started swelling, but all was OK.

I thought it was crazy that he'd been taking the medicine for 8 days and then he had a reaction. But after doing research, it isn't all that uncommon to have a delayed reaction.

On a side note, I want my baby with a pacifier back. I miss him being this little!

Ahoy

2009-07-28T22:07:00.001-05:00

Mommy & Reese, 2006

Back a few years ago, Mommy found some fun pirate garb in the Target $1 section...

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us...

Arghhhh!

Running...Running....

2009-07-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

Running along the boardwalk at

Frank Buck Zoo, Gainsville...

Carnival of Homeschooling

2009-07-28T13:01:00.001-05:00

Come check out the latest edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling ...you'll find lots of great stories and you'll always find something inspiring!

Or Else....

2009-07-27T04:13:00.000-05:00

Have a good Monday....

Or I'll send this Viking after you!

2009-07-26T17:49:00.001-05:00

Reese got this idea that he wanted to be a scientist one night, & wanted to do some experiments. He first asked for nails and a hammer so he could build something in his room, but I had to nix that idea...no nails and hammers in the bedrooms.

I offered a few ideas which he thought were all "lame"...

Until I remembered a post my friend Kim put up about her son Nicholas & his "science experiment". Luckily, it worked perfectly and he was happy to be working on something important!

A pie tin with just a little vegetable oil in the bottom,

Small cups of colored water,

and some pipettes....

Reese said the red water was "blood"....

The colored water droplets made circles in the oil...

Reese was content squirting and mixing for about a half hour! We found it worked just as well with a tiny layer of oil, and once there were too many droplets in the oil, I would pour it out and he would start over.

Thank you Kim for helping me come up with something that passed for a science experiment!!!

Freecycle Find...

2009-07-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

Found this great little table & bench on Freecycle. Daddy put a new top on for us, and Reese and I painted it on Wednesday...

We used leftover house paints so the only thing I had to buy was a little roller-brush and tiny tray...Reese loved rolling the paint onto the bench & table.

It's not the most sturdy table, and we're going to cover the top with a flannel-backed vinyl table cloth...I figured it would make a good outdoor craft table or something :)

Homeschool PE

2009-07-24T17:21:00.003-05:00

Holly invited us all to her parent's house on Eagle Mountain Lake today and boy was it fun!!!

We were the first friends to arrive, so Holly's Dad gave Reese a big ride on the jet ski.

Hi Mom!

After a bit, Holly hooked up the "Poparazzi" to the back of the jet ski, and Grandpa and Reese pulled Holly, Bianca, & I behind on this awesome toy. I don't think I have laughed that hard or been that scared in a long time. Reese & Grandpa zipped us around a corner and turned us completely upside down in the Poparazzi which was, in Reese's eyes, awesome. Mommy & the other ladies totally upside down in the lake!

Mommy's friends Bianca, Holly, & MeLissa take the Poparazzi for a spin!

Reese didn't come out of the lake for 3 1/2 hours, except to eat...which mean ole' Mommy made him pause and do!

Throwing mud was great fun!

Along with going for rides on the Poparazzi, it made a great "mountain" that the kids climbed all over...

Waiting for another ride...

And about two minutes into our car ride home, Reese was O.U.T.!

Thanks, Holly, & to the Harders for having us over today. It was so much fun!!

It All Fell Into Place

2009-07-21T16:21:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, we had a morning appointment for Reese's annual pictures at the Picture People & so we headed out for our day...it was hard to believe we were really taking his Six Year Old pictures!! Since we homeschool and don't get annual school pictures, I make sure we get a set done during the summer (near his birthday).

He was beyond silly during his pictures, & the photographer kept laughing at him because he was making faces at her. When I asked him to please smile for the camera and stop making wonky faces, he said "But it's making her laugh!" Luckily, we managed a bunch of cute shots and as usual I had a hard time picking which were the best.

