Friday Story: What We Have Been Learning About in History

We have been studying about the Minoans in our history book. The Minoans were located on an island in the middle of the Meditteranean Sea named Crete. Crete was near southern Europe. The Minoans were more advanced than some of the civilizations today and they were around about 2200 B.C.



Did you know that the Minoans' name came from a great king called King Minos? His palace covered six acres and there were murals called frescoes. You would make a fresco by applying paint to wet plaster. The frescoes actually would last longer than our paintings today. King Minos was said to have made a maze to keep a creature called a minotaur in it. A minotaur is half bull and half man. One of the sports they liked doing was bull-leaping. People would catapult over bulls and it looked like they would do headstands on the bull's back.



Their culture only lasted for about eight hundred years. There was a nearby island that had a volcano and the volcano erupted. That's what probably made the Minoans extinct. In the 1900's a person called Sir Arthur Evans discovered the remains of their culture. It gave Plato a theory about Atlantis. He actually wrote a whole story about it. He claimed that the city sank because the people were so wicked. People have been trying and trying to get proof that Plato's story is true but they never have found any.

Friday Stories: The Ice Castle

Once upon a time there was an ice castle. It was a half mile square. There were fifty knights, a princess, a king, a queen, a prince. They were in search of the rare ice crystals. They thought it was located near the evil sorcerer's castle. The evil sorcerer's name is Merlind. So twenty-five of the best and bravest knights went off in search of it. They found the ice crystal cave. They were going to retrieve the biggest chunk that they could carry when they tripped a trip wire and the wizard came running out. He found them and locked them in an electrical fence, but one of the knights threw his lance at the electrical box and there was no electricity, which means the wizard's wand couldn't work, so they escaped. They told the king what had happened so next time the king sent all of the knights. So twenty-five knights went into the wizard's castle and twenty-five knights went to go collect ice crystals. This time they were careful of the trip wire. They gathered twenty ice crystals and in the wizard's castle the knights took ten scepters, one spell book, and five pouches of magic dust. They went back to the castle. The king was very pleased with their treasures. The knights had collected twenty ice crystals. The king's machine needed one hundred, so they went back, and this time they carried out eighty ice crystals all together. The king's machine was a giant tank that could easily crush the wizard's castle and then the king could finally take back his rarest things: his armor, sword, sheath, shield, and the family medallion and ring. The knights surrounded the machine. The knights went on horses and the king was the top gunner but they didn't need the gun yet. They went over to the wizard's castle and the fight was a little hard because they had to not destroy any of the ice crystals. Twenty-five of the knights went over to grab some more ice crystals for themselves and for the machine. When they got back, the wizard's castle was almost destroyed and so they quickly put the giant chunks in for the gun. The gun was to block off all of the possible ways to get in and out. The knights made their own entrance by jousting in to the wall. They took the sorcerer's wands, pouches of magical dust and spellbooks. Then the king came in and took back his shield, his sheath, his sword, his armor, the family medallion, and the family ring. He also found what must have been his great-great-great-great-grandfather's scepter and crown. The king queen, and princess and the prince lived happily ever after. The end.

Friday Stories: Signs of Spring

I have seen signs of spring all over the place. At church, I saw little sprouts coming out of their flower bed. And the snow has been melting so much that it seems like it's spring. We might plant seedlings this week. The temperature has been warmer out. The hottest the temperature is that I can recall is 44 degrees. A couple times I didn't even need to wear mittens!



Yesterday I played outside. I found some really big chunks of cracked ice. Today I walked Minnie. In the gutter, there was lots of melted snow and slush. I've been sweeping some rocks into the gutter for the street sweeper to sweep up.



The thing that I like most about spring is getting to plant flowers. We try to make one whole bucket of flowers each spring. Every year, I get this weird kind of flower that looks coral-y and comes in pink, red, yellow, and I think green. Last year I picked out some snapdragons and marigolds and some of those coral-y ones. And that's all I can remember for picking out. One of my favorite flowers is those coral-y ones.

