FROG FLOAT, KIDS DON'T!

If the weather’s nice after the program we plan to hang out, picnic, and swim in the lake. Suggested list of items to bring: old swim suits, towels, sun block, water shoes, buckets and nets, sand toys, a chair or chairs, a picnic blanket, lunch!! and anything else you can think of. If you can’t make it last minute please call and let us know so that we are not waiting for you.

What: Frogs Float Kids Don’t
Where: William H. Harsha Lake also known as East Fork Lake (2185 Slade Road Batavia, OH 45103-9707) Meet at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitors Center
When: Mon. June 2 at 10:00am (program lasts about 45-60 min.)
Ages: Geared toward ages 7 and up but all ages welcome
Cost: FREE
RSVP by May 26th to Deanne

Go on a boat ride and enjoy a picnic by the lake (using your imagination and some props) during this audience participation program designed to teach why water safety matters so much. Fun books and other give-aways will be provided to your class or group. Dress for the weather. Programs will be held rain or shine except when severe weather or lightning threatens the immediate area.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office and Visitor Center at William H. Harsha Lake is located on Slade Road near the Dam, east of State Route 222 and south of Batavia. Enjoy displays about project history and missions, flood control, and natural history of the region at the Visitor Center. Children can put together an animal adaptations puzzle, touch turtle shells, feathers and bones, and play with critter puppets in the children's area, or watch wildlife at the feeding station. Pick up park maps, water safety brochures, and various handouts about natural history of the region.Visit the nearby overlook to get a grand view of the lake, enjoy a picnic at the overlook shelter, or walk the Deer Ridge Trail to discover how life has changed on a ridge overlooking the lake.

Directions: See web site at http://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/whl/ or you can call them at 513-797-6081

It took a little longer to get to the program that I thought it would, but the two rangers with the corp of engineers were wonderful with the kids and I think the younger ones especially learned a bit about water safety. Probably a good idea since Will has almost drown 2 already this summer, once at the YMCA and once at the Beach (to the point the lifeguard jumped in to get him).

The kids seemed to enjoy the program but enjoyed the lake and making another DKK (Dumbest Kids You Know) video for YouTube, it is their latest obsession and who am I to stand in the way of my jackass children!

It was nice hanging out at the lake and just watching the kids enjoy being kids!

A couple of free events:

These came through on a couple of different email lists I am on and I thought I would post them here since I know some people check this blog to see what kind of things are going on.....

JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY
Has your 13 - 17 year old dreamed of becoming a crime scene investigator, SWAT team member, police officer or firefighter/paramedic? Then you might want to check this out! The Clermont County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), local law enforcement agencies, the Boys and GIrls Club of New Richmond and local business owners have teamed up for the 5th year to present a one-week-long Junior Police Academy summer camp for youth ages 13 to 17. JPA cadets learn about law enforcement, teamwork, respect, and positive behavior through hands on interaction with local, state, and federal police and fire/life agencies. We are privileged to be the only county in southern Ohio who offers this experience to our youth.

This year's camp will include:
Crime scene investigation to solve a mock crime
Physical training
Clermont County Jail tour (booking area, electronic fingerprinting, etc. It is very unlikely the cadets will see any inmates during this tour.)
Some academy locations will be using FATS (Firearms Training Systems) which is a virtual, interactive shoot/don't shoot simulator. Unless your child chooses a career in law enforcement, he/she will probably never get an opportunity to experience this anywhere but here.
Basic self defense techniques
Fire service day - learn CPR and basic first aid (though time will not allow the cadets to be certified)

Scheduled demonstrations of: UC's AirCare helicopter, Clermont County Sheriff's Office Dive Team, Clermont County Coroner's Office, Animal Control, Park Rangers and a K-9 unit.
Graduation on Friday where each cadet will receive a certificate of completion and a T-shirt.
This camp is totally FREE. Breakfast and lunch are also provided as the classes run from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day. Each academy is limited to 30 cadets. The camps are filled on a first come, first served basis with teens from Clermont County having priority; however, space permitting, teens from other counties will also be accepted in to the program. (Kentucky and Indiana residents have also attended past academies.) An application must be completed for each cadet. Due to liability issues, each academy location has its own unique form, so they are NOT interchangeable.

All camps have space available as of this writing; however, if you are interested, DO NOT DELAY about getting the application completed and turned in as this info has already been made available to students attending public schools. I also saw an article in yesterday's (May 28) "Community Journal: Clermont" newspaper, so the word is definitely out! Camps will be held:

June 9 - 14, WILLIAMSBURG area, Clermont County Sheriff's Office, Contact Officer: Lt. Randy Harvey, (513) 732-7536. Several openings as of 5/29/08. This academy is in critical need of cadets! It is in jeopardy of being cancelled unless more applications are received.
Academy location: Williamsburg High School, 500 South 5th Street, Williamsburg, OH 45176 (once you exit from I-275, about 20 minutes east on St. Rt. 32 which runs by Eastgate Mall)
Applications are available at Clermont County Sheriff's Office, 4470 St. Rt. 222, Batavia, OH 45103. (Can probably get a copy of the application faxed, if requested)

June 16 - 21, LOVELAND/GOSHEN area, Loveland Police, Contact Officer: Patrolman Fred Barnes, (513) 583-3000
Academy location: New Hope Baptist Church, 1401 Loveland-Madeira Road, Loveland, OH 45140
Applications are available at Loveland Police Dept, 120 W. Loveland Avenue, Loveland, OH 45140

June 23 - 28, GOSHEN/LOVELAND area, Goshen Township Police, Contact Officer: Patrolman James Taylor, (513) 265-5617 cell or (513) 722-3200 office ONLY 5 openings left as of 5/29/08
Academy location: New Hope Baptist Church, 1401 Loveland-Madeira Road, Loveland, OH 45140
Applications are available at Goshen Township Police Dept, 6757 Goshen Road, Goshen, OH 45122

July 7 - 11, NEW RICHMOND area, New Richmond Police, Contact Officer: Patrolman John Pelcha, (513) 553-3121 Several openings as of 5/29/08. (Closest location for those of you in Kentucky; just over the Ohio/KY bridge, exit on to east U.S. 52 and travel about 10 minutes.)
Academy location: New Richmond High School, 1131 Bethel-New Richmond Road, New Richmond, OH 45157
Applications are available at New Richmond Police Department, 102 Willow Street, New Richmond, OH 45157 or Clermont County Sheriff's Office, 4470 St. Rt. 222, Batavia, OH 45103

Learn more about Junior Police Academies by visiting the national web site atwww.juniorpoliceacademy.org.
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YOUNG EAGLES FLIGHT


Saturday, June 14; 8:30am - 10:30am (flights expected to begin by 9:00am)
Young Eagles Rally
Clermont County Airport
4184 Taylor Road, Batavia, Ohio 45103
Hawk Building
Ages: 8 - 17
Cost: Free

Your pre-registration is very much appreciated, but not mandatory. This helps the sponsor, EAA Aviation, better plan for the number of pilots and planes needed which should help reduce everyone's wait time. To pre-register, please go to http://www.eaa174.org/YERallyRegistration.asp.

The Young Eagles Program has been developed by the EAA Aviation Foundation to welcome young people into the world of aviation. Aviation is exciting and vital to our nation's future. Your child will experience a safe and enjoyable flight that will give new perspectives on the world and life in general. Participation in the Young Eagles Program will help them understand that an individual's potential is unlimited.

At the rally, one of the pilots will help prepare you for a demonstration flight in an airplane. You can ask your volunteer pilot as many questions as you like. In doing so, you'll learn more about airplanes and the principles of flight. That's all there is to it. It's really that simple!

Flights are for young people ages 8 to 17. In order to complete the registration process, all Young Eagles MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the rally. Registration begins at 8:30 am, and Young Eagle flights are expected to begin by 9:00 am. We anticipate finishing up before noon.Please keep in mind that the weather is the final authority! Flights will not take place until, and unless, it's safe! Flight delays are always possible. Due to the high demand and limited number of pilots, parents arenot permitted on the flights. Please be prepared to patiently accept delays of a half hour or longer. Flights last 15 to 25 minutes. A picture and certificate of participation are presented immediately after each flight. Pre-registration is helpful, but is NOT mandatory. It does not move you ahead in line. It allows EAA to better plan, and saves you a little time at the rally. Participants are taken on a first come, first served basis. Visit http://www.eaa174.org/YERallyRegistration.asp to pre-register and get more info about the Young Eagles rally.