I think photographers prey on just that. But I did good and didn't choose more than I needed this year. One 8x10 pose and some 4x6s to mail to relatives. Self restraint...I did it for once!

We also met up with some awesome ladies from BurbMom.Net and Playin' Around Town while getting our pictures done. This particular picture date was set up by these wonderful two groups of Moms, & Reese had fun making his "Scientist Hat" and door hanger crafts that they provided while we waited for our photos to print.

With photos in hand, we walked over to our favorite lunchtime "date" spot...Corner Bakery! As usual, the grilled cheese sandwich hit the spot for Reese, and his favorite chocolate chip cookie was gone in no time!

What chocolate on my face Mom?

Reese decided to try a lemonade with lunch today...

Just a *little* tart!

After Corner Bakery, we mosied over to the water fountain to sit and watch for a bit. Then across the way, Mommy saw the Chocolate Apothecary & asked Reese if he wanted to stop in for some chocolate and a game!

Of course, there's always time for chocolate and games, so we walked over to the shop. When we got there, I was instructed to wait at the table, because Reese wanted to do the transaction himself.

Getting his change & receipt....

Did I mention my boy loves dark chocolate? I wasn't sure what he'd think of the 65% dark chocolate, but he ate them both. Perfect little squares of chocolate...

Aren't the wrappers cute?

We played a few rounds of Mancala. I love that the Chocolate Apothecary has tables in the back so you can sit and eat your chocolates and play a game of dominoes or Mancala.

Mommy lost both games...and NOT on purpose!

I just love it when a simple outing like getting pictures made turns into a full day of fun together!

Paper Wings

2009-07-20T16:31:00.001-05:00

Our garage seems to be Butterfly Heaven, because I keep finding dead butterflies in there. Perfectly shaped, just lying on the ground dead. Humph.

I finally picked one up on my way inside and put it on the table (on a plate!) with a magnifying glass for Reese to check out if he wanted to.

It didn't take long, though, for Daddy to show Reese the magic that the sun & a magnifying glass can do...
The butterfly's wings lit almost instantly...just like tissue paper to a flame...

I made Reese promise me he would only do this magic when Mommy or Daddy were around :)

DEFCON5

2009-07-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

Today, while playing his PS3 in his playroom, he looks at Mommy and says...

"Set the level to Code Brown because I gotta go to the bathroom!"

Ah, boys....love that comedic timing!! :)

Abbra Cadabbra!

2009-07-18T20:14:00.001-05:00

Inspired by a magician we saw at the library on Thursday, Reese checked out a magic book and performed his first magic trick:

Oh Snap!

2009-07-17T08:32:00.001-05:00

Oh Sometimes I just feel like I could sit and snap photos of my boy all day....

He was swimming & not paying much attention to what I was doing...
Except when I asked him to smile for a picture & then he turned silly...

Lying next to Mommy on the warm patio felt so good....

Does this silly boy know he carries his Mama's heart wherever he goes?

A Post With No Title

2009-07-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

I see you!

Fudgesicle Time...He Never Ceases To Surprise Me

2009-07-13T17:46:00.001-05:00

On Friday, our buddies invited us over for a swim, & Mrs. MeLissa brought out some popsicles & Fudgesicles. YUMMM!

Usually, Reese doesn't like popsicles or ice cream because they're too cold. But, surprise surprise, he decided he wanted a Fudgesicle!

For those of you who don't know Reese, he has a *thing* about getting messy. Like, a I-hate-being-messy thing. No mud pies. No drippy ice cream cones. No sticky candy. Digging in the sand in Hawaii was a shocker!

So I wasn't quite sure how this would all play out, given we were eating them outside in the 106 degree afternoon sun!

So what happened?

Notice the clean hand, just beginning to eat the Fudgesicle

It didn't take long for the drips to start....

And the Fudgesicle started bending over almost instantly...

