Challenges

We have been playing along with the blog LEGO Quest.  We haven't yet submitted a photo, but try to participate every two weeks.

This week's challenge excited Eamon.  He built a creation quite quickly and wanted me to photograph it.  We plan on submitting it to the blog.  Eamon says, "it is a death tower.  The guy is supposed to help destroy the world with the giant monster".

Gifts

I love knitting the mystery sock from Through the Loops each year.  I enjoy getting a clue a week.  I seem to be able to knit much more quickly when on a deadline.  I eagerly wait for the clue and hope to knit it before the next one.  This year I was able to finish completely one sock in Socktober (October for those of you non-knitters).  

I still have a foot to finish on the mate.  I carry it with me all the time in the hope that I may find a few minutes to knit.  My mom noticed the yarn this past weekend and asked what I was making.  I told her socks, for which I know she has little appreciation.  I was told last year when knitting my mystery socks that my mom thought knitting socks was a waste of time.  Too bad the socks I was knitting at the time were for her.  I promptly tore out the toe and reknit the socks to my size.  This year when she noticed the socks, she adamantly denied such a rumor.  She said she would love handknit socks.  So, I am now franticly finishing the socks for her upcoming birthday.  You have to be nice to your mom.

Circles

Today we contemplated the mysteries of circles at Math Club.  Initially the children were instructed to find a stick.  Much debate occurred over what type of stick would be appropriate, who had the biggest, which was longest, etc.  Next each child was given a piece of chalk and a string.  They enjoyed deciding how long their string would be.  Then the fun began.  The only instruction provided was to make a circle using all three things.

Amazing things occurred.  Most kids placed the objects on the ground and tried to create a circular shape.  One child arranged her stick and string perpendicular to one another and drew a circle around them with her chalk.  The following clues were given to help solve the puzzle:

1. Tie the string to one end of the stick
2. Tie the chalk to the other end
3. Place the stick perpendicular to the ground

Once the final clue was given, everyone was catching onto the task.  We then used everyone's circle making device to draw a basketball court full of circles.  We discussed why the circles were different if we used the same materials.  We also tried to figure out the circumference of the circles.  This led to a quick discussion of the constant pi.

We wrapped up the morning with a 36 point circle and some artwork on it.  The kids appeared to enjoy themselves.  It helps being at a park and running around to get the sillies out as needed.

The most amusing part of the exercise was noticing the school kids in the adjacent school playground standing at the fence watching what we were doing.

Halloween 2010

Halloween was quite an event this year.   We celebrated first with a party at the park with our homeschooling group.  The kids had a great time.  They ate, played and even made fairy dust.


This event was followed by another party with Eamon's Earth Scouts group on Sunday.  The whole family attended and everyone again ran around, ate snacks and had a blast.  We stopped to visit Grandma and GrandDad after the party.  We showed them our costumes and discussed our plans for the night.  Pumpkin carving was next on the day's agenda.  Cleaning the pumpkins was a breeze this year.  Everyone did a great job.  None of the kiddos wanted to do the actual carving, but they had plenty of ideas.  With knives in hands, Dave and I carved their designs.

Here is Eamon's 

Aine's

and Benton's 

Finally the actual event was upon us.  Eamon initially wanted to be Harry Potter.  He had decided this quite a bit ago, but he changed his mind when he discovered the cloak he would wear.  It did not seem like Harry to him.  Rather it was the costume of a Dementor!

Aine stayed true to her initial plan and dressed as a princess.  In a poofy dress, a little lip gloss and ballet slippers, she hit the streets.

Benton continued the dinocrocogator tradition established by his older siblings.  He didn't always like the hood up, but he loved growling.

We headed out in the neighborhood with a friend.  The kiddos did really well.  Everyone became tired toward the end.  Benton even fell asleep in his stroller.  Once home, the kiddos selected their candy and crawled into bed.  Each of them fell asleep quickly and were excited to find out the candy fairy had come overnight.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

More Love

While Dave was applying deodorant this morning lamenting his lack of shower,  Benton quipped, "I love your armpits, Daddy"

New Look

After living with gross chairs for months (maybe even a year), we decided to paint them.  The kids picked out colors for their chairs.  Everyone has been involved in the process.  It is taking  a bit longer than expected, but soon I will have photos to share of our new chairs.

Rites of Passage

We attended the Bar Mitvah of a friend this weekend.  Eamon, Aine and Benton did not attend the ceremony, but they did participate in the party later.  We discussed that a Bar Mitvah is a ceremony/celebration of a child becoming a more active participant in their religion.  We discussed they were taking a more adult role and accepting more responsibilities.

Upon hearing this, Aine quipped: "Since he is an adult, did he get a family?"

In case there was a doubt

Overheard this morning while we were waking up in bed,


B (uttered before his eyes were even open): Take the bananas out of my bowl.  I HATE them!