Izabel's hats this week: choir, 4-H, bowling

 Seamus had a short week at school and not much was going on with him except a parent teacher conference.  They graduated him on a few of his goals and started a few ideas for more goals.  It seems the rhythm therapy he is doing with his occupational therapist is working really well.

Izabel has been wearing the hats this week: choir, 4-H, bowling - is there a bowling hat?  Izabel had a end of league party for her bowling.  They turned down the lights and turned on the black lights and had a pot-luck.  All the kids got a trophy.  It really is just a fun league with no real competition.  Izabel also attended a rabbit show in contemplation of doing rabbit this year for 4-H.  She had a lot of fun not just because of the rabbits but also because one of her friends happened to be there waiting to take home her new bunny.  Finally, Izabel's choir sang on Sunday.  She is at the older end of her choir (the sparks) but they sing with an older group (the flames).  Her group stands in front and she towers over the little kids - I never thought I would be able to say that.  She also never smiles while she is singing , she is concentrating too much.  

Seamus drew a crab (or a portrait of Matt).

After the parent/teacher conference but before the bowling party we caught the story time at the library.

Izabel about to bowl.  For the party they turned on the effects.

After bowling we checked out the arcade.  Seamus likes the motorcycle game.

Seamus tries to blow something up.

You know soldiering is nothing but hurry up and wait.

Izabel and her friends had little charms made with their pictures.  They could barely reach the camera and the charms came out really cute.

Izabel's bowling trophy.

Izabel's 4-H friend checking out some rabbits.

Izabel and her friend brushing a rabbit.

This gal's dad is Seamus! Couldn't help myself especially since they spell it correctly.

Izabel got to talk with one of the judges and get some info on showing rabbits.

Choir getting ready to preform.

In her choir uniform.  They worked hard to raise the money for these shirts.

EGYPT!

Getting ready for school.

Items collected on a sensory nature walk with his class.

Izabel's school friends have formed a club studying ancient civilizations.  This week they had a presentation on Ancient Egypt from a man who has been studying the subject for some 70 years.  He presented life in Egypt including a demonstration of the clothing, and the clay figures they were buried with that would serve as servants in the afterlife.  The pics are a bit out of order but the website is not cooperating to reorder them. 

This is a picture of the only known inscription of the weighing of the heart ceremony that is not on papyrus.

Izabel's friend trying on the royal head gear.

Weekend Update.

Banana fun.

 On Friday Seamus had part of his evaluation.  It was more forms and questions for us then it was actual time with and observing Seamus.  After a while I cannot remember what each question was and how to answer them.  Many of the questions are so absolute; either he always does something or never does it, what if he does is occasionally?  Of course, Seamus cooperated in a bad way.  When they asked Matt if he uses pronouns and if so does he use them correctly, Matt said that he really does not.  As soon as he said that Seamus says, "I sit here, YOU sit there."  Rotten kid.  It was a long and tiring day.  They suggest that we do another test and it will take a while to compile the results especially since they include information from his school which they have not recieved.  Plus we have to get the results in an appointment or insurance will not pay and the over-the-phone version costs $130.

The project begins.  The kids keep the apron and we sew the patches from each project on there.

Saturday Matt took the kids to the Lowe's building workshop.  They made science labs.  It is a cute little stand with 2 test tubes, and bowl with pouring spout and slot for experiment cards.  The kids spent the evening blowing up raisins with baking soda and vinegar...all over the kitchen floor.  Saturday was also a charity auction in which I volunteered to teach a chocolate class.  So next April I will be teaching a class for 5 lucky bidders.  Matt worked the checkout and they did really well.  While Matt was out doing that, and the kids were busy blowing up the kitchen, I ground some chicken and made Italian Wedding Soup.  This is one of the best recipes I have found in a while.  I also mashed up the old and brown bananas and made banana fritters.

