October 18, 2013

Fly on the Wall - October

Welcome to a Fly on the Wall group post. Today 14 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house.
 

Buzz around, see what you think, then click on these links for a peek into some other homes:

http://BakingInATornado.com                                     Baking In A Tornado

http://www.justalittlenutty.com/                                Just a Little Nutty

http://followmehome.shellybean.com                          Follow me home . . .

http://stacysewsandschools.wordpress.com/                Stacy Sews and Schools

http://thesadderbutwisergirl.com                              The Sadder But Wiser Girl

http://www.menopausalmom.com/                                 Menopausal Mother

http://mooreorganizedmayhem.blogspot.com/                Moore Organized Mayhem

http://www.theinsomniacsdream.com/                     The Insomniac’s Dream

http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/                      Spatulas on Parade

http://www.therowdybaker.com                              The Rowdy Baker

http://www.trashyblog.com/                                       Trashy Blog

http://dates2diapers2.blogspot.com                            Dates 2 Diapers

http://sorrykidblog.com/                       Sorry kid, Your Mom Doesn’t Play Well With Others



Sooooo, this month has been rather dull. NOT one single person has done ANYTHING remotely silly or funny. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON AROUND HERE????? Maybe they are just getting better at hiding it from me??? Maybe we have the 6 weeks of school burn out???? Not sure but something HAS to change!!!

Don't worry, I do have something to post, although it's not our normal craziness.... Instead I have CUPCAKES!!! Hmmm, that might be even better than our normal craziness.







Cupcake Days 5







First we made zombie cupcakes from a kit we got at World Market.  A word to the wise, make sure you have powered sugar.... The green stuff that comes with it is NOT powdered sugar and the icing will taste like dog doo.... Yep. Definitely BLECK!!!!



Cupcake Days 10









Cupcake Days 11





Next we made Jack Skellington cupcakes! These were so much fun!!! And since the icing was store bough, they were very good! LOL

I used a regular chocolate cake mix and cream cheese icing. Then I used black Wilton Sparkle Gel to draw on the features.







Cupcake Days 12



Last we make Jack O'Lantern cupcakes! I used food coloring to make the cream cheese icing orange and the same black Wilton Sparkle Gel for the features.





9



Last Saturday I took Cailey and Colin to the Lowe's Build and Grow.  They have been having SO MUCH FUN at these little workshops!!!! On Sunday, Joann's will have a Monster's University make and take. I think we HAVE to go to that one, too.





If you want to see what else we've been up to in this month check out What We Did Last Week  and Busy Homeschooling Days.





Right now I am eyeball deep in Halloween costumes!!! Colin's is completely finished but I only have the pieces cut for Caileys. YILES!! I need to get moving!!!



Coming soon to a blog near you -

My Grandma's no bake cookie recipe

Halloween themed study unit resources

Cailey's Jinafire Long costume and Colin's pirate costume





Now, don't forget to check out all the amazing bloggers taking part in this month's Fly on the Wall!!!!





October 11, 2013

Secret Subject Swap - Take 2 - October

Welcome to Take Two of October’s Secret Subject Swaps. This week 12 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.


 

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

http://BakingInATornado.com                            Baking In A Tornado

http://thesadderbutwisergirl.com                    The Sadder But Wiser Girl

http://www.eviljoyspeaks.wordpress.com                       Evil Joy Speaks

http://www.100lbCountdown.com                      100lb Countdown

http://followmehome.shellybean.com                    Follow me home . .

http://www.menopausalmom.com/                          Menopausal Mother

http://dinoheromommy.com/                              Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

http://stacysewsandschools.wordpress.com/            Stacy Sews and Schools

http://thisisdiscoveringme.wordpress.com/              Discovering Me

http://www.itsyummi.com                                      It’s Yummilicious

http://dates2diapers2.blogspot.com                                  Dates 2 Diapers

http://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/                       Confessions of a part-time working mom

What was your favorite thing to imagine as a child?

It was submitted by: dates2diapers2.blogspot.com    

I was an only child so I had LOTS of time to play by myself. Most of that time was spent in imaginary worlds. When I got the chance to play with my cousins, I would try to drag them into those worlds as well.

The very first thing that I can remember ever imagining on a regular basis  was WONDER WOMAN!!! Complete with Underoos and yellow jump rope!



