Mommio: School Plan

We have also streamlined our actual school time a bit to start with the new daily schedule.  We cut out a bunch of smaller things the kids did each day and are going to focus more on the big, basic subjects.  I think they get more than enough of the other stuff in our non-structured school time.  So, four days a week the kids will each do math, reading, writing and Spanish.  They will also spend a few minutes each practicing their yoga and music.  Art, history and science are all fit in through out the week and on weekends....just not in the everyday 8-12 school time.  Here is a sample of what our daily assignment sheets look like right now:

Mommio: Mason's Archery

Mason and Nana completed their archery class yesterday.  They loved it and learned so much that Mason is getting ready to teach Gabe a six week archery class on his own.  Way to go Mason!

Daddio: RIP Slider- 2001-2010

Our king of a snake, Slider, has passed away.  He was the most awesome pet we ever had.  He never asked for much other than fresh water and a thawed mouse every couple of weeks.  After the first few months, he never minded being held or handled by us or the kids.

We saw it coming.  He's been acting sluggish and has refused to eat for many weeks.  When we woke up this morning, he wasn't moving.  In retrospect, considering that king snakes are native to central Texas, he lived a lot longer with us than he would have in the wild.  He was almost ten years old, but in the wild probably wouldn't have lived more than a couple of years.  So we can be proud that he lived a long happy life with us.

So when we think back on Slider, I want to remember his as the young, quick hunter-- like in this video where he fearlessly hunts down and ingests an already dead mouse:



Rest in peace, Slider.

Mommio: Daily Schedule

Here is a copy of the new daily schedule around here, the yoga classes don't all start right away but will soon.  The last part that got cut off is just family movie.  A few changes...more yoga classes, Mason is going to start teaching archery to his brothers and sisters (Gabe first), we have added another "school day" into the plan but the hours of "school" have been shortened so that our days are free after lunch (That will be great when it is hot enough to swim again!), we will be doing art and music at our place instead of Weaver's Bottom and Nana Day is being transformed into a field trip day with Nana.

Mommio: Spring Gardening

Today we started to get our garden ready for some spring planting.  The garden had been pretty neglected since last November so there was a lot of cleaning to do.  Here is the before picture:

 

Here's Gabe pulling up the broccoli that has gone to seed. The flowers were actually really pretty...

Kids weeding...

 

A friend Avery found in the garden this morning...
 

We have decided that we need more garden space now that we know what we really want to produce for eating (2 small rows of carrots just wasn't enough for 10 people!) so here are the kids making some new rows...

And after a few hours of hard work, here is the after picture of the clean garden ready to plant...

 

We still have plenty of lettuce, spinach, onions, mint and herbs growing right now.  Planting will begin next weekend!

Mommio: Art Class

Today in art we learned about fresco painting, which is another type of mural painting, when paint is applied directly to plaster.  We focused on Minoan frescoes that archeologists have found decorating the floors and walls of palaces in Crete, Greece- like these:

Bull Jumping

1500 BCE

Blue Ladies

1600 BCE

The ancient Minoans typically painted scenes of happy times and nature.  They usually outlined all their subjects with dark, black lines and added intricate borders in black- filled with color.  We practiced this style today using black oil pastels and watercolor crayons.

First we drew our outlines and border patterns on watercolor paper using the black oil pastel.

Next, we colored in all the areas with our watercolor crayons.

When the paper was entirely filled with color we used a wet brush to go over all the watercolors.  The black outline resisted the paint.

  

Here are our finished Minoan style fresco paintings!

Marney: About My Family

I think that people want to know about my family so I am going to tell you about my family.  Jack is funny and cute and I play baby and mom with him and I play rocket ship with him also he loved it when I play make a cake and I love playing with Jack.  Max is as cute as Jack and Max plays scooter with me I love Max we love it when I play mystery hunt and I play hulk with him.  Kennedy is awesome and we play friends some times  and I love it when we play baby and mom because I am always the baby and Kennedy is the mom and we play the circus.  Gabe is the best brother I ever had and I play awesome mystery game he is the best.  Ava makes my hair and makes art with me Ava is awesome.  Mason is awesome and he can help me a with bunch of stuff.  Connor is awesome and he can get stuff  that is up high for me.  Mom is so so so so so so awesome and she does a bunch of stuff.  Dad is so so so so so so so so so so so so so awesome.  Marney I do sorting I blog. 

