Strawberries

Last year we missed the chance to pick them (it was a short rainy season and none left when we went).  This year we decided to go early.  What an incredible bunch of strawberries!  They were HUGE and plentiful!

It was a beautiful day.  We met friends and the kids picked a LOT! 

Christopher wasn't picking with us as he RAN to meet us there and arrived later than he thought.  He had a bit of a detour and ended up running about 17 or 18 miles.  (Whew!  I can't even imagine - well, imagining is about all I could do.)  He is preparing for a half marathon this week-end and full marathon later in the summer.  He is doing a great job!

Back to strawberries.  Eliana was shown how to pick them and loved putting them in the baskets.

But she wouldn't taste one!  Silly girl.  They were so juicy too!

Nobody else had any trouble wanting to taste.

It was fun and there was work to do when we got home!  We all loved the quantity of smoothies that were made that day!  Yummy!  (This is not even all of the berries we picked!)

I hope that times like this will be ones that my kids will remember.  I hope they'll remember working together and enjoy (literally) the fruits of their labor.  I love hearing them recall stories - and they remember details that I don't.  It is a blessing to have shared memories with so many others.  Thank you God!

Blessings

Leslie

Science Experiment

I've been meaning to post this for awhile and thought I'd share for those who are looking for an easy way to add some fun to your days.  We are working through science activities in a bag.    I love having these ready to go as it means that it is much easier to get to actually doing it!  My boys love doing experiments!

For this experiment, we heated a small amount of water in a soda can.

Once we saw steam, we waited a few seconds.  The yellow paper in the background is part of the experiment.  It lists all of the materials, things to do and observe, questions to ask the children and more.  On a separate sheet are the correct answers (or it will say answers vary if there is not one correct answer).  This is a really great resource!

Next you grab the can with some tongs and quickly invert it into a pot of ice cold water.

The results were impressive and the noise startled me!!! 

We had to do it a second time - just like the instructions said we would want to. 

If you are looking for a fun way to add some science into your days, I do highly recommend these books!  We did the first book of experiments with a group of local homeschoolers.  I received the second set as a gift from my sweet friend Hollie. 

I think we are set for fun for quite awhile now!

Blessings
Leslie

Bravest of Us All - FIAR Vol 4 Co-op

Our other April co-op was using the book The Bravest of Us All.  As is true of the FIAR books, this was a delightful story with so many wonderful lessons.  I wanted to put in a plug for this unit.  The lessons for this book are available to purchase on the FIAR digital site.  It's just $9 and you get a 69 page book of lesson plans!  It's a great value and full of so many things to learn!

We were blessed with a beautiful day!  We started as always with reading the title.  Notice Daniel in the foreground of the picture.

He is playing with a tin of sunflower seeds.  A neat sensory activity.  I enjoyed watching him though because my sweet boy tends to avoid many sensory experiences (because they overwhelm him).  He had a grand time though sifting them through his fingers and then making designs with them on the table.  He has come a long way and for that I am thankful!

For our co-op, we chose to focus on a variety of science lessons.  For the first, we talked about yeast and its properties and then made a yeast mixture (fed to make it grow). 

Then we looked at the yeast through a microscope.  We used some of the small hand-held ones you can find at Radio Shack.  These are great little microscopes - portable, inexpensive and easy to use!

We also used a larger microscope so that they could see the yeast spores even closer.

We learned about tornados and then made one in a bottle.

So easy to make - just added some food coloring and glitter to the bottles and the kids all had a great time with it!  (You just need a tornado tube - I found mine at a local science store - and 2 2-liter bottles.)

We talked about how pumps work and had a short review of a simple machine.  We also tested out straws and suction to illustrate the pumps. 

We also talked about area and dimensions.  In the picture below, the kids are approximately the size of the horse pond in the story.

We also had rice and various dimensional shapes for the kids to play with.  As you can see, Daniel also had fun with this sensory activity.  He has come a long way!

We did one of the art lessons in the manual which was a calming activity for the children.  I always enjoy seeing their art too - it's always so unique and expressive of their personalities.

We talked about seeds and the children planted sunflower seeds to take home. 

We also had a yummy snack - roasted root vegetables, meatballs, sunflower seeds and bread.

It was another fun morning.  I'm looking forward to our next week.  We have just two left for the year and then we'll have finished volume 4!  This has been a fun way to work through the volume.

