Seven Snippets (6.30.12)

-1-

We've had crazy hot weather here in Middle Tennesse!  

I am so grateful for air conditioner and lots of this:

-2-

We downloaded two (free) iPod games that he's enjoyed this week:   

DragonVale and Tiny Tower.

-3-

He made some additions to his Isengard setup, and then he destroyed it all in an epic battle.
 

This army of 6,000 Uruk-hai did the damage:

Yes, he played with 6 pieces of black paper for hours this week--pushing them across the floor all over the house and aligning them in different configurations.  He wanted an army of 10,000, but said he would need ten pieces of black paper for that.  Since we only had six pieces left he had to settle for 6,000.

-4-

He hasn't shown much interest in the garden this year, but he was fascinated by the bottles I put out this week to help get water to the roots, and he was curious as to whether the sheets I draped over the trellises to protect the tomatoes from mockingbirds and the scorching sun would actually work (so far so good).

-5-

We visited with friends on Friday!  While we mamas stayed cool inside, the kids, among other things, burned designs into scrap wood with magnifying glasses, shot a bb gun at a target, and played in water.

-6-

After years of asking Gerrick if he wanted a trampoline and being sweetly told, "No, thank you," he actually started asking for one over the past few weeks.  Rick and I talked about getting it for him for Christmas, but decided that we should splurge and get it now.  He so very rarely shows interest in anything physical, and a trampoline will be great exercise! Plus he's already talking about what a great shady spot he now has to play under it.

-7-

Monday we will start counting "instructional days" for the 2012-13 school year, so Gerrick is now officially a third grader!  Since there are no big, obvious changes for him, I like to mark the occasion with gifts!  This year we gave him books, new pencils, natural non-toxic face paint, a tie-dye kit and three t-shirts, and a new notebook with perforated pages to keep in the car (a recent request).

Have a great week!

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Linking at:  7 Snippets from Unschooling • Moments to Remember • Weekly Wrap-Up • Friday Collage

Seven Snippets (6.23.12)

-1-

Father's Day started with underwater physics with the latest update of Angry Birds Seasons.

We surprised Rick with a reel mower so that we can start helping with the yard work. Now Gerrick and I can work together to cut the back while he cuts the front, and it all gets done in half the time!

-2-

We've gone on several family nature walks (including this one) in our neighborhood.  This area was recently so thick with trees and brush that we couldn't walk through it.  While walking through here once this week, Gerrick said, "The weeping willow now has reason to weep."

He is making the most of the destruction and enjoys climbing and sliding down dirt piles.

 

-3-

Still lots of LOTR action here.

-Gerrick, the Uruk-hai-

-tracing next to Isengard-

-4-

"I know you're not a dentist, but what is your opinion about fluoride in toothpaste?"
Serious question from an 8-year-old to his doctor!
Guess who's ordering new toothpaste.

-5-

On Wednesday afternoon we met friends at Nashville's new Cumberland Park.  It was a great way to spend the first official day of summer, and we'll definitely be going back to this park soon!

(If you go, you may want to talk to your children in advance about the seesaw.  It's quite safe when used appropriately, yet, unfortunately most of the day there were 6-7+ kids piled on it at once.  We saw four children fall off and get hurt during the two hours that we were sitting nearby.  The last time my friend Amy went she saw a child fall off and break his arm.)

-6-

Who knew Addition Wrap-ups would be a hit?

-7-

We spent a day exploring Cheekwood with friends.  We played in all the summer exhibition treehouses, and this was also our first opportunity to see the renovations in the Howe Garden:

Have a great week!

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Linking at:  7 Snippets from Unschooling • Moments to Remember • Weekly Wrap-Up • Friday Collage

Treehouses at Cheekwood

Cheekwood has an interesting summer exhibit.

We spent the day exploring treehouses!

Another Family Nature Walk

Seven Snippets (6.16.12)

-1-

We've been keeping a close eye on some changes in our neighborhood.

-2-

"Hey Mama, I want to do some more rounding."  I used this free printable graphic to help explain the concept of rounding and he's been asking me to give him numbers to round to the nearest ten or hundred off and on all week.

-3-

We've been watching busy bluebirds build a nest in the house Rick built last month.

And we've discovered there are now three eggs!

-4-

A few weeks ago he really enjoyed the Scholastic Batman readers that I picked up at a used bookstore:  The Copycat Crime and Time Thaw.  This week he requested I get him more Batman books.  I searched around on Amazon until I found some that seemed appropriate.  Then I searched for those on the library's website.  I was able to find and reserve several and pick them up a couple of days later. I love the Nashville Library!

(I also love silently reading in the shade with my son!)

-5-

Still carrying on the Lord of the Rings play:  "I'm going to cut this tree trunk into four quarters, and it's going to be burned in the furnace by the Orcs so they can make more weapons."

We visited the new LEGO store in Nashville for the first time on Friday afternoon.  Gerrick bought a minifigure and his first LOTR set:  Shelob Attacks.

-6-

He wants to learn cursive handwriting because "it looks like another language."  This week he got started by copying lowercase i, t, and u.

-7-

We're all excited that we've decided to start family "Harry Potter Night" once a week.  We've been debating when will work best.  My vote was for Saturdays.  Gerrick wanted Wednesdays.  Rick preferred Saturdays or Sundays.  Gerrick was adamant that it not be Saturdays, so we finally all agreed on Sundays.  Each week we're going to pop some popcorn and I'm going to read aloud from one of the books.  When we finish each one, we'll watch the movie.  Tomorrow night we'll begin with book 1, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone.

Have a great week!

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Linking at:  7 Snippets from Unschooling • Moments to Remember • Weekly Wrap-Up • Friday Collage