Yesterday evening we just took a drive around the Fairbanks area and enjoyed the local scenery while this gorgeous weather still holds. Fall is definitely making an appearance here. Flocks of birds are migrating southward. Berries are beyond ripe and the Fireweed has gone to seed. Mornings are chilly, and the leaves are turning so quickly! It won’t be long before we’ll wake up to our first snow and the long Alaska winter will begin. But for now, everything is golden:
The Alaska range floating in the distance.
Mist settling into the wetlands.
Sunset over Chena Lake.
Original post by lapazfarm
Well, after a few hours of work, I was blessed with 13 and 1/2 quarts of fresh homemade stewed tomato sauce! We didn’t get all of the tomatoes done…. I’ll go back in a few days and juice up the rest (they weren’t quite ripe enough anyway). Making juice is very fast compared to the blanching, peeling, de-seeding, chopping and cooking that goes into the stewed tomatoes. Not to mention water baths are so much faster than pressure canning, even with two canners running.
So all together now I have put by 23 quarts of stewed tomatoes and (with still more to go) 12 pints of juice. I already used 1 of the quarts, and 2 of the pints. On an average month I think we need about 4 quarts, and a few juiced pints.
Self sufficiency is something my dear son is excited about. Just a few days ago […]
Original post by 1homzcoolmama
(My Friends Tigger & Pooh and Mickey’s Storybook Surprises were both provided to me by Special Ops Media for the purpose of this feature and giveaway.)
Join Pooh, Tigger, Darby and all your pals from the Hundred Acre Wood for this delightful treat full of fantas-terrific fun!
It’s fall, the time of year filled with surprises, and the gang needs YOU to use your super-sleuthing skills to answer a few tricky questions and solve some spooky-fun mysteries. Can Piglet’s friends help him overcome his fear of thunder and lightning by playing the Flashidy Freeze game? And when a piece of the moon “breaks off,” will Eeyore really take a rocket-ship trip to fix it?! There’s much more excitement in store, so get ready to laugh, play and sing along as you and your friends celebrate the harvest season and proudly proclaim, “This mystery is history!”
Yes, that says “Darby.” Christopher Robin is absent […]
Original post by carrie
I saw this at The Bayer Family Blog, and thought it would be a good post for when I can’t think of anything else.
1. Sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Kevin’s favorites are Battlestar Galactica, Psych, Firefly, or Band of Brothers
2. You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Thousand Island
3. What’s one food he doesn’t like?
Peas. Neither of us like peas, so you won’t see them in our house.
4. You go out to the bar. What does he order?
Well, we’ve never gone to a bar together, but at New Year’s he likes to have a Kahlua and Cream.
5. Where did he go to high school?
Rex Putnam High School in Milwaukie, Oregon.
6. What size shoe does he wear?
Six.
7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
He already does - he collects computers.
8. What is his favorite type […]
Original post by carrie
Yo. This is also a yeah-I-can’t-think-of-anything-to-write-about-so-I-will-post-a-link-or-cute-picture post. Deal with it=_= But to the subject. This is a link to Homestar Runner which in my opinion is the definition of chilly. Everything is hilarious, But, it’s the kind of website that you have to get completely lost in. watch as much as you can and more. Some things won’t make sense unless you watch certain episodes. I love this website because it kinda created it’s own little universe. I have watched pretty much everything and know so much about all the characters. Unless you are offended by the word crap and drug references I highly recommend this. Also if this is your first time, watch the intro just for laughs.
Original post by chicagolo
Summer isn’t quite over, I know, but for the purpose of the Summer Reading Challenge, it is. Here’s what I managed to get read during June, July, and August.
Continued reading (these are ongoing):
~ The Oxford Book of American Poetry
~ The Intellectual Devotional by David S. Kidder & Noah D. Oppenheim
Finished:
~ An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn’t by Judy Jones & William Wilson (finished 7/2) - 4 stars - related post
~ She Always Wore Red by Angela Hunt (finished 6/3) - 5 stars
A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599 by James Shapiro (finished 8/22) - 3 stars - related post
~ Belong to Me by Marisa De Los Santos (finished 6/9) - 5 stars - related post
~ The Host by Stephenie Meyer (finished 6/29) - 5 stars - related post
~ Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer (finished 6/6) - 4 stars
~ […]
Original post by carrie
Sarah Palin: Dominionist Stalking Horse
I urge you to look beyond your ovaries and one track, one issue voting mind and see this election for what it is: big trouble. You do not have to like Obama, but you really cannot like McCain/Palin. You have no idea what voting for them will do to this country. You think we are bad off now?
