Homeschool Field Trip to Air & Space Museum

This will be one in a series of posts since it takes so long to upload pictures to this blog.

We joined a new homeschool group this year.

So far, I think it has been a blessing. I love the organization of the group.

They are also very mission-minded.

This week we toured the Air & Space Museum.

Below are pictures of one of the many science experiments conducted in the classroom to relate weather.

First, there were volunteers.

Then, each once was given a task to complete.
Can you see the hard boiled egg beside the jar?
The task was to get the egg INSIDE the jar w/out messing up the egg.
The egg did NOT just fall into the jar because the opening was too small.

So, they lit a piece of paper and using tongs placed it into the bottom of the jar.

The egg is quickly put on top of the jar. (See, it fits like a cork)

Finally, the egg "seems" like it is sucked into the jar with a LOUD plopping noise...very similar to a cork popping.

The next task is to get the get BACK out of the jar w/out crushing the egg.

There were several suggestions....

Finally, Mr. Pilot stepped in and saved the day and very quickly got the egg out of the jar.

I am not going to share details of the experiment because that would spoil all the fun for you if you want to do this experiment and know the WHYS and HOWS of it.

I encourage you to look up the experiment and try it if you haven't already done it.

Brief Overview of Vintage Tulsa Show....

I was able to steal away this past weekend to check out a new event in Tulsa...

Vintage Tulsa Show.

I totally forgot that I had my camera....shame, shame.

I didn't get many pictures...and the ones I got aren't that great.

I'm sure you will still love me anyway...won't you.

I would have snatched that pink dress in a heartbeat if I was small again....
This Stephanie's booth....she had lots of nice vintage stuff.
I even found a swirl dress.....too small... :(

My sister really wanted this original bowling shirt from a local bowling alley....

...instead, she settled for an original shirt from Pennington's Drive-In.

Notice the name on the shirts....PEGGY SUE!!

We each got one!! There were no more for our other sister who left us and was waiting in the hall....finders keepers!!

(Note: We were not drugged in the pics...just the only pics we got...so, beggars can't be choosers)

Just look at the pleated back...and the embroidered "Penningtons"!!!

There will be another show in April....must. make. room.

Goals for 2010 (END OF YEAR UPDATE)

No, these are NOT resolutions...they are GOALS. I am going to post them on here for our benefit. On the first of each month, I will update on progress.

Major Goal: Dismantle old farmstead home that we are still paying real estate taxes on...ick! The old home still has a TON of our stuff in it....from when we moved next door more than 2 years ago....I know, I know....hanging head in shame. We are going to incorporate the FLYLADY method to get this HUGE chore completed by May 1, 2010! The items I'm packing up will either go to the new house, an auction, donate, or trash.

1. Start collecting moving boxes (first week of January)(STARTED)

2. Jan - completely pack up the stuff on the mud porch (COMPLETED)

3. Feb - Completely pack up the 3 bedrooms with whole family participating. (FAILURE)

4. March - Complete the front porch/storage room. (FAILURE)

5. April - Complete packing the living room/kitchen. (MOSTLY)

May 1st - haul all items to auction. (Should we complete any area BEFORE the deadline, we will move on to the next area.) Start parting out the house and using good lumber/metal for future barn.  (FAILURE)

April 1, 2010 - Goat pen fencing completed and does moved to this pasture/playground.

-estimated cost $500.00.  (COMPLETED/GOATS LOVE US)

June 1, 2010 - Old garage cleaned out and bulldozed which will leave a slab for future small barn for tractor/lawn equipment storage and possible show animals.  (FAILURE)

August 1, 2010 - Re-paint master bathroom. There is still UNFINISHED paint job on trim from over 2 years ago! Now I want to just paint it a soft country white. Currently it is sherbet orange...sounds gross, but it looks nice...just doesn't go with the bedroom decor.  (FUNNY STORY, I THOUGHT THE OFFICE/STUDIO WAS PART OF THIS, BUT IT WASN'T.  SO....WE FAILED ON PAINTING THE BATHROOM BUT HAD HUGE SUCCESS WITH COMPLETELY RE-DOING THE OFFIC/STUDIO)  I GUESS I NEED TO ADD TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE LIST.