Directions:
I-275 to State Route 32 EAST
Take "Olive Branch-Stonelick Road" exit
Turn Right at the end of the ramp
Turn Left at the traffic light on to Old SR 74
Turn Right on to Armstrong Blvd (first street)
Turn Left on to Taylor Road (first street)
The HAWK Building is the 3rd building on the Left.
Parking lot and entrance are at the far end of the building on the Left.

Due to the rain, field day which was orginially scheduled for May 16th was postponed until Friday May 30th! Thank goodness the weather cooperated and we were able to have our 4th annual Homeschool Field Day!

Field Day
Friday, May 30; 10:30am - 2pm
Miami Riverview Park Loveland, OH
Organizer: Laura Riesenberg
What to bring: Lunch, water bottles(can be refilled in restroom) and sunscreen. If you would like to bring candy or a small treat for grab bags,that would be great!

Join us for a day of fun and games! Participants will be divided onto teamsand compete in fun events like relay races and twisted t-ball. Wear gymshoes as some games may involve running or jumping. We created this day to replicate the field day my children enjoyed so much when they attendedschool (it was the ONLY thing they missed about being in school!) There are also many toddlers that will be playing on the playground. This year wehope to divide the kids onto smaller teams and have even moreactivities/stations for the teams to rotate through. If you have an ideafor a great team oriented game, please let me know.ALL ages are invited, but some may be too young for the games. Any children that are too young to participate can take advantage of the wonderful playground and HUGE sandbox. Plenty of shaded areas to keep out of the sun. CLEAN restrooms with running water.

Directions: Take I-275 to exit #52 (Loveland/Indian Hill) and turn LEFT atthe bottom of the exit ramp. Follow to the first road on the right(Hopewell) and turn RIGHT onto HOPEWELL. Follow about .3 mile to BranchHill-Loveland Rd (you should see a small brown sign on the right hand sideof the road pointing to the park) and turn LEFT onto BRANCH HILL-LOVELANDRD. Follow about 1.5 miles to the park entrance on your RIGHT. MIAMIRIVERVIEW PARK. We will meet near the playground, most likely in the largeshelter behind the playground.

What a BLAST......the hardest part as always is dividing the kids onto teams. We had three teams: the Hunters (captained by Emily and Katlyne), the Firehawks (captained by Hannah, Jade and Xandra), and the Falcons (captained by Grant and Chris). We started out with an egg relay (where you run from one bowl to another with a plastic egg on a spoon----yes, I REFUSED to deal with the mess of real ), over-under playground ball relay(which will most likely be replaced with a sponge/water/bucket relay next year) and skateboard obstacle course(where the kids sit on the skateboard and manuever through a obstacle course of cones). After each team completed each of those activities we had lunch. We ran into a little glitch were another group (from a private Christian school) had reserved the shelter but they were wondefully gracous and shared the space with us!). After lunch we did the motorcylce tire roll for points (thanks to an ingenious set up on homeschooling dad, Woody's, part!), dizzy teeball and soccer goalkick. After a brief water break, we did 2 more activities where the kids competed head to head: sack races and a shoe relay (where everyone takes off their shoes, puts them in a pile, races to pick their shoes up and put them back on). We ended with the announcement of the winning team (the Falcons captained by Grant and Chris) and distribution of goody bags full of candy! We had over 65 kids divided onto teams and about 10 younger siblings, because we just got in under the gun with 75 goody bags!

A special thanks to any parent who participated and helped man an event or donated items for the goodie bags. I couldn't have done it without your help!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Birthday Kristin!

Fellow homeschooling family, the Baynes, invited us to a picnic on Sunday to celebrate their daughter Kristin's 2nd birthday. Everyone had a great time, it is so nice to be around families that enjoy being around their kids and enjoying life's simple pleasures! And Grant and Emily are bugging the crap out of me to buy them that bicycle built for two!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pictures from Dance USA

Our final competition for the 2007-2008 season was Dance USA, I took a few pictures of the girls and thought I would share them!

Make a Smilebox postcard

The local waterpark...THE BEACH...opened it's season yesterday. The boys insisted they wanted to go today despite the fact that it was only 60 degrees out. Yesterday the waterpark had only 50 guests, today we counted about 20 during our 2 hours stay. Needless to say there weren't any lines!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Jay's brother's wedding

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Can you tell me boys are sport's fans??? I had to laugh at the "living" card they gave me for Mother's Day!

Tetris with a twist

Got this link from an email list I am on and just had to share it. Of course I was a HUGE tetris fan back in "the day", so I found this game to be so much fun, despite the fact that it took me over 7 minutes the first time I played, I certainly don't have fast gamer fingers!

http://www.mapmsg.com/games/statetris/ from their website: Statetris is an interesting game mixing aspects of the popular game 'Tetris' and geography. Instead of positioning the typical Tetris blocks, you position states/countries at their proper location. Fun, challenging and educational!

Nothing to download to play, just click and go using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

Virtual Fieldtrips:

OK, so it has come down to this...but for those who can't or won't venture out or for whom these places are too far to go and visit, this is a cool, free site!

http://www.efieldtrips.org/

Luke's first year...a little late, but cute!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What: History Hunters
When: at least one fieldtrip per month on a Friday, possibly other outings on different days. Most fieldtrips will start around 10 AM, a firm starting time will be sent to all participants when confirmed with each location
Who: Homeschoolers/unschoolers of all ages
Organizers: Laura and Deanne -- please RSVP to let us know you are coming or with any questions

Each year when we notify that we intent to homeschool our children for the year, we assure that we will cover Ohio history with our children. What better way to tackle the topic than with hands on learning adventures geared to stimulate and engage the participants? We plan to organize fieldtrips to many local historic sites. As part of the club, each child will have the opportunity to create their very own scrapbook that will document their adventures.
We are encouraging each member to purchase an 8"x8" scrapbook (available at places like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Target, Walmart) and to take pictures and collect memorabilia from each activity. We will offer opportunities for the participants to get together and create their scrapbooks, basic supplies will be provided.

Tentative Calendar (see bottom of email for more details about sites being visited):
May 23 Fort Ancient
June 27 Waldschmidt Homestead Historical Site
July 25 Tri-State Warbird Museum and Stonelick Covered Bridge (the last covered bridge in Clermont County).
August 22 Ulysses S. Grant Historic Sites
Sept 26 Ranger Guided Tour of Wright Cycle Company Comples Dayton, Ohio
Oct 17 Salt Fest at Big Bone Lick State Park
Nov 21 Promont House
Dec 19 Isaac M Wise Temple and St. Peter in Chains Cathedral tours
Jan 23 William Howard Taft National Historic Site
We will wait to plan outings for Feb on until after the club has had a chance to get input from all of the members.

Fieldtrip details/websites if available:
May: Fort Ancient: Fort Ancient features 18,000 feet of earthen walls built 2,000 years ago by American Indians who used the shoulder blades of deer, split elk antler, clam shell hoes and digging sticks to dig the dirt. They then carried the soil in baskets holding 35 to 40 pounds. Portions of these walls were used in conjunction with the sun and moon to provide a calendar system for these peoples.
The site offers beautiful vistas along hiking trails as well as the remains of the prehistoric mounds for visitors to see. Convenient picnic areas can be found along the road at the site. The Museum at Fort Ancient contains 9000 sq. ft. of exhibits, including many interactive units, focusing on 15,000 years of American Indian history in the Ohio Valley. The Museum also contains a classroom, a research area, and a sales shop with many fine American Indian itemshttp://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw04/

July: We will begin the day by visiting the Tri-State Warbird Museum (4021 Borman Dr. Batavia OH 45103) and then stop by Stonelick Covered Bridge (the last covered bridge in Clermont County). If participants are interested, they can visit the Clermont County Fair following the mornings activities.

