Rumpke Sanitary Landfill Tour
When: Wednesday, November 14 10 AM
Where: Rumpke Sanitary Landfill (see directions below)
Who: Homeschoolers age 4 and over
Cost: none
Organizer: Laura Riesenberg

Students tour the Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township from the safety and comfort of a bus. The tour begins with a brief history of the company and a demonstration of how trucks are weighed. The bus then travels around the landfill while the guide shows exactly what happens after the garbage leaves their homes. Methane gas removal, leachate collection, surface water controls and other points of interest are explained. The tour concludes with an explanation of the final landfill cover and cap and then the future uses of the landfill property.

Here is some important information: Tours last approximately 45 minutes in length. Tours are free of charge. . The weather must be dry for a landfill tour. Rumpke reserves the right to cancel tours when precipitation causes slippery road conditions or other safety concerns. As a safety precaution, all tour participants must be at least four (4) years old. Groups must have at least 10 tour participants. There is a maximum of 24 participants.

Directions: In Cincinnati, take I-275 to the Colerain Avenue exit, #33. Go North off the exit onto Colerain Avenue. Turn right onto Struble Road. Turn left into Rumpke’s entrance. Stay to your right and go to the parking lot on the right. Your Rumpke tour guide will meet your bus in the parking lot.

This, by far, had to be one of the most informative tours we have ever gone on and it was FREE! The tour filled quickly and I had a fairly significant waiting list of families that wanted to attend. You just need a minimum of 10 people (max of 24) for the tour and it was very easy to set up, all I did was call and pick a date (they only do tours on Wed). The only thing I wish is that we had left the tour with a handout of all the amazing statistics that we were told as part of the tour!

Things that I never knew before the tour:
*a garbage truck can only pick up trash from about 400 homes before it is full. I really don't know what I thought, because I had never really given it much though, but I assumed one truck was doing all of an area of the city, when in fact, some large subdivision require two trucks just to get the garbage from those homes.
*our landfill will be out of space for new garbage before Luke's 18th birthday! What they will do with new trash after that, they have no idea.
*methane gas recycling takes place at Rumpke
*there are enough birds at the landfill to make the movie "The Birds" look lame!
*Rumpke Landfill was originally a pig farm and they started collecting "garbage" to feed the pigs.
*Large trucks crush trash to 1/16 to 1/32 it original size once it is dumped on the landfill. Even with this, they are running out of room rapidly.
*The landfill only accepts trash from about a 50 mile radius of that location.

Spring Cleaning....

Or should that be near winter cleaning??? Despite the fact that over half the family has had the stomach flu over the past 10 days (Brett, Hannah, Grant and I have yet to succumb to it!) I have gotten so much stuff OUT of this house! 5 large garbage bags of clothing went to Truly Blest, a resale shop that supports Birthright, 2 bags and 2 winter coats went to a little girl in a family that is struggling (a request came through on one of the homeschool lists I belong to), and the exersaucer, swing, bouncer seat and 2 bags of boy clothes went to a homeschooling friend who is expecting in January! I am so excited about the reclaimed space, but it just seems there should be MORE of it with everything that I got out of here!

The logistics of large family living still baffles me 17 years into my journey. How to properly store everything that I want to save, so I can find it when I need it has never been something I can completely figure out! I try to store things by gender, size and season, but some things never seem to end up where they are supposed to....and why while going through the stuff that we got rid of, did I stumble over CHRISTMAS decoration in the basement (when they are supposed to be in the crawlspace upstairs) I still don't understand!

I know I am happier when things are organized and in their proper space, but it is just a never ending task around here! I do think I know where all the winter clothes are and have packed up all the summer stuff for the most part. And the laundry, well that is a never ending task, made almost insurmountable by puked on bedsheets and clothing!

Black Friday

Had a blast shopping Friday! Did anyone else go out? Find any good deals????

