Beatiful Southern Colorado

Colorado has numerous diverse places to visit to keep you busy for some time. One of those places is the Sand Dunes in the southwest part of colorado. We camped out there this past weekend to see the dunes, check out the gator farm and visit Zapata Falls.
My mom came with my niece and Austin's friend Josh came along with us. Kathy and her boys came out too along with a few hs'ing families from all over colorado. We had a spectacular time and I'll take a cue from my friend kathy and share the pictures now and work on the wonderful curriculum later (thanks Kathy).
We are getting ready to leave on the 11th for 2 weeks vacation. I don't think I will be able to work on this till I get back, we will see. I wish I did because I have so many ideas of where this could go but as we are leaving tomorrow I have no time.

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t150/cvacc5/?action=view&current=705adc3c.pbw

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t150/cvacc5/?action=view&current=77f2abab.pbw

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t150/cvacc5/?action=view&current=6ffdd312.pbw



Vanessa

A tip for a few tip's

Here is my tip to you. Hands of a Child, now Currclick, has great freebies. This one is a notebook on the "Declaration of Independence." I tried to put a link to it on my Homeschool links, check sidebar. It didn't seem to work??? I will have to see what I can do about that but at any rate you should definitely check it out. I am saving this one to do with my kids when school is back in session.

On the home front I have been trying to organize, clean up, clean out everything. I have never been overly organized but it is starting to drive me nuts. I remember when I organized my photo's , this was when creative memories came out with their massive organizing photo box. It was tedious and took some time but when all was said and done I can to this day find pictures I'm looking for. That is a great feeling. So this needs to spill over into other parts of my life, mainly my house. I can't stand buying something only to find I already have it. I am tired of hanging on to those gifts from relatives, for fear of hurting their feelings by getting rid of it. Most importantly I am tired of not finding stuff I'm looking for or not having a home for the stuff I do have making "putting it away" a stressful venture. How crazy is that. I'll tell ya, it is without a doubt absolutely nuts. So I have started going through our stuff and have managed to get rid of quite a few things. This isn't spring cleaning, it's life cleaning. Of course finding a place for everything is turning out to be more problematic. I will put stuff away and a week later look at the space and think -how can I use this space better? Then I beat myself up for a week trying to figure out the best things to put where. Of course this leads to if I just have this my life will be organized manner of thinking. Like I would love to have a big entertainment unit to put all those movies away, not to mention some books, some cute knickknacks and photo albums. Most of these things have a home already but I think I could use the space better. By getting an entertainment unit I think all that will go there and then I will have this other space to put xyz. Really?? I think not. I think I have too much stuff and I need to make do with what I have and see if I can make it work. I don't want to be one of those people that does the If only I have this or wear this my life will be perfect. Huh, yeah right. Real life doesn't work that way. If anything I will only keep doing that and thinking that exponentially and then what? No I need to do this and work with what I have (although can I still have the entertainment unit?I'm awful I know believe me I knoooow) .

I have tried the Flylady. I got stuck on the wearing shoes bit. I do not allow shoes in my house. Of course not everyone listens to me . I tried and one of my son's saw this and said something like "mom your not supposed to wear shoes in the house". So I was caught -Do what I say not what I do. I could try again and skip that part. hmmmm.

So if anyone has any tips on getting your house organized once and for all, please let me know.

Oh one more thing. I desperately need some help with pie crust. I can make it but I can't make it pretty. You know the edge of it, I have tried and have not come up with desirable results. Is it just practice?? What is the secret to a pretty pie crust? I made apple pie last night and I will share the pictures with you if you promise not to laugh. It's quite horrid. So since I'm asking for tips on stuff if you want to pass on your genius on beautiful pie crust please let me know.

Vanessa

International Towne

International towne is a program put together by Young Americans Center for Financial Education. It introduces kids (generally 12 and older) to the financial realities of the global market and allows them to run a "world" of 16 foreign countries.
Concepts that are tought through a 29 lesson curriculum (purchased seperatley, its a huge 3-ring binder) are

-Respect for foreign cultures

-Export and import activity

-Global carrer opportunities

-Foreign currencies & exchange

-Free trade in global markets

-Global customs and laws

This is the discription from one of our handouts given by Young Americans Center for Financial Education.

