During the after school program, we had a mother who was also a science teacher come in and do an activity with the kids. They built a boat using just one piece of foil. Then they had to see how many pennies their boats would hold and talked about what made a successful boat.
Well, my girls wanted to do it again... so they each made a boat... and instead of pennies, we used pattern blocks... using up all of one size and shape before moving on to the next. All in all, Gabi's boat held 381 pieces (BTW - she and Bethie were also the 3rd place boat during the ASP - would have been 2nd if you didn't count the "helpers" who were in high school). Bethie's held 198.
They had fun... and then so did Peter... he loves to pour things. A great skill to have and learn... but boys is he messy when he does it... which is any time he can get to liquid!
So Gabi loves Science.... as in, she'd do that and nothing else if she was allowed. She loves to read about it, explore it, study it, do it.... she just loves science. So, she ends up doing a lot of that on her own... and I don't get many pictures.
But we thought about doing crystals... (we still need to get some Borax to do crystals that way - not so easy to find around here)....
We made up four glasses - one was warm tap water with sugar, another the same only with blue food coloring, then there was one with a super saturated (i.e. boiled and completely filled with sugar), and another the same but once again with blue food coloring.
We were trying to see if which would make better crystals - which started crystals the fastest - and whether or not the blue food coloring changed the effect.
I cannot say we had a complete success.... when we put in the food coloring, we noted that the dye moved faster through the warm tap water than through the super saturated solution - Therefore, the more sugar in the water, the hard it was for the food coloring to mix (without being stirred).
We set out glasses in the window sill behind the sink - the safest place for such a thing in our house right now.... apparently not safe enough - Bob managed to knock one over while doing dishes! But that wasn't the only problem... apparently it's a window with a lot of cold air flowing around it... the water cooled off too rapidly and we ended up with more crystals on the edge of the glass than on the lollipop stick!
We have decided to try again... in the spring... with the frigid air isn't a problem... still, we were able to see a few crystals that had formed.... and the girls thought they were mighty tasty! (Let's hear it for sugar!)
About a month or so ago, we decided to visit some friends and head out on a "field trip". It was a fun one - head off to the Children's Museum. There are lots around (just not close enough for us to be actively involved in regularly) and this one we had not yet been too. The kids were very excited to find out we were going to go "explore" and "play" there.
While we were there, we were able to enjoy a mini creature feature. We learned about the Barred Owl. It was really neat to see and touch the owl. It was especially fun to watch the gentleman show us what the owl could do (such as turning it's head all the way around to the back). The kids had a great time telling Daddy all about the owl when they got home!
We also tried to go into the Marine Science Center to see some seals and turtles. However, there were classes in session and no turtles currently there. We'll be going back another time when we know the kids will be able to help feed the seal and see some turtles too!
We've been busy.. busy, busy with everything. The harvest came in... we still have a few pumpkins and beets to put away. Math seems to be enjoyed - although Gabi sometimes rolls her eyes at the stuff she already knows. (She had a different program in school last year, so we're using the transition lessons right now to help her understand the part of this program before jumping into the level C that she's ready for... almost done with the transition though.)
Anyway, we're involved ourselves in the after school program (asp). Unlike most ASPs, this one is put on and run by the youth program committee of the rec. department. Therefore, I am co-directing it this year. We decided on a cultural theme. So, most of the days we focus on one country. A craft, a physical activity - game, cultural snack, and so forth. Several of the days we have someone come in and talk about their culture... or one they know a tremendous amount about.
So far, we've made rain sticks, and started African drums. Obviously these are mock items, as to make the real thing would require items we can't ready get a hold of, but the idea is there. They've also heard from a Penobscott Indian, and he shared some drumming and songs with them. We also had the children try Zimbabwe Sweet-Potato Cookies (which they loved). The also seemed to enjoy a native stew as well.
The younger children generally get to hear stories read about the culture we're talking about. Last week, I did a re-telling of Abiyoyo while they children ate their snack. They really enjoyed that.
We only meet two days a week... it seems to be enough for those of us putting it on... with out own kids and schedules to have to maintain as well.
What they learns is interesting, but it's only a taste of the culture. It gets the kids excited and interested. - And it helps to open their eyes to things that are different (and similiar) between their own culture and others. (We are, after all, a very small and "sheltered" community).
