Red Rock Canyon

So I guess we are taking this week off from school. I wasn't planning to, but decided it would be a good time for me to get things reorganized (which by the way I haven't done yet.) Yesterday we had a great unexpected field trip. We went with our friends, Tara, Stephanie and her three children, to Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon is a beautiful site with colorful desert mountains, desert plants, trails etc. At the visitor's center the kids got booklets with different activities for them to do depending on age. For example, on one worksheet the girls had to find and draw a picture of four different types of cactus. They needed to complete four pages in order to become Junior Rangers.

After all of their hard work, they got a certificate, Junior Ranger badge, and raised their right hands and were sworn in. They were so proud and excited to help protect National Parks.

Our camera that we've had for four years (I guess that is a pretty good run) is dead, so here are pictures on Stephanie's blog of our day.

Safety Nerd

We had green eggs and green milk for breakfast, which I thought was kind of fun, but Safety Nerd said he wasn't going to eat it because it had food dye in it. I tried to convince him that it wasn't green from food dye, it was green from SAINT PATRICK'S DAY MAGIC!!! No go. Safety Nerd is a nickname that Joey and I gave to Luke a while ago. We only use that nickname behind his back mind you, oh, is that even worse? I guess it's no secret, we are bad parents. I think it started when he was two and we tried to explain to him that we were only driving literally three houses down the street and that he could ride with out being buckled (more bad parenting proof.) He had a fit and panic attack until we buckled him.

We then played a hide the shamrocks game. Luke had some green paper cut out shamrocks he had received in the mail from his great grandmother and we took turns hiding them around the kitchen and finding them. I then tried to have Luke and Isabel write a story and see how many times they could use the word green. There was a team work problem there (too silly for me to even type) and so I said forget it, let's just do our math and journals.

We then took a Costco berry smoothie to a friend of mine that is pregnant with twins and is on bed rest in the hospital.  Actually I had only met her once, but we go to the same church and I had heard that she was in the hospital.  It was really nice getting to know her better today, so now we are friends.  (More Safety Nerd Evidence: Luke told me that we couldn't give that berry smoothie to my friend because it has too much sugar in it and pregnant women shouldn't have too much sugar. I just told him that there is a lot of fruit in there too.)

This afternoon us girls read books in my bed while Luke practiced piano.  We then all made some more drawings and pictures to add to our book for Sylvia.

Draw a Rhyme

Isabel had her reading, writing and Math all finished before Luke and I were even dressed yet this morning. Once we were ready, I was busy with something so they drew mazes for me. Luke got very creative and drew spikes in his maze that I had to avoid, and stars for me to get and be invincible for 10 seconds. Sylvia worked in her "comic book" really just her coloring book. I had Isabel do some "Draw a Rhyme Stories" from a Phonemic Awareness book that I found at the library. Luke thought it was great so he joined us, even though I think it is more her level. They have a rhyming story that the children are supposed to verbally fill in the blank and then draw what it is. For example, one started off, "When you draw a monster, it is said, you always begin with his ___________." answer: HEAD! Then eyes, nose, etc.  Once Luke finished up his math and journal, I sent him off to his friend, Aden's house and Aden's sister, Morgan is over here playing with Isabel.