groundspeed

Florida Seminole Diorama

There's an easy way to help your child with his diorama assignment. You throw a shoe box at him and some crayons or markers and say, go to it.

OR...

Step One:
Think about how you can teach the kid about local Native American history. And ya know. Do that.

Take him to The House of Refuge because they have a time line of local history that includes local Native American information.

Realize in the car on the way home that the only thing that seemed to sink in with your kid was A: The pirate for whom this part of the beach is named and the fact that he was hanged and thousands attended. And B: The house of refuge keepers had problems with black bears.

Um. Not helpful.

A few days later happily discover a Native American section while on a trail walk at the Florida Oceanographic Society.

Ays, are not one of the tribes up for choosing in the assignment.

Of course not.

Actually walking through this structure still proved memorable.

A little helpful.

Next up: See what the library has to offer. 

Check out She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper Seminole Tribal Leader

Turns out our book of choice is beautifully illustrated and lyrically written. It not only taught the experience of this Seminole women born in south Florida, but also nicely touches on the themes of women empowerment (Never mind that she became a tribal leader - she friggin' wrestled alligators!), the importance of education, and how to improve upon ones culture while still respecting it. Ok, so my kid probably didn't pick up on much in terms of these themes, but they're there. Promise. Good little book.

After reading the book we got on the internet for a little follow-up research. Spent some time clicking around here and reading here.

We read about "chickees" and knew we'd need to include one. We discussed how the chickee was different from the Ays structure we saw (no floor vs raised floor). We saved a picture to use as a reference for our model:

Step Two:
Hand kid a sheet of paper and a pencil and tell him to design the plan.

Compliment his idea to have a large tree in the middle dividing up the scene.

Agree with his layout and offer zero corrections.

But...

Decide you will make fun of him for-ever because he wrote, "flying animals" on the sky part instead of just, ya know, "birds." (Hey - the school system makes building their self-esteem a huge priority. We feel that at home we can keep it real.)

Step Three:
The actual making of the diorama. 

Tag team husband to take over from here.

Watch husband disregard traditional shoebox plan and break out the power tools. Watch 8-year-old's eyes light up.

Getting in on the drill action.

In the same day paint the base and glue on sand.

Next day paint the back and draw on some "flying animals" (all of which happen to be birds - not a bat or a flying squirrel in the bunch).

Collect foliage.

Glue foliage.

Watch Dad get started on the Chickee.

I'm not sure of the actual breakdown of the assemblage at this point and I slacked at taking pictures. All I know is that one night at almost 10pm during "project time" I heard a basketball bouncing in the garage so I went in to check "progress." Dad was sitting there in front of the Chickee while Kid was playing.

Dad, "This floor is taking forever."

Mom, (eye roll) "If he's not helping he could at least go to bed."

Kid did work on the roof and sweep the garage of all the scraps. So there's that.

Last step: Kid glues store-bought figurines to project, poses for pic, and brings to school one whole day before it's due!

So there's your Florida Seminole Diorama How-to.

Looking at this picture it is clear that Kaden's hair is the project we need to tackle next.

And after all this talk about Seminoles there is only one way I can, in good conscience, end this post:

Go, Gators!

Oh, Gators. I accept full blame.

I have a confession to make. I have not sat down to watch a full Gator game in... I can't tell you how long. Kids don't really allow for a mom to sit down in front of the tv for four hours during daylight. Doesn't happen. 

This season has been no exception, but as we kept winning my interest has grown and I've caught more and more of each game. And then this weekend I was really excited because we were hosting a party with college friends we haven't seen in years. I mean, I knew I wouldn't get to watch that much with 7 kids, ages 2 through 9, running around, but still we'd be showing the Gator love in a way we hadn't yet this season.

We had Gator pumpkins.

And Gator gummies.... on the jello cups, dividing the fruit on the fruit tray...

Before the party, the boys were sent out to Gator-up the walkway.

I painted my toe nails orange, I made a cookie cake with orange icing that said UF, there were blue lollipops decorated with Gator logos, and every single person in attendance had one their Gator gear.

We had so much fun catching up (between cleaning up muddy kids - oh the joys of having a party the day after a hurricane) that this is it for my pictures.

So somehow, all this extra effort adds up to a Gator loss, because that's how these things go, right? The one time I need the Gators to win for my party's sake, and it won't happen. 

Sorry, Gators.

I PROMISE not to do anything special when we play FSU. 

Plan C (The Hurricane Plan)

This past weekend I was already thinking about what we would do today because I knew the boys didn't have school. We haven't been to the beach in awhile though it's certainly been hot enough, so I figured if it was hot (over 85) then we'd head there, but if it was cooler we'd finally go to the local farm's pumpkin patch, something I've been putting off because of the heat.

