Fun summer stuff

I've been trying to find some fun things to keep the kids busy once summer is here so that I don't hear 'I'm bored' too much or don't have to fight multi-media being on all the time.

1- Got on eBay, a build your own house thing. I bought two. They were super cheap. Kaela wanted to do it and I let her.....well, TRY, that is. The thing sucks, broke a few times and she gave up on it. Daeton hasn't tried his yet, I think I'll do with him to see if it is just too cheaply made or if Kaela was being too rough.







5-in-1 Solar Power kit. I haven't even shown the kids yet.



I also bought (no pic shown) three super heavy boxes to 'make your own stepping stones.' They were brand new, in plastic wrap. I bought them for $4 each at Simi Thrift.

SVRR Track award picnic

We had the award picnic today for Daeton and Kaela's track team, Simi Valley Running Rebels too. They both received trophies, their yearbook, a 'good grades certificate' and some medals (Kaela) and ribbons (Daeton). We missed picture day because it was right after my car accident and we didn't have a rental yet. There is a few random pictures of Kaela in the book but I didn't see any at all of Daeton. :-( I told him he needs to participate more in the events and not miss the practices so much (some misses were due to his leg being hurt from the accident).


We got there 1 1/2 hours later and didn't stay for the water play (water balloons, the water spray part of the park is on and everyone brings squirt guns and super soakers). The kids are tired and the day was quiet cold (for us in Ca). It is overcast, cloudy, chilly breeze and 70 degrees (F). Daeton was shivering and begging to go home! LOL! I think being overtired doesn't help when a person is cold.

We haven't decided if they are doing cross-country this year but it doesn't start until the end of August so we have a little bit of time to decide. "I" want them to do it, but they are unsure.





We are now home and have an hour until we need to leave, again. This time for kickball practice.

Rockstar Kickball Party

The Newbury Park kickball league had their end-of-the-year party last night, theme was 'Rockstar.' I took a ton of pics (all on FB) but here are two cute ones to share. First is a random stranger that was just SOOO rocked-out I had to ask if I could take my pic with him. :-)
This is my younger brother and I. He was a few awards, including the Rambo Award and received a certificate and a strip of fake bullets to wear across his chest! The kids were with a friend and it was a fun night. I carpooled with three other friends and it was 3am by the time I got home. Got a phone call at 6am of 'your kids will be dropped off at 6:45 so that I can go running.' Got up when they arrived, went back to sleep for a little bit and got up again.


I am definitely T-I-R-E-D mommy today!

Pic of me & D

This is after Daeton's double performance tonight. He performed with two other students in his strings class (Daeton is learning violin) and then he performed as Starvling (and old man) in A Midsummer's Night Dream in is Much Ado About Shakespeare class. He was 1/2 in costume in this pic. I took a few videos but they aren't too great. My sister took some pics so I'll have to get her to send them to me so I can upload them (she has a better camera).


Both Daeton and Kaela had art work and other projects on display in various classrooms too. It was Exhibition Night at Huckleberry Learning Center. This is the place they both take a few enrichment classes. Today was the last of classes for the year. We are done until fall. They still have until the 9th for their school year to be out but are done with these classes so just need to do book work at home or field trips and other fun learning.

Monday-Friday of next week Daeton is attending Jr. Orchestra Summer Camp. It is a three-hour-a-day camp for one week for kids that play the violin, viola or cello. On the last day, in the eve, they'll have a performance.

Kaela and I are going to hang out with my friend, Michelle, and her daughter while Daeton and Michelle's son are at the camp. It is too much gas and time to go home and back so we figured we'd explore the city nearby or find a park or Starbucks to hang out at. Michelle and I can can chat and catch-up and the two girls can play. It will be a lot to be there at either 8:45 or 9:30 am (I need to check on which one with the teacher) considering it is 1/2 hr drive. But it will be worth it for Daeton to get a 'boot camp' for the violin to really set in all he has learned and for him to learn more before he has a long summer break. There is another 'camp' that I read about that is here, in our city, that is the same price so I might put him in that one too, later in the summer (there is two sessions). He seems to really like the violin but needs to practice a lot more. I'm hoping the more he learns and expands with it, the more he'll enjoy it and decide to just play, at random, because he likes it.

My Fruit Trees- Peach Tree Sick

My fruit trees are getting huge. I REALLY cut them back this winter but the sapling branches and leaves are all over both and fruit on the peach tree. The peach tree is a dwarf and the plum i semi-dwarf (but before I pruned it it the shooter branches were above the roof of the house). I LOVE these trees and wish I had the yard to have a dozen fruit trees. Besides these two I have a tiny orange tree (barely-above-knee-bush size).



The peach tree has some weird disease growing on it that seems to dry out the branches. First there is white fuzz then it dies and turns black and the branch underneath is messed up and dried out. I need to take the pics to a nursery and see if they can tell me what it is and if it is repairable. In the winter I cut off most of the diseased branches but it is there, again, on two main ones. I don't think I can cut it all off without cutting the tree so far back that I'd kill it. :-( These trees were both gifts to me from my mom and step-dad and I've always loved them. When the fruit is ripe I make jam with them and share with the neighbors. It won't be until late summer but the harvest is something to look forward to. The kids get excited when we get the first few pieces of fruit that are ripe enough to pick.





Last year birds ATE UP the peaches before I could pick them. I couldn't figure out why it was happening since it had never happened before. It dawned on me that my dog, Zeus, was getting old and no longer such a spaz that the birds were afraid to hang out. Last year he ignored the birds and choose to nap or rest in the shade so they snacked on most of the fruit. A friend, Judy, told me to hang CD's in the trees. As they spin the sun will reflect on them and it scares the birds away. I'll have to do this soon, since the fruit is starting to grow and I already see bite marks on the fruit and leaves. We put Zeus to sleep in November so he isn't here at all now to scare away the birds or squirrels.

New family members...rabbits

We just got two rabbits from someone on Freecycle. She was a busy mom with a one-year-old and needed someone that could give them more attention. The brown one is Rascal and the white-ish one is Sweet Pea (both are boys but she discovered that after naming them). They are both about 5-6 years old and super sweet. Our cat, Jett, isn't sure what to make of them and is afraid of them. :-)

Amish Friendship Bread

I've been making (and sharing) AMish Friendship Bread with a new-found high school friend, Leticia. It is a 2-week process and fun to make. If anyone wants a starter kit, let me know. The second pic, the finished bread, has some 'kids grabbed it' chunks missing but it is still a pretty bread and tasty too.