August: Ulysses S. Grant, We will spend our day studying Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States. Our day will begin at his birthplace, just outside New Richmond and then after eating a picnic lunch, we will head about 20 miles to Georgetown to visit his boyhood home and schoolhouse.
Grant's Birthplace http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw08/
Schoolhouse: http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw08/
Boyhood Home: http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw08/

September: The Wright Cycle Company Complex http://www.nps.gov:80/daav/planyourvisit/hours.htm

November: Promont House Museum http://www.milfordhistory.net:80/information.html
906 Main St.Milford, Ohio 45150(513) 248-0324
Promont House in Milford, Ohio, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. It is an Italianate Victorian structure, built in 1865 by William Megrue, and purchased in 1879 by John Pattison, who became the 43rd governor of Ohio in 1905. The house, named the "finest house in Clermont County" when built, was received by the Greater Milford Area Historical Society in 1984 from the estate of James Kirgan.
The museum is named Promont because of its location "high on a hill," situated on five acres overlooking the village of Milford. Small gardens, labeled native Ohio trees and benches provide a restful view of the grounds and house. The interior of the house has been restored to the magnificence of the Victorian period when it was occupied by John Pattison. A large stained glass window on the front stairway, varied moldings in each room, Italian marble fireplaces, and a four story tower offering a panoramic view of the town, provide a trip back to the elegance of the Victorian Period.Hours:Friday through Sunday, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Group tours are available.
Pricing:Free; donations welcome

December: Tour of Isaac M Wise Temple 726 Plum St Cincinnati, OH 45236 Tel: 513-793-2556 http://www.wisetemple.org/ and tour of St. Peter in Chains Cathedral

January: William Howard Taft National Historic Site 2038 Auburn Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 http://www.nps.gov/wiho/index.htm

Wild, Wacky, Wednesdays!
Where: Miami Riverview Park in Loveland, Ohio
When: Every Wednesday April 30 – May 21st
Time: 11-2pm
Who: Homeschoolers/Unschoolers of all ages
Cost: Free

Come join us for some wild, wacky park days before the school kids get out for the summer. Miami Riverview has a great play area with climbing equipment, slides, swings, a great big sand box, a baseball field and a big, open, grassy field to run and play in. We plan to pack lunch and eat under the picnic shelter or one of the many shaded tables. We’ll have a bat and tennis ball for a friendly game of baseball. Remember to bring anything you might want to play with – sand box toys, balls, etc. and don’t forget the sunscreen! We hope to see some of you there! Clean restrooms with running water.

Directions: Take I-275 to exit #52 (Loveland/Indian Hill) and turnLEFT at the bottom of the exit ramp. Follow to the first road on theright (Hopewell) and turn RIGHT onto HOPEWELL. Follow about .3 mileto Branch Hill-Loveland Rd (you should see a small brown sign on theright hand side of the road pointing to the park) and turn LEFT ontoBRANCH HILL-LOVELAND RD. Follow about 1.5 miles to the park entranceon your RIGHT. MIAMI RIVERVIEW PARK. We will meet near theplayground, most likely in the large shelter behind the playground.

more information about the park: www.miamitwp.org/recreation/parks/riverview/riverview.htm

OK, so I am a day early! But I can't believe that my baby boy will be 1 year old in less than 24 hours! I had to share this adorable tag that my friend Tracy made for him for his birthday!

Tomorrow I will share his birthday pictures and some reflections on my little monkey's first year!

Clowning around and ringing in Jacob's birthday!

What better way to celebrate Jacob turning double digits (the BIG 1-0!) than with a clowning activity with our 4-H group! All of the kids in the group decided what kind of clown they wanted to be (we did some research and discussion of clown types prior to deciding!) and then sketched out what they wanted their face to look like. After we got everyone's face's painted (thanks to help from Hannah, Deanne and Laura K.) the kids performed skits for everyone in the group.

10 years ago, Jacob was a very sick newborn, laying in the NICU at University Hospital. They thought he was septic and strep B positive. They started him on IV antibiotics. Despite his fragile state, he was the most beautiful baby I had ever laid my eyes on. I remember the next day, his brothers and sisters coming to visit. Grant couldn't even stand to look at him! It took Grant over a month to actually TOUCH his baby brother! I often remember that when the two of them are playing and clowning around!

Jacob opted for a bike and dinner at Golden Corral for his birthday celebration. It is hard to believe he is 10 years old already!

411 on Jacob:

Middle Name: Zaren (for the midwife Karen that stayed with me through 36 hours of labor)

Favorite sport: basketball

Favorite team: USC Trojans for football Xavier for basketball Pittsburgh Pirates for baseball

Favorite color: hot pink

Favorite food: steak

Place he wants to go for vacation: China

Favorite sport's player: Willie Stargell

Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) Tour
location: 44 E. 6th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (downtown Cincinnati)
When: Friday April 11 1PM- 2:30 PM
Cost: free
Group #1: ages up to grade 6
Group #2: jr. high and high school aged students
RSVP: Laura with the names/ages of participants


Group #1: 1-2:30 in the unMuseum (45 minute tour and 45 minute activity)
Group #2: 1-2:30 in the other CAC galleries (all or selection of three exhibitions: Daniel Libeskind, Sol LeWitt, Space is the Place)

For more information about CAC: http://www.contemporaryartscenter.org/

The UnMuseum® represents a groundbreaking new concept in museum education for children, schools and families. Occupying the entire sixth floor of the new Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center, the UnMuseum is a gallery of participatory art designed to offer children and parents an enjoyable experience with the most innovative art of our time. Introducing audiences to contemporary art, the UnMuseum reaches far beyond gallery guides and learning stations by commissioning first-rate artists to create works of art especially for young audiences. Children, along with their parents, can experience and interpret works of art on a multitude of levels.

We had an EXCELLENT time! There were about 25 students in the younger group and 10 or 12 teens in the older group. I wanted to go and see the galleries with the older kids, but I ended up having to go to the unMuseum with the little kids. It was exciting and engaging as always! Grant, Emily and Brett enjoyed touring the other galleries.

After the two groups got back together, we worked on art projects to take home....it involved paint and straws. The kids were thrilled with their creations!

When we left CAC it was POURING but that didn't deter us from wandering across the street to my favorite candy store MURRAY BROTHERS....it brings back found memories of being a kid and going there with my dad. He was always a sucker for a candy store!

Happy 8th Birthday Cade!

Cade's wish for his birthday? Lunch at the Chinese Buffet and a new bike! Easy enough to make his wish come true. Lunch was delicious and he looks so "cool" riding his new bike.

It is hard to believe that has only been 8 years since the longest 8 1/2 minutes of my life. Labor with Cade went relatively smoothly until I pushed his round little head out and his shoulders got stuck! He spent 8 1/2 minutes trapped, without oxygen. Finally the OB, who was sobbing by that point, reached in and broke his left arm to free him. She thought he was dead. I guess, technically, maybe he was. They has to reccesitate him. His apgar scores were worse than Brett's, who was born over 10 weeks early! I can't even bring myself to imagine how my life would have been had things turned out differently that cold April night. I can't dwell on it, I prefer to remember all the wonderful times we have had during the last 8 years.

Here is a little 411 on Cade:

Middle name: Zavier (a variation on Xavier, his father and grandfather's alma mater)

Favorite sport: baseball

Favorite tv show: Family Guy

Favorite professional sports player: David Ortiz

Favorite number: 2

Favorite color: blue

Favorite food: steak

Someplace he wants to go on vacation: Boston

Favorite time of the year: Christmas

Free Science Programs from Kenton County Parks & Recreation
(Almost) Every Other Thursday Science!

Due to the great popularity of Third Thursday Science, Kenton County Parks & Recreation will expand the program to what we’re now calling (Almost) Every Other Thursday Science!
We’ll kick off the program with a visit from Crystal Clear Science and a program called E is for Energy. During the season, the Cincinnati Museum Center will present four programs, COSI On Wheels will be featured on the third Thursday of June, July, and August, and Mad Science of Cincinnati will present a program titled Rockin’ Rockets!

(Almost) Every Other Thursday Science programs will be held at Shelterhouse 1 in Pioneer Park (3951 Madison Pike Covington KY 41017) beginning at 10:00 am on each date. The free programs will be delivered in 45-minute to 1-hour theatrical assembly presentations.

• May 15 – E is for Energy: Eye-popping demonstrations! E is for Energyincludes over a dozen experiments showing the different forms of energy, energyconversions, and how we can help the environment by conserving energy. Light, sound, heat, electrical and magnetic energy are covered as well as Newton's Laws of Motion!

• May 29 – The Reasons for the Seasons: Using globes, rotate and revolve yourway to learning about the seasons and to understanding why spring and summerare warmer times of the year and fall and winter are colder. Investigate theannual cycles of animal migration, hibernations, and toleration then learn abouttracks and scat. Create the sounds of spring and learn why leaves change colorand why fall is called “fall”!