Second Season of Co-op

Yesterday was the first day of co-op. First we had a speaker come from China. Her name was Tina. She taught one of my science classes and I made glow in the dark slime at a community ed class.


Next we had art class with Sandy and Val. First we read Sam's Lucky Money. Then we made paper dragons. I learned how to make an origami dog. Then I had Spanish class with Cristina. I learned how to say Como te llamas? It means What is your name? in Spanish. Then I replied, Me llamo Max. We did Red Light, Green Light, but we only ran in one spot. We ran in place. We did the colors in Spanish: rojo for red and verde for green. Two of the kids tricked us by saying rojo first.


Then for snack we had almond cookies, oranges, honey candy, and green tea for a drink. I learned how to use chopsticks. It's not that easy. I'm still getting the hang of it. Then we watched The Magic Paintbrush during snack.


After that, co-op was over. While the moms and dads were cleaning up, Kurt how to taught me how a little paper envelope out of origami. It was pretty easy. Then we watched Mr. Bean. The most funniest part was when he went on the static ball and his hair didn't stick up but he touched a paper and it stuck to him. He couldn't get it off so he handed it to a lady with a dress on and she took it and all of a sudden her dress flew up over her head so you could see her panties. That was the funniest part!

What I Like About Homeschooling

I like homeschooling because it's fun and I learn more. I get to have more break time. I like getting to play outside for a longer time. My favorite workbook would probably be Explode the Code or Singapore Math. It's fun, there's sentence-writing on the last page of every lesson, and I think I'm on lesson eight of Explode the Code 5 1/2. I like Singapore Math because on one of them there was robots and spaceships.



What I sometimes do on my break is take Minnie for a walk. Usually I take her up to the park fire hydrant.



I also like playing games a lot. I like playing Monopoly and Candyland. Mitchell especially likes Moose in the House. Sometimes we play Blokus at bedtime.



Sometimes when we get all of our school done if there's extra time we'll play outside. When we go sledding, some loaders came and dumped a lot of snow by the park so it makes the park hill even bigger. The teens made a couple courses and I like going down the one without the jump. We haven't gone down the jump yet. Mitchell wants to but I think he's a little scared. HE says he really wants to but I don't think that's a hundred percent true. I also especially like going down the slide into a big pile of snow.



Sometimes on break I will go down and do Legos. And if I get tired of doing that I will read out of a Judy Moody book.



I especially like when Mommy reads Narnia at nighttime for a bedtime story. We finished Little House on the Banks of Plum Creek on Monday, February 2.



In the summer on break time sometimes I will go biking up to the park fire hydrant and back. My record is seven times and I'm gonna try to get to ten. I also like going to New Ulm near the Fourth of July because last year Uncle Danny and Uncle Brian got us some party poppers, sparklers, and Black Cats.



I also like building snow forts when we play outside.



I like going to Mommy's music classes and doing tonal patterns and playing with the ball pit balls and parachute. Since our co-op hasn't started yet, I take going to Mommy's music class as a field trip. This co-op time we are going to be studying about different countries from around the world.



Sometimes on my break time in summer, if I'm lucky I'll catch a dragonfly.

Journal: 1-19-2009

This week is hunt for happyness Week. I would like to eat Subway for brakeffost, Godfathers piezza for lunch, and peizza Hut Stuffed crust for dinner on fryday. I also like having snowball fights and I like sledding. I like shooting Mtn Dew cans. I like Little house on the bakes of Plum Kreek.

Journal: 1-12-2009

Today in the afternoon it's soposto [supposed to] get to 30 to 40 bulo [below] zero. I shoveled a pile of snow taller then Mitch. It was less than a quarter of the driveway. We are soposto [supposed to] get 2 to 4 inches of snow and hers the best part there is a BLISERD Worning! I like BLISERDS because I get snow for bilding snowforts.

Journal: 1-5-2009

We went to New Ulm for Christmas Eve and came back Christmas day. I got th Valcan it came with 50 darts 1 shoulder stna [strap], and 2 ammo belts. I also got 500 pixos. I got a Garfield DS game. I got 2 sleapers. I got 2 ornomints. I got a giant Pokemon trating cart pack. I got so meny presets I cant remember everthing. The Valcan was 1 of my top things.

