Kite Flying ~ A Look Back

I vaguely remember flying trying to fly a kite when I was a kid. I think my older brother probably tried to help me, but ended up flying it himself.... What I actually remember is tying on pieces of fabric for the tail and running a lot.

So when Noli got a kite several years ago, I was excited that she and Papa were able to get it to fly. It was such a pretty kite -- a big Monarch butterfly.

She even had on an almost matching dress for the occasion!

Noli's job was to hold the kite string and to run a lot (following in my footsteps, ya know)!

It's fun to look back on that kite-flying day -- she is so much more grown up now at seven-going-on-eight. (I can hardly believe it!) She had just turned four in these pictures -- just a little kid!

Sometimes the trees almost catch the kite....

Sometimes the string catches Noli!

But then she gets it back....

Sometimes Noli catches the kite

Her other job is to point out where the kite is -- she also likes to show us just how windy it was.

You can just see the pretend tattoos on her leg and arms -- she takes after mommy and daddy with that!

 All in all, a glorious kite-flying day!

Sharing Noli's kite flying over at Miss Jenny's for Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter K


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Ninja in a Poodle Skirt ~ Wordless Wednesday

Hi-ya!

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Paper Hat Stack!

As we got out of the car, I spotted the pink plastic bag on the driveway. It has advertisements in it and goes straight to the recycling bin. Noli says "Bring it in -- I can make something out of that paper!"

So in it goes and she takes the papers out and sets to work ....

Do you know how to make paper hats? .... No, I say.
Well, I'll show you how, she says!

I wasn't smart enough to grab my camera at this point, but she -- very precisely -- showed me how to fold it.

 A paper hat stack!

Who's behind those paper hats?

It's a mystery ....

We must model from the back too

Mommy gets in on the fun!

Noli loves her purple sunglasses!

The next day .... Silliness on Mommy's porch 

Mommy's friends wear Noli's hats ....

♥♥♥   Noli is linking her paper hats to Alphabe-Thursday over at Miss Jenny's where we are studying the letter "P."

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A Geologist in the Making ...

On the same day as the Great Katy Bug Adventure (A Budding Entomologist), Noli also tried her hand at geology (more like a rock collector, actually).

She loves to look for rocks with crystals in them and fossils and those with funny shapes.

When she found this one, I pointed out that it kind of looked like the shape of Texas (loosely, I'll admit) which she thought was cool since we live in Texas!

and then she turned it over .... a heart!

Can you see it?

She found one with crystals ....

and another sort of heart, and a perfectly rectangular one ....

and this really cool one that looks like a real human heart!

From the front

and the back

"Isn't that just the coolest," she says. "There are tiny shells in it!"

and then, oh my! A FOSSIL!

don't you think those are dinosaur toes?

inside to wash her loot ....

clean rocks!

We learned that geology is the study of the earth, including rocks, and that petrology is specifically studying rocks! And that someone who likes to look at rocks is called a "rockhound." 

She thought that was pretty funny!  

Then we read the Magic School Bus book "Inside the Earth" which was pretty good and funny too!

I think she did quite well with her geology lesson!

♥♥♥  Linking Noli's Geology lesson to Alphabe-Thursday at Miss Jenny's classroom, where we are studying the letter G!

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A Budding Entomologist

We were going to catch butterflies. But we found katy bugs instead ....

Noli the Entomologist was armed with her trusty butterfly net, looking up to see the butterflies flying about. Then something kinda icky and creepy catches her eye .... and it's making a funny chirping sound. We look, and there is a katy bug! (Katy bug, aka cicada in big people talk.)

A little background -- when Noli's Uncle Adam (my son) was a little boy, he called cicadas "katy bugs" and the name stuck. It is, after all, a very scientific term, you know.

So we snuck up on the katy bug, Noli armed with her butterfly net, and me with my trusty camera.

Girl vs Bug

Dare ya to touch it!! I double dog dare ya!

We looked closely and could see how transparent their wings are, and how iridescent their bodies. 

(Click on this pic for a real up-close-and-personal look!!)

We found a shell clinging to the lawn mower and talked about how they live underground for as long as 17 years, and then climb out to the surface, find a twig or leaf (or in this case, a lawn mower) to attach to, and then leave their shell as adults.

"How do they know when to come up from underground?" asks Entomologist Noli.

"I guess they have an alarm clock!" jokes smarty pants grandma.  

Then we went to learn a bit more about katy bugs from the trusty internet.

("They are really called cicadas, you know" says Noli -- she never lets me get away with anything ...)

One thing we learned is that katy bugs are eaten in some countries -- do you want yours grilled or fried?

♥♥♥  Linking Entomologist Noli and her katy bugs to Alphabe-Thursday at Miss Jenny's classroom, where we are studying the letter E!!

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Computer Building 101 ~ Kid Style

or, How to Build a Computer, Noli Style   : )

Noli ~ I need a box.

Me ~  What kind of box? A shoebox?

No, bigger!

How big?

This long and this tall (holding out her arms)

Hmmm. I raid my box supply. Ah-ha! A priority mail box -- I don't think the PO will mind that it gets used for a kid project....

I still have no idea what she's making!

Noli ~ It's a computer, silly!

Follow along, 'cause here's what we did! We put the box together except we didn't close the top flaps. Cut a big hole in it for the screen. Left a flap down for the keyboard.

It was kind of floppy so we glued popsicle sticks to hold the screen up.

Noli gets out the construction paper and crayons, and busily draws. 

She's making games for her computer. 

They are called Heart Search, Treasure Box, Kitty Lost, Try to Get the Dog's Snowflakes, Bats Suck Blood and Candy Girl. The last two are Halloween games.

Bet YOUR computer doesn't have popsicle sticks!!

Linking up Noli's computer to Alphabe-Thursday over at Ms. Jenny's for the letter C!!

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