(pic from Wikipedia)

No one else was allowed to be Wonder Woman. *I* was Wonder Woman!!!!!

Now, tell the truth! Nothing but the truth!!

I was also obsessed with Charlie's Angels. I wanted to be Sabrina!!



(Wikipedia)

For my 4th Birthday I received a Sabrina doll and I was in HEAVEN!!!!!

Then I discovered reading....... I became Laura Ingalls! My cousin and I were ALWAYS arguing over who got to be Laura. Neither of us wanted to be that goody-two-shoes Mary. Although, our behavior was more reminiscent of Nelly.



In between I was Clara Barton or Amelia Earhart. Whatever book I was reading at the time. Although, I always went back to either Wonder Woman or Laura Ingalls.

All in all I think I see a pattern here. LOL I wanted to be a strong woman. Most of them are easy to see but if you think about it, living on the prairie and putting up with Nelly wasn't easy! ;)

PLEASE, go check out all the amazing posts!!!!!






October 10, 2013

My Recent Reading List

I have been doing a bit better with my reading lately, getting in a few more books than my recent average. I thought I would share that list with you.

(The pics are clickable links to Amazon)







I picked this up at the library Monday (I am also writing this on Monday. Shhhh!!) I'm not very far into it but I am already hooked. AND I've already been creeped out!!! LOVE IT!!!

One word, read NOS4A2 by Joe Hill before reading this to "get" a certain part. ;)

NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! ;)









A WONDERFUL historical fiction book about Catherine the Great.

We follow the life of a bookbinders daughter as she enters the court of Empress Elisabeth. She is in the court when a young Sophie (soon to be Catherine) comes to be the bride of Elizabeth's nephew and next in line to the throne.

Absolutely captivating, but I wish I had known that the 2nd book wasn't out yet!!! LOL











I absolutely LOVED this book!!! I never realized how little I actually knew about the French Revolution!

I have such a great respect for Madame Tussaud and all that she endured.









This is absolutely the BEST titled book! I was completely and totally CREEPED out the entire time!!!

Unfortunately, I didn't realize until a few minutes ago that this was a sequel! WAH!!!! I had a feeling that I was missing a few things in the story, mainly to do with a couple of the lead characters. BUT even though I missed the first book, this was a very captivating and scary story!











We've all heard the story of Godiva's naked ride but do you know WHY she did it?? I have never heard the WHY of it. Not to say that this book is accurate, but now I have an IDEA of the WHY! ;) It was a very good story! I feel in love with the main characters and could barely put this book down.











Having Downton Abbey withdrawals???? Then this book is for YOU!!!!!

I screamed and cried in frustration all throughout this book!!!! I was aching to find out more when I closed the book. NOW I see that there are sequels!!! YAY!!! Thank you, Amazon! LOL





There are more... LOTS more.... If you want a longer list just click on my Goodreads box over on the right side. ;)



HAVE FUN READING!!!










October 9, 2013

Happy Halloween Peasant Dress

Happy Halloween Peasant Dress





I am in love with this dress!!!! It was so simple and easy to make. I used one of my favorite patterns, Pretty Peasant from SquigglyTwigs Designs. If you scroll down on the page you will see Cailey modeling the peasant top I made with this same pattern.

We are going to try the dress with her orange and black tights, too! LOL Such a FUN dress for the season!

The main dress part came from a remnant I picked up last year at Hancock's. The sleeves are the left overs from the Reverse Applique Leggings and Bandanna Bib I made for my little cousin Liam. I got that print from Joann's.  A word of warning, when working closely with it, you will go cross-eyed a time or two. LOL

So, what fun things are you making for Halloween??? Right now I have the pattern made for Colin's pirate shirt. Fingers crossed that it comes out alright! LOL After that will be the rest of his costume. THEN I will be starting on Cailey's. She wants to be Jinafire Long, a Monster High Doll. No pressure to get THAT one right..... LOL Wish me luck, I'm going to need it! ;)





HAVE FUN SEWING!!!!!



October 8, 2013

What We Did Last Week

Last week was another busy one!! Here are just a few of the things we did.







29 27

We read that the emperors in Ancient China rode in elephant drawn chariots.

Cailey's on the bottom, Colin's on the top.





