Things That Make Me Smile 8/17/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy New Year! I think my New Year's resolution should be to get caught up on Smile posts, ha! Maybe my Word of the Year for 2019 should be progress or consistency or finish in order to get up to date, but alas, I have chosen another goal that I will share soon. My plan is to blog more frequently again though.

These Smile are way back from the summer months, when the weather was warm and our days were filled with fun in the sun.


1. Nicholas calling his calf his "leg cheek."

2. We canned dozens of quarts and pints of veggies from both my parents' and grandparents' gardens, including sweet relish, crushed tomatoes, bread & butter pickles, pickled banana peppers, pickled jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, and green beans.

3. Leighton and Jake built a bean bag toss game for our carnival night to match the shipwrecked theme of Vacation Bible School.

4. Nicholas refuses to believe any pictures of Leighton with hair is his daddy, no matter how much I try to convince him. I have an older picture of him as the lock screen on my phone. 

Nicholas: "Can you show me the other daddy on your phone?" 

5. Me: ". . . and I think we should get some chocolate ice cream."

Alyssa: "Ooh! Wait, you did say chocolate, right?"

Me: "Yes."
Alyssa: "Those are my two favorite words together."

6. The surprise I found in the refrigerator. 

7. Me, to Leighton: "Hey, these kids are smart. You can't trick them."

Alyssa: "You taught us."

8. One of the days of VBS was crazy hat night. When Alyssa found out, she immediately knew she wanted to wear a fez. The next morning, she drew her own pattern on felt, cut it out, sewed it together, and added a tassel.

9. Junior High Girl (JHG): "Did you graduate yet?"

Me: "Graduate what?"

JHG: "High school."

Me, chuckling: "Yes, I graduated high school, and I graduated from college many years ago."

JHG: "How many years?"

Me: "18. I'm 36 years old."

JHG: "Wow. My mom is 35. You look young."

10. Alyssa: "I have common sense, I just choose to ignore it."

Me: "Why?"

Alyssa: "Everyone does nowadays."

What made you Smile this week?

Home School in the Woods

Our family gets excited every time we get to review for Home School in the Woods. Their products are detailed, hands-on, and so fun, making them well-loved history materials in our home. We've used their Project Passport titles for full curricula of both Egypt and the Middle Ages and studied the presidential election process with a Lap-Pak. This time though, we were introduced to one of their newest options--the À La Carte projects.

Home School in the Woods is a family business that was started as a way to make history real, understandable, and applicable. Using timelines and realistic illustrations as a foundation, they've created many resources to make learning history an enjoyable process.

While the full curricula options are fantastic, sometimes you just need a filler for another study or more information for a personal interest. Those are the times when the À La Carte activities are perfect. These resources are individual activities that are pulled directly from the larger curricula downloads of History Through the Ages. The projects include timelines, authentic crafts, lap booking, games creative writing, and much more. The hardest part is choosing which activities to get!

My house is filled with little boys, so pirates are a big deal around here. I knew my kiddos would enjoy the Pirate Panoply Game. This simple game teaches all about a pirate's clothing and accessories during the age of exploration. To play, you roll a die and dress your pirate with the assigned numbered article. Roll a 1, your pirate gets his hat. Roll a 5, and he gets his breeches. The first player to get fully dressed wins. This activity is for an unlimited number of players and was first found in Time Travelers: New World Explorers. 

This was an easy game for everyone and was enjoyed by the little ones all the way through the adults. It's a fast-paced game, too, so it is great for times when you have only a few minutes. The kids enjoyed coloring the various pieces and then mixing-and-matching them while dressing their pirates. Each time is a different combination.

Also part of that study is the Merchant Marauder File Folder Game. Though the two games originated from the same study which is geared toward 3rd-8th graders, this one is more for the older crowd. Players practice their math skills as they shop for items to set sail across the seas. They learn how to find the value of Spanish cobs as they pay with doubloons, pieces of eight, escudos, and reales. The first player to purchase five of his needed items wins.

This game is more complicated than the other. Trying to keep track of all the tiny pieces of cob was confusing and converting the types into what they needed could be frustrating. I would say this game is more appropriate for the 6th-8th grade crowd. The kids and I decided to change it up. Instead of making a player pay for an item, he automatically got it when he landed on it. This took the mathematical learning out of it, but made it more enjoyable for my kids. It was still just as exciting when they landed on an item they needed.

