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Memorial Day Decorations

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

memorial-day-decorations

Here are some simple Memorial Day decorations: Pour sand into a clear glass jar, and stab a flag into it. On either side of that, light blue candles. I sprinkled gold confetti stars on the dark blue butcher paper tablecloth. I threw metallic markers on the table, so that the boys could draw on the butcher paper while waiting for their food.

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On either end of the table, I spray painted two shoe boxes black the day before. I filled those with sand, placing toy soldiers in the sand. I stabbed two American flags into the sand, so that they crossed each other. These decorations would also be good for the Fourth of July.

 

 

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Making Sun Prints

Friday, May 25th, 2012

making-sun-printsMaking sun prints can be fun for kids. You can make sun prints either with regular construction paper or sun print paper. Sun print paper is photographic paper that is highly sensitive to light. When you expose the blue paper to the sun, it starts turning white almost immediately. So don’t take it out of the packet until you’ve got your leaves ready. Choose leaves with interesting shapes.

Take the sun print paper out and place the leaves on top. Don’t do this on a windy day, or your leaves will blow off. You can place a small rock on top of the leaves to keep them from flying away. Within an hour, your sun print is done.

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If you are using cheap construction paper, it will take all day instead of one hour. Set the dark-colored construction paper out in the sun. Place your leaves on the paper, with rocks on top. Check it at the end of the day. The shadow covered by the leaf will be dark, while the rest of the paper will be much lighter.

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Mime Act for Kids

Monday, December 12th, 2011

Here is a mime act for kids that is super fun for entertaining audiences. My son was only 7 years old when he performed it! He taught himself how to do each act.

Here are the mime act ideas and how to do them:

  1. mime-act-for-kidsTrapped in a Box: Pat the air around you on four sides, as if you were in a box. Stiffen your hand when you hit the side of the imaginary box. You can open the lid and jump out of the box. Then push the imaginary box out of the way for the next act.
  2. The Stairs: Pretend you’re walking down the stairs, squatting down lower and lower as you go. This is a fun one to do behind a sofa so the audience doesn’t see your legs. You can climb back up the stairs if you want.
  3. The Elevator: Turn your back to the audience and push the imaginary button of the elevator. After waiting, get into the elevator and turn around. Press the inside elevator button. Now go down as smoothly as you can, bending your knees and squatting down low. If you want, you can come back up the elevator.
  4. Rowing a Boat: Stand with your body facing to the side. Pretend you are rowing a boat with an oar. When the current pushes your canoe backwards, try desperately to row your boat against the strong current. Or you can row around a lake in an oval shape, rowing back and forth. Don’t forget to lose your balance and fall into the water with an imaginary splash.
  5. The Fish: Make your mouth small, like you’re puckering up for a kiss. With both arms bent at your sides, swish your fingers back and forth like the fins of a fish. Swim around the room.
  6. Old Man: Hunch over and hold onto a cane. Wobble your cane and tremble as you walk, shaking your head as well.
  7. The Rope: An imaginary rope is hanging from side to side in front of you. Grab onto it with both hands, pulling yourself across the rope little by little.
  8. The Car: Open the door of the car and get in. Sit down and shut the door. Let off the break, put your keys in the ignition, and put your hands on the steering wheel. Start driving the car. Wave to the audience as you pass by. When you’re finished with your ride, get out of the car and shut the door.
  9. The Motorcycle: Sit down on the motorcycle and hold onto the handle bars. pull the right handlebar backwards several times to start the engine. Ride your motorcycle around the room. Try to do some tricks on your motorcycle, like taking the front wheel off the ground.
  10. The Bullfighter: Grab an imaginary red cloth and wave it in front of the bull. When the bull runs toward you, lift up the cloth into the air. Then turn your back to the audience and do it again. Try it from different angles.
  11. Building a Sand Castle: Sit on the ground and start filling your bucket with sand, using an imaginary shovel. When the bucket is full, turn the bucket upside-down, and whack it on the ground. Gently lift the bucket up, and admire your beautiful sand castle. Make another one.
  12. The Slide: Climb up the ladder of the slide, reaching up for each rung of the ladder with your hands. Once at the top, slide down the slide. Slide down the spiral slide, holding onto the sides and becoming lower and lower.
  13. The Monkey Bars: Grab onto the bar with one hand, then grab onto the next bar with the other hand, and continue until you have crossed the monkey bars. Turn around and cross the monkey bars from the other direction. Jump off at the end.
  14. Sliding Down a Pole: Grab an imaginary pole. Now turn around and around, making sure to squat down lower and lower as you slide down the pole.
  15. The Carousel: Get on the carousel, and hold onto the pole. Go up and down, making sure to continue holding on to the pole. Go in circles, and wave to the audience as you pass by.

If you enjoyed this video where my son did his cute mime acts, go to YouTube and “Like” it! My son is deliriously happy every time he sees another person enjoyed his act!

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What I Did on my Summer Vacation

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

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This is what I did on my summer vacation years ago. Maybe it can give you ideas on what to do this summer:

  1. I intentionally rested: I basked in the sun, occasionally took a nap in the middle of the day, sat on the deck and opened my heart to God with no agenda.
  2. We had free tickets for the children to ride roller coasters at Silverwood, and the entire family had fun as we got splashed, raced forward, and spun in circles.
  3. We saw fireworks on the fourth of July.
  4. We picked strawberries and made crepes, strawberry shortcake, and strawberry mousse. The crepes were absolutely divine.
  5. I threw a Mexican fiesta for my son Nathaniels’ birthday.
  6. I went yard saling with my mom. We found a table and chairs to upgrade the little table and chairs that my kids were outgrowing.
  7. My three sisters came to visit, and we played card games, laughed and whooped til late into the night. My mom paid for professional massages for each of us.
  8. We went to a Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Culture. The kids were able to play with the models of all his inventions.
  9. I went hiking through a forest alone with my husband. We saw a beautiful waterfall, and it was a gorgeous day. We went off the path and had fun.
  10. The children had a water balloon fight.
  11. We went to local parks at least a dozen times.
  12. We played croquet on the cool grass on a sunny day.
  13. I threw a Chinese dragon party for my son Bryan. We did an Ancient China unit study leading up to his party.
  14. We listened to a Henty book on audio, The Young Carthaginian. It was the only book I didn’t get around to reading for the Ancient Rome unit study.
  15. The kids went to Vacation Bible School at my parents’ church. After dropping off my kids one morning, my mom took me out to breakfast. We had bacon, eggs, hash browns, and sourdough toast.
  16. On another morning while the kids were at church, I recorded the audio “Overcoming Burnout,” to be released in January through a new audio club I’m starting.
  17. I recorded ten Dread Pirate Susan YouTube videos, which I had been wanting to do for months. Each video has one fun writing idea for kids who don’t like writing. I will be releasing one per week for ten weeks.
  18. We went to the beach at a local lake several times. We blew up a large yellow boat thing that looked like a banana. (I got it at a yard sale.) The kids had a ball.
  19. We picked cherries and made cherry cobbler.
  20. I went to Zumba three times a week.
  21. I read a few books, including The Heavenly Man: the remarkable true story of Chinese Brother Yun. This book had me choked up with joy over and over, and it stretched my faith. It’s kind of like Voice of the Martyrs, but close up.
  22. I revamped my prayer life. I need to remember to wait on God more, have more margin, and quit rushing. I need to be still.
  23. I asked God direction for homeschooling for the fall, and I’ve written down goals for each of my children. I asked God about changing my schedule, and I felt peace about keeping it the same as last year.
  24. The kids performed a talent show for my sisters while they were here: “The Evans Kids Have Got Talent.” The mime act was my favorite.
  25. Our whole family went to the dollar movie theater to see a few movies released months earlier.
  26. I made three different digital yearbooks for each of my children who had birthdays. I packed in tons of photos showcasing each child and what they had accomplished over the school year.
  27. We made a whole set of beeswax candles one morning for Grandma’s birthday.
  28. We made chocolate bananas.
  29. The children made crafts: bowling pins, masks, Chinese lanterns, etc.
  30. The children rode bicycles with me around the neighborhood.
  31. I re-organized my house, especially kid stuff and homeschool stuff.
  32. We went swimming at the local YMCA.
  33. We watched science DVD’s from the local library: Popular Mechanics for Children and The Way Things Work. Both series of DVD’s are excellent.
  34. We made sun prints.
  35. I conducted some simple science experiments with my daughter. The experiments related to nature, since she loves working in her nature journal.
  36. The children ran around, playing with nerf guns.
  37. I asked God for direction regarding my website, and He gave me clear direction. I’m excited about what the future holds.
  38. I went on a cruise to the Bahamas with my husband, on the honeymoon we never had…

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