2 4

We made Play-Doh Chinese dragons!  (In the background are the pictures they drew of things made in Ancient China.)

WOW! Cailey was having a bad hair day! ;)







24 26

These are their birds' nest projects they did after reading Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest by Irene Kelly.

Colin's is the construction paper picture and Cailey's is the colored-pencil drawing.









2 5 7

On Saturday we went to the Home Depot Kids Workshop. OMG! The kids had SO MUCH FUN!! We got to watch a helicopter land. Then they brought out the bomb squad's robot! There was also a fire truck!!!

Then the kids made fire rescue planes.

They left with their planes, fire hats, goodie bags, balloons, popcorn, and juice! LOL

My next post will be about the dress Cailey is wearing in the Home Depot pictures. ;) Just a little sneak peek.

HAVE FUN HOMESCHOOLING!!!!!





October 3, 2013

Solar System Unit Study

Solar System

As always, I try to add resources for all age ranges.

All the printables are free unless otherwise noted with $$$.

The books should be easily found at Amazon or your local library.

books graphic







































kindle graphics



















printables graphics

Space Lapbook - Homeschool Share

Astronauts Unit , Comets, Meteors and Stars Unit, Planets Unit - Homeschool Helper Online

Astronaut Lapbook - Homeschool Helper Online

Solar System Printables     More Printables - HS Launch

Solar System Worksheets - Education.com

Solar System Printables - Homeschooling.About.com

Solar System Printables and Activities - 3 Boys and a Dog

Solar System Printables - School Express

Space Printables, Activities, Lessons and Crafts - Crayola

Lapbook based on Magic School Bus Space Explorers  - Yee Shall Know

Planets and Stars Printables - Mrs Home Ec

Phases of the Moon Mini Book - Frugal Homeschool Family

Space Printables - 2 Teaching Mommies

Space Printables (TONS and TONS of them!!) - Learning Pages (you have to sign up but it's all free)

Life Cycle of a Star - Counting Coconuts

Preschool Solar System Pack - 1+1+1=1

Solar System Printables - A to Z Teacher Stuff

Cut and Build Models

Solar System Printables - Classroom Jr

Solar System Printables - Sparklebox

Solar System Printables - Jumpstart

Solar System 3 Part Cards -  Imagine Our Life

Solar System Nomenclature Cards and Mini Book - The Helpful Garden

Space and Solar System Printables - Pinay Homeschooler

Space Printables - Activity Village

Solar System Montessori Printables - Montessori Mom





online graphic

Solar System Experiments - A to Z Home's Cool

Solar System Info - Space.About.com

Solar System Lessons and Activities - Scholastic

Solar System Lesson Plans and Crafts - Crayola

Space Crafts and Activities - No Time for Flashcards

Solar System Lesson Plan - Squidoo

Solar System Projects - Squidoo

Solar System Documentary List for Amazon and Netflix - Squidoo

Solar System Projects and Activities - Pink and Green Mama

The Universe Games, Videos and Activities - Study Jams

Space Crafts - Red Ted Art

Lego Solar System - Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Montessori-Inspired Solar System Unit - Living Montessori Now

Candy Solar System - E Is for Explore

Solar System Videos - YouTube

Interplanet Janet - Schoolhouse Rocks - YouTube

Virtual Field Trip - Fly Me to the Moon - Laurie Fowler

Star Gazing Network

Solar System and Interactive Star Guide - Astronomy for Kids

The Solar System Channel - How Stuff Works

Solar System Info - Nat Geo

Space Activities - NASA

Solar System Videos, Games and Lessons - Neo K12

Astronomy Themed Ideas and Resources - Homeschool Giveaways

Solar System Info - Discovery Kids

All About the Solar System for Kids - Mr Nussbaum

Outer Space Crafts - DLTK-Kids

Universe Info - Universe Today

Space Crafts - Busy Bee Kids Crafts

Windows to the Universe

Virtual Journey into the Universe - Kids News Room

other graphic

Magic School Bus Kit - The Secret of Space

Some rabbit trailing or expansion ideas -

Astronauts

Aristotle

Tycho Brahe

Copernicus

Galileo Galilei

Johannes Kepler

Space Program

Hubble

Space Station

HAVE FUN HOMESCHOOLING!!!!