American Math Challenge - Day 2 - Morning Results

Last Day of American Math Challenge --- Live Mathletics

Stretch those fingers and get those minds ready for some fast paced math fun!!!
Be sure to let us know how your kids have done in this fun and exciting competition!!!

American Math Challenge - Update 8pm - 1st Day

I think unless she has a huge surge of energy after x-factor she is done for the day! Here are her results ---

She did a great job, given this is her first try!!! Congrats to all who made it through the first day and best of luck in the speed rounds tomorrow!!! 

American Math Challenge Update - 5p - 1st day

I have a feeling she will be doing a bit more, but as of right now here are her 1st day stats ----

Today's the DAY!!! American Math Challenge --- Tomorrow Too!!!

Great fun way to test those math minds!!! Have fun and let us know how your kids did!!!
These are the first American official lead up events for World Education Games 2012!!! For more information click the pic to sign up for the official newsletter!

Funny direction things can take

We started out with Biology and talking about fungus and KM mentioned how many different types of mushrooms she has seen out in the yard lately. I had an idea - we should gather some samples and examine the differences. Then how would each react to heat - oh hey what a great excuse to start a fire in the pit.....

Once we we had the fire going and mushrooms were "cooking" I suddenly remembered a post that I had stumbled upon last week at the hmmm...schooling mom's blog where they microwaved various types of soap...well I wondered what would happen if we put them over the fire....

I was shocked at the various reactions melting points! 

KM was inspired to carve some shapes out as she was prepping the samples.

So from biology to mycology to scenting the neighborhood to soap sculpting.....where will the rest of our day take us?

YouTube Monday - Annoying Orange vs Angry Birds

Two of our favorite computer things - Annoying Orange and Angry Birds - together in one choose your own adventure video! TOOO FUNNY!!!

It's NOT too late to register...

The sooner the better, so your kids can try out the warm ups, but you still have some time!!!

Our deer friends...

came for another visit this morning to munch on our fallen crab apples. Can you find the mama and her two babes?

Winner of itty bitty HeartBeats prize pack is....

Kathryn at Cummins Life the winner of this great prize pack! Congrats and hope your kids enjoy!!!

Jumped the gun a bit

Last week when I said it was the last beach day of the season - I guess I jumped ahead a bit because we were back at the beach yesterday and this time we had CJ along with us! The waves were incredible and the sun felt so nice! It was a really great time.

AHHHH...sometimes she surprises me!

It was a really good weekend! Saturday morning early call for bowling league is getting a bit easier, KM had a friend over who she doesn't get to see as often as she would like and Sunday CJ got home after being gone since Tuesday. After her friend was picked up, I thought she was going to be quite tired and need to just veg, so when CJ and I ran to the store to pick up a few things I thought she would be out cold on the couch when we came back. However, this is what we saw when we returned she was ---

DOING HER BIOLOGY!!! I nearly fell over! 

My anxieties over this new routine have been lifted for the moment! Ahhhh...I love when I am proved wrong!

You Tube Monday - Project Based Learning: Explained.

Last beach day of the year!

Since today appeared to be the last 80 degree day for a while we decided to ditch our plans and head to the beach this morning! It was so beautiful, peaceful and fun! We had a great time!

We usually don't bring much home with us, but this time K really wanted to bring some periwinkles home. She has been enamored by them since we went to a night tidal pool class two years ago. I figured just a few periwinkles wouldn't hurt! 

Fall Session Began

We started our fall session this week and things have been smoothly sailing along. KM really seems to like the choices that we made this time around and she is feeling confident that she is doing just the right amount. In another attempt to build some time management responsibilities, I have tweaked her assignments a bit for Biology and U.S. History so that she is given the assignment a week before it is due. She can either complete parts of it over the course of the week or she can do it all on the day it is due, that is up to her. I have struggled with feeling like a nag in the past when she has assignments are that are due and she doesn't touch them, but I am trying really hard to let this go and not mention it to her. So far I have only had one slip up, this afternoon, when she asked if she was done with everything and I simply said "if you aren't going to work on your other assignments, then yup that is all." This wasn't so bad, but I really want to just let it go. There is no need for me to say anything, it won't effect me if she doesn't get it done on time. She will have the natural consequences of having to do it all that day - simple as that.

Wish us luck on my control issues and her procrastination issues!!!