My Christmas In May

Last Friday I woke up as euphoric as a young child on Christmas morning.  I couldn't sleep in anticipation of my planned trip that day to pick up my best Craigslist find ever.  We took my mom's truck and drove two hours away to pick up glass and glass supplies that filled up the back of her full size truck.  

It was so worth the drive!  I spent the weekend oogling all my new glass.  There were gorgeous blues, purples, reds, oranges, and pinks...I still haven't cataloged everything.  Here's the pictures he posted, but it didn't even include everything.  Missing from the pictures was 14 large size pieces of glass (24 in or larger).  I am so grateful for this great find!  Thank you God, and thank you Mom for sending me the craigslist post.  

Science Club: Negative Space

Walls made with negative space

Science Club is something I started locally because my boys love science so much.  I'm going to share what we did in April in case anyone else wants to incorporate it into their homeschool or start their own science club:

Each month 1-3 students will share an experiment or collection to start our meeting. This month ds presented his cat stuffed animal collection.  We divided it into groups: lions, tigers, domestic cat, and one bobcat discussing how they are related in the feline family.  This was a good chance for a six year old to present to a group.

April's theme was Negative Space

We looked at Vase/Faces picture and several other optical illusions involving negative space.  I found them in books, but they are available online, too.

A Notan Design

Activity 1: Notan Design

We created an image called a notan design.  Traditionally, this is done with b/w, but it's spring so we used spring colors.  We used a large piece of construction paper for the background, and then a rectangle 1/4 the size to cut out the negative spaces.  The key is to glue down the negative spaces in a mirror image. This is a pretty simple illustration; you can get really sophisticated with it.

Activity 2: Negative Walls

Small marshmallows and toothpicks form "walls" and enclose negative space in a fun way.  They could make any structure.  We discussed geometry and the negative space within.  Tip: start with soft marshmallows, stale ones are more difficult to use.

Take home activity: Sudoku

There is a great website with free Sudoku puzzles for kids!  They have easy, medium, and hard - easy enough for elementary and logic phobic moms.  This develops critical thinking, and it involves lots of negative spaces in the puzzle which they have to use logic to fill in correctly.

www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku

Jewels of the Bible Enhanced Cross

My mom took one of the crosses I've made and added her swarovski crystals to match the Jewels mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev 21:19-20).  

This week I read a book she recommended called "Heaven is for Real".  It is a quick read sharing the words of a young boy who says he went to heaven during surgery years ago. He's only a year older than one of my sons, and I remember what I was doing with my young sons while their young son was dangerously ill.

Mom said she actually started the crystals on the cross before she read the book, but what a coincidence to another reference to the jewels.  I took the photos on Holy Thursday, and finally got it listed on Etsy on Good Friday.   

Daffodils

 

You get a lot of bang for your buck with daffodils.  They start in March here and are still going strong in April.  I planted the original ones from Brecks six years ago, since then I've divided them and they are still doing great.

Growing up I was pretty oblivious about flowers.  I knew tulips and roses but that was about it.  Driving back and forth to to my college is when I first noticed yellow flowers on the farms I would pass, and I thought, rather vaguely, they must be daffodils.  They were!  Their bright spots of color still warm up my spring days and bring a smile to my face.  Here's some of my daffodils with a few tulips and a ring of small grape hyacinth around the tree.  I love being able to look out on them from my front window.

Civil War Days at Mahaffie Stage Coach Stop

Today the boys got to see Civil War uniforms, bedrolls, and various tools.  Below two girls are folding up the "dog tent" which was carried by two soldiers, put together and shared, but it wasn't big enough to keep a dog dry.    

The kids listened to a letter from a "primary source" - a Civil War soldier's letter home.  Then they got to write their own letter home with old fashioned pens.

Eight soldiers were involved in loading a cannon.  Here DS is in charge of the box with the artillery in it.  His sole job was to open and close the box at the opportune time.  Below is the blank the kids prepared.  The ground shook when he demonstrated the "real thing".  Wow.  Loud and smoky.

Stage coach ride had nothing to do with the Civil War, but it is a great thing to do at a historic stage coach stop nonetheless. 

The kids did a good job learning to line up and march in formation.  The shorter ones in front because of the logistics of having someone with a gun right behind you.  If they had to shoot you would want to be as low as possible.

A demonstration of loading the gun.

All in all, a great experience.  I want to dress up in period costumes, too!

Our Chocolate House

Our super after-Thanksgiving bargain we found to decorate a "Haunted House".  Gee, I can't imagine why they were practically giving the kit away.  

In early December while most people were putting up Christmas decorations we decorated a scary house.  The boys enjoyed the process, but we had some a good discussion on why it looked nothing like the examples on the box.

Finished Transom Window

After - New Window Installed

It's beautiful!  It lets in the light but blocks the glare from the setting sun, just like we wanted for this west facing window.  Sometime I need to get over there to get some more shots - from outside and in different lighting.

Before