As soon as I saw The Art of Quilling (3D), I knew I needed to get it. My daughter loves crafts--and that's putting it mildly. She enjoys various arts from knitting to origami to drawing to sewing, but she had never tried paper quilling. This download, which was originally for the Time Travelers: Colonial Life, gives a history of the paper rolling art, when it was created, who mastered it, and which types of materials were used. It briefly explains how to do the art and what you can use if you don't have an actual quilling tool. There are instructions and pictures for forming 8 different shapes and tips for embellishment. There is also a quilling pattern included.

I purchased a quilling tool and then handed it and the instructions to my daughter. She was thrilled! She read the page and got right to work. The instructions are clear and easy enough for my new 10-year-old (today is her birthday!) to understand. She has had so much fun rolling the paper strips and creating designs. I do think the activity should include two more patterns though for the price.

All of the À La Carte projects include detailed instructions and tips for both printing and assembly. My only concern with the Home School in the Woods products in the past was the printing hassles. I was so excited to see that they now include the option for duplex printing! It didn't affect these materials specifically, but will make a huge difference for the bigger studies. Now I can say that I love everything about this company.

Home School in the Woods is a fantastic option for history learning. The À La Carte options are inexpensive enough to fit any budget. I'm already trying to decide which to use next. The Passover Seder Game to enhance our Easter study or The Penny Rug 3D Project to please my crafty girl or a Colonies Timeline to complement our current read aloud biography. No matter what, I know that the activity will be high quality and thoroughly enjoyed.
 

You can connect with Home School in the Woods on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

YouTube

 You can read more reviews of the À La Carte products on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Carole P. Roman Books

* This post may contain affiliate links. 

We've reviewed multiple books this year alone, and each time I comment on the fact that our family loves to read. Picture books, chapter books, fiction, nonfiction--we're not picky; just hand us a book or two. Or in this case, four.

We were given the opportunity to receive more books by Carole P. Roman. We own many of the books in her If You Were Me series and were excited to own more titles. In only 5 years, Carole has written over 35 books for children and received countless awards (no, really, there are so many I'm not going to count them all!) for her works. Not only is she an accomplished author, she's a generous one, as well. We were able to choose 2 of her titles; then she picked 2 more to send. We received the following books:

• If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe  
• Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life - A Captain No Beard Story (Volume 1)    
• Rocket-Bye  
• Can a Princess Be a Firefighter?   

If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe was an easy choice. Because of my husband's Scandinavian roots and the vikings' pirate-esque qualities, my kids are fascinated with the people. This book, like the others in this series, is written in second person format. Each book places you, the reader, in that location during that time period. This book, which is part of the Introduction to Civilizations set, is so much more in depth and contains much more information than the Introduction to Cultures books. 

The 75-page paperback give a fantastic description of what it could have been like to live in Viking Europe in 870 AD. It teaches about the people and their classes. The Jarls were the wealthy people of government, the Karls were the free peasants or farmers, and the Thralls were the captured slaves who did all the hard labor. The book talks about food like cod, mussels, shrimp, whales, walruses, ducks, hazelnuts, cheese, berries, and more. It teaches in detail about the utensils and tools of the period, the clothing, and activities. There's information about their gods, marriage traditions, sagas, and poems.    

The back of the book contains a glossary of people, places, and things that are pertinent to that time and place. It also has a section about important or famous people and a description for each. These resources can be used as a spring board for further study.

As much as we love the If You Were Me books, I wanted to experience Carole's other writing styles, as well. Again, my choice was fairly easy: pirates. The Captain No Beard series is based on her grandchildren and teach a tender lesson while using  the imagination. I read through some of the descriptions in the series, but decided on starting at the beginning with volume 1, Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life). 

This silly book tells the story of Captain No Beard and his crew: Mongo the Monkey, Linus the lion, Fribbit the frog, and first mate Hallie. The crew learns important pirate lingo and how to perform pirate duties, all while No Beard laments that "being a captain is hard work." They braved the open seas, survived a storm, searched for treasure, met a mermaid . . . and ended up back on Alexander's (No Beard) bed with his cousin Hallie and stuffed animal friends.

