Easter Craft-mini bunnies

Now, Easter is my fav. holiday/biblical celebration, and we know full well that it isn't about bunnies and chocolates and plastic eggs.  But it is fun to create a few crafts that scream "spring" and this is one of them.  If you don't like to mix bunnies with your Easter celebration, this would still be a fun craft for spring or when you study bunnies/animals and what not.

You will need to do the following to make your bunnies:

*1/2 and 1/2  or small milk containers-one per child (rinse and rinse and then do a final rinse with a touch of bleach in the water to kill any milk and smell that may remain-let dry completely)

*stapler (staple close the opening you pour the milk from. I waited until I cut the ears/sides out to make it easier to get that area cut out-but you can do this first if you wish)

*Sharpie pen to mark out the ears and sides to cut along (I did this and even cut it out-saves time and it is not that important for the kids to do). They should take up the better part of the top, you can trim it down a bit so the ears don't touch (b/cuz the cotton fuzz will)-stop at the fold near the pouring area.

*scissors and a sharp pointed cutter to start the ears.  I cut the ears out first, then did the side trim.

*hole puncher-make a hole in the middle of the top rim of the container.  This is where you will pull the whiskers thru.  I actually had the kids put the pipe cleaners thru before gluing.  I had 2 pipe cleaners per bunny, but it is up to you. You can use pipe cleaner or yarn or whatever you have that looks like whiskers.

Yes, have the kids wear old clothes: glue, fuzzies and reg. boys gone crazy junk 

will get all over their shirts.  

*Pink paper for the middle of the ears. Cut out smaller than ear size but it doesn't need to be perfect, the cotton will cover a lot of it.  Glue on the ears in the middle of them.

*glue, a container for it and paint brushes. It is simply easier to "paint" the glue on the box than squeeze it on.

*Cotton balls.  I had a bag of 100 and I have plenty left (we did 2) so hopefully, that will help you judge the amt you need [1/3 bag or so was left over].  Have the child glue the sides, add cotton balls and keep going until the outside of the bunny is filled in nicely.  We tore the balls into smaller pieces for the ears (front) and to fill in spaces.  I suggest packing them in good on the facial area, esp. around the pipe cleaners. Pack them in tight to hold those in place and puff up the face as they wish with layers.  Glue a big puff on the rump for the tail.  We glued/cotton balled the back of the ears down a bit and my ds also did one row on the insides.  You will stuff the center with Easter grass, so you don't need to be too worried if it is plain on the insides.

*add googly eyes, and a pom-pom nose (or you could use a button, paper, etc.) and your bunny is ready to go.  Let it dry good though, before adding grass and placing on your table.  Stuff with grass and add some eggs/goodies to finish it off.

Hippity Hoppity Easter is on its way.

6 Step Water Color art project

For one of our co-op classes, the kids worked on a 6 step water color project.  I have the exact directions listed in this post. They turned out beautiful!

Using watercolors, a series of steps, saran wrap, salt, rubbing alcohol,  and lots of water-plus a black pen for outlining-this is what we got and I cannot wait to frame and display these beauties!

Final results are striking.  DD's is horizontal, DS's is vertical

close up of dd's-salt is the white splashes, round dots-I believe is rubbing alcohol...have to check tho

close up of the saran wrap leaf-it is suppose to leave these marks-dd's didn't work right-probably b/cuz we had to move them to dry (due to having done this at the church we had our co-op at, and we couldn't leave them out).

A great hsing moment-kinda wordy but well worth it

So invariably, there comes a time in a young student's life when he just cannot be bothered with "schooling" you see, and is much too busy with thoughts of toys, playing a game on the computer and/or other boy thoughts (like busting loose from his mother's staring green eyes as she tilts her head in the manner that means nothing other than serious business)....

So here we are having another one of "those" weeks.  Things are getting done on a smaller scale than the head mistress is wanting and 'tudes are teetering one step below "this shalt earn some discipling if it continues" ...so as we gathered the day previous, to settle into our usual meeting place (the couch) to listen to the story of the day (Matchlock Gun) for our history lesson-this little "AH gottcha" moment occurred.  Fear not newbies to hsing, these days will come and for those who haven't seen one of these in so long you are beginning to believe it is merely an old wives tale....hang tight, as it will happen again and when it does-your heart will sing!

