Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Homeschooling End-Of-The-Year Fun!

Thanks again for all the concern and prayers for Colt. We did have another visit to the ER on Saturday night, but all the hives are gone now. We never did figure out what it was, but he remembered playing soccer in the grass last Wednesday. I'm wondering about that now, but we really don't know.

I can't wait to share pictures and maybe even a video from Joy's dance recital with you this week, but first, I'm going to finish a post that I started awhile ago and never finished on our last homeschool outing. We had lots of fun. I hope you enjoy it! (Warning..there are LOTS of pictures)!

A few weeks ago, we had our last meeting of the school year.....a "bat" field trip to the local state park, a picnic, playground fun, and some field games too.

Here the kids were divided into two different groups (older and younger kids) playing the "bat game", using their "echolocation skills" to find the moths inside the circle! All of the people making the circle were the trees. There were two "moths" inside the circle. The bat was blindfolded and was inside the circle. He or she had to say "bat" and everytime he did, the moths had to answer back "moth", thus the bat could locate his moths and tag them. If he touched a tree, they of course, had to answer tree! The kids had a blast and everyone had a turn at being a tree, a bat, and a moth. Oh, the things that make children happy! :)



Here's our group picture taken that day....the CHEF Eagles! :)



Next up, was our picnic.





One of our moms had a birthday that day (Jane), so a fellow homeschooling mom (Kim) made bat cupcakes to celebrate. Aren't they cute?



The kids had a blast just playing on the playground!









But after we rounded them all up, we still had more fun...a couple of team games. Homeschool mom, Jayne, was in charge of the first one. The kids were divided up into six teams. Without knowing what they were going to do, they were asked to come up with a team captain from each team. The captains were brought to the front and fitted with a protective "garbage bag cape".



I think they were a little curious at this point!

Then....each captain was given a shower cap....but not just any ole shower cap...these were fashionable and colorful shower caps! And they were nice enough to reserve the pink ones for the boys! :)



I think the captains were getting a little worried by this point!

Then each captain's shower cap was covered with shaving cream. Some were having second thoughts about being a captain by now. Hmmm.....maybe being a captain isn't what it's cracked up to be! :)







Every team member was given a sandwich baggie full of cheetos. Can you guess what happened next?

At the starting signal, the team members were to shower their team captain's head with cheetos. At the ending whistle, they all stopped. The team that managed to land the most cheetos on their captains head was the winner!











I think the winning team plastered about 40 something cheetos to their captain's head! (It wasn't' Joy's team, by the way). :)



Homeschooling mom, Lori, was in charge of the next game. The kids were divided into pairs this time. One was given a garbage bag cape again; The other was given a jello cup. The one with the jello was to stand behind the one with the cape and be his arms and feed him/her the jello at the starting signal.

They were short one kid, so Ms. Brandy offered to be Joy's partner...what a sport!











I think the winners (Kasey and Molly Grace) must have inhaled theirs!

We had lots of laughs and fun the entire day! It was a wonderful ending to a great school year. I just love our homeschool group...and am thankful for the unity that we share.

And to wrap up such a nice day, one of the family's sweet kids, Dunnivan, Suzanna and Dison, presented both Lori and I with flowers to thank us for coordinating the group. Wasn't that sweet? I've really enjoyed having these pretty flowers (that lasted a long time too) in my kitchen! What a cheery addition they made!



Then on the way home, my friend, Lori, and I stopped by a shop that we had passed called Hillbilly Treasures. I found more wooden spoons and a crock jug...and Lori found several platters.



So, now our summer vacation is "officially" in full swing, although real learning never stops.......right?

30 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Tammy, We've been gone so I didn't know about Colt. Glad he is better. One of my sons (when he was little) broke out one time with hives. They said it was an allergy to something--but we never really found out. He has never had the problem since... Weird!

Great homeschooling-end-of-the-year-fun!!!! You got some fabulous photos.
Hugs,
Betsy

Shelley said...

Glad to hear about Colt doing better! I love all the games you played at your homeschooling party! So creative and fun! I would've been worried too if someone put shaving cream on my head - lol!!

Parsley said...

Glad things are better for Colt. Could it have been food allergies? Anyway...I hope it never happens again.

Great pics. Love the cheetos game.

Joy ~ Doodlebug ~ said...

Dear Best Mommy in the World,

Do like the begining of my comment? lol!!!! I love C.H.E.F. get-togethers!!!! I don't really care what they are(I don't have to worry about not being interested anyway, with you and Ms. Lori, you little master minds), I just always have fun with YOU and the group.

Love, Joy =D

Blessed Beyond said...

Hi Tammy,I'm so very glad to hear that Colt is doing better! Yalls group looks so awesome! And to have the unity, how nice! The games look like a blast. Just a great kinda day!!! You make home schooling look even more appealing!!!
Hope you have a great week!!!
Hugs and Blessings,

Lois Christensen said...

Glad to hear your son is better. I wonder if it was something in the grass! The pictures of your outing are so fun! Looks like you all had a great day. I would not like being covered in all that!!! Flowers are pretty and a nice way to say thanks! Hope you have a great day!

Carmen S. said...

Oh my goodness, I'm laughing at those kids and the cheetos on their caps! Looks like they had a blast and I'm sure parents did too! You know, when you mentioned Colt playing soccer in the grass, it made me think of my mom, a couple years ago she was working in her flower bed and got bit by a spider and broke out in hives and other symptoms,Do they think it could have been a reaction to something like that?? Hope you have a lovely day!