It was exciting to receive 2 surprise books. The first was Rocket-Bye. 

This book is Carole's love letter to her grandsons. The story takes the reader to the stars, quite literally. The pages are covered in illustrations in the galaxy. Two boys (representing the grandsons) sit atop a rocket ship as they zoom page-by-page past stars, planets, moons, constellations, and other cosmic colors. The rhyming text weaves and curves through the pages as if it's traveling through the vast universe along with the rocket ship. This story is sure to inspire an out-of-this-world adventure.

Our second surprise book was Can a Princess Be a Firefighter?.

While the last book was written for the grandsons, this book is Carole's love letter to her granddaughters. Little kids dream of what they want to be when they grow up. This heartfelt lesson to little girls encourages them to follow their dreams--whether they want to be an explorer, nurse, chef, farmer, teacher, police officer, pilot, accountant, or anything else they can imagine. And no matter what they choose, they can still be princesses.

The kiddos and I sat and read these books together. The 3 are quick reads and typical picture books. If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe is a lot more educational and filled with facts.  I even found the kids reading these books on their own, too. Here's what they had to say:

I like the pirate one because I like being a pirate!

I liked Can a Princess Be a Firefighter because I like princesses. 

I liked Captain No Beard because I want to taste their treasure!

I liked the Viking book because I'd like to practice archery and spear throwing like them.

If you need some quality children's books, Carole P. Roman has many award-winning options for you.

You can connect with Carole P. Roman on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Good Reads

You can read more reviews of many of the books written by Carole P. Roman on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

* Some of the links in the content above are affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I recommend products or services that I have used personally and all the text and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225.

Pirates or Privateers Review

Ahoy, me mateys! Me hearties and me be studying the pirate ways. Brushing up on our pirate code, we be. And what bet'er way be there than a study from Homeschool Legacy? Once-A-Week Micro-Study Pirates or Privateers: You Decide  be the study I used with me scallywag crew.

Homeschool Legacy is known for their Once-A-Week unit studies. Sharon Gibson, its founder and fellow homeschooler, wanted to provide "exciting, Biblically-centered educational materials that incorporate creative, hands-on assignments and activities." Focusing on God and America's Christian heritage, the unit studies help build a strong family legacy.

A unit study is a comprehensive way to learn about a topic. In order to fully understand all aspects about it, you immerse yourself in it and apply that topic to all subjects--science, language arts, literature, math, history, Bible, music, art, etc.. This method helps you learn more, retain it longer, and have fun while doing it. It's a great option for families teaching multiple ages at once.

The micro-studies are designed in the same fashion, but are completed in a fraction of the time. They use the same cross-curricular approach to learning, include hands-on assignments, and suggest classical award-winning read-alouds.   

My kids have always liked pirates. Sailing the open seas, searching for buried treasures, funny speech, and cool eye patches--it's the perfect make believe play. I thought it would be fun to use Privates or Privateers: You Decide to help us learn more about a topic that was already appealing to them. Because this is a micro-study, there are only three 30-minute assignments for each of the four weeks of study.

• Week 1: Early Pirataes 
• Week 2: The Era of Privateers
• week 3: Pirates of the Caribbean and The Age of Buccaneers
• Week 4: The Golden Age of Piracy

Each week's lesson lists the required supplies, describes the history of the period, and then includes all the suggestions for assignments and movie options. The study is written so that you can read it to your students exactly as it's written. Black Bart's Pirate Code is included, as well. Did you know that all lights and candles had to be put out by 8 o'clock or that the musicians had the Sabbath off? It's all part of the Code.

We learned many things throughout the study: the difference between pirates and privateers, which of the typical pirate attributes are actually inaccurate (or at least have no record of truth), about present day pirates, and more. The study suggests reading Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island as the family read-aloud, but we chose the Great Illustrated Classic abridged version since it is a more appropriate read for my little ones.

