Squirrel, Balloon Research

Only a six year old boy looks out the van window, sees a squirrel running down a tree truck and asks, "Mommy, how many balloons would it take to lift a squirrel?"

First, we need to know how much a squirrel weighs. I think we have grey squirrels around our house, which Wikipedia says have an average weight between 400 and 600 grams.

Next, we need to know how much a regular helium balloon can lift. How Stuff Works says that a typical amusement style balloon can lift 14 grams, if you ignore the weight of the balloon and the string. 

So, for a small squirrel, you would need 400 / 14 = 29 balloons, (plus several balloons to account for the strings). For a large squirrel, you would need 600 / 14 = 43 balloons (plus several more ballooons to account for the strings.)

And now we all know.

Simple Woman's Daybook, Monday, November 9th

FOR TODAY
(Monday, November 9th, 9:58 pm)...

Outside my window...once again, it is dark. I can tell you that most, but not all of the leaves have been raked off of the back patio. They were combined with many leaves raked together from the lawn in order to form a big pile for jumping in. The big pile is still sitting out there. It will probably sit there until spring. No, I'm not worried about my lawn. It is not a delicate lawn. Its a wild lawn of any green plant matter that wants to volunteer for duty out there. It's very durable that way.

I am thinking... isn't it about time for another weekend? How can it possibly be only Monday? Plus, why does my cursor jump to the very bottom of my post every time I hit enter, instead of just going down one line?

I am thankful for...the health of my family. As much as I moaned and complained and bellyached about having the flu the week before last, really, we've been very blessed with good health overall. And no one came down with a severe case of the flu either.

From the learning rooms...we have officially lost the head start we had by beginning school in August. Between the days off for the Buffalo/Niagra trip (totally awesome) and the week or more that we missed for illness, we are no longer ahead. I'm not sure that we're behind yet....but I don't think we'll be hitting 50% completion before Christmas, as I was originally hoping for.

On a way cool note, we have started two new traditions. At nine o'clock (or thereabouts), we start the school day with chess puzzles and pawn games. Both children are enjoying this. After lunch, we come back together for a read-aloud chapter book. Its a good way to transition from "recess" back to school.

From the kitchen...I tried two new recipes recently. Both were a "breakfast for dinner" menu. One was for peanut butter french toast, which was very filling and well-liked by the kids, but not so kindly received by the Jedi. (I used what was on hand, which was wheat bread, 2% milk, no yogurt, and Total cereal. I also halved the amount of eggs and milk called for, and the lesser amount worked very well.) The second recipe was for fluffy pancakes, which was one of the best and quickest pancake recipes I've ever made.

From the garden... we planted bulbs on Sunday, raked leaves to jump in, and then piled leaves on each of the kids for photo shoots. (Before we went outside, Toa of Boy was begging, "Please may I rake leaves, Mommy? Please?"  I felt like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.) Then we mulched our flower beds with leaves to protect them from the upcoming winter. Yes, i know I'm supposed to shred the leaves first, but I figured being thoroughly jumped on by my 6 and 11 year olds was almost like shredding them.

I am wearing...the Phillip Island t-shirt which the Jedi gave me as a birthday present, like seventeen years ago or so. I remember I wore it to Gingerbread during my first year or two of teaching. Everyone asked me if I had gone to Australia. I said no, my husband knew I really like penguins, and found a way to order this t-shirt from a gift shop in Australia over the computer. Everyone was amazed that such a thing could be done. It seems strange now to think that on-line shopping was so completely novel not too many years ago. (I think I've just found the topic for the compare/contrast essay I'm writing with the 6th graders at co-op.)

I am creating...or failing to create, choreography for the worship dances in our Christmas Reflections program at church. Normally, I feel pretty good about my contributions to this creative effort. Tonight though, I had zilch. Nada. Nothing.

I am going...to give up on ever being able to breathe through my nose again. My nose's new purpose is simply to hold up my glasses.

