Ambitious April: 2011

...The Muffin Man!?

We are busy making our yearly ornament for friends and family. And when I say 'we' I mean the kids make one each and I have made about 40.

This year we picked these half eaten gingerbread men. They are surprisingly easy to make and each one ends up being truly unique. (Some look more tortured than others)

Homeschool Legislative Day @ Capitol

It's that time of year again!

The Idaho Coalition of Home Educators is hosting its annual

LEGISLATIVE DAY on February 1, 2012.

On Legislative Day, ICHE hosts a formal pie reception for the legislators in the Idaho state capitol building in Boise, Idaho.

Pie's are donated by home educators like you. Displays of school work, art work, projects, and photos are also provided by home educators like you. Music performances are also provided by home educators...like you.

The Legislative Day is an opportunity for legislators to view homeschooling in a positive light.

If you would like to help by providing a display, pie, musical number, etc...please see the ICHE website and contact the appropriate person listed.

The deadlines for signing up are fast approaching. The first being Dec. 19th for musical numbers.

Check out these great pie recipes and photos from past Legislative Days.

What up, G?

Hello internet, It's been a long time. What's new with you? ME? I find myself laid up and in want of QUALITY entertainment. I have watched Netflix, until nothing looks good anymore. I surfed around on Facebook reading friends posts like a cyber stalker. I've browsed Pinterest and re-pinned anything that seemed remotely interesting. I even did a bit of stumbling with StumbleUpon. I even stabbed my beloved Evernote in the back and got a Springpad account. I feel scientist should start a study on truly how long the internet can actually entertain and hold our interest before we go looking for satisfaction off-line. I think those critics who feel our world to overrun by technology would be surprised by how easily bored we get with it, and resort to things like reading a book and talking to people. It has literally been eons since I wrote on my blog. Why? Well I have been entirely too busy to entertain you all. At this moment in time I find myself in need of a little distraction. So, lend me your eyes for a while and I will weave you a tale of mystery and intrigue. I was in a little accident, which was totally my fault. I rear-ended a big Ford F250. The story I want to tell is that it was one of 'those' trucks. You know the kind with the curvy lady mudflaps and the 'hmm' unmentionables hanging between the back tires. I HATE 'those' trucks. They are just wrong on many levels. SO the story should go that it was one of 'those' trucks and in a moment of incensed rage I ran into him from behind, not taking into account the physics of my compact car and his rather large truck. As justified as that story may sound. The actual story was one of common human error and distraction and there were no 'hmm' unmentionables involved. I simply did not have good view of all the traffic in front due to the large SUV in front of me and then he moves to the left and there is a huge wall of traffic brake lights, a Ford F250 being FIRST in line. I managed to anticipate the accident and slowed and turned to the right to avoid a head on collision. The poor little green car of my husbands did not stand a chance though. Being in an accident it exactly like it is in the movies, it seems in slow motion. Airbags diploid and engine still running, I did the whole Super Mom thing and got the kids out of the car and checked for injuries. I was a little high on adrenaline. They were all ok, thank heavens! The guy I ran into had no injuries just a little Sprite spill on his shirt. His bumper was dinged and I took his Uhaul hitch off with my tiny engine. He was a father and dad himself, same age as me and completely sweet,let the boys who were very upset sit in the back of his truck. The Police were called, the tow truck, insurance information was exchanged, etc. It was pretty surrealistic watching all the commotion. The paramedics said the kids were fine just a few bumps they asked to check me out but the only thing wrong with me was my knee was broken...

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Illustration by Garth Williams

Ian (11) began reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingall Wilder this month. I found some resources at Homeschool Share and various other places online and am coming up with a lapbook to go along with it.

Here is the finished lapbook:

Here are the resources we used:

Farmer Boy Unit on Homeschool Share
Illustration from the book by Garth Williams

Best Dad Ever

Please Teach Punctuation

Tipping

The only way to leave a tip.

October at Deer Flat Nature Refuge

In October we attended an event at the Deet Flat Nature Refuge in Nampa. There were lots of fun animals available to view up close, like the owls below.

Great Horned Owl

Spotted Owl

Happy Halloween!

When October rolls around it is crunch time for costumes. The boys are always VERY specific about what they want to be. I am talking color specific...like that is the wrong shade of red for Mario and her wears black shoes I need black shoes only! I love hearing what they come up to be each year and I try to make it happen for them.

This year I pulled together 9 costumes total. I came up with the ones for our family and some for some friends. It is something I LOVE to do.

Below:
Josef 14 is Dr. Who #10 (David Tennant)
Ian 11 is Mario and he has a Toad Stool
Kaleb 8 is a Mad Scientist
Oliver 6 is a Toy Story Alien again

More 2011 Homeschool Trunk or Treat Photos

A Mom sent in some photos she took at the 2011 Homeschool Trunk or Treat...enjoy!
Click on photos to enlarge.

Time4Learning Reviews

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and forsummer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Check back next month for reviews on Time4Learning from Idaho Homeschoolers.

Jack-o-Lanterns 2011

The boys carved the pumpkins they found at Linder Farms into some adorable Jack-O-Lanterns. This year they all did about 85% of the work. In past years we have done most of the actual work involved while they were just project managers. We told them to keep the designs simple so they would be successful. The finished faces have a cartoon quality to them. They turned out great!!

Superheroes

Levi and I came up with another fun couples costume this year. Everyone has wanted to be a superhero at one time or another. Why not in your 30's? Here we are as Wonder Woman and Superman. These are not costumes though...in our real lives we really do have to have super human abilities to survive raising 4 boys, homeschool, and endure12 years of marriage.

2011 Homeschool Trunk or Treat Meridian, ID

Another successful Homeschool Trunk or Treat!!

Click on photo to view larger...

Count Gourdula

Ian got some small gourds and created this guard guy. He is so proud of it. He is a vampire gourd so we named him Count Gourdula.

It's Fall Again!

Mitchell Boys @ Homeschool Day at Linder Farms, Kuna, ID Oct 2011

The first frost was today. All my pumpkin leaves died and I can see what our harvest will be.
I am going to start warming up the oven for some baking.
The boys Halloween costumes are almost finished.
All the Halloween decorations are hung up.
Tree leaves are turning colors.
Hot Chocolate sounds yummy.
I broke out my boots and sweaters and put them in my closet.
I am looking forward to my favorite season!

Guess What?!

I'm Pregnant!

Surprised?!

Me too!

My MIL went to her Visiting Teaching interview tonight. Greeted by congratulations from the Relief Society President about how I am due soon and they have me on the list for a baby blanket. Needless to say my MIL was shocked at the news.

Needless to say, I am NOT pregnant. I have no idea who in the ward reported it the the Relief Society.It's pretty funny. Maybe they could let me know my due date...

BTW Picture is from 2004 when I was pregnant with Oliver