Well we're finally going to start in on a more formal curriculum. Not for everything. This is for math. Although Gabi comprehends a lot of math things, I fear that I'll leave out a critical step some where and then we'll be floundering. I'd rather avoid that. So, much like with the grammar and writing, we've found something we think will work for us.
This does not mean that we'll stop doing the other "non-traditional" math learning. I think that is still very important (and probably a lot more fun). We're just going to add this program to it.
We've chosen RightStart Mathematics because it's a full hands-on approach to learning. It also focuses on quantifying and not just on pure counting. It uses numerous manipulatives, which will give verity to the lessons. And there are lessons for the equivalent of K-6 grades (or all the way through geometry - the home school lessons are set up by level and the public school version - same thing - is set up by grade - My kind of program... recognizes that home schooling kids advance at a different pace!)
I really think we're going to enjoy this one. I've really looked around and this one sounds the most like what we had been discussing (and it's not nearly as expensive as the other programs comparable to it). We did not get the whole set right away. We got only levels A-C (because we're guessing that Gabi is at level C given what the estimator said, but aren't completely sure, and because Beth should be around level A (maybe part way through)).
Beth is funny because she's not interested in doing any of the "writing" and the "reading comprehension" - and since she's not officially school age yet, I said okay. But when Math was mentioned, she jumped all over that. She's a very hands on, numbers and lines kind of a kid. She loves numbers. And she has an incredible gift and talent for art and drawing. Gabi likes those things... but she LOVES reading and writing. She's the literal kid.
I know there are some people who believe in order to home school you must do everything yourself. There are others who believe that you can do anything as long as you don't let your child enter school. Everyone has their own reasons for their thoughts on this subject. That's good. Because each individual, each case, each family is different and has different needs.
So, with that in mind, I thought I'd let you know that we've decided to try out partial time at school. It's something we considered doing, but knew the schedule would conflict with nap time at the school she would have normally been attending (since we're interested in the specials - art, music, library... that kind of thing). We received a call from the school next door (the one that is closing after this year, and which has kids from grade 2 through 5... the younger kids already bused out to other schools). They were offering us the option to let Gabi join these specials along with the 2nd & 3rd grade classes (which are combined). So, we accepted on a trial basis. So far it seems to go well.
She's doing art on Monday afternoon, library Tuesday afternoon, and music (where they are learning theory!) Wednesday afternoon. PE (or gym) is on Thursday afternoon, but it runs right up until the end of the school hours and they aren't letting the walkers leave until both bus runs have come and gone (for safety reasons) and we have to leave right off for Gabi's dance class. She would not have time to get changed. Since she's doing an hour and 45 minutes of dance every week and playing on the rec soccer team, I figure she's getting her exercise for now. We might see about making other arrangements for her to get right home so she'd have time to change and might try it next week.
She likes it... it seems to be helping with some of the structure, and she can do it because the school is literally right next door and so she can walk there and back by herself (no interruptions to nap time!). We're continuing to have our own "craft/art time" and "music time"...although getting to the library is still a scary thought for me (the baby isn't so good with books yet!)... so I'm glad I don't have to stress about that right now.
Anyway, I believe that home school is an experience which allows the child to learn and to grow at a pace, and in a way, which is right for them. One which teaches them values and empathy, while cultivating talents and appropriately challenging the academic mind. It is an experience which utilizes the best of all resources for an individual child. And that, I hope, is what we're doing. It's certainly what we're trying to do.
Reading and Writing are two essential elements to learning.
Yes, Gabi reads. She's been reading since she was four. Taught her sister to read a month later, and reads almost anything she can get her hands on. That doesn't mean that she always understands what she's reading. She just doesn't have the life experience - and sometimes the vocabulary - to fully grasp the story. So my focus is on comprehension.
Trying to find the best way to do this for us, I've done things from writing down questions which she has to answer to just talking about it. I feel that I get the best results when we do both. So, she has a reading journal (a simple notebook) where I can write questions for her to consider and then answer about the book as she reads, or where she can also just write the things she reads about. This second way allows me to see how much she comprehends without guided questions. We also talk about the things she reads. That's not a problem for her... like her mom, she loves to talk!