I am reading...just finished a Terry Prachett Discworld trilogy, Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and, Wintersmith. The first two books were outstanding. Many times, I was literally laughing out loud while reading A Hat Full of Sky. The third in the triology was good, but not great. I think perhaps because many of the Mac Freegle stunts that had me laughing so hard in the first two books had already been done by the third book. Plus, I was really hoping to see more done with the character of Roland. The Baron's son started to turn into an interesting character in the last book, rather than just a blank foil for Tiffany, and I would have loved to see more attention on him. (See what a jaded, nitt-picky reader I've become? This is comletely Stephanie Meyer's fault.)

I am hoping...that our Children's Ministry continues to grow and be strong. I cannot keep Toa of Boy home from church without tears. He is broken-hearted if he doesn't get to go to church. Granted, he tells me about the games they played first, but then he also remembers the lessons. He's learning and singing worship songs and memorizing Scriptures...and loving it all.

I am hearing...the dryer buzz. The Jedi is turning in for the night, the children and Mama have long since been in bed. Its just me at my computer.

Around the house...laundry, laundry, laundry.

One of my favorite things...is not laundry.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
 School, school, more school. Also Tuesday Tae Kwon Do; Wednesday groceries, Awana, and the Brink;  Thursday Co-op, library, and Tae Kwon Do; Friday---hooray for the weekend!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... 

Cold and Flu Kits

I'll come up with a title later. (or not)

Here's my situation. Its a Saturday night. I'm really tired. The Jedi is watching the Bearcats on TV. The Bearcats on TV hold no interest to me at the moment.

I have nothing to write about and YET, here I am, inflicting my ramblings upon the entire internet.

College football doesn't even have entertaining commercials. What's up with that?

Guess what I'm NOT doing? I'm not doing this. Aren't you proud of me?

We went to the park today, the Jedi, the kids, and me. It was a beautiful, warm day...one of the last we will see in a while. The Jedi said we should take advantage of it. He also suggested visiting Loveland Castle, which I was all about. But neither of the kids were very interested in going out to the castle. Toa of Boy wanted to go to Parky's Farm, so to Parky's Farm we went. Sadly the brief game of tag they played on and around the equipment got Sweetling coughing again, and she wound up reclining against her Daddy on a bench.

Which reminds me:

Flu and Cold Kit for Kids:
Things to keep on hand through the cold and flu season....generated after the plague swept through our household last week.
1. Chicken noodle or cream of tomato soup (of course)
2. Tissues and an empty tissue box, save one when you use up all the tissues. Set this beside sick child to use as a little garbage pail for all the used tissues they'll be generating.
3. A couple of cheap, new puzzles, coloring books, or activity books. Grab these at the dollar store or at a discount and then put them aside for those sick days in the winter. (I had only one puzzle that was new. This was an error on my part. I shall be hitting the dollar store and looking for a 500 piece puzzle. This was a good number for two sick children and one sick Mommy to complete over the course of a day or two.)
4. A friend with an awesome home movie library who is willing to make home deliveries.
5. Some rules for new, but very, very easy card games. No one will be able to really concentrate on a serious or competitive game. So the game needs to be low-key. Look for these rules ahead of time, because if you are also either sick, or just exhausted from lack of sleep, on-line directions such as this become completely indecipherable. Still, Go Fish and War will only get you so much mileage.
6. Sippy cups. Yes, even if your children are well past the age when they need them. You need to get fluids in them, and they'll be laying on the couch. Juice boxes and such will still spill.
7. A fun, easy to follow chapter book....provided that you are not also sick. If you are not sick,  reading aloud is a wonderful way to keep a sick child resting and entertained. If you are also sick, this might not be a viable option.
8. Friends who will text you, IM you, or post on your Facebook wall. You'll need these little notes of encouragement when your house is under quarantine. (Ok, we technically weren't quarantined, but after over a week stuck at home, it was sure feeling that way.)
9. Plus, lots of standard medicine cabinet stuff. I'm not about to tell you what sort of drugs to give your children. But whatever cures or symptom relievers you use, have some. Have lots.
10. Individual chapsticks or lip balms. A strange thing to find on this list? Maybe. But we all three had serously chapped lips.

Art and Facebook

Toa of Boy likes to look at artwork produced by other young children. When he finds a piece he especially likes, he loves to sit and paint something similar. I figure that for centuries, art students have been learning by making copies of the works of other artists, so Toa of Boy is following along a time-honored tradition.