• June 5 – Chemistry in Your Hands: See and feel the evidence of physicalversus chemical change. Perform experiments to deduce which chemicalsproduce what changes. Learn chemistry basics and practice lab safety. Beware:The results you take home may be slimy!

• June 19 – What’s Wild?: Learn about the science of wildlife diversity. Humansaren’t the only living creatures that call Kentucky home. Thousands of species ofplants, insects, birds, fish, and animals also live here. Discover animal habitatsand how wildlife biologists use technology to study and manage animalpopulations. Help find and identify birds using binoculars, catch and measure“fish”, and discover clues to identifying animals from what they leave behind.Learn through many hands-on stations!

• June 26 – Rockin’ Rockets: A wild ride of rockets and flight! Transform a teabag into a rocket that will soar up to 15 feet in the air! Examine the five necessaryparts of a rocket enabling them to fly straight and be recovered safely. Seedemonstrations of the power behind a rocket engine. THEN, take a trip to thelaunch pad for 3 to 5 launches of real model rockets and be a part of an actuallaunch or recovery team!

• July 17 – It’s Simply Chemistry: Explore chemistry through simple experimentsdesigned to introduce children to the basics of chemistry. Help the ChemistryDetective solve the mystery of who stole the ingredients for SUPER-SLIME!Create endothermic and exothermic reactions, learn to identify unknownsubstances, and make a container of super-slime to take home!

• July 31 – Taxonomic Detectives: Classification isn’t as mysterious as it sounds.Use clues given by animal eye placement and teeth type, along with adichotomous key to identify real animal skulls and determine to which taxonomicorder they belong. With some simple classification activities to get you started,it’s a detective case you’ll soon solve, right down to the species of each skull!

• August 7 – Digging for Dinosaurs: Uncover fossils on a paleontological“dinosaur” dig. Discuss the world-famous Ordovician fossils. Learn how fossilsare formed and make a plaster cast of a fossil for someone in attendance tokeep! Examine touchable fossils from dinosaurs such as Allosaurus,Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, raptors and many more make this a juniorpaleontologist’s dream!

• August 21 – Launch Into Space: Will YOU be the astronaut of tomorrow?Explore outer space and space travel right in Pioneer Park! Take a round tripvoyage to space including rocket launch, life in space, and the trip back to Earth.Engage in science experiments. Launch cork rockets! Investigate space food!Discover the make-up of stars! And much, much more!

(Almost) Every Other Thursday Science is free to attend and enjoy. Please remember to bring a donation of non-perishable food or personal care items for those less fortunate.Your donation will go a long, long way right here in our community! Your kind donations of non-perishable food and personal care items have helped way more than you know. Let’s keep giving! Please remember to bring your donations for those less fortunate during each of our free programs: Wild Wednesdays!, Kids All-American Fishing Derby,Haunted Halloween Trail and Great Pumpkin Races, and Letters To Santa / Letters From Santa.

If you would like to see a full calendar of all events being sponsored by the Kenton County Parks:http://www.kentoncounty.org/county_departments/parks_/recreational_programs/docs/kcpr_flyer.pdf
or
http://www.kentoncounty.org/kenton/county_departments/parks_/recreational_programs/docs/recreation_programs_events_calendar.pdf

Gluten Free Candy/snacks:

As we venture into uncharted waters with Luke's gluten sensitivity, I occassionally stumble onto resources and lists that I think I may want to hold onto...the following is such a list. Remember, you MUST ALWAYS read labels, as ingredients tend to change over time....Luke really loves EnviroKidz Cereal Bars (berry) and so does everyone else here! Fortunately even our local grocery carries them. Since the following list is dairy free as well, there are other gluten free choices that are not listed!

GLUTEN FREE & DAIRY FREE SUGGESTIONS:
Airheads (January 2004)
Allan Brand Candy Canes
Altoids - gluten will be listed on label as wheat, rye, barley, or oats (Kraft product)
ANDI Bars (Gluten Free and Casein Free) available through www.glutenfreepantry.com
Astro Pops� Bazooka Gum (August 2004)
Beechnut: Peppermint, Spearmint, Cinnamon flavors (September 2003)
Big League Chew Gum (Original, Grape, Strawberry)
Bottle caps
Breath savers Mints (Sugar Free, Iced Mint, Mint Cinnamon, Peppermint, Spearmint, Vanilla Mint, WinterGreen)
Bubbilicious Gum (April 2003)
Bubble Yum Gum
Candy Corn by Goelitz (October 2003) is also VEGETARIAN. Verified: 10/22/03
Carefree Gum (September 2003)
Certs Mints
Charms: Fluffy Stuff Cotton Candy September -2003)
Charms: Squares, Pops, Blow Pops, Super Blow Pops Zip A Doo Da, Family Fun, Super Sour Balls, Pops Galore (October 2003)
Chicklets - regular and tiny size (January 2004)
Chick-O Stick
Clorets Gum
Clorets Mints
Crows by Tootsie (March 2004)
Dentyne Gum all September 2003
Dots by Tootsie - Regular, Tropical, or Wild Berry are gluten-free (March 2004)
Double Bubble Gum (October 2003)
Eclipse Gum by Wrigleys (is also vegetarian) (August 2003)
EnjoyLifeFoods BIG Cookies -available through www.glutenfreepantry.com (Check ingredients to make sure the flavor you buy is dairy free)
EnviroKidz Cereal Bars (except Chocolate flavored:contains milk) (marked gluten-free) (September 2004)
Extra Gum by Wrigleys (is also vegetarian) (August 2003)
Farley: Candy Corn, Harvest Mix, Jellybird Eggs, Holiday Creams (Christmas Easter) (September 2003)
Farley: Banana Chips, Pineapple Wedges, Fruit Snacks (September 2003)
Farley candies: Fruit Flavored Jells & JuJu & Bears, Giant Jellies, Gummy Bears, Jelly Bird Eggs, Jelly Rings, JuJu Coins, Jumbo Jelly Beans, Orange & Lemon Slices, Speckled Bird Eggs, Tiny Jelly Eggs
Ferrara Pan: all, including Red Hots, Lemonheads, Jaw Busters, Boston Baked Beans, Atomic Fireballs, Black Forest Gummies, Grape Heads, Jellybeans (March 2003)
Freedent: peppermint, spearmint, winter fresh (September 2003)
Fresh Fruit, Of course!!!!
Fruit Stripe gum - all (September 2003)
Fun Dip
General Mills general statement: read label. Wheat, rye, barley, oats will be listed
Glennys Potato Crisps and Soy Crisps (assorted flavors are gluten free and can be found at www.GlutenSolutions.com)
Gobstoppers
Goldenberg's Peanut Chews by Just Born
Honey Acres candies: Honey Gummies (are also vegetarian), and Honey Mints (are also vegetarian) (September 2003)
Hot Tamales (February 2004)
Ice Breakers Gum
Jelly Belly (All flavors of Jelly Beans EXCEPT: Cafe Latte, Buttered Toast, Caramel Corn, Buttered Popcorn, Chocolate Cherry Cake, Chocolate Pudding, Strawberry Cheesecake) Do not get bags of assorted due to cross contamination from these flavors.
Jolly Rancher Lollipops
Jolly Ranchers (Hershey's product. Check label. Gluten will be listed as wheat, rye, barley or oats)
Just Born: Valentines Day Mike and Ike, Valentines Day Peep Hearts, Easter Peeps, Eggs, Bunnies, Easter Mike and Ike, Jelly Beans, Halloween Pumpkins, Ghosts, Cats, Christmas Trees, Snowmen, Teenie Beanie Holiday Mix (February 2004)
Kettle Valley brand Fruit Leather (apple, Tropical Blend, Watermelon, Strawberry, Raspberry, WildBerry) available at www.allergygrocer.com
Kraft will list major allergens
Laffy Taffy by Willy Wonka (October 2003)
Lifesavers general statement: gluten will be listed on label as wheat, rye, barley or oats (Kraft product)
Lifesavers Gummies
Marvel Candy Sticks (marked as gluten-free) and found at some Wal-Mart stores
Mega WarHeads (June 2003)
Mike and Ike (February 2004)
Nabisco general statement: read label. Wheat, rye, barley, oats will be listed
Necco Brands (Candy Stix, Mary Janes, Mary Janes Peanut Butter Kisses, Wafers, Talking Pumpkins, Wintergreen Lozenges, Conversation Hearts (September 2003)
Nerds by Willy Wonka (October 2003)
Orbit Gum by Wrigleys (is also vegetarian) (August 2003)
Pez (June 2004)
Pixie Sticks
Pretzel Packs made by Ener-G Foods or Glutino (specially marked gluten free) and are available at www.GlutenSolutions.com� Running Rabbit Licorice (confirm gluten-free status) (Ingredients: corn syrup, turbinado sugar, cornstarch, dextrose, licorice root extract, tapioca dextrin, anise oil, salt, separating agents (mineral oil & bees wax). 5oz box (approx. 35 pieces) Free of: Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Egg, Soy, Rice, Potato, Yeast, Sesame and is available at www.allergygrocer.com
Runts
Sees (Asst Sugar Sticks, Candy Canes) (January 2003)
Sesame Seed Crunch (INGREDIENTS: Sesame Seeds, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Honey)
Skittles (September 2003)
Smarties Brand Smarties (October 2003)
Smarties Double Lolly, Mega Lolly (October 2003)
Sour Patch Kids by Trebor Allen Swedish Fish (Sepetmber 2003)
Spangler LolliPops: Dum Dums, Astro Pops, Picture Pops (June 2004)
Spangler: all candy canes, xmas shop pops (December 2003)
Spree (February 2004)
St. Claires Sweets (All are gluten, casein, nut, egg, GMO, soy, corn, peanut, shell fish free and they are certified organic. They have certifications from all their suppliers that they are gluten and all the other allergens free. And available through www.econturalsolutions.com.� Starburst Fruit Chews (September 2003)
Starburst JellyBeans (September 2003)
Stretch Island 100% Fruit Snack (Apricot*, Berry, Blackberry, Great Grape, Rare Raspberry) (September 2004)
Sunkist chewy candies - Fruit Gems, Jelly Beans, Orange & Cream Chews, Super Sour Stars October 2003)
Sunkist Fruit Slices (April 2004)
Swedish Fish by Trebor Allen (September 2003)
SweetTarts (February 2004)
Tangy Taffy
Tart N Tiny
TicTacs (April 2003)
Topps: all are gluten-free, (but read labels for dairy), including Ring Pops, Push Pops, Baby Bottle Pops, Juicy Drop Pops and Chews, etc. (August 2004)
Trident Gum all (June 2004)
Trolli Gummi: Peachie O's, Squiggles, Sour Bite Crawlers, Octopus (September 2003)
Tropical Source 100% Gluten Free & Dairy Free chocolate bars (available at Whole Foods and other healthfood stores) http://www.nspiredfoods.com/tropicalsrc.html
Welchs Fruit Snacks all (April 2004)
Wonka: check label. Gluten will be listed as wheat, rye, barley or oats
Wrigleys Gum (all are gluten-free June 2004)
Zours made by JustBorn (February 2004)

