Painting with a Twist {Mom's Night Out}

Moms need time to refresh and renew.  My dear group of friends understand that so we try to schedule Mom's Night Out about once a month.  I dream of painting like Bob Ross so I always love it when we go on painting outings.  

For December we went to Painting with a Twist to paint a cute Christmas truck. Painting with a Twist is a cool place to spend a few hours with friends.  We had a private party so our group chose the picture we wanted to paint and scheduled the day and time that worked best for us.  You can bring your own snacks and drinks (yes, wine is fine!).  The instructor is at the front of the room and he walks you through step-by-step as he teaches you how to paint the selected picture.

It was so much fun painting with all of my sweet friends!  We talked as we painted and may have even cut up a little, perhaps encouraged by the wine.

And we all went home with a cute Christmas painting to hang on the wall.

This was my second class at Painting with a Twist and I just love it.  It is perfect for a Mom's Night Out or even a birthday party.

NatureGlo's eScience: MathArt Online 4-Class Bundle Review

Recently the members of the Homeschool Review Crew were given the opportunity to review a new online learning program from NatureGlo's eScience that combines both math and art.  The course that we reviewed is called MathArt Online 4-Class Bundle.


All of the courses are taught by Gloria Brooks who has a bachelor degree in K-12 education.  She is very knowledgeable about math and science and you can truly feel her passion as you look over her website and watch her courses.  

The four classes incorporated in this MathArt 4-Class Bundle include:

• Math Connections with the Real World: The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Numbers
• MathArt in Ancient Cultures
• MathArt in the Arts and Sciences
• MathArt - Patterns in Nature

I love Fibonacci Numbers so we began with Math Connections with the Real World.

Math Connections with the Real World is a 6-week course.  The lesson plans are summarized below.

• Week 1 - Introduction and History of the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Numbers
• Week 2 - The Golden Number and Fibonacci in Art, Architecture, and Nature
• Week 3 - Fibonacci Numbers - Flower Petals, Seed Heads, and More!
• Week 4 - History and Golden Ratio of the Great Pyramid of Egypt
• Week 5 - Quasicrystals and the Golden Ratio
• Week 6 - The Mathematics of Music

For each week's lesson, there are beautifully illustrated slides that your student can look through online. I chose to print the slides and put them in binders so each of my children would have their own copy to flip through as we watched the videos and they could take notes on them as needed.

There is also a study guide for each week's lesson that reviews points covered in the lesson.  The student can use it to take notes as they watch the video or they can use it as a study tool to prepare for the quiz at the end of each lesson.

The course website also has third party resources for each week's lessons which include informational text, videos, fun Quizlet matching games, and even instructions for making Fibonacci cookies!   There is truly a wealth of information there.

The four individual classes are $149 each for one year access.  But if you want all four classes you will save money on the bundle for just a single payment of $536.40.  This allows for one year access to all of the course materials and can be used by multiple students in the same household.

Our schedule did not allow us to participate in the live class but each class is recorded so they can be viewed on your own schedule.  I am very grateful for this feature.  We watched the first three weeks of lessons but my children found the recorded online classes to be slow and frustrating at times so we did not continue.  They said it was distracting to have to listen to other kids slowly reading aloud the information on a slide or watching them use a drawing program to drawing boxes around the slide pictures for emphasis.  They would have preferred to simply have the teacher teaching the information to them rather than overhearing an online class that they aren't participating in.  They preferred to use the slides and website for the remainder of the course.

If you would like more information about these online classes, please check out NatureGlo eScience on the following platforms:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/natureglo1/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/natureglo1   

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nesschool/pins/         

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/2/110614921959731305213  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1hasc   

If you would like to read other Homeschool Review Crew members' reviews about the MathArt Online 4-Class Bundle, please click on the banner below:

Youth Fire Academy

Nicholas got to attend Youth Fire Academy at our local fire station.  It was a four day class learning all the ins and outs of what the fire department does.  He learned about the history of the department, emergency medical services, and even fire investigation including meeting Ziva, their new arson dog!  

He got to shoot a real fire hose (with the pressure turned down so it didn't lift him off the ground!).  He also used a real extinguisher to put out a fire.  He learned about fire science and can identify every different emergency vehicle they have.  He saw the Jaws of Life and put on a full fireman's suit complete with a full air tank. He said it was heavy!  

