Fossils

We made fossils today.

I love the kids' expressions as they unearthed their fossil creations.

Park Day!

Handsome Boys

Say "Bow tie!"

Random Saturday

We attended a fencing tournament today. Lots of fun!

Friday Projects

Esther's Magna Carta:

Will's Valentine Mailbox:

Science

Okay, so you know how under the earth it's really hot, and there's molten magma swirling around?

Say you take some different rocks and minerals...

And put it under there with the rest of that magma...

It'll all melt and mix together forming a brand new substance.

Usually you shouldn't lick magma, but today we'll make an exception.

When it cools it'll be a new sort of igneous rock, different from what it was before it all melted and mixed together.

Or maybe it's just an excuse to make fudge.

Sweet Moments

Cookies!

Tuesday is cooking day in our little homeschool. It was William's turn pick the recipe. He chose this:

(Green Lantern and the Cookie Prints)

Care Bear Time

Every month when my kids are babies I take a picture of them with their care bears. Then on their first birthday and every birthday after that. I love to watch how fast they grow.

A few days ago Charlotte turned 5 months, so I just took her new care bear picture:

And this is right after:

So Tired!

They must have really worn him out during nursery today.

Lunch Time

I'll finally admit it. I'm obsessed with bento. You know - Japanese for "lunch in a box." I don't actually own any bento boxes, but when I've got free time I love perusing bento blogs for fun lunch ideas. I don't ever do anything as fancy as most of those bento folks - but our lunches are much less boring than they used to be.

Today's lunch was peanut butter pocket sandwiches, raw carrot coins, and apple bunnies (eating the carrots).

And here is the biggest reason I do this (besides self entertainment). I took healthy food my kids would normally not be interested in, and turned it into something they can't wait to gobble down. It was awesome today when William said, "Cool lunch, Mom!"

Big Girl!

Charlotte's first time in a regular shopping cart seat. I can't believe she's big enough already!

Brilliant!

My children and I would like to personally thank whoever it was at our bank that decided to give out fresh baked cookies instead of lollipops. Best idea ever!

Dear Mother Nature,

Thank you for the snow.

Sincerely,

Alex, William, and Esther

Snow Day

On days like today I'm sure glad I've got a big girl! She can shovel as well as an adult! And she thinks it's FUN!

And just cuz Charlotte's cute:

Morning Music

Every school day we start with a little devotional. The kids take turns picking songs, saying prayers, reciting or reading scriptures, and choosing Friend articles. For a few months now the most popular song has been, "Praise to the Man" because they love the actions they made up. Here are a few.

"Hail to the prophet"

"Ascended to Heaven"

"Traitors and Tyrants now FIGHT him in vain"

"Death shall not conquer the HERO again"

It's not the most reverent of morning devotional songs the way they sing (read: yell) it - but it works.

Sleeping Beauties

I forgot to take a picture until it was past bedtime. The two little ones were asleep, and the two big ones were not. All four are adorable. And I found out I have a very bright flash.

EKG

Sometimes Cameron has free time. When he does, he likes to spend it making really cool stuff. Here is today's project.

This is an EKG. Okay - it's not really. You couldn't us it to get any real medical data. BUT it is a homemade electromagnet. And that wire strung between the wrists DOES bounce in the magnetic field with the pulse of the person. Especially when that person is a grown-up who doesn't wiggle.

And yes, Esther's nose is orange. She painted it at the Children's Museum today. Another thing Cameron does in his free time is take his kids to do fun things. :)

Fun Day, Boring Pictures

Today's field trip was a visit to the Nebraska History Museum. The parking garage was unusually full, so we ended up on the top level. That doesn't happen much, so we took a couple of minutes to look at the view before heading downstairs.

Here is a (not) exciting view of our destination.

And here is the street below the garage.

Just because I was curious how my camera's panoramic mode worked, I took a couple of these.

Yeah, the pictures are pretty boring. "Why," you might ask, "didn't you take pictures of CHILDREN, or the things INSIDE the museum, or even better, CHILDREN with things INSIDE the museum?!" I have a simple answer. I was with those children. My hands were much too busy with them to hold a camera. But it was certainly a great morning. Esther loved all the headdresses, beaded clothes, and military uniforms. William had a blast finding guns and spears that were bigger than him. Alex found everything with wings and/or wheels. Charlotte was twisting around to see so much that I gave in and put her forward facing in the babybjorn.

Breakfast

Why eat with just one spoon when you can get twice the goodness with two?!

Oh - and the rag. Alex is obsessed with cleaning up his little spills during breakfast. If only he cared as much about his big spills...