Happy Un-Birthday Party

This afternoon, the Co-op Party Commitee (I am a chair for it), had a Happy Un-Birthday Party for the kids. We figured this was easier because we could celebrate everyone's Un-Birthday together instead of the expensive of trying to have a monthly Birthday Party for the kids. It was great fun. We played musical carpets (we used carpet squares instead of chairs they were easier to set up and put away), Drop the Tea Bag (played like Drop the Penny but instead of pennies we used tea bags (with strings and tags) and instead of bottles we used tea cups from a child plastic tea set. We were going to do a "tea" relay race but it was way to cold outside for this so we opted out (basically you were trying to get water (tea) from a bucket with a childs plastic tea set cup to the other end of the yard and pour it into a teapot). I think it was a success and the kids had a great fun.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip (HEA Co-op)

Today we went to a Pumpkin Patch for a co-op Field Trip. We had a great time seeing a pig race, taking a hay ride and picking our pumpkins (some of us were braver than others and tromped through the mud (it has been raining on and off pretty much all week) to pick a pumpkin for the patch) that they had already picked and up on the front lawn to take home. It was a great time together however, I was greatly disappointed it wasn't as long or fun as I had hoped it would be. Next year we will schedule our PP field trip to a larger PP (one with a huge corn maze). This is what happens when you try to please the masses.

Edward in the Pumpkin Patch

Looking for the perfect pumpkin to take home

Some of our HEA co-op Kiddos!

Edwards "Coat" of Many Colors

This is the finished product of our Josephs Coat of Many Colors Activity.

Coat of Many Colors

In Myster of History this week, we learned about Abraham, Esau and Jacob, and Joseph. To represent Josephs coat of many colors that Jacob gave him, we tie dyed a T-shirt. Below are pictures of Edward (and I) tie dying.

T-Shirt prepared
Applying the color to the shirt (we choose to do the dry method)

Completed dying process, we wrapped and it now has to sit for 6 to 8 hours before I stick it in the washer. I will take a picture of Edward wearing it later and add it to my blog.

Barbie (Ken) Mummy Project

In our Mystery of History Lessons, we learned about Egyptian Mummification. To take our lesson a step further, we mummified a Barbie (Ken) Doll. Here are pictures of our Mummification Process:

Preparing the body by cleansing it with Wine (water down red wine vinegar). Then we removed the Intestines, Liver, Lungs and Stomach (placing them in Canopic Jars). There is a incision mark down his left side to represent where he would have been cut open for the removal of these organs. Next we removed the Brains with a hook through the nose (hence the black dot on his nostril). The brains were thrown away because that felt that it was the hear that thought for you not the brain.

We used a basting brush to cleanse him but we know that they didn't use one. The red heart represents the fact that they left the heart in tact, later it will be used in the Weighing-of-the-heart ceremony. In the back corner you will see that we have Anubis (the God of Embalming) present during this embalming as they would have had someone with a mask of his head on during this process.

Next we wiped him down with spices of Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Allspice, in an olive oil.

We put him in Kosher Sea Salt (this represents the Natron Salt that they would have used). Then we let him sit in the salt for 40 minutes (1 minute to represnt each day that they would have left the body in the Natron Salt...however they would have completely covered them so that you couldn't even seen them). We accidently did the spices/oil and salting backwards. The salting should have come first, then the spices and oils. Then they would have replaced the eyes onions stuffed into the sockets. Then they stuffed the body with mudd, sawdust, rags and chaff to make it appear plump.

Next we began the wrapping process (they would have saved Linen to be wrapped in for their burial, their whole lives). We used muslin and a mixture of flour and water (1 part to 3 parts) for the paste. It took them about 15 days to wrap the body and about 20 layers of linen bandages. We put the Amulets inbetweeen the layers of Linen (a scarab beetle (which they believed prevent your guilty secrets from being found out during the weighing-of-the-heart ceremony), the protective eye of the sun god, Horus).

We allowed him to do a little drying before the final wrapping.