Plan A: Beach

Plan B: Pumpkin Patch

Ah "fall" in Florida...

Which is why I should have realized we'd end up with Plan C.

The Hurricane Plan.

Thank you, Sandy. 

Thursday night I redboxed Madagascar 3 for the kids and re-stocked my baking supplies.

We started our day reading some poems from Shel Silverstein's Light In the Attic. (Toby's favorite book right now because he's cool like that.) And then, after reading Day After Halloween, they were given the instructions to draw a mask so scary no one dared buy it so it was still in the store the day after Halloween.

They watched a movie, they played, they probably got a little bored...

So we made pumpkin shaped sugar cookies and orange icing.

Mmmmm.

Finally we decided to work on our real pumpkins. We're having friends over for the FL/GA game tomorrow so I wanted to Gator them up. We got to painting them but then noticed that our biggest pumpkin was already starting to rot around the stem, so I decided we should carve it. Usually, we have a strict, we only carve our pumpkins the night before Halloween policy, but I broke it. It's ok, we'll get another pumpkin.

I'm still not quite ready to let my boys have a go at carving, but they completely gutted it for me. Kaden got that thing clean!

Meanwhile, Blue pretty much just watched and made faces.

And after I got a hold of it, here's what we had:

All lit up!

Go, Gators!

Happy Halloween!

And Adios, Sandy!

Blah

I like to write blog posts about good things worth celebrating, things I think will be helpful to other moms, or things that are just truly terrible that I can make funny.

Lately I've just felt a little blah. Blah doesn't fall into any of those categories.

This time last year Blue was winding down his 9 month long defiant peeing / destructive behaviors spree and I was still VERY ON EDGE ALL THE TIME because of that mess. 

None of that is going on anymore.

I have friends who have gone through/are going through terrible hardships this year. Not us.

Three years ago the month before this blog started we had a helluva start to fall - Blue had surgery because his thumb got smashed and we hadn't legally adopted him yet so we had a CPS investigation right before his adoption trial. Woo-hoo! That was also the month Kevin, with Blue in the car, got hit by a drunk driver. On a Friday MORNING! Car was totalled so thank goodness for friends who loaned him a car for a whole month while insurance junk got figured out and we knew how much money we had to put down on a new car. That was a high drama time. 

The drama these days is the 3rd grade homework load.

We ended up buying Kevin a NEW car (usually we're used car folks) and NEXT month we make our FINAL payment. That's something to celebrate.

I recognize that. I also recognize that 3rd grade homework being our current highest drama is pretty awesome too.

I wrote more things to be thankful for in a bible time journal this morning *our neighbor's cut their grass! *I think we're at three days in a row without rain! *last night's jog *a bag full of coins my Dad handed off to me, that once I rolled 'em and deposited 'em, is enough to pay for an upcoming date night AND a new outfit!

I feel like moment by moment I'm celebrating the little things but then at the end of the day I just feel blah. Blah doesn't translate into wanting to blog.

Ok, there are a few over-arching things that have lent to the "blah" (in addition to the nightly homework battle):

I can't lose weight. Sept 6th Kevin and I started a cleanse. A strict, strict, designed for serious weight loss cleanse. Fiber drinks and protein shakes... The first week I lost four pounds. Yay! Weeks 2 and 3? Um, it would appear I've already hit a plateau. Excuse me? Kinda depressing. The summer was so hit or miss for exercises. In July I logged a whopping 7.92 miles jogged over 4 jogs. In August 0 miles. 0 jogs. But here in September now that structure has resumed and weight loss is a goal, 15.81 miles over 8 runs - I know that averages out to some short, short runs, but like tonight, I didn't hit the pavement till 7:30pm and I was already pretty much out of daylight when I started so I just ran a hard 1.5 and came on back. This also doesn't factor in our daytime walks. Bottom line. Exercise! Healthiness! But all I can think is... four measly pounds.

And it does get me down how hard schoolwork comes to Kaden. Not one "A" on his progress report. :-( 

Also, I've started taking Kaden on jogs. The first time I was proud of him, but overall I'm discouraged by how whiny he is about it. He acts like I'm killing him! But then mid-jog he'll casually hop up and swat a basketball net he's passing, or, at the end, when he should be spent and I say let's race to our stopping point, he's suddenly got all this energy and leaves me in the dust right away. I don't get it.

And even though Toby has been doing fantastic. I mean really great, using sentences, being so, so funny, snuggling, very little hitting and scratching which were such big issues just a month ago... We're in the process of transitioning him AGAIN to the special needs preschool (instead of just ST and OT appointments) and I know it's a good thing, but then part of me is like really, MORE change for him? 