365 Days of Devotionals & TAG (Time Alone w/ God) for me.  (PARTIAL FAILURE, I DID INCREASE MY TAG TIME, JUST DIDN'T DO IT DAILY)

Eat out no more than 4 times in a month...this includes running through the drive-thru....any time we have to pay for a meal and not have to cook it! I prefer doing this less often, but want to be realistic here. Also, this won't apply when we are out of town at stockshows.  (EXTREME FAILURE)  (I DID COOK MORE OFTEN, SO THAT IS A BONUS)

Stick to FLYLADY ZONES....15 minutes a day means FREEDOM the rest of the day!  (SUCCESS)  (THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE BLESSING FOR ME, AND IT IS WHAT METHOD I USED TO RE-DO MY OFFICE/STUDIO)

Zone 1 - Entrance, Front/Back Porch (1st of each month to the Friday)

Zone 2 - The Kitchen/Dining room (2nd Week)

Zone 3 - The Bathroom & One Extra Room (3rd Week)

Zone 4 - The Master Bedroom

Zone 5 - The Living room

September 1, 2010 - Water line run to the barns.(FAILURE)

 

July 1, 2010 - Fix the culvert in the pasture.(FAILURE)

February 1, 2010 -Cash in huge change jars and put into rainy day account. Continue adding to rainy day fund. Goal = $1500.00 (SUCCESS)

Buy a good set of scales and start WEIGHING!!  (SUCCESS)  (WE DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING, WE NOW JUST KNOW HOW MUCH WE WEIGH)  :)

We are also going to try to incorporate some type of "something" each month (The idea is that we continue building...not quitting):

Jan - 8 glasses of water a day. Only water when eating at restaurants.  (SUCCESS)  (I EVEN DRINK MORE THAN 8 ON SOME DAYS.)  (I ALSO DON'T DRINK SODA POP)

Feb. - 15 min. of activity straight. It can be walking, dancing, bouncing...anything!  (PARTIAL SUCCESS)  (I PARK FURTHER AWAY IN PARKING LOTS, I USE THE STAIRS, I TRY TO GET THINGS MYSELF, INSTEAD OF ASKING SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY UP TO GET IT.) :)

Mar - 15 min. of Bible reading/journaling  (PARTIAL SUCCESS)

Apr - Taking 5 min. before going to bed to run through the house and pick up/declutter  (SUCCESS)  (IF I DON'T DO IT AT NIGHT, I DO IT IN THE MORNING ON MOST DAYS)

May - 15 min. each day working outside to beautify  (FAILURE)(I DID PLANT FLOWER BEDS THIS YEAR)

June - Spend 2 hours each Sat. or Sunday cleaning pastures  (FAILURE)

July - Declutter closets and donate to local charity. At least one item each day. (PARTIAL SUCCESS, I DIDN'T DO THIS EACH DAY, BUT I DID ACCOMPLISH A MAJOR OVERHAUL)

Aug - Volunteer at the local food pantry on 3rd Thursday  (PARTIAL SUCCESS, I DID MAKE IT ONE TIME AND HAD CAR BREAK DOWNS 2 TIME AND COULDN'T GET THERE.)  (I HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THE OTHER TIMES THOUGH)

Sep - Each Wednesday, bake cookies and share with another person/family.  (TOTAL FAILURE, I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER THIS ONE AT ALL....HANGING HEAD IN SHAME)

Oct - Save change and at end of month donate to charity.  (I AM WORKING WITH MY XS GROUP TO GIVE TO CHARITY - SUCCESS)

Nov - Spend 5 min. each day organizing paperwork  (SUCCESS - ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T EACH DAY, I DID MAKE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN THIS AREA WHICH LED TO THE RE-DO OF THE OFFICE/STUDIO)

Dec - Keep vehicles cleaned (Do NOT go into the house without taking EVERYTHING)  (FAILURE - NO EXCUSE)

Stay tuned each month for updates....

ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH SEVERAL GOALS, WE DID MANAGE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME BIG TASKS.  I HAD HOPED TO KEEP THESE UPDATED EACH MONTH AND TOTALLY FAILED AFTER THE 2ND MONTH....SO SAD.  I DO FEEL WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AND WOULD GIVE OUR EFFORT A SOLID B- IF I WERE GIVING A GRADE.

WE WILL AGAIN MAKE A NEW GOAL LIST FOR 2011.  WANT TO JOIN US?  JUST GET OUT A PIECE OF PAPER AND PEN AND GET WITH IT.  FEEL FREE TO POST IT ON YOUR BLOG AND LEAVE A COMMENT TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.  I WILL POST OUR GOALS 2011 ON JANUARY 1ST...YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT POST.

Mod Podge Tutorial for the Casino Freak in your Family

My husband's parents are casino fanatics.