Here he is after the final wrapping. Our hired Mourner (Daddy) and the Priests (Edward and Mommy) took our mummy to his tomb (it will be a plastic shoe box). We used Sacred Tools for the opening of the mouth ceremony (this was done to restore the body's spirit to it), this was done by touching the "lips" with the tools. Next we had the Weighing-of-the-heart ceremony. You will see that we have Anubis and Thoth present (we didn't have Ammut). In the Weighing-of-the-heart ceremony your spirit was believed to be led to a scale by Anubis, who weighed your heart against the feather of truth. The result was recorded by the ibis-headed god, Thoth. A monster, Ammut waited to eat the heart if it has been made to heavy by bad deeds. In his tomb, we put (not really just pretended) the Book of the Dead, food, clothes, wine, furniture, weapons and tools (these things were to be used by your KA(your spirit double, this was said to stay in your tomb with your body all the time) and BA(the spirit of your personality, this was said to be able to leave the tomb during the day but returned at night). Then we sealed the tomb.

Homeschool Zoofari Day Field Trip

The Wichita TPA (Teaching Parents Association) and the Sedgwick County Zoo teamed up together to put on a Zoofari Day for Homeschoolers and their families. Below are pictures of us on our Field Trip. We had such a great time and they did a great job putting together the day. There about 10 stations set up to stop at and learn about animals in that area of the zoo. We learned a lot of things we didn't know (even I did and I taught Animal Science all last year...see you still can learn things, even if you have done an extensive study of a subject).

Learning about Farm Animals (goats and sheep) in the Farm area of the Childrens Zoo portion of the Sedgwick County Zoo.
Edward has grown he is now as tall as the Tallest Penguin (the Emperor Penguin), last time (when the first put in this exhibit) he was about 3 to 4 penguins down the wall.

In the Jungle Building

Feeding the Giraffes with friends.

Best Friends feeding the ducks together.

Look Mom, A Mustache

Edward got this "mustache" from a vending machine, you know the kind that you get plastic rings and tatoos from. Just had to take a picture of him wearing it. To cute!

Tippy Tap

Here is Edward at Tap Dancing Lessons. He loves it and is learning a lot.

Stonehenge

This week in our Mystery of History Lessons, we learned about Stonehenge. We built our own version of Stonehenge using rocks (from the alley, all about the same size), a paper plate and a hot glue gun. Here are pictures of our Stonehenge:

The 2009 Kansas State Fair

Edward had so much fun at the fair this year. He was able to do a lot of hands on activities which just thrilled him to pieces.

There was a barn where you could do some hands on activities and Edward decided to shovel up some hay into a wheelbarrow.
There was a construction site set up for children to do hands on construction related activies. It was the neatest and most educational thing that I have seen at the fair in a long time for children of about all ages. Edward is checking out the drill and learning how to use it (little did the man know that Edward already knew how to use it...LOL!)

Screwing screws...this is cool, must go home and try it (and trust me, he did).

Learning to get the aim just right.

Driving a remote control front loader.

Driving a Simulator and learning how to work a back hoe.

Helping to build a play house for a children's center. He even got to sign a plague that will be hung by it there.

A lesson in Masonry

Edward got to learn about Masonry and laying bricks, at the construction site set up at the fair for children. He probably would have laid the whole row of the wall if the man would have allowed him to do so.

Handy Manny

Edward won a prize at the construction site that was set up for the children to learn about construction. He won the jackpot, he got to build his very own tool box...the downside is that I had to drag it through the fair and trying not to take anyone or anything out with it (and it was heavy) for almost 3 hours.

Tapping down the bottom
Tapping in a side (he got to use the drill too)

One very proud little boy, with his newly built (by him) tool box.

Bungee Jumping

This is one of Edwards most favorite things to do at the fair. I don't mind paying the $5 for him to do it, at least it is a lot safer than doing it from a bridge or something else. The only thing I fear is that he will be an adrenaline junky and do dare devilish stunts when he gets older. He really doesn't seem to have many fears and the ones he does show, he seems to get over with quickly.

Under the Stars

The Hutchinson Cosmosphere put on a Starry Night Event last night. We were able to take our telescope and learn how to use it. We were able to see Jupiter. It was so amazing...how people can believe that God didn't create us and all the wonders around us, is just beond me....I see his beauty everywhere.

