Monday, August 31, 2009

The last few days have been fairly uneventful. I had a bad migraine Friday, but the boys were determined to salvage the day. They took it upon themselves to do math and geography. Then they filled the rest of the day with educational shows, board games and Lego's.

We spent most of Saturday catching up on chores and watching a movie.

Sunday, we made our weekly journey to Weymouth Woods. This week we learned about woodpeckers. We divided into groups to identify and learn about different specimen, using study skins and field guides. Study skins are stuffed specimen with no eyes. The no eye thing really creeps me out and I dislike holding them. Anyway, our team's specimen was a male red-bellied woodpecker. We learned that they eat insect larvae, ants, beetles, crickets, flies, acorns, pinenuts, berries, fruit (including oranges), and sap from sap wells made by yellow-bellied sap suckers. We also learned that they store food and that their call is similar to that of a tree toad. We did not learn what tree toads are. Afterward, we took a short hike to see some of the holes of a family of red cockaded woodpeckers. We learned that the red cockaded woodpecker will only build their holes in old, live long leaf pines. It takes around six years to complete a hole and each bird sleeps in its own hole. They bore small holes in the trees so that sap runs down them making it harder for predators to get to them. They do not kill the trees that they live in. They live and forage for food in family groups.

After Weymouth Woods, we ran a few errands and then the boys played with the neighbor children.

Today, we did spelling, math, geography and science. We spent the rest of the day watching TV and playing Lego's.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

We have seen this toad hanging around our backyard all summer. This week it has decided it likes hanging out on the deck with the dogs. Yesterday we found it sitting in a bowl of water, and tonight it was sitting on the top step with one of the dogs.

Monday and Tuesday were pretty much the same. We did a bit of school -spelling, math, geography, critical thinking and drawing. Then the boys played with the neighbor children while I did a bit of housework. We ended each day with a bit of reading and a movie.

Wednesday, I took the boys to the lake for a few hours and then we ran a few errands. The boys bought a new Lego set and began building it as soon as we got home. Then it was time to hit the books. We did the same subjects as we had on the previous two days. Afterward, the boys went to the neighbors' house to play.


Today, was a repeat of Monday and Tuesday, except for the playing with the neighbors. Instead, the boys stayed home and played with Lego's and did a little cleaning.

We haven't done as much reading lately as I would like, but we did read a little. B read Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom and started BABYMOUSE Dragonslayer. D started Fred and Anthony and the Demented Super-Degerm-O Zombie. We just started reading the first Hank the Cowdog book together. I am currently reading The Chocolate Cat Caper by Joanna Carl.

Monday, August 24, 2009

A Fun Weekend

We got up early Saturday morning and headed to Lowe's for the Build and Grow Clinic, where the boys assembled school buses. Then we explored the store, stopping to look at whatever caught the boys' attention. We looked around for almost an hour and were asked if we needed assistance by at least a dozen associates.


After we left Lowe's, I took the boys to buy a Lego set and then we ran a couple of errands. When we got home the boys immediately began building their new Lego set and spent several hours playing with it. Then we played math games until well after midnight.
We slept in this morning and just sort of loafed around until it was time to go to Weymouth Woods. Today, we went on a hike and learned all about how the long leaf pine and other regional plants and animals benefit from controlled burns. It was really interesting, and the boys and I learned a lot. I never really thought about how much fire changes the environment and how much plants depend on these changes. We got to do a little off trail hiking and saw some really interesting things. Also, D go to hold a butterfly. I'm really glad that we were able to attend today.
When we got home, we worked on math, grammar, and critical thinking. We finished off the day by playing with Lego's and watching a movie.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fun and Games

On Wednesday, the boys and I went to a cookout and swimming with a couple of homeschool friends. When we got home, they played with Lego's and then we watched a couple of movies.



We got up early Thursday morning and read and played games until it was time for the boys to go to the dentist. When we got home, they played Lego's and we watched a couple movies, again.
On Friday, we ran errands and got the boys registered for flag football. Then they played with the neighbor children for a couple of hours. D also spent some time with his grandparents. After that, it was back to playing with Lego's.

B read the first Lunch Lady book and started the second. D read Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom and started Fred and Anthony Escape from the Netherworld.


Tuesday, August 18, 2009

A Productive Start

Yesterday, the boys and I started out the day with school. We did critical thinking, math, geography, and science. They also did a dictionary skills lesson. Afterwards, I did a bit of housework while they played Lego's, Star Wars, and Codename: Kids Next Door. When the boys tired of playing, they began working on their Christmas lists. We also spent quite a bit of time watching the hummingbirds fight over the feeder outside our living room window.

Today was a repeat of yesterday, with the addition of rollerblading and grocery shopping. I suppose that they weren't the most interesting of days, but they were rather productive.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

A Fun Weekend

On Friday, I took the boys over to a couple of their homeschool friends' house to play. They had a great time and didn't want to leave. As soon as we got home, they headed for the neighbors' house to play until almost dark. Then we played Simpsons Monopoly for several hours. Afterward, the boys and I watched Stand By Me.

Saturday morning, Big B and I took the boys to Michael's, where the boys decorated metal pencil boxes. Then we ran a few errands. Then the boys and I went to Weymouth Woods for a program on squirrels.

