Earth/Aliens

This week we continued learning things about the Earth-mainly things we can do to take care of it.

We talked about garbage/recycling, turning off lights, taking care of our yard, etc.

Then the next day, we started talking about aliens after reading Minnie and Moo Save the Earth. So, we watched a couple of short UFO videos and then they drew their own aliens.

Freddie caught a cold while we were in Utah so Thursday and Friday he was tired. The only way I could get Cedrik to somewhat console him was to have him pretend Freddie was a cat he could pet.

Look mom!

"Eloise is a medical doctor!"

To Grandma's House We Went

We were in Utah for Steve's birthday this past weekend. It was a quick trip but the kids played a lot with their cousins and we had fun.

We got to meet Sadie's boyfriend, Bryon, and the two of them are coming to visit us in a few weeks-we are all really excited. She is so much fun. Julie, Nate and Chase came up and I know I always say we laugh so much when they're around, but it is so true. They are hilarious. 

We loved watching the birds and Jordan thinks he's figured out where he can put a bird feeder so the squirrels can't get to it. Now we need a bird watching book or poster so we can identify them. Eloise loves animals and isn't afraid of any of them.

Juan the Landscaper

We had a landscaper come and remove all the tree trimming that Jordan did back in December. (Tree trimming in December? YES!)

The boys were fascinated and watching him use the chainsaw yesterday and this morning when he came to finish up. Cedrik was almost convinced he was speaking spanish, but we talked a little about accents. And he really thinks his name is pronounced "guan." Little things make their days so much brighter.

.... And Eloise probably had the cutest picture moment ever....

This Little Girl

She is so much fun.

Word of The Week: Gravity

This week we learned a little bit about gravity and Isaac Newton.

The boys love the trampoline experiment and Cedrik was convinced that he started in the air at one point and defied gravity.  They have been having fun all week taking about gravity and showing me what they are learning on their own about it.

We are also listening to Bach still and thankfully, he wwas around when Isaac Newton was. Their hair is not a hit in this house. But, I think Sir Newtons hair is the way Freddie was able to connect his name and gravity together. 

It is so fun to see them learn something and become fascinated with it and let their imaginations and minds come up with new thoughts and questions.

Valentines

We had strawberry smoothies and kneaders cinnamon bread for breakfast. We made Dad his Valentines and Freddie's turned into something different but so adorable (see the picture).

They received valentines from their grandparents and friends. I didn't think ahead to get valentines sent out from them..... Maybe next year! Thanks to everyone who sent Valentine's! They love getting their own mail.

The Hardest Afternoon of Freddie's Life

Everyone should know by now the boys get paid to work. Mostly it's little things like trash and cleaning their room, picking up toys, etc. Sometimes, we have harder labor for them. Yesterday, Jordan took out the edgers from the front yard (hooray!) and the boys hauled them back to the back patio. We had to keep reminding ourselves that Freddie is a year younger than Cedrik, and his muscles are too. BUT he worked so hard. It was the most effort he has exerted in his life. On top of the physical exertion, he was traumatized by the bugs. Potato bugs don't bother him. But, ants and worms do.  I think his eyes started playing tricks on him and he started getting even more concerned about the mud on the edgers. They worked together and thankfully, no one was hurt.

 Cedrik yelled a lot trying to get Freddie to help, pay attention and do things his way. Freddie whined and cried the whole time. But when they were done, they were both beaming at how hard they had worked. Cedrik earned enough money to pay for his new scripture bag that he begged for and he took it to church today. Freddie earned enough to buy some more gum. :) 

Space continues

We continued our space study into this week-a lot more relaxed too.

They made comets with glitter and I think they would use glitter every day if they were allowed. 

On Monday we got totally side-tracked (or maybe were put on the right track) with YouTube videos about the International Space Station.  The boys loved seeing inside and obviously the floating of everything and flying around was amazing to them.  Then suddenly Cedrik disappeared and returned with his helmet and jacket. He was ready to be an astronaut.  Freddie followed suit and we converted their room into a rocket (the closet) and made the bunk beds the ISS. The rest of the morning they ran around the house turning lights on and off-beeping when the electric had gone out and running back to the ISS to fix it.

We studied the moon and learned that it doesn't make its own light. They used oreos to make the different moon shapes. This has had them turning all of their food into moons. 

On Friday they went to the planetarium with Jordan. They had a "man-date," Cedrik called it.  There were a couple of other kids but according to Jordan, Cedrik answered most questions that the lady asked and got most of them right! Jordan was surprised that he remembered so much-even after she rotated the sky. I am surprised he spoke up. A boy at the beginning proudly told the lady which school he went to. Cedrik asked throughout the show if he could tell her that he did school at home-Jordan told him he could when it was over. So, when it ended, he went up to her and proudly told her he learned everything in his school at home. :) This is one of those moments I will remember and I hope he continues to be happy to do school at home. He said he was happy he knew what she was talking about. :) 

I took Jordan's advice and stated doing their "core" things after Eloise was in bed-and one at a time. Freddie thrives with one on one attention. His colors finally came together this week-I did relate it to food and I think that helped.  Cedrik is doing so well writing and he can identify almost all of the alphabet phonetically-most of the rest of the letters coming together this week. Freddie surprised me by drawing a triangle, without promting, and it was so good! He definitely got the artistic talent Jordan has. 

Cedrik in a rocket

Freddie's polar express, with the light shining on top, the track to the side.