Snow Much Fun!

Thursday night brought us our first "snow" of the year.  I use quotes on snow because it started as ice pellets so it wasn't the delightfully fluffy and packable stuff I prefer to play in. The last two winters haven't provided us with much of the white stuff, so the 4.7 of us headed outside with Miss Lady to enjoy it while we could! Here are some of our pictures.

Our snowman was more of a snow penguin.

Happy Saturday! Enjoy your weekend with your family!

Vintage Uncle: Dump Truck Fun

We are at NanaPop's and the girls found my brother's old Tonkas. Good times were had by all!

Butterflies!! A Travelling Homeschool Lesson

We recently (as in last week) joined Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. I had only been there once to see the GardenFest of Lights when Miss Moo was barely a year old and had a cold, I was pregnant with Miss Roo, and Drew had to carry Moo around. Being there for the lights was great but I was sure there was much more to do in the daylight.

Lewis Ginter drew me in when they advertised BUTTERFLIES!LIVE! I talked with Moo a little about what butterflies were, how fragile they were, and how beautiful they would be to see. But seeing them first I felt would lend way to learning more about them much in the way that giving her a map made her want to learn directions.

We entered the Conservatory as a trio with Mookie and his Mama.   I was struck. Although it was a small  space there truly were butterflies everywhere. The plants were all raised up off the floor in beds so that you would be able to see the delicate creatures more clearly when they landed on the floor.

Moo with the first of many discoveries.

There were plates of rotten food to illustrate that not all butterflies fed solely on nectar.

Moo found the butterflies eating the fruit particularly interesting.  We had discussed how caterpillars and butterflies ate plants and flowers, but not food that we would eat.

There were chrysalises for children and adults to observe the way in which they changed as a caterpillar became a butterflies.

There was an ENTIRE TABLE of resources for children - fact sheets, games, search and finds, and magnifying glasses. I was a little distracted making sure that my girls didn't trample any of the delicate creatures to really look at the loads of resources on the table -that's my plan for our next visit.  I did notice that my girls were mesmerized with using the magnifying glass.

After a little while of using the magnifying glass and learning to use it correctly, we began identifying colors of butterflies and plants and which butterflies seemed to be eating what. After about 15-20 minutes, we were done and headed out to view the other parts of the Conservatory and the garden grounds.

After playing in the fabulous children's area (which deserves a post of it's own) we ate lunch and travelled home for nap. After naps we went to a local park to play and Moo flew like a butterfly quite a bit. I decided to take advantage of this continued interest and stopped by our library for a few books on butterflies.

Our favorites so far are:

Clara Caterpillar by Pamela Duncan Edwards  - With characters like Clara, Cornelius, and Catisha, this book is a hit!

A Butterfly is Patient by Diana Hutts Aston -  This book was listed about the girls reading/listening level as a 5-10 year old book. However they both listened well and Moo even commented that we had seen butterflies eating rotten fruit at the Butterflies Place when we read the educational page on food and nutrition.

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert - I LOVE anything by Lois Ehlert. This book was actually in the children's area at Lewis Ginter and reminded me that it existed. Roo takes particular interest in this book's vivid collaged illustrations.

The more I attempt "structured" educational learning with my girls the more I learn that traditional structure doesn't work best for us. Moo seems to learn "backwards". Trying to sit her down with a book to teach her about butterflies is pointless because she won't be able to focus because she isn't interested. However, if you first take her to see butterflies and THEN get the resources, she is mesmerized because the subject matter is real to her. Each day I find myself trying to teach her something and result in working on something else entirely. We are both on a learning curve with this journey.

Roo seems to follow in her sister's footsteps with one exception. If she sees something in a book that she finds interesting, we will talk about that FOREVER. Moo will move on once her immediate curiosity is satisfied. Roo wants to marinate on the wonder of her discovery.

Homeschooling is a daily adventure for us all. What a wonderful classroom nature has given us.

A Weekend Adventure: High Bridge Trail State Park

Drew grew up in and around Farmville, VA. I began spending time there when my brother began college in 1992 and have been around ever since then. A little hidden jewel of history and beauty, Farmville hold one of the most magestic walking bridges in the state and the US.

High Bridge was originally built in 1854 crossing the Appomattox River connecting Petersburg to Lynchburg. Originally constructied of wood atop 21brick piers,  it was succesfully burned by Confederate Troops during  the close of the Civil War. It was rebuilt shortly after the war and converted to an all steel structure next to the original stone piers in 1914.

The Bridge ceased it's use as a railway bridge in October of 2004. It was donated to Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in December of 2006 and plans began to preseve and resurrect the gorgeous structure for recreational use. High Bridge Trail State Park opened on April 6, 2012 as a complete trail  - 147 years after the Battle of High Bridge.

Drew and I were excited to take the girls across the bridge after knowing its history and beauty all these years. I could go on and on about the gorgeous views and how much the girls enjoyed it, but I'd rather let the photos speak for themselves.  (And there are quite a few ;) )

Ready for our adventure.

