Atmosphere Balloons

I L-O-V-E balloons! I have been a professional balloon decorator for about ten years now. It's like my side job- I don't consider it a job, because I enjoy it so much. Here's a picture of one place I decorated:

Anyway, today I was getting things ready for school and was reading my lesson plans and saw that we would be studying the atmosphere of earth. Not bad for my 8th and 6th graders, but the though of trying to explain this to my 2nd grader and kindergartner, just was not really striking me as, well, fun. I prayed and the Lord brought this to my remembrance. There is a balloon decorating trade-secret called the "Gum Ball". It's pretty cool. All it is, is a balloon inside of another balloon.  Every time I do one, people ask me how I did it.
I say this out of love and habit:

Before doing this, please watch your little people around balloons, especially if the balloon pops

Here's the scoop:

• I got two balloons- one clear and one blue


• I folded the blue balloon length wise and stuffed it into the clear balloon- OR you can use the eraser side of a pencil, insert it into the blue balloon, then into the clear balloon, whatever you you do, just get it inside! just make sure you leave the tails of the balloon even, it would be even better if you the blue tail partially out.


• I didn't feel like going into the cold garage to use helium, my hand pump was not handy, so I used what I had-my air from my mouth! I Pushed the blue tail over and only blew up the clear balloon- half way only.


• Pinched the tails


• Next, I blew up the clear balloon. The blue balloon will stop the air from the clear balloon from coming out. Be careful, because the clear one will continue to expand with the blue one.


• For the younger children, I tied off the blue one, and pushed it through the clear tail so, it was kinda bouncing around inside.


• For my older children, I tied off the blue tail and left the it out so, they could label their balloons with the different atmosphere levels.


• To make a stand, I cut a piece of paper lengthwise and taped it in the shape of a circle.


• Here is a video, so you can kinda see what I did:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN5tq-wrCWs
Now here are some pics:
My middle son with his Atmosphere Balloon

My youngest son with his Atmosphere Balloon

Oldest son's labeled:



Atmosphere Balloon on paper stand:

Kinder Eggs

I love Kinder Eggs! They are only available outside the US due to the small parts and cannot be sold in the US. My mom went to Germany and was able to bring my children back quite a few. Here's  the kids with them: How to eat a Kinder Egg-
First, you remove the wrapper from the chocolate and break the egg in half:
Inside the outside of the eg is brown chocolate and inside of the egg and white chocolate: (make sure you look a dreamy eyed like my son here)


Inside, you will find the "yolk" which is really a plastic yellow case, open it and there is a toy inside!

Something Pretty Neat

I am still excited about Mr. Obama winning the election. Thank you to the ones who left such sweet comments-God bless you for your understanding spirit. My mom was in Israel with a group from our church on election day. While she was traveling she picked up some newspapers for me, and my family. It was more of a blessing to me because on her way back, I wouldn't be able to talk to her until she got to Chicago and I really, really wanted some newpapers from Israel and Germany about such a historic day here in the US. So, I did only what I could- I prayed and asked the Lord to tell her to purchase me some. Well, she called me from Chicago and I told her. The Lord answered my prayer and she bought me about 10 Newspapers!!!!! Here are pictures of a few:
These are from Israel: 




This last one is from Germany:

Proud Moment-11:04 PM

"Crispus Attucks fell so that Rosa Parks could sit, Rosa Parks sat so that Dr. Martin Luther King could march, Dr. Martin Luther King marched so that Barack Obama could run, and Barack Obama is running so that our children and grandchildren can fly." I wish my ancestors could see this day- but because they can't I am going to rejoice for them. Please beware- this video will break your heart:

I'm really late on this post

I have been meaning to post these pics, but for some reason, I forgot. My mom and I teach the New Members Sunday School Class. We teach a course that goes through the entire Bible in a year. Well, we got to the Tabernacle and it was laid on my heart to make our own. I told my mom and we went to work on it. The presentation for Sunday School was great! God blessed! Well, then my pastor asked us to present in Bible Class that following Tuesday. My dad dressed up as the High Priest and once again, God blessed!
We put a fog machine under the Ark of the Covenant so when the we got to that part of the lesson, we turned it on and had the "Shekinah Glory"  while the church members walked through it. Here are some pictures:

Western Fun

We have FINALLY finished this chapter of our studies. It seems like every time I thought we were finished with it, something else would pop up and we would go right back into it! Did I mind? Yes and no. The grand finale was more than what I expected. God is so faithful and good!
We were studying a chapter on early American History and the first 15 US presidents. I was blessed to already have everything I needed. I thought that was enough, until I began to read some more and realized I really wanted the children to learn about The Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail-two things I never learned about in school. (I am a army brat and by the time we were ready to cover the topic, we moved and when I got to the new school, they had just finished it). A friend of ours from church loaned us the game Oregon Trail- too much fun! I would advise it for older children who like computer games. Amazingly, I was able to make it to Oregon City the second time I played. The first time, I died from scurvy and starvation because I didn't hunt and pick berries properly. I couldn't hunt because I didn't buy enough ammunition at the last trading post we passed. So sad. The other wagon trainers buried me so nicely and then I got the big, "GAME OVER" Geez, they could have broke it to me gently. lol (BTW, Thanks Brianna)
Anyway, I wanted the children to make covered wagons- once again, because I never did. They turned out better than I expected. We just some shoe boxes and hot glued the paper across the opening and added a few pipe cleaners to give the paper some stability. The children made items that would be needed in a real trip west. It was fun! Oh and we made weels from the lids of the shoe boxes.
We learned about the California Gold Rush. Then, I wished there was a way to have my children to pan for gold so they could really understand the books we were reading from that time period. Little did I know my prayer would soon be answered.
While looking at a website of our local Indian and Western museum for someone else, I stumbled across an offer they had to get a membership free! Not only that, but within the week they were having something called a West Fest. So, I got the info and we went. It was waaaaayyyyyy more than I expected! It solidified everything we had been learning in this chapter of Weaver- my children even got to pan for gold!!! I had fun, my children had fun!!!! Of course I took pictures and I even got a little video or two.
First are the pics, second is a video of a guy who was really funny and loved yodeling, and the third is a video of a woman doing rope tricks and such. Enjoy- we did!

The Yoddler (sp?)

Once Again...

Please be patient while I give my blog an extreme make-over : )