Tie Dye Tradition- shirts & learning in my own way

Just like the leaf rubbings of 2 weeks ago, tie dye is another activity that we've done since the very earliest days of our homeschooling. Each fall we tie dye new shirts. I have even run this activity for homeschool groups a few times. There's just something about tie dye shirts that I equate with homeschooling. I think it's the freedom to decorate your shirt any way you want to, there are no firm rules and it should fit your personality or whim of the day. Many of Trevor's tie dye shirts have just yellow or green patterns depending on which color he liked best that year. Hayley's shirts are always artistic masterpieces full of colors. Colin's are haphazard and fun and Tristan's are well thought out and specific. In homeschooling we are free to learn and grow at our own paces, follow the whims of our likes and dislikes and customize the children's educations to best fit them. The tie dye t-shirts are one of a kind as should our home education be. One style doesn't fit all in shirts, favorite colors and designs or math and reading!

I don't have after pictures as the many shirts the kids made are still tied up and drying. They should be done tomorrow.

Good News At The Eye Doctor

Tristan had an appointment with the eye doctor today, Hayley came along to keep him company while the older boys stayed home. It was one of the longer checks, with dilation and such. Not fun but he got good news. Tristan's eyesight with his glasses is improving! Also there is no need to have a check up every three months now, he can go yearly. That's good news since a trip to the eye doctor, or any doctor for that matter is a long-ish drive. The eye doctor said that although Tristan will not likely ever have perfect vision even with his glasses, they have corrected him to a point where he can see well and learning to read is getting easier. Just have to remember to always wear those glasses! Thankfully he's very good about it.


After the eye doctor we took a ride to the natural foods store to get some needed items. They always have nice fall displays outside the natural foods store.


Last we went to Petco for pet supplies. Once in Petco I thought I saw the kids dropping something out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and found them dropping their Webkinz to the ground with "leashes" (yarn). I asked what was up with THAT they said, our animals are allowed in Petco if they are leashed. Very funny!

That's about it for the day. The kids played outdoors for awhile when we got home and soon we'll have supper and then the kids can watch a bedtime movie.

Wiped Out Wednesday

Busy day. One Wednesday a month we have multiple commitments but since they don't start until later I still try to get some work in here at home in the morning. Then there is the rush of getting out of the house on time at 11:00-ish. Well we made it anyway. We got in Spanish and a couple other things, did lunch then met our friends before mixed class day. Trevor stayed at our friends house with their teen boy to play video games as they are too old for the mixed classes (and Trevor wouldn't want to do them anyway). Kids played for a bit then off to the classes. This month in Mad Science the kids learned about physical and chemical changes and some things about elements. They did three experiments and got a game called Atomic Coins about the elements to bring home. I think they had fun.

For the animals class this time the theme was Australian animals. The kids learned about introduced species & the different areas of Australia and met Australian animals including a rabbit, an unusual frog, a type of parakeet, a large snake, a skink, a duck and a tarantula. I didn't get good photos of the animals this time, my battery was low and my camera won't zoom then.

Below my kids watch curiously to see which animal will come out next.

snake skin

shed exoskeletons from tarantulas.

After mixed class day we had a cub scout meeting. The boys learned more about the Boy Scout Law, motto, etc. They will soon be crossing over to Boy scouts and must learn these things first if they want to earn the arrow of light award.

We got home about 5:30, had a quick supper and now the kids are playing until bedtime

Just an autumn Tuesday

Today we did another little activity from the TOS Autumn Treasures e-book. The kids made this lapbook part and also labeled one of the other papers about seasons. The photo is Tristan's pictures of what reminds him of each season. Hayley also did some cute drawings. Colin chose to write words. For spring he chose the word salamanders, because that's when they all come out again and he misses the, after the winter!


After learning time the kids did their jobs of the week and I detailed how we work that in the post below. I started this system when I found housework was the thing getting attention last this year and it was stressing me out. I then realized I hadn't been having the kids help as much as I should be. We tend to slack off in the summer. Probably because have more time to do the cleaning myself and the house just gets less messy with much of the kids play being outdoors in summer. I should have added a disclaimer that I am not a neat freak and my house is not super clean. I just like things to stay fairly decent, not get to the point where it seems impossible to ever see the floor, furniture and counters again! Maintaining is much easier than overhauling. This years system is just a simpler variation of last years. Now that the children are getting older there are not as many random messes which is nice.

We got outdoors some in the afternoon, there isn't nearly as much creeping and crawling around this time of year. Colin was happy to spot this caterpillar though.




In the afternoon a kids movie was on and Poppy (below) was actually watching it for a long time...and it wasn't an animal movie! It was cute.


Meanwhile Freeze napped on the laundry pile.

Late in the day I went out to take a new leaves on the trees (or lack of) photo and Snowflake the cat was doing his I'm cute so come pat me game.

It worked, he is cute and can always get some attention from me!

Here is what the trees in my side yard are looking like at the moment, getting pretty bare:

Three Cheers for Chores

Chores, jobs, work, do it just because you're part of the family...whatever you call it this topic sends kids fleeing in the opposite direction, at least some of the time! I've tried all sorts of convoluted chore systems over the years, some more effective than others. Funny enough the system that works best is very simple and adds a touch of humor. I write chores to be done on index cards, give them fun names, keep them in a tin and kids choose one to do each week.

I finally realized that consistency is more important than fancy chore charts or what have you. There's nothing wrong with fancy systems and charts but they are not needed.