Farming On Faith said...

It looks like great fun!
I am so glad Colt is doing better. When my Ashley had the same thing we never did know what it was that triggered it. She likewise had been outside. Anyways~it never came back. I had one time I did the same thing~my air way started to close and my parents rushed me to the ER. I never had it again either. Such a strange thing for sure. Just praising the Lord it is all over~
Carrie

Unknown said...

Looks like it was a blast, That cheetos game looks like fun, I know my kids would get a kick out of it!

Glad to hear that Colt is better, sounded so scary.

Blessings,
Heather

Debbie said...

It looks like they had a wonderful time at the 'end of the year' picnic. The look on Joy's face in the cheetos game is priceless.

Glad to hear Colt is doing better. Maybe it was something in the grass.

Take care,
Debbie

At Home With Amy said...

What a fabulous day you had. I'm so glad everyone had fun. Those games looked like so much fun! My son has been out of school since the middle of may and my daughter's last day was yesterday and she was already bored this morning. This may be a long summer break!!
Glad Colt's hives episode is finally over. I pray that it doesn't happen ever again.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Hugs,
AMY

Bobbi Jo Nichols said...

I am so glad that Colt is doing better.
From the looks of the pictures it looks like such a fun time for everyone. Love the game with the shaving cream too fun.
Great finds at the Hillbilly Treasures.
Have a great day. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Janene said...

Tammy~
I am so glad that Colt is doing better! That is such wonderful news!
The "End of the year fun" looks like a blast!!!
Ahh to be a kid again!
Joy looks so worried in some of those pics!
I love your crock!

Never So Simple said...

Tammy that looked like so much fun. I love the shower cap game! Joys face was priceless. :) Boy she has grown up A LOT since you first started blogging. She's a young lady now and so beautiful. Your pictures really give home schooling a totally different outlook.

I am so glad Colt is doing better.

We still have this week and next week left of school then finally it will be summer!!!!

Donna

ghomeschool said...

Thanks for the reminder of the pix. I really need to keep up with you more, now that I'm not seeing you 2x a week. It also inspires me to add to my blog more often. Loved the pix.

Susan said...

Oh what fun!!! I smiled all my way through all these pictures. Thanks for taking the time to upload all of them for us to see.

The bat cakes were adorable and the games excellent.

Do you have more "fun" lined up ? :o) I do!!!!! :o)
Susan

Anonymous said...

Hi Tammy! So good to read that Colt is doing better now. Hope those allergies never come back!

Loved seeing your end of the school year pictures, and the cheetos pictures! Joy's expressions in them are absolutely priceless!! Looks like everyone was having a really great time! Thank you for sharing your pictures! I enjoyed seeing them alot!

The flowers that you received are so very pretty that the kids gave you! That was really sweet of them!

Have a great day Tammy!

Love & Blessings,
Lynn/Okc

Michele said...

Hi Tammy ~ what great pictures! I so miss those days when the kids were younger and we could play games like those!

Glad Colt is feeling better...that's really scary!!!

Hugz,
Michele

Sharon said...

Tammy
I am so glad to hear that Colt is doing better. I bet that was scary for him and you.
Your end of the school games look like so much fun. I laughed at the look on Joy's face in that shower cap.
Those cupcakes were to cute to eat.
have a great day.

Mandy said...

I'm glad Colt is doing better.

I LOVE that sahving cream/cheeto game. I'm going to have to remember that one for one of our get togethers!

Have a great day, Tammy

Mandy

Zaroga said...

So glad to hear Colt has recovered.

The day was wonderful and thank your of sharing it... makes feel like a kid again.

Denise said...

I'm glad that Colt is finally hive-free!

It sounds like you all had such a funtime on "bat day".

XXDenise

Karen said...

This looks like so much fun!!!!!!! :o) Glad Colt is doing better.
Karen

green gables girl said...

That sounds like so much fun! I didn't know you were in charge of the home school group! I got your name written down for my giveaway!
Talk to you soon!
Love, Lyssie

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

So glad Colt is doing much better - could have been some chemicals applied to the grass - but like you said, you may never know.

What fun you all had at the end of the year party. And yes, learning never ends! Isn't that great??!!

hugs, Linda

BECKY said...

Hi Ms. Tammy! Looks like you guys had fun I am glad!!! Just look in my side bar almost at the end of my blog and you will find Kristina's Korner!!! Have a great week!

Love, Madison

Madison said...

Sorry Ms. Tammy, I accidentally commented as my mom!

Colleen/And Baby Makes Five said...

That was QUITE a day, Tammy! Now onward to summertime fun...

Thank you so much, my friend, for your sweet and heartfelt comments today. They really touched my heart. Truly.

As for the cookie cutters, the larger sunflower one was something I found at Wal-Mart last year. The minis were part of a spring set I found at Target on clearance after Easter ... and the watermelon. Well, those were just circles from a biscuit cutter or glass that I sliced in half to make the right shape.

Enjoy your sweet family and your long-awaited summertime fun.

Paula said...

Oh my goodness- what a riot! They all look like they're having a blast!

Awesome music, too, Tammy! I can't help it- I still love disco!!
(I can't believe I just admitted that.... LOL)

Anonymous said...

Tammy,
Look FUN! I'm gald you all had a great day of laughters...The game looks gun...The flowers are beautiful! Joy has grown to a beautiful young lady...Thank for stopping by ...Glad I'm back too! Smiles and Hugs..katherinellen