Marney: Blog Of The Day

I'M A KARATE CAT!

SCREAM TIL YOU DIE!

Daddio: Blog of the Day 6/14/11

Let's have some fun.  You know what LOLCatz are, right?  There when people take weird pictures of cats (or sometimes other animals) and then put up a funny caption for the picture.  Here's some examples:

So for today's blog post, I want you to do two things.  First, post up a funny LOLCatz caption for the following picture:

And then, I want you to go to Google Image Search and find your own weird picture to post another funny caption for.  You can try searching with the terms like "funny cat" or "weird dog" or "cute mouse" or things like that.

Mommio: Congratulations Mason!

Today Mason completed the Saxon Phonics Intervention program that we have been 

working on for almost a year.  

Mason has struggled with phonics for many years, and going in to the program he was not really able to read chapter books on his own.  After learning how to code words properly he is now able to read and loves it.  His goal was to be able to read Harry Potter books when we finished this program- and he can!  I am so proud of him for working so hard on this.

Mason: Blog Of The Day

I have finish my goal of reading The Lightning Thief. My new goal is to read the whole series. I have finished the first and second book I have three more books to read. I will post about the second one some time. I really like the books. 

Gabe: Blog Of The Day

I have been typing much more because I  just started a new book but I only have a paragraph.  I would say my hand writing has gotten much much better because I do spelling almost every day.  I would also say I have been getting better at controlling my temper because we came up with a new system. I can now do full lotus pose with out holding my legs up.  I have worn my shoes every day so far and it is June!

 

World Geography Cooking: Russia- Medianyky (Honey Cookies)

This week in our World Geography Unit Study we are learning about eastern Europe.  Today, Avery let Max and Jack help her make a Russian cookie recipe from our Eat Your Way Around The World cookbook.  

Here are some shots of the cooking process...

We all got to taste test them at lunch and give a review. Here's what they thought...

Marney said they were too "floury" and needed more water.  She kind of liked them.  Jack didn't like the nuts.  Max said they were yummy but he didn't want to eat a whole cookie.  I thought they tasted like really sweet gingerbread- and agreed with Marney that they were too dry.  Mason liked the nuts but said the cookies were hard to chew, like "bricks". Kiki said they were hard to bite and liked the way they taste.
Overall- not so great, but Avery and the boys sure had fun cooking (and made a BIG mess).

Avery: Blog Of The Day

Photography

I've got way better at my photography. I have taken many more pictures. I have learned what all the buttons on my camera mean, how to use editing software, like on our google, or printmaster. I took some pictures of people lately. Here are some pictures of Marney and Kiki that I messed around with.

 This is them with blue hair. I tinted it big time then erased the blue were the skin is.

 This is an old lady picture. I used teeth whiten on their hair, because I didn't see their teeth.

 I made this one all black and white and then used doodle on it.

 I used royalty and beard stickers on the original to make this photo.

This is the original photo I had to work with.

Marney: Blog Of The Day

Be Nice To People
I have been bossy some but I am trying not to.   I sometimes do not know when I am doing it and it is hard to .  I will try to do better.

Reading harder books
I have done a great job.  I have finished a book that was hard to read already. I think it was a nice book. I am in the middle of a hard book and I think it is cool. 

Kiki: Blog Of The Day

Learn to sing: I haven't been doing anything for that.  I don't think I want this for a goal anymore.
Paint more: I haven't been doing that either.  I don't want to paint anymore.


My new goal is to learn to play the piano.  Ava is going to help me to learn how to play the piano.

Daddio: Blog of the Day 6/9/11

It's June and that means that it's time again to write a post reminding us of what your resolutions were, tell us what you have done over the last month to work towards your goals, let us know what you are going to do to work harder next month and also let us know if your goals have changed or if you have created some new ones.

Jack- use the potty
Max- stop wearing pullups at night, write name, write the ABC's
Kiki- learn to sing, paint more, grow out hair
Marney- read harder books, be nicer to people
Gabe- type better, improve handwriting, control temper, do the full lotus yoga pose, wear shoes everyday
Avery- practice photography
Mason- read The Lightening Thief
Connor- spend time with the younger kids, learn to drive
Mommio- be healthier, help the family be healthier
Daddio- track food on Livestrong everyday until July 1st

 

As for me... I'm just doing terrible.  I haven't been tracking anything and keep telling myself that I'm going to start very soon.  And then I never do.  I want you all to know that this is all your fault.  You toes should be encouraging me and shaming me when I don't track my food.  I'm so very disappointed in all of you.

Mommio: Happy Birthday Connor!

Mommio: Instant Challenge- Balloon Walk

Yesterday we had six girls at the house so I decided that it was time for an instant challenge. The challenge involved teamwork and balloons (and six giggling girls in swimsuits). 

Here's Ava and her friend Hannah reading the challenge.

And all the girls lined up and ready to go.  They were pretty cute!

And here is a short video of them making it across the finish line.  Great job!