Roo riding in style.

The girls enjoying all their Daddy's attention.

She really loved looking out at the trees.

Steel structure from 1914.

Piers from the 1854 structure.

The Appomattox River.

We DID get a lesson in on rapids, river movement, and construction.

On a mission.

 I would recommend this trail to any family with a love of history, adventure, and the outdoors. It is flat, well graded, and simple for children to navigate and explore. 

Happy Weekend!!

Sources and Further Information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Bridge_Trail_State_Park

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hig.shtml

http://www.americantrails.org/resources/railtrails/HighBridgeVA08.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_High_Bridge

"Staycation" at NanaPop's

The Moo and Roo Crew traveled to Roanoke last Thursday to celebrate Pop's retirement after 30 years of dedication and service to his company. Here's a little recap of some things we have done.

Poor quality, but happy family.

Daddy was able to come with us for the weekend so we were FINALLY able to take him down to the Lake.  I grew up 30 minutes from SML and used to "sneak" down there from time to time with friends.(Don't tell Nana. ) It has changed quite a bit in the past %#*% years.  There is now a Downtown Moneta where there used to be only a few old buildings of character featured in What About Bob?  There is now Eastlake as well as Westlake, and some condos next to Bridgewater Plaza. So bizarre.

After exploring around the lake, and perhaps letting the girls sleep a little, we went to one of my favorite spots, Homestead Creamery.  We all enjoyed a little ice cream and the girls enjoyed the animals to pet and the sandbox to play in while I enjoyed shopping  for local meat and eggs. It''s been a challenge to eat real food when travelling because I'm not always familiar with the area. Coming home is a bit different, but still a challenge.   A friend recommended Mountain Run Farm to me a year or so ago, but I just haven't been able to manage the logistics of a pick up there with the girls in tow. Being able to entertain them AND get local meats, eggs, and produce was a wonderful treat for me! It's the little things these days.

We all also enjoyed a yard big enough for us to really play. NanaPop's house sits atop 12 acres in Bedford County. They have about 1.5 acres around the house cleared and that lends itself nicely to adventures, soccer games, and excavations galore. Miss Moo and I were the first ones up on Saturday morning. We spend over an hour outside excavating in the driveway, gathering acorns for squirrels, and cleaning up sticks for Pop. We were both in heaven. The girls were also able to just play. They could run anywhere, go off the deck without rules, and just be kids. No neighbors to watch our volume levels and not disturb, no cars speeding by to be aware of and adjust our behavior accordingly. Just the outdoors and fun.

We also took Daddy to one of NanaPop's favorite Nom Nom spots - Three Little Pigs Barbeque.  Admittedly this restaurant doesn't satisfy all the real food requirements that I should look for these days. But it is local and we know the owners. They have good food, many options for the children that are gluten free, and a simply, family friendly setting. Fun was had by all!

If you are ever in Roanoke, you must visit the Star.

 A neon landmark forever holding a piece of my heart, the Star for me is one of two things that signify home. (The other is the gorgeous "Blue Mountains!!" as Miss Moo calls them.) After dinner, we traveled up the mountain so the girls could see the Star in all her neon glory. Moo was amazed at how big she was after reaching her. Moo wasn't quite sure how all the pretty lights below were the city so I am hoping to take her back up during daylight this week. It was truly special for me to take my kids up to the Star that I always looked for on the way home from vacation and from MBC once I was on college.

Amazed at how big the Star is.

Sadly, Daddy had to return home on Sunday.  The girls and I stayed on for a little Staycation. We have a few more things we'd like to do:

• Mill Mountain Zoo - admittedly the girls don't favor zoos to farms, but there are animals that are indigenous to the area (cougar, otter, etc.) that I'd like to be able to teach them about.
• The Salem Duck Pond
• The Virginia Museum of Transportation for Grandparent's Day
• Maybe a little trip up the Parkway - the Peaks, anyone?

I'm doing my best to stay connected to the world. After having Daddy here I was spoiled at how easy it was to manage the girls. Two parents is certainly easier than one. NanaPop are terriffic, but nobody, and I mean nobody, can do bedtime like Daddy.

Daddy's little girl.

Modern Alternative Mama Contributing Writer - The September Edition

Muddy Feet and Tree Hugs - A Nature Adventure

The girls running around on a journey of discovery.

Summer is slowly drawing to a close. Days are gradually getting shorter, temperatures aren’t soaring quite as high, and most families are preparing for their version of a new school year.

We are going to begin homeschooling with Miss Moo and Miss Roo this fall.  There are several factors in our lives that have lead us to this path and we are embracing it as an opportunity to discover many blessings. I have been doing a great deal of research to dust the cobwebs off the knowledge of my preschool teacher days. One thing that Drew and I have discussed is the need for more nature and earth in our girls lives and in their education. Recesses and play are important, but exploration is key.

