"Blowing" Up at the Science Fair

 
Giant Bubbles are Dallin's new interest.  It all started when Grandma and Grandpa Clarke gave him a gift card to Home Depot for his birthday.  He debated what to do with the gift and remembered seeing someone at Central Park making giant bubbles. He did a little research on the Internet and figured out how to build giant bubble wands and a super strong bubble solution.



So when it came time to come up with a project for the science fair Dallin decided to experiment with techniques to make bigger and better bubbles.  First we controlled for wind, sun and such by setting up a bubble station in the garage and using a fan set on low to create enough of a breeze to make bubbles.  He laid out a tape measure to assess the length of the bubbles. The experiment involved testing different types of string to see which would make the longest bubbles.

After all his efforts his record was about 15 ft which was the length of the entire garage where the wind/sun became a limiting factor.  He presented the results of his project at the homeschool science fair and even demonstrated the most successful string.

Dallin did a great job and all of the kids LOVED his giant bubbles.

New Paths to Explore

Ben decided he wants to go where few Clarke's have gone before- public school.  After much fretting and searching we decided to enroll him at a local charter school where some of our friends attend and a member of our ward teaches. 

I was so worried. Why is it that these "hard" times are so much harder on mom's? 
Well he survived, and so did I. In fact he's done very well this year and we are so proud of him!

3 Little Monkeys

Dallin's Art

Dallin is good at all kinds of art, even etch a sketch.  It's one of those unusual art forms rarely expressed.

 He's been working on his Webelos Art Activity Badge and this is his "sculpture."

Daddy Daughter sock hop

It's Lauren's last year in Activity Days, and so it is her last year to attend the Stake Daddy Daughter Dance. This year it was a sock hop theme.  I actually got crafty enough to sew her a poodle skirt- wonders never cease.
The invitations and place mats were made from old records- I had to explain to the girls what records were and how they worked.  I guess that means they truly are "antiques" now, sad that I remember using records as  little girl- I guess that puts me in the antique category too.
Everything was decorated like a 50's diner and they had hamburgers for dinner.  The girls made cute picture frames and after dinner they had a bubble gum blowing contest and hula hooping contest.  Each person brought home a glass mug with the year and sock hop engraved, as well as a commemorative picture of the girl and her father for their frames.

The Great Chew-dini

 Announcing the new, incredible, astounding Chewdini.

Originally Ben named him Chewbaca, Chewy for short, but after several successful escapes he was renamed Chewdini after the great escape artist Houdini. 

 Chewy is a cute teddy bear hamster and is much more playful and fun than our other hamster.  He doesn't bite, unless you are the nurse vet and have to poke, pull, and squeeze him. 

Benny can't stop loving him.  He has the cage open and is constantly petting and cuddling him.

What Boys Do

 Most of the time I really don't want to know what the boys do.....
Oh sure I hear them up there when dad's tucking them in. How can you not hear them?  I hear the war cries and bed jumping and wall crashing.  But I've long since accepted that this is a part of being a boy and I will relinquish my opinion.  Frankly I'm just glad it's Rusty in there being the pillow Ninja, not me. 

Every night the boys get a look and ask dad if they are going to have a pillow fight or not.  It doesn't happen every night, but it does happen a couple of times a week.  I see the joy in their faces when I tuck their sweaty little bodies in afterwards and hear their approval in the simple words, "I Love Dad."  How is that he beats them senseless and they love him all the more :)  It must be a boy thing.

Well this is a rare glimpse into the madness.  Rusty took the camera to Father's and Son's campout and when I was loading the pictures I came across these beauties.

 I think it is obvious that any sense of humor my boys exhibit comes from their father- it's a good thing he's around or we would all be oppressively sober.

It's a strange phenomena that happens when I see my husband pillow fighting with my boys or dancing with my girls.  I love him more than I can imagine.  I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband who loves me and my children. Who keeps life fun. Who guides us and inspires us. Who strengthens and lifts us. I can't imagine life without him!!

Look at the joy on Ben's face- it says it all!