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.

Halloween Happenings

Here is our Halloween Fun.  We were a group of wood nymphs with a bard in tow.  Yes I made the kids' costumes from vintage patterns.  I made myself a costume but it ripped the first night so we improvised.  Matt made his own bard costume (read between the lines: Matt did not want to wear wings).  Totem, the ferret had wings on his leash too.  

Saturday, Matt and Seamus went to a trick-or-treat street at the local rec center.  That night the whole family, minus ferret, went to the Victorian Halloween at the Littleton History Museum.  It is complete with a walk with the dead, apple bobbing, fortune telling, pumpkin carving and story telling.  Sunday we ventured to the Boo at the Zoo which was crazy busy but still manageable.  Monday Seamus's school had a Halloween event.  We went out trick-or-treating with Izabel's Godmother's family.  Asher, her son is about the same age as Izabel and Benny is about the same age as Seamus.  What follows is the account of the car ride home:

Seamus did you have fun?

Yes!

With whom were you playing?

He had long hair to his eyes....My Benny.

Seamus about to take off.

There goes Izabel.

Had to add an artsy one.

Izabel's creation.  Meet Mr. Skull.

Izabel shows off her jackpot from our leasing office.

 

Trick-or-treat street.  Note how perky the wings were at the beginning of the events.

Halloweens Past

Since it will take a day or so to organize the photos from this weekend I thought I would post some pictures from Halloweens past.  Some of the older photos are stored in another program which I would also have to dig out so they don't go back to Izabel's first Halloween but here is a list:
2003:Lion - Izabel's First Halloween.  It was a sweatsuit like Seamus' first one; it looked very comfortable
2004:Cat - Grandma Ann ordered it for her.  Very cute with eye liner whiskers and pink ears.
2005:Butterfly/Wood Nymph.This is the year that started the entire Halloween Saga.  I thougth I would buy her a pretty dress put on some wings and have a cute costume and a dress she could wear to Thanksgiving.   On the way to the dress department at Walmart I pass the fabric department and see very cute butterfly fabric.  I then found a cute pattern; unfortunately it was a spring dress with a pinafore (a sort of apron on a child's dress).   That means I essentially made two dresses.  Then I realize it is short sleeved and this is Colorado so I made a little bolero thing that went under the dress but gave it longer sleeves.  Still not sure of the weather I made a cape out of a butterfly satin with a fur lining around the hood.

2006: Colonial Americans.  This is the year we went to Williamsburg for Grandma Ann's birthday extravaganza.  They sell straw hats there and I thought they were so neat I bought one and kept it safe on the drive back to Cincinnati, the flight to Charleston and the connection to Denver.  When it arrived safely in Denver I thought, "now what do I do with it?".  Of course, Halloween.  Izabel wore the hat with a colonial inspired dress.  I made myself a corseted gown.  The corset was built in meaning that the dress had a lining, 2 inter-linings, and the outer shell.  Plus there was an underskirt with authentic to the period detachable pockets.  A dress of this type needs a heavier fabric and A LOT of it so I found some one sale for $1/yard.  It was plaid which means extra work lining the pattern up especially with all the pieces that make a corsetted bodice.  I always start off with a simple idea and never have figured out how I get from simple to where I end up.

2007: Medieval gowns.  This was the year I was pregnant so not knowing how large I would be I needed a dress that could accommodate.  Izabel was a pink medieval princess and I had an orange gown and carried Took, our ferret at the time who was white.  We unintentionally became the portrait of the Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci.   (Click here for link)   Yes I know it was a different period so please no comments. 

 2008: Seamus' First Halloween.  Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  Izabel was Linus.  Red Shirt with painted on black stripes, blue blanket, done.  Seamus was Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin - he looked so much like both.  He had pumpkin sweatsuit with a swirl on his head.  Matt had a t-shirt that glowed in the dark with all the characters.  I was Snoopy with a white sweatshirt and knit hat with black ears.  The ferret was Woodstock, of course.

2009: Classic Halloween characters.  Izabel was a vampire.  Seamus was Frankenstien's monster.  Matt was the wolfman.  I was a witch.  The ferret was a ghost.

Great pic of what happens when you paint your child green and then expect it to come off.

 2010: Americana.  Izabel was Wonder-woman.  I know she isn't from the U.S. but she is very patriotic (and it was the only thing I could get her to agree on).  Seamus was George Washington.  Matt was Paul Bunyan.  I was Betsy Ross (Matt made the flag which has quilting in it for warmth).  Unfortunately we did not have a ferret last year.

That man would depress a hyena.  (a quote from the musical 1776).

The wig was a hit.

I absolutely love this picture.  The expression on the kids' faces and the Stokowskis in the background.

Trick or treating 2010.

Some extra pics from Octobers past.

All these pumpkins were from out garden in Brush!  I am not going to even pretend that we were growing these in traditional "soil"especially after learning about the history of the town as a cattle town.