Stamp Game

What's Schoolin'?

The addition strip board has been a big hit with youngest dd and also with a visiting dc the same age. Youngest is now also doing the fish bowl with Finger Chart 3. Oh, and setting up a pet shop in her room with stuffed animals for sale and leaving advertisements around the house like solicitors leave ads. Her ads even have a business phone number and website listed :). Too cute.

Youngest needed 1/2 inch grid paper to do maths but the only 'paper' I've found is 1/4 inch, which is what the olders use for math notebooks and math reference folders. I did a search and printed off the following grid to put in a 3-prong folder for youngest to use. Today I'll be showing her the problem cards and Stamp Game. Soon after I'll demo the Dot Game. She has been doing addition with regrouping using the Base Ten Blocks for a month or so in her regular Math Curriculum (Excel Math - It's excellent). She can also do the dynamic addition without manipulatives but giving her the option of more abstract support like the Dot Game will help her, I think. So, although I didn't exactly follow the right order (she jumped straight to abstract from the Base 10 Blocks) I'll offer these to her now.

http://www.printaruler.com/download/paper/printaruler_paper_letter_grid_1-2inch.pdf

Here is a picture of my homemade Stamp Game using printed stamps stuck on self-adhesive fun foam. The foam backing makes it much easier to grasp and manipulate. I keep the cards in a little plastic drawer in one of the math cubbies so that they can use the cards with different materials.

http://family.webshots.com/photo/2560125330100452258fBasST

What's Gardenin'?

We harvested our very first crop of potatoes! Not really enough to store but we'll certainly enjoy potatoes for a week or so. Last night I just washed off and boiled some of the red potatoes. The dc and I decided that we'll definitely plant potatoes again next season. This was my third and last try but it worked in both the raised bed and the big planter on the back porch. We worked really hard but it was fun.

As soon as we dug up all of the potatoes we planted the sweet potato slips. I put the dill that was growing with the potatoes in the planter in a smaller planter with some thyme already in it. It's in bloom but the cucumbers aren't ready yet for me to use the dill. That happened last year also - the timing was off so I let the blue swallowtails eat the dill.

My zukes don't seem to be getting pollinated. The peas and cukes in the same general area are and those flowers are so big and beautiful - I don't see why they're not. After 3 tiny zukes shriveled up I cut a tiny one when it was only about 4 inches long to eat.

What's Cookin'?


Last night was a strange dinner, but one of my favorites lately. It was just what I needed and I felt great afterward. The best part was that the onion, pepper, potatoes, tiny zucchini, and a handful of peas were from our garden; the butter was good Amish butter (we're almost out -sniff!); the bread was homemade sourdough; and the eggs were wonderful eggs from a friend.

I sauteed chopped onion, pepper, zuke, and some diced ham in coconut oil. Then I added eggs which dh whipped up for me while I sauteed. Meanwhile middle dd made the toast and oldest dd shredded some extra sharp cheddar to sprinkle over the eggs or potatoes. That's it. Simple dinner. Scrambled eggs with veggies/ham in it served with boiled potatoes, peas, and sourdough toast.

I share this as an example for how real food doesn't have to be gourmet. It's just real.

Quote of the Day:

~ Youngest was reading Farmer Boy out loud last night (usually I read it to her but she asked and did fine). "What does sedate mean?" (I answer) What does placidly mean?" (I answer). "Why can't they just say calm and peaceful?"

~ "I made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short."
Blaise Pascal (I'm not necessarily endorsing him but I love the quote)