KnitOwl toys workshop and bits

I've been making some more toys, this airplane, and the dolls.

I do need to reorganize all my supplies soon... a bit of the Spring Cleaning 

is starting to blossom in the back of my brain... don't know if I have any

time to make it so, though.

We are planning our trip to Land Between the Lakes, and my work schedule has been upside-down this week, with very late nights.  I'm kind of glad we're on break - but it will continue into the season and we will begin back to homeschooling with my burning the candle at both ends.  

I bought a garden chair, which Esme and the cats both had to try out last night.  I am starting to plan which plants to have - flowers, mostly are what is first coming to mind.  Although, I know we will plant some vegetables and buy a few tomato plants.  Marigolds and zinnias are my favorites for the garden - and I will look into getting a new stock of seeds for them.  I haven't decided on the beans - probably just bush beans and one climber, no cowpeas - to keep down the wasps if we intend to sit out there.

I'm reading "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards.  I bought it at the flea market for fifty cents.  Very sad .. poignant, do they say?  Yes.  The power went out last night in the middle of reading one of the chapters and Mark got me a flashlight so I could get to "leaving the characters in a better place."  Lots of emotions.

We also started to watch Victor Frankenstein last night... *yeep*

We have a few documentaries, unseen world of microbes and Richard the Lionheart.  That should be fun next week.  What a strange mix.

Spring Break

Esme is on Spring Break for all of this week.  I am making some more toys - as well as a busier schedule at work.  These three little rag dolls are for the girls that were together on Easter.  I need to get the others to Gwenny's mom soon.

I've started clearing our garden, and planning to put a little sitting space, almost a patio, out there to use this summer.  I'm downsizing the actual garden area, less to keep up with.  But, I also want to be able to enjoy sitting out there when the days are nice.

Next week we are heading to the Land between the Lakes for one of their homeschool events.. definitely will have pictures of that.

Easter Egg Hunt at TCAT Tennessee College of Applied Technology

Ready to GO!

 And, they're off!

Esme, Gwenny and a friend gathered up for the egg hunt.

 Treasure trove!

Opening candy, very focused!

Who is this child?  Do I know her?

 

I was working on making some more rag dolls. I need more practice.  This is Esme's doll Daisy (in red) and the new one that took several hours today.  I want to make two more like her and see if I can work out the kinks.

Thursday

8a    - reading: "Kristen's Surprise" ch 4 and 5.
9a    - break

9.15    - reading: "Pippa the Poppy Fairy"
    - "Louise the Lilly Fairy"

11a    - pizza construction, dishwasher unload/load
11.15    - CC Math Workbook
11.30a    - Nova: "Secrets of Stonehenge"
12.30    -break

3:45p - Penmanship page, English worksheet
4:10p - done

// She finished all of her books, so she gets Friday off!  And we have found an Easter event for the girls to meet up at Saturday, then a playdate afterwards.  Esme is very excited!  

Wednesday

7.30a    - minecraft
8.45    - break

9.15    - reading: "James and the Giant Peach" (finished)
10a    - CC Math workbook
10.15    - penmanship
    - math worksheet: division problems
10.30    - Reading: "Kirsten's Surprise" : chapters 2 and 3
11.15    - minecraft
12    - break

4.30p    - spelling with mom
4.45    - done

Tuesday

She drew this picture in her room this morning before she even came upstairs.  It is herself as an Easter rabbit, with her dog (and a friend's dog) as rabbits, but she has erased her friend who was supposed to be a rabbit, too.  We're not sure if we can see them this weekend.. and I think this was her message to me that she wants to have an Easter Egg hunt with them.  I'm trying to set something up.


