Maple Sugaring

See all those milk jugs? It takes that much sap from a sugar maple to produce one gallon of maple syrup!

We had lots of fun on our trip to Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills.

This morning's homeschool

This is what homeschooling looked like this morning. Molly was working on, and finished her tri colored fleece scarf she started in sewing class, Sophia was reading her Bob books, and Benny was playing with K'nex.

Pollyanna

Just in: Pics from Pollyanna!

Sophia and Molly were in a production of Pollyanna at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster MD in late January. Thanks to my Mom's best friend, Cookie, I now have some pictures to post. Thanks Cookie!

George Washington's Rules of Civility

http://www.foundationsmag.com/

This is a very cool site. I just discovered George Washington's Rules of Civility. He did not write them, he was just made to copy them by his schoolmaster. They are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. Not just manners, but guidelines to how to live happilly with one another. I think they look really cool. Great copywork assignment.
Here's one I like:
# 65 Speak not injurious words neither in jest nor earnest. Scoff at none although they give you occassion.
Some are really funny ,
#2 When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered. Or how about

# 7 Put not off your clothes in the prescence of others, nor go out of your chamber half-dressed!

To find the rules, click on the table of contents on the left hand side of the screen after following the link above. Scroll down to George Washington's Rules..........

Mmmm Popsicles!

Yes, popsicles in the winter! Molly was sick yesterday with a sore throat , and was begging for popsicles. I really didn't want to run out to the store, so I dug out my popsicle molds and whipped up a batch of cherry popsicles. they are sooo good. Here's the recipe:

Popsicles
One small box of Jello (any flavor you like)
One packet of unsweetened kool-Aid drink mix (any flavor, just so it goes with the jello)
One cup sugar
2 cups of boiling water
2 cups cold water

Combine the jello, kool aid and sugar. Pour in the boiling water and stir till dissolved. Pour in the cold water, mix and pour into Popsicle molds, or if you don't have them, paper or plastic cups or even ice cube trays. For the cups or trays, set in the freezer for a hour or so, till they are partially set and stick in a Popsicle stick. Continue freezing. You can freeze these till they are hard, or till they are just slushy, like an Italian ice.

This recipe makes a lot of Popsicles.

I f you have some time, you can freeze different flavors/colors in layers, and make rocket pops or rainbow pops. yeah, i don't do this :) Well, once, on the 4th of July.

I have some other recipes for pudding pops, yogurt pops etc. I'll post them later.

The Class List

For anyone who is interested, here are the lists of classes my kids are taking this spring at Specials Day. Specials day meets every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Molly
Sewing : She'll be making a purse, a candy roll pillow, and a tri colored scarf

Hip Hop: Beginning hip hop dance class

Lunch: gotta eat, this is her favorite part, it enable us homeschoolers to have a lunchroom experience. What would life be like with no lunch lady in it??

Deal Me In: Card games

Intricacies of paper crafts: Origami on steroids

Skit Presentation: Drama. At the end of the spring semester, we have a Talent Night, and this class will present a skit

The Art of Beauty: Makeup application that is tasteful, modest and fun

Sophia
Fairy Tales: Read Gingerbread baby and bake gingerbread cookies, ect

Under The Sea: Read books with underwater theme, do a craft to go along with it

Lunch: As long as she doesn't try to sit at Molly's table, she'll be ok

Playdough Time: She'll be rolling the dough she helped me make

Cooperative Games: All the good playground games you need a bunch of friends for

Ballet: They will also do a talent night performance

Benny
Preschool Pals: All things preschool

Under The Sea: He loves going to the aquarium, so this should be a hit with him!

Lunch: This is the first time his best buddy Theo won't be at lunch with him for Specials Day :(

Playdough Time: This is his favorite thing to do, play with playdough

Lets Build: Can We Build it? Yes we can!

Little Mozart: You're never to young to listen to Mozart and learn about music :)

Friday nights are are pizza nights and sleepover nights. Molly will be either at some one's house for a sleepover or someone or someones will be here

Umm, Friday's are exhausting to me.

Time to Make the ........Playdough!

Yes, its that time of year again, time for the specials day classes to be starting again. This means each Thursday I'll be cooking up a giant vat of homemade playdough for my playdough class for 2 - 4 year olds. I multiply my single batch recipe by 8, what's that octupling it? Is that a word? All I know is its incredibly hard to stir. The kneading in the color is the best part, for days I'll look as blue as a smurf or perhaps red as a tomato? Anyway, the kids love it (I hope), and its a relatively easy class to "teach".

This semester I'm also "teaching" another class for the same age group. Its called "Lets Build". Each week we'll build using different materials. Tomorrow we will be building train track. This is where Benny's mountainous supply of building materials will come in handy. We should be able to build a track larger than the classroom.

Wish me luck!