Wordless Wednesday: Homecoming 2012

Monday Munchies: Pumpkin Goodness

One of the challenges of keeping two blogs is that I must decide the most appropriate place to post the things I write about.  The farm blog is for farm.  This blog is for everything else.  The tricky part is that farm and life seem to intersect much of the time. 

On The White House Farm blog I wrote about some of the things I do with the produce purchased at the local produce auction.  An obsession with dirt cheap pie pumpkins turned into a series of posts sharing recipes that will delight any pumpkin lover. 

Just in case you haven't been to my farm blog, I thought I'd link the recipes here so that you can go check it out and enjoy all the pumpkin goodness for yourself.

How to process pumpkin goodness

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Two Kinds of Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Scones

Weekly Recap: October 22-26, 2012

As so often happens, our reading this week sparked additional interests.  M8 was reading A Confederate Girl:  The Diary of Carrie Berry.  As we read, we found directions for using sock to make a doll.  I mistakenly thought the project was going to be too much.  M8 was determined so we made a sock doll.  M8 did all of the sewing herself.  I was really pleased and impressed with her commitment to the project.  She also found the clothes for the doll and drew the face.  After discussing the options for eye, nose and hair, she settled on a Sharpie pen for the facial features and yarn for the hair.

I always find it interesting when my children approach challenges in ways that are unique and unexpected. If I had been drawing the face of a doll, I would have made an endless number of practice efforts on paper before I attempted using a Sharpie on cloth. In fact, I probably would have done the marking in pencil first and then gone over it with Sharpie.

My dauntless 8 year old grabbed the Sharpie pen and in several deft moves revealed the perfect face for her doll. There was no hesitation. As far as I know, this was her first effort at drawing a face on anything other than paper. It was almost as if she were uncovering a face that was already there but I was too blind to see. The doll is beautiful and my daughter is, understandably, a very proud mother.

H13

High:  Grammar - I enjoyed marking the dialogues.

Low:  Math - Graphing was difficult.

S10

High:  Reading - I liked Call of the Wild.  (I just need to add that I gave him the book on Thursday and he finished it by Friday morning.  Of course, I got White Fang from the library today.)

Low:  Latin

M8

High:  Latin

Low:  Grammar - It takes too long.

Me

High:   Reading.  We are enjoying Anne of Green Gables so much.  S10 absolutely ripped through Call of the Wild.  H13 finished Gone With the Wind and admitted that she loved it and was glad she read it. Sometimes it is so tempting to indulge our passion for reading and let everything else go. 

Low:  Physics and history.  While we did do some history this week we are still stalled on physics.  I think that I will need to devote a week in November to catching up in physics.

Wordless Wednesday: Autumn Rainbow

Field Trip: Blue and Gray Days

We've been studying the Civil War and I had high hopes for field trips to enrich our study.  Unfortunately, we haven't been able to manage any trips.  Much to my delight, I discovered a local Civil War re-enactment that was just an hour away.  We were able to join in the activities of Blue and Gray Days for the day on Friday, October 18.

We got to meet General Robert E. Lee.

A visit in the military camp.

Playing graces and other Civil War era games.

Making beans and johnny cakes for dinner.

We got to experience the firing of a Civil War era cannon.

This was the perfect addition to our Civil War study.  I cherish our opportunity to learn in a hands and minds on manner. 

The "Perfect" Star Wars Room

Over a year ago, I posted about my experiences as a stripper (of wallpaper).  I realized a few days ago, thanks to a discussion on a message board, that I'd never posted pictures of the finished effort.  Life moves fast and the moment to celebrate creating the perfect (for S10) Star Wars room slipped past. 

So, by way of celebration, I'm taking time to revisit and share this room. S10 loves it as much today as he did when he first saw it and I think it has potential for transitioning with him as he grows.

The Star Wars Clone Wars figures are all wall clings I found on Amazon so they will peel off. 

  I fear the closet doors will have to be repainted but that was a pretty easy project so it won't be a huge loss.

The paint while perfect for Star Wars can be adapted to other colors or themes.

 

 Overall, I am really proud of the room.

Wordless Wednesday: Ready for Cold Weather



M8 in her new boots and coat.