WW: Mr Creator {Linky}

My 9 year old Isaak is always creating something. I find him amusing. 

An image on a program when we were at a children's theater:

A painting he did in an art club he attended:

He plays a lot on his cheap keyboard that he got for Christmas. He's big into playing the theme song to Beverly Hills Cop, which was also on Monster's Vs Aliens. When we get sick of it, and ask him to play something else, he plays the same song in a different keyboard mode.

He also likes to play his made up didgeridoo. 

Creating

I have a rule at my house: I don't care if it's messy as long as something is being created when it's messy. Well things have been in the process of being created for a few weeks. I do dishes and sweep, so it's not disgusting. It's just filled with a project here, and another project there.

Travis has been working on testing out projects for his student workshops here at home.

Here's a joint project. Mica bent some wires on a board and put a knee high over it to make a sculpture.

Isaak painted it, and poured some sand in the wet paint. Whatever is laying around, Isaak wants to try. Isaak, "Mom I love crackle. Can I use it?" Me, "Not this time." Isaak, "Why?" Me, "You're sculpture is flat, and has a really great look going on. Stick with it, don't add more things to it." Isaak, "What's retarder? Can I use that?" Me, "No you don't need retarder. It's a medium you can add to your paint, so it dries slower. You want your paint to dry faster."

Travis has many piles of projects going on. One lots of cut colored paper for one of his classes. His 8th graders mad this:

I haven't been painting, but instead designing like crazy. I've been trying to put my illustrations into design projects. It's a lot of work. 

I did all these this weekend:

The book took the longest. I still don't know if I'm totally happy with it. For the time being it's done. That's a fake story, and author.

I did find a story online about Native Americans Struggling to Find Housing. It looks better larger.

These are my cookies. I made an ad series called, "Get Cookies Faster".

They've all be uploaded to my art site. 

Have you created anything lately? 

The Ever Famous Eye Roll

via GIPHY

I just want to give the ever famous eye roll all the time lately.

Mica's going through the, "I feel threatened when you say that" phase. I don't know where he's getting this feeling threatened bit. I mean we've only hit him like once in his whole life. That was when he tried to run across the street when a car was heading towards him. He is 12. He is around other kids that have attitude. He reads a lot of books, which characters could have attitude. It's fairly new to us. Sure he's gone through phases, but usually it's short lived. I hope this one is too. I don't care that he shuts himself in his room so much. It's part of growing up to have privacy. The attitude bit needs to go! I think he felt threatened from me telling him to work faster, and pay attention to what he was doing.

Walk Out | Walk Up | Why Not Both?

Mica's school had a walk out a few weeks ago. Right now they are on Spring Break. Ok...I'm glad young people are standing up for what they believe in, BUT most middle schoolers don't understand what's going on.

Teachers have been pushed down because they don't want kids to walk out. It's a safety thing. They are responsible for those kids.

Those in Middle School are usually in tune with their own life changes (acne, hair that's growing in places it didn't grow before, and feelings) at this point. Travis had about an hour talk with the boys about what the walk out is about, and what stepping up is all about. Neither child had a clue prior to the talk.

Heck I think some adults don't get it. People sure do have opinions on if kids should walk out or step up. It's like it's one or the other type thing. Why not do both if that's what they believe? Gun Control isn't just about guns being taken away. It's about monitoring who has guns, allowing those who buy guns to buy them, but have background checks first, and giving people that have mental conditions the help they need. Those things are more what the walk out is about  to me.

The people that are against walking out want kids to walk up. Go to a person that needs help, and help them. Pick that kid that always gets picked last. Be kind! Isaak in particular does that anyhow. If he was older - I don't know why he couldn't walk up and walk out.

We get on this younger generation for not being excited about things. Here they push to fight for some rights, and we're pushing them down for it. I do get that teachers can't have the students walking out to God only knows where. Maybe the staff should be allowed to go with them. A walk would do a lot of people good.

God in Schools

So one of my family member's posted this:

For one whoever originally posted that needs to learn to get better lighting when they take photos! For two the font choices are awful! Ha!

I've stayed quiet for why too long in my life! I commented: God was allowed in the church where the Dylann Roof shot and killed 9 people. He was also present in the church where Devin Patrick Kelley killed more than 2 dozen people.

