Keeping It Simple

Lego Quest is up and running after summer break and the boys were happy to participate in the Aircraft Challenge : by James (8yo) by Mark (10yo) You can view 116 other entries here !!

I try very hard to stay at home as much as possible, but when this class information showed up in my email box, I knew I wanted my Lego crazy boys to give it a try. I have been following the posts on  Harmony Art Mom's blog in regards to Lego Robotics, but was intimidated to start at home, so this is really a blessing! I still hope to make the investment so that this could be an "at home" project, but my boys (Paul 12, Mark 8) are loving the class!

Legos:    We missed the official " Lego Quest Challenge " this week, but the boys were game to do their own when we had some time on Thursday. The challenge- scoop two cups of Legos out of the bucket and create! No picking certain Legos. I suspect Mark (above) picked from the bucket that he knew had rock monsters in it. I have to confess to not remembering what he told me about his creation on the left (I'll try to remedy that). The one on the right is a rock monster playground complete with rock monster parents "sitting and visiting at the table". James was equally enthusiastic- he created a Batcave battle scene. Neither of them used all of the Legos, but they had a great time with this challenge.                    Seasons/Art: As fall is well on the way to winter, I am trying to savor these last few weeks before the holidays begin in earnest. I have a fondness for fall decorati...

Whew! We made the deadline this time. :) The Lego Quest challenge for this round is to create something that reminds you of Halloween. We usually stay far away from all things scary, but as soon as James heard the theme, he wanted to make a haunted castle. I guess it is not so scary in miniature form! Anyway, he commandeered his brother's castle, made some modifications and came up with this. He was especially pleased that it looked like "real fire" from the "glowy Lego brick" that he mounted behind the castle. The knights that look like they are about to attack the castle are trick-or-treaters! All Halloween entries will be posted on the Lego Quest Blog sometime after the deadline (Monday, October 25).

Michele at My Blessings From Above is hosting a link up for "Lego Creation Thursday" . It is late, but where we live, it is still Thursday. We did not get a chance to particpate in the Lego Quest Challenge this week (we will next time), but we have lots of Lego pictures on file. This one is just a scene that the boys took a picture of on our back porch- their goal was to make it look the the plane in the left corner was really flying over. I think they succeeded.

We missed the deadline for the Lego Quest Challenge ! James (7yo) was quite distraught this morning when he realized it. Paul (12yo) assured him that they could still do the challenge unofficially--- they proceeded to make their version of a Lego playground. You can click on any of the pictures to make them larger. Can you tell the Lego guy is hanging from the monkey bars? I told the boys that any good playground has a bench for mom to sit on. This merry-go-round actually does spin! My darling grandson helped out!! And, the final touch that any boy can appreciate- a fishing pond!! Mark and James- happy with their creation. James was sad that they would not get their picture on the Lego Quest Blog, but I told him that I would do a post on it! That worked for him. :) If your kids are looking for Lego inspiration, you will be able to see more Lego playgrounds over at Lego Quest Kids when they post.

In Our Homeschool This Week: Reading: A new development in our school schedule is that James (7yo) goes next door to do his reading with grandma a few times a week. He takes this very seriously. And, if grandma tells him something, he listens. Isn't that the way it always goes? The biggest plus--- James gets some treasured one on one time with his grandma, and that makes me happy. :) No wrap up would be complete without All About Spelling: We have ordered the level two story collections that go with the AAS program. These readers are $19.95 a piece. Ouch!!! Steep. But, when James finished his level 1 book, and I moved him to another reader that I had on hand, he was not happy- and, grandma (see above :)) agreed with him!! He did not care for the See Jane Run style of the reader... boring (in his words).  The AAS readers are sturdy hardback books that do have absolutely charming drawings and are written with a good dose of humor (that ...