Roo's Math Field trip

We have a wonderful, amazing math teacher. ;) I'm sure I've mentioned it before- but we just LOVE Pam, and all the hard work she puts into teaching math to our boys. She does such a super job, and always find them fun computer games to go along with their assignments.   This year, Roo had a friend join him for math.  Another homeschooling mom in the area has a daughter, S. the same age as Roo.  They have their own little Math Class.   It's so cute the way they work together, and challenge each other.

Tuesday we had our final math class for the year, we went on a Math field trip.   We went to the small local Zoo- Pam made a cute little math page for them. 

One of the questions was how many types of swans are there.

 Are there more Monkeys or Eagles?

 Talley marks- how many turtles are there?

No math questions on Emus- but it would be a good multiplication lesson ;) Notice the 2 baby emus by the fence! So cool!

Counting the Monkeys

 Wahoo! We finished the page! Roo and his friend S.  near the bobcat cage.

After the zoo, they played at the park for a few minutes, and had to figure how many more steps there were on the big slide than the little slide.  And how many swings there are.  Then came Roo's favorite part- Fraction math....what better way to study fractions than to eat PIZZA at Pizza Pie Cafe!   Only, I think if you eat as much as Roo did- you probably didnt' eat a fraction of the pizza- but rather the whole thing. lol 

Thanks SO much Pam for all you do for us!

Memorial Day Cabin trip

AHHH!! A cabin trip!  We headed up to the cabin for Memorial Day weekend.  It was a bit of a work weekend- as we worked on tiling the old (err so now is it the new?) bathroom floor.

 Doodle thought the best thing was the box! This is his house boat,

 Ben teaching Bug how to tile the floor

 Bug laying the tile

 Doodle's project- a lincoln log mansion

 Doodle helping with the toilet plumbing

 AWWW! And after the work, we took a trip into Yellowstone on Sunday afternoon.  This was a cool little geyser right by the edge of the river

 Another cool one- just flowing into the river

 We saw some interesting animals this trip- including this Badger- We'd never seen a badger before- this one scouted all around checking out ground squirell holes.  We also saw a fox, and 5 bears, including a momma bear with her tiny cub.

 This is one of my FAVORITE sites! Doodle and Roo taking turns reading to each other. ;)  Times like this remind me it's all worth it!

 We took a quick fishing trip Monday before heading out- Bug waiting (not very patiently) for a bite

 Roo's idea of fishing....exploring and seeing what cool things he can find.

 Two explorers- Bug and Doodle,

Doodle and Ben wrestling- guess who will win this one!

Doodle's Concert

 This past school year has been a different sort of year for us. Doodle went to public school full time this year.  Overall, I think it's been a positive experience for him.  As much as I wish I could have him at home with me, and homeschool him, the Lord has other plans for him.
  His class learned to play the recorder, and had a concert last week.    sorry- the pictures aren't real great- something about a school gym, and the fact that he was on the back row.

 Here's Doodle after giving his part on the program.

Doodle is on the top row- 3rd from the right. 

I was so proud of him, and the way he worked hard to learn all of his recorder songs, and even SANG the songs that they learned too! ;) 

Bug's race

Bug raced in the Intermediate School Biathalon again this year. He was better prepared for it this year, and was pretty excited to try and beat his last year's time. (Here's last year's post)  ya know...comparing the two years pictures, I think he's grown up a bit! wow!  Anyhow-

Pic of Bug before the big race. I was nice enough to let him use my road bike in the race, and now he thinks he needs one of his own.   I told him to start saving his money! lol

At the starting line

Coming into the bike/run transition

The Home stretch!

Bug did an awesome job!  He took 2nd place in 7th grade boys, and 2nd place overall.  He took about 1 minute 30 seconds off last year's time.  I don't have the official time, but he did great!  He is already talking about a triathlon next year. :D WAY to GO BUG!!

Solar Eclipse

Last year for school, we spent the whole year study astromony.  And so when Bug saw on the news that there was going to be a solar eclpise, he knew we needed to watch it. ;)  We couldn't find any of the special glasses to use, but i read you could use a welding mask.  I remembered when I was younger- one of my brothers wanted a welding mask for Christmas (yes- a crazy request....and I believe he asked for it for like 3 years in a row....finally my other brothers and I bought him one! lol)    So I called my parents and asked if they still had the welding mask in their shed.  They didn't, but told me that my grandma probably had one in her shed we could use. 

So last night, we headed over to my grandma's house to watch the solar eclipse through her welding mask.  Roo took this picture of her back porch.

 Actually we found 2! welding masks- which was really nice!  Roo and Doodle trying them on, checking out the beginnings of the eclipse.

 Bug's turn- SOOO cool!

 Visiting with my Grandma while they watch the eclipse.

 ????WHO is it!??!  (I think THIS is the reason my brother Troy wanted a welding mask when he was younger- they look a bit spooky!

 My dad and my grandma checking out the eclipse.  What a neat evening!

 Thanks Grandma for letting us visit you!  It was an amazing site! No- my camera didn't get any pictures of the eclipse- not for lack of trying- but they just didn't work. lol I guess I need a fancy lens or something. :D