About this time, Reese turned around and started stepping backwards.
As it dripped, he took a step backwards so as not to get any on his feet.

The drips have begun to migrate down his arm, and the angle of the Fudgesicle is increasing...

Notice his left hand? All balled up in a fist, trying not to worry about the drips on the other hand...

Hmmmm...increased Fudgesicle bendy angle...

The Lean-And-Lick technique which has an adverse effect on Fudgesicle Angle...

As you can now see, the drips are approximately 1/2 way down the forearm,

And the Fudgesicle Angle has increased greatly...

Not looking so good...

A 90 degree angle is never good...

We have achieved the Elbow Drip,

And what is happening with this poor Fudgesicle!

Attempting to lick up the drips....

Smart boy turned the Fudgesicle around and pushed it back to a more upright position...

Too much pressure...Fudgesicle Breakage!

And that can only lead to one thing...

plop....

Oops.

And, if you'll notice, Reese has backed himself all the way past the bushes...

Drips past the elbow...

Left hand tensed, trying to deal with the mess...

The Mammarazzi has been spotted!

I honestly can't think of the last time I've seen my child with a drippy face...

Fudgesicle Eating completed!

On the way around the pool to show the Mama!

Good job baby cakes! Look at all that mess you put up with! :)

Summertime!

2009-07-12T15:30:00.003-05:00

Thanks, Mel, for inviting us all over to swim on Friday! Playing with our CoOp buddies is the perfect way to spend a hot summer day.

Practicing the art of relaxation...

Waterslide fun in the sun!

One of the best snacks on earth...

Cheez Its!

Tune in tomorrow to see what happened when we ate Fudgesicles in the 106 degree heat!

Summertime Gear

2009-07-11T17:45:00.000-05:00

Ready for a swim playdate!

A Mommy's Love, In 583 Pieces

2009-07-10T16:58:00.002-05:00

Reese scored some major bucks from Grandparents & GreatGrandparents for his birthday, & he was beyond excited to go to the store and choose a gift!

So what did he pick?

A Star Wars Lego set, with only 583 pieces! One thing that I have the hardest time with is putting anything together using picture directions.

And Legos? All picture directions. Granted, they're designed for 7 year olds. But it takes me forever to put together something from a Lego kit.
Like a good Mommy, I open all the packs, sort through all the pieces, and start with Step 1.

I checked the clock before we began. It took me one solid hour to put together this beauty:

Reese's favorite thing to do with Legos? Break apart whatever I have built. Ugh. He promised he would keep it together for at least one day, which he did.

Now it's all in a big bag in 583 pieces again...waiting until Reese asks Mommy to build it again.

Which I will :)

Seeing Red

2009-07-09T14:50:00.002-05:00

Found this picture that Mom sent a few months back...

That's Reese & Uncle Jeff with a red finger nail. I was getting ready for the day & my little brother, Uncle Jeff, decided he would yank my chain and paint my son's fingernail red.

Well, Uncle Jeff's is red because I painted it when he fell asleep on the couch the night before.

But he thought I would get my feathers ruffled about him painting Reese's red.

Meh. Life is short. Rock a red nail now & then son!

Will The Real Spiderman Please Stand Up

2009-07-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

I've been getting calls lately that go something like this....

"MOMMY....I need help!"

Which of course makes me panic...

And then I find this....

So I grabbed my camera first, like a good Mommy, and snapped a picture before I helped him down.

Tonight he's made it all the way to the top...*sigh*

I told him he could climb the wall all he wanted as long as he figures out a way to get down. I figure that's a fair deal.

Happy 4th of July...Come see Reese at CheerUpNation.Com!

2009-07-04T16:42:00.002-05:00

Reese was featured on Cheer Up Nation today for their 4th of July photo :) This was 3 years ago and it was just the perfect photo...

