Horseback Riding at Winton Woods Riding Center

Sophia had the opportunity to go horseback riding with her girlscout friends! She had a great time, although she said her horse was the only one who wouldn't stay in line and do what it was supposed to do! Figures, she ended up with the same kind of horse I always ended up with, at least hers didn't step on her toe and break it like the last horse I rode did to my toe or have her horse run into a brach on a tree and tear up her arm! I haven't been on a horse since, and that was back when I was in maybe 5th grade and away at overnight summer camp!

A couple of pictures:


http://www.greatparks.org/rec_equestrian/equestrian.shtm

Tomatosphere--we have sprouts!

We have our first 3 sprouts from our tomato seeds we planted as part of our tomatosphere project! 1 is even considered an actually germination because it already has 2 leaves!



For the first time in my life I have been able to GROW SOMETHING from a seed that actually GREW....OK, let me take that back, I actually GREW A PLANT from a seed...I guess technically I have grown a few other things in my life...10 of them well enough to produce my beautiful children....but this is my first success using soil and seed and I am so EXCITED about my tomatoes!

Luke was so cute, I was showing them to him and I said “see our tomatoes are growing!” and he says “Me eat that one!” pointing to the biggest one! I told him he has to wait a little while before he eats his tomatoes!

Happy 11th Birthday Cade! We are celebrating our 2nd brithday of the year! Cade is now officially 11 years old! Happy Birthday!

INVENTION CONVENTION---ROCKETS!

The weather COOPERATED! We has GREAT FUN today designing and launching different types of rockets. All of the kids made rockets out of 2 liter bottles and launched them using a very simple launcher (pvc pipe and a bike pump), it was so much fun to watch the rockets take off and gain height and then fall back to the ground! Jacob didn't do ANYTHING to his 2 liter and of course, because it was the lightest, it went the highest! We also experiments with vinegar and baking soda and also alka seltzer tablets as "rocket" fuel! One of the families brought a HUGE water powered rocket and the boys had a great time trying to figure out how to get it to launch.....when it finally took off, half of us weren't even paying attention any longer because it had taken so long for them to get it to launch!









Details:
Friday April 8, 2011 at Miami Riverview Park
In April we will be making and launching rockets:

Items needed:
film canisters (I have pretty many of these, but if you have some laying around please bring them)
alka-seltzer tablets (would someone like to buy a box to bring?)
I will bring vinegar and baking soda
2 liter soda bottle (minimum of 1 per rocket, can use 2 per rocket)
foam core, cardboard or balsa wood to make fins and nose cone

Film Canister Rockets: I would like to do both alka-seltzer rockets (http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/filmrocket.php) and baking soda and vinegar rockets (http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/filmcanisterrocket.html) these should only take a few minutes to make and launch!

Soda Pop Bottle Rockets: http://www.tclauset.org/21_BtlRockets/BTL.html

This is the launcher I wanted, but at the last minute the family who said they would make it backed out http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/330-geekdad_soda_bottle_water_rocket.html so I ended up making this launcher instead, http://users.soe.ucsc.edu/~karplus/abe/soda-bottle-rocket.pdf, it worked, but not like the first one would have--or so I suspect! Also a word of warning...the PVC glue STINKS and is expensive for what you get, I think I might try gorilla glue or super glue if I made one again!

We also made some "stomp" rockets as well, these are super simple and would be quite entertaining for a kids birthday party as a craft to keep the kids busy! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/build-a-bottle-rocket-906453/

TOMATOSPHERE

Will exposure to extreme conditions, representing a breech in the holding tanks on a space shuttle headed to Mars, have any impact on how the seeds go? Only time will tell!

Deanne sent the follwing info to our 4-H group:

4-H - Monday, April 4th
10:30am - till you choose to leave
4-H hall Owensville
Bring your containers and if you want your lunch

We are planning to do the Tomatosphere seeds on Monday, April 4th. Each CHILD will get 4 seeds. So each family needs to provide 2 containers per child or 1 bigger container that can be seperated into 2 sections. We are getting regular seeds and altered seeds which will come in packets marked with 2 different letters and so we have to keep them separated so we know which is which. Containers can be pie pans, plastic food containers, etc. with clear lids or Saran wrap. The seeds will be kept inside until they germinate. Majority voted to keep logs on the project through growth so that's what we'll be doing - about 9 weeks. I will bring everything else that we need for the project.

If you haven't already can you please save these links:
Each family will keep a log of their seeds: http://www.tomatosphere.org/teacher-resources/teachers-guide/principal-investigation/observations.cfm
At the end I need each family's results. You can do this as they suggest, by keeping a folder on the computer and sending the results to me through e-mail,
or you can give me paper and I'll get your results on the computer.
Teachers Guide the Experiment - http://www.tomatosphere.org/teacher-resources/teachers-guide/principal-investigation/experiment.cfm
Teacher Resources at the side bar - http://www.tomatosphere.org/teacher-resources/

Tori's Therapy Follow Up

When we went to Tori's last high risk appointment they asked that we come back for a physical therapy follow-up! The therapist things she LOOKS GREAT and gave us some exercises to work on with her but said at this point SHE DOESN'T NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY! We are so thrilled!

Her tone is still not even on both sides and she HATES tummy time but they don't want to see her again for 2 more months!