The boys had a terrific time. Austin made bird houses and goofed off mostly and of course made plenty of friends. Conner filled out paperwork, I have proof in pictures(snicker). His country had the radio station and they played adds for other countries and songs over the radio to be heard by all countries. Colin enjoyed having power over others and while he did well it was a learning lesson for me. He really seemed to enjoy being able to boss his "Country" people around. I think he was the youngest and he had two teenage girls and he would tell them they were late or they needed to do this or that, let's just say I wonder if it didn't all go to his head. His country was in charge of Passport pictures, which everyone had to purchase. He also made it on the front page of the newspaper.

The kids got various brakes and were able to purchase several items like soft big prezels, slushies and drinks, keychains, birdhouses, chocolate pyramids, bracelets, chinese fans. they were also some crafty things they could do like dot art, mask making and oragami wallets. They got paid for whatever job they had in money from that region. If they were in EurRussia they got paid in EurRussian money. If they wanted to purchase something from a different region they needed to go to Singapore (site of the world bank) and exchange their money. Exchange rates where based similarly to the real thing and they got more money for some regions and less for others.

Kathy and her boys Brenden and Alex came as well and really seemed to enjoy their jobs and have a good time. Kathy and I went across the way to see AmeriTowne. Same concept except its a town not countries and you run buisnesses. It was really cute, I'd post the pics but I already have so many up I don't want to add too many. Kathy's boys did AmeriTowne and she told me about it. It sounds so neat that I would like to do that with the boys too sometime. The group that did InternationalTowne is doing AmeriTowne in February, so that is probably when we will do it.

As always whenever I head into Denver it is a 12-hour tour from start to finish. We did go back to the Colorado Mills Mall where the Lego store is and Colin loaded up. Kathy and her boys came too, more like showed us the way(lol). We toured the Putt putt golf, we definetly need to do that sometime when we go there again. We also toured the indoor skateboard place and the boys really liked it . It would be a good thing to do on a rainy day.

Conner is Germany's Finance Minister
Austin is Finland's Carpenter.
Colin is Egypt's President. (Pharoah??)
The countries line up to tell their greeting, life expectancy and what their coutnry makes
The countries pin their flag on a World map and put their flag on this table during the opening ceremony.

Conner's doing Germany's paperwork. There is lots of paperwork the Finance Minister is in charge of.Austin makes plenty of new friends.

Colin buys the newspaper from the paperboy. They made it that day and Colin made the Front page.

Austin makes some bird houses as a thank you gift to the people who helped put International towne together.

My Friend Kathy helps out with the Newspaper. She was so helpful to the kids the newspaper turned out great.

Here are the different regions. YOu can see the Countries flag's . Egypt is in the back where colin is. Conner is up front there and is going to purchase some items.

All the South American Countries.

Asian and the Pacific Countries.

Erope and russia. Conner and Austin are there in front and across from each other.

At the end of the day Colin and Conner hang out with their new friends Brenden and Alex, Kathy's boys.

Vanessa

Gathering Catalog's

I am trying to think about all the neat catalog's out there that help us hs'ers out. There are the ones that are oriented to one subject like science and then there are the biggies that cover everything. I am compiling a list as my sister has fallen in love with what we have been able to do as a hs'ing family and I want to be able to give her and others who venture into hs'ing a good list of catalogs, what they are and cover and if they cost anything . This is what I have to date.

Rainbow Resource (of course, cover's everything and gives a review of it too)
Tobin's Lab (Science)
Timberdoodle (Critical Thinking)
Banks School Supply (School Supplies at reasonable prices)
Sonlight(great reading lists)
Love to Learn
My Father's World
http://www.visionforum.com/
http://www.veritaspress.com/ (wholesale)
http://www.christianbook.com/
http://www.workshopplus.com/ (Science)
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/ (science)
http://www.answersingenesis.org/
http://www.winterpromise.com/
http://www.aop.com/ (alpha omega publications)
http://www.bfbooks.com/ (beautiful feet books)
https://apologia.securesites.net/
Home science tools
Delta Education
Learning Resources
http://www.criticalthinking.com/
http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/
http://www.sycamoretree.com/
http://www.homeschoolfcgs.com/
http://www.learningthings.com/
http://www.dhss.com/shop/ (online discount hs supply)

Added on from my friends (thanks)
www.teachers@doverpublishing.com
www.scholastic.com
www.theeducationcenter.com

Some great magazines
Teacher Helper
Bookbag
Mailbox
Owl
Scholastic News
Time for Kids
Cobblestone American History
Kids discover

What other's are out there?? Can you think of anymore?
I will be updating as I gather more.
Vanessa

I Won??? Yes I did (I did see a puddycat)

Okay if you read my blog enough you know I am wierd and well I like it that way. I'm good with it, it also helps that my sister and I have said that saying for years. besides isn't tweety just crazy cute???