Third Annual Geography Fair: Where in the USA?
When: Sunday March 30, 2008 3 PM
Who: ALL HOMESCHOOLERS (preschool to teens and anyone in between)
Cost: None
Where: Jr. OUAM Hall in St Bernard
What to Bring: Your project and a dish to share (no NUTS or POPCORN please, due to food allergies!).

We have decided to have this year’s geography fair focus on the USA. Come bring your family to an afternoon of “visiting” the United States in a fun way. At the start of the geography fair, we will hand out roadmaps and each “traveler” will get their roadmaps marked as they visit each state. We will provide small stickers to use to mark the “visitors” roadmap!

To participate: Each child (or family, it can be a group project) choses a state and makes up a presentation on that state. Let your imagination be your guide! The great thing about this opportunity is that any age child can participate and present their research to the best of their abilities. No competing! Certificates of participation will be given to each participant. The hall has plenty of electrical outlets so feel free to use one (or more)!Projects can be set up from 3-3:30 PM at which time we will give each participant a chance to presenttheir project to the group. At the conclusion of the presentations, certificates will be given to the participants. Similiar events have run until about 5 PM in the past.

We are also asking that participants bring a dish representative of their state to share (this can be as simple as cornbread or as elaborate as your cooking abilities allow!).We will have a potluck as part of our event. Drinks, plates, silverware and napkins will be provided. Remember no nuts or popcorn please! Families who do not want to make displays but still want to come and participate and “travel” are welcome, consider bringing a dessert or some kid friendly (nut free) munchies to share.

We had a wonderful turnout (despite 4 families dropping out at the last minute!). The following states (in no particular order) were represented: Maine, West Virginia, Ohio, California, Nebraska, New York, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, Alaska, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky and Hawaii (with a model volcano and pineapples!). It was great to see the kids enthusiam and to watch them all color in their passport books with each state they visited! Now to decide if next year will be states as well, or if we will go back and do countries instead!

I have no pictures to share yet, as I left the digital camera at home and had to take my pictures with a cheapy throw away camera!

What: Cincinnati Fire Museum Field Trip
When: March 28th, 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m. approximately 1.5 hours
Ages: all ages
Price: 6.00 adult 3.00 child ages 0-2 free
RSVP: ****** payment due in advance after reservationis made
Address: 315 West Court Street

Details:http://www.cincyfiremuseum.com/index.html

We invite you to bring your students to the Cincinnati Fire Museum for a fire safety education program and tour.

Here's what to expect:Your class will be greeted at the front door by a trained and caringfire safety guide.We'll gather together in the Assembly Room for a short film on ExitDrills In The Home (EDITH).Now how about joining me for an imaginary tour? We'll have fun andlearn a lot, too.The history of Cincinnati in frontier days comes to life as thechildren participate in a "hands-on" bucket brigade and take a turnon an old style hand pumper.Imagine the excitement of seeing a large antique steam pumper pulledby horses; then ring a fire bell."The Fox," a shiny red fire engine made by Ahrens Fox of Cincinnati,seems about to leap through the doors and dash to a fire.Look, there's the cab of a modern fire engine! Children can wail thesiren, flash the lights and "drive" to a fire.Three interactive computers are fun and tell you all about today'sfirefighting and fire safety.Having fun? Sure! Now it's time for some serious but non-threateningfire safety education.Everyone moves into the "Safe Home." The firefighter outside ourbedroom window looks scary but we learn he is our friend and not tohide under the bed or in the closet.Don't play with lighters and 911 can save a life, we learn.Let's Stop, Drop and Roll. Everyone can do it!Microwave safety is demonstrated in the "Safe Home" kitchen.And much, much more!Our homework? Tonight we'll sit down with our family and figure outan emergency exit plan for our home. In a fire, seconds count.Our tour is almost over but it seems our guide has kept the best tillast. Could it be? Yes! Let's line up and slide down a real firepole.I promised your tour would be fun and it has been, but what is thereal value of your visit? Fire prevention and learning about what todo in case of a fire.Our fire safety guides want to reach as many children as possible.Help us save a life or prevent the tragedy of serious injury. Bringyour class to the Fire Museum. Our fire safety guides will be waitingfor you at the door.

We hadn't been to the fire museum in quite a few years (I can't remember if I was pregnant with Sophia or if she was a tiny baby during our last visit) and Sophia and Will had a WONDERFUL time. The older kids seemed to enjoy themselves too, and the tour was geared to the 10 and up crowd, so they left learning quite a bit. The biggest hit of the tour? Sliding down the firepole!

Homeschool Easter Egg Hunt
When: Wednesday, March 26th 11 AM(yes this is AFTER Easter, hit the after Easter sales for candy to donate!). We will be at the park no later than 10:30 AM to accept donations and stuff eggs, we would LOVE help!
Who: ALL HOMESCHOOLERS including teens!
Where: Miami Riverview Park Loveland, OH
Cost: Free although donations of nut free, non chocolate candy and/orfilled eggs is appreciated!Organizer: Laura

The hunt is open to ANY HOMESCHOOLER (toddlers to teens and everyonein between) who wants to hunt for Easter eggs (regardless of age).Remember to bring a bag or basket for collecting eggs!