Brett, Hannah, Sarah and I were in line to get into Kohl's at 3:50 AM....yes, the doors opened at 4 AM and we were there with HOARDS of other people...amazingly we got everything (or so we thought) that we wanted from there and were out the door by shortly after 5 AM. Portable DVD player for $49.99 and a v-smile game system for Sophia and Will were the big scores! Tons of other stuff too!

Left Kohl's, got gas, grabbed breakfast at Burger King then went and hit Old Navy (big waste), Bath and Bodyworks (great deals!!!!) and got in line for Target's door busters (the kids rushed the door while I was in Bath and Body)...Hannah snagged the Hot item for the boys....bunch of other stuff including tons of the cheap movies, also a BOY babydoll for Will (he loves dolls).....only waited in line about 30 minutes...not too bad....got out of there about 7 AM....

Headed home to drop off stuff (we wanted to go to the Mall and I didn't want to park the car with all the stuff in it) and grabbed Luke and then went to the Mall.....scored big at Finish Line for Grant and Jacob and Hannah (got her 4 pieces of Adidias clothing for under $30) and got Jay a couple of things (yes, I know my hubby likes to read my blog!).....hit a few more mall stores....went across the street to Toys R Us and Dicks....and managed to get something in their doorbuster ad even though it was almost 10 AM......then grabbed an early lunch at IHOP.... left IHOP and went BACK to Kohls (I forgot to get the airmattress) and then to Hobby Lobby for wrapping paper and Hannah ran into Meijer's to grab one gift.....we were home and WRAPPING presents by 1 PM!!!!

So I am almost done with Sophia (need to get her 1 more thing), about half way done with Will and have at least SOMETHING for everyone else!

My mom is renewing our YMCA membership and most likely giving us money to renew our museum membership and zoo membership....I am quite thrilled with that...and she told me she MIGHT be going OUT OF TOWN for CHRISTMAS.....could I ask for a BETTER gift from her???? I hate to say it, but she is a total downer and not having to deal with her would be the MOST PERFECT GIFT in the world!!!!! Jay even offered to buy her a one way ticket.....of course I didn't tell her that!

Biography Fair

What: Third Annual Biography Fair: Guess Who is Coming for Dinner?When: Sunday November 18, 2007 3 PM

Who: All ages invited to participate

Cost: None

Organizer: Laura Riesenberg

Where: Jr. OUAM Hall in St. Bernard (directioned will be emailed when you RSVP)

What to bring: Your project and a dish to share*

We have decided to put a little twist on this year's biography fair. The question you need to answer is "If you could have dinner with any person living or dead, who would it be? Why?" Use this question to direct your project! Each child can pick anyone, living or dead, as thier dinner guest to do for their presentation. The child chooses how to present the infomation. They can write a report, make a display board, a photo montage, a video. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. 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)!

There is a great article online that explains the biography fair in detail. http://www.home-ed-magazine.com/HEM/HEM155.98/155.98_art_bio.html

Contact Laura if interested in participating. If you don't feel like doing a project but would like to come and check out the work of our aspiring biographers, feel free to join us for the fun. Remember to bring a snack to share.

Projects can be set up from 3-3:30 PM at which time we will give each participant a chance to present their 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.

*Please bring a nut-free snack to share. No popcorn please! It might be fun to try to tie your treat to the subject of your biography fair project, for example, if you did your project on George Washington, maybe a cherry pie or if you chose Johnny Appleseed, some baked apples. Plates, drinks, napkins, silverware and cups provided!

It amazed me how excited the kids were to work on their projects this year. Grant chose Mike Schmidt, Jacob chose Reggie Bush, Cade chose David Ortiz, Sophia chose Marie Tallchief and Will chose Eric Carle. Grant had originally wanted to do a serial killer, but given the topic asked who you wanted to have dinner with, he opted for a baseball player instead. Better dinner conversation and no threat of being killed during the meal!

