Mealworms Have Hatched

We've still been observing our mealworms. Last week when Hanna cleaned their container and replaced the bedding she found that many of them had turned into pupas. Today when she replaced their apple wedges she found our first beetles. They are beginning to hatch. We will have lots of beetles soon. We are going to continue to observe them until the beetles have come full circle--which means they will have laid eggs and the eggs hatched into new mealworms. The beetles die after laying these eggs.

Here is a picture of two beetles. One has completely shed it's exoskeleton, and the other is in the process of shedding.

Open Ended Art-Mosaics With Eggshells

This week's theme for Open Ended Art is mosaics with eggshells. Hanna was very happy to do this one, but Joe wasn't up for it at all. He thought the idea of placing tiny eggshells was a bit much, and the idea of using eggshells in general wasn't appealing to him either:-). So....Hanna did this one on her own and had fun making a cat out of eggshells.

After she glued them all down she painted her cat. Here is her finished creation:

Stop by my friend Shannon's at Growing and Learning By Leaps and Bounds to see what everyone else made with their eggshells this week for open ended art.

Two Fall Books You Must Check Out

We have so many good books right now for Fall and Halloween that we are enjoying reading together. I keep finding more and more at the library each week. Make sure and look through my Shelfari in my sidebar for all that we are reading right now. I wanted to share two books with you that are especially good.

The first is available at our library (I checked), but we own it. I actually forgot about this book. I was going through our bookshelves making sure I had all of our Fall themed books out to read and came across this one, A Grand Old Tree, by Mary Newell Depalma . I've had this book for years now--since Hanna was about two. I had completely forgotten about it's touching message and sweet story. This book is about a tree that grows, bears fruit, "lives" many seasons--has a good life. The tree then becomes old, sees her "grandchildren" living good lives and dies. She is still home, however, to many animals and helps to replenish the soil as well.

I liken this book to our mortal lives. I liken it to my life as a mother watching my children, and I do hope one day, my grandchildren grow and thrive. I hope to be able to one day say, I have lived a good life and made differences for good in the lives of my children, just as this tree did. Reading this book today touched me deeply. I love it, and hope you will enjoy it too.

We have also enjoyed Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell . This book is about a boy who carves a jack-o-lantern and names him Jack. He then watches this pumpkin through several seasons until the pumpkin decomposes and it's seeds produce a pumpkin patch for him the following fall. He shares his pumpkins with the neighborhood children, and then carves his "Jack" once more. This is a sweet story, and educational too.

We are having so much fun reading our Fall books together. This begins my favorite time of the year!

Fun Science Craft-Plant Cell Model

I am recycling an old craft project this week for my weekly craft post. Although, as I am already trying to decide and talk with Hanna about what course of study she wants her Spring Science to be focused on--and we've determined it will be Botany--it reminded me of this model plant cell in her room. Hanna made this last year in school for an at home Science project. To me, this doubles as a craft and science project. She had so much fun making this, and while creating she was able to learn about each part she added to the cell.

As she made this plant cell model, and would add each piece I had her compile a report explaining each part--it's function, reason and so forth. I also had her draw a pencil diagram within this report. She learned so much from this combination of reading, writing and hands-on learning approach about plant cells.

Here are the parts that she made and labeled within her plant cell model:

• nucleus
• chloroplast
• mitochondria
• vacuole
• cytoplasm
• cell wall and cell membrane

Supplies Hanna used:

• modeling clay
• assorted beads
• colored stones and small pebbles
• pipe cleaners
• aquarium rocks
• string
• toothpicks
• microwave frozen food tray (container to hold the cell model)

What Hanna did:
She used her Science textbook as a guide for her model and to write her report/draw her diagram. I would definitely say this fits our current notebooking/Charlotte Mason based Apologia course of Science she uses this year in 5th grade.

What sort of science projects have you made and enjoyed with your children? Leave me a comment and a link too. I would love to see, and get ideas from you as well!

**From now on I will be linking up all weekly carnival posts from this blog, and no longer Our Homeschool Fun. To read about this change, click *here*.

stART-Butterfly, Butterfly

This week our stART project was based on the book Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek. I just happened upon this book in our library a few weeks ago and had to get it for a few different reasons. First, because of Hanna's love for butterflies. Second, it is beautifully illustrated! I was blown away by the illustrations and drawings, the bright colors on every page. Lastly, I chose it because the story is so cute and well written. It is not a long book, but is one your children will enjoy listening too. A brief summary--a girl, Lucy, sees a colorful butterfly while outside, but loses sight of it and decides to search for it. On her butterfly hunt she discovers all sorts of creatures in nature. This is a book I definitely want to add to our home library.

