Sunday, October 26, 2008

Finally! The Raingutter Regatta

Tonight was Joseph's Raingutter Regatta (which is why I was at the AG Fashion Show by myself...Ken was in charge of that event).
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This year there was a category for siblings to compete. ;) (One of the benefits of daddy being the Admiral of the Regatta)
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And remember that super loose tooth at the beginning of the day? It fell out this evening!
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She doesn't have that gapped look though because the other tooth came in behind the baby tooth. Caroline's is doing the same thing. :p
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Ooops....Blogger posted before I was ready. Here is Libby

Here is Libby on the runway...
She is modeling one of the contemporary fashions with a jumper that can double as a skirt, berry leggings and an American Girl tshirt.
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Finally, all of the models came back out for the finale.
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Part 2 of Momentous Day (American Girl Fashion Show)

After we left Scottish Rite, we went home to recuperate for a few hours. We also made a quick run to Walmart and Target to see if we could find RED shoes (we couldn't). The girls had baths and we fixed hair and then we were off to the American Girl Fashion Show!
I had to drop them off at the model entrance where they were whisked off to wardrobe ;) and I went to find my seat at the "Mia Table" with the other parents and grandparents of models. It was really cute to see all of the ltitle girls attending the fashion show all dressed up.
Both girls were almost at the end of the show. First out was Caroline dressed in a Bitty Twin outfit and carrying a Bitty Twin.
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She is supposed to be walking WITH her twin. ;)
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One of those momentous busy days!

Saturday was one of those fill-up-the-calendar-with-as-much-as-possible kind of days.
The day started out at 8:30 am at Scottish Rite. The Dallas Chapter of Women in Construction sponsored a lego building contest for the kids in the Dyslexia Lab School. So we were all there (except for Alex who had his own incredibly busy 12 hour day at work).
While we were waiting for it to start, Libby's very first loose tooth was the topic of our conversation. It is just hanging by a thread!
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Ready to build!
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For the hour that they were building, we couldn't be in the room. Afterwards, however, we all went into a different room while the judges reviewed their entries. A member of DAWIC shared part of her job at UTD. She helps build clean rooms and labs at the university. We were walked through the whole clean room dressing process.
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Libby's entry took "Most Dazzling" award. ;) She got a certificate and a $5 giftcard to Sonic. She treated us all to milkshakes after the competition.
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

$2533

That's Joseph's total for popcorn sales! That puts him in the top tier for prizes and he is getting a Nintendo DS. He also got the Bow and Mallow (a bow and "arrow" thing that shoots mini marshmallows), a $50 gift card to Walmart and BSA will start a scholarship fund in his name.
Yay Joseph!!

Joseph wants to go to "school"

The last week or so, Joseph has mentioned going to school several times. Last week, he said he wanted to go to school.....but, after he was done with popcorn sales (in his head, the public school kids can't go out every night and sell popcorn like he can). Today, he mentioned it again.
So, finally, I asked.
"Joseph, what is it that you want to do at school that we don't do?"
His answer...."I NEED a lab. I am going to be a biologist and a biomechanical engineer and I NEED a lab."
He was a little disappointed to hear that 3rd graders don't really have access to a lab at school. ;)

In other news, Joseph is working on a book. He informed the girls that their computer time is going to be limited for a while because he is working on his book.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Oobleck

Is it a solid? Is it a liquid?
Joseph and Libby have been sitting at the kitchen table for an hour investigating the properties of Oobleck (a very secret recipe involving cornstarch and water ;)). Joseph has decided that Oobleck will deserve an entire chapter in his book.
They are absolutely fascinated that a substance could exhibit the properties of both a solid and a liquid.
Caroline was grossed out really quickly and went to play on the computer.
The girls read Bartholomew and the Oobleck as part of their studies on Solids, Liquids and Gases.
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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Cuboree

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Yesterday, Ken and the kids went to Cuboree at Camp Wisdom. They had a lot of fun with all of the cool activities. Caroline's favorite was the pirate ships and throwing sponges, balls and water balloons. Libby enjoyed watching the skits. Joseph likes the concrete tubes for crawling through.

This is what they look like now. Ken is watching the Cowboy game.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Native American Project



I forgot to post Joseph's end of unit project for his Native American unit. He had to choose a tribe to learn about. He had to get information on what state they live in, a traditional recipe (that we had to cook), draw their environment, learn about the origin of the tribe's name, learn a traditional game, tell a tribal story to the family and make a model of their home.
Joseph chose the Tohono O'odham (formely the Papago).
The recipe was really yummy!
Papago Tepary Bean Soup
2 c. Tepary beans, soaked (we used pinto...I have no idea where to find a tepary bean)
1 clove garlic, diced
6 c. water
3 c. Tomatoes w/juice
4 slices bacon, diced
1 ts. mixed oregano and cumin
1 med. onion, chopped
1 c. diced celery
2 carrots, sliced

Drain soaked beans and bring to boil in big pot. When tender, fry bacon until limp. Remove bacon, add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and saute. Add bacon, tomatoes and remaining spices. Cook 10 min. Add beans. cook another hour until beans are mealy tender.
Serve with flour tortillas or fresh frybread.

We made frybread to go with it.

Heritage Farmstead

Yesterday, our Cub Scout Den and the girls' Brownie troop met at Heritage Farmstead in Plano so that the Bears could meet their History achievement requirement and the Brownies could earn a couple of Try-It badges.
They spent the time doing "chores" that a kid in the 19th Century would have had to do.
Washing clothes
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Do you think they had time-outs in the 1800's?
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Hanging the laundry
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Grinding corn for the chickens
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Feeding the chickens
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They also planted seeds, watered the garden, collected apples from the orchard, ironed and collected eggs!