April Fool's Day Links

Does your family do any *fooling around* on April 1st?

Last year I planned a couple of fun *tricks* for the kiddos~they were big hits! We had this for breakfast: and this for dinner: It was really fun!

Now I feel like I have a reputation to live up to or something. So I've been trying to come up with a different idea for this years April fool's day.

Here are some links I've found with some fun ideas:

~From Living Locurto

~From One Pretty Thing

~From Martha Stewart

My fave idea so far is this solid milk, but I'm thinking of using orange jell-o and calling it juice for breakfast:)
I'd loved to hear what you have planned for your family!

The Critical Thinking Co: A Review

Recently the kiddos and I have had the chance to try two books from Timberdoodle by The Critical Thinking Co.

The Critical Thinking Co. products are designed to help students carefully analyze what they are learning and develop problem-solving skills through fun and creative exercises in reading, writing, math, history and science. They offer workbooks in all of these subjects for ages Pre-K through Adult.

I've used one of their Mind Benders books before and my children really loved it, so I was excited to try a couple more of their books~one with each child~to see how they worked with our family. And I must say I've been very pleased with these workbooks. My kids have really enjoyed them!
The Princess, who is in 2nd grade, has been working through the Building Thinking Skills Book 1. This book is all about developing deductive reasoning, sequencing, similarities/differences and SO much more. These were skills she needed to sharpen and I've been very pleased with how well she has done in this book. She has really loved the exercises and often asks to do more than I had planned for the day. Who can complain about that?!


Mr. B, who is in K5, has been working through the Mathematical Reasoning Level B and loves it! He is very much inclined toward math anyway and this has been a wonderful addition to the math curriculum that he has already been doing. This book deals not just with basic math problems but also symmetry, graphing, fractions, patterns, puzzles and much, much more. This is Mr. B's first year to do any formal math and I can tell how much he enjoys it. This book has been a treat for him and he always enjoys starting his school day with it. The exercises are varied so it's not monotonous at all.

I'm looking forward to using these workbooks year round in addition to our regular curriculum. The Critical Thinking Co. books would be a great way to keep your children's thinking skills sharp through the summer even if you're not schooling through the summer. They would also be great for conventionally-schooled children during their summer break.

If you've never checked out Timberdoodle, you definitely need to! They have some of the best homeschool resources around including complete curriculum kits. You can even request a free catalog.

Disclosure:
As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received free copies of these books in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

This post is linked to the Homeschool Curriculum Roundup at The Happy Housewife.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Have you heard about this? The Homeschool Village is hosting a *Garden Challenge* this Spring! I'm looking forward to it!

I was a little concerned that we might not have a space in which to garden this year, but as it turns out we'll be moving into our new digs (no pun intended) just in time to plant one. Yea!!

Now, I am a real novice when it comes to gardening. The extent of my experience is herbs and lettuce in patio pots and a couple of years with a tiny raised bed that included tomatoes, peppers, beans and herbs. I've had success with some of those, others not so much. Really, a complete novice!

Meaning: I'm hoping this garden challenge will provide me with some great tips from other gardeners!

This year I'm hoping to expand our gardening repertoire a bit. I'd like to plant tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, peppers and herbs. Our landlords have also *warned* us that last year their backyard became a voluntary pumpkin patch~that should be interesting! I think I would love that! Sure would save me a lot of $ buying them:)

While I'm sure we'll still enjoy our trips to the farmers market (I mean, I can't grow everything in my backyard!) it's so fun to pop into the backyard to pick something fresh for dinner. Nothing beats that!

So, do you garden? If so, what do you like to grow the most? And what's the easiest stuff for *young* gardeners to plant?

*Exciting News*

(cottage home painting by Anne Duke, courtesy of Google)

We have rented a home!

I know, some of you may be wondering why we haven't moved into a new home or maybe you didn't even know we were in transition.

To clear that up a bit, the home we were previously renting had to be vacated due to the owners needing to move back in. It was an understandable circumstance on their behalf and we have no hard feelings toward them. The timing of the move, however, did come at a very inconvenient time: right after Christmas and right before Vince was leaving on a trip overseas. And we couldn't find anything to rent. Not ideal, I know.

So we decided to store our belongings, only keeping out what we would need for a few weeks, and move in with my parents until Vince's return from his trip while trying to line up a place to move into when Vince returned.

Well, that trip didn't happen. It was a trip to Egypt and the day he was scheduled to leave was the day everything blew up over there. So...that was postponed and will hopefully be rescheduled later this year (after Egypt's elections).

Right at that same time Vince began a 6 week long interview process that looked as though it was a big green light to move out of state. So we postponed finding a house once again since we didn't want to move to a place here and then turn around and move to another state. But when it came down to it, things just didn't work out.