Guess what? Not everyone believes in God. Guess what? In Denmark they have the highest percent of atheists. Denmark one of the happiest places to live. I'm not saying everyone should be an atheist. Be what you want to be. The problems we have are bigger than God not being talked about in public schools. If you do believe in God, God is everywhere right? That's what I was taught in confirmation class.

Recycle

My boss was on vacay for this week. That is up until today. He said all frantic like, "Alissa do you know where those recycle boxes came from in our break room?" They've been here for 2 yrs now! I recycle the freaking school papers.

I said, "Well technically they belong to the city, but I brought them here. I just put them there to get them out of the classrooms."

He said, "Well they can't be there. We need to hide them for the Open House. Tell me where you put them." All with a concerned look on his face.

Then he said as he walked away, "I may be using you to get things done for the Open House today and tomorrow."

I took them to a storage bay. He stopped me and said, "Where are you going with those? Don't go towards the classroom with them."

I said, "To the storage bay."

He said, "No that room is locked. It will be harder to get them in and out of there."

He directed me to the storage room.

Yep a day of eye rolling!

Random Tid Bits

1. Mica looking at the ad below, "Why do they call it Double Quarter Pound King, when they could just call it Half Pound King?" Us, "Good question." 





2. We also discussed during one breakfast this week what an Oxymoron is. Mica said, "It's like freezer burn. Two opposites in one word, or set of words." The Great Depression is another example. Isaak said, "I bet butt cheeks is an example of an Oxymoron." Possibly! Ha! Can you think of an Oxymoron? 


3. Another season of basketball was wrapped up a few weeks ago. Isaak loves it! He's getting more aggressive with getting the ball. That's a good thing in sports. A few of his team members had issues. The coach's son was getting in trouble at school for talking. The coach kept him out for all the games! Then one twin had violent problems. The other twin was great! He took off his shoes, and threw them across the court, yelled at the ref, slammed the door a few times, would slam the floor when the other team had a free throw and more. He too was out the rest of the season. Isaak couldn't believe how the one twin acted. 





4. We may be ending our relationship with the Leadership Camp the boys go to on Saturday nights. We love having some time away from the boys. I loved what the organization stood for: Building Leaders.
   
   • They are getting less consistent with their discipline tactics. Our boys don't need to be disciplined, but they see the lack of consistency with other kids.
   
   • Their turn over rate for workers has been really high lately! Mica got snapped at for touching insulation. Well he didn't know it was full of tiny particles of glass. Cover up the insulation with a blanket! There's tiny kids that go there. Insulation looks like pink cotton candy.
   
   • Our boys are in the minority. The organization is all about equality, yet my boys are always picked last for every game, or event. There is a thing called reverse discrimination. I wanted my boys to get a taste of it, but it not be their every Saturday night!
   
   • When we pick up the boys they have to ask our names every single time. It's not that big of a group.
   
   • I feel like our boys are leaders already in many ways.
   
   We'll see if they can talk us into staying, but as of right now I think we're leaving when it hits the next tier. 


5. Travis started teaching at a Catholic elementary school this week. They needed a sculptor resident teacher a few days a week. I think he now gets how much work there is in being a teacher. He gets paid well. That doesn't account for all the prep work. It really doesn't account for all the help his wife and boys helped him with either! It will be a great experience, something to put on his resume for sure. Good luck to him! It's his first day, and I'm writing this Monday! We cut out many cardboard pieces for Kindergartener's to make a puzzle sculpture (560 to be exact), strips of colored paper for them to add to their sculpture. He cut out lots of wood bases for older kids to make a wire sculpture, with pantyhose on top, and Gesso on top of that. Lots of colored pieces cut for some older kids to make a 3D shape. Teaching is a lot of work. Especially when you first come up with a project! The rest should be easier! They have days to complete their projects. 

Explaining to Kids Why Dental Health Is Paramount

You have to do more than just tell children that it is important to brush their teeth. Early in childhood, kids are inundated with videos, music, and even puppet shows that are meant to explain how to properly rinse, floss and brush their teeth. Check best-dentalassistantschools.com to learn about the schools that your children’s dentist and dental hygienists attended. Little kids might need to see a giant tooth and toothbrush dancing around to make brushing fun, but they also have to see why it is critical for them to take care of their mouths over a lifetime.

We started washing our kid's gums with a damp baby washcloth. As they got teeth, we brushed them once a day and let them brush them the once a day. When they got old enough to understand a timer, we set it for them to brush their own teeth. The light up toothbrushes work great for timing kids as well. Our kids only hated getting their teeth brushed when they were sick, or cutting teeth. Otherwise they get glowing reports at the dentist office.