Marney: Blog Of The Day

What you use when you are driving is your eyes, your hands and your feet. That is what you use on your body for driving. Now you do not want to go too below the speed limit and you do not want to go too above the speed limit. So how you have to start is you put the keys in but that is not all, you have to turn the keys to start the car. For one thing you have to buckle up and make sure everyone else is to. You should also stop at stop lights and stop signs because then police can come. The mirrors are for to see people behind you.  They are also used for you to see your wheels.  When you turn is when you look in the mirrors and when you are going to a different lane. How you get to HEB is you first put your keys in and then you turn them.  Then you put the car in to reverse and you look behind you and get on to the road. Then you turn your car in to drive and drive forward then you take a little turn and go that way until you get to the park.  Then you take a turn and do not go in the park. Then you go forward then when you get to that house that is giant you take a right turn. Then you go down that road and when you get to the train tracks you keep on going then you get to a four way stop and you stop. Then when you go you go forward. Then when you get right next to Taco Casa you stop then you go to HEB. You park and you turn the keys back and then pull them.  Then you go back the same way and then you are home with food.

Gabe and Jack: Blog Of The Day

#1 Put the key in the ignition and turn the car on.
 #2 Put it in reverse.
 #3 Look in the mirror to back out of the drive way.
#4 Put it in drive.
 #5 Go 30 mph up Pecan Valley.
 #6 Turn left on to Johnson Street.
#7 Go 20 mph.
 #8 Turn right on to Avenue N.
 #9 Go until you hit 1431 and stop and wait for the light.
 #10 Go into the parking lot and find a spot that your car fits into. Then turn into it and put it in park and take out your keys.
 #11 Go in and get your food.
#12 Put it in reverse and back out of your spot.
 #13 Put it in drive.
 #14 Go back the same way you got there.
 #15 When you get to the house turn in to the drive way and put it in park.  Then take out the keys.

Mason: Blog Of The Day

1. Get in the car, put the keys in the car and turn them. Put the car in reverse. Drive out of our sidewalk.

2. Then put the car on drive and go straight. Then turn left. Go as fast as the speed limit says. Then go straight.

3. When you get to the park go left. Keep going straight. When you get to stop light, wait until it turns green then go straight.

4. Then you are at HEB. Get in the parking lot and find a spot to park, then turn the keys to turn off the car. Then get out of the car and get groceries.

5. Then put the groceries in the trunk.  Then get in the car, start the car and use the mirrors to make sure that none of the cars behind you are getting out. Then get out of the parking lot and  go straight. When you get to a stop sign go left. Then go straight for a few miles. Then turn right and go straight and when you see our mailbox turn right in the sidewalk and turn the car off.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

 If you want to drive to HEB, first you have to get in the car in put the keys in it. Then you have to make sure you have enough gas ( lets pretend he does right now). Sometimes he will have to adjust the mirrors so he can see behind him and next to him. Then he will have to change the gears to reverse (in this case he is driving a stick). Then he changes the gears back to drive and starts going down our street. He can go 20 MPH on our street, Pecan Drive. After he turns he keeps going the same way and then goes through Johnson Park. There, he still has to go 20 MPH. After that I don't know any street names. So, when he's at HEB he has to find a parking spot. Because of his fragile bones he can park in handicap if he has that little handicap thing with him. Then he gets out of the car and gets the stuff he needs to buy. When he is done buying stuff he puts all the stuff in the trunk. Then he puts the cart in the cart return and gets in his car. Then he dives back home. Also if he needs to switch lanes he has to check to see if there are any cars too close to him or if anyone is passing him in the lane he wants to switch to. When he gets home he parks in the driveway, takes the keys out of the car and calls the kids to help him bring in the stuff.

Kiki: Blog Of The Day

First, he has to put his keys in the car.  Then he has to move the steering wheel to drive.  He has to go 50 miles per hour.  Then he has to stop when he gets to HEB and park.  He has to take his keys out of the car and put them in his purse.  He has to get a shopping cart and buy all his stuff then go back into the car, put the keys back in the car, put his purse back down, go 50 miles per hour again and then park in our driveway.

Mommio: Baby Birds!

Our yearly porch visitors- the barn swallows- have finally hatched some babies this year.  It has been fun watching them!  In early April, while we were at the Grand Canyon, they built their nest- in the exact same place as last year.

 Then at the end of April, on Easter actually, we found five little eggs in the nest.

 And just yesterday morning (June 6th- which seemed like a really long time to us) the eggs hatched.  Here are a few looks at the brand new baby birds.  We can't tell if there are 5 there yet but we will keep a watch and post more pictures as they get a little bigger.

 

We also had an extra visitor this year- a dove built a nest on the edge of our roof.  She was very protective of her nest so we didn't get a very close look.  But we did see her with one baby bird- you can see it sitting under her- look for the eye to find it.

Daddio: Blog of the Day 6/7/11

Tomorrow is...


CONNOR'S 15th BIRTHDAY!

Of course this means that he's going to start driving soon (or at least learning to drive with a learner's permit).  I thought we should all take this opportunity to inform him how to drive.  So for today's blog post I want you to post up step by step instructions on everything Connor should do if he's going to drive from our house to HEB and then drive back with some groceries.  I know that none of you know how to drive, but make up what you don't know.  How does he make the car go?  How fast should he go?  On the route he takes, where should he stop?  What are all those dang mirrors for and when should he use them?  Is there a secret hover-device in the trunk that can make the trip easier?  Have fun with it.

In honor of Connor's birthday, he can skip this blog of the day-- you don't have to post anything, Connor.  Happy birthday, buddy.

Connor: Blog Of The Day

We all love kiki

and today is her birthday

Happy Birthday kik

Kiki is the best

because she is gooofy

Kiki is awesome

I am writing this

for Kennedy's birthday.

I hope she likes it.