Chocolate covered fruit

We had some leftover Valentine's candy (yeah, it was lost or it would have been long gone) and we also had some strawberries that needed to be eaten. So, I melted all the chocolates, swirled them together (white and red on the bear made cute design) and we dipped some strawberries and apple slices in it. The swrawberries worked better. I think the chocolate didn't cling good to the apples because the apples were fridgerated. Will have to try them room temp next time. Regardless, they were YUMMY! :-)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books... next?

Daeton has read all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books. and.. . LOVED them.  I think the pictures breaking up the words/paragraphs make it easier for him to read.  He doesn't like 'picture books' per se but seeing a whole page of only words is sometimes overwhelming.

Anyone have any recommendations since he finished this book? Is there more coming out? Or similar authors/styles?

Unique Ouchies Band-Aids

I ordered these from Mamapedia Sweet Deals. 8 boxes of band=aids. 20 in each box for $10. Eric Carle, Natural History Museum, Mad Libs, Groovy, etc.

I've been subscribing to a few 'saving money' groups via email or Facebook and this was one of them. Others, Screamin' Daily Deals (got a Jolly Jumper for Kaela's birthday for $37, even though her birthday is in August), and BOGOPOD (got large 2-topping pizza, four soft drinks and $30 in tokens at Big Z's for $17).

Also (not sure where I bought it from) Newsweek magazine for $3.99 for the year and Cosmo magazine for $2.99 for the year.

I know it is still spending money, but most are 50-71% off of normal prices!

Da Vinci Museum Pictures

A few pictures from outside the exhibit (we were at the corner of Highland and Hollywood, in the city of Hollywood. There was about 20 people outside dressed up in costumes. They would pose with people for a photo or two and ask for a few dollars in return. I got a few pictures of the kids with Freddy Kruger (sp?) on my cell phone but need to figure how to put those pictures on here next.

Daeton and Kaela in room full of mirrors. Made so people can see all sides of their wardrobe at once.


Similar to a modern-day hang glider. Picture above is a bike. Kaela was 'squeezing Daeton to death' on purpose.

Simi Valley WAKA Kickball

Kaela took this picture of me in the dugout. I am on an adult kickball team (21 and up, co-ed). Our team is called The Free Ballers. We played a good game tonight but lost (5-0).

If this posts, I found a way to put pictures on my blog (at least one way). I have all my photos in Picasa2 and there is a box to click on to 'blog it.' So, this is a test to see if it works. If so, I'll upload pictures from the Da Vinci Museum too.

Coming Back, Again. Da Vinci Museum, Hollywood

Oh, my dearly neglected and almost forgot blog (I barely remembered the log-on password). It has been WAY too long since I have updated or posted on here! Basically since I became addicted to Facebook (FB) and started posting and playing on there all the time. Well, I've decided to try, again, to keep this up-to-date. I have long forgotten how to have the Google AdSense on the blog so deleted them. I might look into them and update at a further time. As for now, here is a brief update:

Still me in the same place, just two years older (my kids grew too!). Both of them are growing like weeds and I know it will be only a matter of time before they are both taller than me.

We have two weeks left of this current school year. Trying to do some fun things. On Friday of last week we went to the Da Vinci Museum in Hollywood. The kids got a kick out of the adults in costumes, posing with tourists with camera for a few bucks. I asked a StarTours guide if one of the local buildings paid them to be there. Her answer, "Noooooo.... they work as independents but they get in HUGE trouble if they go back without making enough money for the day." and then, as if she said too much, she changed the topic. Sounds like a new form of pimping to me! Just saying!

So, the Da Vinci... I had to DRAG the kids there! Not kidding. They both thought it would be stupid. Daeton thought he knew it all already. Kaela thought it would be boring. Well, they both really enjoyed it. We spent about 2-3 hours there. Daeton took about 40 pics and 8 videos of how some of the gears worked because he, 'wanted to buy the material and wood and use the ideas to build them himself at home.' Not sure it will ever happen but I love his ambition.

Afterwards we headed 3 miles away to Whimsical Alley (Harry Potter Store). It was open as we drove past it (big OPEN sign) but we parked on the side of the building, feed the parking meter (not used to having to PAY for parking everywhere- paid $2 after validation when we went to the museum). So... anyways, we get to the front of the building and it is 5:01 pm and the place is closed! :-(

Big MOM FAIL! I thought they were open until 6pm. That is only Sat & Sun. M-F they close at 5pm. So, we grab Indian food at a restaurant next door (took them 45 min to make it and we were the ONLY customers in the place) and Quiznos for Daeton and Kaela and we head towards the car.

The 6 miles from Whimsical Alley to the freeway on-ramp took 45 minutes and it took another hour to get home.

I let the kids watch tv in the car for the first time since we bought it (I told them it was for road trips only and not around-town-driving. It was QUIET in the car the whole ride as the munched on their subs and watched Freaky Friday.

Okay, off to cut coupons and get to bed.

My newest thing.... call me crazy but it works, is to get up at 5:30 and give Daeton his ADHD medicine and let him go back to sleep (and I do too). The meds kick in in about 1 hour and wake him up and I get up about 7am. In that 30 minutes of his own time awake he usually plays with Legos in his room or posts his own videos on YouTube (I'll share some soon). By the time I get my coupons done it will be after midnight so that is all for now! I have pics of Da Vinci Museum to upload too (I have to re-learn how). The place was suppose to close the end of May but they extended it until June. It is definitely a neat place to visit.

where charter school money comes from

Someone posted this on another chat group. It explains where the money comes when someone gets $1100-1800 in vendor money going to school classes or curriculum stuff.

This explains it nicely!

http://www.cacharterschools.org/pdf_files/Charter%20Funding%20Basics.pdf

:-)

Debbie

Ventura County Fair 2009 wrist bands with United Blood Services

United Blood Services called me today... they ARE doing the unlimited-ride wrist bands for the fair. One day only to donate. August 4th. I am going to the T.O. office to do it and asking my brother and sister too so that I can get wrist bands for the kids and me too! The main number is (805) 654-1600.

They are not taking walk-ins. An appointment has to be made.

school phonics websites

http://www.starfall .com/

http://www.abcfastp honics.com/

www.yourteacher. com

cheaper Easy Bake Oven refill cake mix

Cake Mix for Easy Bake Ovens

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup shortening

Combine all dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Store covered for 12 weeks.

To use: Combine 1/3 cup mix with 4 teaspoons water. Bake in easy bake ovens only.

chiff a a new Wikipedia? sorta

I had never heard of Chiff until someone gave me a link to something on this site. I have looked around a few times and love all of it. Kinda like a Wikipedia. Smaller but more details, how to, videos, educational... well, just check it out! Links on the left go to hundreds of pages!


http://www.chiff.com/

Car Cooking- tomatoes

I was laughing so hard when I read this.. and because it was tomatoes it made me think of Brian, my brother. Not that he'd do something as crazy as cook in his car, but that he loves tomatoes.

