Volcanoes

We recently did a lapbook/unit study on Volcanoes. I found a project book that told us how to make our own volcanoes. We tested it out first, just to make sure that it would work before we made them.

We had these mini water bottles, and we put screen/netting around the bottles...

Then we put plaster of paris over the screen. I have had this bucket of that stuff for a long time...I kept holding onto it, and finally found a use for it!

Then we painted them

Noah added in toothpicks to represent his village

Then it was time to take them OUTSIDE, and put them to the test.

First, we put in baking soda

Then we put in food coloring...obviously, lava isn't green, but that was the only color we had

Then we poured about a cup of vinegar into the volcanoes...

And ERUPTION!

Update on Noah's pumpkins

He's got 2 pumpkins forming!

Smooch smooch!

Have a great day!!

Burn's Park, a log cabin, and a grasshopper

Instead of waiting around a phone call anxiously yesterday, we decided to venture out and enjoy the beautiful weather! We headed out to Burns Park, and just drove around enjoying the beauty.

I have never stopped at this cabin, but have always seen it driving by, so we stopped today. It was cool for them to visually see it, it seems much like the Ingall's home as described in the Little House in the Big Woods books.

We had also been in search of some pretty fall foliage, but I was disappointed, until I saw these 3 trees as we were leaving the park. This was the best color I could find.

News....

I have the best news ever to share with you over here....!

Wordless Wednesday

2 weeks

He's 2 weeks old! check it out.... here

Making our own butter/Johnny cakes

We are reading Little House in the Big Woods right now, and doing a lapbook to go along with it. Also, my mom got Noah a Civil War, and a Pioneer project book for Christmas last year, and we are pulling some things out of there. The book mentioned cooking Johnny Cakes, and then also the process of making their own butter. Those were 2 projects in our book, so we tried them. We had a recipe in each book for the Johnny cakes, I chose the one out of the Civil War book b/c they could be baked, and the other one had to be fried, but I think they would have tasted better. These that we made, were just gross. That is the best way to describe them. They had no taste...but it was good to see, and really sympathize with the Civil War soldiers. The book said that something they ate all the time, and rarely even had butter or molasses to go on them. Poor guys!

For the butter, we got Heavy Whipping cream, and let it sit out until it was room temperature, and then poured it in a glass jar.

Then, you had to shake the jar for 10 minutes....you see that shaking action going on?

After 10 minutes, the milk had seperated from the curd, so we strained it out....then you have to rinse the butter until it runs clean

Add some salt to it for flavor, and there you go! It really just tasted like plain whipping cream to me, but with the salt added to it, it tasted o.k.

Our pretty little visitor

When Leah and I got ready to go to the store yesterday, this little lady was on the top of my vehicle. Her wings were torn in 2 places, so she couldn't fly, so the kids were excited to get to hold her. Clay was sweet enough to go in and get the camera at my request and take these pictures. Then they carried her out to live on Noah's pumpkins he is growing.

And my favorite.....the curled up tongue!