Free site for reading comprehension test

I have plugged it before, but I like to remind people of Bookadventure.com during the summer. It is a free site, sponsored by Sylvan Learning. It is very simple to use.

First, the parent sets up an account for their child. Then your child reads a book and you find it on the site. Then up pops a reading comprehension test for that book. If you don't answer enough questions correctly, they can review the book and retake the test.

Kids earn points as they do this. Then the points transfer into prizes. Prizes can be as simple as a bookmark you download and print off to a 6 month subscription to Highlights Magazine.

The Ants Came Marching Two by Two.......

Evidently the shortest route to go from southern Clinton County to northern Clinton County is this : go up 2 stories on the back outside of my house, slip under the siding, come in near the floor joist, come up under the backside of the trim around the tub, go along my bathroom floor for 9 inches only to disappear behind JD's sink and reappear under my sink. Then you must trek up the vanity cabinet across the top and back down to the floor. At that point you disappear under the trim and go down to the basement ceiling walking upside down until you get to the north wall. Then you proceed back up about 4 feet and go through the wall and exit out on the front porch.

I hate the little buggers. I had a whole trail of a couple hundred of them. So, I put out the Terro. Now the Terro works well if you have some patience. I have no patience when it comes to bugs, snakes, bats, spiders or anything else that looks ugly and invades my house. Terro works by wiping out the entire nest after the ants carry it back home. Trouble is, they all have to tell their buddies that this good looking sweet syrup is there, so EVERYONE comes to get some, and makes several trips. So, in the mean time my couple hundred ants has increased to 178,435 of them making the trek across my bathroom....

I can not put the Terro outside because it rains daily, and we have cats, dogs, chickens and ducks that I don't want to kill.

Chickens love to eat ants. They are eating them by where they come in, but just not fast enough.

I have observed some interesting facts about ants by watching their migration through my house. #1) they don't give up and are rather stubborn #2) they are night sleepers and are most active around 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. #3) ALL of the worker ants work. There is no boss or bosses standing around watching. MODOT should take a lesson or two from them. You think I am kidding?? Why does it take 4 MODOT workers standing around to watch one guy put cones along I35 to block off a lane that isn't going to be worked on for 2 more weeks...OK, now I am getting sided tracked...#4)It is true that queen ants live for several years and have millions of babies. A good part of them live here! #5) An ant can indeed pick up 20 times its own weight. and #6) Ants don't have ears, (so those talking ants on the TV shows got that one wrong) They hear by vibrations. If you want to freak out an ant, stomp by it several times.

Escape the summer heat wtih a movie for $1 or free bowling

http://www.amcentertainment.com/smc/

The site shows the various $1 moves this summer

Go to kidsbowlfree.com for locations for for kids to bowl free, and parents at a discount. You signup and they email you your coupons.

The County Fair is over

Well, it is mostly over. All the events are finished except for the horse show and produce judging which takes place in July. But, the girls are finished for what they picked for their projects this year. It was a rush at the end (it usually is) for the projects are due the same day the younger girls get back from church camp. We arrived back home with just enough time to shower and go.

I am proud of them for their work. Their projects included sewing (winter coat, shirt and walking shorts),self determined (project with the fire dept that created a smoke detector program and public education regarding fire), photography, showing ducks, rabbits, chickens and cats. In all, we came home with blue ribbons, 1 white ribbon (the white was in fashion review--Emily showed her bunker gear and it didn't really fit into any of the divisions, but she did it for more of a public ed thing), one trophy, and Emily was selected for Junior Queen. We also have one project that is going to state and interstate.

I really love 4H. In addition to learning through their projects, they also learn public speaking and gain self esteem. They also get to meet kids from other 4 H clubs and see their projects as well. The majority of 4H are ones that teach life skills or ones that kids can actually make a living doing. Projects include animals (future farmers or just to raise your own meat), photography, sewing, baking, cake decorating, welding, electronics & electricity, child development, small engines, computers.....the list goes on and on. If your not into 4H, check it out. If there are no groups in your area, you can do it independently as well. It is a great way to supplement your homeschooling.

Catching up

Its been awhile since i have posted a regular post on here. I have been out of my normal routine the past few weeks.

Since my last post, Emily has been to church camp at Mission Lake Christian Camp in Horton, KS, and today I just picked up the younger twins from camp in Oregon, MO at Flaming Spirit Christian Service Camp. Flaming Spirit is where JD and I went when we were kids. )Also where we had our first kiss-in the chapel during senior week, and decided that one day we would be married) Even though Flaming Spirit has updated a couple of the buildings and added a new dorm to replace the cabin, and replaced the mess hall with a new one, it still hasn't changed much. (I also have been told that the new bathroom doesn't have snakes or frogs in it either) I also attended a few other camps as a kid, but Flaming Spirit was always my favorite. For old times sake, we took a walk back the to the waterfall at camp.

Tysa has also come back for a weeks vacation in Missouri, but that is drawing to a close on Sunday.

We haven't gotten the garden finished yet, and probably wont as late as it is getting. Every time we have time to work in it, it rains and rains and rains.

Tonight is the beginning of the county 4H fair. The girls have all worked hard on their projects and tonight they turn them in and discuss them with the judges. Next week they will be showing their animals. Rebecca made a winter coat, and has a photography project, Elizabeth a shirt and walking short set, and Emily did a self determined project of fire prevention/education and PR with the local volunteer fire department. They also earned some homeschooling hours working on their projects. 4H not only teaches new skills through the projects, but also responsibility through the animals and various officer positions, and public speaking skills. It also allows for kids to work on projects either together or independently, and to share what they learned with others either during demonstration day or within their club.

Free DVD

NASA is sponsoring:

http://journeytothestars.org/index.php
You may also order activity sheets that go with the DVD.