Sunday was 4-H.  Izabel nominated herself for vice-president.  She got up in front of the group who she barely knows and made a speech on why they should vote for her.  "When I asked my mom what a VP does, she said the VP helps the president and I like helping people.  So, vote for me."  She got a few votes but did not win.  She then nominated herself for secretary (I cannot imagine what her notes would look like especially since she writes so slowly).  She did not win that either, but I think she enjoyed speaking in front of everyone, go figure.  She should be proud of herself for stepping out like that.  If she made that speech at a meeting of the Montgomery Woman's Club she would be in, but then again those speeches are more like, "I will not take this job, no,  no,  no.....well, they called and they needed someone..."  At least that is how my mom gets her jobs with them. 

BTW, Izabel scratched off a jewel on her forehead for Halloween.  That is where that red mark that looks like a bindi came from not a smudge on your computer screen.

Project complete.

Here it is.

Seamus practicing.  Still not successful but the (Santa) hat makes it more fun.

Izabel found this at the library and it reminded her of one of my former co-workers. 

Italian Wedding Soup.

Banana Fritters.

Izabel's campaign speech.  She looked so tiny next to those other kids.

Izabel's First CSI Lab

We spared no expense in her gear.

It took a long time to properly fit this creation.

 Izabel started a study course using a CSI curriculum for 5th-8th graders.  Over the course we will do several of the labs but not all (just not enough time).  The first lab is about collection of evidence and logging in the data, measurements of the locations of the evidence.  Of course when the CSI team is in the field they need their protective clothing, just like Bones, Izabel's favorite show.  
This crime scene had a bone (paper mache made by Mom), blood spatter, convient to clean since it was on a piece of paper, forger practice paper, shopping list left at the scene for handwriting analysis, shoe prints, skull thanks to a sale on Halloween decorations, and a tool mark. 
The curriculum crosses her math and science courses and has a heavy emphasis on critical thinking and deductive reasoning.  The next lab is tool mark analysis and for that she already has a lab coat made from Dad's old t-shirt and Mom's sewing know how. 

Izabel making recordings on the other side of the "Police Line Do Not Cross" tape.

Constable Seamus ready for duty. 

Constable Seamus delivering evidence he collected in his investigations for tool mark comparison.  And yes to my attorney friends, the bags have proper case # identification (11-01 as it is the first case for the apartment for the year), it was properly sealed with the officer's initials on the tape, and a chain of evidence was strictly followed (until he tried to hit his sister with it).

Random Happenings

This post is a mixture of some random pictures.  They are activities the kids have been participating in the past couple of weeks.  The captions explain all.  We were informed this week that Izabel's art for the Stock Show was shown to ALL of the teachers in her school during their weekly meeting.  She is very proud of that.  We also started a new set of lessons called CSI Expert.  These pictures will be coming soon.  The curriculum is for 5th-8th graders and she did excellent with the first lab.  She is now over 70% complete with 3rd grade Math 85% for science and at least 50% with the remaining courses.  4th grade Science will start just after Thanksgiving.

Seamus started a new therapy this week.  His occupational therapist learned about this therapy while the school was on their fall break.  It is some sort of rhythm music therapy.  They saw a marked difference after they tried it.  Despite his love of music and dancing I told them good luck teaching one of my kids rhythm.   The countdown to his evaluation is less then 7 days now, hopefully  and barring any insurance problems etc. 

Izabel's Math class had a unit on measurements.  The Science class had a balance scale she kept for 1st and 2nd grade but we returned it at the end of last year.  Then the Math class has us make a scale of our own.  She used the 1 grams cubes that both science and math use in their materials to weigh items and learn their standard weight to then use the items to weigh other unknown items.  For example 1 paperclip is about a gram and 1 nickle is about 5 grams so if something weighs a nickle and a paperclip it weighs, that's right, 6 grams.

Izabel's coach shows them the wind-up and follow through for bowling.

Izabel, her teammate and Seamus get ready to bowl.

While Seamus and Matt went to a trick-or-treat street Izabel joined me at the workout center in our complex and practiced her fencing.

Seamus' new hat - I AM ROBOT. 

Don't worry my compulsive comrades (that includes me) this is ONLY used for paper trash.