Last Procrastination Reveal

Remember this old thing?

Well it's finally finished and I'm finally getting around to posting it in its new home in my daughter's room. So without further ado....

She can finally sit at her desk!!

Third Quarter Celebration

Wow! It's been a busy month! I expect as we wind down the school year it's only going to get busier. Anyhow, we finally wrapped up our tour of Europe this semester.
For our European meal we decided to go with food from the Netherlands.
B made Erwtensoep (Pea Soup) and J2 decided to make Olliebollen (a type of doughnut). J3 did not end up making something this time because he was not feeling well. As I've mentioned before in previous posts we use the book, "Eat Your Way Around the World" for most of our recipes.

We also added some Gouda cheese from Holland to the table. We didn't decorate the table like we usually do because it's in my garage right now getting sanded and refinished. We are using a folding table and it's a bit cramped.
After dinner, the kids showed Dad all of their finished projects.

J1 was working on a project for economics but wanted to display it even though it wasn't finished yet. He also has been working on a new stop motion. It's a Switchfoot video with the guys from the band made from clay.
Here's one of the heads he's been working on. I will have to get a picture of all the band together for you to see. I was quite impressed.

B and J3 showed off their Stonehenge...

J2's Polish paper cutting

and B's

and J3's Ukranian egg

And J3 and B's Matryoshka dolls from Russia

We're off to Africa now!

Quick Change Art For .......FREEEEE!

So lately, we have been working to finish redoing my daughter's bedroom. I needed something to hang above her nightstand. I had a picture hanging around that had hung in the bathroom of our old home. I actually bought it from TJ Maxx to help stage the home when we put it on the market. It was very nice but never worked in the new house.

The scariest part about it for me was that I was actually going to destroy this picture I paid money for and just use it as a canvas. I reasoned with myself that it wasn't doing me any good sitting in the basement for the last couple years. So I got down my box of acrylic paints and covered the whole thing with a coat of white.

I then went onto my computer to look for some photos of a hibiscus flower.  B's bedding gave me the insiration.  After printing it out I transfered (by pencil) the design to my desired placement. I made my pencil lines light so I hope you can see them.

I then mixed some acrylic colors to coordinate with B's bedding and went to town. Once I started painting, I couldn't stop until it was done because I was worried I couldn't remix the colors the same again. :-)

 I forgot to take a picture after I completed all the Hibiscus flowers. It looked very undone!! So I decided to paint a flamingo in the background like he was hiding behind all the flowers. Okay, I have to admit that I was thinking to myself, "I'm about to ruin this picture after all the work I put in!" After much talking to myself, I just did it before I could change my mind again. Here's the result.....

I'm so excited I didn't ruin it!  I'm thinking about doing it again to another picture I can't find a spot for. That's if I don't chicken out.

Anti-Procrastination Project #3

So of course, these projects are taking me way longer that I've planned.  Here is the after of my B's name for her bedroom we have been redoing.

I love the way it turned out!!  More importantly my 11 year old daughter loves it too!  I found the  butterfly at Hobby Lobby.  It's a new line of package toppers. Now on to finish her desk chair!!

Homeschool Highlights

Happy Saturday!

I can't believe another week has flown by! It's getting down to the wire for J1's graduation and the end of the school year. I always seem to panic this time of year. Everything I haven't accomplished seems to be taunting me. One great thing about having my new blog are the photos I have been taking for my posts. Once I finish a "Homeschool Highlights" post I look back over it and say to myself, "We are having valuable moments!!"
We also have had a spring snow storm here. UUUGG! I am such a warm weather girl that this weather is torture! I can not wait for some signs of spring and some long hikes. Today I think it's about 20 degrees!
Anyhoo, here are some highlights from our homeschool week.

We found a wonderful book at the library for B and J3's chemistry.

The book presents every element of the periodic table like a character with a personality. It is really holding their attention! After we read about a couple of the elements we watch a video on that element that I learned about from Harmony Art Mom called  The Periodic Table of Videos. These videos make chemistry fun!!

They absolutley love it when the video has an explosion of some kind. My older boys are working on Apologia Chemistry and they are watching the videos on their own as well. Very often though they will come and watch them again with the youngers......especially if there is going to be an explosion going on. The older boys have been making chemistry videos of their own now. The latest video was of a handmade bottle rocket. I'll try and see if I can have them put the video onto my blog. 

J1 is still plugging away at his American Government course.  It's been a challenge to say the least.

I have to include a cute moment of J2 working on his LA in the office. I went to see what he was up to and had to laugh....

Our cat Lily is almost invisible on that black desk! She wants to homeschool too!

In World Geography this week we made English castles out of sugar cubes.

J3 decided his castle was going to be an old ruin. 

Last, but not least, we started using a couple new math books by Scholastic. One is called, Mega Fun Card Games and the other is 25 Super Cool Math Board Games. Both B and J3 are loving them. Excuse the Pjs :-).

Well that's a wrap! have a great homeschool week!

Homeschool Highlights

Happy Saturaday!

We had a very busy but fun week.  I thought I would share a few moments in pics.

In World Geography we are in Europe This week we studied England. J3 and B planned and put together an English tea for us.

B made chocolatechip and plain scones! The recipe came from one of our Geography books called, Eat Your Way Around the World. We are loving this book. Occasionally, we have had to look elsewhere for a more interesting or easier recipe but for the most part the recipes have really turned out well. These scones were really delicious not to mention easy to make! J2 decided to made his dish  for later in the week. He's going to attempt cornish pasty. And yes.. that's pasty and not pastry 

J3 made cucumber and watercress sandwiches.

They made a pretty nice table! They added some strawberries, jams, and cheddar cheese.....oh and of course we had tea.

We also played some geography games this week like: fishing for geography terms. Older brother J2 played as well but he did not want his picture taken playing "little kid games". The younger ones have more fun when he joins in and the nice thing about J2 is that he is always happy to oblige.



We also went on a field trip with our homeschool group to the science museum. J3 is not fond of the science museum and even though he thought this year he would be fine going, Dad came and picked him up early. J3 is a very sensitive boy and I think certain exhibits creep him out.

 My B with a friend pretending they are weather women on TV. This spot is always a favorite for my drama loving kids!

B and I love the Native American section.

My boys with the teen group. J1 is in far back right and J2 has fallen overboard. :-) I told you they loved drama!

Anti-Procrastination Project #2

I wish I had a before picture of my kitchen window. It has only taken me three years to make a mistreatment for it but here it is.  Pay no attention to the light fixture above! We replaced a light fixture from the 80's with this pocket light and we still have some sanding and repainting to do.

 The curtain was made out of a pair of 80" curtain pannels from a garage sale this past summer. I paid $1 and I still have a ton of fabric left over!! Hopefully we will get to repainting those cupboards soon!
Tomorrow I will post the TV hutch redo.