Check him out, and have yourself a fun 4th of July (or as Reese still calls it..."four-fifths of July")

Waterpark Video Clip

2009-07-03T15:20:00.000-05:00

More fun from the waterpark on Wednesday. The waterproof camera housing really comes in handy at times like this!!

Reese's Tiki Party

2009-07-02T16:58:00.005-05:00

Reese decided a few months ago that he wanted a Tiki Party based on a picture he saw from a Family Fun Magazine article on cakes I had saved. It was actually a luau cake, but we had to make it more "boy"...so it became a Tiki Party!

Daddy baked the cake, & Mommy and Daddy decorated...

I can't believe he has 6 candles!

We used a rock cave from the fish bowl decoration section at Walmart,

a HotWheels beach van, a "beach dude" toy we found in the toy bin at home,

the whales & shark were from Hawaii,

and you'll notice the monkey Reese thought should go on the top!

Pottsie & Grammie came to town for the party & were so helpful in getting everything ready on Saturday! Thank you Mom & Dad!

Ready for friends to arrive...
Daddy was a good sport and wore a lei...

Jessie & Austen came to the party, & Reese invited Jessie's two best friends

Caitlyn & Miranda.

Austen asked off work & drove them all to the party.

What an awesome brother & sister!

Everyone had a fun time swimming...

After lots of pool time, it was pizza time!

Everyone grabbed towels and came up to the patio for pizza & fruit salad...

but mostly pizza...

I hate pinatas, but Reese found a palm tree pinata at WalMart and really, really wanted one.

So I couldn't say no.

I thought I stuffed that thing with tons of candy, but once everyone had collected it all there wasn't much to go around.

How did that happen??

Pottsie offered to make the pinata sticks & Reese thought they were awesome and looked like ninja swords.

They are currently hidden under his bed...

Thanks to my friend Deb who took the next few pictures...

My camera died just as we were starting to sing Happy Birthday!

Are you kidding me?

So I have no video of blowing out candles...

and I am beyond thankful that Deb was there with her camera!!

Make a wish baby!!

Time to cut the cake & share...

Do you want blue water or cookie sand?

After cake, everyone hopped back into the pool for more swimming...

Reese had a great night, with wonderful friends, & fun new presents.

Thanks to all his buddies & their families for coming over to celebrate!

Now, Reese....can you please stop growing so fast????

Please Don't Call CPS...

2009-07-02T09:12:00.000-05:00

You know that internet craze that went around a while back where you play the maze and at some point in the maze a scary face appears and screams?

And you know how funny it looks when people do it to their children on America's Funniest Home Videos?

And you know how sweet my boy usually is?

Well...apparently he didn't appreciate my sense of humor...

Please don't call CPS. We did it to Grammie too :) and she almost fell out of her chair...

We're Moving To New Zealand...Check Out The New Blog!

2009-07-01T16:35:00.002-05:00

I started a new blog called Cowboy Boots to Kiwi Fruits as a way to document the process of moving halfway across the world! So far, it's just our initial post, but feel free to add it to your blog list. It's going to be an adventure of a lifetime!

You Wouldn't....

2009-07-01T14:59:00.002-05:00

You want Mommy to come closer to you? Why?

ACK!
Thank goodness for my waterproof camera housing :) Silly boy...loves to spray Mama at the water park!

Birthday Tiki Party...

2009-06-30T15:10:00.004-05:00

Reese turned 6 on Sunday. I do this every year on his birthday...I protest! No way has another year gone by. Just plain ol' No Way.

We had Reese's birthday party here Saturday and had a nice, quiet day together Sunday on his actual birthday.

The party was great fun & I have lots of pictures to share when I get a chance. But I'm still protesting that my Baby is another year older. No Way.

Austen, Caitlyn, Jessie, & Miranda came to celebrate with Reese.

He adores Jessie's two best friends & it was so nice of them to come too :) I'm sure a bunch of teenage girls could think of a few more things to do on a Saturday night than go to a 6 year old's birthday party...they are really a good set of friends for Jessie!