This is from a Yahoo Group that I am in called 'The Homeschool Mom in the Kitchen'

I can't even imagine how far this can go. Even science fair projects!!!



COOKING THYME with Latimer's Kitchen: Sun Dried Tomatoes in the CAR



Well it worked! With temps around 105 today, it was a real cooker!!

I placed the 1/2 inch sliced white and red paste tomatoes on racks on a cookie sheet and put them in my car window at 10am. By 3:30 they were well done to a crisp! (Should have watched alittle more closely as they are supposed to be pliable not crisp.) I am storing them in olive oil with minced garlic in the refrigerator.

I wondered why my thermometer was registered at 108 in the car all day...
It was because...it melted and exploded! Temps must have exceeded the 120 mark! Yikes!

And the smell....like something died in there! Tomorrow, I am drying my Basil! Hope that takes care of the smell!

Interesting experiment! Try it yourself!

leo Carrillo tide pools

We love the beach and science and exploring so we have decided to do Baby K's birthday this year at Leo Carrillo beach. They have great tide pools when it is low tide and a fun beach too. FYI- they do have camping available and a great website with 'jr ranger' information and more details about the tide pools, when it is hi/low tide, etc.

I saw this on someone else's blog and thought I'd post it here, to share with others!

:-)



For all you tide pool junkies here's the lowest tide that I know of this year:
3-Dec Thu -1.4 @ 4:17
Go to Leo Carrillo or Carpenteria to enjoy the low tides.

Ants Ants Ants learning and fun

Archibald's Adventure, Name that Pest and Pest Detectives are only a few games your kids can play as well as learning about ants and other insects that we call pests!

http://www.pestworl dforkids. org

Here are more details. Another great one from Clickschooling;

The focus is on education - not eradication of cute bugs. :)
You'll learn about the anatomy, habitat, and behavior of:

.Ants
.Bed Bugs
.Bees
.Cockroaches
.Fleas
.Lice
.Rats
.Spiders
.Stink Bugs
.Termites
.Ticks
~ and many more!

When you get to the site, turn on your speakers and watch a
brief introductory animated video, then click on the
"continue" button to examine the "Pest Guide from A to Z."
You'll see pictures and read fascinating information about the
useful (and sometimes annoying) critters that we see around
our homes. Then, explore the rest of the menu that includes:

*Pest Games - Play interactive games like "Name That Pest!"
that test your knowledge of the critters in the "Pest Guide."

.Lesson Plans - Get an assortment of FREE lessons for a wide
grade-range that feature insect anatomy, native habitats and
behaviors of insects and rodents, info on termite specimens
and colonies, and learn how to prevent an infestation. You'll
also find suggested language arts activities and learn about
classical taxonomy.

*Report Writing - Use a 10-step template for learning how to
take notes and organize them into a paper on your favorite
pest.

*Science Fair Kits - Get some student-tested science
experiments with Pill Bugs, Ants, and Fruit Flies that you can
do in your own home.

25 awesome virtual learning experiences

Another great one from Andy. He is on the internet wayyyy too much! LOL!

This are great to do with the children, homeschooling or just for fun.

http://aceonlineschools.com/25-awesome-virtual-learning-experiences-online/


Virtual trip to the moon, 7 wonders of the world, museum of Iraq, the Supreme Court and more!

Definitely worth checking out and to save to look at again and again!

Bottle Village in the Ventura County Star

This is a great article written about Bottle Village that just ran in the Ventura County Star.

I can not get the original article but this is the editorial one that was available online the next day.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jul/29/bottle-village-worth-02/

There are a ton of comments in the 'comment section' too the following day.

Not that everyone had the same opinion but it is still great that the community is becoming more aware of it. Some people have lived in Simi Valley for a few decades and have never seen nor heard of Bottle Village.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/photos/2009/jul/27/71413/

http://www.venturacountystar.com/photos/2009/jul/27/71412/
http://www.venturacountystar.com/photos/2009/jul/27/71412/

Lawnmower Recycling Program Free Discount Voucher

This is a great way to turn in your clunker and get a brand new lawnmower for cheap and help with air pollution at the same time.

The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) oversees the Clean Air Fund, which was donated by Imation (formerly 3M), and is the source of funds for this lawn mower trade-in program. VCCF is a charitable foundation committed to promoting and enabling philanthropy, building long term capital to benefit Ventura County. Its four primary roles are to be a careful steward of the funds entrusted to its care, a long term partner dedicated to donor intent, an effective grantmaker focusing on the needs of nonprofits and of the community, and a community leader and convener, focusing on the common good. More information about VCCF is available at http://www.vccf.org/


Trade in any gas-powered lawn mower and get a huge discount on any electric mower at Lowe’s in Ventura or Simi Valley or order the 14 inch Neuton Cordless for only $89 or the 19 inch Neuton Cordless for $189 including free shipping.



Turn in your mower to either Oxnard Metal (805) 483-0512, Standard Industries in Ventura (805) 643-6669, or the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center (805) 579-7267. (Hours and directions for the Simi Valley facility may be found at http://www.keepingventuracountyclean.com/hours.html) Make sure you get a receipt for your old mower. Mowers must be drained of any oil or gasoline. Fluids should be recycled at your local Household Hazardous Waste program. More information on Household Hazardous Waste Collection Programs is available at http://www.wasteless.org/5_5HHWCollect.html.



Ventura County Air Pollution Control District staff will issue you a voucher worth $129 off the price of a standard corded electric mower or $200 off the price of a cordless electric mower. Customer pays sales tax. Vouchers limited to one per household. Call (805) 645-1408 or download here a short voucher application. Please bring proof of residency e.g. DMV ID or utility bill.

http://www.vcapcd.org/LawnMower_EN.htm

My mom told me that anyone doing this should upgrade and get a cordless one. She said just one time of accidentally running over the cord and paying to have it repaired will make up the difference you pay ahead of time to get the more expensive model.

There are a few different mowers on the website to choose from!

:-)

free movie tickets Fandango and World Market

A friend, Andy, told me about free movie tickets being given away from World Market that was good for yesterday and today only. We were at a counseling apt that was only 1 mile away so we decided to go. Most things in that store are over priced but we found a few gems! Kaela got a jump rope that has each handle spin off to be a bubble container and bubble wand. Daeton got some 'Hazardously Extreme Sour Candy' called Toxic Waste.. I remember this candy as a different name when I was a kid. I got some Clove Gum and BlackJack gum for my mom (sue used to buy it when I was a kid) and a dark chocolate candy bar for me.

