schools days

First Day of school last year: Last day of school last year:
There was a little less cooperation with taking the photo in May than there was in August. Only a little over 2 weeks until we start school again. So not looking forward to homework!

Starting to research options for middle school - hoping to find some options where the educational model is more suited to Max's learning style. This is a big issue in my life - not just because of my kids, but also because that's what I do for a living: design schools that help instead of hinder the educational process. But the educational process is evolving, mostly against its will, and what that school looks like is also evolving. School today is still taught much as it was 100 years ago - books and lecturing. Memorize and regurgitate on a test. Society and technology does not reward excellence in book learning; it rewards excellence in creative thinking and problem solving. Many of today's youth have incredibly facile minds more at ease with a computer than their parents could ever hope to be. Their minds, having been exposed to technology from the get-go, absorb information quickly and move on. The teachers are not moving on, they want worksheets and repetition. The kids minds seek escape from the tedium, and get labled ADD.

I could go on and on, but it has been a long week (56 hrs this week, OT last 4 weks, more of the same coming), and my thoughts are not organized and my tired brain can not find the words I'm looking for.

If you are intersted in more, google STEM education or inquiry based learning. Or watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U

Cinderella

the world according to...

converstation between max and Ave in the car

Ave: "They're waiting."

Max: "They're mating?"

Ave: "People don't mate, they date! Haven't you learned biology?"

Lunch time lego lunatics

Mr. Hill, the gym teacher, runs a lunch time lego group, and of course Max is a member. Mr. Hill sent us a video clip of their creations. It is a grande file, so it will take time to load. Max is second to last presenting his vehicle.

I am a little relieved that the girls seem almost as obsessed with guns as the boys.

Mothers Day dinner

this is where we went...

this giggly girl and...

these two boys came with me...

and these lovely flowers were on the table, for me to keep after dinner. :)

(The picture at the top? A close up of the fondue pan before it was filled with tomato basil cheddar fondue, followed by a citrus broth to cook assorted meats and veggies in, and finally chocolate with Carmel, Oreo cookie crumbs and Malibu rum (tasted a fair bit like a Samoa girl scout cookie) MMM I love the Melting Pot (and kids eat free Sundays).)

Happy Mothers Day

poetry from my kids:

Jedi's are awesome
light sabers are indestructible
I am awesome
and so are you!

by Max

Mom
Pretty Beautiful
Caring Amazing Loving
I love my mom!
Mother

by Avelene

Easter

Much to their delight, the Easter Bunny brought baskets with chocolate for the kids.

Then we made dyes from common grocery items. That was a lot of fun, but a lot more work than I anticipated. We used turmeric, red cabbage, coffee, beets, blackberries and yellow onion skins. They each boiled for 30 minutes, which made for a stinky kitchen (the house smelled of cabbage for several days). The turmeric created deep yellow, the coffee boring tan, the beets pink, the blackberries a vague purple, and the surprise of the bunch, the onions created a beautiful yellow-orange.

The cabbage created navy blue - after soaking the eggs over night. It was nothing short of a kitchen science experiment! And I don't intend to repeat it. We're still eating hard boiled eggs. Strike that, I'm still eating boiled eggs. No one else eats them.

Oh - almost forget, I also showed the kids how to blow out eggs - we have three lovely dyed shells. Wonder how long those will survive... Beautiful.