And a few other things regarding friendships that I don't really want to bring up on a public blog. ;-)

And this whole election time. That's depressing too. I happen to like the first family and I hate it when people say ugly, untrue things about them online. Especially when the tone is anger and the source is a "Christian." Also drives me nuts when people assume I feel a certain way because I am a Christian and will think I will agree with them that the president has been the worst for Christianity because of things like his stance on gay marriage. I believe in CIVIL RIGHTS for ALL people and my faith leads me to that compassionate conclusion. Clear?

Whew. Where did that soapbox come from?

I am pleased with how the Gators are playing. And I've got a party in the works for the FL/GA game that I'm quite excited about. That's good.

I've read some fantastic novels recently. I've been cooking (some stuff just for the boys and then I go eat my salad with vinegar dressing - sigh) a lot and considered a few food themed posts. Toby and I stay busy and I've considering talking about some of our at-home learning fun. Like today I gave him some money to put in his piggy bank to work on fine motor. He played me so well. Kept asking for "more pennies" and I gave him at least a buck more than I was planning to. (Once it goes in, it can't be taken out - that's just wrong!) We've also had a lot of fun with home-made tub paints and going swimming at a friend's house. Less fun, but still productive has been our letter work and writing practice times. 

I've thought about posting about how Blue's doing with kindergarten (exceeding expectations in that we only average about one bad report per week).

I considered a post about packing healthy school lunches and maintaining variety. Eh. Don't feel like it.

Kevin started some earth boxes.Yay! Fresh herbs. Potential for fresh veggies! Nope... don't really feel like blogging about that either.

That's it. That's what's going on. Glad you're up to speed? Want pictures of the kids? Um, I haven't taken many since Labor Day weekend...

Blue "swinging." (At least once a week we go to the playground before school in the gap between Kaden's drop off and his.)

Toby painting.

And Kaden... I don't have any of Kaden really. Here's his hand and a giant caterpillar.

See you back here... eventually. 

Tigers and Bears and Waves! Oh My!

We are nearing the end of our one year Palm Beach Zoo pass. I always try to have a pass to something, but I rotate what that something is. Last year it was the Treasure Coast Children's Museum, this year the zoo, next up? Not sure yet. I'll be thinking about that.

But the zoo...

Usually we go when it opens, but this time I got on-line and checked out the schedule and decided I wanted to hold off a few hours so we'd catch some of the afternoon feeding times.

Such a smart move.

Why hello there, Mr. Bear. I've never once seen you move before and now here you come. (Every time we've gone he and his brother have been asleep in the corner.)

Oh the things he will do for an afternoon snack of grapes and dog food. (The dog food is because these particular bears turn their noses up to meat!)

Toby just wanted to pet him.

This was particularly exciting because Toby has lately had this thing where he has introduced a bear onto Old McDonald's farm. As in the song. As in we sing, Old McDonald had a farm... And on his farm he had a bear... With a Grrrr, Grrrrr here and a Grrrr, Grrrrr there...

The most hysterical thing though is that the very first time Toby introduced the bear to the farm (yes, it was his idea) he was singing by himself in the car and I heard him go, "Old McDonald had a farm... and on his farm he had a bear. A bear? A bear-air!" I'm not sure if he was quoting something or if he just surprised himself with the idea of a bear on a farm or what. But he made me laugh so hard.

Right before we left for the zoo he didn't want to go to the car but then I told him that we were going to see bears and just like that, he turned around and ran to the van. 

Seeing the bears all close and eating and swimming and playing... I thought Toby might jump out of his skin.

And then we turned the corner and the otters were all showy-offy!

But we've been to this zoo many times and I've posted many pictures, so now I'm going to skip to the end... It was almost 3pm and Toby, Blue and Daddy were done, so I sent them on to the van, but Kaden and I skipped on to hear the Tiger Talk. The cubs we watched play one year ago as four month olds were now 16 months and about 50 pounds shy of being fully grown!  

I liked hearing them talked about, but my favorite is hearing them "talk."

In-credible.

Oh, one last thing. Saturday was the first game day of college football, so of course the boys were decked out in their Gator gear. It was also the first time all year Daddy came to the zoo with us, so at the gator exhibit we stopped for a little Gator Chomp action. (Yes, Toby does it too.)

That was our Saturday kick-off for Labor Day weekend.

Sunday afternoon looked more like this:

More beach action planned for today.

Squeezing out every last drop of summer.

Every. Last. Drop. 