Donations of NUT FREE and NON CHOCOLATE candies or other small prizesare much appreciated. We ask for safety reasons that candy beindividually wrapped. Little bags of skittles, individual bags ofjelly beans, ring pops, small size airheads, small boxes of nerds,those safety suckers are just a few suggestions. Small toys (likestickers, bracelets, necklaces and whistles) also work, but pleaseavoid those small bouncy balls as they are a choking hazard. We willeven have a couple of prize eggs that will win a special Easterbasket! The hunt will start around 11 AM. Plan to picnic and playfollowing the hunt.

RSVP to Laura . If you decide at the last minute to join us, that is fine,there is no need to RSVP, but it is helpful for us in getting a countas to how many hunters we will have.

Questions, just ask!

Directions: Take I-275 to exit #52 (Loveland/Indian Hill) and turnLEFT at the bottom of the exit ramp. Follow to the first road on theright (Hopewell) and turn RIGHT onto HOPEWELL. Follow about .3 mileto Branch Hill-Loveland Rd (you should see a small brown sign on theright hand side of the road pointing to the park) and turn LEFT ontoBRANCH HILL-LOVELAND RD. Follow about 1.5 miles to the park entranceon your RIGHT. MIAMI RIVERVIEW PARK. We will meet near theplayground, most likely in the large shelter behind the playground.

What a great time and great turnout (close to 50 kids) we hid over 800 eggs and everyone had a blast searching for them. Will managed to find a "golden" egg and won a prize basket, he was so excited! The weather was absolutely gorgeous, I honestly think that my MIL gently nudged God to give us a gorgeous day (despite forcasts of rain and cloudy skies, we has temps in the upper 50s and SUN!) after all she was the one who taught me how to do an easter egg hunt the right way! That is the one thing I miss the most about not gathering with Jay's family on Easter, the utter chaos of the easter egg hunt! It was so nice to meet new families and to reconnect with old ones (many homeschoolers seem to hibernate much of the winter!). Of course after the hunt a game of baseball and then a game of football broke out, even the girls joined in!

Easter this year is: Sunday March 23, 2008

As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).

This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare.

This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

Here are the facts:
The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now).

The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now).

The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

According to the national weather service...we had a blizzard here in Loveland, OH Friday and Saturday (until I looked it up online, I had no idea that a blizzard had more to do with wind and visibility than it did with snowfall totals!) ...some of these pictures are from a lull in the storm yesterday (we got another few inches after that...I believe the total is now 13 to 15 inches in our area) and some are from this morning....we are supposed to get another 2 inches tonight....

The kids had great fun having a snowball fight at dusk last night....wish I had gone out and captured it on film!

Ruler showing 10 inches...this was close to the house, may have been deeper at that point in the middle of the yard.

Hannah (16) and Emily (13 1/2) with their snowman

William (3)

Sophia (5)

Brett (17) in front of the minivan...notice the tree leaning on it!

Jay , Louie (our boxer) and Emily

The boys (Grant, Jacob and William) shoveling the bottom of the driveway (I did the rest of it,can you explain that to me when I live in a house with 7 males in it???) right after the snowplow came and cleared our road.

Somehow I don't have a picture of Cade (7) and of course Luke (10 mo) stayed inside....I will have to be sure to get a picture of Cade later when the kids go back out to play.

The Blizzard of 2008

According to Wikipedia, a blizzard is a severe winter storm condition characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, and heavy blowing snow. Blizzards are formed when a high pressure system, also known as a ridge, interacts with a low pressure system; this results in the advection of air from the high pressure zone into the low pressure area. The term blizzard is sometimes misused by news media to describe a large winter storm that does not actually satisfy official blizzard criteria.

And from the national weather service: A BLIZZARD WARNING!!!!

I was actually surprised when I turned on the news and found out that we were having a blizzard. Having been in the house all day, all I saw was pretty snow and no traffic going up or down our usually well traveled street. One of Emily's friends spent the night last night and is now "stranded" with us, but the house is quiet, outside the sounds of a coughing Will (his asthma is acting up) and a stuffy headed baby. We are safe, have food, drink and toilet paper, so barring a power outage, we should be able to weather the storm quite comfortably!

So what will the blizzard of 2008 mean? I have no idea...tomorrow we will venture out in the snow and play....I vaguely remember the last blizzard to hit our area, way back in the late 1970's and walking home in the snow in my uniform skirt when the closed school early. I remember the snow being to the top of the car (most likely from a snowplow than real snowfall, but as a kid I just remember thinking it was so high!)

I guess I am weirder than I thought....

A link to this article http://homeedmag.com/HEM/251/winterdoldrums.html came through on one of the many homeschooling lists I am part of. The post was followed by replies about what a great and encouraging article it was.....encouraging??? I think not. I just wanted to scream "GET THE HELL OUT OF YOUR HOUSE. GO AND DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING!" I think I would probably kill my kids (or they would kill me, given their pack mentality) if I stayed home and stared at these 4 walls all winter!

I get that it is cold, I get that there may be snow on the ground, but that isn't an excuse. When I look at my calendar for the months of January and February, there are just as many outings/ fieldtrips as there are any other month. Take January for example, outside of basketball and dance and Sophia's girlscout activities, we also had (1) conditioning each week (2) weekly ASL class (3) Make your own boardgame day (4)4-H (5) library program (6) 2 different park programs (7) open skate and (8) the science fair. Let us not forget our 3 day trip to Sandusky for the Unschoolers Winter Waterpark Gathering! February was equally full with (1) conditioning each week (2) weekly ASL class (3) volunteering at RMH (4) tour of Lowes (5) 4-H (6) Chinese New Year (7) 3 park programs (8) library program (9) Valentine's party (10) dance team showcase and (11) snow tubing. OK, so not everyone would want to be on the go as much as we are, but come on, pick ONE THING and go out and do it if being at home all winter is, to quote the author, "one of the single biggest reasons for our at least fantasizing about putting them all in school".

To me having my kids home means being part of the world, getting out in it and learning from it, not staying holed up in the house, hiding for months on end. Like I said, I must be the oddball, becuase the article got "ohhs and ahhs" from other moms on the list! I guess HEM won't be approaching me anytime soon to write an article....I think they much appreciate the kinder, gentler empathetic approach!

Snow Tubing at Perfect North
Where: Perfect North Slopes Lawrenceburg, Indiana
When: Wed. February 27th from 4-9:30pm
Who: All Ages but only one person per tube!
Cost: $15.00 per person (Minimum number for this
price is 15 people)
Waivers: Everyone must have a tubing waiver.
Get yours at http://perfectnorth.com/tubing_groups.php scroll down to download and print.


This is a blast! And we are getting a great deal. It’s usually $15.00 for 2 hours but we are getting 5 and ½ hours for $15.00! You pay me there because to get that great rate we have to pay as a group. We’re asking everyone to try to arrive no later than 3:45pm so we can collect the money and waivers, pay and get on the tubing slopes as close to 4pm as possible. You are welcome to bring your own food. They have a heated tent with picnic tables, outlets for anyone wanting to have hot food and/or drinks, and a concession stand for those who choose to buy. I recommend dressing for snow tubing weather. Don’t forget your coats, hats, gloves, snow boots, snow pants and anything else you may want or need.


Directions from their web site:
Perfect North Slopes is located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. From I-275 take the US 50 Exit 16, follow ski area signs north on Indiana Route 1 to ski area entrance. Or http:// perfectnorth.com/directions.php


As always this is probably our absolute favorite Feb. fieldtrip. The weather was perfect, in the low 30s and the place was absolutely deserted! In years past there have using been other groups there, but we were the only one, you couldn't have asked for more of a bang for your $15.


The boys (Grant, Chris, Jacob and Cade) formulated a plan to snowtube IN THEIR SWIMSUITS and when Will saw them, he decided he wanted to be part of the fun (they put their swimsuits on at home under their snowclothes). I don't know whether I should be proud or embarassed by their antics! It was so sweet, the following morning, Will came out of the bedroom and said "thank you for letting me snowtube in my swimsuit", I guess even at 3 he realized that it wasn't something most moms would allow. And I can't even blame this one on their dad, after all it was my father who was a "polar bear" and went for a dip in the Ohio river with his dive buddies one New Year's Day...so it is in their blood! I honestly could see me dad looking down from heaven and ribbing the guy next to him saying "yep, those are my grandsons!".



I was excited this year that I got to snowtube since I wasn't pregnant or didn't have a newborn in tow. Lucky for me, Luke stayed home and spent some quality time with his dad! The kids were the first ones to hit the hills shortly after 4 PM and we were the last people off shortly before 9:30!

