Sunday, January 24, 2010

Metal Eating Blob and Giant Jiggly Crystals

This morning, Cody got his old jar of Silly Putty and several Monopoly and Clue pieces as well as a few ball bearings. He turned the putty into a Metal Eating Blob! Ah!!!
He's getting bigger...
and bigger...
and BIGGER!
He ate all the metal in the whole kitchen before he was satisfied! Now we have to tell Bobby we need another dishwasher and refrigerator!!


This afternoon, we got the Mind Blowing Science kit out and made some Giant Jiggly Crystals! These polyacrylamide crystals absorb water and continue to grow. Brit and Cody each started out with a test tube, a small scoop of crystals and 5 ml of warm water.


After 15 minutes or so, you add another 5 ml of warm water.


And so on...until you get bored and pour the entire contents of your test tube into a bowl so you can play with the crystals, which bounce by the way!

This is both Brit's and Cody's crystals combined into one test tube. It's sitting on the table so Cody can show Bobby as soon as he gets home.
Science rocks!

Totally Gross Board Game and a Fort Night

Cathy and Rick sent Totally Gross to Cody for Christmas. It's been out and we've looked at it several times, just hadn't played it...until yesterday that is.
Here's how you play:

There are three stacks of cards; Professor, Totally Gross and Lab. You pick a game piece and person, and you each get a glob of...um...snot. You stick the slime on your person's nose, and each time you get a point you stretch it, which makes it look like snot dripping. You roll the dice and move your game piece around the perimeter of the board. If you land on a number, someone reads a question off the Professor Card. If you get it right, you get the number of points you landed on. (If the spot is 2 and you get the question right, you stretch your snot 2 spaces) If you land on a Totally Gross spot, someone reads from a Totally Gross Card. These are more like things you have to act out. If you attempt it, you get a point. If you decide not to attempt it...no point for you buddy. The Lab card is what wins the game. After you get 10 points and land on a Lab spot, you have to do the experiment. If you do it correctly, you win!


Cody and Brit playing with their slime.

This game was SO much fun and educational! We talked about the fastest river, Venus Flytraps, our armpits and toes, lungfish mucus, freckles, and a bunch of other stuff.
Britney won the game by doing this little experiment.

I've been foiled again! Sorry...I couldn't help it:)
We're going to play again as soon as Bobby works off. Cody can't wait to play it with him!


After the game, we decided to make a pallet and a fort. We made popcorn and put in Monsters vs Aliens. I fell asleep.


The fort is still up. Britney has made some improvements and adjustments and they both like it better now. They've played in it off and on today and I'm thinking we may never have our living room floor clean again.

Tango

Tango will be shedding soon. He's just a heap of miserable right now...literally. He just piles himself into a nice little heap, and sleeps all day and night under his log. He has looked a bit dull for the last week so I knew he was on his way to shedding. I got him out the day before yesterday to hold him and his eyes are clouded over. Poor kid can't really see anything so he's a little more jumpy than usual. I've left him alone since. He'll be back to his wonderful self in a few days. I hope we get to watch him shed again! SO COOL!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Cody losing his marbles and a bookcase

The other day we decided to go to the pet store where we bought Tango just to look. We drove all the way to the other side of Huntsville only to find out they've moved...like an hour away. Oh well.

Since we were so close, Cody wanted to go to Southerland Station. That is such a cool place! He bought himself a game called Screwball Scramble. Man, he was excited! We got home, opened up the box and began to play. At first he was smiling and having fun, but quickly he realized he was too old for it. He said, "I though it would be more awesome." So we packaged it back up and we'll return it next time we're in Huntsville.


We had also pulled Marble Run out to play.

He had so much fun building and seeing just how many marbles could go at once:)

This bookcase started out in the living room holding movies. It has been in Cody's room for two years or so. We got it cleaned off, Britney and I painted it, and it's now in the living room holding some of our books. Yeah for paint...and bookcases!


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Lunch @ Esther's and MNO!

We had an awesome day yesterday:) Well, I did. Bobby had to work on the brakes in the morning. Not so much fun for him, but I'm pretty sure his day got better.

The kids and I left around lunch time, picked Karen and Keilee up and headed to Esther's house. I love these get togethers. I've never known a group that gets along so well. We ate, talked, laughed, planned trips, told stories, laughed and laughed some more.

Cody, Jake, Zachary and Ben playing Wii. Cody took his Mario game and our two remotes so all four of them played at the same time. Woot!

The girls writing in their brand new journals with their brand new pens Esther gave them. They have started a writing/book club. Very cool!

Cody and Ben
Please notice what Cody drew...
Super Mario Cody!

The beautiful sunset before we went to Heather's house for Mom's Night Out.

I dropped Cody off with Bobby on the way. They had a fun evening of Pizza Rolls, candy and watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I heard Cody ate 14 Pizza Rolls, 2 pickles and 2 shots of cheese spray.

