Aug. 27, 2008
How Much Fun Can One Person Handle in a Day?
Posted in Family
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Who'd have though that God would send me THREE funny moments all in one day. Usually He spaces them out, but apparently He figured I needed a good ab workout today caused by excessive laughter. Moment #1 Yesterday, I was reading the Huber HoF Academy Blog post on something fun she did with her kids. It involved filling a large clear bag with water (zipper-type), closing it off then poking sharpened pencils all the way through it. It looked like so much fun, I thought I'd let my kids do it today. We almost had the same results...here's what happened...   That is water you see leaking out. Apparently, one of my children was trying to pull one back out because it didnt' go through where they "meant it to." Big mistake! Before I could stop them...well...let's just say we lost some water from the bag, and had to run for a beach towel. When we were finally done, we had 33 pencils stuck through the bag. The trick is to make sure that you push the pencils firmly through in a SMOOTH motion without stopping until the entire pencil is all the way through both layers of the bag....and also not to try to take the pencils back out...not even move them back a LITTLE or you'll spring a leak like us.  Moment #2 Later, I was making dinner. I went with Chicken Noodle soup because Wednesday is always "crazy" trying to get kids fed and out the door to church. What can go wrong with Chicken Noodle soup you ask? Well...as I was busy with many tasks at once, I was obviously distracted and, the Chicken Noodle soup started boiling "rapidly" and I knew it was done. I went to get the melamine bowls out for the little ones and started dipping the soup in...and this is what happened... In case you were wondering...When a melamine bowl has a hairline fracture, it's not a good idea to put 200+ degree (F) liquid into it. It exploded in my hand, and there were noodles hanging out the bottom and chicken broth running down my arm as I yelled for the kids to bring me yet one MORE towel to clean up the mess. (You can still see noodle "residue" in the cracks.) I hadn't noticed the cracks...needless to say, I'll be examining the bowls BEFORE placing boiling liquid into them again. Moment #3 Last...today I had bought a new shower curtain for my bathroom, but one of the shower hooks fell apart as I was trying to hang it. Now, these are my favorite hooks because they perfectly match my bathroom...PERFECT. I couldn't throw them away.  So I tried to fix them with some new glue I had bought at the store today (for another project). It said that it was permanent and it would adhere to anything. What I failed to read was that it took 24 hours to cure. Realizing this...I grabbed the 3 closest things I could find that would hold the hook in place... Yep...You saw that right...I had to put it in my camera's battery charger and Han Solo and Greedo are holding it up. It works perfect...but I can just hear Han Solo saying... "Hey, Greedo, can you give me a hand with this thing. It's heavy!" I could go into a whole dialogue from there...but I'm sure if you know anything about Star Wars, you can probably come up with a good one yourself....ending with the sound of laser fire, of course.  LOL Let's just hope Han's strength doesn't give out before tomorrow night. ...Oh, I crack myself up!!!! Which probably means it's way too late for me to be awake.Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?... [Note: When I woke up the next morning, both Han and Greedo were gone. Either, they were exhausted, and couldn't hold the weight of the hook...or my 3yo found them. I tend to go with the "3yo" explanation.] |
Aug. 27, 2008
Great Artwork Coloring Pages
Posted in Artists and Artwork
I just recently found some great coloring pages of artwork. Some passed on to me, some I searched for myself. I need to get these links down here before I forget where I found them.  My dad always used to say "write it down or you'll forget it"...of course he was usually talking about school assignments or a To Do list... Anyway, here are some great links to coloring pages from some of the masters and their masterpieces... French site with coloring pages from many great works of art Another French site with MORE coloring pages of artists' paintings Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe, Diego Rivera, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh More great artists Mona Lisa Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and more Gonewacko.org More artists mixed in with "fun" coloring pages, includes Mary Engelbright (Warning: There are a LOT of pictures on this page...most are good, but there are a few that are NOT FOR THE LITTLE EYES IN YOUR FAMILY. Be careful here. It's sad that they ruined a good page with a few bad choices. "American Gothic" by Grant Wood Presidential portraits coloring pages Minneapolis Art Museum Coloring pages Mary Engelbreight website Jan Brett Here are some coloring books you can purchase... Escher Coloring book Modern Masterpieces/Dover Coloring Book Mattise Coloring Book Abstract Art Coloring Book American Paintings/Dover Coloring Book Dover Website - Color Your Own Masterpieces (These are some of the best coloring books for educational use. Great pictures...and they're reproducible within your own family/classroom. )Any others you know of? I'm collecting links here, so leave me a comment with your link to more great artwork coloring pages. |
Aug. 26, 2008
Play Passport for your Geography Studies
Posted in Geography and Culture
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I have just finished a "play" passport..that means you can PLAY with it...it is not meant to be an official document. This would make a great addition to your culture/geography studies. I made it so that it is similar in nature to the new US passports, but instead of using US landmarks and images, I used landmarks from around the world. It can be used by anyone...not just those living in the United States. :-) I have uploaded it at my YAHOO! group (Homeschool Treasure Trove ~ Click on the "X" on the Treasure Map to right). I have also uploaded it to MediaFire so you can download it there as well. Here is a little "teaser" of some of the pages... ~Blessings~ |
Aug. 23, 2008
Something I Hadn't Seen Since Sunday...