8:00a - Reading: 'James and the Giant Peach' to pg. 93
//this was another third of the book!
9:30a - break
10:15a - Reading: 'Kirsten's Surprise', chapter one
10:30a - Penmanship
10:45a - Spelling - thirdgradespelling.com #5 given orally, written out on paper.
11:00a - Writing
11:15a - Math worksheet : multiplication word problems
11:20a - 3rd grade CC Math workbook  week 17: section one
11:40a - break
12:15 - Minecraft : brewing in survival mode
3pm - discussion of reading, and then done

// We have discussed when she will get her Spring Break.  Some of the children in Paris are getting it this week.  Her old school is getting it next week.  So, we will follow that schedule and it will work out better - as I work all that week and it would be nice to have the time off then... and we can still get the books we've started done this week.


While she read this morning I read 'Fish'  by L.S. Matthews.  The front cover called it an 'amazing' book.  They were right.  I also read two books by Karen Cushman this week - short ones, Midwife's Apprentice and Alchemy and Meggy Swann.  Both were much better than I was anticipating.  They were so detailed it was hard to put either of them down once I had started.  I have 'The Door in the Wall' and a few others to start when I have time.

Esme is out in the yard building a second tipi.  The dogs are very interested and are all sitting around watching her move boards back and forth and lean them against a set of trees.

Monday

8:00a - Reading: 'See the Ocean' by Estelle Condra
8:20a - Penmanship
8:30a - CC Math workbook
8:45a - Reading: Sillier and Sillier fable stories
9:30a - break
11a - library
11:30a - break / town
2p - Reading: James and the Giant Peach to chapter 15
3:20p - Geography USA
3:30p - Writing an outline and beginning second Dino book
4:20p - done

Friday

8:00a    - Reading: 'Kirsten Learns a Lesson ch 5.'
8:20a     - Penmanship
8:30a     - CC Math workbook, evolution video
8:45a     - Reading : Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to end
9:05     - Minecreaft!
9.30    - break

10a    - town
10.45    - break

11    - Minecraft
1p    - done

Thursday St. Patrick's Day

8:15a - Reading 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' through ch.28
9:30a - break
10a - CC Math workbook
10:15 - Penmanship
10:30 - walk outside
She was all decked out in her entire 'leprechaun' outfit, right down to the green felt bowler hat she has been keeping fake gold in all year...

11:00 - reading 'Kirsten Learns a Lesson' ch 4.
11:20 - multiplication chart 144 spaces (12x12), 100%
11:40 - USA geography and European geography
12:00 - Spelling
12:10 - Minecraft
1:20  - done


We're watching more Clarissa Explains it All, and halfway through Little House on the Prairie reading at night.  She was quite impressed upon by the wolves in the story.  She is playing outside now in the semi-warm.

Wednesday

8a - Minecraft  - observatory, 'constellations'

9:15a - Reading 'Kirsten Learns a Lesson' ch 3
9:40a - Working on secret code
10:15a - Replacing batteries in toy
10:30a - Charlie and Chocolate factory
11:00a - break
// We had lunch and watched two episodes of Dr. Who - it was a back to back cliffhanger type!
12:30 - CC Math workbook
12:40 - Reading 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' through ch.23
1:15 - Minecraft
2:00 - done

Tuesday

8:00a - Reading 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' through ch.18
9:00a - Reading 'Kirsten learns a lesson' ch2
9:30a - Reading 'Tia the Tulip Fairy'
10:10a - Reading : Silly and Sillier stories, fables from around the world (while outside basking in the sun in the back of the truck bed)

//
//It was SO quiet this morning with her reading for the entire morning.  And she was really getting into it.

11:20a - CC Math workbook
11:40a - break

12:10 - Minecraft
12:30 - done (although she kept playing)  She built an observatory post with a 'telescope', recording station and sleep area.

