The Taylor Five

Educatin’ at Fort McHenry

In 1814, Francis Scott Key was being held on a British ship while Fort McHenry was being bombarded.  As a result, he was inspired to write our national anthem.  Not that he knew that’s what it was at the time.

This historical fort is right near downtown Baltimore, so naturally, we chose the hottest day on record* to take the kids there.    It made the period clothes-washing demonstration much more meaningful as the steam from the boiling water and the smoke from the fire mingled with the vapors rising from the ground.  I did it for the kids’ education, you see.

The first stop on this educational outing (after the clothes-washing) was a huge pile of mud.  I guess they just had to deal with mud in 1814.

Then it was on to the original Star-Spangled Banner.  Sort of.

Next it was the bombs of the sort that used to burst in air.

Next the cannons that shot the bombs across the bay.

Our final stop was the bomb shelter that was built after the 1814 attack on the fort.  It was never used, as the fort never came under attack again.  See, look at all that educatin’ goin’ on.

Did I mention that it was hot?  They’re worth it.

*I actually have no idea about the hottest day on record.

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Math Practice

Mother Goose Homework, 1:13 – 1:33 p.m.

Homeschool, 1:04 p.m.

Gingerbread Men

We baked gingerbread cookies today.

Wilson read the recipe for us.

Grandmother helped.

Thank goodness she did, ’cause it got a little hairy at times.

Gingerbread-men-baking is kind of a marathon.

Only the toughest survive.

And telling a 2-year-old that the M&Ms are for decorating and not  just for eating… well, that has consequences.

Adorable consequences.

Pouty lip consequences.

I’m glad we’re all tough in this family.

And now we have crowds of beautiful gingerbread men to eat.

Beautiful AND yummy.

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You STAY in the room, and make sure ‘E doesn’t leave

We had a Monty Python moment last night at the Galaxy of Lights.  While  waiting behind half of Huntsville to get in, I thought that—great homeschooling mom that I am—I’d make a simple math problem for the kids.

Marianne:  Why are we sitting here waiting behind half of Huntsville, Mommy?  (or something like that)

Me:  We are waiting to pay to get in to see the lights.  It costs $15 to get in, but if we give them a can of food, we save $1.  How much will we pay?

Wilson:  We pay $15 for the food?

Me:  No, the $15 is to see the lights.  We pay $1 less if we give them some food.

Marianne: The food costs $1?

Me:  No, no, they are collecting the food to give to poor people.  So, the charge is $15 to get in, but if we give them a can of food for the poor people, it costs $1 less than $15 for us to get in.  How much will it cost us?

Marianne:  Where is the food?

Me:  It’s on the dash.  So how much money will we need to give them?

Wilson:  For the food??

(If you’re wondering where Nick was during this conversation, he was in the front seat laughing his head off.)

Then of course those of us in the front seat had to reference The Holy Grail with, “You stay here until I come back to get ‘im.”   Of course, then the kids merged the jokes, neither of which they understood, and repeated, “You stay here, while I go get some food,” for the remainder of the night. Even Finch took his turn saying it, in his labored 2-year-old way. What a great lesson in practical math!

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Best Birthday Gifts, Part 2

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Best Birthday Gifts, Part 1

It was Wilson’s idea to make books for my birthday.  Here is the first of three books.  Click to see larger pictures.  The caption is a translation, when necessary.

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Popcorn Strands

We made popcorn garland for the tree.  Real old-fashioned popcorn strands with real old-fashioned needles and thread.

Some of us were very serious about the project.

Others found alternate activities, like stuffing their faces with food.

Or forming faces OUT of the food.  Whatever.

A good time was had by all…

Well, mostly…

(Forgive me;  I have to show the unhappy faces occasionally or I may  someday forget what life is like now.  I can’t imagine how many decades will have to pass for that day to come, but I like to plan ahead.)

And finally, lovely popcorn garland adorns the tree. Perfect!

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Remedies for a Dreary Day

Last week was a rainy week. It rained and rained and rained. Not to mention the week before, when it rained and rained and rained. And the week before that, guess what? It rained. Sooner or later, the rain starts to get to you. So at the end of last week, we started to combat the doldrums with these remedies. You might keep these ideas in mind the next time you feel gloomy.

1. BAKING! That classic feel-good activity which, of course, includes licking the batter off the beater (or “booter”, whatever floats your boat).

2. Dancing around the house with your shirt off and singing the Nakey Dance song.
(The kids like this one. I haven’t tried it yet.)

3. Eating a really unhealthy lunch while still Nakey.

4. Singing Mozart in barnyard animal voices. We found that chickens and ducks have voices that are best suited to most compositions.

5. Releasing the black swallowtail that was lucky enough to emerge from its chrysalis during a break in the rain.

Then letting the butterfly crawl on your face…

Then trying to find some nectar that is swallowtail-approved…

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