making hovercrafts

ok....so this turned out to be a super cool and super easy to make toy/experiment/lesson for the kids in hovercrafts and friction.

i do science each week for jack's class...and a lot of the time i go to www.thekidshouldseethis.com for inspiration...that site is awesome.
i found this and made a slightly different version that worked so well!
you take an old cd and glue a rubber disk to the center with a hole in it (i just used sticky pads that go on the bottom of chairs to stop them from scraping the floor...no glue, easy to hole punch)
then you dissect a ball point pen...you just want to keep the shaft and the top.
i got the kind that have air holes in the cap so i didn't have to stick a pin in to make a hole
place the cap in the disk.
rubber band a balloon to the shaft of the pen...and blow up balloon...hold end with finger until you can quickly insert it into the pen top
and then lightly nudge it...if you have a hard floor it will glide as far as the balloon's air allows!
check out the site to see it in action...

the kids LOVED it...and i was able to recycle some old scratched cds =)

basement and greenhouse

jack exploring the basement after the folks left =)

and we hauled a truckload of rotten straw to the beds....and i transplanted squash, spinach (should direct sow), chard (should also direct sow), tomatoes.....
and then some mint and oregano, rosemarys and lots of strawberry roots (never done this before..hope it works!)

it is SO hot! i need to be planting okra!

pouring the concrete wall

so today after i picked up jack, the kids RAN to the top of the hill (their lookout) to watch the concrete pumped from the cement truck (multiple cement trucks) to this other large pumping truck and then through a long tube and into the wall all the way around...
it was truly a spectacular show of ingenuity
there was a fellow...you can see him in photo 2 in the foreground with a remote control that i guess was controlling the flow? and the pump on the truck?
anywho...they'll take off the temporary walls on monday and we'll get power hooked up monday!!!
it is so neato that there is always something happening....steps just moving along each day...
so exciting!

Christmas gifts and wax lips =)

kelley and adam and i JUST now sent eachother Christmas boxes =)
they made jack an INCREDIBLE shield and sword...and sent esme a tiara...
they LOVE them and have been playing princess and knights ALL the time =)

i gave the kids wax lips a while ago....they both have enjoyed them so much =)

"bacon" shells

these are a few of the shells jack collected...
he liked all the ones that looked liked bacon =)

wood delivery

clay has donated all this wood for the back porch...and for the cabins for clay and folks to stay in while building...
i love how big and hunky it is =)
i think they are milling a lot of it....but still...i love to see it in 10 by 10 sections =)

more granite for lintels!!!!

so much happening today!

the footers were poured a couple days ago....

and today the granite is being delivered!
this is for all the lintels over the doors and windows and it is from elberton!!! (right next to where we used to live!)
it is super cool that almost all the materials are from georgia...the brick, the granite, milling some wood (you can see the logs in the background)

the hunk josh is crouched beside will go over the french doors leading onto the porch!

greenhouse update!

so the seedlings are READY to go into the ground and the kids and i are working hard to get the greenhouse ready!
we finished the plastic (mostly) and made boxes....today tilled up with a shovel 2 boxes....
so just have to finish tilling, add dirt (see big pile the bobcat brought down for me!), plant and gather rotten straw and manure for fertilizer!

happy kids...

our dear and talented joanie just made esme this dress and shall!!!!!!
she won't take it off!!!
just look at all the gathering on the dress!!!!

yay for an easter dress!

and jack is sporting a shield and sword made by our dear friends adam and kelley!
talk about blessed kids with generous friends!@