Yesterday we found this awesome gallery of elementary art. Its produced by the Bellevue School District, and Toa of Boy really liked several of their pieces. Here's the painting he made inspired by some of the gallery pieces.

Before we did K-12, and I was teaching my brother the dude, I always struggled with what to do for art on a regular basis. (And I personally love art). So, I thought I'd share the gallery so that other homeschooling moms could look through the projects and maybe get inspired.

In other news, its been a month of Sundays since I've put up a Facebook Friday. Its not Friday, its Tuesday, but you know I'm not going to let that stop me. On second thought, I think I'll do my Facebook in a separate post, so that I can submit this one to Works for Me Wednesday.

Amish B&B

Researching beds and breakfasts in NE Ohio Amish Country.

Here's the first few links I've found. I'm just going to make a list, then start narrowing it down to real possibilities.

Holmes County, Ohio, Charm Countryview Inn offers more than comfortable lodging. Come in, take your shoes off and make yourself at home. Many folks have made Charm Countryview Inn their second home. This Amish Country bed and breakfast is a place to relax, refresh your spirit, rejuvenate your mind and breathe in some pure Amish country air.  Welcome to our home. We look forward to seeing you soon.

~ Paul & Naomi, Inn Keepers

Furnished with late 1800 antique furniture, the Hasseman House Bed & Breakfast is indeed a step back into a bygone era. Each room is a visual delight, and you will fall in love with the intricate woodwork and original stained glass. The entire Bed & Breakfast surrounds you with charm and beauty from the kitchen, parlor, and dining room on the first floor, to the Attic (Honeymoon Suite) at the top of the house featuring soaring ceilings, a sitting area, and private bath. The Hasseman House features four cozy guest rooms, each with private baths. Two of the rooms offer Jacuzzis. After a restful nights sleep, enjoy a hearty breakfast in the dining room.

Enjoy a truly unique lodging experience in this relocated and resurrected c. 1820 log house and c. 1840 addition. Hisrich Hills House Bed & Breakfast and ArtFarm, moved from Coshocton County, Ohio to our location in Tuscarawas County, the main structure recreates a pioneer atmosphere with authentic period furnishings and a romantic cooking fireplace. The adaptive reuse of the timber frame addition combines historic and contemporary aesthetics with modern conveniences.

Our Berlin, Ohio Bed & Breakfast offers some of the most peaceful Ohio Amish Country lodging available. Visit Bluebird Haven Bed and Breakfast to relax and be refreshed. We are back in a quarter-mile lane and surrounded by woods. At our Amish owned and operated bed and breakfast, you will find a clean, comfortable place to relax. Experience a peaceful, quiet country retreat without the intrusion of TV or phone. Enjoy our perennial gardens, a lawn swing under the trees, many varieties of birds and wildlife, and a grassy path through the woods. You may wish to sit on the back deck outside the private entrance to the bed and breakfast to watch the birds or just to enjoy the view.

Monday Night Blogging

Simple Woman's Daybook....cause I need to get back into blogging. A handy dandy format works well for that.

FOR TODAY, Monday, October 12th


Outside my window...it's night. My living room windows are like giant mirrors. When it gets closer to Christmas, I'll use them to work out dances and practice dances.

I am thinking...I'm not a true football fan. I sit here with my laptop and look up to watch the replay whenever the Jedi becomes vocal about what just happened.

I am thankful for...the safety and stability of my family.

From the learning rooms...Toa of Boy is prepping for a chess tournament this Saturday. He is brand new to the game. Brand new. But he really really wanted to participate in the tournament. Sweetling has had a cold, and has been struggling to gather enough energy to get her schoolwork accomplished. I can totally sympathize. I did absolutely nothing two days last week cause this cold just knocked me on my butt.

From the kitchen...chocolate zucchini cake and cinnamon zucchini cake. This was made from Zucchini, King of Zucchinis, which we pulled out of our garden last week and which weighed in at 5 1/2 lbs and measured 24 inches. I figure I can have as many pieces of chocolate zucchini cake as I want, cause it's like a vegetable, right?

I am wearing...jeans and a short sleeve red sweater. This fashion statement is made complete by the small pile of used tissues crumpled up on the arm of my chair. Yes, you needed that word picture.

