January Tidbits

January started out fast and furious for us.  Because things were so busy around Ryan's birthday we waited to throw him a birthday party with friends until January.  He asked for a "pirate" theme. 

1. Ryan's Party: We made chocolate cupcakes and I found some cheap decorations to put on top.  We had just a few snacks at the party: chips and salsa, a vegetable tray with some dip, punch (sherbert and sprite), and little bottles of water. 

Everyone took a map which led us around the party stations.  The first station was to dress like a pirate. 

 We had some foam swords available and some plastic pirate hats and eye patches, but some of the kids came with their own bandanas.  Also cool!

 We had our little craft table set up at Smee's  tatoo parlor.  Then the kids got tatoo-ed up. 

Then the map took the kids to station three, making their own treasure chest.  If you are a pirate and going on a treasure hunt, you need a treasure chest to keep your loot in.  The treasure boxes were $2.00 from Michaels craft store, and we had the other decorate stuff on hand.  I put out some glitter, stickers, stamps, shells and modge-podge.  The boxes decorated with stickers and modge-podge turned out very cute.  (The centerpiece is a boat Ryan made with his christmas tools).

 Then the map took us to an epic pirate "cannonball" fight which basically played out like dodge-ball with black balloons.  After that, they followed the arrows all over the kitchen and living room to find the treasure.  The arrows led them to the basement, where the treasure was buried in the sand table.  I had a bunch of prizes from my Speech Therapy prize box leftover, so I just used those as "treasure" (things like gold coins, medals, pencils, stencils, stickers, shells, pretty rocks, etc). 

 We wrapped up with cup-cakes and snacks.  

2. Back to School:  We jumped back into school and it was nice to get back to work.  Dylan continues to love his "chick-a-chicka-boom-boom" lessons.  We have decorated our ABC tree for winter using cotton balls for snow and dollar store snow-flakes. 

 

Our co-op began again this month as well.  We are doing a unit on nutrition and anatomy.   The first assignment was for the kids to help plan and make a well-balanced dinner.  Ryan planned baked chicken, cooked carrots and baked zucchini with cheese. We didn't quite meet all the requirements since we were missing a fruit and a grain.  He helped cook his dinner by trimming the fat off the chicken, putting the spices on the chicken, and putting the pan in the oven (with supervision of course).   He gave his meal a big thumbs up.  

While studying the Tudor's, Ryan couldn't help but notice that this queen had, "Super big muscles." 

 3. Surviving Winter: As usual in January, we are "surviving" winter.  This usually means doing anything possible to stay warm. Like drinking lots of hot coacoa and hot tea, wearing  legwarmers and layers and thermal underwear.....reading a lot of books and watching a lot of movies under blankets.  However, so far, this winter has been something of a disapointment in the snow department.  I can not believe I am saying this.  But I found a round snow brick maker and I was pretty excited to attempt a really good snow igloo this year.  So far, there just hasn't been enough snow.  Maybe February will bring the snow....