People Only Get Two Sets of Teeth

So, your children should get a kick out of knowing that everyone has a set of baby teeth, and eventually, a full set of adult teeth. They may even giggle a bit when they find out that there’s a tooth fairy who goes around and leaves money to children who leave said baby teeth under a pillow. With that said, kids also need to know that their adult teeth won’t be replaced naturally if they fall out due to neglect or poor hygiene. Don’t scare your children, but do tell them the truth about childhood oral hygiene. Your kids’ adult teeth are being formed under their gums years before they make their first appearance. Ensure that your kids are getting the best foundation available by teaching them to cherish both sets of teeth.

Healthy Teeth Support Strong Bodies

If your children go to the pediatric dentist twice a year and get glowing reports, their overall health will be better. Kids who don’t go to the dentist regularly also don’t normally go to the doctor as they should. These poor children end up having their oral hygiene neglected just as much as their physical wellbeing and development. Tell your kids that they should care about themselves, inside and out, by brushing their teeth twice a day.

Helping Your Children to Avoid Common Dental Problems

Kids can get more cavities during childhood than adulthood simply because they are still learning how to prioritize oral hygiene in their schedules. In addition, kids also tend to eat a lot more candy and sugar than adults. Children shouldn’t be forbidden from eating sweets or lectured every time they forget to floss. Tell them that proper oral hygiene will aid them in keeping their teeth healthier. In turn, they won’t need fillings or have to sit through uncomfortable root canals. When children know the advantages and disadvantages of following a particular behavior, they generally make the right choice on their own.

When explained in an approachable manner, kids really have a great time caring for their teeth in the morning and at night. Let them incorporate good oral hygiene into their daily routine at an early age, and soon they might be reminding you to use mouthwash and floss. Your children can have bright smiles as well as bright futures by explaining the steps they need to take to practice proper oral hygiene.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post with content added from me.

WW: Metro Science and Engineering Fair {Linky}

Mica's Science Fair Project: Stacking Vegetarian Against Fast Food Diet was 1 of 20 that won at his middle school. His middle school is a science magnet school, and has 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders, so this was a pretty big deal. He had a high fat and carb diet for 2 weeks, and a vegetarian diet for 2 weeks. He kept a food journal, weighed himself every day, we took his blood pressure every day, and paid attention to his stool. Let's just say that he was a grump, and super gassy on the unhealthy diet. He was much more tolerable on the healthy diet.

His project went on to compete against all the other best science fair project in Omaha at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium this Saturday.

We checked him in at 7:30.

Then Travis, Isaak and I had the world's best zoo to ourselves for the most part. The zoo didn't open until 10. We didn't waist any time. We started off in the Aquarium. It was too cold to hang around outside. 

We stayed awhile watching the penguins.

There were a lot of orange things in one aquarium.

Ok so one yellow-green living thing.

The Jelly Fish are so cool to me. They are like watching a lava lamp.

 I've painted a few octopuses or octopi in my life. Did you know that the plural of octopus can be octopuses or octopi? 

We don't get a lot of time alone with one child, so we took the opportunity to shoot photos with just Isaak in the Rain Forest.

Isaak took a photo of us too.

This peacock walked right on past us outside.

My favorite moment was hard to shoot. A gorilla feeding her baby.

The baby had some playtime after eating. I think he or she just discovered their feet.

Mica didn't place in this Science Fair. He was really bummed. I felt bad for him. One of the judges gave him their business card. He thought for sure he won something. I said that he should just be happy he got that far. Life is difficult at times.

Random Tid Bits

1. This is the last day of midterms! YAY!


2. I have a job shadow that I have my 3rd year students do on one of my class periods. One girl wasn't in 3 1/2 class days, and the job shadow was on class day 7. I noticed there were some fishy things with her packet. I called to check up on her, and she never went. The whole thing was a lie. The packet is fairly thick. I have the packet worth 100 points, just going worth 100 points, and a thank you letter that they've done another 100 points. I had to write her up. Now she has to make up her job shadow over spring break, and I will only give her 1/2 the points.
   
   Another girl confessed she didn't do the job shadow at all. I gave her the opportunity to make it up as well, with 50% off. I told her that appreciate her telling me the truth.
   
   I hate being lied to! What's something you hate?