The second notebook we picked up is for writing... more specifically for creative writing. Gabi loves to write, but I don't want us to keep loosing her work... mostly because she'll do something of her own choosing and then we don't know about it. This will give her a place to write. I also plan to give her "writing prompts" designed to work along side the grammar and writing lessons which I use. (My main guide is free - found online at Scott Foreman Reading. It's not a complete set of lessons and practice, it's only the basic lesson. You do have to supplement yourself. But if you don't mind doing that (which I don't) then it's one way to go and saves you a bunch of money.) The notebook will also help to keep all this writing together as well!
Well, Gabi just recently returned from visiting my mother, and she had a wonderful surprise! She did some home schooling while she was there! (okay, so really it's two surprises) And she discovered what that crazy caterpillar was called.... (go Here to see a picture. It's the top picture.)
Are you ready.....
Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Wow... now how hard was that? She found it in a book! Let's hear it for research! Now we'll know what we're looking for when (if) the moths emerge!
We love to play games. Games are a wonderful way to learn things, to practice things, and yet some how the kid doesn't think they are "learning" anything. Okay, sometimes they realize they are. But still, it's the fun that matters.
Gabi understands simple addition and subtraction. But when she was in public school she was taught and encouraged to "count it out". I think this is a good method, to a point, and then one needs to know certain basic facts and how to manipulate these facts to get to an answer quickly. (Bob thinks so too). So although we're helping Gabi to move forward in her math skills, we're also working hard with her on "speed" with knowledge (She loves a good challenge - the speed is a way for her to challenge herself - something we're trying to get her to focus on as opposed to racing against someone else).
As fun and reinforcement, Bob spent a late night teaching Gabi how to play Cribbage. She loves the game! She and I also played it again today with me encouraging her to "guess" the number using certain logics when adding the numbers together. She's starting to see how to break things into parts (ie: 5+8 : start with 5 get to 10 (5 more) what is left (8-5 or 3) 10 and 3, total is 13), as well as certain short cuts (like adding 10 to a number only means you increase the 10's position with the 1's position remaining the same). She really loves this. (Though there are times when you can see it's hard for her to work the numbers as quickly as she'd like without straight out counting)
Well it finally happened. The amazing day of emerging butterflies. No longer caterpillars, no longer chrysalids. An adventure the kids were waiting so long for (okay, only two weeks), and which they were very excited for.
Monday morning I was dragging...the boys were still happy upstairs and I thought I'd grab another half hour of sleep before the noise settled in for the day. But then I heard Gabi's excited voice yelling from the kitchen "Mom, Mom something's happening to the cocoons!" (Just a side note, we learned that Butterflies form Chrysalids and Moth's form Cocoons)
Needless to say I hurried right out to see what was happening (believe it or not, but this was my first experience with this too). Sure enough, where we had still seen what appeared to be green chrysalids the night before, we now saw two "black" forms. We learned that a chrysalis will thin out so much that it will appear black. It will then continue to thin out so that you can see the colors of the wings through the "black". Really, it's all clear. Which, if you don't believe it, you can see after the butterfly emerges!
We did not want to miss this great experience (and it looked like we'd only have the one day to see it - not two), so we stuck real close. There was always someone watching, while the kids took turns playing computer, doing some language arts, and just staying near in the same room. I was back and forth doing lots of laundry. We were able to get some neat pictures of the various stages of the chrysalids thinning out.
The first butterfly emerged about 3:15pm. Gabi was on watch and got side track answering a question for Bethie, but she saw most of it. She called us over, and we were able to see it pull it's wings out behind itself and climb over the chrysalis to get to a good place to "stretch out" the wings to start the drying and stiffening process. It hangs upside down, pumps blood into it's wings, and then waits until they are completely dry. Then the blood is drained out of the wings, the tubes closed off, and the butterflies start to move them, testing them out.
Butterfly number two we were hoping to get a little movie of! Thanks to a very vigilant Gabi, we have one to share with you. It was really neat! Don't mind the back ground noise - not everyone was watching the little miracle!
We mixed up a little "nectar" from the butterfly book we have. I'm not sure if the butterflies ever ate any, but Bob said the butterflies needed to go this morning (though another time we're going to try out some of the gentle "experiments" - really observations - suggested in the book.
butterfly to crawl onto her hand. Gentle, they brought them out, and enjoyed having the onThis morning was very hard for Gabi. Bethie was relieved. She seemed to think it was a problem that the butterflies were in the Butterfly Garden we had for them. In any case, we carried them out in the Butterfly Garden, and then the girls each reached in and allowed onee their hands for a little while, then gentle placed them near to a flower and watched the butterflies crawl onto the flowers.