This past week the girls and I visited Tuckahoe Plantation, the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Our morning outing started as a quest to see the cows that our local farmers had grazing in the fields lining the Plantation’s driveway and maybe sneak in a little history of the area and the man. It resulting in a nature outing where sensory and discovery reigned.

** To read the rest of my article and check out Modern Alternative Mama, click HERE.***

I'm a Wood Dying Fool!

The dyed wooden eggs were a HUGE hit here with everyone. Especially for Perl -  our big, orange lady tabby. She chased them around the family room for an hour. If you know Perl, then you understand why this occurrence was epic.

I, too, loved the way our eggs turned out and how simple the process was. While NanaPop were visiting, I gathered up some of the wooden parts for Miss Roo's birthday presents and started dying. I made her a set of rainbow wooden sorting bowls. I'm more than a little excited about them. They are perfectly sized for our little kitchen, our dolls, our sorting pieces, and our little hands. The bowls came in packs of ten, so I decided to make a set of lime green bowls for my friend's little girl. She's a few years older than Miss Moo, but I am hoping the size and the color will win her over.

Moo woke from nap to find me sitting at our kitchen table with a dye bath, wooden bowls, and a rubber glove on my left hand. After answering several questions about what my project was I asked if she wanted to help. She squealed with excitement and responded yes.

Our process for bowl dying was a little different than our eggs. I first poured clean water into each bowl to almost the rim. I then poured the water back in our glass measuring cup and added drops of food coloring. I took a paper napkin and dipped it in until I found the color I was looking for in the dye bath. I then repeated this process with the same number of drops for each bowl. I asked Moo to watch me do this part because we have yet to find any suitable craft gloves that are sized for her little hands. After pouring the dye into each bowl, Moo went to work.

Moo painting the sides of the bowls.

With her biggest watercolor brush, she painted the bowls by dipping her brush in the dye bath and painting down the sides. This method was the least messy and the most engaging for her. She painted the sides of each bowl and the rims. She noticed how the "paint" from the rim ran down the side and "went away" into the bowl. She giggled and showed NanaPop what she had done.

Four lime green bowls.

Then she asked to do more.  Roo was up from her nap by this point in our day, so we postponed our sorting checkers project for another afternoon.

A few days later during nap time, I repeated the dying process with some wooden checkers we will be using for sorting, counting, addition, etc. I was running low on dye from our previous two sessions and our checkers turned out very pastel (and I forgot to take pictures!).  I showed Moo what I had done and told her she would get to help me make them darker. Again, there were squeals of delight.

Yesterday afternoon after naps, we went outside to play, get some air and sun, and to re-dye our checkers.

Wooden checkers waiting to become yellow.

Red and orange checkers together- difficult for me to sort.

Purple checkers before their second swim.

As you can see our checkers were very light and difficult to distinguish in some cases.  I purchased another small box of food coloring to finish up this project in an attempt to be consistant. I have read elsewhere on the net that you can also dye some materials with KoolAid. We have a TON of leftover sugar-free single serving packets in our pantry. I intend to see how that works in the coming weeks.

Blue checkers taking a swim.

 This time I used much less water and added more dye. This tactic yielded much better results. Moo helped me place all ten of our blue checkers into the Pyrex bowl with our dye bath. I used a spoon to fill each checker with dye. This step helped to keep the checkers from floating and concentrated the color on the top of each piece. Each checker was in the bath for about 3-5 minutes before I removed them with a gloved hand.

I repeated this process for each of the colors.  We created an assembly line on our old cardboard box. Moo would help me stir the dye bath and gently place the checkers in. I'd fill then, monitor them, and call her when I would remove them to sit on their paper napkins to begin drying.

Assembly line ready to go.

Our drying tray.

Our new art paper awaiting inspiration.

We tried to use this project as a learning experience to be both green and educational.  I reused the primary colors to make secondary dyes and to review color mixing with Moo.  She still finds the process of making colors magical. We counted each checker as they went into and out of the bath to verify that all 10 were there. We talked about how the "paint" that was on our checkers was absorbed by the paper. Moo could even point out that the secondary colors bled two primary colors onto the paper. She told me that the papers were pretty and I told her that we'd use those again for making some art rather than throwing them away. She was pleased to hear that would be more art. I was pleased to not be throwing trees away.

After cleaning up from our project, we all went inside so I could cook dinner and the girls could color and watch a little t.v. (I wish I knew how to cook dinner without using the t.v. So far, nothing else has worked to keep them playing in that room and not under my feet.)  After dinner, I went outside and gathered up our almost dry checkers. Before placing them on the shelf in the sun room to completely dry, I showed them to Moo.

           

          One set of sorting checkers.

 "OOOOOOO! Mommy! A rainbow! Geen! Lellow! Ordange! Wred! Purptle! Buue!"

I can't wait see all the fun we will have with these!