More later,

Leslie

Therapies ... Ending and Beginnings

We hit another milestone in April.  We "graduated" from two of our therapies!  This is exciting because it gives us more time in our weeks.  It's also great to know that for now, it's not needed.

Daniel has been receiving Occupational Therapy for about 2.5 years now.  He has made tremendous progress in that time.  He has Sensory Processing Disorder.  This can look different for different people.  For Daniel, he is super sensitive to sensory input (things you see, hear, smell, taste and touch).  It meant that a firm grasp on his arm felt incredibly painful and would cause him to cry out.  Or foods that weren't "right" (and there were just 4 foods he would eat) caused him to throw up.  Too much noise or too many people caused him to retreat and be unwilling to try anything. 

There is a large "play" room with lots of sensory experiences in it.  This has become a fun play space for Daniel.  I so wish we could have a room like this in our home.  With 3 children receiving OT it would have much use (not to mention just be fun for all of us).  There are so many things that Daniel was unwilling to try and that now he enjoys.  Can I tell you that it just does this mama's heart good to see him able to have fun?!  Check out that smile!

This ball pit was something he would not even come close to for the longest time.  It overwhelmed him.  Can you see him in there now?

Or now?  This is huge progress!

He also did a lot of work on eating.  A lot.  He has made huge strides in this area.  Some probably thought he was a "picky" eater, but it was so much more.  Watching him gag or throw up foods that are reasonable to expect a child to eat was hard.  He was able to eat just a few things - homemade pumpkin muffins, homemade bread, applesauce and I think yogurt.  That's it.  Yes, that was all.

Now, he is able to eat fruits, some veggies, meats, pizza, and even things mixed together.  We had a baked omelette for dinner and he devoured it.  This has been such a hard thing to have a child with food issues.  I'm very thankful for the help we have received from his wonderful therapist!  I'm thankful for the improvements he has made. 

I'm not sure if we will be doing therapy periodically for Daniel (though I'm guessing it will be).  For now though, he has no more OT. 

Isaiah has also been going to OT for a couple of months.  It was primarily to help with his handwriting.  He has made a little bit of improvement, but honestly I don't see huge gains here.  He can write, but it is laborious and difficult.  That hasn't changed.  His therapist (who was also very good) just felt like there was no more she could do for him.  So he is finished too (and very glad to be done with it all).

Isaiah has also started "speech" therapy to help with Auditory Processing Disorder.  We've just been twice and I'm not really sure what to expect.  I'd love to hear from you if you have experience in this area.  How long should it take before we see improvement.  The sessions seem short and I don't really get what is going on.  I'm hopefully going to work some of this out with his new therapist via email. 

So, that's where we are for now.  I still have a lot to figure out - even without the therapies to make sure my kis that need it get the input that helps them out.  I'm thankful for the help we've gotten and also grateful for a break.

I know that God has made these children in His image.  I'm thankful for the gifts and talents he has given each one of them.  I'm also thankful for the opportunities to help them gain skills in areas in which they struggle.  I am thankful for the ways that I am learning through all of this too.  God is good.

Blessings

Leslie

Piedmont Wildlife Center - April

One of our April field trips was to the Piedmont Wildlife Center in Durham.  We had programs to lean about birds of prey.  My details on this one are going to be sketchy.  I organized the trip and it fell on the morning of Rebecca's first performance.  It was a beautiful day and a lovely way to spend the morning!

We split into two groups and just alternated activities with the information in each group geared to the age level of the group.  I stayed with the younger group.  We were first introduced to some of the birds.



This bird was named Miracle.  We learned some facts about various the various birds.  Some of the chidlren were allowed to hold this bird as she is very mild.



We also met a couple of owls.  Isn't this one cute?



I loved learning about the details and care with which God had created each bird.  This one was named Christopher which was quite humorous to some of my children. 



We learned about feathers and how they worked and how they are different on various birds. 



The children always appreciate things that are hands-on.



Even the littlest ones. 

T

After the classes, the kids played a predator-prey game in a large field.   Look at the littlest cutie joining in the fun with her big sister.  (Bottom right side of the picture.)



The director then brought out a falcon for us to see.  It is being trained so that it can be a part of these educational programs.



We helped with the training by being still while she walked with the bird through the group.  This was to help the bird become accustomed to groups of people. 



We ended with a picnic lunch at this beautiful (and historic) site.  Wonderful place and great people to work with.  If you are local, I do recommend a visit to this site!

