Boat Making

Our experiment today included boat making.


First we talked about cargo ships and submarines.

The girls liked this experiment:

Fill a can up with water to show how a submarine sinks

Then blow air in it with a straw to make it come up again.

Then I asked them to make their own boats and fill out a page that has a picture of their boat, and answer the questions:

1. Does it float?

2. Does it move?

3. If it moves, how?

4. Does it carry cargo?

The picture that Ellie drew looked NOTHING like this! It did look like a ship, though! She told me that she had a horn and a telescope. It didn't float. I don't think it even stayed together, but she did use a TON of creativity! I love to see what is going on in their minds.....

None of them worked. Not even mine. I put a motor on it but we couldn't get the wires to stay on the battery to get it to move.

It's okay, though because there was a lot of problem solving going on.

And we got to play in water some more!

Then we saw pictures of this ship from a Yahoo story. It is nice to have an Internet story that goes along with your experiments!

Water Trips

I've resolved to quit complaining about how I never get to go on a long vacation since my husband is self-employed, so I'm going to start planning mini-vacations and drives for family time.

Since we are studying water, we are going around and looking at different types of water- rivers, ponds, creeks.

On Saturday we went to Parkville park to look at the Missouri river.

Savannah played some Solitaire

Brookie lips.

"It's too hot to move."

And here we are at the river. They were unimpressed...probably because it was soooooo hot!

Now off to Sonic for ice cream!

So then for school we looked at the map to find different rivers and lakes we had been to. We cross the Kansas river each time we go to the YMCA. Marion Lake is by Grandma and Grandpa's... and so on.

We won't be having long vacations, but we will be getting to know Kansas/Missouri better!

Art Fiasco And Other Mom Stories

We found this kaleidoscope at the World Market. The girls LOVE it!

So when I found this art project, the kaleidoscope name design from Teach Kids Art, I thought it would be perfect.

I started out folding the paper in the triangles and writing their names for them, then they would continue to trace over the names. Pretty simple....but managing 4 different projects at once suddenly became more than I could handle.

"Make sure you follow the lines!"

"Keep the papers together!"

"Put the scrap paper under your project so I don't get Sharpie on my table!"

So many things ya just don't think about.

Brooke wouldn't do hers, which was fine with me. That way I got to do some coloring. I just wanted to finish tracing her name in Sharpies. I was standing up, still had pajama pants on that were too big when Max crawls over and pulls down my pants. I was too focused, I didn't move.

The girls burst out laughing- except for Summer.

"Mama! What beautiful panties you have on!"

Max then tried to pull them back up until I finished and re-dressed.

I don't think they'll forget this art project soon.

They didn't turn out exactly like a kaleidoscope, but I was proud of all of them.

I put them in their shoe cubbies in an attempt to get them to put their shoes away.

Brooke didn't like it that I colored her oo's an ugly color. I guess she should have done it then, huh?

Later in the evening, I notice the backyard was filled with shoes, toys, and water balloons and I instructed them to go pick up.

After a few minutes I realized they needed some reminders so I did... possibly raising my voice a little.

"I'm setting the timer for FIVE minutes and you'd better be done picking up or....."

THREE minutes later I go to give them one last warning, completely expecting them to be screwing around again, but instead I am greeted by a clean back yard and THIS.....

They felt so proud. I felt so unworthy.

I worked today but Friday is pajama party night and I didn't have anything for supper.

I gathered everyone up and we went to the grocery store to get some food and stop at Red Box. They were having a HUGE sale. I have never seen the grocery store so busy.

We started a-shopping when suddenly Ellie starts digging in my purse for a tissue. I was annoyed. I wanted to get my shopping done.

Then I saw the blood coming out of her nose. She started to panic. We were quite a ways away from the bathroom and I did NOT have a tissue, so we started trucking it- all 6 of us- to the bathroom. Max had found his way out of his seat belt as usual so I was holding him, pulling the cart, and instructing everyone else to HURRY UP!

Meanwhile, Ellie is screaming and by this time it looks like someone had punched her right in the nose.