We kept our art project simple this week. But colorful, just like the butterfly in the story. We made butterfly suncatchers just as I'd seen at Superheroes and Princesses a while ago. I knew when I saw them I wanted to make them, and this was the perfect chance.

I grated lots of bright crayons into shavings, gave the kids some waxed paper and they sprinkled them on. I then placed another piece of waxed paper on top and ironed them on a cool setting until the crayons were just melting. Hanna cut out her butterfly and Joe's. He's not always in the mood to cut:-). Then, they decorated them with bodies, antennae's and beads.

Here is Joe's:

Here is Hanna's:

They look pretty hanging in our window with the sun shining on them. I love the bright colors. They appear a bit dark in these pictures, but they really are very bright and colorful:-).

Don't forget to see what everyone else read and made for their stART projects this week at A Mommy's Adventures. It's not too late to make your own as well! We are loving this new weekly reading and art inspiration.

**From now on, all stART posts, school posts and so forth will be found here, instead of at Our Homeschool Fun.**

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley left our home Tuesday in the mail. He is off to visit C in North Carolina again.

While visiting with us these two Stanley's had fun meeting our newest arrival, Jesse. They were able to nap a few times with Jesse in his bassinet.

They also enjoyed a sleepover complete with a marshmallow roast and smores.

We are sending our Stanleys off with a picture that Joe drew, and a piece of cotton that Joe picked straight from his Grandpa's garden.

To see what else is going on with other Stanley's that will be visiting Joe, you can visit The Work of Childhood.

**From now on, all Stanley posts, school posts and so forth will be found here instead of at Our Homeschool Fun.**

Fun Fall Crafts--Pumpkin Centerpiece, leaves and Halloween scenes

I love Fall! I love the colors, the beginning of much anticipated cooler weather and all of the activities that Fall brings for our family. Not to mention the opportunities for crafting that Fall brings along with it that sticks around until the New Year. We've made a few crafty things this week I'm excited about and would like to share.

I made these pumpkins for our Fall centerpiece on our dining room table--Let me just say, they were so quick to make! It seriously only took me about 20 minutes from start to finish. Believe it or not, all you need are toilet paper rolls, fat quarter squares and brown paper lunch sacks. You can find a how-to for these pumpkins, *here*. (The only modification I made to this how-to was to add a piece of crumpled tissue paper along the top of the TP roll before wrapping my fabric. I did this to give the top a "rounded" look.) I placed them in a dough bowl along with some Fall colored silk leaves. I usually put real, mini gourds and pumpkins (along with some Indian corn) in this bowl, but it's so humid here that they mold and I have to replace them several times before Thanksgiving. This centerpiece will last year after year!

Hanna made these cute, fall leaves out of sticky back foam sheets (found in any craft dept.--ours came from Walmart) and assorted yarn. She made the yellow leaf with the brown stem from perler beads. You can find a how-to for these leaves, *here*.

Hanna also created a couple Halloween scenes from the sticky back sheets. I am going to have to find other crafts for these sticky back foams--they are lots of fun for the kids.

We are looking forward to many more craft projects and yummy treats this Fall, and throughout the holiday season! This begins my favorite time of the year!

**From now on all craft posts, homeschool posts and so forth will be found here, instead of Our Homeschool Fun. To read about this change, click *here*.

Open Ended Art-Mosaics With Play Doh

This week's theme for Open Ended Art over at Growing and Learning By Leaps and Bounds is mosaics with play doh. Joe wasn't up to giving this one a try. He was content to just play with play doh and watch Hanna make her mosaic. This was fine with me. The mosaics have been tough for him, because of the length of time it takes to complete them and the fine motor skills it takes to cut and place everything. He did a super job with his first two, so maybe he'll be up for next week's.


Not much explaining needed on this one. Just plain and simple this week. Cut out play doh tiles in colors of your choice, make desired picture with them, glue and you're done.



Hanna chose to make a letter "H" in super girly colors for her mosaic. I love the bright colors!


You've seen what we've done. Now, head over to Growing and Learning By Leaps and Bounds and see what everyone else is making with play doh this week, and share yours too. This one should be fun!

**Please make sure and find me here, My Family My Forever, for future posts.** This is also where I will link our weekly projects from beginning this week!

Muffin Tin Monday-An Extraordinary Egg

This week's theme for Muffin Tin Monday is Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs/Children's Literature. I chose to base our muffin tin meal on a book by Leo Lionni, An Extraordinary Egg. We made this a family affair again this week. I served a main platter with our themed foods and book. I also had another platter on the table with assorted fruits, cheeses, crackers and dips. We ate this for an early dinner. Our newest member, Jesse, even got to join us for this one:-).