Monday

9a    - reading: "Kirsten Learns a Lesson" ch1
9.30    - break

10a    - town; stores etc
10.45    - break

11.45    - Reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" through ch 12
12.45    - CC Math workbook
1p    - Minecraft
2.30    - done

Friday

8:00a - CC math workbook
8:20a - reading : Felicity Learns a Lesson: chapter 5
8:45s - break
10a - library : finding a book, reading some books, art
//She threw a fit over having to look up Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and also about it being a scary book because the movie was scary.  The librarian backed me up gently and superbly, reccommending the author, pointing out we have a lot of those so it is assuredly a great book, and that the book wasn't scary except when the children did what they were told not to do, and then they got what they deserved (Esme did not like hearing that).  There was more guff (almost sliding the book off the table to have it as far away from hers as possible, but getting it back when I demanded her to), a recovery reading, doing artwork and getting a new Fairy book etc... Checking out she heard some more comments from the librarian about trying to be a responsible young lady and being a good example... in response to the guff she had overheard.  The librarian asked me if Esme should carry her card or I should and I said she had been good with it for quite a while...the thought of the librarian thinking she was perhaps not responsible enough for her card and then assuring her to act like a good example with it made her think.
10:45 - break


//When we got home I made a list of the next four things we needed to do - including one of hers - the Minecraft.  She was worried again about the Chocolate Factory book being scary - but she did begin to read (in a far chair by the door cramped up with a cat at her feet for support).  I read Mr. Popper's Penguins while she read, and she did read all the way to the page I had asked her to, surprised perhaps that it was not yet scary...

12:30 - Minecraft test world experiments
1:30p - reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Ch1-5 (to page 21)
2:15p - reading: Lego Imagination book
2:30p - writing: Owl Family Story and artwork

penmanship is helping, too - her writing is much neater and the words are grouped better 

without large spaces in between the letters.

3:15 - USA Geography game - She is getting so much better.. the third game she played she got 98%.  I had thrown in the puzzle level in between and I know that is helping cement where the states go.
3:30 - done

Thursday

8:00a - CC math workbook pg 34.
8:25a - reading: "Felicity Learns a Lesson" chp 4
8:45a - penmanship

The two at the right are hers.  The practice was on making the letters close together but distinct.

9:00a - spelling with Mom
9:15a - Reading : Summertime Song by Irene Haas
9:35a - Geography game USA
9:45a - art for story

Owl is worried about his family, eggs are about to hatch, children are misbehaving and there is a cat coming out of the house.

10:20 - writing story : Owl Family
10:45 - Minecraft : park and pathways
12:00 - done

Wedneday

7.45    - PE; 10catlift, 150x JJ, 50x 15lb bench
8    - CC math workbook
8.15    - reading: "Felicity Learns a Lesson" chp 3, discussion
8.30    - spelling with Mom, penmanship
9a    - Minecraft : 1.9 Survival Mode : lighthouse project, deep pool and road

She made her cat the lighthouse keeper.  There is some glowstone up on the top to make sure it can be seen from far and wide.  They have mined obsidian and made a netherportal, which is just barely out of frame here... They went for an expedition and got netherrack to make netherbrick for the fences at the top, and for the glowstone.  The checkerboard pattern was her idea and she used the dirt scaffolding technique I showed her to keep from dying as she often fell trying to do the one on / one off pattern around the circle.  She insisted on filling up the deep pool with a single bucket.. but she stuck at it, and then was able to draw water from the middles and not hop over the hill after a bit... she made it VERY deep.

12.30    - done

Tuesday

8a    - 150x JJ, 50x 15lb bench,
8.15    - reading: "Felicity Learns a Lesson" chp 2
9a    - CC Math workbook
9.15    - Minecraft
11    - pizza construction
11.15    - break

5p    - Discussion over Felicity book lessons
5:30 - done

// I went into work today.  Seems like the whole place got hit hard with something like what I had.  I went over a few things in the book with Esme when I got home (while she was dragon flying) and then we went and prepared dinner.

Comments I've been meaning to mention:

Esme: You know, that guy - the one you said running for (wanting to be) President?  McDonald Trump.  He lives down the road, Mr. McDonald Trump?  He drives all crazy. // Yes we have a crazy driver neighbor named McDonald - but no, he is not 'the' Donald.