Trying Space (freeze dried) Ice Cream
Back of his new T-shirt

Front of his new T-shirt....our telescope (that Kirk won on the Price Is Right Las Vegas version) is behind him.

Waiting for the sun to go down so we can use this cool telescope.

A rocket that they were about ready to launch. They launced a garbage can too...and a few other rockets. This was a huge hit with the kids.

Mini Barber

Took Edward to get his hair cut yesterday, but he decided he did not like the hair cut he recieved. He decided to take it upon himself (with the help of some scissors) to give himself a new (more likable, in his mind) hair do. Below are the results of what he did to himself.

Needless to say we had to have it cut very short, almost had to have him bald.

Swimming Lessons

Edward took private swimming lessons this summer...it was the best money we ever spent....talk about doing a 360...he did when it came to swimming. We were completely in awe at how in 2 weeks he went from not being able to swimming really to swimming the whole length of the pool and diving too!

5 O'Clock Shadow

This morning when Edward crawled into our bed to cuddle before getting up; he looked at me, rubbed his chin and said "Mommy I can feel my beard growing". I about fell out of the bed laughing. A little bit later, I wanted to check his teeth that are coming in and he thought I was feeling his chin to feel his beard that is coming in.

What?!!??!?!?!

Last night Edward was taking 2 girls (from our Homeschoool Co-op) to Vacation Bible School with him as guests. I told him, you have 10 minutes before we leave to go get the girls for VBS. He goes into the bathroom and comes out with Kirk's Deoderant, and is applying it to his armpits. I ask him, "What are you doing that for?" He says "I want to smell good, not like a bad boy." Then he says "My breath stinks, I need to go brush my teeth." He goes into the bathroom brushes his teeth and his hair. He comes out to the living room where Kirk and I are talking and he is doing a Breath Check (where you cup your hand infront of your mouth and breath out so you can smell your breath to make sure it smells okay). We about died laughing. I told Kirk "You would think he was going on a D-A-T-E! Can you just imagine what he will be like when he really gets to go on a D-A-T-E?" Edward says "A Date?" We laughed again. I told Edward "Honey, you aren't taking the girls (one of them is going to be in 6th grade...the other in 2nd) on a Date, you are just taking them to VBS." He says "I still want to look good for them".

Gold Bricks Please

Edward says to me this afternoon around 4pm, Mommy can you paint me 2 bricks gold....so I can take them to VBS with me tonight? Well, it was 4pm and I was in the middle of mopping the floors. I told him I didn't have the time tonight before we left but I would do it tomorrow for him and I would check 1st with Mrs. Kliewer (I hadn't seen anything about needing bricks painted gold and was unsure what they would need them for). So when I dropped him off at VBS, we went to change his money into pennies (they were seeing if the boys or the girls could raise more pennies to feed 1000+ children overseas). They had a gold brick and Edward said "that is what I need." So I ask about it, they tell me for $5 you can get a gold brick (the bricks are to help make either the girls side or the boys side of the scale weigh more)...so we purchase it....which makes Edward really happy. They go into to the sanctuary to start for the night. I turn to Mrs. Kliewer and mention the earlier conversation with Edward about wanting me to paint 2 bricks gold, she and another homeschool mom I know, started to laugh. They said that they could picture me bringing in 2 gold painted bricks....because I am the type of mom who would drop everything to do whatever it was that Edward said he needed. I had to laugh because they are right....I would have done exactly that earlier in the day if he had asked me around noon or 1pm.

Crazy Week

This week is going to be a super crazy week for us. Edward will be attending 2 Vacation Bible Schools. He will be going to one in the morning at our church from 9 AM to Noon and then going to one at the church where our Co-op Classes are held (and where he attended AWANA's last year) from 630PM to 830PM. Plus we will still be doing our abridge program for school. He is going to be one tired little boy. He starts the evening VBS tonight and the other tomorrow morning.
I am helping with the VBS at our church, I am helping to teach the motions to the songs. It was the last position that was available. Not exactly my strong suit, I was hoping to help with crafts. Oh well, God truly must have a sense of humor....I was never a cheerleader or took dance, so I am a little out of rhythm and uncoordinated needless to say.