Life in Lomas

SAT Question of the Day

2009-04-14T11:10:00.005-05:00

Although Alex won't be taking the SAT or the ACT for at least two more years, we have begun to practice. It is important for him to become accustomed to the test format. Most of the Math questions cover topics which he hasn't seen yet. We usually just skip these. But, We use language questions as vocabulary builders and to review grammar. You can sign-up to have these questions sent to you via email at the following website:

http://www.collegeboard.com/

They provide many other valuable services for the college bound and their parents as well.

A New Discovery!

2009-03-28T21:55:00.006-06:00

Facebook has been around for a long time. However, it is a new discovery for me. What a discovery!

I have been able to reconnect with old friends as well as keep in touch with my older children. Plus, it has a lot of fun educational games that both Alex and I enjoy playing.

It has memory games . . .

. . . geography games . . .

. . . and several vocabulary building games.

It even has several groups for homeschoolers. For anyone who hasn't signed up yet, I would highly recommend it.

What's on the Nightstand?

2009-03-25T13:15:00.007-06:00

Alex was beginning to read less so we put Free Reading back into our daily schedule. Right now he has chosen to read books from the American Library Association's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books.

He just finished A Day No Pigs Would Die and he has begun Fallen Angels.

He likes reading these books and I enjoy discussing them with him.

You can find the list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books at the following link: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.cfm

Springtime in Lomas

2009-03-25T10:01:00.010-06:00

Normally when you think of Spring, you think of tulips . . .

. . . and ladybugs. . .

and butterflies.

In Mexico, we have scorpians . . .

. . . and chinches . . .

. . . and God only knows what.

It is not as warm and fuzzy. Although, I guess it would serve for an entomology study.

A Little Help From My Friends

2009-03-25T09:49:00.008-06:00

Yesterday, Alex was doing an experiment on erosion for his general science class.

Julie decided that he needed her help.

She is an expert at digging holes in the yard, but I don't think that she was really helpful this time.

Praise for the Makers of Wii

2009-03-20T10:31:00.008-06:00

Alex has entered some kind of growth spurt. He has a voracious appetite. Unfortunately, he is growing out more than he is growing up. We both were chastised at his last visit to the pediatrician. At 72 kilos (158 lbs) he is now officially obese. We made a plan and we are working on reducing his weight through diet (no more soda or junk food as well as portion control) and exercise. One of the things that he loves is his Wii Fit. Not only are the games fun, but he really likes how it keeps track of everything. I am just surprised at how much a computer game can make him sweat.

A Day at the Beach

2009-03-20T09:22:00.010-06:00

We were invited to a wedding in Acapulco this weekend and we decided to take advantage of the trip and take the boys along for a little family excursion.

This is the first time that Josh's body has seen the light of day in some time. I was glad to see him get some color and now I won't have to worry about him developing rickets.

Alex has a blast whenever we go to the beach. He spends the entire day in the ocean.

Josh even decided to get a massage. He has such a rough life!

Of course it wouldn't be a trip to the beach without burying Alex in the sand.

Even Alejandro enjoyed himself.

I think we wore the boys out.

Shaving for the 1st Time

2009-03-18T18:11:00.005-06:00

I have noticed that all of my children have been growing up lately as they tend to do. I miss the simplicity of the younger years. I was complaining one morning to Alex and asked him if he would please stay young for me for one more year. He said that he would and went to take his shower. When he gets out of the shower he tells me that he has shaved so that he will look younger for me. He saw my disappointment and told me, "Don't worry Mom. I didn't want to cut myself so I didn't press very hard. I really just cut the hairs in half. " I asked for it. This weekend, his Dad showed him how to shave properly.

The half hairs are gone . . .

. . . and he looks great, older, but great!

Get Out the Vote

2009-03-18T17:54:00.013-06:00

This is a very exciting election for many reasons, but especially because this is Tiffany's FIRST time to vote.

I voted early so that I could go with Tiffany today. Her grandmother and I ceremoniously took her to the designated polling place and I embarressed her to death by taking pictures nonstop.

She went over the sample ballot and she got in line.

Why does Tiffany look so sad?

The machine broke. We waited over an hour while a new machine was procured and installed.

It looked a little iffy for awhile. I think that there were just too many cooks in the kitchen.

In the end, it all worked out.

Tiffany got her ballot and headed for the booth.

I have never been so proud.

Good job, baby!

Halloween

2009-03-18T17:40:00.010-06:00

A big perk of being in the U.S. in October is Halloween. We have a pseudo Halloween where we live in Mexico, but it is just not the same. So this year, we did it up right. We carved pumpkins.

We put on costumes.

We went to parties to see old friends.

We rang a lot of doorbells and got a lot of candy.

We had a great time.

Haunted Corn Maze

2009-03-18T17:18:00.010-06:00

Although we lived in Maryville for a long time, I never got to go to the haunted corn maze at Maple Farms. I really wanted to go this year. So, my parents, my brother, my neice, Alex and I headed out for a spooky time. Below is the design that was cut into the cornfields. We entered at the bottom left-hand corner went all through the maze and exited again at the bottom left-hand corner. We had a blast.

It takes a very secure man to get behind a tractor cut-out and stick his face through the hole . This is why we love you brother.

Alex wasn't too sure of things once we entered the maze.

He had good reason to be concerned.

Kayla, however, wasn't bothered by a thing.

Toward the end of the maze some masked man with a chainsaw surprised us. I went to hug Alex to assure him that everything was alright only to find that Alex was no longer with us. He ran out of the maze and dove under the ticket table as if he was sliding into home. People applauded. I unfortunately will never get that red clay out of those khaki pants.

