a gypsy caravan

Our Gypsy Caravan is Moving On

Our family will be moving to a new home in a few short weeks. We are packing furiously and purging with equal fervor. We've been eating a lot of pizza. And carry out Chinese. We've been buying a lot of packing tape (for the boxes) and newspapers (to wrap the fragile stuff).

To paint an honest picture of what my home is like right now, just imagine a lot of small people eating convenience, (read: not-so-healthy) food off of paper plates three times a day. Picture rooms strewn with cardboard and packing peanuts. Listen and you will hear folks yelling from room to room, "Who has the tape? Where'd you put the stickers? Where is my Sharpie?" and "Why is the baby wearing a Santa suit?"

Yup, that's my house these days.

Other than this, there is just not much to tell you. Not sure that will change anytime soon. Lessons are on the backburner until, well, whenever we are in and unpacked. We will be in the new place mid October. Unpacked...I am thinking early November. Did I just hear you snort?!? Don't you burst my bubble and tell me it will easily be February! Pretend along with me that I will have the entire house unpacked within two weeks.

Speaking of packing, anyone who would like to help me pack today can have the first piece of pizza (on a paper plate) and a big hug. You know you want both of them. So get on over here and lend a hand, darn it. We have a tape gun with your name on it...somewhere around here. :)

Fall Biscuits

We make homemade biscuits on Fridays for lunch. We have been doing this since Benjamin was a little fellow.  Last week,  they made some into maple leaves using autumn cookie cutters.  It is a little touch that seems to bring a smile to their faces and warmth to their bellies. :)

"Finging on duh Fings"

is Annie's favorite pastime. 

"Push me all duh way up to the moon, Mama!"

Popovers

At least once a week, (more often in the cooler months), we make popovers for breakfast.  Our favorite recipe is from Susan Branch's  Heart of the Home Cookbook.  Add some honey butter or jam and watch them disappear! :)

Finally a Big Girl

The girls and I had recently read One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey which is a lovely, slow-paced book about one girl's adventure with her first lost tooth.  Mary loved the book but, weeks later, became somewhat obsessed with her own first loose tooth. She feared she would swallow it or that it would fall out in her sleep.  She was not certain she liked the idea of the Tooth Fairy. 

Finally, the tooth came out and she is much happier.  She now shows everyone she meets the hole in her mouth and tells them that she is officially a "big girl".   Here is a photo of her new smile, if you can see past the crazy hairdo (not sure what's going on with that--let's pretend she had just woken up that day :).

 

The tooth next to the first is also loose and she is hoping it falls out soon.  She decided she liked the Tooth Fairy when she realized that she would get some money and a letter from her.  :)

Preliminary Geometry Work

Ben has been working on a geometry main lesson block since the start of our school year.  We are using Barbara Dewey's book for sixth graders.  Ben is enjoying it thoroughly and I thought I would post some photos of his work.   I hope to have all the drawings up in an album soon.   Sorry some of the following drawings are light and difficult to see but they are all done in regular pencil (unless colored).

Compass work, creating circles with circumferences 1" in size different from the last with the same center.

Compass work, circles with circumferences 1/2 inch in difference with different centers

This drawing was made by creating a center circle and stepping around the circumference with equal sized circles.  Then the star area was colored with colored pencils.

Creating a perfect hexagon is done by stepping around the circumference of the circle with the compass and joining the points with a ruler.

The same points on the circumference are used to make a six pointed star....

...and to divide the circle into six equal parts.

Lastly, he determined the number of times the points along the circumference could connect mathematically and color coded the equation.

5 + 4 + 3 + 2  + 1 = 15. 

He also noticed that this drawing was a combination of the previous three: the hexagon, the six pointed star and the circle divided into an equal pie. 

Ben has learned how to use a compass, ruler and several definitions (radius, circumference, etc.) thus far in our study of geometry.   We are really enjoying doing it together. 

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

a beautiful day for a neighbor.  Would you be mine? :)

Generations of children have grown up hearing that song each and every day.  Today, I stumbled across this website .  It is a grassroots site dedicated to saving Mr. Roger's Neighborhood show from extinction.  Did you know that starting this month PBS is no longer going to air a daily syndicated broadcast of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood?

Image Copyright © Save Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

For years, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was the only show my children were allowed to watch.  We joined Fred Rogers faithfully every weekday at 12:30, right after lunch, right before naptime.  Now it is on in the wee hours of the morning but we have been TiVo-ing it for some time to watch later in the day.

Anyone who has watched Mr. Roger's knows his love and respect for children is great.  His show, for years, was the only one left that was still being filmed with one camera.  The camera panned as Mr. Roger's walked through his home and about town.  This allowed growing children to digest the images without the constant, erratic switching from image to image, (which is often though to contribute to Attention Deficit Disorder).   

If Fred Rogers has touched your life or the lives of you children, please consider writing to PBS and telling them that you'd like the show to remain.

Public Broadcasting Service
2100 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
ATTN: Linda Simensky
Senior Director, Children’s Programming

or contact PBS online at this link.

Find your local PBS station

I thought you might enjoy seeing Mr. Roger's final word to parents.  It makes my eyes tear up just watching it.

 

Here is a clip of Mr. Roger's acceptance speech of the Lifetime Achievement Awards.  I am just so inspired by his humility and selflessness.

Wordless Wednesday-Raspberry Freezer Jam

See the rest of the Wordless Wednesday lineup here.

A Blur of a Weekend

Labor Day weekend is traditionally a busy one for our family because there are many local fairs and parties, (add to that the Air Show) and a myriad of other events one could attend.  This past weekend was also my 20th year high school reunion.  I had decided I was not going to attend until about an hour before the scheduled time.  I ended up going anyhow and had such a fun time.  I laughed out loud quite a bit and saw many old friends.  I always fear social functions but they usually exceed my expectations by quite a bit. 

Anyhow, on Sunday, after a very early Mass,  we made the drive to Mike's parents' house.  Mike's folks live about an hour and a half from us and their county fair is the best around.  We met his family and spent the day roaming the grounds, riding kiddie rides, eating far too much fair food, petting sheep and milking cows with cousins.  Then we did it all again yesterday, only closer to home (at a different fair) and my mother joined us. 

I thought you might like to see some photos.  Sorry I can't share the fair food but I had sweet tea and a steak sandwich (for those of you who were wondering. :)

Tons of fun had by all. We are taking a couple of days to catch up on the house and get things running smoothly again around here.  :)  Have a great day today!