Magnolia Gardens

First Pigtails

Family!

Easter Eggs and More

 We turned Easter up a notch this year.  First we made natural food dyes and dyed free range local eggs, which started off white, blue or brown, and made our Easter Eggs. We got some really vibrant yellows and pinks.  We had no success with carrots, but we had to give it a try.  We even did a scientific write up, so we turned the whole thing into a great lesson.  Beets, blueberries, and turmeric/tea/onion peel were really the best.

     We went to the Unitarian 9 am service and the 9:30 group breakfast, which was a great chance to meet new people there finally.  Easter activities and egg hunt, usually in the beautiful overgrown, floral graveyard, because of rain it was held in Gage hall classrooms. Mark was with us and we all really got a full tour of the grounds together.
      At home the baskets were pretty simple, but each kid got a new wrist watch (to practice time on).

"Let's go see snow!"

Spontaneous trip to Maryland to see a big snowfall.  We were very excited.  I couldn't wait for my sister to help me get my kids sledding.  Unfortunately on the last day of the visit , on the last run down the hill, the kids were holding hands when they went over an unplanned ice bump, caught major air and ended up in extreme pain.  C-Birds face and shoulder, G-mans arm.  He stood up and said "It's broken, my arm is broken."  Didn't question that and ended up in the ER.

First they didn't xray . then they did and said 2-3 weeks, sent us home.

With an $80 splint.

Because in fact it was broken. Buckle Fracture of the Ulna.

She smacked the ground  with her face and shoulder.

Then they said this was a 6 week injury.  

Changing the cast...

 Textbook perfect.

Unfortunately a new cast had to go on for 3 more weeks.

Tree weeks with a crappy cast is about 20 days too long...

This is where the doctor said... three more weeks of caution.  It is a nine week injury. Yikes!

Co op and Lego League

green belting ceremomy

 Fun while it lasted.  G's team made a house that could be raised by pulley out of a tsunami style flood.

How to Be a Princess

Learn how to play Chess with Friends

Grind Coffee...

Get someone (your Mommy) to braid
your hair every day

and Enjoy the smell of it brewing.

Buy beads and share jewelry making
with you brother. 

Know what you are made of, even in a dress.

Wear hot pink...

Wear hot pink head to toe on the same day as your friend... without planning to.

Ice Storm (Snow Fail)

We first thought we would get 6 inches, then two... and then ice with flurries... but here we only received ice.  The Palm Trees around here took a beating (because of surface area I suppose).  I think the precipitation here is done... and the kids are making the most of the situation.  Thanks to a friends post on Facebook we borrowed a  fun idea. Use the Boogey Boards and get your slide on!

Lessons

This week we are tackling Madison, the Constitution, War of 1812, Dolly Madison and the Star Spangled Banner (again, they have been working on this).

To spice things up today we listened to

The Battle of New Orleans

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

That much candy makes working together a breeze.

Finished house. Gingerbread man got
stuck on the roof putting up lights.

 Christmas Eve we finished up the Gingerbread house we started the day before and I am happy to say my first adventure in homemade ginger bread houses was very positive... not hard at all and tasted much better.

We had a family friends over and roasted marshmallows, watch movies and ate entirely too much candy.  Getting everyone to bed wasn't too hard though and luckily all the presents were wrapped and ready to go.

The Big Show.

Realizing how cool This gift is...

Really Cool ...

To which he said, "Really guys this is just too much..."

Help with a package...

Snowballs anytime.  Pretty safe in the house unless GMan pegs you... or the dog gets involved.