Our Week in Review - Special Field Trip

The 3 youngest and I went on a very special field trip last Saturday. Once a year Henricus Historical Park does it's Publick Day. It's FREE!! I am all about FREE. ;) I have been wanting to take the kids for years but one thing or another always got in the way. Not sure why, it wasn't very far....  Not this year!! We got to go and took some friends along. 

A couple of things about Henricus Historial Park :
It is a remake of the Citie of Henricus, the 2nd successful settlement of the Virginia colony, built in 1611.
Pocahontas actually spent some time there.
At the park the kids are encouraged to touch "everything but the fires".

Here the kids are being instructed in what their jobs might have been had they lived then.
They picked up rocks and threw them at imaginary groundhogs to keep them away from the garden. 

 We went inside a yehakin (the Native American dwelling). The kids got to touch everything within the building.

Afterwards, the kids got a demonstration in canoe building. They even got to try it themselves!

Here Cailey and Colin are grinding corn to make cornmeal for cornbread!

All of the actors were great with kids! They got to try on armor, play games that kids played in 1611 and see how the Native Americans cooked their food.

Here they are watching a village lady prepare food, defending the fort, testing the weight of saber and "shooting" a canon. 


I took a lot of pictures that day! So much that my phone went dead! LOL 

There were a couple of things that I missed getting pictures of :
Pocahontas (we got to speak with her and ask questions)
The first hospital in the New World
The cannon firing
The ship

Check around your area! You never know what you might find to do!!!! Or what might be free! ;)


                      HAVE FUN LEARNING!!!

Funny Friday - September 2014

September Funny Friday

Today’s post is September’s Funny Friday, a regular feature here published on the last Friday of every month. Funny Friday is a collaborative project. Each month one of the participants submits a picture, then we all write 5 captions or thoughts inspired by that month’s picture. Links to the other bloggers’ posts are below,  click on them and see what they’ve come up with. I hope we bring a smile to your face as you start your weekend.

Here’s today’s picture. It was submitted by Stacy Sews and Schools (Me!).

Clockwise from top left -
Deanna
Joshua
Cailey
Jacob


What *I* think they are doing -
1. I don't know why I am even HERE!!

2. Ooh! Ooh! I think I got one!!

3. I don't understand!!!!!

4. Checking out that high score!

What they are actually doing -

1. Is this thing even working????

2. Shooting them ALL!!!!

3. How does this even work???

4. Checking out that high score!

My kids are going to kill me for this one! But it will be worth it! ;)

Click on the links below and let some other bloggers make you smile:

The Momisodes

Sanity Waiting to Happen

Cluttered Genius

Stacy Sews and Schools

The Bergham’s Life Chronicles

Follow Me Home  

Baking In A Tornado

Someone Else’s Genius

Confessions of a Part-Time Working Mom

Crafting with BBCrafts

I am very excited to bring you my first sponsored post. I was contacted by BBCrafts and was offered $25 worth of product in return for my honest review. 

I was able to pick the products for myself. YIPPEE!!!

First, let me say that BBCrafts has more than just ribbon. They have a variety of crafting supplies from tulle to tablecloths, from ribbon to organza bags!

My first reaction upon receiving my box was just how heavy the spools were. You know, usually the actual size of the spool doesn't really matter because it's mostly cardboard anyway. Not with these! The spools are FULL!! No thick cardboard centers!! 

The next thought I had was about the look of the ribbons. I was thoroughly pleased with all 3 but most especially the light burlap with orange sparkles! SPARKLES and BURLAP in one!! Heaven!!!

Now on to quality. I have used ribbon from tons of different stores and I have to say, with all honesty, this stuff was the best. They don't feel cheap or skimpy. They were all easy to work with as well.

Now, on to the crafting!!!!

I love cinnamon brooms but they don't look very pretty by themselves. 

This was so easy to make over. I think it took me all of 5 minutes! 

Just grab your ribbon and hot glue it to the top.

Twist it around the handle and hot glue it at the bottom.

Make a pretty bow and hot glue it wherever you like!

This was my next project, prettifying my plain storage bins. 
Another 5 minute project that makes a big difference.
I hot glued the dark burlap around the bin. Then I added the orange chevron on top. Last I glued on a pretty fall flower. 
Perfect for a fast fall update for your home decor!

I promised y'all that I would never post about a product that I didn't believe in and I have actually turned a few companies down. THANK GOODNESS BBCrafts was as good as they claim to be. I don't know what I would have done otherwise!!