We absolutely loved the other studies we've used from Homeschool Legacy. Both the Knights & Nobles unit study and the Birds of a Feather unit study were well-received by my kids. I would love to say that we've enjoyed this one, too. Unfortunately, it was not a good fit for our family. The study claims to be for students in 1st-8th grades. I used this with 6th, 3rd, and 1st, but it could not hold their attention. Much of the study was written for older students. I often read my kids books above their levels and they do wonderfully with them, but they were bored and disappointed with this one. Oh, they enjoyed certain aspects, like creating our own pirate story about Captain No Beard aboard the Avenger and seeing how the privateers fit into the Elizabethan Age that we recently studied and taking the pirate quiz. Their favorite part was reading Treasure Island, which really had nothing to do with the study at all. One thing that frustrated me specifically was all the mistakes throughout the study. There were letters missing (like ver instead of over), only a letter given (like p instead or piracy), and many instances were there was no word at all, just a blank space. Most of the time I could guess what word should have been there, but it was frustrating, nonetheless. It needs to be edited again.

Aside from our issues, I think this study would be much better for the older crowd. Junior high and even high school students would benefit as many of the assignments include reading extra articles, researching, and writing compositions. There simply isn't enough exercises for the little ones. I still love Homeschool Legacy and would gladly use another of their studies, but, sadly, Pirates or Privateers: You Decide was not a good fit for us.         


   

You can connect with Homeschool Legacy on their website and Facebook

Homeschool Legacy offers many Once-A-Week unit and micro studies, like Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims which would be perfect to study this month, Christmas Comes to America would would be great for December, and others that would be wonderful at any time. If you'd like to read more reviews of this study or some of the others, please visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Things That Make Me Smile 9/18/15

Jake (9½), Alyssa (7), Zac (5½), Tyler (3), Nicholas (9 months)

It's two days in a row of Smiles! We started back to school full time this week. It's been busy, but having more structure to the days has been good. Now that Nicholas isn't napping as much, we're back to rearranging the schedule and trying to stay flexible. Homeschooling makes the days interesting-and full of Smiles. 

1. Me: "Ouch!"

Tyler: "What happened?"

Me: "Oh, I hit my hand on the cupboard. See that mark?"

Tyler: "That's your cutie mark. You look cute."

2. Jake: "Whoever invented paper bag puppets was really smart."

3. Alyssa: "In movies, they make it look like you can eat an apple so fast, like it's so easy."

4.

5. Jake: ". . . dinner, breakfast, and lunch."

Me: "Or, like most people say, breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Jake: "Yeah, but the Bible says, "Evening, and morning, and at noon."

6. Jake: "Alyssa said that girls make 100 cooties an hour. Is that true?"

7. Jake: "Only girls under 18 makes cooties. They stop making them at 18."

Me: "That's why you have to wait until you're 18 to get a girlfriend."

Jake: "Yeah, so she doesn't infect me."

8. Tyler: "You're a good girl, Mama."

9. Tyler: "Mama, hold me! Hold me! Hold me!"

Me: "I always hold you. You hold me."

Tyler: "No, I'm too big."

10.

11. Tyler, because Nicholas kept ruining his train tracks: "Mom, I think Nicky's hungry. Can you let Nicky eat."

12. Alyssa, after picking the tomatoes from our garden: "These will make a good impression on our salsa."

13. Me: "Hey, get back here with those little buns!"

Tyler: "Those are Gwamma's widdle buns."

14. Tyler was making music. He stopped playing, but I continued to sing.

Tyler: "Mama, that's enough." 

Me: "Apparently Tyler doesn't like my singing."

Tyler: "Well, I do like your singing, when you stop."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 9/11/15

Jake (9½), Alyssa (7), Zac (5½), Tyler (3), Nicholas (8 months)

Happy Friday! These Smile were from our vacation. If I could put the entire week on this list, I would. We had such a fun time! I am hoping to get a post or two (or three . . . ) written about the week, but here's a glimpse.

1. Leighton: "Zac, don't worry about your baby brother. Eat your dinner."

Tyler, whining: "But Daddy, Nicky is my baby brother."