Posted in Christian Life
I woke up this morning to a pleasant surprise. I rolled over in bed and looked out my window. I wasn't sure if I had seen it right, so I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Could it be?!?! Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I ran outside and snapped a picture of this... BLUE SKIES!!! After 5 days of gray, cloudy skies I was beginning to think that I was living up north in the wintertime...well, except for the 80+ degree heat. Here's something else I hadn't seen...  That light spot on the cloud behind the palm tree is the SUN peeking out from behind it. We're going to have SUN today!!! Yippee!! I'm glad we had the rain because we needed it (although, I'm not sure we needed it all in the same shot and gladly would have shared with some of you that are running a bit short right now...If I could just figure out how to get it to you.  ) And I really enjoyed the diversion from the "same-old-same-old." I've always loved it when we get the tropical systems (although I wouldn't want to have them every day), because I love to see the power of the storm. Of course, I'd rather have the little wimpy ones rather than the big strong ones. It reminds me of the story of Elijah in the cave when the winds were whipping around, and the story of Jesus asleep on the boat as the winds blew and the waves crashed about. We trust that God will protect us and take care of us...even if water starts to seep into our house (which it didn't, PTL) or if the winds cause damage (which they didn't this time). He wants us to "rest in Him" throughout the storm. "The wind and the waves obey Him." Nothing happens because of these storms that He doesn't know about or didn't allow. Instead of saying "Why me, Lord?"... to instead seek that still small voice that can't be heard when we are focusing on life's "storms" and say, "What do You want me to do now?" My God is and Awesome God (in the immortal words of Rich Mullins). I stand in AWE of His power over the last week. Not only did He created and direct this storm...that I knew wouldn't be strong as far as winds go...but He dumped almost 30" of water on us (last I heard)...as He stalled the storm system over us for 4 days...that normally would have only taken about 12 hours to pass through, give or take a couple hours.The blue skies and the sun...well, that's the icing on the cake. It reminds me that when God sends a "storm" in our lives, no matter how long it drags on and how much damage it can do...it doesn't last forever. Blessings!! |
Aug. 21, 2008
Proof That Fortune Cookies Are NOT Reliable...
After the last few days of tropical storm, rain, and flooding, I was running short on milk and a few other essentials...so I ran out to the grocery. But after the trip, I wasn't feeling much like cooking,so I picked up Chinese. When I got home, we all sat down to eat, and as usual, the kids had their fortune cookies after they were done. My 12yo son started snickering when he cracked his open. He handed it to me. This is what it read... Uh-huh...yeah, right.... There you have it. Yet one more reason not to place your trust in fortune cookies. (If you have no idea what we've been through the past few days...scroll down to the next few blog entries and that will explain it all.) |
Aug. 20, 2008
Tropical Storm Flooding
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I guess it shouldn't surprise me. With tropicals storms come a lot of rain...and 2 days worth of rain is a LOT of rain. I hadn't been out in 2 days so I had no idea what was going on around town. Some friends of ours across town had standing water in their house...which came up from the STREET! Our street isn't too bad, but I needed to go out to the drug store (which closed at 6 PM today instead of the usual 11 PM) to pick up something, and the streets are knee deep in water in some places...or higher. A friend of ours had water at least 2 FEET deep in front of their house. I couldn't even get down their street...in my BIG TRUCK! YIKES! While we didn't have power outages at our house, the water in the retention pond behind our neighbor rose up into our yard (a lower corner of the yard). It has been quite the unusual storm. She just loves us so much that she wants to hang out a little while longer.  Here is video of us driving down the road...I didn't take the video of us driving through the 1.5' deep water. I know...not too smart, but I was checking on a friend's house (and our truck is lifted...the FIRST time I'm thankful for that). I was too terrified to pry my fingers off the wheel there. So I got some video when I was finally on my way home. Just a note, there is so much water on the road that it splashed up over our hood a few of times as we're driving through it. For reference, our hood is about 5 FEET off the ground. My kids were so excited... So...if a picture is worth a thousand words...what is a "moving picture" worth?... |
Aug. 20, 2008
Rock & Minerals Lapbook
Posted in Lapbooks
I just finished my nemesis...the Rocks & Minerals Lapbook.  OK, maybe it's not my nemesis, but it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Definitely not for your kindergartener...maybe not for your senior in high school.  LOL Just kidding. Up until last week, I didn't realize there was a difference between rocks and minerals. I thought they were the same....which is why I was NOT a geology major in college. You can download the lapbook at the Homeschool Treasure Trove Group. (Click link to join at right if you're not a member already.) |
Aug. 20, 2008
My Best Friends...