She also is trying to get Creationism taught in the schools as actual science. Does the phrase “Jesus Camp” hit anyone especially hard? Good, because that is exactly the type of church/belief Palin has and supports.
Caution, people, caution. Get out and vote this year, but do so based on facts not lies (like the whole Obama being muslim thing). Do so based on who can turn this country around, not who’s the most pro-life/pro-family. There is more to this election, to any election, to being President, to anyone being […]
Original post by electricbarbarella
I bought these cute little cardboard nesting blocks for baby Alex last year. They’re colorful, whimsical and stack up pretty high if you want to build towers. Unfortunately, they lasted about 21 hours before the first one was smashed, the second was ripped, and another was lost.
It seemed a shame to toss them but they were not being used and were just taking up room. So last week I organized the craft bucket and repurposed them as containers. Four of them found new uses holding pens, markers, pencils and odds & ends. They’re portable and fun!
Unfortunately they’re also upside down, but it suits us that way.
Original post by Alicia
Ohmigod! This soooo-oooo cute!!
Original post by chicagolo
We are enjoying a long weekend swimming, eating hot dogs and hamburgers and doing some fall crafts. Happy Labor Day !
Original post by homeschoolmom
Songs of Innocence-The Schoolboy
by William Blake
I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
Oh, what sweet company!But to go to school in a summer morn,
Oh! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour;
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn through with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
O, father and mother, if buds are nipped
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are stripped
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay,
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we […]
Original post by themindfulhomeschool
The kids and I have been having a ton of fun outside lately. We went on a nature bike on Friday morning and spent the rest of the day making bird baths from terra cotta pots. On our bike ride into the woods, we saw all kinds of cool stuff. We saw a huge wasp nest along the bike path, then later ran into the woods to check out the “kids’ fort” and scared away at least one antlered deer. It ran out of the wooded area when W went charging into the tall grasses by the creek. W also found a very pretty blue and black and white striped feather.
When we came home I started pulling out our assorted collection of terra cotta pots so that the kids could make bird baths. We saw this idea first on PBS’s Donna’s Day show. It is a lot of fun, doesn’t cost […]
Original post by themindfulhomeschool
Steak suggested my being Hina Ichigo for halloween and I have to say this idea appeals to me, it looks a good deal easier and I would be able to get some strawberry bean cakes and say it was part of my costume AND I would have a completely legit reason to say “Nano” after every sentence. And now that I think about it, I kinda look like Hina Ichigo… with my blonde hair and all.. Note the kinda. But Hina Ichigo is certainly being considered .
Original post by chicagolo
We’re still trying to figure out how to keep up with household chores now that I’m not in the house all the time. Yesterday we sat down and wrote down every chore we could think of, and then divided them up. I won’t bother listing my chores, as they are by far the longest list still, but here’s what the boys took.
DH:
take turns with me doing dinner dishes
help pick up living room every night
fold his own laundry
help clean our room and change our bedsheets
take out the trash and recycling
clean the cat litterboxes
clean the laundry room
take turns with me on mopping the kitchen floor
vacuum once a week
take turns with me mowing and weed whipping the yard
turn the compost bins
put the compost in the worm bin
feed the snake
clean the snake tank
clean the fish tank
help with garage and porch clean ups as needed
Carbon:
Clean his own room
Change his own sheets
Fold his own laundry
Wash the […]
Original post by learningumbrella
Sorry, everyone - just found out that video about the cell phone and popcorn in my previous post is a hoax. I’ll have to be more diligent in my research next time! It sure looked real, though.
Original post by carrie
Today our baby will be officially given his name and he will be known everywhere, including in the records of the Church, as Adrian Lloyd Duk (or something like that since Duk isn’t actually our last name). It’s such a special occasion that I actually ironed the two little boys’ overalls. Many people will be shocked by that statement, particularly my mother. I despise ironing. My mom doesn’t seem to mind it. Her mom apparently ironed anything and everything. I didn’t get that ironing gene. But iron their clothes this morning I did.
Anyway, I always love to see the dads take their tiny little babies up to the stand in the front and gather in a circle around the baby with their priesthood holding family, friends, and the bishopric. After the blessing it is customary for the dad to hold the baby […]
Original post by Heather @ CamianAcademy
Our family is a big milk drinking family and consumes gallons and gallons in the states. Since living here, that has been a problem. The milk does NOT taste the same except for one or two kinds that are close. It must say “fresh milk” or it could be milk powder, or frozen then reconstituted…all nasty options, trust me. So, we bite the bullet and pay the big bucks for the teeny containers of fresh milk and cut way, way back on our consumption.
As I was reading through my friend Beth’s blog, I saw her calculations on the price of milk here in HKG. It was information I did not need.
