theroades.com

keeping up with life, kids, and technology

Archive for category stuff to do

Nature invades our home: beautiful butterflies!

Oct 4

Posted by Adam in homeschooling, nature, stuff to do, video | 3 Comments

Three Monarch butterflies hang from their chrysalises (click the photo for a larger version)

For the last few years, I have planned to mail away for butterfly larvae (i.e., caterpillars) so the kids could get the opportunity to “raise” butterflies. But the time always got away from me and I consistently missed the window of opportunity; after all, I didn’t want to have the poor things hatch in the middle of Winter when they wouldn’t have a chance to migrate.

This year, a good friend who lives nearby was kind enough to text me one night to ask if I’d be interested in snagging a couple of Monarch caterpillars that were covering a milkweed bush he had planted for just that purpose. I jumped at the idea!

Read the rest of this entry »

LinkedInTumblrPosterousWordPressTwitterPingNetvibes ShareGoogle ReaderGoogle GmailFacebookDeliciousBlogger PostDiigoShare

Construction & destruction: the short lifespan of a gingerbread house

Dec 11

Posted by Adam in family, funny, stuff to do | 1 Comment

Sunday afternoon…

Monday evening…

Yes, we’re a family that doesn’t mess around when it comes to enjoying our holiday treats … even if they’re meant to be decorations! :)

Thank goodness for pre-baked gingerbread house kits that let us focus on the building, decorating, and eating instead of the baking! Costco has the best kit we’ve seen – it’s $10 and has everything you see here, plus two gingerbread men who met their fates rather quickly.

I wonder what would have happened if R or Z had been with Hansel and Gretel when they happened upon that candy house in the woods. I have a feeling they would have gobbled up the walls so fast that the witch would barely have made it out before the roof collapsed!

LinkedInTumblrPosterousWordPressTwitterPingNetvibes ShareGoogle ReaderGoogle GmailFacebookDeliciousBlogger PostDiigoShare

Giving thanks & feeding alpacas (?!)

Dec 10

Posted by Adam in events, family, links, stuff to do | No Comments

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we went up to Pennsylvania to visit family. As the weather was cold, windy, and wet, we spent most of our time indoors. But we did get one short window where the clouds parted and our cabin fever forced us out of the house. Rebecca had wanted to get her Mom a pair of boutique alpaca wool socks and see if she wanted a pair of her own for Christmas. So we journeyed to the source – the White Lightning Farm in Mohnton (I’m as surprised as you are that an alpaca farm has a web site). :)

While we assumed we’d be able to see the creatures, we had no idea we’d also be allowed to feed them! The girls were very excited about this and we spent quite a bit of time with the strange beasts. Then the cold and rain came back and we scrambled back home.

Ann and Dane, the owners of White Lightning Farm, were both very friendly and I would highly recommend taking a field trip if you’re ever in the area.

LinkedInTumblrPosterousWordPressTwitterPingNetvibes ShareGoogle ReaderGoogle GmailFacebookDeliciousBlogger PostDiigoShare

Bagpipers! [video]

May 13

Posted by Adam in family, stuff to do, video | 1 Comment

We went downtown last weekend to visit the Museum of Natural History. We had a blast seeing the dinosaurs, sealife, gemstones… I have always enjoyed this museum and it was great to be able to share it with the kids. The whole day was fun, starting with getting out of the house on time (a miracle!), getting a parking spot right outside the museum, then being treated to the bagpipers in the video below before heading into the museum. Then a picnic lunch with beautiful weather before heading back home. A wonderful experience for everyone!

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

LinkedInTumblrPosterousWordPressTwitterPingNetvibes ShareGoogle ReaderGoogle GmailFacebookDeliciousBlogger PostDiigoShare
FireStats icon Powered by FireStats