I asked one of the store clerks if they were still doing the movie ticket offer and she said yes, it is printed on the receipt and if you pay for all of your items separately I can get more then one.

So, I did. I have a few. But, realized when I tried to sign up that they ALL are the same code and the free movie ticket is only for the first 10,000 people. The clerk had told me I enter the code, online, and right away print out my own movie ticket.

So, this is all a joke how they do it. It is not 'get a free movie ticket' it is more like 'you MIGHT get a free movie ticket' and only one per email address.

Since I was tricked by the World Market promo/email and told the wrong info, I thought I'd share so that everyone else can enter too! EVERY one of my receipts has the exact same password on it!


Here is what you do:

go to www.fandango.com/worldmarket

enter passkey MOVIES

You will then get this:

Cost Plus World Market Ticket Giveaway

Thank you for registering. You will receive an email on August 6 (the end of the registration period) that will let you know if you are one of the first 10,000 customers that qualified for the FREE movie ticket. Winners will receive a unique promotional code via email with instructions on how to activate your code and redeem your FREE movie ticket.

Funny, even on the World Market receipt it says "enter passkey to receive your unique Fandango code and a FREE movie ticket".. and in small print.. must be first 10,000 customers to register to receive the unique code via email.

So, bummer that now I have to wait 8 days to know IF I got the free tickets or not. But, I did register under my email, my Amazon email address, Little D's email my Yahoo email and my sister's email. Why not, I bought more then one item and I have the receipt for that, right?

Pass it one! Not sure what number they are up to now!

KLOS Blood Drive free concert tickets

This is a great way to help the Red Cross with their blood banks and get free t-shirt and concert tickets too. I've been waiting to donate blood, to see if the Ventura County Fair was going to give away unlimited ride wrist bands for donating blood... but I just found out they are not doing that this year. So, driving to my dad's for dinner. Flipping radio stations (I do that ever time a commercial break comes on) and heard them talking about this on KLOS.

I went online to see if I can make an apt but it is saying that for both dates the Thousand Oaks location (closest one to me) are full but walk-in is available. I'm going to call in the morning to double check!

Read below for more details or go to their link, http://www.955klos.com/Article.asp?id=863888

You can also click to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc.



CALL NOW 1-800-GIVE-LIFE! or www.givelife.org Sponsor Code: KLOS

The 28th Annual 95.5 Blood Drive
July 28 - August 1, 2009


KLOS Live Broadcast & Host Schedule

Tues, July 28 10-2pm Cynthia Fox (Live Broadcast) Pomona
Tues, July 28 2-4pm Bob Buchmann (Live Broadcast) Pomona
Tues, July 28 2-4pm Kelli Gates Santa Monica

Wed, July 29 2-4pm Gary Moore Long Beach
Wed, July 29 2-4pm Suzanne Ansilio Santa Monica
Wed, July 29 4-6pm Frank Sontag Thousand Oaks
Wed, July 29 6-8pm Tony Scott Santa Clarita

Thurs, July 30 4-6pm Jim Ladd Woodland Hills
Thurs, July 30 4-8pm Uncle Joe Benson (Live Broadcast) Upland
Thurs, July 30 5-7pm Joe Reiling Ventura

Fri, July 31 4-6pm Frank Sontag Pasadena

Sat, Aug 1 10a-12p Denise Westwood Laguna Hills



In 1981, KLOS organized its first American Red Cross Blood Drive at Los Angeles High School, collecting 250 pints of blood. Twenty-eight years later, the KLOS Blood Drive has grown from a single-site, single-day event to a multi-site, multi-day event, making it one of the largest media-sponsored blood drives in the country.
With your help, we've collected over 105,000 pints of blood for patients who needed blood and blood products to survive accidents, heart transplants, premature births and many other ailments. This summer, we're looking to make and break records for the most blood collected, and only with your help, we can do it!


Need some incentive? Participants in this year's KLOS Blood Drive will be offered a voucher for a free concert ticket and the 28th Annual Commemorative KLOS T-shirt.


Concert tickets are limited; donors with scheduled appointments will receive PRIORITY on concert preferences.


Concert choices are as follows and provided by LiveNation.com:


(1) Crue Fest 2 at the San Manuel Amphitheatre on Friday, July 31, 2009;


(2) Journey at the San Manuel Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 1, 2009;


(3) Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick at the San Manuel Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 6.


Spread the word to all the classic rock fans. Check out the 28th Annual KLOS Blood Drive on Facebook.


To make your appointment for the KLOS Blood Drive throughout Southern California, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit www.GiveLife.org and enter sponsor code KLOS. Walk-in donors will be accepted at the KLOS Blood Drive, but those with appointments will be given preference.

Daily posts

By the way.. I was sooooo trying to have a goal that even if I did not post all the time, on the same day, that I would post monthly the same amount of days that are in that month! I am WAYYY behind since for the last two + months I have barely posted! LOL! I DO have a lot of things saved that I want to post so I will do that soon!

:-)

updates and Paypal

Hey everyone, I have not updated my blog in a while and intend to this week.

Please look forward to info on how to send people money on Paypal without paying fees! (hee hee- secret I found out).

And, I can ship almost anything with Paypal now. Even non-eBay payments. So, sending a box to my grandma, a book that sold on Amazon or that is from Paperback Swap, etc... you can do it with Multi-order shipping on Paypal.

The one thing that I can not ship is International- First Class. Paypal USED to allow this but changed it about a year ago (probably to make more money for the USPS). So, those items have to be brought into a post office to ship.

The kids are at Vacation Bible School (VBS) this week from 8:30-12 so after driving I have about 2 hours of free time! YEAH!!! Trying to get all my paper piles taken care of. Nice to have a few hours of 'me' time that only happens once a year!

:-) We have been busy too. Aquarium of the Pacific, California Science Center, Magic Mountain, etc. and we saw the new Harry Potter movie, The Half-Blood Price, today!

Oh, and I can't forget the Roller Derby! THAT was a blast! ! ! !

:-)

I'll update everything else soon!

Debbie

yahooGroups outage....

UPDATE: The outage scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, will not take place. Instead, on Thursday, July 16th, there will be a site-wide outage impacting all Yahoo! Groups.

During this time, you will not be able to access any of your groups, and, mail will be delayed. Once the site is back up, mail delivery will resume. This outage will start at about 3pm PT (10pm UTC/GMT-to determine what time the outage will take place in your neighborhood, please visit this link: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html) and should last roughly 2 hours.

text message codes for everyone- FREE ;-)

Okay, so my kids are not at the age that I have to worry about them texting to other people things like TDTM or PAW so this list might be things I need to learn, for when I am texting! LOL! But, I'm sure in a blink of an eye my kids will too be at that age! Warning.. some are very crass but good to know if you have pre-teen or teen kids!



http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/fox_5_links/Top_50_Text_Acronyms_Parents_Should_Know_052009


Top 50 Text Acronyms
Parents Should Know

Updated: Friday, 22 May 2009, 5:07 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 20 May 2009, 8:59 PM EDT

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Here is a list from netlingo.com of the top acronyms commonly used on the Internet and in text messages.