As today was not sunny, the butterflies weren't even 24 hours old yet, and it was getting ready to rain, the butterflies did not fly away. After the major rain storm, the girls went out to see if "Jack and Annie" (as they had named them) were still where they left them. Sure enough, they found them and the butterflies were willing to crawl back onto their little fingers. This was great for Jeremy, because he was able to have a butterfly crawl onto his finger too! At one point, the one Gabi was hold flew up and landed on her cheek. It then crawled up and hung on her helmet (which was was hearing). After Jeremy and I went back inside, the girls continued to play with and talk to the butterflies. Then I noticed it was starting to rain again and called them back inside. As I did, each butterfly, in turn, flew off and away! Gabi was so happy to have had the chance to see them fly!
Jeremy is learning to put letters and sounds together. He's known his alphabet for quite some time, and with early reading sisters, he's heard the letter sounds since he could remember. So we've been working on his reading. Whenever he gets "bored" and starts to annoy his sisters (laughing all the while), I suggest that he go and get a book or two to read to me. He knows this means the ones with just a few words on the pages, and promptly runs off to get one or two along with his book light (the girls each had their own and that just wasn't fair).
We'll sit together and he'll sound out what words he "has to" and then finish a sentence based on what he sees in the picture. For a three year old, that's remarkable, so I don't complain too much. I do encourage him to sound the word out - and even make him go over the word if I notice he's "reading the picture" and not the word.
He also loves time on the computer, so he now knows he has to work at Star Fall first, and he's also encouraged to explore Super Why from PBS. Both are designed for interactive fun. I really like Star Fall for the phonics and the very basic beginning set up. Super Why, although it has some stuff for learning to put words together, it's main focus is comprehension.
Jeremy loves that he gets to "read" to Peter.... just like the girls do!
Peter is still young enough that "learning" is all in a day's adventures. Since we still have a few piles of unpacked things from when we had the carpet installed a little over a month ago, he's always finding things of interest. The latest thing was my spools of thread. This was frustrating at first since I'd glance over and see a spool rolling away with thread coming undone. But then I noticed he had also found the hoops used for embroidery.
As I say back to watch, I noticed that he'd made the connection that both things were round. And that one was smaller than the other. So he gathered the spools of thread (even the onces that had gotten away) and began arranging them inside the hoops, shifting them enough to get them all to fit. Rather bright. When he realized I'd was going to let him continue in his fun, he'd ask for help rewinding the threads that seemed to get away!
Yesterday was warm enough that the kids wanted to fill the kiddie pool and play. So off they went, swimsuits on, to have a little relaxing fun. Then out came the sprinkler. It's one of those crazy all over the place things, but the kids mostly enjoy holding it still in one place. Well, suddenly I hear Gabi say "Hey, let's make a rainbow!"
It took a little doing... and they kept looking into the sky... but finally Beth says "There it is! On the grass!" They each took turns holding the sprinkler and getting it just right so they could make a rainbow and then see how bright they could get it by adjusting the angle or height ever so much! I even got some pictures... I was amazed that the rainbows turned out!
So, how do you do this? Well, first make sure you get the ground nice and wet. It takes the wet grass to create the best reflection rather than hoping to hit the light just right and hoping to have enough water in the air. After that, have the child hold the water spray about chest level. You may need to walk around the child a little to find the rainbow, but it will be there. They can even see it while they are spraying... just be careful that they don't move the sprinkler, or water spray source, while they are looking around or they just might miss it!
Okay, so I said I'd be back the next day and never made it back. I'm sorry to report that we don't have any pictures of the "process". We were very good about staying in the kitchen, and even checking on the caterpillar every ten minutes. However, eventually everyone wanted lunch, and really, I wasn't expecting the flip to happen until dinner time or a little later anyway. Apparently the caterpillar was just waiting for a lull... because, in the 20 minutes we made and ate lunch (fast for us), the change had been made. They must be really fast... and must really like their privacy! Maybe they're just really modest! Oh well... anyway, we're a week and a half since the change over, and excitedly waiting for the butterflies to emerge sometime this weekend or early next week. At that point, we'll post pictures of everything we have!