Sunday afternoon, Big B and I took the boys to a friend's birthday party at an ice skating rink. It was their first time on ice skates. B stepped onto the ice and took off without any hesitation. D hung to the wall at first, but once we convinced him to let go, he had no problems. They skated for about two hours and were not ready to leave when it was time for the rink to close. I'm almost certain that we will bo going back soon.
B is finally on the last of the Wiley and Grampa books, while D read the first Stone Rabbit book and started the second. Big B finished The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and I started A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Homebodies

We spent most of the day at home today, doing a little housework and playing Lego's. The boys did go play at the neighbors' house for a couple hours this afternoon. After dinner D and I experimented with a recipe called a Cinnamon Flop, which turned out surprisingly good. Afterward, we played Monopoly for several hours.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Swimming and Playing

After staying up until the wee hours of the morning, stargazing, the boys and I still managed to get up early and head to the lake. It was the perfect day for it. It was overcast and a little breezy. The temperature was neither too hot, nor too cold.


When we got home the boys played with Lego's and watched TV while I did a bit of housework. Then we all worked on a jigsaw puzzle and played foosball. The boys even played one game of foosball using a walnut for the ball to see what it would be like. They declared it more fun than using the regular balls.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Monday and Tuesday

The boys and I slept late yesterday. Yes, we do that a lot. We rode with my mother to her doctor's appointment, and afterward, we had lunch and ran a few errands. When we got home, the boys went over to the neighbor's house to play and did not come home until dinner time. After dinner, we had an old movie marathon, watching The Robot Monster, The Incredible Petrified World, Queen of the Amazons, and Unknown World. In between movies, we had duels using 2 liter bottles from the recycling.

This morning, of course, we slept in again. After breakfast, the boys played games and then watched a few episodes of Watch Mr. Wizard. Then, they played with Lego's until suppertime. After supper, we all pitched in and helped D finish the last bit of his puzzle.

We spent the rest of the evening trying to view the Perseid Meteor Shower through gaps in the clouds and reading.

B started book 9 of the Wiley and Grampa Creature Features while D finished the second Lunch Lady book.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

A Batty Sunday

After sleeping late, the boys got up and worked on their puzzles and then played with Lego's. This afternoon, we went to Weymouth Woods for a presentation on bats. We had studied bats before, but there were a few things that the boys had forgotten, so I'm glad that we went.
When we got home, the boys read for a while, and then went back to playing with Lego's and working on their puzzles. D is over half way done with his puzzle and B finished his tonight.
We ended out the night by playing games and, of course, more Lego's.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Sleepy Saturday

This morning we went to Lowe's for the Build and Grow Clinic, where the boys made powerboats. Afterward, we went out in the parking lot and looked at the sheds. Not that we are planning on getting one, the boys just like to look at them. They were trying to decide which one would make the best workshop. Then we ran a few errands and headed home. I took a nap while the boys played. D went to visit his grandparents and fell asleep there, while B fell asleep at home. After dinner, we watched TV for a while and then the boys played with Lego's and did jigsaw puzzles.


D has started reading Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, and B read Star Wars Clone Wars: The Battle for Ryloth . I read Black Creek Crossing by John Saul and am now reading Miss Marple the Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie.



Friday, August 7, 2009

A Good and Bad Day

Today started out kind of crummy, with the boys and I having to run errands. When we got home, we just kind of loafed around. The boys played, I read, and we all took turns on the computer. After dinner, we decided to do tomorrow's cooking lesson tonight. Then we ate brownies and watched a movie.

Lazy, lazy, lazy

Today was a lazy day. The boys and I ran a few errands and then returned home for a late lunch. We relaxed and played board games until dinner time. After dinner, my mother came over to watch a movie with us, and then I read while the boys watched videos online and played lacrosse in the living room.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The End of Summer Reading

Today the boys, my mother, and I attended the awards luncheon for the summer reading program. We were entertained by Bright Star Theatre performing Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk. Then we dined on pizza while the children received prizes. B was a little disappointed, he was only 3 books short of winning for reading the most chapter books. Each boy got a book, though. B won The Hardy Boys: Mystery of the Desert Giant and D won Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand by Gail Carson Levine.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Movies and Baseball

This morning, the boys and I slept in and then went to the grocery store with my mother. Afterward, the boys watched a movie and had an early supper. Next, we went to D's last baseball game, which his team won 13-0. Then, we went to my mother's house for cake. When we got home, the boys watched another movie.

Even though we are taking the week off from school work, the boys are still reading. B is back to reading the Wiley and Grampa series and is on book 8. D read the 9th BABYMOUSE book and is almost done with the 10th. When he is done with that one, he will have to find something else to read until the next one comes out on the 25th of this month.

Monday, August 3, 2009

A Lazy Monday

Today, we just hung out and watched movies and played on the computer. After dinner, we went to D's baseball game where his team got their first loss. When we got home, the boys played for a while, and we watched a little more TV.

B read the second Stone Rabbit book and D read the eight BABYMOUSE book today.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

A Good Weekend

Saturday, we ran a few errands, watched movies, put up 54 ears of corn and ate these for dinner:

On Sunday, we went to Weymouth Woods for a program about butterflies. We learned a couple of ways to tell butterflies from moths. Then we broke off into teams and identified butterflies. Our team had the American Painted Lady. Afterward, we went on a hike, looking for butterflies, moths and caterpillars.


Over the weekend, B finished the Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures series. He also read the first book of the Stone Rabbit books.

D read three more books in the BABYMOUSE series.