Top 50 Text Acronyms Parents Need to Know


1 8 Oral sex
2 1337 Elite
3 143 I love you
4 182 I hate you
5 459 I love you
6 1174 Nude club
7 420 Marijuana
8 ADR Address
9 ASL Age/Sex/Location
10 Banana Penis
11 CD9 or Code 9 Parents are around
12 DUM Do You Masturbate?
13 DUSL Do You Scream Loud?
14 FB F*** Buddy
15
16 FMLTWIA F*** Me Like The Whore I Am
17 FOL Fond of Leather
18 GNOC Get Naked On Cam
19 GYPO Get Your Pants Off
20 IAYM I Am Your Master
21 IF/IB In the Front or In the Back
22 IIT Is It Tight?
23 ILF/MD I Love Female/Male Dominance
24 IMEZRU I Am Easy, Are You?
25 IWSN I Want Sex Now
26 J/O Jerking Off
27 KFY or K4Y Kiss For You
28 Kitty Vagina
29 KPC Keeping Parents Clueless
30 MorF Male or Female
31 LMIRL Let's Meet In Real Life
32 MOOS Member Of The Opposite Sex
33 WYCM Will You Call Me?
34 MOS Mom Over Shoulder
35 MPFB My Personal F*** Buddy
36 NALOPKT Not A Lot Of People Know That
37 NIFOC Nude In Front Of The Computer
38 NMU Not Much, You?
39 P911 Parent Alert
40 PAL Parents Are Listening
41 PAW Parents Are Watching
42 PIR Parent In Room
43 POS Parent Over Shoulder or Piece Of Sh**
44 PRON Porn
45 Q2C Quick To Cum
46 RU/18 Are You Over 18?
47 RUH Are You Horny?
48 S2R Send To Receive
49 SorG Straight or Gay
50 TDTM Talk Dirty To Me

Magic Mountain Read to Succeed program Free Tickets

Want FREE tickets for Magic Mountain? You can register your school and receive free tickets for Magic Mountain. Go to www.rtsregistration.com And sign up your school with the number of teachers and number of students. You need to sign up sometime now or at the beginning of the school year and they will send you a packet in December. The tickets will not be good until June-August of 2010, at the end of the school year. Or you can call them at (866) 308-1362 for more info and to sign up!

:-)

Fun and cheap things to do in the summer

This link is from Cheap Stingy Bargins. I am not too familiar with them but I like this list.


http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/136215/cheap-and-free-summer-entertainment-kids-will-love/

Summer just started and if you've already run out of ways to entertain the kiddies, then keep reading. Three months can seem kind of daunting-- especially if you've got energetic youngsters to take care of. There are plenty of cheap and free ways to give them a summer full of fun memories.

Free Classes

Take your wee ones to the Home Depot the first Saturday of the month at 9am for free workshops. This summer they'll build a hardware sorter and a picnic caddy. You can also check out Michael's for free craft classes and demonstrations all summer long. Your local library likely has a long list of free summer events and activities your kids can participate in as well.

Free Treats

There are plenty of restaurants and ice cream joints giving away free treats. Here's how to get your hands on some sweet summer snacks. This Wednesday night, take the kids to Sonic for free rootbeer floats. The fun starts at 8pm and goes until midnight. If you're a fan of the Frosty at Wendy's, sign up here and you'll be able to print a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon. Friendly's is also giving away free ice cream on June 6 from noon to 5pm.

Free Camp

If your child is more interested in technology, send them to Apple camp. They'll learn how to make movies, presentations and photo slideshows on Mac computers. It's free, but you have to register ahead of time.

Free Bowling

Few places keep the AC cooler than the local bowling alley. Make plans to visit regularly by signing up for free bowling at KidsBowlFree.com. There are participating locations all around the country. Once you register, your kids can bowl two games a day, all summer long. Adults can join in for a small fee.

Free Fun at Home

No swimming pool in the backyard? Set up a sprinkler and let your little ones get soaked. Too hot to be outside? Download these free super hero mask templates and let them create their own characters. You can also sign up for to receive free temporary tattoos while you're there.

Free Gym Membership

Get your teens signed up for a free two-month membership at Lifestyle Family Fitness. There are dozens of locations in Florida, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. You must sign up by June 30. Fitworks in Kentucky and Ohio is offering a similar free membership for teens this summer.

Free Movies

Beat the heat with regular trips to the movie theater. Head to the Regal Free Family Film Festival for free flicks every Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10am. Or you can head to an AMC theater for AMC Summer Movie Camp. Admission is $1, but it goes to a charity. The event runs every Wednesday at 10am from June 17 to August 5. Cinemark theaters are showing kids movies every weekday morning throughout the summer. Shows are $1 each, or you can enjoy ten shows for $5.

Free Museum Admission

With Target's help, admission is free at a bunch of museums across the US. Check out the Sponsored Happenings page to find out what is going on in your area and when the museums are open for free admission.

free concert Charlotte Diamond in Moorpark

FREE CONCERT -- CHARLOTTE DIAMOND

Friday, June 26, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Bring your picnic dinner and blankets to Arroyo Vista Park in Moorpark
Call or stop by the Family Resource Center for more information and to RSVP
Moorpark Family Resource Center:-- 805/552-1917 moorparknfl@sbcglobal. net

My son LOVED Charlotte Diamond when he was in preschool and for another year two after that. She has great songs and a fun, sing-song voice! You can hear her smile when she is singing! Two favorites in our family are 'Slippery Fish' and 'Ohhhhh, I Am A Pizza' there are many more too.

This is not the way we did the song but similar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOkFKucIl8Q

Here are two of the 'I Am A Pizza' song. The second link is a live concert at CSUN with Charlotte Diamond.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2Zwvyhms8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4HuoZM4hq8

Please make sure you call the ph # or email in to RSVP to the free concert in Moorpark. They will need an aprox. headcount.

:-)

Scam alert on Facebook

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourmoney/scamalert/articles/scam_alert_false_friends_on_facebook_.html


Scammers are everywhere. Be careful who you add as a 'friend' on Facebook. This is a new one that is just out but I'm sure there has been others and I'm sure there will be more to come, sadly!