Connor: George Doggie Detective: Mysteries 3: The Case of The Lost nap and 4: Why The Heck Is Rex Bugging Me

Hey there it's George again.  Last month or so I had to solve the hardest mystery ever.  It was the mystery of why I wasn't sleeping.  It  turned out that Max had pulled my tail and. Hi people I'm Rex. Oh come on Rex can't you read. Yeah I can read. Then get out of here. Okay that is it I will now change this mystery to why the heck is Rex here.  Hey George did you not want me here?  That guess would be right I don't want you here.  Well George you're dumb.  I know you are, but what am I. Okay you win Captain Funny Fur I'm out of here people.  I guess I do win, Hey how dare you call me Captain Funny Fur.  Oh well so when Max woke me up I had to chose how to react.  Lets just say I was very annoyed and decided to growl.  So now I will go to Loki, Gracie and Jack the dog  to ask them if they know why Rex was here I will tell you the answer next time.

Connor: Blog Of The Day

     Hulk Gone Bad

        By Connor M. Jones

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS-  February 19, 2010.  Today Hulk was spotted at the Alamo.  When asked for an interview this gigantic, green creature threw a table.  Has this got anything to do with the movie that came out last summer?  We may never know.    Hulk was next spotted running through all of San Antonio destroying buildings, smashing cemeteries, siting on top of buses and stepping on people.  We can only come up with one explanation...Hulk has gone evil.  For whatever reason Hulk has become the same as his enemy.  Where will this story lead us next?  If you spot Hulk on the move please write in and try not to be so unlucky as to get killed by this beast.

Gabe: Blog Of The Day

Hulk Convention: What??

By Gabe Jones

AUSTIN, TEXAS-  January 28th, 2011 there will be a Hulk convention.  There will be Hulk clothes and Hulk action figures to buy.  Even Hulk will be there.  It will be in a roller skating rink. It is in Houston Texas. You should buy tickets  December 16th, 2010. Have fun.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

Hulk Show

By Avery Jones

DALLAS, TEXAS-  I am here at a Hulk show and I just figured out it was on ice! The lines are super long and all the kids that I can see right now are in Hulk costumes and have green faces. I heard that the Hulk show was very funny and very amazing. " It is going to be the best Hulk show I have ever seen. All my friends are talking about how cool it is.", says one of the kids here. I have seen kids buying souvenirs from little sales that are all over the building. There are Hulk hats, action figures, shirts and gloves that make Hulk noises when you hit something. The Hulk show is going to be in Dallas for two more weeks. The tickets are ten dollars per person.

 

Marney: Blog Of The Day

 Hulk's Birthday

By Marney Jones

MARBLE FALLS, TEXAS- At a party I walked in and saw Hulk and his baby.  And he was so green and I went to a game and I saw Hulk in the game.  I went to all the games and Hulk was in them.  I figured out it was Hulk's birthday.

Daddio: 2/19/10 Blog of the Day

Pretend you are a reporter and write a newspaper article that would include the following photo as part of the story.

Connor: Blog of The Day

If it were to really rain cats and dogs people would get hurt when ever there was a storm.  Although you would never have to buy cats or dogs at a pet store.  The worst that could happen to someone is being scratched by a falling cat.  Well other then that a falling dog could bite you.

Kiki: Blog Of The Day

The cats and dogs would get wet.

Marney: Blog Of The Day

I would have a pet cat and dog because I would catch a dog and cat from the sky. 

Max: Blog of the Day

Rain on dog. Snack for the dog. Rain also on cats. Have snack for cats.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

Every one in the world will have a pet and will never be alone. Also be people would have to remember a lot of names.

Gabe: Blog Of The Day

They would take  over the world.  They would hold us hostage.  It  would be horrible.

Mommio: 2/18/10 Blog Of The Day

What would happen if it really did rain cats and dogs?