2. Zac: "How do you make an S in Spanish?"

3. Tyler, after taking a drink: "Look! I have a mushtache!"

4. Dressing up like pirates at an old time portraits place.

5. Alyssa, about a bottle of Powerade: "That's for Dad, because it says power on it."

6. Zac: "Aww! Nicky was lying down and cuddling with a blanket. And he had his cute eyes on! It was so cute!" 

7. Tyler, about the elevator: "Can we ride the alligator?"

8. Tyler: "It's too sunny; I think it's going to rain."

9. Tyler: "Mama, look at that nice flower! I will pick it for you."

10. Zac, about Nicholas: "Every day he's happy at me."

11. Tyler: "Mama, there's a hole on my sock. Can you take off the hole?"

12. Tyler: "May I have some fishies now?"
Me: "No, how about some string cheese."
Tyler: "No, that's too young for me."

13. Tyler, seeing a cornfield while driving: "Corn and the cob!"

14. Alyssa, after riding her first roller coaster: "That was terrifying. Can we go again?!?" 


What made you Smile this week?

Clued In Kids Treasure Hunts

 

Do your kids love treasure hunts?
Do you want to bring some fun into your days?
Do you desire to have activities that are exciting and require very little setup?
Do you want your kids to see the fun in learning?

If so, then this review is for you!

We recently were sent some fun resources from Clued In Kids. This company offers treasure and scavenger hunts that meet all of the above criteria. They're exciting, they require little setup, and they show how learning is fun! They have all sorts of hunts to meet your needs: holiday/seasonal, nutrition, educational, sports, party, and more. We chose a printable Homework Reward Treasure Hunt  and the Pirate Treasure Hunt Clue Book.

Clued In Kids is a fairly new company, but the dream started decades ago. The founder has been creating hunts for many years. She revived the dream in order to give her girls a memorable way of learning, encourage them to stay healthy by moving, and instill the motto "Treasure The Journey" because life is precious.

The hunts themselves are extremely easy to use because all the work has been done for you. The only thing you have to do is hide the 12 clues. The clues are numbered, contain activities and puzzles that lead to the location of the next clue, and have a place at the bottom where it tells you exactly where to hide that particular clue. They claim that it is an 8-minute setup, but, honestly, I'm not sure it even took that long!

The first hunt we did was the Homework Reward Treasure Hunt. This hunt comes as a printable PDF and costs $5.99 (currently FREE with a newsletter subscription). It's designed to get the school-aged kids through the day and give them a way of getting their wiggles out at the end. All I had to do was download the file, print, cut, and hide. Simple. There is a line at the top of each clue to add a child's name. Assigning specific clues to each kid can save some frustration during the activity. After I looked through the clues, I determined that most were a little difficult for my 6- and 4-year-old by themselves. I left the name lines blank and encouraged my oldest (8) to include his younger siblings. That didn't stop him from pushing past them or grabbing the clues first though. He may have been a little excited, ha. It was a good lesson about teamwork and taking turns.

The second hunt was the Pirate Treasure Hunt Clue Book. Not only do my kids love treasure hunts (who doesn't?), they love all things pirate. I knew this hunt would definitely be a hit with them. This hunt comes as a booklet that you simply tear the pages out and costs $8.99. Since I understand the nature of children (especially my 2-year-old who collected all the clues from the first hunt and enjoyed crumbling them), and wanted to be able to use these again, I took the time to laminate them to ensure that they'd last more than one hunt. (Actually, my sweet husband laminated and cut them for me while I finished making dinner. I think I'll keep him.) Now the dry erase markings can be wiped off and the activity used again. This particular hunt is labeled for kids ages 4+ and contains some easier clues, like finding the hidden picture and simple dot-to-dots. I knew that this hunt would be perfect to assign clues to specific kids. Each of the 3 older children had 3 of their own clues, while the remaining 3 clues were action-based (saying aaaarrrr! in your best pirate voice, hopping around like you have a wooden leg, etc.) and were to be completed by all.

Since this was our second hunt, the kids knew exactly what to expect and were extremely excited. Having the names on the clues helped tremendously. Even our 8-year-old was completely content letting the other two kids figure out their assigned clues. Of course, they all helped search for each clue. Since this hunt had easier clue activities and had specific names on the clues, it went more smoothly for us than the first one.

The only negative thing I have to say about this product is regarding the formatting of the Homework Reward Treasure Hunt. If you look at the above picture, you'll notice that the spacing of many of the letters is off. Either the letters are overlapping or there is too big of a space separating the letters in a single word. While this is not a huge issue, it is like this on every clue and made it somewhat difficult for the children to read in places. I think if the formatting is redone to be a bit more professional, the product would be perfect.