So 8 weeks into staying with my parents~5 more weeks than we had planned~we decided we were staying in this area indefinitely and we went house-hunting. And we found one the first day we looked! To our knowledge it had just gone up for rent~the owners are moving into a new home that they're building~and it's really perfect for us. I'm pretty excited about it!

We're not experienced renters. In fact, this is only our 2nd time to rent a home (we've owned 3 homes and look forward to owning again one day), but right now that is what we need to do so I am so thankful to find just the right place for our family to live.

It's a cottage-style home about 50 years old, in a great centrally-located neighborhood, close to a park, has an adorable fish pond in the backyard....and did I mention that there's a treehouse? Oh, yeah! That was the selling..er..renting point for us! The kiddos are so excited~and we had actually promised to build them a treehouse at our next house. Can you believe that?! I really think God was saving this house for us. I can't wait to show you pictures of it!

Anyway, I am relieved beyond words to know that we'll be getting settled again. We start moving this weekend! I just had to share that with you because you all have been so encouraging to me! Thanks again so much for your uplifting comments, your prayers and thoughts for us!

One Thousand Gifts

And the list continues...

0331. road trips

0332. Krispy Kreme donuts

0333. doing science experiments with my kiddos

0334. a new shirt to wear

0335. watching my son get his first strike bowling

0336. handmade fried pies

0337. the excitement that comes with a move

0338. spring tulips

0339. dogwood trees just starting to bloom

0340. happy surprises

Menu Plan Monday: March 28th

Last week I just sort of flew by the seat of my pants, so to speak, when it came to meals. We had a very busy sort-of-Spring-Break and I didn't think it would be worth the trouble to plan them. And I'm glad I didn't, it was such a crazy week.

This week promises to be pretty busy as well since we are preparing to move this weekend, but I'm going to attempt some sort of a dinner plan anyway. If we don't get it all done...oh, well:)

Monday: {Moms Nite Out with my homeschool group for me~a *daddy date* for the kiddos}
Tuesday: Salmon Patties, Baked Potatoes, Carrots & Peas
Wednesday: Cincinnati Chili coneys
Thursday: Chicken crepes, a salad and a veggie
Friday: {moving begins}
Saturday: {more moving}


This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

The Weekly Wrap-up: Rockets, Scouts and Co-op Classes

What a week! Did I say we were taking Spring Break this week?! Well, I need a break from our Spring *Break*. My poor eye has been twitching all day from exhaustion! ha! We have had a great week though, even if I am looking forward to sleeping in Saturday morning.

Monday found us in Huntsville, Alabama, heading to the US Space & Rocket Center. We had a very fun visit~you can read more about that field trip here.

Tuesday dawned way too early after our long day of driving home after our field trip on Monday. But we got The Princess off to Girl Scout day camp anyway. She couldn't have been more excited! Doesn't her troop look so cute with all of their little lunch bags (The Princess is on the far right)? As homeschoolers taking a sack lunch is a BIG deal apparently.

Wednesday was the big *8* for The Princess. I can't believe how fast they grow!! We had a great time celebrating her birthday throughout the day. Her cake turned out so yummy!

Thursday brought the last day of day camp for The Princess and after dropping her off for the morning Mr. B and I headed to a local play place~the Monkey House~for some bounce around fun with a friend and her son. The week had been focused a lot on his big sister and I wanted to take some special time to do something fun just with him. We had a great time together!

We also had some family game time on the Wii Thursday evening. We always have fun playing on that! The kiddos kept me especially entertained watching them race on the bikes.

Friday brought back our co-op classes after having last week off from them. Lego class gave everyone a challenging contraption: an art-o-mation. We were short some parent assistants in there today and I have never been so busy helping put Legos together. It was crazy:) We did have fun playing with them after finally getting them together though and the kids made some fun doodles with them.

Next was crafts class...with painting. Again, we were short on assistants and it was one busy hour. While the kids had a blast painting, I was completely exhausted and ready for a nap by the time it was all over!

The kids' art turned out great though:) My kids could seriously draw, color, paint and craft all day long!

(Mr. B's)

(The Princess')

After co-op our homeschool group sponsored an afternoon of bowling fun. I must say I sat on the sidelines and cheered the kiddos on rather than throwing my arm out bowling. The kids had a great time and burned off some energy.

When we finally got back home late in the afternoon my sweet hubby graciously *ordered* me to go take a nap before dinner. What a great guy! I so need that:) My eye even stopped twitching after a little shut eye. The we finished our day up with pizza and a movie.

So did you take a Spring Break? If so, what did you do? I'd love to hear about it!