Journal: 12-15-2008

Mitch and me maid A behemoth lego home for Gumdrop and Gumball. We used all the big LEGOS. Thare is a secrit tonle [tunnel], a secrit bed with a tonle [tunnel] that leads in and out throo two enterinsis. I bilt a wrestling areana and a shed. I would like to yoos a big empty mach box with cotin. I hope Gumdrop and Gumball leave a note.

Journal: 12-8-2008

Last night we saw the holoday train. It was lit wtih 100,000 lights. Santa was on the train. Santa was giving out free candy cains. I got a candy cain but Mitch did not so we are going to sher it. There were also giving out free miny candy cains We both got thoes. We shaired one glas of free hot coco. We did not stay for the hole show bekos we got to cold.

Journal: 12-1-2008

It is advent today. I got to open the first Lego Advent Calender. I got a LEGO ornament. We got a Christmas tree yesterday. We put the Christmas lights up last night. We put up white lights and bubble lights. I helped put up the white lights.

Journal: 11-24-2008

I got to go to Mommy's last music class. I went to 1 Tuesday class and all the Wednesday classes. Mommy used to have 4 tuesday classes but only 3 classes were chosen. Mommy also went to 30 hours of training. We had a partay on the last day. There are 10 weeks of class. I've been in music class for 5 years. I was 1 year going on 2. I like music class because Mommy was the teacher.

Journal: 11-17-2008

We went to the Sities for the weekend for a wedding. We stayd at a hotel. The hotel had an in dor pool it also had a hot tub. I srfed on daddies back he also gave me under water rides The wedding had a fhodeod [photo] booth. I got my own kids shompain. We went to mall of Amairica and ate at Rooby toosdays.

Journal: 11-10-2008

I would relly like the Valcan from Nerf for Chrismas. My 2nd to top is a Pokemon Diamond + Pearl trating cards. I would also like a creat you're own light saber kit. I would like Lego Star Wars Separatise Spider Droid $29.99. I also want a Star Wars Hailfier Droid + Spider Droid LEGO Set. The rest I'm not fussy. O and a Rebel Scout Speeder Star Wars lego Set $9.99.

Journal: 10-26-2008

I went to Marissa's house. Marssa has a cat named Prins Tom. They have 3 cats. Marissa and Audrey shair a room. There room is upstairs. I had a playdait with Marissa yesterday. I said [stayed] for dinner. I had chickin, frise, and cheasesticks. We wacht The Wizard of Oz. I got thear at 3:00 p.m. and staid till 7:00 p.m.

Journal: 10-20-2008

My birthday was two days ago. We went to the sitteas [Cities]. We went to LEGO land we ate at the Rainforest Cafe. I boght a lego Agents Set 2. I got a light up cup from Rainforest cafe. Mitch got me a clone wor tratting card pack it had a 3D card. My favorite part was getting my presents.

Journal: 10-14-2008

I whould like the like the new NERF Vulcan dart gun. Thare is a Lego Agents Snowmobeal. I also want a create your own light saver cit [kit] and spy sets.

Journal: 10-10-2008

We went to Oxbow Park. We also lerned about bears We did a leaf hunt. We saw some wearred [wierd] bugs. I found a jinet [giant] maple leef. bears donet go to the bathroom in winter. The bearres tern thair wast into musle. Tjhose are my top things the rest I am not fussy.

Friday Stories: New Year's Resolutions

One of my New Year's resolutions is to go sledding sledding twenty times this winter, or hopefully more. Another one of my New Year's resolutions is to build one or two snow forts out of the recycling bin. I would also like to learn how the twelve different birthstones are formed because then I would know how a diamond would form. I remember there is an opal, a diamond, a ruby, sapphire, and topaz. I would also like to try to get up to $275 yet this year. I don't really know what to buy with it but I am thinking about maybe buying gold $800 for an ounce in gold. I also would to learn about how carrier pigeons could carry a message. I also had a goal of about two or three science experiments a week. There is one that I would like to do and I can grow crystals with that one.