They are also hard to buy for at Christmas time.

One thing you can guarantee...is that if they aren't going to visit

family or run errands....and they leave the house.....

they are going to find a casino. Sometimes, they even

include family in their casino trips.

So, we decided to "put our bet" on this present for Christmas.

We ran to Hobby Lobby and bought our cast of characters.
A cardboard container.
Casino & Road Trip Scrapbook stickers.
Scrapbook paper that has a card theme.

I trimmed the paper just a little longer than the canister.
It took 2 pieces to get all the way around the container.

I used Mod Podge to "glue" it to the container...
Trace the container and cut out a circle to cover the bottom.

Make sure you trim it a little smaller than the container.

To make the edges overlap the top & bottom neatly...you must trim them.

Then work your way around gluing it with the mod podge.

Once this is complete....let it completely dry or you will get some serious bubbling of the paper.

Repeat the same thing with the lid.

After they have completely dried, put a layer of

Mod Podge on the entire project.
Some of you perfectionist will notice I didn't line up the paper....OOPS!

Guess what....I'm NOT a perfectionist AND I covered most of it

up with STICKERS!!!

Once it has completely dried...add sticker embellishments.

*Important: LET IT DRY A FEW DAYS BEFORE TRYING TO PUT ON THE LID!

If not, you will be PRYING it off because it STICKS!!

Don't ask me how I know this.... :(

My In-Laws like playing the PENNY SLOTS....

I seriously thought about putting 1,000 pennies in it....

I DID NOT...instead, we put CASH.

Charles, you can THANK US LATER...lol. :)

Re-purposing a Cabinet Door from ReStore (Habitat for Humanity)

If you live near a ReStore that is run by the Habitat for Humanity charity, you MUST run, not walk to check it out!!

They have tons and tons of building supplies....from old to new.

The prices are out of this world.

I bought this WHITE cabinet door for $1.00

I painted it red with paint I had on hand.

Used blackboard paint that I had on hand.

Bought some embellishments at Hobby Lobby for $2.00...forgot my 40% off coupon.

A drawer pull from Hobby Lobby for $4.00...again, forgot my 40% off coupon.

A box of chalk for $.77.

Touched up with black paint.

Used my trusty little MOUSE sander.

And now I have a Christmas gift for less than $10.00.

If you were to buy one already done and probably made in China, you would be paying at least $25.00! This is good ole AMERICAN MADE by ME!!

Check out A Soft Place to Land for more great DIY Projects!!!

The Difference in ONE YEAR...Changes.

Sometimes we don't pay attention to the many changes we experience in a year's time. I was going through some of my pictures and came across this picture of my niece, Lindsay, pregnant with her first child. This picture was taken just a year ago.....

...and one year later....

This little blessing made his appearance in April of 2009.
I am sure this family has a long list of changes from the past year.

Take a moment to look back at the past year and REMEMBER.
Remember the many blessings you've experienced.
Remember the things that didn't seem like blessings, yet you grew from them.
Remember the family and friends who got you where you are now.
Remember the things that still don't seem like they could possibly be good...
Remember the changes.
Remember the love.
Remember that TODAY is the PRESENT...a gift.
Remember to Thank God.

Country Living MUST See THIS House!!

I am so excited to show this house to you!!

This house is sooooo Christmassy, that even the jolly ol' man

comes here to RELAX! (No, not talking about Ron...ba haa)

You might remember this home from the PRIMITIVE HOUSE TOUR I did early this year....

Donna has made a special retreat just so he can be at one with the peace

everyone else seems to enjoy at this time of year.


Look! There is even a special Santa wreath to make him feel even more special!
You have to click on the picture to look at this wreath up close.....look at all
the vintage Santas.


See! No stress on that face!

Let's take a look around the rest of the house....

Here is the antique stove that gets a regular paint job...

The Hoosier cabinet...w/ Santa himself.

A cookie cutter wreath in the kitchen!!! Look at the tree to the right!

I love the Santa hats for valance....

There is so much to look at in this house...I would

surely crash your computer because I could show a ton of

pictures.

Santa hats for the CHAIRS.....isn't that adorable?

There is more to show...haven't even made it to the bedrooms....

stay tuned....

Special thanks to Donna for letting me do this....and if you know someone at Country Living or any other magazine....CONTACT ME....I can HOOK you up!!!

I am participating in some home tours in the blog world (Click the links):

MY INSPIRED ROOM

HOOKED ON HOUSES

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY