Moon Jellies craft part 2

This craft worked fairly well as planned. Only thing is that the tack didn't hold well, so they aren't hanging from the ceiling or anything tonight. Here's what they look like:

The boys making the moonjellies swim with the lights on and off. They look really cool. Wish I had a better way to make them hang.

How the jellies were set up as my hanging idea didn't work. Still look neat.

Moon Jellies - a fun craft

We had some fun with school today. On the FIAR boards, under the decluttering thread, it was suggested to have a "messy" school day. Seems like a good day to make our own moon jellies. Here's how we made ours:

GATHER SUPPLIES:
3" styrofoam balls
thumb tacks
cutting board
serrated knife
glitter
paint
glow bracelets
wax paper (or something else to go under painting)

With knife, cut balls in half (or close to half)

Spread out wax paper. Decide on color for moonjellies. Originally we were going to paint them white, but some were orangeish yellow, some pink, some white.

While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on the glitter. I also dunked the thumb
tack in paint and glitter.

After the paint is dry, the thumb tack can be put in the top with string attached so the moon jellies can be hung. Also, just before bed, we'll break the glow bracelets and put them on the flat surface underneath.

More pictures to come later today.

2009/2010 school year

. . . . has begun with a sick household. We've managed to get through Five in a Row lesson from "Night of the Moonjellies". We talked about running a business and responsibilities. The boys came up with great lists for this, but Thing Two said it best "I would want to run a school so it could be an 'unschool' and cut out all the boring stuff". Way to go to go kid!!!

The remainder of today, we might just work on household responsibilities (yes, I mean chores).

Pictures to help keep the memories are good pictures right? So here come the first day of school pictures:

Serious (but not to serious) first day picture!!

Only Thing Two really got into the silly picture.
Thing One just rolled his lower lip!


It can't be a "good" first day of school without something sweet cooking. These are peanut butter cookies (pre-made dough from cold section of grocery store), cooked, then push in a mini reese's cup pressed in when still soft. I used a mini muffin tin that has 24 cups. Hope they taste good, as I can't smell them.

Trip to Baltimore Aquarium

Today, the family and I took a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium. It was a neat, but warm, trip. Following are some photo highlights.

Dolphin Show

Other swimming things:

We saw sharks.


We saw electric eels.


We saw sting rays.


The main purpose of the trip was to see the jelly fish, as we start rowing
"Night of the Moonjellies" tomorrow. Wonder what connection the boys will make.

Tomorrow . . . .

is it. Tomorrow we kick off our 2009/10 school year. Don't know if the boys realize we're starting or not and I'm not totally ready either, but tomorrow's the day. We're using "Five in a Row" this year because we enjoyed it so much last year. Thought it would be fun to rerow a fun summer type book "Night of the Moonjellies" by Mark Sasha. To actually kick school off in a fun way, today after church we are going to the Baltimore Harbor Aquarium. They've got a jelly fish display, so that should be fun, too.

Other things on tap this go around:

• make our own moon jellies (with glow stick bracelets and foam balls, watch for pictures)
• set up a MarGra resturant
• okay, I admit, I've already forgotten some of the fun I have planned, but I'll blame that on the head cold I've had since Friday

Look out 4th and 1st grade, here we come!!!

P.S. more moonjellie posts to come this week. Stay tuned!!!