Can't wait for next year!

Park program: Raptors
Where: Sharon Woods in Sharonville, Ohio
When: Wed. February 20th; 10-11am
Who: All ages
Cost: Free

Come join us as we learn about these magnificent birds! We will meet at the Sharon Center. If the weather is nice you are welcome to picnic and play following the program.

This was a well done program presented by Adam of the Hamilton County parks. Adam led a hike for us back in August and told us at that time that he was only a seasonal naturalist, so we were really surprised to see him. Lots of live birds, up close and personal! What was great was that we got to meet two new families. Lisa and her two son and Jennifer and her 5 children (4 girls and 1 boy). We all ended up going to lunch at Larosa's after the program because there was far too much snow on the ground to even consider staying at the park and hanging out.

Luke was a real handful at the program......completely mobile at this point it appears his hands have some kind of magnetic attraction to outlets, he can spot them a room away and get to them before my butt even gets off the chair! You would think a park district that hosts classes for kids would have outlet covers on their outlets....no such luck! Luckily he hasn't figured out that he can put things INTO the outlets yet, then I am going to be in big trouble! How could something so cute get into so much trouble????

I don't think I ever posted about this originally, but a month or so ago (well actually before Christmas) Luke started getting hives and breaking out. The only thing that appeared to be different was that he had started eating wheat, so 4 weeks ago we went to see the doctor and they suspected a food allergy or possibly celiacs disease. 2 weeks ago we had blood tests done (for the 5 major allergens) and we went back this week for a follow up.

Yesterday I took Luke back to the doctor...they had called earlier this week to say that test results are "inconclusive". So just to prove the point, we fed him wheat yesterday morning before the appointment and he broke out (it was just so so when we were at the office, now he is BRIGHT RED all over his face again!)...Even with the mild reaction he was exhibititing in her office (2 hrs after eating), she agrees that there is definitely something going on so she said NO WHEAT until he is 15 months and then we will challenge him again (also no milk since Em was allergic to that) and if he reacts then she will diagnose him with celiacs (apparently of the 9% of kids get that get inconclusive results, 76% end up having celiacs or some such nonsense)...so we have 5 more months of no gluten! She said the great thing is that since kids bodies change so much before 2 years old, it may just be a phase and that by 15 months he won't react any......

Oh and little man has an ear infection (RAGING was the word she used) so he is on antibiotics...she said they only prescribe antibiotics to babies under a year for ear infections, they don't use them in our practice for older kids. She even told me we could wait it out, but since he hasn't been sleeping well at all, I opted to give them a try.

Great news is that he gained a whole pound since our first visit last month, so he is growing great. She said that that is one of the things that makes her still think it could be celiacs, that he actually gained weight QUICKLY for the first time since birth when I took him off of the wheat. Apparently he was at 90% at birth for weight, 75% at his 2 week check up and slipped off the chart completely at 4 months and is now just below 10%. We go back in 4 weeks for an ear recheck.

Because of his skin reaction, she has diagnosed him with excema, not sure what that means long term, just that his skin reacts to other things that are going on with him I guess.

Bird and Owl Program at Greenacres!

This had to be one of the coolest programs ever. We got to disect owl pellets and bring home the bones. Sophia found a whole skull in her pellet and Jacob found a jaw bone with teeth. It was amazing to see everything that was contained in one small pellet. They spent another part of the program discussing beaks and figuring out what types of beaks were best adapted to each type of work. We viewed wings close up and then they went on a hike.

Sophia surprised me by throwing a fit when we got there. She ended up sitting in the van for the first half of the program. Not sure what her problem was, but she came around and enjoyed disecting the pellet that Donna saved for her!

Celebrating Chinese New Year

When: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 11 AM (If you can't make it at 11 AM, feel free to arrive later, we will be there until 1 PM). Chinese New Year begins Feb. 7th

Where: Chinatown Buffet 1015 U.S. State Rt. 28, Milford Ohio 45150

Who: ALL HOMESCHOOLERS (preschool to teens and anyone in between)

Cost: $5.79 for adults, cheaper for children 4-12, children under 3 free. (Check Valpac coupons-the ones in the blue envelop closer to the event as they often have coupons for Chinatown Buffet)

Join us at one of the largest buffets around to celebrate the Year of the Rat! The food is hot and wonderful! Large variety of choices! We plan to have lunch and do some crafts to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Please RSVP to Lauraso that we have enough supplies for all of the kids.

DirectionsTake I-275 to the Milford/ Rt. 28 exit (#57). If coming from points east, turn right onto Rt. 28/if coming from points west, turn left onto Rt. 28 (you will pass a Lowes on your right)...at the traffic light that would let you into Lowes, turn LEFT onto Rt. 28......you will pass a KMart, Ameristop,Swifty Gas Station...Chinatown Buffet is located across the street from the Ford Dealership. If you get to Gold Star you have gone too far!

What fun! 7 families got together and celebrated the upcoming year of the Rat! The kids made an ADORABLE rat craft (thanks to a cute idea I found online) and also a bookmark with their chinese zodiac sign and of course there were plenty of coloring pages. The boys gourged themselves on food and I believe a few eating contests and challenges took place at their table! The girls approached the buffet in a more refined fashion, but everyone was pleasantly full when we left. I absolutely LOVE the coconut shrimp!

Lunch conversation even drifted to politics, and amazingly it went well. There was even a consensus that this upcoming election looks like it may come down to the election of the lesser of two evils. One mom commmented the McCain reminded her of a character that would be played by Don Knots, now I can't watch the news and reports about McCain without laughing!

Luke was a handful....his menu is rather limited right now (as we are trying to figure out his food allergies), he hated how sticky the white rice was and wouldn't eat the jello, but he was quite happy crawling and cruising around from table to table visiting everyone. I am sure anyone that held him is still pulling that sticky white rice off their clothes!

Tour of Lowe's
Mason Montgomery Rd, Mason Ohio Location
Friday Feb.1st at 8AM
Max 20 including adults
All ages
Free
Rsvp by Jan. 27th to Deanne at dleland1@cinci.rr.com

Deanne wrote: They normally don't offer a tour but have agreed to do one for our group. The tour will last from 45min -1hour. Meet at the customer service desk promptly at 8AM. I know this is early but we have to do it when they are willing to have us.

Directions: http://stores.lowes.com/lowes/cgi/site?site=0542&address=%3a%3a%3a%3a%3a 3a45140&design=default&lang=en&mapid=US&svv=true&zipid=45140&bmap=&zip=45140

LOWE'S OF MASON, OH
9380 MASON-MONTGOMERY RD.
MASON, OH 45040
Phone: (513) 336-9741

Despite the fact that we had to be there SO EARLY and that I went to HOME DEPOT first (luckily it is just across the road) this was a very informative tour. The kids learned a lot of information that might help with their architecture projects and I learned a lot too! The tour guide, Mike, was very informative and patient with the kids and they left with samples and handouts to use for their project. They also were each given a project to take home with them that they usually do with the kid's club on the weekends.

Science Fair

Because of the frigid temperatures, we ended up having to move the science fair to a smaller space....it was a bit tight, but excitement filled the air and the kids had a WONDERFUL time!

Cade's project: Marble Mania

The purpose of Cade's experiment was to show that it is necessary to run numerous trials in order for the results to truly reflect probability statistics. He used 3 marbles and ran 4 sets of trials, one pulling one marble for 10 trials, one for 50 trials, 0ne for 100 trials and one for 500 trials. The initial trial ran 10 times was the furthest from what you would expect statistically (one marble came up 5 times, one 3 times and one 2 times) and the final trial ran 500 times came out about as close statistically as it possibly could....34%, 34%, and 32%.

Here is a website that we found that has a great lesson plan for this project: http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=9&DocID=389

Jacob's Human Behavioral Science Project - Does Smell Affect Taste?

This smell versus taste behavioral science project determines if your sense of smell affects your taste sense.

Hypothesis:
I do not think that the smell of an object will make my family members think that the sucker tastes different.

Materials:
Item for smelling.: an orange
Dum-Dum candy suckers.
A number of human participants, better known as my family members
Blindfold

Procedure:
1. Gather materials needed for your smell versus taste behavioral science project experiment. Make sure you try your experiment on one person at a time and that none of the other participants know what is going to happen.