I mentioned caterpillars earlier... well, here's a sample. We first found caterpillars on Saturday morning. Not thinking about it, we let the first three (all monarch caterpillars) get away. Then we let the next two (Hickory Tussock caterpillars) get away. It wasn't until after that when we remembered we had this great little butterfly garden. So we started collecting. We brought home, from our walk, three Hickory Tussock Caterpillars. The next day we found another 6 caterpillars - two were monarch and 4 were something else that we've still not been able to identify. That brought us up to 9. When Gabi went for fresh milkweed, she found another and promptly brought it in. It was of the group that we can't identify.
This first one is the one we can't identify. We have 5 of them. If anyone knows what they are, please share with us. I'm fairly certain that it's a type of moth caterpillar, since it's hair and that's typically a sign for moths.
This next one is the Hickory Tussock Caterpillar. It is a moth caterpillar, so if we keep it, we'll have it over the winter. They only reproduce once a year, and they live in their chrysalids over the winter to emerge sometime in late spring.
And, of course, there's the Monarch Caterpillar. This is a butterfly (for anyone who doesn't know or can't tell from the name). Which means that they reproduce twice a year, will go from larvae to chrysalids in two weeks, spend two weeks inside the chrysalids and then emerge. Much faster, and much more exciting for little kids.
As you can tell, these Monarch Caterpillars were already very large when we found them. So we predicted they'd morph into chrysalids within a couple of days. We weren't too far off. The first one began the journey yesterday about dinner time and completed the chrysalis about 24 hours later. The second one began tonight, just after dinner. We hope to watch the change more fully tomorrow - it's very exciting and the kids are planning not to be far from the butterfly garden all day so they can continually check and not miss anything! :)
Although I do have pictures of the first caterpillar in the J formation and then in the chrysalis, I'll wait until tomorrow to post, as we'll have more pictures from our "watching-non-stop" tomorrow... and that will be more fun!
We enjoy getting outside when we can. Physical Education (aka Gym) is something we have to make sure we do. Normally we enjoy kicking the soccer ball around and going for various different walks. We even dance to music. Kind of do whatever seems to interest us at the moment.
Well, we are also involved in Rec Sports, so, with soccer starting up next week, not only have we been kicking the ball around, but Gabi has decided she needs to run around our garden (we have a HUGE garden, folks). She runs around it 4 times, although she hopes to eventually run around it 6 times. I suppose I should measure it just to know how far she's running!
And where better to get our imaginations working! Reading outside is a favorite. Although most of the time the kids are playing while I'm reading to them, this particular time we had prepared a picnic and then finished with Beth and I taking turns reading to the others after we were done eating.
They also decided to build their very own volcano. I thought they did a very nice job!
We enjoyed several nature walks out in the back woods. It was beautiful and peaceful. Gabi really enjoyed drawing sketches of several plants bugs. But these pictures of when we collected some small twigs, leaves, pine needles and even a small pine cone (which we divided) and then did nature rubs.
First, take your nature pieces and select one or couple to arrange neatly under a piece of paper.
Then lay your crayon sideways and rub across the item. You'll see the image emerge on the front side. Jeremy had two leaves laid together.
We also learned that darker colors make the best rubs. Here Gabi used a pink crayon and it didn't show up quite so nicely.
Our first real art project was painting rocks. This is something I always enjoyed. The kids love it too... But this time we had a purpose. Each kid was painting their own prayer rock. I told them what they were for.... put on your pillow so you'll "knock" your head reminding you to say your prayers at night, then toss on the floor so you'll "stub" your toe in the morning and remember morning prayers. Well, they love their rocks... they tend to put them somewhere they can see them.. but not hurt themselves on them! :)
Peter was especially happy with this project since it was his first time using a paint brush. I have to admit, I've not been very good about "paint projects" since number three came along. It just got too messy with that many kids. I've had to "ease" back into it. Now I miss the finger paints!
Yes, Jeremy is wearing a pink jacket... it was ruined years ago, so it's been in the "paint smock" pile. He's just the right size for it... the girls can't use it any more! He didn't seem to mind.. he was too happy to be in the middle of the mess!
Okay, I know I said I'd be keeping people appraised of how things are going here. Well, sorry it's taken this long, but I figure it's time to give you the basic run down of the first week. Looking back, I'm glad. It went well. We are still feeling like this is a good thing. The kids are behaving as though they are best friends again (oh, that was one things I really didn't like last year). I'm finding more and more encouragement from one child to another.