College Visits

2009-03-18T16:54:00.006-06:00

Tiffany's college search continues. She is considering approximately 30 colleges and universities. To help her narrow her list down. We decided to go on a road trip. We wanted to Lorelai and Rory it, but we really didn't have time. We visited 4 schools in 3 days: Appalachian State University, University of North Carolina, James Madison University, and University of Virginia.

We only got lost once . . . well, maybe twice . . . we certainly did not get lost more than three times.

We also got to see some friends along the way who were able to give us a realistic picture of their schools.

It was a whirlwind trip, but it really helped Tiffany discover what she wants from a school.

Fall Festival

2009-03-18T16:37:00.008-06:00

Alex and I went to Tennessee this Fall. We were fortunate enough to arrive in time for the Fall Festival. We love to go, but after seeing the sign below I wasn't sure how much fun we were going to have.

Alex started with the climbing wall sponsored by the U. S. Army.

He liked it, but I think that he like the freebies more, dog tags, pens and book covers. We have been receiving recruiter information ever since. He is too young guys; you can't have him yet.

We moved on to a dog training exhibition. It was truly impressive. I can't even get my dog to stop relieving himself all over the house.

Alex decided to try bull riding next.

It is not as easy as it looks.

Alex's cousin, Demi, wasn't interested in the bull riding. She decided to have her face painted. I think that she looks fantastic.

Hot or Cold?

2009-03-18T16:19:00.004-06:00

Alex did an experiment on how temperature affects the speed at which molecules move. First, he filled one glass with cold water and one glass with boiling water. Then, he added food coloring to see in which glass the food coloring blended most quickly.

I think that he had a little too much fun.

Finally!

2009-03-18T16:15:00.002-06:00

I have been looking for the cord to download the photos from my camara to my computer for 6 months. I haven't found it yet. However, I did find a cord that will work. Yea! So I can finally start blogging again. I am doin a happy dance!

Back to School

2008-08-18T10:36:00.012-05:00

We are starting our third year of homeschooling! I began our homeschooling journey by doing school at home the first year. The second year I relaxed a bit and I used more of an eclectic method. This year, I am using The Well Trained Mind approach with Alex. His curriculum is listed to the right.

Alex is enjoying having me to himself this year, but he is really excited about his Chinese class. We are so lucky to have Chinese restaurant here that is owned and operated by an actual Chinese family. One of their children has agreed to give Alex private lessons and he loves it.

Tiffany is living with her grandparents this year and has begun a dual enrollment program. She is taking classes at a local community college and simultaneously receiving credit for her last year of high school and her first year of college. I think this is a great way for her to transition to living in the United States again as well as transitioning back to a "regular" classroom as she prepares to enter University.

Build a Bear

2008-02-05T14:16:00.000-06:00

Alex and Demi love to go to build a bear! This year they decided that instead of making their own bear they would make a bear for each other.

There were a lot of smiles and they had a really good time.

When they got their new friends home they decided to camp out in the family room.

The Black & White Affair

2008-02-05T13:35:00.000-06:00

One of the great advantages of going back to Tennessee for Christmas is getting to see old friends. Tiffany accompanied her friends to the Black & White Affair. They all looked beautiful .

Of course you can dress them up but, you still can't take them out.

Even the boys got in on the act.

Decorating the Tree

2008-02-05T12:44:00.000-06:00

Our tree decorating tradition begins with Dad putting up the star.

Demi and Alex had a lot of fun strategizing their ornament placement.

Usually, I get lost in the crowd, but someone was kind enough to take a snapshot of me this year.

Alejandro put up some ornaments too, but he really prefers to sit back and take pictures.

A special thanks goes out to my Mom who gives each person a new ornament every year. We have come to love and cherish them. Thanks, Mom!

Guitar Recital

2007-12-14T15:12:00.001-06:00

Alex performed in his first guitar recital. Even though he was nervous about playing in public, he did a wonderful job.

He even got a diploma.

Congratulations Alex!

Mexico's Next Top Model

2007-12-14T14:48:00.000-06:00

Tiffany became interested in modeling earlier this year. She now has an agent and she just finished her first paying job with L' Oréal. I had wanted to document this "first" in her life, but no Mommies were allowed. So, I had to be content with taking a few photos after the fact.

I think that she looks beautiful.

Of course, I may be biased.

There are , however, others who agree with me. She even has a new fan!

Building Big

2007-12-14T14:37:00.000-06:00

Alex is studying construction this year. We are using the PBS curriculum, Building Big. His first project was to make the tallest tower that he could out of 2 sheets of newspaper.

It wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Nevertheless, a little problem solving with some perserverence got the job done.

Little Grass Skirt

2007-12-14T14:27:00.001-06:00

Tiffany is taking another Home Economics class. This year, the focus is on sewing. Her first project is a rafia hula skirt that she is making for her little cousin. She is currently crocheting the waistband. Next she will add the tasles and the "grass" for the skirt.

Thanksgiving

2007-12-14T14:13:00.001-06:00

I had lots of "helpers" in the kitchen this year. Alex and a friend were in charge of the pumpkin pie. Things were a little wild at first, . . . .

but then everyone settled down and got to work.

In the end, they did a great job . . .

They even put their initials on the pie so that everyone would know who made it.

I think that they did a great job.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

2007-11-16T14:57:00.000-06:00

Alex and I went on a hike today for his Zoology class. We had a great time and ran across several items from the Nature Scavenger Hunt list. Below are a few highlights.

We found a honey bee,

a grasshopper,

an ant colony,

and bird tracks on the ground.