At Heather's we ate pasta, bread and salad. Karen made a strawberry pretzel salad and Cathy made her blueberry danish. We all overate:)

Esther got the new Dr. Horrible book, which everyone checked out.

We watched Hairspray and sang and laughed...a lot! Suzette has a certain crush on a certain actor. I won't name names though.

After the movie, we started sliding on the floor. We did this last time. I suppose we have started a new tradition:)




We had SO much fun. We love our Roamies! Thanks guys!

Karen took a picture of me. I'll post it as soon as she sends it to me!

Mmmmmm....blueberry muffins

FYI: The blueberry muffin mix at ALDI's is FANTASTIC!!!!
We highly recommend and approve!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Exactly ~ Amy Steinberg

I've always loved music. I used to sleep every night with my radio blaring. I sing A LOT...around the house, in the car, in the shower...okay, you don't need to know that:) Occasionally I hear a song and it literally consumes me. I listen to it over and over, look up lyrics, memorize it, find out about the writer/singer... Exactly by Amy Steinberg has done just that. I listened to it for the first time yesterday and can't stop listening to it. I mean I just love it. It makes me feel like I'm important and powerful and like there really is a reason for ME. Click HERE to visit Amy's website. At the bottom click LISTEN and it's the first song.


Here are the lyrics:

i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am a blessing manifest
i can undress the moment
naked time unwinds beneath my mind
and from within i find the kind of beauty
only i can find
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am surrendering so willingly
to be the perfect me inside this now
and truly how else could it be
destiny she blesses me
destiny she blesses me
when i try to fight or run
i only wind up back at square one
when i think i know what’s best for me
fate she takes me back
to exactly where i need to be
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am divinely timed and shining brightly
yes i believe that there’s a purpose just for me
yes i believe that we are light
and we shine infinitely
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am not aimlessly existing see
i am in perfect harmony with universal energy
and i am truly free when i accept my own divinity
look at me look at me closely
tell me exactly what you see
if you are paying attention you will now begin ascension of the mind
why, because if you look at me just right you will see a kiss
for it took a kiss to make this breath exist
the intersection of my mother’s and father’s lips
to touch twist and perfect what came next to produce me
look at me and you will see the breeze
the breeze it took to shake the leaves to make
my mother’s hair move, my father dare touch it and say
please may i have a kiss
yes the breeze made me exist
and if you want to get even deeper into this
when you look at me you will see a cloud
the cloud it took to form the storm to make the breeze shake the leaves to
inspire the lip lock – yes a raindrop will pop up out these words
you heard me right
if you look at me close enough you will see a dark stormy night
and what is night
well night ain’t night without it’s polar opposite of sunlight
so if you watch the way my hands sway
you’ll see the light of day
and everyday is a testament to the sediment of the earth’s core
it’s ever spinning enormous force so if you look at me just right
you will see a spark of the source
but the most fascinating thing about this, and it’s true
is that if you look at me just right, you see you
it’s only what you perceive how you believe the space between
you and me
that creates reality
so when i sing you can feel it
when i cry you can heal it
when i speak words you can be the words i speak by singing with me
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
when i try to fight or run
i only wind up back at square one
when i think i know what’s best for me
fate she takes me back
to exactly where i need to be
and when i am alone and full of fear
i just remember the rising sun always appears
everyday miracles, miracles that i see
well they take me back
they take me back
they take me back
to exactly where i need to be

Friday, January 15, 2010

Social and Socialized

"There is a common and mistaken stereotype of homeschooling that envisions a mother and a child, or several children, working alone, isolated from the community. This stereotype makes it easy to imagine that homeschooled children are unsociable and unsocialized. But homeschooling is intensely social. In fact, because homeschoolers are not bound by the constraints of districts and school boards, they can associate much more widely, spontaneously, and creatively than the conventionally schooled...
...So it may be surprising news to many that homeschooled children are more sociable and better adjusted psychologically than the conventionally schooled."

~Gregory and Martine Millman
Homeschooling A Family's Journey

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Jewelry, Frozen Mice and Dry Ice

At 9:30 last night, Britney decided she wanted to make a necklace for a friend. She got the beads out of Cody's closet, and we collected the rest of our beads and jewelry making supplies and headed to the kitchen. We had beads everywhere:) Cody decided to make a bracelet for the same friend.


Some of the beads are metal springs...huh...I guess that means they aren't beads. Um...at any rate, Cody discovered they were metal and played with them and his magnets. He made it look like a hand and a dinosaur's foot. RAWR!
We had a fun day today. We had lunch with Bobby's sisters, Elisa and Donna. After we ate, we went to Books-A-Million. The Mythology book I bought Monday had a page ripped out, which damaged several other pages. I was able to swap the book to one in much better condition. Brit bought herself several books. We got The Next Exit and some reading books for Cody at buy 2 get one free. He bought himself 2 more Goosebumps books, too. I'm excited about The Next Exit because of all the traveling we do. How often have we missed 'the perfect exit' that had plenty options for food, gas and an easy on/off ramp? A LOT! I'm ready to go somewhere just to try out the book:)



This evening, we received our first shipment of mice. Yep...we bought in bulk. It is INCREDIBLY cheaper than buying the three pack at the pet store.