His favorite part of the experience was getting to learn about CareFlite.  They spoke with the CareFlite pilots and got to sit in the helicopter.  He has decided that he wants to be a CareFlite pilot when he grows up!  I love exposing the kids to new experiences because you just never know what is going to jump out at them and create a new passion.

He made chocolate chip cookies for the firemen who taught the class.

This is Fireman Joe.  He not only won the Gold Medal at the World Polica and Fire Games in the bench press competition but he also set a new world record! 

Nicholas even got this cool Youth Fire Academy t-shirt!

Herbology Day Camp at Camp Tonkawa

We went on a field trip to Camp Tonkawa back in 2009.  You can check it out HERE.  We had an amazing time and I've been wanting to go back ever since.  

Well, I found out that they were offering a series of Herbology Day Camps for adults and I signed up right away.  Here's the class description:

This class series was set up for adults interested in building a special relationship with plants.  We will investigate Culinary, Essential oils, and Medicinal values of different plants each session. It will include Wild Edibles, Poisonous plants  and Gardening tips.  Each class you will go home with recipes, knowledge about something we made, and lots of information that you can put to use in your own home.  Children are welcome to listen in or they can use the day for Wood Exploration Time.  The workshop is really set up for the Parents, and other adults.

You can check it out on their website for more info: http://www.camptonkawatexas.com/classes/herbology_day_camp.shtml 

Ever since we took the Primitive Survival Camp at LLELA last summer, the kids and I have been interested in learning more about edible wild plants for culinary and medicinal purposes.  We were all excited!

There was Ms. April, the owner, as well an assistant and her daughter.  There was just one other mom and she had a son about Nicholas' age.  It turned out to be a fun group.

We started off learning about pine trees.  We learned how to tell the difference between a pine tree and a spruce tree.  If the needles come off the branch in groups of two, three, or five then it is a pine tree.  Spruce tree needles are usually found as singles on the branch.

Pine nuts can be found at the base of each scale on the pinecone.  They are a bit hard to crack open but you can usually smash them with a rock to get to the soft nut inside.

The kids were told to gather some pine needles because we would make some pine needle tea later.  Pine needle tea is full of Vitamin C, K, and A as well as beta carotene, thiamin, and riboflavin.

Did you know that the sap of a pine tree is flammable?  Great info to know if you need to start a fire or make a torch.

A Kid's Herb Book is one of the herbal books recommended.  I flipped through it briefly and I want a copy for myself. 

We broke up or cut up our pine needles.

Then we placed the needles in a pot.  We filled the pot with water and let is steep in the sun while we continued with the class.

We learned about this spiky tree called the Hercules Club.  It is also known as a Toothache Tree because Native Americans used to chew the bark to make a paste that soothed their sore gums and teeth.

Although the class is intended for adults, Ms. April worked with the kids just as much as the adults.  I really appreciated that.

This is chickweed.  It is full of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients.  It is completely edible and can be tossed in salads.  However, our class is getting fancy today.  We are going to make a Chickweed Pesto and Chickweed Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!  Then we'll use the leftover chickweed to make a healing salve.

It's an unusual looking plant.  We found it growing heavily in the shaded areas under trees.

We found some edible violets and taste-tested them.

My kids are such picky eaters sometimes but I'm so proud of them for being adventurous enough to want to try new edible plants they learn about.

On the property is the cool tree house that is no longer used.  Oh how I wish I had a big piece of property with a tree house on it.

And I want a creek bed on my property too.  The boys had a great time making their own fort area in the creek bed.

Once we were done gathering our chickweed, we headed to the cute outdoor kitchen and made our Chickweed Pesto.

Here's the recipe in case you want to try it for yourself.

Rachel tried the Chickweed Pesto on a piece of bread and didn't hide what she thought of it.  One bite was all she needed.

On the other hand, Nicholas loved it!  He came back for thirds!

And he ate up his Chickweed Grilled Cheese sandwich.

