Shoes

ShoeWould someone please inform Mark that shoes are not supposed to be wider than your waist?

Mark needed some new shoes, so Allan and I thought we would surprise him with a new pair. He really dislikes shoe shopping!  I knew that he wore Allan’s shoes, so when I found some shoes, I asked Allan to try them on.  They fit, so we brought them home.

Size 9 shoes did not fit Mark!  He needed to return both pair of shoes and get size 10’s.

Dandelion Jewelry

DandalionOn Friday, I taught Andrea two different ways to make dandelion chains.  There are tons of dandelions this year, so she has been having fun creating different jewelry.

On Saturday, she gathered a huge handful of dandelions and then sat quietly working while the boys worked on the grass. She wore some herself and then gave some to Megan who loved having a crown and matching bouquet.Dandelion chain

Oma’s Butterfly

GlueToday, while we studied John Audubon in history,  the kids decided to create their own masterpieces. Megan wanted to make a butterfly. She picked out paper and after getting the butterfly cut out, Andrea helped a little to decorate it. Megan has used glue once or twice, but she was introduced to purple glitter today. She thought that was great!Oma's butterfly

When she was finished, she wanted to send it to Oma.  Oma and Opa are in Swaziland working for a few months.  We took a picture for her and sent it special delivery to Oma and Opa.

 

Tulip

Original tulip
Original Tulip

The kids have been wanting to learn how to edit their pictures. We use The Gimp, and I really like it. It has been a challenge to learn the different functions, but as I practice, it gets easier.

Tulip
Watercolor Tulip

For their first lesson, we attempted to change photographs to look more like a painting.  They all know the basic idea and had fun playing with different settings to get the picture they wanted.

I experimented with using different techniques for mine. Of all the pictures that I tried, this is my favorite. I won’t use this effect often, but it was fun experimenting with it.

 

Dirt

Messy Messy faceAllan was not able to come to soccer practice today.  So Megan had the chance to play by herself.  Adrian played with her a little, but he found a new friend and let Megan play mostly by herself.

She happily found a pile of dirt. I am not sure what all she did, but I have a few ideas.

 

London Bridges

London BridgesAccording to the thermometer, it is over 70 degrees out right now.  That causes a major problem. No one, including the teacher, really wants to do book work today.  Playing outside is so much more fun!

We compromised. We did history and Bible in the living room with the windows wide open. Everyone worked on their math outside.  Adrian finally got to dissect his flowers–he called it butchering!– while sitting on the porch steps. Audrey practiced close up flower photography. The kids practiced their soccer skills and then played London Bridges.  They practiced their social skills by running over to visit our neighbor. While I read out loud, the kids enjoyed lunch outside.  They tried to persuade me to have quiet time outside too, but I vetoed that because the ground is still wet from yesterday’s rain.

I am so thankful that school does not always have to be behind desks in a class room.  We were able to get a lot of book work done this morning. This afternoon we will finish it up and spend more time enjoying the beautiful weather God has given us today.

 

The Moon

MoonMom and Dad watched the kids for us Thursday evening so Allan and I could go out for a little bit. On the way home, the moon was beautiful! It was just over the horizon huge and a reddish orange color. Adrian said that it looked like Mars.

In the five minutes it took to get home, the moon hid behind some clouds. As the kids got ready for bed, we noticed that the moon was out again. It was not nearly as big or red anymore, but it was still beautiful. Andrea and Mark came out with me to enjoy it some.  Watching the moon, listening to the Spring Peepers and talking to my kids was a wonderful way to end a good evening.