And Austen asked off work just so he could come to the party.

I tell you what...Reese is lucky to have Aus & Jess as his siblings!!

CooCoo Nut Cream Pie

2009-06-26T13:20:00.003-05:00

How to make a CooCoo Nut cream pie? According to Reese, we need:

45 lbs of sugar, 3 tablespoons of love, and 14 ounces of cocoa and pie.

CooCoo Nut Cream Pie= Coconut Cream Pie :)

A Tale Of Our Trip...Completely Out Of Order!

2009-06-25T11:26:00.005-05:00

I wish Blogger would allow you to upload more than 5 pictures at a time, because when it comes to trips and I have a bunch of pictures to share, it's so hard to figure out the order to upload. See, Blogger also inserts the pictures (five at a time, mind you) in reverse order that you put them.

So not only do you have to take your pictures five at a time, but you also have to consider the order you want them in because Blogger will reverse the order for each group of five.

Ugh.

So, today, I didn't feel like fighting Blogger or counting backwards a whole bunch of times to put these in the right order. So here's the tale of our trip, in who-knows-what order!!

See, like this one.

We went to France Park the evening after the family reunion to visit with Jeff's Mom, her husband, and Jeff's brothers and their family.

This was one of our last days.
But the first picture. Whatever.

I tried to get these three to smile and here's what I got...silly...

This was at the family reunion on Sunday.

Reese had such a great time playing with all the cousins/second cousins there.

Here, they found a pile of sticks and were making "fires". And roasting Crocs.

Up to no good I'm sure....
There were all sorts of games out. The bean bag toss was a big hit with Reese.

Same visit to France Park. We walked down to the waterfall & Jessie was teaching Reese to read the street sign.

The waterfall was really, really pretty...

This was the day we arrived in Logansport (Saturday).

Jeff drove us around this quite little town in the middle of a zillion acres of corn.

When we passed by his elementary school, I said we should stop so the kids could play on his old playground.

So we did.

It was a blast!

Nobody has these spinny things anymore. I remember as a kid playing on one in Zilker Park in Austin. One of my favorite rides. Guess it's too much of a liability these days for some places.

But not Rural Indiana!

We missed some pretty big rain by a day, but there were still wet spots.

Jessie stuck her toes into some water while trying to spin Reese on the tire swing...

Mr. Happy Burger (or Haps if you're a local) was a childhood favorite of Jeff's.

There are two.

We ate at both in one day!

This was our 2nd stop at the Haps that has a soda fountain.

They had "Phosphates" on the menu, which we've seen on the Food Network, so we had to try one.

I asked what flavors they have, and the girl said "Anything you want."

So I asked for an Orange Phosphate.

Nope, don't make that.

I ordered a Lemon Phosphate. They could make that!

The verdict?

Sort of like a flat pop.

Meh.

Back to the family reunion...

Reese climbed this tree for about an hour with his cousins.

And how sad is it that this is the first tree my child has climbed?

All the trees in our yard are oak trees that are tall and straight with limbs up high.

This was a perfect climbing tree!

I liked this picture because Reese was just taking a break from all the running, climbing, yelling, playing, & silliness.

Here we are at the hotel in Logansport, IN.

Reese loves it when I take pictures of him splashing into the water...

And this was a great way to burn off energy from riding in the car for two full days!

About half way through our drive, we passed the St. Louis Arch.

I tried to get a picture of Reese with the arch in the background, but he wouldn't cooperate.

He really hates pictures sometimes...

Here was our visit to the first Mr. Happy Burger.

Inside they have a Happy Trolley for the kids to eat in, and

Reese hosted a radio show the whole time he was in there, talking to himself the whole time he ate.

It felt weird that Jeff, Jessie, & I were at a table next to him and he was eating all alone. But he clearly was in his own world!

When Daddy walked by, Reese stuck out his pretend microphone and said "Would you like to say a few words about Mr. Happy Burger?"

