Our Advent Countdown Calendar

Even though we had a full week after Thanksgiving before Advent began I have to admit there wasn't much I did to get ready.  Any time we can spend with Dad we absolutely do! Luckily, I had ordered my candles several weeks ago and, of course, our Advent/Winter term was ready before Thanksgiving.  The kids enjoyed their first week already. But over the weekend I realized I hadn't purchased or put up an Advent countdown calendar.  The kids always enjoy the treat but really I'm not enjoying having six of them around anymore (maybe that was my procrastination).  ; D

What to find in my craft drawers that I could turn into just one calendar?  ... board, push pins, rubber stamps, garland and candy!!!  With the help of the kids this is what I came up with:

We took a pin board; decorated it with a garland and stamped some pocket pillows from the craft store.  These were on a clearance bin over the summer and I couldn't resist the price.  I'm glad I've found use for them.  Each pillow is filled with six treats the kids get to enjoy:

I'm having the kids replace the candy with a piece of paper.  They can write a word or more about something good they've done or seen that particular day.  A sort of good deeds/things collection spot. There it is a quick put together Advent countdown calendar for our family. 

I'll be back later to share our Advent/Winter term books and nature study table ; )

Mighty California White Oak Tree

Over the summer we loved sitting under the shade of a Coast Live Oak tree in our neighborhood park.  Well, as nature study goes, you start to notice all the details of what becomes your subject.  Not because your told to but because you are near it so much that you can't help but explore all it's intricacies.  An image has been set.

The school year activities began and so did my running around.  One Thursday afternoon for a particular choir practice; the boys and I ended up at a park near our church while we waited for the girls.  Mind you, we've been to this park plenty of times, but this day was a little different...the boys really paid attention to the Oak trees.  They knew they were oaks, but they didn't look like our summer shade tree at all. 

California White Oak or Valley Oak - Quercus lobata

The leaves were certainly different:

But yet, it still had acorns ... different shape and color though:

Needless to say they got busy doing what they do best: explored, played and stuffed their pockets with take home treasures.

Forward to this past weekend, while on a hike with friends, my kids noticed both the Coastal Live Oak and a lonely California White Oak on the same trail.  We brought home a few branches of both and put them in some water (because our previous treasures were of course pretty dried up).  Their enthusiasm was contagious and I couldn't help but want to look up more Oak trees.  We found a site with a nice comparison page of Common California Oak Trees at HastingsReserve.org.  Look around there is some pretty neat information.  (the site names it Valley Oak, notice the acorn is longer than the Oregon Oak mentioned on the page with a similar leaf) Here's the Wikipedia link for Valley Oak (my husband and I are used to calling them White Oaks rather than Valley, but that's just the name we grew up with). 

What can I say...Oak trees are on our radar now!  There is another trail we've hiked in which I'm pretty sure I've seen Black Oak trees.  I'm hoping to go there soon ; )

On All Soul's Day: a little Dia De Los Muertos

Last year my oldest daughter requested that we please observe All Soul's Day Latin style; meaning with some Dia De Los Muertos traditions.  I thought that with our Nana, now in heaven, the kids would appreciate the significance this year.  I've heard of the traditions all my life, but, honestly, never participated because I didn't understand loss. 

So, early fall I ordered a sugar skull making kit from MexicanSugarSkull.com.  We stayed up one night to mold our sugar skulls, all 30 of them:

And then over the weekend we invited some friends and cousins to join us in decorating our skulls:

They turned out pretty neat:

Now, you can't eat these and you know kids...so I decided to use last year's All Soul's Cake recipe to make skull cookies.
 

We let them decorate and eat these!!!

Everyone had a wonderful time and we did talk about the significance of the tradition and the ties to All Souls Day.  Our Dia De Los Muertos Altar has sat all week as we remember our Nana and all the other soul's who have passed.

A Pumpkin Carving Evening

After our Monday afternoon bike/nature walk with dad, we came home for an evening of pumpkin carving.  Dad took the lead on this tradition, after all it is kind of gooey and icky:

A few weeks ago my oldest son, the artist, drew his own design. He had been waiting patiently for carving day : )

The kids had a great Monday with dad.  We'll be missing him tonight as we trick or treat with all our cousins!!

Autumn Leaves Crunch

We headed to the park, as usual, for our Monday afternoon outdoors time and some nature study inspiration.  Today was an extra special trip:  Dad was around, woo-hoo! This meant we could drive two cars and take six bikes with us!!

As we walked the trail I couldn't help but just admire the leaves on the trees.  In California you tend to notice the evergreens more than the deciduous, but there are a few trees that still give us that autumn color inspiration.


California Sycamore - Platanus Racemosa

 



 

and

 

American Sweetgum - Liquidambar Styraciflua

 

 

The second thing about these trees that always give us just a bit of the autumn feel is the leaves we see on the ground.  We don't get to see many leaf piles, so we have to settle on those few that we happen upon.

But you want to know what my kids favorite part of all these leaves is:

 

The CRUNCH they make when you ride your bike over them!

The Scarecrow

I just had to share : )  We had our annual Halloween Party with our home school group today.  The kids always look forward to this get together.  They play games, have lunch and just enjoy their friends.  The costumes are always cute, sweet and mostly home made.

Let me back track just a bit before I go on.  In a September post I shared the books that were going into our nature study area book basket.  A particular book in my list that has been a joy is The Scarecrow by Caroline Rush.  This has turned out to be such a sweet gem.  There is a little bit of whimsy and nature study all in this cute living story book.  My boys have looked forward to our weekly short chapter readings.  It's been difficult to keep to just one chapter per reading as it is a small book ; )

Each chapter starts with the old farmer hiding in the pea stalks waiting to listen to a pair of field mice. The older mouse tells stories about how each part of the scarecrow just happened upon this particular scarecrow, currently their autumn home.  The chapters usually end something like this:

"And that is the story of the straw," said the older mouse.
 That night, as the old man walked home to his tea, he smiled.
"I always wondered where those two ducks went to." And he whistled as he walked home

Well, back to my Halloween party:  my oldest son decided on his costume this year.  I'm sure you've guessed what he chose ; )

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

We do enjoy our annual visit to the ranch this time of year for their fall pumpkin patch displays.  The kids had so much fun riding the cow train and tractor wagon; petting the animals; and just enjoying the beautiful fields of sunflowers and pumpkins.

Dad enjoyed chasing the kids through a dried wheat labyrinth and then they spent some time finding their way through a very tall green corn stalk maze.

He's coming!

Our pumpkin picks were great this year.  The kids can't wait to start carving and cooking with them.  While we were waiting for dad, great aunt and grandma to carry out the two filled wagons of pumpkins the kids noticed a few milkweed plants filled with monarch caterpillars. (we really have to plant some of these in our backyard)

Another great year at the ranch.  Our fall reading has really helped the kids enjoy this trip and the season so far.  One last picture of our day:

My husband joked that if I could I probably would take this home and fill it with books ; )