Here is what I served on our platter and in our tins this week:

• an alligator
  
• hard boiled eggs, with one "extraordinary egg"
  
• assorted cheeses
  
• assorted crackers
• pnut butter
• grapes
• strawberries
• blueberries
• pineapple
  

The kids enjoyed listening to our book, An Extraordinary Egg, and eating all of their yummy snack foods while I read. This is a book about a frog, named Jessica, who loves finding extraordinary things. One day she brings home an egg. Her egg hatches and out pops a baby alligator. Jessica and this alligator become great friends, read to find out why:-). We love Lionni's books, and this one is another of his that is definitely worth reading.




See, Muffin Tin Monday puts a smile on everyone's face in our home--even Jesse's!



I didn't know if I'd be able to pull this one off just getting home with Jesse. I'm so glad I was able to. We all had such fun together, and the kids really appreciated having it. Make sure to head over to Michelle's and see what everyone else is serving in their muffin tins today. I can't wait to see myself!

Simply Made Sunday-In the Kitchen With Mom

Thanks for joining me for another Simply Made Sunday~In the Kitchen With Mom. I hope you have enjoyed creating, baking or crafting in your kitchen with your little ones this week! Today I am going to share a very, very simple recipe for muffin tin apple pies. We made this for our Muffin Tin Monday meal this past weekend and had such fun! We made it into a family activity, complete with books about apples and served them up with vanilla ice cream. Anyone that knows me, knows that I don't pass up the chance to eat ice cream:-).

Ingredients (there's nothing "from scratch" this week, mom is taking it easy!):

• Pilsbury Ready pie crusts (the ones in the red box usually by the cookie dough)
• Canned apple pie filling
• Ice cream
• Cookie cutters of your choice to make top and bottom crusts, and to make designs in the top crust

Directions:

1. Cut out circles for a bottom and top crust.
2. Press/mold bottom crust into muffin cups/silicone liners. I used silicone liners sprayed with Pam.
3. Fill each tin with apple pie filling.
4. Use your own imagination to design your top crust. These are Joe's:
5. Place top crust on pie filling in tin and secure by pressing together with fingers or a fork.
6. Place muffin pan on a cookie sheet, in case filling bubbles over. (I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.)
7. Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until top crust is golden brown.
8. Serve with ice cream and ENJOY!

I look forward to seeing what yummy or fun things you've made this week for your Simply Made Sunday. Remember, it does not have to be edible, it can be something you've made with or for your kids and can also be an older post--just please make sure to link back here to Simply Made Sunday, and grab a button if you'd like! For all rules of participation, click *here*. Thanks for sharing!

Tot School-Week 11

~Jack is 18 months old~
We had a really fun week of Tot School. We enjoyed outdoor fun and lots of play at home too. We stayed busy and are awaited the arrival of our newest little one, Jesse, who made his debut Friday morning at 2:51 am. You can read all about that, *here*, if you'd like:-).


We enjoyed one last outdoor picnic with water sprinkler fun the beginning of the week. It was a hot day, and Jack had fun in the water sprinkler.



He enjoyed picking cherry tomatoes. He picked an entire bucket full.



He, of course, had to line up trucks first.


Next, he lined up and organized all of his water fun toys on his pipeworks cart. Remember pipeworks?! These were my little brother's!!


At home, he cooked more meals in his kitchen, and enjoyed eating them too.



I discovered that putting him in his high chair while I am finishing up the last bit of dinner works great for both of us. He can read books or do various table top learning activities, and I can finish up in peace!



This week Jack has started talking in two word sentences--wow! He has enjoyed playing lots with his siblings, and calls for them often throughout the day. I love seeing them all interact. This is something I've waited to watch develop between my kids--friendships and relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime. It is a blessing to see this finally emerge and start to grow.

I've decided to share a few books that each of my kids have enjoyed reading recently in their weekly wrap-up posts from time to time. Here are a few of Jack's favorites from the past few weeks. Keep in mind he is totally engrossed with transportation right now:-).

I Love Trains by Philemon Sturgess. This is a book all about different types of trains and what cargo they carry.


Choo Choo by Petr Horacek. This is a book about a train's journey as it carries a passenger car full of children to the beach.


Slide and Find Trucks by Roger Priddy, a "Priddy Book"--I love Priddy Books for little ones. This one is about many different types of trucks, their jobs and the jobs of the people that operate them. This is my personal favorite of the ones I've mentioned because it also teaches colors and numbers.


This wraps up our week of Tot School. To see all that we've done so far in our Tot School, click *here*.

To see what others are doing in there Tot School head over to 1+1+1=1. A big thank you to Carisa for hosting this wonderful weekly link up, and offering so many great resources to others in each of her posts!