Cody holding 200 pinky mice...and Alvin.

Inside the box was an added bonus. Dry ice! Bobby put it in the sink and fun was had by all.

Cody immediately went into scientist mode and asked a hundred questions, which I absolutely LOVE! We thought this SITE had some pretty useful information. He wanted to put it inside his cauldron, but it's packed away with the other Halloween decorations. This Halloween, we shall have dry ice in a black cauldron on the front porch...just in case you want to see it:)

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Farewell Christmas

Brit and I got the Christmas tree taken down today! We got the ornaments, lights and decorations packed and Bobby helped me carry boxes to the outside shed. I'm proud. It's not even February:)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Winter, Socializing, Geography, Mythology

Every winter I anxiously await the possible Alabama blizzard and every year I'm disappointed. Last March it snowed...I don't know...maybe an inch or two. It snowed this past December which is very unusual. The kids were able to play for about 45 minutes before they got too cold and headed inside to the warmth of our home. But this recent arctic air that is hovering over the south has just been ridiculous. It snowed very little, but was just too cold to get out in it. I think the kids made it about 15 minutes this time. We're just not used to negative temperatures.

I was talking to Karen about snow and she said something that makes a lot of sense. She said she likes snow in theory. Huh...that's me! When I think of snow, I see children building snowmen, sledding and throwing snowballs at one another. I see horses prancing around their pastures, kicking snow up behind them. I see snow on tree limbs, and think of fireplaces and roasting marshmallows. Okay Gina...GET REAL! It's COLD...you get sick...you're cold to the bone and can't get warm. You drink hot chocolate and hot tea to try and warm your innards and you're stuck inside to avoid the whole mess. I'm officially ready for Spring. I want to go camping and hiking and be outside without shivering. WAAAAA!!!!!

Here's Cody the other day. He got cold in the house and just couldn't warm up so he put his snow bib on with his jacket, gloves and Spongebob slippers. He wore that for a couple hours while he played with his Moon Sand and the Wii.

We've spent A LOT of time snuggled up with a blanket and reading together. Brit and I are quite fond of hot tea. I like honey in mine, but she prefers sugar. She finished The Lovely Bones and Cody and I are reading The Magician's Nephew.
See?! COLD!

I've been playing Bejeweled on FaceBook. Dang game is addictive! It tells you in what percentage your score is compared to other players. For instance, I usually get around 115,000 points and I'm in the top 15%. Well, here is my new high score....WOOT!!!!

Cody under five blankets. I had just taken them out of the dryer and folded them. They were nice and toasty.


Cathy wanted to get together to celebrate Kaitlin's birthday last week. It was just too cold and nasty outside, so the celebration was postponed until today. We actually left the house! We've been stuck at home for SO long. Bobby has stopped on his way home from work for milk, bread, eggs and mice (Hey, Tango has to eat too) so I wouldn't have to leave the comfort of my pajamas. That's love:) Thank you baby! But the kids and I have missed the outside world, too!

We met everyone at Moe's in Huntsville and ate a fantastic lunch with some of our bestest friends. I wish Karen and Keilee had been able to join us.

Chandler, Britney, Kaitlin and Emily

And some of the boys...Austin, Jake, Ben, Carson, and Zachary

While we were chatting, Emily asked if we wanted the extra chips sitting on our table. We handed them over to find out that the girls were making a map of The United States. Ah...I LOVE homeschooling:)

After we ate, we went next door to Books-A-Million. I enjoy this store so much more now than I did before we started homeschooling. The kids have always loved checking out their books and toys. Britney has always loved reading, but not me so much. It's a newly acquired interest. I read every day now...just because I want to.

Best Buddies~Cody and Ben
Cody bought himself a new Goosebumps book.

Cody, Ben and Zachary
All three boys are rockin' a Beatles hairstyle :)

And I bought myself this....
It's a HUGE book...over 500 pages. Last week, Britney told me she wanted to learn more about Mythology. I'm so excited about this find! Plus, with the educator's discount card, I got it for under $16! WOOHOO!!

Then we went to Fresh Market...
Que high-pitched angels singing.
I just love this store. Bobby, Cathy and I immediately headed over to their coffee selection. Yum. We bought some hazelnut and creamy french vanilla. I made a pot of the french vanilla as soon as we got home:) Delicious! And the kids got their bags of candy of course.

Britney got the high score on another game we were playing tonight. I won't go into detail about the game. Trust me...you don't want to know.
Tonight has been laid back. The TV has been on either UFC or The Ghost Whisperer. Cody's played on the computer. I've read and drank hot tea and hugged my family. Britney's been in our room watching TV and in her room listening to music and/or reading. Have a good night everyone.

Where we've been as a family