Apple Projects

I have a few new apple projects I'm working on for school in the next week or so, in the meantime, here are some oldies but goodies. 

Apples Up On Top  and Play dough worm mats 

 Using an apple to teach about cavities

Apple bag tree and Worm in an apple finger poem

 stamping with apples 

apple tree counting activity

apple dip

apple kuchen

apple sauce and apple butter in the crockpot

canning apple sauce and apple butter

mini apple pies

Apples and brei  and keeping apples from turning brown trick

granola bars with dried apple pieces

new favorite words activity

This is my new favorite activity for working with words. It is right where Lou needs to be working too, but Bee could do some work with it too.  I'm sharing it with all my preschool parents too, I just love it.  You can write the word in the top or place a vocabulary card there.  Mine is laminated so we've been using those new dry erase crayons.  Love those too.

 After reading the word together, letter tiles or cards are used to spell the word.  Then the child writes the word on the lines.  I've been using it with Lou and he likes being so successful with writing a word.  Today he wrote 'robot' and then walked around the house writing it again and again on other paper scraps. 

This Read, Build, Write mat is available here at Home school Creations. She has some other great vocabulary and words activities that are worth checking out.

the go anywhere bag that went one place

I couldn't wait to make up Noodlehead's Go Anywhere Bag.  She teased us about it for awhile, but has the pattern available now.  I went right to my stash and looked for fall colors.  I chose this vintage brown corduroy from the boxes that my Great Aunt sent and a thrifted sheet from some random yard sale. Lets call it vintage too. 

I struggled with my sewing machine during a good part of the bag.  It wasn't a good part really.  It was one of those projects that should take an hour and takes 3.  I thought I was going to have to send my machine in again, but I feel like I just did that in the spring.  In fact, I did.  (after struggling this day and the next several, I determined the massive problem could be tracked down to a new sewing needle.  An evil sewing needle.  Put the old needle back in and the problems were solved.  Many hours wasted on a fancy needle splurge.)

While I was sewing, I noticed the brown corduroy was especially fragile.  I repaired one tear with a faux flap and button.  I assumed the problem was solved.   I proudly carried it to school the next day. 

Every time I looked down at it, it was ripping and tearing and falling apart.

After all those hours and the swearing the first time around, I pulled out all the stitches holding the brown in place. 

The next night, I remade the top portion and resewed the bag with something sturdier and newer from my stash.  I still fought the sewing machine.  I cried a bit and tried to bargain with God.  I'm sure my sewing machine is right up there on His list.   I did finish it and it's going everywhere with me.

I packed away the sunny 241 bag until next summer. I do really like that this bag is a little bigger.  I've been throwing my book and a kid water bottle and a couple of snacks when we go out.  It's been a fun new size. 

any given weekend

These pictures are from last weekend, but it doesn't matter.  This could be any given weekend.   I've sorta felt a week behind all week, so it's probably appropriate.

We finally got the canoe out in water.  Before we took her out on the river, we wanted to check her out in safer waters.  My dad delivered it Memorial Day weekend and we finally just got it tested out.  I've had the paddles since March! 

One of my sweet little students lives on a pond and invited us out to test it at their house.  His parents seemed alright with his invitation, so we went.   I didn't trust us all enough not to tip canoe and tuck the camera safely away in the car before we got in.  We found one tiny leak, but we think we know where it is from and can be patched.

After we were done canoeing, we borrowed their paddle-boat.  Note Bee's lovely mood in the above picture.   Arms crossed, she was not happy. I don't even remember what the drama was about now.   No doubt she's forgotten too.

Then the kids played in the carwash while we loaded the canoe again.

My little friend also invited us for dinner and breakfast the next day, but I don't think his parents were alright with that.  We decided to save that for another day.

Fall

I know it's not really fall yet. You sure could have fooled us!   It's chilly, the windows are cracked and we're all in flannel jammies.  It's wonderful.   We've picked two pumpkins.  The little guy fell off on his own.  There are two more pumpkins left on the vine.  Bee says they're for her.

I keep hanging this old window on the front porch and then I can't find the right thing to hang on it, but my fall door wreath fits great.  The wreath doesn't fit on the front  door at the new house with the storm door, so I'm glad to have somewhere to put it.  

 
This is a wreath that, no kidding, I made in high school my senior for an art project.  I made it out of vines in my mom's yard.  The fall decor on it is all fake stuff that may or may not be outdated. I've hung it every year since then.  At one house i recall it just hung on the side of the house.  I'm surprised it's still in one piece.

screen door remake- project 2

I'm still reading that book I mentioned a few days ago.  I'm going to spend this evening working on it, but here's the other screen door from this project.  It's in the basement holding kid artwork.   It's above the TV I turn on when I'm on the treadmill.  If it stays here, I will give it a coat of paint, but I'm not sure if this it's home.  It will be on loan for a craft show in October, so whatever I do, it will wait until after that.   My friend Melissa is going to clip hair pretties to it at her booth.

I'm off to go read.  What are you reading right now?

indoor sandbox

Lou and I were at the teacher store the other day and saw small childrens play sandboxes for indoor play.  He was very interested in them, but I pointed out that we had all of the pieces already at home.  The price at the store was a bit steep.   

We came right home and gathered our supplies.  We pulled the drawer out of a wooden Diego game set he has and filled it with sand from our sandbox. 

Added some construction pieces, rocks, and signs and had practically the same box as the store, but for free.

Then we thought of hiding some dinosaur bones in it and letting some of his 'guys' be paleontologist and dig them up.

We also worked on a dessert scene, but with only three pieces it was a little lacking.

Admittedly, there was a bit of sand on the floor when we were done playing.  Next time we will put a mat or towel down, but at least it was a free mess. 

 

I am linking up to some of these fine kiddo related parties:

Wednesday's A story + art = A Great stART  @ A Mommy's adventures,   Made by Little Hands Mondays @ delicate CONSTRUCTION Wednesday's Kids Get Crafty @ Red Teg Art's Blog, Tuesday's Show and Tell blog hop ad ABC and 123,  Tot Tuesdays at Delicious Ambiguity,  For the Kids Fridays @ Sun Scholars

silly girls

I just checked out a new book at the library and am pretty engrossed in it. It's a non fiction. I'm a nerd. I'm pulling something from the back-files today, just to have something to post. This is now a good three weeks old... at least.

These grew in our yard here at the end of the summer, this is our first summer in this house.  I think they are a silly flower, all stem and no leaves.   A friend I teach with said they are called 'naked ladies.'   Another teacher said she always called them 'surprise lillies.'

We've just called them 'silly girls' until now. Do you know a real name for these gals?