U-Promise.com account for kids for college

In my opinion, this will never pay the way for your children to go to college. But, since it is free, why not let it save some money for you. There is endless ways to sign up. I am more basic. I have my credit card on it, my Ralph's card and my Von's Card. When I go grocery shopping and use my card the money goes directly to the account. It is usually petty amounts. There is a pending one right now for 7 cents. A recent one is for 15 cents. But, since my kids have years until college, this is just money that will sit there, so why not?

Right now I have almost $250.00 in there! I can designate it to one child or just leave it for either Little D or Baby K to use or another family member too!

www.upromise.com

:-)

Strawberry Jam

I made strawberry jam today with the kids. Not a huge amount but I was really craving some and had strawberries and did NOT want to go to the store to buy jam. I have two large jars (quart?) of strawberry jam and after measuring I have about 2 cups more of strawberries left but needed 4 1/2 for the jam. I could not half the recipe because the pectin came in a liquid-gel squeeze bag and I have no clue how to split that. So, with the rest I made strawberry-banana jam. The color looks a little cloudy- like the same color of the stuff that is skimmed off the top before ladling it into the jars-I'm hoping it still taste yummy.

I will make more soon and at the end of summer, when our peach tree is ripe, I plan to make some peach jam.

:-)

Summer fun

There are lots of fun things to do this summer. Yes, swimming, running in the sprinklers and just staying at home, playing with toys, is great. But kids do get bored. You do not have to spend a fortune every day to entertain either.

Some cool ones;

Ventura County Fair- there are usually two days that it costs only $1 to get in.

Summer Reading Program. Around here there are shows in the libraries in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Oak Park, Moorpark and Camarillo. I'm sure others a little further out too. The actual reading program is a little boring for Little D. The prizes are items like a pencil or a sticker. But the shows are great. Magicians, music, theater, a raptor show, The Reptile Family and more. Last year there were Hawaiian dancers at the Moorpark Library. At the end of the reading program there is usually a large prize. Not sure if is every year but often it is 'kids golf free' at Golf 'N Stuff.

The Regal Theater offers free movies every Tuesday and Wednesday the whole summer long. They start tomorrow. They are older movies, not new releases, but most we haven't seen.

The beach.. need I say more! :-)

There are some museums around here that are free. Travel Town by the L.A. Zoo has some locomotives that are neat to climb on and look at. California Science Center in Exposition Park is free and there is about 3 other museums that branch off from the same parking lot.

You can even go to a pet store and just walk around and look at all the adorable animals!

:-)

Tour of a blimp :-)

Cut and paste for you, another great one from Clickschooling! :-)


The Goodyear Blimp
http://www.goodyearblimp.com/basics/index.html

Age Range: 9 and up (younger children may enjoy aspects of
this interactive virtual tour with parental guidance)

Most of you have seen photographs of the Goodyear Blimp flying
over the crowd at a major sporting event. Some of you may have
even seen the Goodyear Blimp as it travels through the skies
overhead. Since 1925 it has been the giant airborn icon of
the world's largest tire and rubber company. Did you ever
wonder what it would be like to get a close-up view of the
Goodyear Blimp? Well, now you can! At this website you can
learn all about the history, technology, and business of the
Goodyear Blimps through an amazing in-depth virtual tour.

When you get to the site, you'll land on the "Interactive
Tour" page. You'll see a video screen and below it is the
interactive menu you'll reference to take the tour of the
airship that includes:

*Anatomy - Explore the science and technology that comprise
all of the components that make up the blimp.

*Controls - Check out the inside of the gondola where the crew
and passengers ride. See the control panels that guide the
ship through the skies.

*Electronic Sign - Explore a timeline of the electronic
technology utilized to flash promotional messages from the
ship.

*TV Camera - The Blimp is known for providing a "view from
above" at sporting events. Find out how they do it.

*Flight Scenario - From launch to landing discover the science
behind a dirigible flight.

*Building A Blimp - Take a photographic tour of the
manufacturing process from blueprint to blimp.

*Personnel and Equipment - Meet the crew of the Goodyear
zeppelin, and check out some equipment.

After taking this tour, use the menu at the top of the page to
explore the amazing history of the blimp. The FAQs will
answer your questions about the military use of blimps, what
happened to the most famous airship of all - the Hindenburg,
and more.

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
http://www.ClickSchooling.com

pictures from the Hubble telescope

My aunt sent this link to me! Some of the photos are amazing!

For you astronomy buffs, check out these pictures from Hubble.


http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/entire/

Steve Spangler on the Ellen Show

I first heard about Steve Spangler from a mom on a homeschool chat group. They had a park day and had done tie-dye shirts a different, easy way. I had not attended but was instantly hooked when she posted how she did it and the link to Steve Spangler's online store. I could shop on there for hours! At Christmas time, last year, when my mom asked, "What should I get the kids?" I told her about this website and she too went crazy and spent wayyyy too much money but the kids LOVE the presents. It helps that Little D and Baby K LOVE LOVE LOVE science experiments. So, this evening, before bedtime, I showed them a new email with a video on it from Steve Spangler. Of course, they wanted more. So, I went to Youtube and we watched a few. There a a large amount to choose from but I just put a few here for you to check out and enjoy. The 'elephant toothpaste' and the girl walking across the gack are my favorites!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUMX_b_m3Js&feature=channel


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzLLldxnutQ&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKEroA23WFw&feature=channel

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/?gclid=CMDWytyUjpsCFRwDagodABpLow

The reverse helium makes me want to figure out how to purchase that gas! ;-)

The last link is for the online store! They can also mail you a catalog!

:-)

clickschooling Free science videos

NeoK12: Educational Videos for Kids
http://www.neok12.com

Age Range: 5-18 (Grades K-12)

ClickScholar Michael Grice recommended this website that
archives educational videos from across the Internet in one
place. The videos are terrific learning tools that explain and
illustrate the wonders of science to kids in grades K-12.

When you get to the site you'll see a menu of main categories
that includes:

*Physical Science - Watch videos about the atom, electricity,
gravity, laws of motion, magnetism, relativity, state of
matter, and more.

*Chemistry - View videos on acids and bases, the periodic
table, organic chemistry, etc.

*Life Sciences - See films on wildlife, insects, marine
animals, plants, cell division, photosythesis, pollination and
more.

*Human Body - Watch information on the circulatory system,
digestive system, repiratory system, nervous system, skeletal
system and more.

*Earth & Space - Enjoy videos about comets, galaxies, the
moon, the solar system, deserts, forests, claciers, oceans,
seasons, volcanoes, and more.

You'll also find a selection of videos on other subjects such
as Social Studies, Health, Math, English, and more.

Note: In the "About" section of this site it explains that all
of the videos listed are reviewed for appropriate content for
children. Nevertheless, I recommend that parents AS ALWAYS
preview every film to be certain the content is suitable for
your own family.

