Science :: Making Mixtures

Jayden and I have been talking about matter and how matter can change in his Science lessons.  Today, we did a science experiment with creating mixtures with solids and liquids.

Experiment #1 : Liquid and Solids (water & Emergen-C)
Jayden predicted the solids would sink right to the bottom.

He was quite surprised when they dissolved and became a liquid themselves.  (it's like he hasn't seen me drink Emergen-C all winter!)

Experiment #2 : Liquid and Liquid (water & food coloring)
Jayden predicted the liquids would just mix together.

Correct!

Experiment #3 : Liquid and Liquid (water & oil)Jayden predicted the liquids would mix together.

He discovered oil would not mix into the water, no matter how much you stirred or turned the water different colors!

Still Snowy

The sun is back out!  In fact, my face got sunburned yesterday while I was out shoveling snow off the driveway!  And the wind, too (boooo)  Although it's still super cold outside, a lot of our 20+ inches of snow has melted and the roads are mostly dry. but let's be honest here, I really haven't left the house in days, so I have no idea what the roads look like outside our culdesac.

We have little A with us today and she is an outside kind of girl.  She gets all giggly and pumps her legs at the sight of the door opening, and she spends a lot of her time here holding herself up by a window and looking outside.  So, today I busted out Jayden's old fleece camo onesie, complete with foot and hand coverings (so much easier than fighting gloves, removable hats, and getting this girls feet in shoes!) and we headed outside.  Jayden and Willow both took turns pushing A up and down the street in our car.

But don't worry, there is still lots of snow to play in - granted it's kind of crunchy, icy snow now, but still snow!
Jayden's fort has melted quite a bit.

But there are other piles to go jumping in!

Snow Days

We've finally had an awesome snow storm!  And it's even more awesome that there has been hardly any wind!  Usually it snows and the wind blows it down the street before it has a chance to collect anywhere, leaving nothing but icy roads and disappointed kids.

Yesterday, it started snowing around 8am and didn't stop all day.  Jayden was so excited to get out in it!  He was running around, jumping, and throwing himself down in the snow.

 Then he started getting brave.  And this :

usually ended in this :

He built me a snowman.

And even started shoveling the walkway, all his own idea, I swear!  I have the best son ever!

Willow refused to go outside, because it required way too many clothes.  "I have to wear gloves????? I'm not doing it".  And she pranced around inside wearing swim caps, and capri pants, and short sleeve shirts.  She tried to get a bathing suit on, but I put the kabosh on that!  Once Royal got home, I told her we were all going outside and she was going to have to stay inside by herself if she wouldn't get her snow clothes on.  She still refused, until we told her that her best friend, Emery, was outside.  "Oh Emery?  Ok!  Hurry Up! I need gloves!"

It continued to snow all night.  We even had a thunder and lightning storm while it was snowing in the middle of the night, otherwise known as Thunder Snow.  Totally cool.

This morning, we woke up to about a foot of snow and it still snowing outside.  While everyone else in the district got a snow day, we did a couple hours of school before we went outside and played and shoveled off the driveway.
Willow and Emery were too exhausted from trying to walk in the deep snow, they laid down in some tire tracks in the middle of the street!

And since Kansas is so flat, we built our own hills for the kids to sled down.

Our neighbors built a ramp right down their front steps.

We had so much snow in the backyard, the swings sat right on top of it.

For being a German dog, Sam really wasn't a fan of the snow.  He pretty much tried to stay out of the deep stuff, and he's pretty much refusing to go to the bathroom unless it is absolutely necessary.

School has already been cancelled for tomorrow, and WSU's campus is closed as well, which means Royal gets to stay home one more day and make it a 4 day weekend! 

Heart Paintings

Royal has mentioned to Jayden and few times that he needs some updated Jayden-art in his office.  I happened to have a couple smaller canvases in my art stash, so we decided to paint Royal his Valentine present.

I painted big red hearts on the canvases and told them they could do whatever they wanted.  Paint over them, paint around them, paint in them.

And they did!

Willow loves paint.  Loves it.  She didn't dip her paintbrush in paint, she uses it to scoop it up and put it on the canvas.  Hers is very textured and layered.  :)

In the end, Willow had me repaint the red heart over her finished painting because her's had "somehow disappeared".

Jayden and A

Jayden seems to have another girlfriend.  We watch a little girl, A, about once a week, while her mamma works.  Little A is a bit of a turkey.  She is stubborn, knows exactly what she likes and doesn't like and will let me know when I'm not doing what she wants, and is not very free with her smiles and laughs, most of the time she is looking at me like 'You are NOT my mother!'  (Unless Royal is around, and then I'm her most favorite person!) 
However, she LOVES Jayden.  From the very beginning, she has followed Jayden with her eyes.  Then once she got mobile, she would quietly sneak up behind him and grab a handful of hair.  And for the most part, she only really likes to smile at him and laugh at the funny things he does.  Jayden is really good with her.  Always getting in her face to make her laugh, keeping her out of the dog water, away from the stairs, and carrying her around and jumping her up and down to entertain her.

Then, if you combine both Jayden and her other love, food, you have a magic combination.

I seem to remember Jayden having this effect on Willow too...  :)

Grandma's Bad Day

I was walking past Willow's doll house when something caught my eye.

Feeling quite disturbed about this, I find Willow and ask her what was going on with Grandma.  She replies, 'Oh, Grandma needed to get to the top floor.  That is the elevator."  Which, I guess that makes sense, since the lights are on a little pulley, so you pull down on one and the other goes up, but still.....  I feel a bit better about Willow's mental state, but have since removed Grandma from her "elevator".  :)

Kid Quote :: 24

After a long day of answering some demanding "Hey Moms!?!"....

Willow : Hey Mom?  Mom!  Hey Mom!?!

Me : Willow, I just can't do any more 'Hey Moms' right now.

Willow : Hey Rachel?