Old Fashioned Lifestyle

The kids enjoy Jack Johnson’s Curious George album – which includes the song “3 R’s”

• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle

The kids always jam along and name our family’s recent examples of reduce, reuse, and recycle (here are some pics of a few):

Old Coffee Mate Canisters Converted to Vases

A plarn bag Wanderlust knit for me for a Christmas gift.

Anyway, the other day, we were listening to a story about education on NPR.  Someone mentioned the 3 R’s (Readin, ‘Ritin, and ‘Rithmatic).  The kids had never heard of those R’s before and said in unison, “That’s not the 3 R’s!  It’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!”

 It was pretty funny!

Technorati Tags: Homestead Blogs

I am not a creative person, nor do I play one on TV.  I steal ideas from books, magazines, and blogs.  The extent of my creativity is reading a book and imagining the scene.

When I woke up this morning, I found an email – an invitation to participate in the Carnival of Homeschool Graphic contest.

What?  Cough.  Cough.  You want ME to create a graphic?  Cough.  Cough.   I have always loved the idea of creating a graphic using the computer…  but (cough, cough) have no idea how to even start!   Anyway – I was inspired to give it a wirl.

So here you have it….  2 concepts created in Digital Image Pro.

Meanwhile, do you have some creative juices?  Join the contest!

Technorati Tags: Blogs and Online Fun

Help us out and we will send you a post card or two from Mexico!  Would your kids enjoy getting a few postcards from Mexico in January?  Leave a comment with your suggestions and ideas.  I will email you privately for a mailing address.  Then,  our kids will send your kids a few postcards while we are in Mexico.  What do we need help with?  Some ideas!

 We came up with a fun idea this morning as we were reading through the Eyewitness Travel Guide Mexico.  Let’s do a scavenger hunt while we are there!  More on that in a minute, but first a little background information.

We have equipped the kids with digital cameras and small journals.  They also each have a scrapbook.  They are working on the “skeleton” pages of the scrapbook now. 

They will remain at home (they are the full size scrapbooks) but when we get home, they can fill them with the pictures and writing from their travel journals.

Now, on to the scavenger hunt idea.  This morning, we have learned that in Mexico there are:

• 30,000 different plant species
• 450 different mammals
• 1000 types of birds

Some specific items we can look for are:

• Cactus
• Monarch Butterfly (October to March)
• Desert tortoise
• rattlesnake
• flamingos
• leopard frog
• Armadillos
• Whales (birthing January to March)
• Bighorn sheep
• Bobcat
• Jaguars
• Parrots

Now, we just need to figure out how to effectively turn this into a scavenger hunt.  I think we will do a category for plants and animals, foods, and cultural/historical landmarks.

Feel free to share your ideas!   We will be traveling by plane, car, and occasionally train.  We are packing pretty light – a backpack for each of us.  I will be taking a lot of pictures and notes – and we will share them here when we get back.

Technorati Tags: Crafts, Mexico

Not an award winning image, but characteristic of 90% of the households that celebrate Christmas!  December is such a busy time – I have been missing the time for creativity.

 This is a part of the ongoing challenge at Photohunt.  Get a new “theme” each week to fuel your creativity!  The next few themes are:  delicious, skinny, important, old-fashioned, narrow.

I also stumbled upon a photo contest over at:  Write From Karen.  This begins February 8th, 2008.  Theme:  LOVE

Technorati Tags: Homestead Blogs

These birds were hopping around or homestead the other morning.  Anyone know what kind of birds they are?

Photo’s taken by Giggle Goose

Technorati Tags: Nature

I’m a few days late – but here is another addition of the Carnival of Homeschooling over at

Po Moyemu.

And – for more news on the carnival, Why Homeschool (the founders) are seeking submissions for a Carnival of Homeschooling graphic.  Check it out here.  I am happy to hear they are moving forward with a graphic – as it sure makes it easier to include a link in our sidebars and participate in the carnival!

Technorati Tags: Blogs and Online Fun

These are the question’s my kids are asking this week.  As you may guess from some of the questions – we are preparing for a trip to Mexico.  Do you have answers?  Leave them in a comment!

•  How many different kinds of fish are there?
• What is an oasis?
• What do whales feel like?
• How many different languages are spoken in the world?

Technorati Tags: Question Board

Of all the benefits of the internet (a source of information, an opportunity for business, etc.) I enjoy interacting with others and having some fun.  Following are a few happenings on the internet that I think are just great!

and

and

Technorati Tags: Blogs and Online Fun

This week’s challenge over at http://tnchick.com is…

SMALL

This photo was taken this summer at a local wildlife preserve. It was a beautiful day. We went for a bike ride there, and saw swans, geese… and bees!

Technorati Tags: Photography

For years now, my family has talked about the silliness of buying each other gifts – especially when we all have so much already.  So much time and money can be spent buying gifts for people that may not enjoy – or keep.  Still, there is a certain joy in giving.  How have we tackled this issue? A few different ways….

1)  We started making homemade gifts.  Wreaths.  Knit or Crochet scarfs and hats.  It is a joy watching the kids work hard in the planning and making of the gifts they will give. 

2)  For the last few years now, we have given people a donation to Heifer International in their name.  It is the gift that keeps on giving.

This year, I have found something new.  A beautiful little stocking stuffer for people – and it is still a gift that keeps on giving. 

Feed Your Family, Feed The World

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Charity, Christmas