I do have some pictures, and I'll get to those a little later... I'm sneaking a few minutes while the Gabi is finishing "scripture study" - she helped make breakfast while the other three enjoyed a scripture movie this morning.
Gabi agreed that a strict schedule (such as she'd created) was not working. She learned that she loves the flexibility to say "not yet" or "I want to work on this now because..." I am grateful for this because a house of little kids demands flexibility. She's a happier child since she started giving herself a little room.
She started in on learning about sea creatures, although that was put on hold as of Saturday when we discovered some caterpillars. We now have 9 caterpillars (we'll show pictures and talk about them later).
She spent a lot of time learning to read a recipe and also seeing how the different measuring cups and spoons add up to each other.
We spent several days walking in the woods out back.. there's a nice little trail. One day we gathered things to make nature rubs, another time she took out a pad of paper and made sketched of the things she saw. Every time we all stopped to enjoy some wild blueberries.
She's also working on her penmanship. She takes one of her chapter books and copies a paragraph. This is simply to make her handwriting more uniform and neat.
Like I said, I'll elaborate more with pictures later.
In terms of the other kids, I've decided that I don't need to work every day with the other kids, but rather just include them when they want. Jeremy is learning to read, and very enthusiastic about it. He typically likes to work on it every day. And Beth likes to follow along with Gabi in many ways, taking a day or two off to just do whatever she wants. All of which are okay. Gabi is the only one truly of school age right now, and this gives me more time to get the routine figured out with the one before added the others.
After a long and thoughtful process, our family has decided to home school. Although I recognize this option is not available to everyone, nor is it right for everyone, we have prayed about it and know this is right for us for now.
It was not easy getting started. Gabi went to kindergarten in public school last year. She enjoyed herself in terms of the fun and friends. But she was also frustrated when things didn't go as quickly as she'd like, or she'd find herself working alone because she was ahead of her peers. We are in a very small school district, where the school size seems to be continuing to decline, at least for now, and so the two schools nearest us are in the process of what appears to be a "phase" out. And the resources available for a child like Gabi are not sufficient.
Knowing that, above all else, family unity is important. And knowing that family unity involves time together interacting... not just eating and sleeping... We've decided home schooling is the best option for us.
Even with all that, we let Gabi decide. Knowing we'd be home schooling her siblings, and knowing that we'd like to have her here with us as well. But also knowing that she needed to be accepting of that or it would not work. She flip-flopped a lot all summer long. And finally, when it came right down to it, she chose to home school.
In setting things up, we took into consideration key elements taught in the gospel that learning is a life long experience, that we should gain whatever knowledge we can in this life - both spiritual and secular, and that spiritual knowledge should always come first. Thus we are embarking upon an adventure to teach our children HOW to learn, and pointing them in the right direction. We are taking every opportunity that life brings to us to teach our children in a real world, hands on way. Most importantly, we are praying for the Lord's guidance as we teach and instruct and prepare our children.
And so, there you have it - in a nut shell. And here we are....
"No teaching is equal, more spiritually rewarding, or more exalting than that of a mother teaching her children." ~Boyd K. Packer - Ensign, Feb. 2000, 16
"Teach your children when they are young and small, and never quit. As long as they are in your home, let them be your primary interest." ~Gordon B. Hinckley - Ensign, Nov. 2000, 98
"Let your children be exposed to great minds, great ideas, everlasting truth, and those things which will build and motivate for good." ~Gordon B. Hinckley - Ensign, June 1985, 4
During the after school program, we had a mother who was also a science teacher come in and do an activity with the kids. They built a boat using just one piece of foil. Then they had to see how many pennies their boats would hold and talked about what made a successful boat.
Well, my girls wanted to do it again... so they each made a boat... and instead of pennies, we used pattern blocks... using up all of one size and shape before moving on to the next. All in all, Gabi's boat held 381 pieces (BTW - she and Bethie were also the 3rd place boat during the ASP - would have been 2nd if you didn't count the "helpers" who were in high school). Bethie's held 198.
They had fun... and then so did Peter... he loves to pour things. A great skill to have and learn... but boys is he messy when he does it... which is any time he can get to liquid!