More pictures from the elementary school playground...

They also had teeter totters!

Except Reese kept calling them a "Cecil" (see saw?) and I kept saying it as we went up and down..

Cecil! Cecil! Cecil!

Reese, Jessie, & I were laughing so hard.

And then I fell off the back. Which was a sight to see and made us laugh even harder.

Ahhhh...memories....

They are spinning really, really fast in this picture, but I forgot to turn off the high shutter speed to get the blurred effect.

This was a trip to remember for sure. The kids are awesome travellers and made the trip a piece of cake.

We stopped in Branson on the way home for the night, & played Indoor Glow-In-The-Dark Mini Golf before heading home. I would share pictures of Branson, but I didn't take any. Imagine a hotel out of the pages of Hee Haw, decorated in mauve & teal and you get the idea of what Branson was like.

The walls of our hotel were pink.

Very, very pink.

A Time to Remember

2009-06-24T12:10:00.003-05:00

We got back last night from our Indiana road trip...

We had a great time visiting Jeff's side of the family at their annual family reunion, and we had so much fun on the road trip getting there and back!

There are lots of pictures to post tonight when I have a bit of time.

The picture above is us walking to the waterfall at France Park.

Reese loved playing with his cousins, &

it was particularly fun because this is the first time he's ever met any of his cousins before!

Mommy loved seeing where Daddy grew up.

Pretty much in the middle of corn fields.

My little out door boy was totally in his element...

see the shorts he's wearing in the picture above?

By the end of the day, those knees were stained with grass & dirt like I've never seen before!

I'm still working with my trusty Clorox for Colors to try and get it out!

More to come later....

The Secret To Our Big 'Maters

2009-06-16T16:27:00.003-05:00

We always have a pot or two of tomatoes growing during the summer, but this year, we tried a few new things and we are producing some awesome tomatoes! So what's our secret?

First, I switched from cherry tomatoes to larger varieties.

I tried a Beefsteak & a Big Boy plant.

Both have grown quite tall and have weathered some serious storms well.

Check out how tall they are next to Reese....

Reese calls this the "Contraption".

Daddy put it together and I think it's the main reason our plants have done so well.

He took a large storage tub, drilled a hole in the side and attached a faucet.

To that, he attached a splitter and two rubber tubing hoses.

The water from the tub provides a constant drip all day to the tomatoes.

We tended to have trouble with a certain Mommy remembering to water the plants twice a day in the heat of the summer, so this has helped tremendously in the Water Department.

I also apply tomato fertilizer every 3-4 weeks, although it has been more frequently the past few weeks because of the storms.
The plants kept getting knocked over from the 70mph winds we had,
so Hubby came up with a Disney/EPCOT-inspired solution.

He put the pots on an old clothing rack,

and supported the branches with ropes tied to the top of the rack.

The ropes are attached to the branch by rubber band loops, which allows for growth and movement but still provides the support these heavy branches need.

There is plenty of room to add more support ropes as needed, and as you can see,
the plants love the current set up.

When you ride through The Land at EPCOT, and visit their greenhouse,

you will see their tomato trees supported in a similar manner.

Those metal tomato cages are for the birds!

And the benefit of all that work?

A snack that warms the soul! Mmmmmm.....

I (leg) Heart You

2009-06-14T20:49:00.002-05:00

"I think I have a heart in my leg. When I laid on the couch I could feel it beating there! "

-Reese

My Little Cone Head

2009-06-14T18:45:00.003-05:00

Aren't C-Section babies supposed to have perfect little heads?

Reese, 2 days old

Reese came 2 weeks early, and I had only one very small contraction between my water breaking & the emergency C-section.

But check out his big ole' cone head....

Reese, two days old

Glad to say, it rounded out nicely :)

And can I just say...

Chipmunk Cheeks?

My sweet Reesesie Bear....