3. I found this on facebook. I think it's true. 





4. One teacher gets a lot more help than others around my work. On days like midterms and finals I want to scream at him. Sometimes he complains at how busy he is. He has no idea! We're not supposed to play favorites with students, but somehow it's ok for staff to have favorites. I think not! 


5. We'll be at the Henry Doorly Zoo this weekend. Mica's presenting his Science Fair Project there, since he won his middle school competition. I hope he does well. He's a good kid overall.
   
   I helped bump up his board with adding a 3D salad and a few 3D doughnuts. 

WW: First Sign of Spring {Linky}

How do I know spring is coming soon? I can tell ya it's not if a groundhog sees his or her shadow. It's if I see buds on my Magnolia tree.

Some of them look like cats.

Have you seen any signs of spring?

The Ripper Tales | By: Mica Apel

Just a short explanation before I go right into Mica's story. I told him towards the end of winter break that our local library had a writing competition going on. He had to include a character in a book that he's read.

It was due last week. Travis printed it out, read it, and decided it couldn't be submitted. Why? Because it was too gory, for a kid's writing. We'd probably get a call wondering what our child was reading, or watching on TV. No he hasn't watched Dexter with us. Nor is is a crazy child. He's actually very normal, gets along with other kids, and does well in school.

But the story is really good, for only being 12 years old. Just know he got the ideas from a book about Jack the Ripper.

Image Belongs to: Thomas Haynes Cutbash

The Ripper Tales 

Written By: Mica Apel

September 12, 1888, 3:00 PM

Hello diary, my name is Eel Witherson. You may have heard of me when I helped Dr. John Snow discover how Cholera spreads in 1854. But times have changed here in London. Now I am a detective and I have a very intriguing case. This morning, a young girl's body was found in a secluded alley with a slitted throat and lower body organs taken from her body. I think it is the work of a disturbing serial killer with surgical expertise. The bloke must be keeping organs as a prize of his foul doings.

September 19, 1888, 11:00 AM

This morning I woke unprepared for a hellish morning. My neighbor, Beatrice, was found dead in a damp sewer. Same scene, slit throat, lower organs out. I have a thought of who this killer is. Last night, a man, bloody to the bone, was sighted in Boar's Bottom Bar. I will go tomorrow to investigate and possibly confront this man.

September 20, 1888, 9:00 PM

I had a gruesome day with two more bloody deaths one at 8 and one at 2. I have nicknamed this man Jack the Ripper, due to him ripping organs out of his victims. As I entered Boars Bottom, I spotted Jack ordering a Bloody Mary. I asked him if he knew of four strange deaths that have happened over the past week. While he was explaining his alibi, I noticed a bloody scalpel in his left pocket of his jacket. I took it explaining it was evidence, when he rushed out of the bar fast as his long strides could carry him. Next time I confront him I will be ready for him. Bring it on, Jack.

October 2, 1888, 12:00 PM

Jack has not been sighted in a very long time, but today he struck again. This time he killed a 15 year old girl, same scene, same story. He left telling me to go to LeFonza's Talbot at 11:00 PM. Here I am waiting here at twelve o' clock! Wait! Here he comes! Thwack! Aaaoouuhh! That hurt, Jack! You want to play, Jack? I'll play, with my rapier! Shiing! Spliff! Ugghh! Well (cough!) that's the end of the Ripper. After my midnight duel, I buried Jacks halves in an unmarked grave hehind the talbot. For the rest of London's years, it will be free of the Ripper.

By: Eel Witherson P.H. D.

Easter or April Fools?

Did you know that April Fools Day falls on Easter this year? 

I'm thinking we should take part in both.

I have my April Fools Day trick ready for Travis. No he doesn't read this blog often, or if at all.

Remember how I got that non cancerous spot called a Lymphoma cut out? That was at a Plastic Surgeon's office. I had to wait and wait at my last appointment. What did I see across the way? I saw a brochure for lip injections.

I'm going to put it out on the table, along with an appointment card, and possibly a Photoshoped image of myself with bigger lips for Travis to see. Am I getting Lip Enhancement Surgery? No! Does he hate unneeded plastic surgery? Why yes he does. 

April Fools! 

I don't know that he'll actually believe that I'm getting it, but at least it will be a good joke. 

I still have to come up with something for the boys. Maybe the Easter Bunny will play a few tricks on them. He could bring them girl toys, or sponges dipped in chocolate.

What foolish tricks do you have up your sleeve?