The Bugs/Insects Have It!

BeeKeeping Class at Museum

YUCK! 

There was this great class at the Museum that I signed us all up for right after we got back from vacation. Alex was gracious to let us do this class on his birthday weekend(yes on your birthday weekend you get to pick what you and everyone else gets to do!), once we all got there it was bug crazy at the BUGFEST! So we all took the beekeeping class, everything that you need to know to start keeping bees. I always thought that it would be cool to have bees and this class was full of information and the most delightful beekeeper Bob Alderink. This man even gave total strangers his email and phone numbers to get a hold of him to  ask any more questions. LOVE IT! I am thinking once we get into a place with a little more distance between us and the neighbors that I want to start keeping honey bees. It's not just for their honey either, these little hard workers help the garden (both veggies and flowers). Well I decided to make another homeschool literature arts lesson out of the whole experience. We found out many new facts about bees and this cool site for supplies, how to videos and more! I am in love with this English garden bee hive and have it on the wish list;)

All this bee and bug research had an unexpected surprise, Anthony while on his way out to put the recyclable to the curb came across this caterpillar.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

 

 

He decided to do his own research to find out what kind of caterpillar it was and what butterfly it would become! He found out it was a Black Swallowtail Caterpillar and see those orange antennas on its head? Those come out only when they are scared and emit a foul smell. Anthony said like dead buffalo!! LOL, not that he knows what that would smell like!! I think it is because of our literature unit study on Little House in the Big Woods, along with that story I have several Chester Comics on the wild west and one has a buffalo on it that he was reading:) Imagination on this boys I tell ya!

So from bees to giant yucking bugs( yes that's their scientific name, I can't remember what it was sorry) to in the front yard caterpillars. We are a bug family this is if they are not in the house!!

What sounds like?

A recent vet visit for the dogs, was an interesting one to say the least! We are rushing around trying to make sure that they all have their shots so that they can be boarded while we are away. I took this pic while waiting for the vet to come in to check them out! It was so funny that they both jumped on the bench and tried to sit as close to me as possible. Since the boys were at home, of course, doing their lessons! When I went back home I told the boys about the visit and turned it into a fun play on words.  We are trying to do Scrabble with the boys as a way to get their spelling skills up and lately I have been doing homophones or words that sound-alike as a easy way for them to think of different words.  We have used the words like, to-too- two , read - red, sent- cent- scent, stationary-stationery, etc. But after this visit, I came home and when it was time to think of as many words as possible to spell, I started with vet and tried to think of words that had the same ending sound (we came up with pet, net,set, etc).  I started naming everything else I could think of that I saw at the vet's office. You know, like floor, table, pill, shot, etc: it made for a interesting play on words!

For your information, the doggies were all good with their health even though we found out that Tuffy (Scotty) is a little over weight. I can't use the word "fatty" cuz it makes Alex mad, even though he does have little pork chop legs, LOL. So on a diet and exercise he goes, right now Alex is taking both dogs for a walk to work off the breakfast;) All and all everything is good to go for the trip, I am sure that Tuffy will be very vocal when we drop him off because he doesn't like going to be boarded but our little Dino isn't nice to people coming in the house so having someone watch them here isn't an option!

Birthday parties, special field trips and school!

Two weeks down, and phew I am tired already! We have had some fun days of playing with friends, kick off party with other homeschoolers, fun field trip to Alex's favorite place (Noah's Landing) and of course the big birthday of leaving the single digits behind! The last one bums me out to no end, no more kiddos in the single digits!

Well we are trying to get into full swing with all the things I have on our "to do" , we are going along at a pretty good pace, considering we haven't been home as much over the past two weeks. One of the many things on the list is to FINALLY get the boys, familiar with the all the states and their location on a map. I look for anything, like US state games or US state board games to play with them that re-enforces the things we are learning about in our studies. It can be hard to fit everything in so we usually do some "carschooling" on the way to this or that!

So much to do and so little time, but we will get through it one way or another!!