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Remember the "glory days" of high school? Such a carefree time...classes, cheerleading, games, musicals, clubs...cliques. I just was looking through the pictures of my high school class reunion (which I wasn't able to make it to). It was great to see some of my friends that I hadn't seen in years. I was amazed at how much some have changed...and amazed at how some hadn't changed at all. I saw pictures of people talking and having a great time that probably wouldn't have been caught dead talking to each other in high school. Funny how time and age kind of makes you forget about the "in group" and the cliques of long ago. They all seem so silly now. Anyway, I ran across a great picture from the reunion...my two best friends in Jr. High & High school...  I haven't actually talked to Kristen (left) in a few years, but I've kept up with Missy (right) over the years. Ladies...you're beautiful to me! I miss you both! Wish I could have been there. |
Aug. 20, 2008
Tropical Storm...Day 2
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I'm Well...flooding IS everywhere, but I think that most people down here are smart enough NOT to go kite surfing in 60+ mph winds. I know I am...and since I am, I won't let my kids go either...not to mention we don't have any kite surfing equipment anyway. I have mixed feelings because there was a kite surfer in South Florida who was hurt badly (in critical condition...since I haven't watched the news, I also haven't heard if he is OK). Part of me feels badly for him and his family...but another part of me wants to say, "What were you thinking?!?! There's a reason why they have the red flags up at the beach! And there's a reason why authorities tell you it's a good idea to stay out of the water during a tropical storm!" Who would have known that was going to happen? He is only 25 or 26. He probably thought he was indestructible...but not now. I remember being 26. I had 2 babies by then. I certainly was careful in a responsible kind of way, but I didn't figure anything bad would happen to me. While I wonder what he was thinking...I also can understand how he just wanted to get out and have fun on a "good kite-surfing day." I remember being out in the "hurricane surf" in my younger days. [This is the big surf you get when a hurricane passes by a few hundred miles or more offshore...not the surf when it's over you or coming ashore.] It was a LOT of fun to catch the double-overhead waves (as long as someone else wasn't trying to catch the same wave). Now...I'm a little more cautious, not to mention a little less "in shape" to do that, and I don't particularly want to drown. I guess with age comes wisdom. Even though it has been nice to stay inside the house...protected from the storm, we had some friends lose power last night. And they will probably be out of power until the storm is over. I have a feeling that since the schools are closed, the power company is also cautious about sending people out. At least not while the rain is still coming down. Something about mixing water and electricity. That just doesn't sound like a good combination. Anyway, here's some more video of what things look like from my front porch... |
Aug. 19, 2008
Tropical Storm...Anyone?
Posted in Science
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Wanna know what happened at our house today? Here's a peek into life in Florida. (Don't forget to pause the player to the right.) Clip # 1... Clip #2...taken a few hours later... ...And that was the excitement at our house. I think it pretty much summed it up when I said, "It's a great day...to stay inside." (Clip #2) I was dripping when I came back inside....even though I never stepped out from under our porch roof. Soaked in less than 5 minutes.  To give you a little perspective, we get 50+ mph wind gusts during a strong afternoon thunderstorm here in FL. The name makes it sound "scary" even though the winds could be as little as 39 mph or as much as 73 mph...a HUGE variation. 73 mph winds WOULD be a little scarier, but 39 mph is definitely not...although I highly suggest NOT flying a kite during it no matter what the wind speed is. Don't ask, just trust the guy in S. Florida. :-/ If I had to guess, the wind speed in the video clips was probably around 40-45 mph. 39 mph winds are really very similar to what we could possibly get any given summer day. The big difference is that it lasts longer, the amount of rainfall is greater and the widespread potential for tornadoes goes way up...oh, and the fact that the school shut down for "tropical storm" days...rather than "snow days." I always thought that was so weird. When I lived up north, with this kind of rain and wind, we'd be in school....on the boys' bathroom floor with our heads between our knees  ...tornado drill position. I'm so glad my kids don't go to school. |