We cleaned her up,

finished our shopping,

got our movie,

and had a wonderful pajama party.

****sigh****

Savannah drew this picture as a memorial of our fun grocery trip

Memories? We've got 'em!

School At the Pool

We are studying water during the month of August. Therefore, it is necessary to go to the pool as much as possible to experiment with what we've learned.

Most of my ideas came from these 2 books:
So far, we have:
poured water in different containers to see how it forms the different shapes of vases, bottles, and tubes.

played with water balloons to see how the water is shaped like the balloon until it pops, and then it falls on the ground

studied density and floating by weighing yogurt cups filled water first, and then other items, making a hypothesis of whether it will float or sink, then testing it in water.

shaped clay to make it sink or float.

studied buoyancy, upthrust of water, and how water levels change when something is placed in the water.

What will float?

Buoyancy....picking Brookie up in air and then in water

Pulling a bucket full of water like a tug boat...

Watching water levels rise when we all jump in the baby pool

Curling up in a ball vs. floating on her back

....and just playing around.....

"I'm going to surf on my board!"

"Why is the baby pool hotter than the big pool?"

"Look at my cannon ball!"

"I can see you under water!"

"Can I float in this big bucket?"

"Swimming is my favorite thing EVER!!!"

Such Is Life Part 2

Who can hope to "arrive" or be successful? None of us is able to say, "yes, I have." It helps us to accept our own weaknesses, or own needs, our own limitations. We have to operate within the limits of what is possible. It will never be perfect. But it is wonderful not to be merely swept along by feelings and circumstances.         

 From For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macauly          

This pretty much sums up the attitude I want to have in my house.

One devotion from My Utmost for His Highest said that the process is what is important and not a final goal.


Yesterday's post was me coping with the reality of life. Things happen. Expecting the unexpected tends to make it a little more bearable.


Today I want to "set my mind" on things much happier. Here are some things I can always be thankful for:

1. Inquisitive minds. The fact that children can think up such wonderful questions alone can make teaching them so much easier!
2. Hope. What would we do without it?
3. My husband that makes up for what I lack. He can provide order for me in the middle of a chaotic day within 15 minutes.
4. Humor. Kids have plenty of it and it breaks tensions around here quite often.
5. Blue skies. If there is nothing else to appreciate, we can always marvel at the sky.
6. Music.
7. Books.
8. Hugs.
9. People.
10. Truth. Surrounded by many damaging lies, there is truth.

Such Is Life

8:00 at night.

I haven't showered since the pool. Everything went wrong today. I lost my make up, car doesn't work, computer acting funny, not enough food in the house, mess, ants, pics not downloading...

But the kids are fed, cleaned, and tired out. We made it through another day. I guess we just need to accept that there will be meltdowns, things breaking, losing "necessities", improvising....challenges. Each day. And that is okay- not ideal, but okay.

1st Day of School

And I didn't take any pictures. I was too strung out. It was an OK day....maybe a 6? Promising.


I'm simplifying everything and I'm sure we'll be better off for it.


We are studying water this month and are researching swimming pools. How many slides? How deep is the deepest part? How much does it cost?  Rate how fun they are on a scale of 1-10...are some of the questions. Savannah has rated every one a 10. Even our little neighborhood pool (that is free!)

Water is pretty interesting if you think about it. Savannah loves experiments so we have one for almost every day. Today was the shape of water. By the way- there isn't one in liquid form. Did they "get" it? Not sure. Probably Savannah did.

One more thing I've learned from my sunrise challenge.

I think that God is excited about his work of art and wants people to see it, just like any artist would. He wants ME to see it and be excited with Him.

But if I blow off God and sleep through the sunrise, he stops waking me up every morning. I don't set the alarm because I would have to know what time the sun will come up and I wouldn't get that done so I just asked God to wake me. And He does.

Just like people, God knows when you are sincere and wants a fantastic relationship with us but when we slack off and start being more selfish, He lets us. We are welcome, but he won't beg us.

That's my two cents on the topic. I hope ya 'all have a blessed day!