Weekly Wrap-Up - Konos Style

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This was our first official week homeschooling! We are studying Attentiveness ala Konos. We learned all about the ear....



Then found some parts to make our own crawl through ear.....

Enjoyed some lunch in the ear.....

We also made some signs for our Attentiveness unit study. If it ever stops raining here (actually, I am very grateful for the rain right now) we are going to take our signs outside and make an obstacle course for the powerwheels.

It was a great week. We (okay, mostly I) learned a lot. I have a whole list of changes to make this weekend!

Chore Charts

I am a HUGE fan of having kids help out around the house. Every few months, I come up with some new system and I really like this one. Around here, anything works for a season and then we need to have some new twist to make it fun again. Our Race Track is loosely based on Vicki Bently's Everyday Family Chore System and Accountable Kids. Basically, each child has three "checkpoints" and once they reach a check point, they put a sticker on a chart. After they earn 25 stickers, they get to go mini golfing with Dad.

The great part for me is that I don't have to remember who hasn't brushed their teeth, put on their clothes or had breakfast. I can just ask, are you at Check Point 1?

Old Claypots, Meet Old Craypas

I wanted to use up the last Craypas in order to justify opening our shiny new craypas that I bought at ICHE.

Decorating clay pots with craypas or oil pastels is awesome! The colors stay bright even through rain (and snow).

Model Railroad Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden's Model Railroad is an incredible place AND it is free on Wednesdays which makes it even better.

Logan could not stop yelling Choo-Choo!

Amazing, isn't it?

He was a little bit excited.

Worm Farms

I hate worms! I really hate worms. I must have been about five when my brother traumatized me by throwing a worm on my leg and then laughing hysterically when the worm stuck to my leg. I stood there screaming and do you think he helped? Not a chance. YUCK!

Guess what? The boys love worms. Lucky me. I am starting to come around, but I still think they are gross.

We made a small worm farm in a plastic cup about a week ago and even I'll admit it was cool to watch them dig holes. So today, we made a BIGGER, better worm farm.

It is super simple to make. In a see through container alternate layers of dirt and sand, put worms inside, top with dead leaves and a black cloth, then watch them go to town!

If you feel a burning desire to learn more about worms, we (and by we, I mean the boys) like this book!

Dirt

Little Tykes and Step 2 have thrown up on our yard. I think it is pretty cool; I would have loved to have this as a child. But.....

This is what our boys play with.......

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Nathan took advantage of the windy day to try out his new kite!

ABCs of Trees

We went to another program, The ABC's of Trees, at Spring Valley. It was very miserable, rainy day to be outside and take long walks with Kindergarten age kids and their tag along siblings. The children were real troopers though and got to see some really great first signs of Spring. (Which, by the way, can't come fast enough for me!) After our walk the kids got to come inside the toasty nature center for some activities. They created leaf rubbings, learned about the water cycle, listened to a puppet show and discovered the things trees need to grow and why they are important. And most importantly, they got to see their box turtle friend! The box turtle is their favorite because, unlike the other turtles at the Nature Center, the box turtle is very well camouflaged in the prairie grasses. The boys love the challenge of finding him.

Fire Station Tour

We are grateful that our friend, Kathy, takes the time to set up fire station tours for the kids every Spring. The station had a few calls while we were there and the boys thought it was exciting to see the fire engine leave the station!

Watching the Engine leave the station!

It was a bit sunny out...

Dylan loved that the fire fighter had a speaker in his mask.

Jumping in Puddles....Rite of Childhood

It is 34 degrees outside and between the house and the car Dylan Nathan found some puddles that they thought we be fun to jump in. Needless to say, they were not dressed to jump in puddles in almost freezing weather. Silly boys.