My kids absolutely loved these hunts! Of course, they loved their treasures (a package of Oreo cookies the first time and make-your-own ice cream sundae the second), but I think they would have had just as much fun on the hunt even without a tangible prize at the end. It was cute watching their creativity as they made their own clues for treasure hunts afterward. The hunts themselves last about 30 minutes. The kids had so much fun that they've asked multiple times when we can do another one.


If you're looking for a fun, simple activity, I highly recommend these treasure hunts. I have a feeling we'll be purchasing more in the future, too. They would be a fun addition to a party or a sleepover. There's even a puzzlemaker tool on the website where you can input your own questions and answers and it will generate a clue for you. Fun!
 

There are so many different hunts that they offer. You can read more fun reviews of  Clued In Kids on the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

Make It Monday: Treasure Map

Remember how much fun we had on Talk Like A Pirate Day? Sailin' the open sea, coming face-to-face with a sea monster, adventure, and treasure! It was quite the day.

I promised a tutorial on how to make an authentic-looking treasure map. After all, every pirate needs a real map to find the treasure, right?  

Start by taking a piece of paper and tearing it to resemble a map.

Using a black pen, draw your map. I started by drawing a big land mass. Then, since this was for a real hunt through our house, I marked the path that would lead to the treasure. Don't forget X marks the spot! After that, I added the details - compass, mountains, trees, lake, a danger zone, and the waves in the sea.

For some people, this step would be really easy. Just draw some random markings and voilà, you have a map. I am not some people. I have never been artistic. But more and more, I'm having to draw and create things for my kids. So, I drew a map. All by myself! . . . After a trial run on another piece of paper. After spending copious amounts of time, attempting to be precise. After tracing over everything a second time to darken my first hesitant attempt.

But I did it. And my kids love it! It's by no means perfect. My eyes are drawn to the mistakes immediately. But I'm learning to except it. You know, since I'm not good at drawing I've never really done it. I've never even been a doodler. If I'm not good at something, I don't enjoy doing it. It's that perfectionism trait. Doing things with the kids though has been teaching me not to be quite so critical of myself. I mean, they don't care if my circle is not completely round or if my measurements are not exact. Kids are genuine. They love unconditionally. They teach me all the time and help me to grow as a person.

Moral of the story - even if you think I can't draw, go ahead and try making a map anyway. I guarantee your kids will see only the excitement of a treasure and be oblivious to any mistakes.

And if you can draw, then just ignore the last three paragraphs. {grin}   

After all the details are drawn on the map, wipe a wet tea bag on both sides of the paper, making sure to wet it thoroughly.

Crumble the paper and allow it to dry.


Open the map. If desired, carefully burn the edges a little at a time in an open flame, blowing on the paper to stop the burning. Of course, use extreme caution. My kids were not in the kitchen as I burned our maps using a candle. Also, you will have some ash and a lingering smoky smell. You don't have to do this step, but it does clean up the edges of the map and make it look more authentic.

If you want, you can skip tearing the paper in the first step. When you burn the edges, you will have a similar result, but you will have to burn each section longer. You will make more ash and smoke and the edges of the paper will turn black and look burnt. I tried it both ways. I definitely suggest tearing the paper first and burning it, as well.

If your map doesn't look weathered enough, you can use a brown crayon or used coffee grounds to add some character. Use either option in a sweeping motion across the paper.

Finally, dab some cooking oil on a paper towel and wipe both sides of the paper, blotting off any excess. Not only does the oil preserve the map, it really makes it look more authentic.


And now you have a convincing treasure map and are ready for your very own adventure! Make a map for a birthday party or just for playing around the house. Searching for treasure is always exciting!

Talk Like A Pirate Day

Ahoy, me mateys! Yest'day be International Talk Like A Pirate Day! A funny coincidence - me oldest buccaneer asked on Saturday if there be a national pirate day since he be lovin' the pirates, he do. I tell 'im that there be a Talk Like A Pirate Day, but me not knowin' when it be. Then, I check the list on Monday and find out it be yest'day. Ho! I find it funny.

Me hearties and me set sail in th' morn for a day o' adventure. We read th' pirate books. We wore th' pirate clothes. We played th' pirate games. We be real pirates, we be. 