An Astronaut for the Day

This week we had the opportunity to take the kiddos to the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. We were in the area because Vince was speaking at a church in Tennessee last Sunday, so we thought we take in a field trip while we were close by.

We've been before~on Mr. B's 2nd birthday~but the kiddos really don't remember that visit. And for a while now The Princess has been asking to go again. And since her birthday was this week it seemed like the perfect outing to celebrate her birthday.

And it was a great outing~perfect weather and all! We were also excited to find they had built a new, more hands-on part to the center that was great for younger kiddos to explore. In the entrance to the new addition there was a re-creation of what appeared to be Leonardo DaVinci's flying machine. We loved that because we've been studying DaVinci for a couple of months and the kids are fascinated by him.

The new exhibit hall was filled with huge, amazing pieces of rockets and shuttles. It's unbelievable how large they are and how much power it takes to get one of them into space.

Throughout the area there were some demonstrations going on and the kiddos had fun participating. Below is a shot of them doing a *taste test* with jelly beans. It was sort of an experiment on the taste buds. Mr. B wasn't impressed with his cinnamon jelly bean:)

There were quite a few activities incorporated into the displays that were fun for us all. Below shows us learning a little *lesson* in thrust.

Since we've been studying our solar system in science this year many of the space craft shown and/or talked about in the displays were familiar to us. It was great for the kids to make more of a connection with what they've learned in their science book.

The size of these things just blows me away~oh, and they had a fun simulator of what if might *feel* like to be under one of these as it blasts off (without the heat, of course).

Below the kiddos are playing with a wooden model of a moon rover~it shows how the real one folded up inside the shuttle for the trip through space. We also got to ride inside a simulator that was what it might be like to rove around on Mars. This was fun because we really enjoyed studying Mars and making Mars rovers.

It was also fun to test our some *moon gloves*. You have to really be focused and trained to do anything in those clunky things!

The kiddos got quite the kick out of the *astronaut diapers*~they just couldn't believe it:)

There were shuttles to climb inside...

...and cool NASA Airstreams to look inside. (Have I ever told you about my wish to someday own an Airstream?)

Outside there was much more to check out: a *moon surface*, a rocket launching ride, the kids' play area, more rockets and missiles than you can count...

There was even a re-creation of the International Space Station. Vince decided they must have gotten their design ideas from the Star Wars movies...and that was all it took for the kiddos to get in a little light sabre action.

We were blessed with beautiful Spring weather and enjoyed the walk around the grounds before hitting the road home for a good 9 more hours. Yes, it was a very long day.

Of course, no visit to the US Space & Rocket Center would be complete without some *ice cream of the future*!
Have you ever been to Huntsville? It's definitely worth the visit!

A Girly-Girly Birthday Cake

Yes, that's what my daughter asked for, a "girly-girly" cake. Not that she could even tell me what all that entailed. So Vince and I had to come up with something to fit the bill. I think we hit a home run with this.

We decided to do a *girly-girly* version of the rainbow cake. Remember that one? So pretty! But this time we went with *girly* colors.

First I whipped up a yellow cake mix. A white one might have worked better color-wise, but I was working with what was in the pantry, y'all.

Next, I divided the batter evenly into four bowls (the predetermined number of colors we chose) and began to color the batter. Our colors were yellow, pink, purple and blue (yes, that's blue even though it looks sort of green here). Gel colors would work the best, but I had to work with old school food coloring this time around. Again, working with that I had:)

Then I divided the batter into two (greased and floured) 9" cake pans. I placed a 1/4 cup scoop in each batter bowl and then began with pan #1. I started with a scoop of blue, then a scoop of purple, next a scoop of pink and finally a scoop of yellow. Just dump the scoop right in the center of the pan, subsequently dumping the next color right on top of the last. I reversed the color pattern in pan #2 and then repeated the steps with each pan until the batter was evenly dispersed and all gone. Before you put the pans in the oven just give them a little tap on the countertop to spread the batter in the pan evenly. Bake as directed on the box.

Then clean up the inevitable mess. But isn't it a pretty mess?

When the cake is done, turn the layers out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Next I made a homemade batch of vanilla buttercream frosting~I doubled this recipe. There was plenty to put the cake together and a little extra for a few licks. (Sorry, I didn't get a photo of this step, but it's simply icing a layer cake).

For the finishing touches, Vince whipped up some icing to match the colors inside the cake. Because we needed icing quickly we used the store-bought kind that comes in a bag with a tip. Since my icing tips and bags are currently in storage this was the least expensive way. And the frosting isn't bad (I'm not usually a fan of canned frosting).

The result was so cute!! The Princess LOVED it~and so did everyone else!!

There's just something incredibly fun about cutting into a cake that looks like this on the inside!

Of course, it's even more fun to eat it:)