Here is what she said…
I buy milk in 946ml cartons so that is about 1/4 gallon so when you do the math or is it maths (British say maths) and then convert it works out to . . . really […]
Original post by mom2rbdl
‘Round here we’ve been pretty busy lately. Trying to stay on track with our lessons… and doing pretty good so far. Sometime this next week we will be offically 25% done with 3rd grade math. DS was thrilled thinking about the possibility of starting something 4th grade ahead of schedule. We are doing pretty well with the other subjects, too, but they don’t have as concrete of an ending as Saxon math. 140 lessons total in that book, and we have 31 completed so far. Some of the concepts he is strong in, and remembers well from 2nd grade, so we usually do 2 lessons on those days. I just want to be done in time for planting next spring…
Which leads me into the garden (and Dad’s garage for canning purposes). SO far this year I canned up 10 qts of […]
Original post by 1homzcoolmama
Just a few photos from our trip to Sioux Falls yesterday…
At the zoo’s museum…
Horsing (er, kangarooing) around…
At the zoo…
At the battleship park…
And the drive home…
It was a good day!
Original post by Alicia
Meet Chewie.
Chewie is a panda bear hamster, and is now an official member of the family. He got his name because he managed to chew his way out of the box on the car ride home from the pet store (good thing we didn’t live 5 more minutes down the road, or THAT would have been a sitcom-worthy situation). I wanted to name him Harry (Houdini) but Bonnie, very selfishly wants to name her own pet. Hmph.
So, we have him safely in his home, and we attached a maze, and after scurrying around, Chewie has decided that it’s time for a nap. Whew.
Happy Birthday, Bonnie.
And, as my friend J reminded me … here’s the Original Hamster Dance.
Original post by bonnieandclyde
Victoria has been laughing so hard she’s falling over at this accidental video we took at the zoo yesterday. This was supposed to be a picture of Alex feeding a goat. Anna accidentally hit record and couldn’t figure out why the picture wouldn’t take. I’m on my best behavior! Ahem! Victoria says I have to post this to show “the real us!”.
She says to tell you that I’m not usually this grumpy. She says at home I’m 90% happy… or at least 85!
var flashObject = new FlashObject(”http://www.youtube.com/v/wlBGu2Pjr7E”,”fm_wlBGu2Pjr7E”,”425″,”350″,”6″,”",”",”",”",”");
flashObject.write(”fo_targ_wlBGu2Pjr7E1868194635″);
Original post by Alicia
Discussion:
We reviewed the six kingdoms of life and made a new chart — kind of a “mind map” — which the kids decorated with magazine clippings.
We talked a lot — again — about how the animal kingdom is divided into phyla.
We talked about how scientists divide animals into kingdoms (by the type of cells, how it is nourished, etc.)
Lab:
John led us in a biology lab — studying specimens of various animal phyla. We used a biology textbook for reference. Since my kids already have a basic understanding of natural selection and evolution, I wove that into the discussion. We emphasized the way animals are believed to have evolved from protists (which we studied in our last lab).
We started with a starfish — which is basically a mass of unspecialized cells, then moved on to cnidarians (like jellyfish), which have simple specialized parts (basically a tube-like body and tentacles, both […]
Original post by tribeofautodidacts
Why does GFY only let you go back 10 pages? I would very much like to see their older posts.
Why/how do Meyerpires sparkle?*
Why does Amazon charge like, 3$ for shipping?
Why do american teenage girls like stupid things so much???!??!( Fruits Basket,Hannah Montana etc.)
Original post by chicagolo
I think I’m recovered from our day-long Silverwood extravaganza. Did I mention that we left at 8:30 am and didn’t return until 10 pm? I’m looking forward to Tuesday, which - in spite of being our fifth day of school - will feel like our first day of school and life will begin to return to normal. Whatever that is.
Lots of exciting things happening in the news lately. Obama gives a darn good speech; McCain announces a surprise VP pick. And me? I’m still ambivalent about the whole thing. I’m musing over a post - that will probably be very long - about the whole presidential thing. Probably sometime this week, if I find the time to get the thoughts out of my head and into some kind of organized format.
But, for now, I promised you links - and do I have a bunch!
~ Entertainment Weekly counts down […]
Original post by carrie
Daryl and Victoria have been having a blast playing Seed, a free online game where kids learn about everything from clones to genetic codes. Plant a seed and grow a flower, then choose whether to plant a clone of it or cross two flowers and splice them. Watch for mutations, see what new designs you can make and experiment with other people’s genetic codes. Not only is it really educational, but it’s pretty and fun.
Original post by Alicia
« Previous Entries