Bombarded by school projects

This week has been full of school projects. I'm all for fun and creative ways to learn, but it sure would be nice if they were a little more spread out!

This week Kayden had to make a board game using the periodic elements. We used one of our Monopoly boards and covered it with with all the different elements, made cards, and unique game peices.

Then the girls came home and needed to make their Valentine's boxes. We got Taisha's done but Malia wanted to do something original (totally Malia). So we were going to try to make cupid. But after checking a million stores for a cream or light tan solid-colored gift bag in the right size, I gave up on that idea and we ended up making another girl (brown hair/green eyes this time). Then Malia had an idea for these unique Valentine's (totally Malia), so I had to check several stores to find them (finally at the Kmart right by my house).



Kayden came home with another project for science. This time we needed to make a model of one of the elements. He chose Bromine. So we ended up last night putting 46 clear thumb tacks and 36 blue thumb tacks into a racquetball (Kayden's hands were killing him after doing this, but extra credit for elements with higher numbers), then stabbed my metal shishkabob skewers all the way through the ball at 90 degree angles so that 4 circles of wire could hold all the electrons. We finished glueing the electrons in place last night about 11:30.



While Rik was working on that with Kayden, I was helping McKay fill out his Valentine's for his preschool party today. He would only write the " M", "c" and "a" though, because he worried that his "k" and "y" didn't look too good (totally like McKay to worry). So I think it took us 9 hours to get them filled out (my sister says I'm exaggerating, but it sure felt that long by the time we passed the valentines back and forth one letter at a time!)



Valentine's day was really nice though (despite all the homework). We were going to heart attack Rik's car (the kids and I made hearts with nice notes on them for Rik), but we had some scheduling problems, and I didn't think we would have time to get over to his car, get the hearts stuck on (if they would even stick... his car is filthy!), and get home, so we ended up heart attacking the back door, so when Rik opened the garage door, he saw them. I have to tell you how sweet Kayden is.... Later on that night he took some of the hearts off the door and wrote notes to me, and stuck the hearts all over my dresser. When I went in to get my pajamas on I saw them and got all teary eyed.... made all the hot glue burns on my hands feel all better! The kids loved the "red, pink, and heart" dinner we had with them (kind of) ... Malia was babysitting and ate later, Kayden and Taisha were both getting ready for basketball games, so they didn't sit down to eat, and I had to work, so I ate in the car on my way to the office.....so about as together as we get some days!