Gator Bait

"If you ain't a Gator, you must be Gator bait!"

Poor Blue, he's a Gator (that's a requirement in this household) but he still ended up as Gator bait.

Way back when we went to the Fort Fisher Aquarium when we were in Wilmington Kaden posed for this silly picture:

After I took this pic, I was walking away but Blue went up to do it, and then the next thing I know Blue's crying because he bumped his head. I didn't think much off it until later when I took this picture:

I noticed that bump by Blue's eye and that it was bleeding. I asked him if he'd scratched open a moquito bite, but no, he told me that's where he hit the gator.

It took me awhile before I stopped laughing.

Bit by a stuffed gator.

Only Blue.

Palm Beach Zoo

Yesterday was play around home day. Today I kicked it up a notch and my mom and I took the boys to the zoo.

Back when I was a kid it was the Dreher Park Zoo and I assume I went, but I have zero memories of this zoo. A few vague memories of Dreher Park and a few vague memories of the nearby planetarium but my brain calls up nothing on the zoo, so it was as new for me as for the boys. 

And now for 1,792 pictures of our day at the Palm Beach Zoo. (Give or take 1,770)

Toby was all about the carousel until it started moving. Then I had to take him off and just hold him. In my arms he happily watched the carousel animals around him, just didn't want on one.

Doing the Gator chomp by the alligator habitat.

 

My little chicks in a giant eagle nest.

Only at the Palm Beach Zoo will you come across a statue of some donor's beloved pet. Seriously. I wonder how they would feel about the fact that Blue walked up to this Samoyed and said, "Look, Mommy! A piggie!"

Waiting for the bird show...

Unfortunately this spider was not behind glass or in any sort of arachnid habitat. That guy looked bigger than my hand! Ewwwww.

Toby loved this turtle. He petted it. He talked to it. Super cute.

A little after noon we were at the tiger area. It was just the daddy tiger which we knew because I'd looked up the cubs schedule. On Fridays they don't come till 1pm. We moved on and made it back over to the tiger area at about 12:55.  Finally around 1:10 Mama and two cubs came out.  Fifteen minutes of waiting when we had been at the zoo since about 9:45 was an eternity especially for Toby. I was able to pacify him by singing Old MacDonald had a zoo... (And in his zoo he had a bear/grrr, tiger/growl peacock/caw etc. etc.) It was worth the wait because Mama and cubs came out playing strong and if you ask Kaden and Blue what their favorite thing at the zoo was, they will both tell you they liked watching the tiger cubs.

And then the boys were able to blow off some steam at the splash pad which we saved for last.

A very happy school-free Friday!

Little Gators

We watched most of the game at my friend Donna and Mike's. The boys swam and loved on their dogs (a little too much, poor dogs). 

Little Gators, big Gators, ALL the Gators were pleased with today's win over Georgia (in overtime!).

Go, Gators!

First game of the season. Here we go!

Blue is even saying "Go, Gators!" in this pic.  :-)

We were supposed to go to West Palm for a Gator pool party at the house of my long time friend and fellow Gator, Donna, but of all the crazy things they lost power in the early am and have no pool pump and can't cook!  The things we take for granted.  We were already in our suits and in the car when we got the sad news so we debated the beach or a public pool but neither of those options come with a TV for football viewing, so the boys are in the backyard playing in a sprinkler as I type! It's a good thing they're so easy going.  Now the big question is - what do we do with the three dozen buckeyes I made to take to the party?!

A Gator in Tar Heel Country!

A quick trip in the name of research... 
Wednesday - Miserable flight experience due to 3 hour delay.  Let's not talk about that anymore.
Thursday - Good morning where Toby and I slept till 8:30 kinda making up for our late night.  Made it to the assessment and Toby was as good as Toby is capable of being.  Went to the MRI place but in our window before the next patient there wasn't enough time to give it a good try.  So attempt #1 failed. Checked GPS for nearby food.  Ended up on Franklin Street but in that 3 minute drive, Toby had fallen back asleep. Got out my book and let him sleep. Didn't get to eat lunch till 3pm but hey, I had a good book, so all was well there.  Leisurely afternoon that involved one playground stop (above) and then off to MRI attempt #2. Got Toby asleep. When we attempted to transfer him he woke up and wasn't happy. Got Toby asleep again this time on the MRI table.  We waited about 20 minutes so he was really asleep then they slowly, slowly, slowly attempted to get him on his back. They got him as far as his side, but that Toby, he was not happy about the final shift.  So, after a  2.5 hours worth trying, we called it a night.
Friday - Traveling home.  Wish us luck! 

Not the most productive trip, but we tried, and it's been fun having just me and Toby time.