I am creating...I painted a toucan on a wooden shelf for a woman in our church this weekend. It was a pretty easy process. I'm considering writing a "works for me wednesday" post about it.

I am going...to a pumpkin patch on Wednesday and to Telephone's house tomorrow to take her some zucchini cake. "Zake", says Ms Ria.

I am reading...just finished "The Secret" by Beverly Lewis. Have a bag of library books awaiting me as well as some choice picks from Nora. (and some cool exerpts from the manuscript she's currently working on!)

I am hoping...that this cold goes away. Go away cold. I want my nose back.

I am hearing...Football and football commercials. Ah look, a replay for me to watch.

Around the house...Sweetling is sleeping. Toa of Boy is sleeping. Mamma is dozing in her chair. There is laundry I should be folding, but its not all over the bed, so as long as I can still go to sleep, I can worry about it tomorrow.

One of my favorite things...Iris flowers. I love irises. I now have a happy pot of them ready to go in the ground out front. Hooray for Ria :)

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Tomorrow I am the Zake fairy.
Wednesday is pumpkin patch and then game night up in youth.
Thursday is co-op. Do I have my homework done? No, I do not. Bad writing instructor, bad.
Friday: Pleasantly unscheduled.
Saturday: Chess tournament at the library.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Behold....Zucchini, King of Zucchinis

Froggy Algebra

Not only do July frogs eat cornflakes with sporks, but they are also very good at solving equations with variables on both sides of the equations. Its good that the frog can do this, because the Mommy is struggling with the word problem. Help please?



"A 2000L tank containing 550L of water is being filled with water at the rae of 75L per minute from a full 1600L tank. How long will it be before both tanks have the same amount of water?"


I set up my equation: 1600 - 75 / m = 550 + 75 / m

This is wrong. Why is it wrong? This is also frustrating, because this is a simple rate problem, and I used to do physic problems way more complicated than this. But the key phrase there is "used to do". Now I'm going to go see if the July frog would like to share another cup of hot chocolate with me.

Fabulous Five

One more day in Buffalo, one more night at the hotel.

So far, here are our  top five picks of the trip.

Toa of Boy:

1. Lunch on Friday at the Indian food place. It was so yummy. I could eat 18 mango lassies.

2. Dinner last night. The chicken was good and the mild and honey good.

3. Rainbow. Good.  I wish I wish I was going over the rainbow.

4. The stuff I buyed. I did like the chick. The chickie chickie.

5. The beach. It was fun. I like getting wet!

Sweetling:

1.  I liked the Maid of the Mist. It was fun and wet.

2. The hotel is really nice It looks really homey, the beds are comfy, and it has a cool indoor swimming pool.

3. The Journey behind the Falls was neat. It was really cool to walk down the tunnel and look at the waterfalls from the other side.

4. I like spending time with family.

5. The pizza place that we went to is an amazing restaurant. It makes good pizza.

Mommy:

1. This has been an awesome and amazing family vacation. I have loved loved loved all the things we've seen and done, but most of all, I've loved doing them together. I've loved the car games we've played. I've loved watching Sweetling and the Jedi walk hand in hand along Niagra Falls. I've loved listening to Toa of Boy say, "This is the best vacation ever," even if he has said it again and again and again, in his best Dash voice and often while flopping himself backward. I love how patient the Jedi has been with two very exciteable personalies (and no, Sweetling isn't one of them.) I love being a family together.

2. The Maid of the Mist. This was by far the most awesome, most unforgetable activity of the trip so far....and I can't imagine anything else will be able to top it. I'm really glad we started our day in Niagra off with this boat ride. It far surpassed all my expectations for it.

3. I liked Sarah's restaurant. It was a fun throw back to a 50's diner and really encapsulated the spirit of the family road trip.

4. I got a kick out of driving over all the bridges. I love the marvels of engineering that they represent, I love the view from the middle of them, and I love the sounds the wheels make on them. Bridges...awesome. I'm even considering driving over the Buffalo skyway again today just to do it. I have a Tom Tom, how hard could it be?

5. Niagra Falls was breathtaking in its beauty and majesty.