I was surprised at the confidence of each of my children (actually of all the children who participated) as they presented their projects to the entire group. When we first started doing the fairs 3 years ago, the kids were quiet, and no one wanted to present anythng to the group. Now they confidently stand next to their projects and tell everyone about them! Even Will at 3 years old will engage the group and talk about what he did. This year he even "read" part of a book by Eric Carle "Have you seen my cat?" Of course he knows it from memory, but it was so adorable to watch him read it to everyone! My mommy pride was swelling as I watched each of my kids present their projects! So as we trudge through our lives, unschooling as we go, we must be doing something right!

All of the projects were great. One of the girls, True, made a wonderfully creative cake ala Duff (the subject of her project) using fondant (sp). I had never eaten a cake with fondant on it before, personally I think fondant tastes that sweet playdoh, but her cake looked awesome. This guy Duff does amazing work.

The only real mishap of the day, one participant showed up with POPCORN....luckily Jacob didn't flip out about it (typically even the smell of it will send him into a frenzied panic) but it annoyed me that she didn't read the announcement about not bringing popcorn. I try so hard to keep Jacob comfortable and avoid the thing that seems to trigger his most bizarre reactions! So I am doubly proud of my son, who when he smelled the popcorn, looked at me and let me calm him down and REASON with him that everything would be OK!

CoCo Key Water Resort
Thurs, Nov 15th
9:30am - 3pm - they have a banquet to set up for that happens at 5, so they need us to cooperate by being out on time.
RSVP: Julieanne

Hi all!

PLEASE READ ALL THE DETAILS BEFORE RSVPing to me!!!

We have a wonderful opportunity here.... CoCo Key Water Resort in Sharonville is having their Grand Opening on Thursday, November 15, and they need 300 homeschoolers to be in the park playing for the media to take pictures.

We get to play for FREE!!!! Those who remember when Great Wolf did this for us will also remember how fast this filled up. So rsvp ASAP. First come, first served, and I'll have a waiting list as well - so if you find out at the last minute you can't make it, PLEASE notify me as soon as possible, so I can let another family onto the list.

Instructions:
-Please have everyone arrive between 9:00am to 9:30am.
-Children should have swim attire on (underneath clothes).
-Home School children and families will be directed to the Center Ballroom.
-In room, we will provide beverages, snacks, movies/cartoons, coloring and a balloon sculptor to keep everyone entertained.
-We ask that children stay relatively quiet, since we have corporate meetings going on in adjacent meeting rooms.
-A CoCo Key staffer will need parents help in gathering children together at 10:15am to line up.
-We will need 50-60 young children (plus a few parents) to follow CoCo through aisle of guests for ribbon-cutting.
-At 10:30am, CoCo will lead first group of children.
-After ribbon-cutting guests get up, we will invite rest of children and parents into CoCo Key.
-Please take all personal belongings with you from Center Ballroom.
-Home School Network families are invited to stay in CoCo Key until 3pm.

Here's the rest of the story: They have a Pizza Hut and an A&W on site which will be up and running, and ask that we not bring in food and drinks. Those of us who need to can run out to our vans to eat. There are lockers available to rent, if you're interested.

And they are willing to set up some homeschool days for us at a group discount rate. Unlike Great Wolf, CoCo Key will be doing day passes, and birthday parties and such. They will also do fundraisers - for instance, if your ball team or scout troop or band or whatever sells tickets, your group would get a percentage of the sales. They are eager to work with us, so all you group leaders out there keep that in mind! : )

Although not as large as Great Wolf, or as engaging for the older teens, we had a GREAT time...there was plenty of seating, free towels and lockers, lots for the younger kids to do and they were very accomodating, even giving us 1/2 off all the food we purchased. Their food prices were very reasonable, even before the discount, and it tasted much better than the crap we ate at Great Wolf. They gave the kids $5 cards to use in the game room. The kids had a really great time. The best part is, that if we want, we can go back, because they offer day passes to just swim, something that Great Wolf doesn't do!

It was great to get to see many homeschooling families that we hadn't crossed pathes with yet this year, to catch up and hear everyone's stories.