Without further ado though I won a contest, me I can't believe it. I guess you enter enough you are bound to win something. I got 2 t-shirts from the Homeschool Botique that say(this is sooo cute)

Yes I am homeschooled
Yes I am socialized
Yes I had class today

http://www.homeschoolboutique.com/

I can't wait till they get here. I will make my boys wear them everywhere. It'll be great. I found out about the contest through my regular blog surfing ( I am completley addicted). Here is the link to Gina's Blog http://dewgin.blogspot.com/. She is now doing a new contest for some great kid sized aprons, chef hat and rolling pin. How cute is that.

Gina also shares some great hs experiences, the ones I love to read about and of course I post many like them. Definetly go check her out and don't forget the Homeschool botique for all your hs fun items-they have shirts, purses, backpacks and more.

Vanessa

Troll Snot and Silly putty

My boys love science experiements. Last summer we enrolled in Hogwarts Summer Correspondence School. I love this idea, it was fun the boys loved getting the owls and we were able to do school without the boys realizing it. During this time on of their favorite things was making Troll Snot (flubber/slime whatever you call it). Colin asked please can we make some more and I had the ingredients on hand so why not.

I had to hunt down a recipe as I lost our old computer and the recipe on it in "the flood" ( I always laugh when the boys say it like that.).The first recipe we tried didnt' turn out correct so I found another and it works. We also made Silly Putty since the recipe was there. I can't believe the ingredients. It is so simple and they charge an arm and a leg for something that costs next to nothing to make, It's Crazy. So here they are:

Troll Snot

1/4 c White Glue

1 1/4 c water, divided

1 tbsp. Borax- found in the laundry detergent aisle of your grocery store

food coloring

Add one tbsp Borax to one cup warm water. Stir till completely dissolved.

Make a 50% water 50% glue solution by taking 1/4 cup each and mix thoroughly.

Add equal parts borax solution to equal parts of the glue solution. ( Half cup of each will make a cup of slime)

Add a couple of drops of food coloring and mix.

If slime is too sticky add a little more borax. If slime is too slippery, add a little more white glue solution.

Silly Putty

1 tbsp. White Glue

1/2 tsp. Epsom Salts

1/2 tsp. Water

( I can't believe that's it)

In a small cup, put 1/2 tsp. Epsom salts and 1/2 tsp water. Stir till salt is all or mostly dissolved. Add one tbsp. Glue to another small cup. Add Epsom salt water to the glue and stir. When putty has formed, experiment with it on waxed paper. Store in ziploc Bag or container with lid.

Note: We found that if you made the water really warm/hot the salt would dissolve much quicker and it didn't alter the Silly Putty at all.

Reading the instruction.

Colin looks so cute in this , he makes the greatest faces. Sometimes its fun just to watch him. I think he had a problem with the glue coming out so slow.

Conner made a smart decision and took the top off the glue, this went much faster.

Mixing it,looks good so far.

Conner squishes and it feels funny.

Silly Putty????

Colin try's it out.

Turtle sniff's the Silly Putty. He is always so helpful.

Colin made two batches one plain and one green.

Happy Mother's day

My sister and I took my mom to Denver (boy I go there alot) for Mother's Day. They had a Chocolate Festival at the Denver Merchandise Mart. 30,000 square ft filled with chocolate. Well it wasn't all chocolate there was Wine tasting and some jewlery and other stuff. All in all though it was really fun.

We took Mom out to lunch at the Golden European Resteraunt where we talked all through lunch about how we could make the food better at home. It was good and we had some German food that we hadn't had in forever so I am probably going to go even further into my roots to learn more German Cooking and Baking.

Some cakes. Sign said "Do not touch" a lady said I thought that was meant for the kids. We liked that idea especially as my mom had already touched.

This was just plain cute. They had RX pads for their "chocolate pills" and t- shirts with really cute sayings about chocolate on them.

Wily Wonka, camera was at wrong setting so it came out a bit blurry. The kids all loved him.

Very fun stuff. WE also planned next yr as well. We are going on a brunch train ride through the rockies. I can't wait, I am starting to save for that one now it's expensive.

Vanessa