Bookmark this site to use it as a learning resource again and
again.

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
http://www.ClickSchooling.com

Faery Hunt- vote for best theater in Los Angeles area

My friends Michelle and Jason are Faery's in this as well as their children. Please go to the website and vote. you can vote one time a day and it is over soon. We have gone to this twice, as guests of theirs and both of my children LOVED it (little D was worried it would be for younger kids and he would be bored).

Please take 2 minutes and vote! :-)



FAERY TRAIL THEATER (A FAERY HUNT) NEEDS YOUR VOTES TO WIN THE NICK AWARDS

Click here and vote every day for Faery Trail Theater to win

The race for the 2009 Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Awards in the category of "Best Theater or Theater Group for Kids" is on!

The competition is getting stiffer. We have dropped from 81% of the votes to 44%. There are still 29 days left in this competition.

Please support the Faeries for the win by voting once every day.

You can also support the faeries by forwarding and enlisting friends and family to vote for us too! We would greatly appreciate the support!

You can vote through this Newsletter at the above link or by going to www.afaeryhunt.com and clicking the Nick button on our home page daily.

You can also find the voting pages by going to GoCityKids home page at www.parentsconnect.com/parentspicks. Click Los Angeles and then the category "Best Theater or Theater Group for Kids."

A win for the faeries could really help us when we apply for grants and seek angels and/or sponsors for our outreach programs.

While you're at GoCityKids, why don't you check out the hosts of this contest. If you are unfamiliar with GoCityKids, they are a wonderful reference source for children's activities and other children's services in our community and others.

FAERY FOLKE CONTINUE IN GRIFFITH PARK AND CORRIGANVILLE THIS SUMMER

A Faery Hunt continues our weekly performances. If you haven't caught the new adventure, come and see "The Lia Fail and the King of the Faeries." It is a fanciful romp through Faeryland with some of your favorite characters from the last story and some funny and whimsical new ones.

Please go to our website at www.afaeryhunt.com for locations, dates and reservations or call 818-324-6802.

A THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTERS
A Faery Hunt would like to thank all of the people who donated this past month. Your dollars went to support our participation in 2 events for the Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society in May and June. Your donations also help us to continue our weekly visits to Northridge Hospital ICU and children's ward and our visits to Shriners Hospital for Children.

Thank you to Clif Bar for donating all of those yummy new Kids Clif Bars. They are a perfect and healthy snack for our hungry faery hunters to complete a perfect day in Faeryland.

We would like to highlight one of our faery fantastic supporters this month and her beautiful work.



The exquisitely posed faery fotos to the side throughout this newsletter are by Dorothy Wallace Photography. Dorothy Wallace specializes in magical fairy portraits of children in an enchanted garden setting with vintage style costuming & wings provided. Her work has been featured in Faerie Magazine & Somerset Studios' Life Images Magazine. Please visit her website for additional information and to view examples of her sepia & hand colored imagery at www.dorothywallacephotography.com .

OTHER PIXIES IN THE PARK
We like to support other faery happenings in our community. For you Faery entusiasts in Orange County, this Pixie Festival looks like a morning of faery fun :



Hope to see you soon in Faeryland.

Many Pictures Courtesy of David Hofmann
To see more click here:
www.lightonkids.com

Simi Valley Kings Hockey Schedule- ice

I have this song in my head, I heard it from a friend whooooo.. heard it from a friend whooooo.. heard it from a friend that there is a hockey game! ;-) Bwram bwram bwram!

LOL! Okay, I have three friends on Facebook that I went to high school with that have a mutual friend that knows all three of them from totally different places. So, we have chatted and are now 'friends' on Facebook. He plays hockey for the Simi Valley Kings and I asked about his schedule. I thought it would be a blast to take the kids to see a game. And, unbeknown to me..it is even free! :-) So, come as you are and just come! I am going to try to take them to at least one, more if they like it. The ones that are at 8:15 and 9:45pm are too late at night but all the others should work. Call my cell or email if you want to come with us!


Simi Valley Kings end of the season schedule

Below is the list of our final games of the season at the Easy Street Iceoplex in simi. Next to the date if it says OLY it is the ice rink to the left when you walk in the building, the NHL is to the right. Only one game was not specified on the schedule. To double-check though, when you walk in, there is the dry-erase bored next to the cashier window (all games are free to watch)...it says Olympic or NHL at the top...look at the time slot to see the Kings game listed for the specific time...that is us. Depending on what side of the board we are on says which ice surface we're on. The schedule should be accurate though. Hope to see you out there. The team always hangs out after in the parking lot for beers and "social hour) so feel free to bring some cold ones and join us!


Sunday, Jun 21 OLY 5:45 PM LOS TOROS NADS VS KINGS

Sunday, Jun 28 (?) 9:45PM KINGS VS THRASHERS

Sunday, Jul 12 NHL 2:15 PM KINGS vs ACME WARRIOS

Sunday, Jul 19 NHL 2:15 PM KINGS VS STARS

Sunday, Jul 26 NHL 2:15 PM VINTAGE vs KINGS

Sunday, Aug 2 NHL 9:45PM ORGANIZED CHAOS VS KINGS

Sunday, Aug 9 NHL 8:15 PM KINGS VS LOS TOROS NADS

bottle water -recycling

I cut/paste this from Tania's Tips. Funny because my dad was just telling me about this about a week ago. My reverse Osmosis is leaking and he told me that chlorine is an unstable chemical. So if your drinking water has 'that' taste. Put it in a pitcher in the fridge and overnight the chlorine will evaporate. In the morning you'll have crisp, cold drinking water.

Tania's tips;

Today's Tips:

* Something to think about: Here in our city if you buy bottled water for a family of 4 it costs about $1700 a year. If you use tap water for that same amount of water, it costs $14.

Have you heard the joke that says, "He is such a good salesman that he could sale ice to an Eskimo?" Well, I think some good salesmen got together and said "Let's see if we can sell water to people who get it for almost free from their tap." ...And it worked. They did it. I don't know about you but there are an awful lot of things I would like to do with $1700.

* Want water that tastes as cool and crisp as a mountain stream? Pour your water into a jug and put it in the fridge overnight. All chlorine and chemical taste disappears and the water is delicious.


On top of the savings... what about all of those water bottles? Yes, you can say you recycle them by putting them in the recycle container. Or you might even take them to a recycling center and get the money, like we do. But, did you think about the fact that even if the bottles were recycled it would still be better to not ever buy or use them in the first place?

I have had friends rave about something called a Clean Canteen (or it might be spelled Klean Kanteen). It is a tall metal water bottle that is washable, reusable and you do not have to worry about the weird chemicals that the water bottles can emit into the water when they get too hot in the car.

