Something for Halloween

Carve a Virtual Pumpkin

Big Cats and Pumpkins... Who will win?

A bit of African fun (SOTW Chapter 29)

In Story of the World we slowly travel around the globe and each event that marked the turning point of a society we follow for a little while and become invested in. Sometimes we focus on the culture, sometimes we focus on the events, and sometimes the animals.

This story was a favorite of mine and I was lucky to have inherited my mother's copy for my own kids. They love it! It is about Anase the Spiderman (Logan calls it "the real Spiderman story") and about how he brought stories to the people of the world. Wonderful symbolism, fun illustrations, and lots of great cultural tidbits.

We have passed the African Kingdoms chapter some time ago (now on 32 and that was 29) but it is always nice to review with a little bit of culture and fun.

And just to get your wiggles out, check out this great video:



How fun is that??

In the Handwork corner

We are all learning to knit!

Apple Taste Test Graph

Fall around here means pumpkins... but it also means Apples! (We do live in Washington, after all.) So we decided to do our own little taste test of all the different apples we could find. Some came from our CSA box, some came from the market, and the rest came from the grocery store. As much as I would love to say we were able to take an apple from our own trees... the only tree that produced any apples this year is not ready for harvest yet. The Florina Apple tree still has green on her apples (they are a dark blush apple with white dots when ripe) and so we will have to add this to the taste test another day.

I made a graph so Cyan could write down our like of each variety in a number between 1-10. I let Logan just do faces as the number system was a bit beyond him.

Our favorites seem to be Fujis, Galas, and one I hadn't heard of before called "Jazz".

After we were done with the taste test, I allowed a little bit of taste bud redirection with a tiny yummy cup of caramel sauce to dip the leftover pieces in.

I think I may have ruined dinner! Eeeek!

Reading Basket for Autumn

In our reading basket this week, we have a bunch of wonderful books for the Autumn season. I have been having Cyan read them to Logan after naptime and they both look forward to those moments.

Grandfather Twilight

More than anything, this book is stunning! There are very few words, making it a favorite for beginning readers and the pictures are beautiful and magical, making it a favorite for non-readers. I included it in the Autumn book basket because it seems to show the earth going to sleep... and this time of year, it can feel as though the days get shorter very quickly.

Too Many Pumpkins

At first, we got it from the library, but within the week I knew we had to own it and add it to our Autumn book box. The kids just LOVE the story! Rebecca Estelle, an old maid, hates pumpkins. But when a pumpkin truck accidentally drops a pumpkin in her front yard circumstances make her adjust her opinion of pumpkins... and create a connection with her community as well. A charming story and a good laugh (and plenty of moments to tear up too).

And just in case that isn't enough reason to go out and see if you can find this book, here is a whole Natural Kids unit study based on this book and pumpkins! Perfect for this time of year. :)

Inspired Sprouts; Pumpkin Corner

Autumn Story

Another adorable addition to the Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem, Autumn Story does not disappoint! The harvest time is very busy for the creatures of Brambly Hedge. One day, when out gathering, Primrose gets lost and has a wonderful little adventure. The story includes a lot of harvest activities that we do around here in the fall; gathering for winter, preserving foods, and enjoying hot tea being among them. And just like the other books in the series, the illustrations are amazingly detailed and make me remember fondly the days of laying in the grass, making tiny houses for fairies and mice alike.

The Legend of Spookly, the Square Pumpkin

This is the story that Cyan read yesterday. It is an adorable book about a pumpkin that feels like an outsider because he has a different shape than the rest of the pumpkins in his patch. In the end, he gets to save the day with his difference and enjoys being the hero for his pumpkin patch.

I didn't realise that this book had become a franchise until I searched for this image on Google. There is apparently a Spookly movie, a Spookly website and everything! I look forward to looking for those at my library, but for now, we are very happy just to read the book over and over.

Quotes from Facebook

I have found recently that some of the things I would normally post on here have ended up on Facebook instead. So I decided to move them over. Enjoy the funnies from the past week!

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Husband: Who left the flag up on the mailbox?

3 yr old: I did!

Husband: You can't do that buddy. That means something.

3 yr old: Yeah. It means I can reach it!

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I ask the daughter to bring all of the stuff from around the yard, onto the patio so we can get rid of the garbage and go through the outdoor toys before Winter... what is the first thing she brings? ROCKS. Big fat rocks from all over the yard. When asked what she is doing she says: "But... you said *everything*."

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Dear moonbrained teenage son,

For future reference, axes, hatchets, and hedge trimmers are not lawn ornaments. Weed whackers do not belong on the front porch, and extension cords are not part of our curb appeal. You bike does not get flipped over and left in center the walkway, nor do you get to get angry at your three year old brother for picking up/touching said bike, hatchet, or ax.

Also, wearing socks and flipflops through wet grass is dumb. As is complaining about it afterwards.

Love (your very irritated) Mom (who is now leaving and getting a cup of coffee.)

(God, please help us both live through this year. Amen.)

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