Here are what my chore cards look like:

Somewhat boring but they do the job. Some of the jobs are Wipe Down Wonder (wipes down kitchen surfaces and appliances), Cob Web Catcher, Dust Buster, Super Sweeper, Trash Thrower, "Would Wood" (would you please get at least your age in pieces of firewood), 5, 10, and 15 minute flings. That was from the fly lady I believe. I haven't followed her in years but I like the fling idea and altered it to my needs. That entails a child spending that prescribed amount of time in a room with three bags. One for trash, one for things that don't belong in that room, one for things that do belong in that room but aren't in the right place. They put items in the bags for the amount of minutes on the card. Then after those minutes are up bring the bags to the places needed. Trash bag to trash, doesn't belong to the rooms they do belong in and belongs but not put away...just put them away.

I vary the cards at times and sometimes make the choices random, sometimes let the kids choose a specific job. Their main all the time chores are just to keep their own spaces clean and specific pet related jobs. Having loads of animals living with us meant that the kids learned their care and needs from very early ages. The index cards are all the jobs that need to be done often but nobody would want to do them all the time.

I must admit these photos are re-enactments and only the younger kids got into the spirit of re-enacting. I didn't know I wanted to do this post until after they had already done their chores for the day. Must have photos though, thanks for humoring me boys!

This week Tristan has Wipe Down Wonder. Each day this week he sprays and cleans the kitchen surfaces and appliances. This can be done with vinegar and water or other natural cleaner if you don't want your kids exposed to chemicals. Just re-use a spray bottle that has run out of it's own cleanser.

Colin had Would-Wood. he likes this job best as it gets him outside. He is good about bringing in double his age or more of firewood even though I don't ask as much of Tristan who has a harder time carrying the weight.

Hayley and Trevor both had different length "flings" this week. I usually give myself a job while they're doing their job too so it seems more like teamwork. Yes I do most of these things regularly anyway but there is something to be said for all pitching in at the same time. I have Cob Web Catcher this week. LOL

If anyone reads this and has been struggling with kids and chores I hope this is somewhat inspiring. If you already have this area covered and have a great system in place leave a comment with your chore system.

As I sit here Hamster and Gerbil sitting...

I thought I might as well update my blog as I neglected it last week. I'm hamster and gerbil sitting while their various cages are being cleaned. Hamsters and gerbils are quite pleasant little creatures. I like them a lot especially since I do not have to take care of them, the kids are old enough to care for them independently.

This is Puffy, Hayley's hamster.

Puffy again.

two gerbils

two more gerbils

On to my blog post. It's definitely autumn here. In fact most mornings it feels like winter. It's shocking to have morning temperatures in the teens and twenties, I'm not ready! The days do tend to warm up though so it's not all bad...yet.

The children are enjoying their perpetual leaf pile which they fix after each use.

The dogs are escaping from time to time although we do try not to let this happen Freeze and Bonkers especially do try hard to make a break for it when they know we are busy and rushing in and out the door such as when we're bringing in shopping or company comes over.

Good thing the kids are able to round up the dogs pretty quickly.

Colin on dog round up duty:

Last week on Thursday we joined the relaxed homeschoolers for another 4H activity.This time water bottle rockets. The children thought this was one of the best activities EVER. Also on Thursday Hayley started back to scouting, this year as a Cadette scout.

Some photos from last Thursday.

Cadette Hayley gives Tristan a hug.

Ready to make water bottle rockets, NO they're not for battle Hayley and Colin!

Basically to make this type of rocket one needs two, 2 liter plastic bottles, duct tape, corrugated cardboard, bobby pins and water.

One bottle is cut so that just the top can be used as the tip of the rocket. The other half of that bottle will be saved to carry water outdoors for the rocket.

The new tip is duct taped to the bottom of the complete bottle. This becomes the top. The top of the complete bottle becomes the bottom.

corrugated cardboard fins, 3 of them, are cut out, bent bobby pins are added to stabilize the cardboard fins and this is duct taped on.

Although it is hard to describe here a google search for 4H water bottle rockets brings this activity up.

Then it was outdoors to launch! Water is poured into the bottom of the rocket and then it's hooked up to the launcher. The 4H organiser let the kids do a lot and launch their own rockets but he also made sure they stayed safe.

The rockets went incredibly high!

The children had to go find their rockets after shooting them off, this led to some long treks since these flew so high and far! Colin LOVED this activity.

Hayley and Tristan's turn for launch.

It was over all too soon but the homeschool group is going to borrow the launcher from 4H again next month so the kids can try their rockets again or make new, improved ones at home to bring.

Back at home more fall fun is happening. Fall Fun of the FERRET kind!

Ferrets like leaf piles too!

In our homeschooling last week the kids made Ojos de Dios or our Spanish craft and they loved it so much they made billions of these...ok maybe dozens. Below are just a couple.

We are just starting week 8 of La Clase Divertida and still enjoying this Spanish curriculum a lot. In our study of countries and cultures we are finally moving beyond USA and Mexico and we're learning about Canada this week. Math is moving along for all, I'm still loving the Math U See for all the kids. It;s funny how at some ties a curriculum just doesn't work for you but later it's an ideal fit. Go figure. I'm still not thrilled to bits with Switched on Schoolhouse for Hayley but she seems to like it so we will see how that goes. Trevor is enjoying the teaching Co's "my favorite Universe" much more than he liked their Chemistry and the younger boys are plodding along with reading, writing and spelling.

We have had to use the wood stove increasingly and the dogs just love the stove heat. They tend to gather on the couches or floor near the wood stove and take power naps.

Here is Poppy all cozy.

The last Hamster has just been reclaimed so I guess my work as hamster/gerbil sitter is done. Just as this blog post is done, good timing!