Ventura County Fair 2009 Read and Ride and wrist bands and more

It is Fair time at the Ventura County Fair Aug 5th-16th.

Parents/Teachers:

students can earn free carnival rides through our reading program, “Read & Ride” for local kindergarten through 8. Go to their website and print it out. Fill it in. Mail it in. There is a deadline for mailing it in.

The last 3 years (or more) United Blood Services off a free wrist band that is for unlimited rides at the fair to those that donate blood. This is a great way to save money and to go on what ever rides you want, even if it is 40xs! :-) There are blockout dates on the wrist bands. That happened to us last year and it was a bummer. I didn't notice and when I tried to turn in the tickets for the wrist bands I was told that I couldn't. :-(


There are also hundreds (seems like millions) of categories for entries at the fair. Food items, like cookies, muffins, homemade jam, best grown veggies. Table setting, Lego built items, writing, drawing, sewing, a large amount of animals (mostly 4-H clubs). And a category of display boxes (not sure what the entry is called). Most are a group of similar items all put in one display case. Some are very unique. Stamps, Legos, US military medals, I even saw a Hello Kitty one. Oh, and a fish tank display. About 200 tanks that were individual entries. Some just pretty. Others had themes to them.

Books should come out soon with more details on how to enter items. I checked with the Simi Library on Friday and they hadn't seen them yet but that is one local place that I have seem the books out for people to grab!

OLX free online ads

Okay, there is another 'new' one. Not sure when it started up but my sister found it and emailed it to me to share. Similar to Craig's List and www.kijiji.com also, for local ads you can go to the Pennysaver's website and have a free online listing!

http://losangeles.olx.com/

OLX looks like it is growing quickly and is very popular!

:-)

free science experiment :-)

I cut/paste this from an email from Robert Krumpt. These are fun and educational. Lots of explanation of whys. I did this one with the kids and it should a substantiation difference in a very short time period!

:-)



A Hot Change



Greetings from our home at the beach. I managed to get caught up this week, posting two videos to get back on schedule.



The free video is Just a Suggestion, an exploration into how simple suggestions can influence your brain in advertising. It can also make your nose itch.



The members video is on Osmosis, showing the basics of how salt and other dissolved materials cause water to move into and out of cells.



Last week, we took a brief look at an endothermic process, seeing that dissolving epsom salts in water lowered the temperature of the water. This week, we will examine a process that is exothermic, which means that it gives off heat. To try this, you will need:



- a bowl

- a thermometer

- 3% hydrogen peroxide (from the grocery or pharmacy)

- yeast

- pencil and paper



Pour about 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bowl. Find its temperature with the thermometer, and write it down, labeling it "Starting temperature." Stick your finger into the liquid, and it should feel cool. Normally, you don't go around sticking your fingers into chemistry experiments, but in this case, we know that hydrogen peroxide is not harmful.



Sprinkle about 1/4 of a teaspoon of yeast into the bowl, and give it a stir with the thermometer. The mixture should start to foam, and its temperature should increase quite a bit. If you stick your finger into the liquid, it should be getting warm.



OK, so why did it get so warm? Think back to last week's experiment. We said that whenever anything changed, energy is involved. Last week, the process of dissolving the epsom salts in water needed energy, so it absorbed heat energy from the surrounding water, making it cooler.



This time, we are looking at a different process. Hydrogen peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2, telling us that each molecule is made up of two atoms of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen. Looking at the formula, it looks very much like the formula for water, H2O, and it is. The extra oxygen atom is not very stable, so it is easy for it to be released. That is what formed the bubbles you saw. The gas inside was oxygen. (See Experiment Video #60, Extra Oxygen to learn more. http://krampf.com/members/extra-oxygen)



The yeast contains an enzyme called catalase, cause the hydrogen peroxide to break apart into water and oxygen gas. In the process, energy that was stored in the chemical bond is released as heat, causing the liquid to get quite warm.



Any time something changes; you need energy. Sometimes energy is absorbed, and sometimes it is given off, but energy is always involved in change. That energy can be heat, as with these experiments, but it can also be other forms of energy, such as light, electricity, motion, etc.



Now it is time for me to gain some energy and lose some at the same time, by having a nice bowl of ice cream. The calories (stored chemical energy) will warm me up, after the cold ice cream absorbs heat as I eat it. What a wonder-filled way to study energy!



Have a wonder-filled week.



***************************************
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homeschool updates

Okay, it has been so so so so busy here. 3 weeks left until the end of the school year, other busy stuff. Lots of running around. I'll update soon! Just realized it has been over a month!

:-)

Check this out... great online store!!!

WATCH this one after it loads! Great website for whoever created it!

:-)



http://producten.hema.nl/

fun things at Valenica library

I cut/paste these from an email from a homeschool chat group. We are planning to go to both!

:-)


FIRST Lego League Robotics workshop at the Valencia Library

Friday, May 29th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
All Homeschoolers ages 9-14
a.. Introduction to what FIRST Lego League is all about
b.. Hands-on Demonstration
c.. Find out how this project-based learning program covers the entire curriculum
d.. Lots of fun!
Did I mention this is FREE?
Please pass this on to other homeschoolers that may be interested!

We will be accepting applications to form a Santa Clarita Homeschool Robotics team to compete in the 2009 Challenge.
It is so much fun the kids don't even realize they are learning about math, science, physics, engineering, technology, research, writing, graphics, public speaking, teamwork, and presentation skills!

(Younger siblings may attend with an attentive parent but unfortunately they will not be able to do the hands-on portion of the workshop as our materials are very limited.)




Hear Ye, Hear ye,

Prepare ye for the HuckleBerry Renaissance bookfair and show on Thursday, June 4th from 5:30-8:30, at ye olde Barnes and Nobel on Valencia Blvd in Santa Clarita

Events include: Renaissance games and crafts for children of all ages,
Fantastic books and craft kits for summer fun
Musical performances of Renaissance music by minstrel string ensemble
"A taste of Talent" theatrical review including Shakespeare excerpts

Come one Come all, young and old, to celebrate summertime with revelry and pomp. Bring a friend and your summer reading list.

I bid thee adieu until then!

free math website mathcats

This is a great website. Fun math for kids. Some for 'outside the box' thinking. The 3-D tic-tac-toe is fun too. Little D and Baby K were looking at the cat in the boat one and Little D figured it out in less then 15 seconds! I was amazed! I haven't been able to check out the whole website but what I found was fun and the kids enjoyed it too!

:-)

http://www.mathcats.com/contents.html

old old old songs, records

I pulled up a few of these for the kids and we had fun with it!

:-)


http://www.kiddierecords.com/2009/index.htm