Rumpke Sanitary Landfill Tour
When: Wednesday, November 14 10 AM
Where: Rumpke Sanitary Landfill (see directions below)
Who: Homeschoolers age 4 and over
Cost: none
Organizer: Laura

Students tour the Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township from the safety and comfort of a bus. The tour begins with a brief history of the company and a demonstration of how trucks are weighed. The bus then travels around the landfill while the guide shows exactly what happens after the garbage leaves their homes. Methane gas removal, leachate collection, surface water controls and other points of interest are explained. The tour concludes with an explanation of the final landfill cover and cap and then the future uses of the landfill property.

Here is some important information: Tours last approximately 45 minutes in length. Tours are free of charge. . The weather must be dry for a landfill tour. Rumpke reserves the right to cancel tours when precipitation causes slippery road conditions or other safety concerns. As a safety precaution, all tour participants must be at least four (4) years old. Groups must have at least 10 tour participants. There is a maximum of 24 participants.

Directions: In Cincinnati, take I-275 to the Colerain Avenue exit, #33. Go North off the exit onto Colerain Avenue. Turn right onto Struble Road. Turn left into Rumpke’s entrance. Stay to your right and go to the parking lot on the right. Your Rumpke tour guide will meet your bus in the parking lot.

Cade's football pictures

One of the dad's from Cade's football team took pictures of ALL of the boys on the team and then gave them a CD with all their pictures on it. Cade's CD had close to 70 pictures...I know I didn't take 70 pictures of my 3 boys combined, let alone of anyone else's kid. I had to share them here....a few of them are just too precious!

Luke's 6 month picture

We found our first LETTERBOX!

Hiking Club Meeting Update
Where: Withrow Nature Preserve, Hamilton County Park
7075 Five Mile Road, 45230
When: Thursday, Nov. 8th, 1-3PM
Ages: ALL
Cost: FREE
Organizer: Tina

Come join us to find a hidden letterbox and hike afterwards. No RSVP necessary. We will be on our own, not with a naturalist.

Here were the clues we followed to find the letterbox:
Cupcake Birthday Box LbNA #: 32593
Placed by: Brainstorm
Placement date: Jul 4 2007
State: Ohio
County: Hamilton
Nearest city: Cincinnati
Number of boxes: 1

Clues
This box was planted at Withrow Nature Preserve in Anderson Township in honor of someone's special birthday.

Take I-275 to Kellogg Ave. Exit towards Coney Island & Riverbend. Pass Riverbend & Riverdowns and turn left onto Five Mile Rd. Follow Five Mile Rd. to Withrow Nature Preserve on the right.

Park in the parking lot.
Enter the trail nearest the parking lot entrance by the port-a-potty.
At the first fork, veer toward the left.
At the next fork, after about 5 minutes of walking, stay on the gravel path on the right toward the overlook.
After 5 more minutes (just before the overlook), you will come to another fork, take the path to the left.
Walk for about 10 minutes and you will see a sign that says
Withrow Nature Preserve describing the O'Donnell Cabin.
From this sign you will see two benches.
Go sit on the left bench. When the area is clear, stand up and walk about 16 steps forward.
To your left you will see a large tree.
At the base of the tree on the right side you will see a rock.
The letterbox is nestled between the rock and the tree.

We were first introduced to the concept of letterboxing at the Live and Learn Unschooling Conference and we recruited some fellow homeschoolers to join us in our endevour. I couldn't believe how much fun and how easy it was to follow the clues and find the box, for me a bit easier than using a GPS and finding a cache! The kids seemed to like stamping our letterboxing notebook and signing the logbook as much as they enjoyed exchanging items in the cache. I can't wait to find more letterbox clues and search for the letterboxes!

Luke has his first tooth!

After endless months of drooling, horribly swollen gum, using mom's boob as a teething toy and much chewing on everything....his first tooth has shown its shiny little edge through the gum! Mom is definitely more impressed than Luke who refuses to let anyone see the tooth!