We not be smellin' like th' pirate stench though. Or drinkin' th' pirate ale. Or actin' th' pirate ways. Got it, landlubbers? Good.

This lit'l lad  might be stinkin' at times though. It's the booty, y' know. And not th' treasure booty me talkin' about.

Aye, but we be forgivin' 'im. He be quite the beaut and provides entertainment on th' voyage.

We practiced th' Pirate Code. Th' oldest buccaneer and me plundered a copy just last weekend from th' thrifty store.

Blimey! Th' lad left Pieces of Eight - $4 worth - t' pay fer it.

I still be tryin' t' teach 'im how t' properly pillage. Aye, he be a stubborn one, that scallywag.

Shiver me timbers! We seen th' great sea monsters. They wanted me loot. 

Me mateys and me loaded the guns and "Fire in the hole!" Down went the scurvy dogs, down into Davy Jones' Locker. 

We found this 'ere map. (Here's how ye can make yer own.) We waited 'til th' Cap'n returned from 'is duties on the Barbary Coast b'fore searchin' fer th' treasure.

Th' map had a note with a clue. We hung 'em both up by th' door so th' Cap'n be seein' 'em when he get home.

Those lit'l buccaneers, they be excited to watch th' Cap'n search. Lots o' gigglin'. Lots o' smilin'.  

Ho! Th' treasure be freshly baked choc'late chip cookies! Th' Cap'n's favorites! Th' clue be handy too. Th' treasure be in a cash box "buried" under stuffed animals. The combination be "34." 

The lit'l pirates had more treasure maps for the Cap'n. He be a busy scallywag searchin' fer th' treasures. 

But he found 'em all. Aye, lots o' celebrations.

Talk Like A Pirate Day be lots o' fun! Silly talk, treasure hunts, and treasure??? Arrr, we be likin' th' day.

Make It Monday: A Pirate Ship, Sand Art, & Diverting A Crisis

I bought a wooden pirate ship kit on clearance a few weeks ago. I knew the kids would love it and that it would come in handy for a Monday project. When it was brought out today, it was met with much cheering.

Until we discussed how to decorate it.

Alyssa wanted it to look just like the picture on the box, complete with stripes across the sides. Jake wanted to paint it all brown since the stripes would be difficult to execute. Back and forth they went,  stripes - solid - stripes - solid - stripes - solid. Neither one would waver. They looked to me to tell them what to do. Nope, this was one thing they needed to figure out for themselves, teamwork and compromise.  

Ten minutes later . . . . solid - stripes - solid - stripes - solid. I continued to let them work it out. Finally, there was a slight compromise. Alyssa decided to cave on the stripes. And then we had a new clash, pink and purple - brown and black - pink and purple - brown and black. 

Five minutes into the new debate, when they both started to get frustrated, I realized that they weren't going to come to an agreement on their own. I went back to my supply of craft kits and grabbed another. I suggested that Jake paint and assemble the pirate ship by himself and Alyssa make the sand art kit by herself. Both kids were happy. And so was mommy.

Jake looked at the pieces, looked at the box, and said, "That's easy enough for me to do by myself."

 He painted it.

And assembled it in no time. Without asking for help. Without looking at any directions. I think he needs more of a challenge.

He even painted a skeleton on the stern of the ship. 

Yes, I totally Googled that.

Alyssa was giddy as soon as she saw the sand art kit.

Alyssa gets giddy about most art projects.

 She chose her colors and poured as much or as little as she wanted.

She completed the whole project entirely by herself, too.

Who said my kids could grow up anyway???

She used the stick to make patterns in the sand.

And it was so pretty!

Until she decided to shake the whole thing up. Over and over again. Smiling and laughing and dancing around the house. It's not how I would have done it, but it's what made my little girl happy. And she was quite proud of herself.

So, what I expected to be a learning situation for the kids turned into a learning situation for me. Sometimes, compromise doesn't have to mean 2 people coming to a single decision about 1 thing. It can mean 2 people doing 2 different things when a reasonable conclusion can't be reached. They each had very different ideas of how the kit should have been done. If I made them each paint part of the ship how they wanted, neither would have been happy. If I told them it had to be done according to one of their plans, the other would have been upset. By giving them another option, they were both happy and enjoyed the craft.

Crisis diverted.