Go check out all that BBCrafts has to offer. Tell them I sent you! ;)

                     HAVE FUN CRAFTING!!!!

Stay Snug with a DIY Lap Rug

Be sure to stay until the end of this post! There's a big surprise!!!!

So you're going to the big game. You know it might get pretty cold later on but you don't want to lug around a big blanket. Here's the perfect solution! A lap rug! All the warmth of a big blanket with none of the bulkiness! 

What I Used :

Steelers cotton print 50" x 20"

Black minky dot 50" x 20"

This is soooo easy. Seriously, it takes about 15 minutes!!!!

Step 1 -

With right sides together, pin your 2 pieces. Sew all the way around leaving a small opening. 

Step 2 -

Remove the cat from your work area!!!

Step 3 -

Turn right side out. 

Tuck the pieces of the opening in and pin. 

Top stitch in place. 

  ALL DONE!!!! See how easy??? I'm almost ashamed of doing a tutorial for it. ;)

Now, for the surprise!!!                                                                                                 

This is another tag team tailgating post!! WOO HOO!!

While I showed you how to stay warm from the outside, Karen at Baking in a Tornado will show you how to warm up the inside.

Check out Baking in a Tornado for some tailgating cocktails that are sure to get you ready for the big game!


HAVE FUN TAILGATING!!!!!

French Revolution Resources

You would think that there would just be tons and tons of resources for the French Revolution... Well, you would be wrong. ;) I did find an adequate amount but to me, the more to choose from, the better. 

As always, I post resources for a variety of ages. 
I am not affiliated with ANY site or business. 

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

All printables are free unless marked under $.

Coloring Page - Crayola

Handouts - Modern World History

Lapbook - Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Lesson Plans with Printables - Mr Donn

Notebooking Pages and More - HS Launch (put French Revolution in search files)

Unit Study with a Few Printables - Free Homeschool Lessons

Worksheets - Student Handouts

Worksheets and Lessons - Core Knowledge 

$$$

Currclick

Teachers Pay Teachers

Crafts and Projects - A Book in Time

Games and Activities - Wartgames

Info - GMU,edu

Info - Fact Monster

Info - History Whiz

Info - Kids Past

Info - Social Studies for Kids

Info and Videos - History.com

Video - Cartoon - YouTube

Video - Horrible Histories - YouTube

Videos - neo k12

Videos - Watch Know Learn

So, there you have it. Not much but at least it's a good starting place. 

I'll be putting up resources for a France country study next week! 

                      HAVE FUN LEARNING!!!!

Our Week in Review - Sept. 15-19, 2014

Usually when I sit down to write this up, I am thinking that we really didn't do a whole lot during the week or that maybe I didn't take enough pictures of the things we DID do. Then I start looking and remembering and realize that once again, I was wrong. 

That being said, we didn't do as much as I had planned, but that's not always a bad thing. ;)

Here's a look back at our week.

Deanna, Cailey and Colin sitting on the couch watching TV together. Ahhh, the moments when they aren't arguing are so precious! ;)

Colin is excavating a triceratops! (And making a big mess!) He still loves dinosaurs! 

We were reading about Leonardo da Vinci and how he painted frescoes. We decided to paint some ourselves. :D
Colin's is a battle scene. He even painted a siege tower like the one we made a couple of weeks ago. 

At one of our co-ops we did wet felting again. This time the kids made shooting starts in preparation for Michaelmas. 
Don't you just love our outdoor classroom???

In our other co-op the kids took their first Art & Architecture class as well as their first Geography class. 
I didn't get a picture of their art work (it was a collaborative effort) but I did get these from Geography! 

If you've known me for a while then you'll know how I love cows. Sure, they are being overshadowed by my love of owls these days but they are still there! I just had to have these cow cookies from World Market!!! LOL I haven't tried them yet but the others say they are very good. 
That reminds me! I need to try them before they are all gone!!! 

           Silly Cailey Bird and her crazy candy!! 

See the sweet little bunny we found in our yard?? It never fails to amaze me at the wild life we find living just a couple of miles from the city limits. We live in a very busy area! Just because we aren't in the "city limits" does NOT mean we are in the country. Not here!! LOL This whole county is still "city". 


These are things that I remembered to take pictures of!!! LOL

I also got quite a bit of sewing in this week. WOO HOO!! You know what that means! Lots of tutorials coming up!!
I started on Cailey's Halloween costume the other day! I am thrilled with the way Anna's cape is taking shape! 

             HAVE FUN WITH YOUR WEEK!!!!!