After lunch, we did some more exploring.  We learned about Shepherd's Purse.  The leaves are supposed to look like little purses but they just look like hearts to me.  Shepherd's Purse is mild flavored.  It can be used to reduce bleeding of wounds and nose bleeds.  It can be used in a mixture like a tea to help with stress.  It can be crushed and placed on bug bites to soothe them.  It can also help with blood pressure and menstrual issues.

Ah, beautiful wisteria.  The flowers are edible and people eat them raw or put them in salads.  However, it is very important to remember that the rest of the plant it toxic so be careful.

This beautiful leaf is Lemon Balm.  It was used by the ancient Greeks over 2000 years ago.  It has so many good uses.  It relieves tension, anxiety, and insomnia.  It helps with toothaches, soothes bronchial inflammation, menstrual cramps, and digestive problems.

We learned how to dehydrate herbs for storage and later use.  You can use a dehydrator like this one or just tie them in a bundle and let them hang upside down until dry.

We had a wonderful time at the class.  Before we left, Nicholas found this beautiful caterpillar.  Look how well he camoflauges with the wooden table!

Fort Worth Zoo Homeschool Day

We love Homeschool Day at the Fort Worth Zoo!  We get to hang out with our friends but there are always special educational activities and keeper talks for the kids.

We were on our way to a talk on the Komodo Dragon but got distracted by this Gharial swimming right towards us.  Don't worry, They are behind glass!  The Gharial are the largest species in the crocodile family with average adults measuring 11 ft - 15 ft in length.

I love this quote by John Muir.  It's so true.  Our world is in a delicate balance and every change that happens in nature has some small affect on the world we live in. 

We got to the Komodo Dragon exhibit early because Nicholas wanted to be sure to get a good spot.  The Komodo Dragon is the largest living species of lizard with a maximum length of 10 feet and weighing up to 150 pounds!

We had the exciting opportunity to watch the Komodo being fed.  The keeper fed him from a distance because they are strong and can get aggressive when food is involved.

After the keeper talk, we went to an educational class in the amphitheater.  We learned about the corn snake.

We touched a real ostrich egg!

And learned about big toads.

Here is Rachel's interpretation of a toad!

We walked along some of the exhibits and Nicholas caught this cute dragonfly.  He always has a way with catching bugs of any kind!

As many times as we've been to the zoo, we've never noticed the Tasmanian Tower, a 25 foot climbing tower inside the Australian Outback section of the zoo.  Tickets are $3.00 and you get three attempts to reach the top.  Each time you slip off the wall counts as one attempt.

Nicholas got pretty high but he lost all three attempts trying to get over the ridge right above him in this picture.

We went back to another class and Rachel was eager to answer the keeper's questions.  I was so proud of her for not being shy!

She was really being brave today because she even decided that after the class, she wanted to go back and try the Tasmanian Tower too!

Nicholas was determined to give it another attempt and he went right past that ledge that had defeated him earlier in the day!

And he made it to the top of the 25 foot tower and rang the bell!  I'm so proud of his determination and persistance!

Of course, we HAD to stop by the aviary so the kids could feed the birds.  They LOVE this part of the zoo.

Nicholas is amazingly patient when he is trying to get a bird to come to him.  He held the food stick up to the bird and slowly pulled it away until the bird stepped off the branch and onto the stick.

He was so excited but managed to stay still so he could keep the bird on the stick.

He was even being a great big brother by teaching Rachel how to get a bird on her stick too.

She is not as patient and quite giggly when the birds start eating from her stick!

Next, Nicholas tried to lure the bird onto his hand...and it worked!

But why stop there?  He had the bird walking up his arm!

Mama always loves to see the Bengal Tigers, perhaps a little reminder of home (LSU's Mike the Tiger!).  Rachel was very concerned that the tiger in the bottom of the picture was dead.  I explained that she was just sleeping but Rachel watched her like a hawk and was finally relieved to see her pick up her head to look around.

Beautiful beast...

We headed towards the elephants and I noticed this neat sign.  What an easy way to break down the steps of drawing an elephant.  I'll have to try this with the kids when we get home.

My silly kids

Nicholas said the giraffe was looking right at him.  I think he was!

Rachel loved watching the Meerkats scurry around and in and out of their tunnels.  There is always a sentinel who stands up and looks around to warn the family of danger.

Ok, this picture was just funny to me.  It almost looks like a mirror image! Ha ha!