Re-Purposed Magazine

When going to wrap my nephew's birthday present today, I decided that I was tired of our wrapping paper. So, I ripped out some pages from an old issue of "Family Fun" magazine, and Vance and I taped together the colorful pages to create new wrapping paper. We had fun, I felt good about re-purposing something, and the paper turned out to be more whimsical than anything I could buy. Caden had fun making the card all by himself. Caden's drawing of an excavator is impressive since he wasn't looking at a picture of one as he drew it.

The paper lined up perfectly so that the sign saying, "For you," was on the top of the present. Also, we really like that doll (the picture that we taped to the center of the present) called a "Sing-a-ma-jig." The boys and I had fun listening to them at the store the other day.

RC Truck

I love January in southern CA! A few days ago, Tevye took his new rc truck to the field across the street from our house, and the boys and I tagged along. It's the best of both worlds to be surrounded by a green landscape yet still be able to view the snow-covered mountains off in the distance. The weather was comfortable, and Tevye's truck had not yet broken, so we were able to capture some photos of the afternoon.

Homeschool Art

I love homeschooling Caden! He likes it, too. We are studying animals in art and abstract sculptures. A while ago, he was given an assignment to find a real photograph of an animal to use as a model for a realistic drawing. My goofy boy (and I say "goofy" with much love and admiration) chose the photograph of a naked mole rat. They are not particularly attractive creatures, but they have buck teeth and wrinkley skin, which I imagine will be what I will look like in about twenty to thirty years from now. Anyway, here are the pictures of his realistic and abstract sculptures of this odd animal. This realistic sculpture actually has the two teeth on it, but it is hard to see them.

Caden proudly showing off his abstract work of art.

The materials: one hot dog bun, part of a necco waffer, four broken crayons, two nerds candies, and a rootbeer jellybean. It reminds me of an animal that might be featured on "Twilight."