Walk with me down this memory lane, if you please.  Mother is seated and poised to vocalize this story to a boy who not only will be interested in the subject matter, but most likely will "eat it up" due to the boy theme, gun toting and adventure loving moments.  She calls said student over to hear this enrapturing story (OK, I may be stretching it but hey I can peal out a story like a fine trained story weaver if need be~ and I needed to be spot on this day). Head Mistress waits and calls again-perhaps student's ears are full of wax and he simply didn't hear the request (even tho he was but a mere 15 ft away, in the same room).  Request reverberates across the room, this time with a sternness that indicates punishment may soon follow, if not met quickly.  Student bemoans the entire 15 ft walk to meeting place, asking "why" and "how long".  Head Mistress is confused, after all of the books we have been reading of late (minus the Chronicles of Narnia) this one meets and exceeds this student's awesome factor list.  Mother Mistress beckons child to her side and promises-just 3 chapters then.

image from amazon.com

The book (acquired from library not so nearby, seemingly unopened and never read-the HORROR) is cracked open and the intro read.  Boy asks how long this will take.  Mother dear chokes back a rhetorical statement that would probably be followed by tears (hers not his), and chose to simply ignore rude comment.  Mother reads and completes the intro, looks up triumphantly to see twisted face of student (as though his skin is being pricked by a million quills from a porky porcupine)....she pushes on.

First chapter brought mild interest, a bit of confusion until the page with the Matchlock gun is displayed. Hmm, he has seen those on historical shows/at museums. Interest peaks slightly.  Mother moves to chapter 2...mind you in pure story telling splendor with voice inflections that would make a professional ooo and ahh in delight.  Mother is pouring it on thicker than a chilled maple syrup.  Suddenly, a student of despair speaks out (wiggly, distracted and just about to spring from his "imprisonment" if not released soon)..."Are we done yet?"

Mother dear has had it.  Insulted perhaps too.  "What is so important that you cannot sit for 15-20 mins to hear this wonderful boy story?"

Guilt flashes over boy's face, "Forget it." is heard and mother says, "OK fine, just one more chapter. You will survive."

The third chapter begins to wind down, mother's voice growing dry and raw from the dramatic inflectional reading skills-she too wants this misery to end.  Deflated and sad that that she somehow misread the student's love of such things, she looks at puppy dog eyed boy and says just a couple pages left.  But here is where that moment occurs.  The MOMENT educators across the globe yearn for....

But wait! What is this dear reader?  Could it be?

Perhaps due to Mother Mistress's distress, she doesn't notice that the boy has snuggled deeper into her side, and that he genuinely has become "drawn into the story".  Then Mother finishes last sentence in chapter 3.

About to shut the book, to go find some water and chocolate to drown her deflated self in-the boy loudly protests.  DID you catch that dear reader?  He asked, no begged, to have another chapter read.  Trying to not alarm child with a major "WHOOHHHOOO", mother dear quickly records this event into her memory scrapbook, deep within her mind.

Then another chapter comes to an end and the request stands, with a flourishing, "Let's just finish it."

WHOA there.  That is what we call the "moment", where the child begs for something they originally thought they had no need to hear/learn or partake in.  Ah joy.  He did like it [Mother isn't so off the target after all]-the fleshy desire to not want to "do school" because he had other intentions, was flipped over to "I want to hear it all."

Mother Dear and Student Once Protester melted into one cuddly, learning bundle of sweetness. Boy walks away having stated he really enjoyed the story, that he really liked the gun, and how the boy was able to fire it. And how scary it would be to do it, but he'd have been brave and done it.  Ah. Ah and ah again.

These moments do exist and they do increase in frequency.  Mother Mistress' mistake was to start the day way too late...and boy's mistake was to think he could balk his way out of a lesson.  Fight for those moments dear reader, they are worth it.

And there is my great homeschooling moment of the week.  It's been a good week indeed.

**and Mother did get that water to replenish her wasteland dry throat from reading the entire book, and that chocolate too.

Ultimate Blog Party 2011

BOOYAH! It is party time.  I am excited to once again take part in this fun Blog party!  So the gist of the party is to you know-work the "room" and meet folks, mention a little ditty about yourself and so-here we are.

This is my main blog.  I started this one to serve as my welcome center and basic "what's going on in our lives" update blog.  My name is Sheri, I am Christian, I have been a wife for 23 years to my BFF Dave, and a mom for just about as long-as we have 4 beauties.

We've been HSing for over 16 yrs, and I love to blog-hence the reason I have 5 of them.  We're starting our path toward adoption of a special needs child, and so be sure to come back often and follow up on our life, our hsing adventures and just stupid, random posts.

I also encourage you to visit Reece's Rainbow's homepage to read about these precious, precious babies.  Even if you have no intention of ever adopting, many families have that calling and are in need of financial assistance to procure their child's "ransom" from a sure death sentence, and most assuredly can use your prayers!

Finally, I penned a ditty on each of my blogs, so that you could read up on their purpose and intent.  I hope you will decide to follow me and visit often.  My whole goal is to help others and bless them with ideas/projects and info. And if you are on FB-I have the link on my side bar-hope you FB friend me too!

What's in the Box? (workbox blog)

1 of 100 TOS Crew Review Blog (hs and various product reviews)