Random thoughts

Realizing that some days, lists and random thoughts just happen when blogging (see the Yarn Harlot)

1. At some point continuing on when the outcome doesn't look good could be a sign on character. Continuing on with a sweater which has already been proven to be more than 12" too wide with the hope that washing it will cause it to shrink up is possibly not the character I want to project on the world.

2. I'm still not ripping out the sweater (for the 4th time!)

3. Unschooling is a wonderful way to teach kids when Mama is sick with a cold.

4. Watching UK's "You are What You Eat" just makes me hungry.

5. Girlie's girl scout troop is hoping to go camping in the spring if we can raise enough money from the cookie sale. We are looking at going here- Plus go tubing on a local river.

6. Girlie has decided to be a songwriter, Boyo has moved on from wanting to be a policeman- I think.

7. At some point I have to buy more yarn for the too large sweater.

It's Magic Try-it Lapbook

Ok first off I am sorry I have been gone so long. We had a huge family vacation and with getting back into the whole schooling thing... well let's just say it took a bit of time.

But for your enjoyment I have finished a Magic Try-it Lapbook. This lapbook is based off the try-it from the River Bluffs Council http://www.riverbluffs.org/PDF_WhatsNew/WhatsUPPatchProgramBooklet11408/ItsMagicPatchProgram11408.pdf

This council is dissolving so it is tricky to figure out where to order the try-its so I will help you out. :) You have to call them directly at (618) 692-0692 / (800) 345-6858 and ask for the store. Then ask for the It's Magic try-it. They currently have them in stock for a dollar and change.

The other council own patches are here http://www.riverbluffs.org/PDF_WhatsNew/WhatsUPPatchProgramBooklet11408/WhatsUpPatchProgramBooklet11408.htm

They will not be available after Oct. so Order them quick!!

I used left over minit books from other projects to create the books for my daughter. So the PDF books might look different.

Here is a picture of the inside Girlie's Lapbook. Picture of the front is at the top of this post.

Here is the link to the PDF for the lapbook and as always I hope you and your family enjoy making it. Please drop me a note telling me what you liked/didn't like.

Magic Try-it Lapbook

First Aid Lapbook

We have completed our first Brownie try-it lapbook --Birds. Girlie learned a lot about them, which I guess is the point of try-its. Sometimes we rush though the activities but I am not that concerned about it since she loves to go back through the lapbooks and reread them. I figure that helps cement the knowledge.

Anyway with the first brownie lapbook completed under our belts I have started to put together resources and activities for the next lapbook- First Aid.

Here are the requirements for the try-it. http://store.gscsnj.org/store/product/14662/FIRST-AIDE-TRY-IT/


Instead of re-inventing the wheel I wanted to see what minit books I could find to fit the requirements of this try-it for free online. I was surprised to find so many of them.

Here is the list of links to what either meets the requirements or is a nice addition to flesh out the unit.

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/camping/first_aid_kit.pdf

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/camping/prepared.pdf (Expansion)

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/officer_buckle_and_gloria/call_911.pdf
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/tornado/first_aid.pdf
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/petunia/first_aid_basics.pdf
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/care_and_keeping/Sports%20Safety.pdf (only the sprain minit book)
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/petunia/community.pdf glue in the pictures of who would use first aid
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/petunia/emergency_wheel.pdf (Expansion)
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/docs54367/leprechauns_dress_weather.pdf
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/8271621/First-Aid-minit-Books

Be prepared isn't a requirement but I think it is a good expansion to flesh out the unit, also a good thing to get the little minds working if you plan on taking your kids camping.

The Emergency Wheel teaches about what to do in an emergency so even though it is not a requirement I think it is important.

For the sprain Don't forget R.I.C.E. Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate

The only things not covered by all the wonderful free minit books I found is care for shock and burns and also what things to be aware of in certain weather. To that end I added my own minit books to the list above so that these topics would be covered.

My plan is to work on this book with Girlie over the next little while. I'll post pictures when we are done.

Bridging to Brownies

It is getting near that time of year. Bridging time. Boyo will soon move to Bears in Cub Scouts and Girlie will move to Brownies.



In Boyo's old pack they gave the boys new handbooks, kerchiefs and slides. We only had to buy the hats. I hope they do something similar in this new better homeschool friendly pack.


Since Girlie is moving to a new troop (yay this one is just homeschoolers and I am not the leader!!) I get to fund the change in uniforms.

This is where I get to have fun. It is like a huge treasure hunt. I try to find some of the stuff on Ebay so I can get a deal. I also check freecycle and then I comparison shop the online stores for the rest. I love the hunt! So sue me I don't get out much.

I am so pleased that we are moving to a homeschool troop, plus Girlie will be with BFF so we will be able to move at "homeschool pace". But best of all BFF's mom will be the one planning the meetings so that will be one stress off me.

The Quarry

Boyo at the quarry

BFF's middle brother E. overlooking the quarry.

Today we had a field trip to a local Quarry with Boyo's cub scout pack. Girlie and BFF were the tag-a-long Daisy contingent.

It was a wonderful time! The kids were taken to watch the entire rock process. First, we watched them blast some rock loose from the walls of the quarry.

Before:

Notice the 12 holes drilled in formation? The blasting caps and other boom making things are in those holes. Yep, I know, really technical terms. I was wrangling a kid when they were talking about the explosives.

After:

To see it in action- Sorry my camera only shoots for 5 seconds and I am just figuring it out. Turn on your sound. The biggest laughs you hear at the end are Girlie.

After the explosion, we drove into the quarry to get a closer look at the different machines and to watch the guys (only guys, didn't see any female workers) load up a truck full of the rubble from the explosion.

Then we got back into our cars and drove to the crusher (Sorry again, I deleated those pictures by accident) When the rubble was dumped on to huge conveyor belts and moved this way and that to a big orange box that rattled and shook. This crushed the rocks into smaller chunks for landscaping stone. It it also crushed the rocks smaller into aggregate for concrete or asphalt.

We were given a chance to pick though some rocks that were dumped into a special field for us. Many of the boys found Calcite crystals, along with bits of quartz and marble. Some of the boys even found Metabasalt (metamorphosed basalt) which they called coal since it is dark and layered looking, like coal. (Many kids in this area have coal stoves so it is normal for black rocks to be found, they just assumed that all black rocks of a certain size and look are coal. The difference was explained between coal and metabasalt. The main difference being that coal will burn in a stove and metabasalt won't).

Thank you L# Quarry for the wonderful field trip! (I'd put the real name of the quarry but I have privacy concerns.)