2. Choose an item for smelling and a flavor of sucker for tasting. Record the items you have chosen. If making your own suckers, follow the instructions carefully in your kit. Be sure to record all of the items you used. Adult supervision of kids is strongly recommended.

3. Ask your participant to close his or her eyes. Cover your participant's eyes with a blindfold. Remind your participant - no peeking!

4. Place the item you chose for smelling under the subject's nose and ask him or her to inhale the fragrance. Do not reveal what item is being used for smelling. Do not allow the participant to touch the item.

5. Now ask your participant to stick out his or her tongue.

6. Place the previously specified flavor of sucker (apple, grape, cherry etc.) on the participant's tongue long enough for them to taste it.

7. Ask your participant to identify the flavor of sucker.

8. Record the participant's answer.

. Follow the same process with the other participants. Be sure you have enough suckers to use a fresh one for each participant.

Results:
Emily thought her sucker was grape when it was cherry
Will thought his sucker was orange when it was blueberry
Sophia thought her sucker was grape when it was cherry
Cade thought his sucker was watermelon when it was green apple
Grant thought his sucker was rootbeer and it was (he was the only one who was right!)
Hannah thought her sucker was rootbeer when it was chocolate
Brett thought his sucker was popcorn when it was cotton candy
Mom thought her sucker was cherry when it was green apple
Luke just liked his sucker. I don't know what flavor he thought it was, he just screamed when I tried to take it from him.

Conclusion:From my experiment I determined that in my family smell influences taste. Everyone but Grant thought that their sucker was another flavor than it really was.

William and Sophia's Science Project: The Effect of Temperature on Popcorn

Find out how popcorn changes when it's popped from frozen, cooled, or room temperature kernels. You'll need a day to let the seeds get to their respective temperatures before popping.

Materials needed:
3 bags Microwave Popcorn
microwave oven
2 quart measuring cup

Instructions:
Prepare the popcorn. Place 1 bag of popcorn in the freezer, 1 in the refrigerator, and 1 on a counter top (this is the control bag).

Leave the bags in the freezer and refrigerator and at room temperature for 24 hours. This ensures that the popcorn reaches the correct temperature for each test group of bags.

Pre-heat the microwave oven by placing a cup of water inside the oven and heating it for one minute. Remove the cup carefully.

Put the control bag of popcorn in the microwave and set it to high (Full Power) for five minutes. When you hear the popping rate slow to 2-3 seconds between pops, stop the microwave and remove the bag. Record the time it took to cook the popcorn, and use that time for the rest of the bags. Our time was 3 minutes.

Empty the popcorn contents into the two quart measuring cup. Measure the amount and record the number. Our bag yeilded 8 1/2 cups.

Pour the same contents onto the cookie sheet. Separate the unpopped kernels from popped kernels. Our bag had 36 unpopped kernels.

Pop the bag of refrigerator popcorn setting the time according to your test bag. Remove the bag carefully, and wait until popping stops.

Empty the popcorn contents into the two quart measuring cup. Measure the amount and record the number. Our bag yeilded 8 cups.

Pour the same contents onto the cookie sheet. Separate the unpopped kernels from popped kernels. Our bag had 60 unpopped kernels.

Pop the bag of freezer popcorn setting the time according to your test bag. Remove the bag carefully, and wait until popping stops.

Empty the popcorn contents into the two quart measuring cup. Measure the amount and record the number. Our bag yeilded 7 1/2 cups.

Pour the same contents onto the cookie sheet. Separate the unpopped kernels from popped kernels. Our bag had 107 unpopped kernels.

Questions for discussion:
Which resulted in fewer unpopped kernels: frozen, refrigerated or room temperature kernels? The popcorn at room temperature. This popcorn also tasted better. Both the refrigerated and frozen popcorn had an odd taste to it.

Which group resulted in higher volume of popped corn? The popcorn at room temperature

At what temperature should popcorn be stored for maximum yield? The popcorn should be stored at room temperature

Park Program: Animal Tracks
When: Monday,January 28, 2008 11 AM
Where: Pattison Park Owensville
RSVP: Laura Riesenberg

Beat that cabin fever and come and learn about animal tracks! According to the latest forecast, it is supposed to be in the mid 40's on Monday! The majority of the program will be held inside the lodge (located on the left hand side of the road) and we will also go for a short hike to see what animal tracks we can find in the park. Dress for the weather. We can use the lodge for lunch following the program if any families want to hang out afterwards. Pack a picnic lunch if you plan to stay.

Directions:
Take 275 to the Rt. 50 exit (Owensville), follow Rt. 50 out towards Owensville (you may see signs for the Clermont County Fairgrounds, the park is before the fairgrounds), Pattison Lodge is on the left hand side, with Pattison Park on the right. If you get to the Owensville IGA you have gone too far!

Unschoolers Winter Waterpark Gathering (UWWG):

I am so far behind posting.....but the kids and I were out of town last Tues-Thurs (Jan 22-24) at Kalahari Resorts, about 4 hours from here, for an unschooling winter waterpark gathering...it was a blast, but as always, I dreaded the drive and managing 9 kiddos alone! The place just opened an expansion to their waterpark and is now America's largest indoor waterpark (173,000 sq ft), the place is AWESOME http://www.kalahariresorts.com/waterpark/?locid=2&areaid=16 we stayed in a village suite http://www.kalahariresorts.com/resorts/?locid=2&areaid=8

There were lots of great families at the gathering, but the setup really didn't lend well to socializing! I wish I had had more time to socialize and hang out with the other great families that attended the event. I hosted an Artist Trading Card funshop which was very well attended, but there weren't many adults in attendance. The kids that came were wonderful creative and had a great time, but I had really hoped to hook up with some other moms who had a flair for art.

The dance Wednesday night was AWESOME and the DJ really rocked! It was great to see whole families dancing and enjoying music together.

The waterpark was something to behold....I have never seen such a large indoor waterpark (hmmm...maybe because this is the largest one in the US), Sophia and Will loved the kid area with the blue and orange slides and the boys loved the surfing. Cade was really overwhelmed the first day, to the point that he looked miserable, I really wish I could help him cope better in new or uncertain situations. He was fine the next day and joined Chris, Grant and Jacob in the surfing. I was kind of in a funk and didn't really even get in the water, of course now I wish I had.

Hannah and Emily were both disappointed in the teen room, although they did meet some new teens and hooked up with a friend from Live and Learn. Apparently there was this obnoxious preteen who kept drawing vulgar images on the bulliten boards. A few of the older teens tried to point out the error of his ways, but he was unfazed. I suppose there is one in every bunch!

Greenacres Programs
The programs are free and designed for grades 2-8. The first half hour 11:30-12:00 is for lunch, so bring a packed lunch. The class begins at 12:00. Be sure to dress for the weather. We meet at the "old church" building at the corner of Spooky Hollow and Loveland Madeira Roads. The address is 8255 Spooky Hollow Rd., Cincinnati OH 45242

Winter and Spring Programs
- Thursday, January 17th 11:30-1:30 Animal Architecture
- Thursday, February 7th 11:30-1:30 Birds/Owls
- Friday, March 7th 11:30-1:30 Creepy Crawlers
- Thursday, April 24th 11:30-1:30 Water Quality
- Wednesday, May 21, 2:30-4:00 Honey Bees

The Animal Architecture program was awesome. Although it was slightly cold out we started the program with a hike and looked at some different animal homes. We then retreated into the old church and got a close up look at different nests (birds, wasps). The program ended with another hike on a different part of the property. We were thrilled that Donna led our group, she is absolutely wonderful with the kids (not that we have ever met a Greenacres staffer that we haven't loved!). A great and highly informative program!

Make Your Own Board Game Day
Submitted by Melodie
Friday, January 11, 2008
Time: 11am-1pm
Place: Jr OUAM Hall, St. Bernard (Directions upon RSVP)

From Melodie: Please join us for a day of fun and games. Bring blank boards, play money, pegs, and plenty of ideas. Anything you need to make your game a success. Work as a group or make your own game. Bring a peanut-free and popcorn-free snack to share while you work.

What great fun! Emily created an awesome game, reminiscient of one of our all time favorites SNAILS PACE RACE and the boys had fun goofing around and trying to create games. Grant came up with an idea for a game that had to do with the primaries and a person getting their party's nomination, but he is still trying to figure out the details.

The biggest hit of the day? The new air hockey table! I think my crew would have stayed and played air hockey all day.