Brisco County Jr. should win like 100 Oscars.  (When told that the Mad Max movie won Oscars.  She thought Mad Max was a pretty awful movie compared to the Brisco television series)

She was focusing on the mystery bounty hunter's episode where they are in an island hotel and getting picked off one by one... and she said we should have known who the killer was because when the skeleton came through the ceiling we all had different reasons why the acid shouldn't have left the skeleton like that - it should have eaten the hat, or made the ring all globby...if he didn't have any meat left on the bones at all.

A few days ago before I got sick we finished Little House in the Big Woods and started in on Little House on the Prairie as our bedtime book.   I would like to find her a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory next time at the library, write down the ISBN of a good 'decent font and text size' copy and find one to order for her own.

Monday

8a    - CC Math workbook
8:15 - reading: St. Patricks Day book
8:35 - reading: 'Felicity Learns a Lesson' chapter 1
//She was quite appalled by the fact that Felicity could not go to a college.. but had the opportunity to take classes in stitchery, tea service and manners as her school.  We talked about history and learning from it and comparing different time periods.  We will read the Kirsten equivalent too next week and discuss the changes that happened in education during those hundred years.

9:10 - spelling and penmanship
9:30 - break
9:45 - jumping rope
9:55 - break
10:15 - Minecraft // She built a 'cavern on the green' (Futurama restaurant that is underground) and general store between all of our houses.

12:30 - Reading: Patrick's Day
12:50 - done (continued playing Minecraft)

I stayed home from work today as I have been down with a flu/cold sort of thing all this weekend.  I had a high fever that comes and goes - and really just need to sleep again.  Mark and Esme are now going to play Minecraft some more while I take another nap.

//Later//  She is using her math in Minecraft, whipping out her calculator to decide how many of something she needs for a formula batch etc... testing me on my mental multiplication at the same time.

Mark and Esme picked a jar full of daffodils and put it by my bed when I was napping.  Very sweet.

Friday

7.30a    - reading: "Mattie the Fun and Games Fairy"
8:30a   - reading: Meet Kirsten, chapter 5
9a    - penmanship & CC Math workbook
9:15       - Minecraft 1.9 Survival mode - built a netherbrick fireplace from items mined in the Nether, fought the fire that happened afterwards!
11    - Dark ages continued
11:45 - done

Wednesday Thursday

Thursday

8a - CC Math Workbook
8:10 - Reading: Meet Kirsten, chapter 4
8:30 - Reading : "Lizzie, the Sweet Treats Fairy"
9:10 - Penmanship : Months and related words
9:20 - Minecraft survival mode : Elytra flying, building
10:40 - Dark Ages History channel video (1/2) , discussion
12:00 - done
//She continued doing more Minecraft after this.

---------------------------------------------
Wednesday

8a    - CC Math workbook
8:10     - Reading : Meet Kirsten, chapter 3
8:25     - Penmanship : Month names
8:30     - break (get ready for library)

10:00a     - library, tornado drill
10:30a     - break

11a    - Minecraft (1.9 version exploration)
1.30    - reading: "Elisa the Royal Adventure Fairy"
2p    - done

Super Tuesday

8a    - CC Math Workbook
8:20     - reading: "Meet Kirsten", 2 chapters
9:00     - break
//It is so nice to finally be at the 'silent reading with comprehension' stage... she has graduated to this and I only ask her a few questions afterwards - she is reading all on her own - devouring some books - and wants to get specific books at the library next time we go etc.  We have to take all her books from Saturday (five) back tomorrow and exchange for new ones.

9:30     - laundry refresher process
9:40     - review math problems
9:50     - Toothless wood toy project (setup)
10:00     - voting process in town
//She came in with Grandma and I to our voting place and she got to watch the process with me.
10:15     - break

10:45     - penmanship : Month names, spelling with Mom
11:00     - Toothless wood toy project (cont.)
11:30     - Yule Bird story (cont.) with illustration
12:00     - break lunch

12.30    - America ep "Boom"
1.30    - done