Blessings,

Leslie

Roxaboxen - FIAR Volume 4 Co-op

I know this is Mother's Day and I will hopefully post more on that tomorrow.  My sweet family made this a wonderfully special day.  I am abundantly blessed to be a mom!!!  I can't imagine anything I would rather do than be a mom!  Thank you God. 

I have also been blessed *with* an amazing Mom.  I wish I could have spent the day with you Mom.  I'm thankful for you and for all the things you have shown me and taught me.  You have been a wonderful example and I continually pray for you and thank God for you!

I'm going to be working on some catch-up posts too.  I won't be posting everything, but do want to share our co-ops and field trips as well as some other really neat things God has been doing. 

This was last month.  It was the week before the performances and it was a hectic time - so I'm just now getting around to posting it.  I was co-teacher for this one.  We were rowing the book Roxaboxen.  If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.  What a fun story about sweet childhood memories (and its true as well!)  We tried to keep it simple - focusing on two main areas.  We had a blast - and I think the kids did too.  I have so enjoyed this co-op (I know that I say this every time I post about it, but I'm just always very thankful!).  I'm thankful for God providing the impetus to form the group and for placing each family that is in it. 

We started by reading the story and then talking about the colors of the southwest in the pictures.  We asked the children to work in groups and to try to match up some of the colors in one of the pictures with paint chips.  It was fascinating to see what they chose - from a dominant color to one that just added a bit of pop to the picture. 

Next, they brought their paint chips that they had selected and painted a desert scene on the sides and bottom of a shoebox.  We were making dioramas.  Each one was so different and creative.  I so enjoy seeing each child express themselves through art.

One of the sad parts of this day for me though involved Daniel.  I tried to get him to come in and work on this project as I knew he would love it!  He started in the room with picking the paint swatches and soon left.  It was just too much for him - lots of people and the inevitable noise that comes with a room full of people.  It's just overwhelming for his senses. 

Part of what makes me sad though is that this was in *our* home with a group of friends he sees every week.  I'm not sure that the setting could have been any more comfortable or that there was anything more that either of us could have done.  I didn't push it.  When the group left, he immediately asked if he could make a diorama.  He did have a lot of fun doing - as I knew he would.  This is not something I would have done on my own and I'm so thankful that my kids (and I) got to experience this!  Thank you Jen!  For those that read regularly, remember this incident as I will be sharing more about some successes and answers to prayer regarding this.  (I don't mean to leave things dangling, but this post is already really, really long!)

We also learned about the six simple machines.  I found a wonderful book at the library (Simple Machines by Deborah Hodge) which I used for experiements to illustrate the various machines.

We learned about the lever.  It took less force to lift a friend using a lever.

The wheel and axle.  This windmill (the wheel) turned the axle (the pencil) to lift the candy.

The pulley multiplies the force you are using so that you can do more than you could with just your strength.  In this experiment, one child was able to pull the two poles together despite having two children pulling them apart.

Inclined plane.  The force of an egg falling from the height of a can straight down is greater than one falling from the same height down an inclined plane. 

The screw.  Water could be lifted up by using the motion of a screw.

The wedge.  I cut a carrot into slices and also wedges.  The children could see that it was much easier to use a wedge to push into the apple than it was with a circular piece.

Next, we played a game to see how much they knew about simple machines.  I put a card with the name and definition of each machine on the ground.  Each child then picked 3 pictures.  They then tried to pick what type of machine was illustrated in the picture. 

We went around the circle taking turns so that can see all of the pictures and learn together.  Some were easier and others were difficult!  They did a great job!  If this doesn't make sense and you want more details, please ask.  It was a simple game to put together using pictures from the internet. 

For snack time we had several recipes from the FIAR cookbook.  They were yummy.  The green things in a separate dish is cactus (to put in the chicken salad).  I loved it and thought it was very mild.

The children then had time to finish their dioramas.  They could choose from some many things - and add in their own things too.  There were cacti and octillo plants made from pipe cleaners, cotton balls for clouds, rocks (like in the story), lizards and snakes, and even sand.  I just loved seeing all that the children did!  I tried to figure out how to make a collage so I could show more pictures, but couldn't get it to work.  Sorry.

We ended the day with having the children go into the woods in our backyard to make their own Roxaboxen.  They went straight to work! 

I love this method of learning and am thankful to have this opportunity with my children.  I'm thankful for the wonderful memories we are making together.  I'm looking forward to having co-op at my house again so we can continue our fun playtime back in Roxaboxen.

Blessings

Leslie