Fall Camping = Outdoor Ed

Hi everyone! Some of us girls are homeschooled, so that means we got to go camping last week. HOWEVER, Meli made sure it was a learning experience since this is fall after all!


Clara and I did all the usual camping things like hiking...



... until our little legs got tired and we got carried!



And of course we roasted marshmallows...



... and got to play in this cool teepee that someone built.



We also studied wildlife behavior. Bears are attracted by food in dumpsters so these have special locks that even Meli can hardly open.



A bear was seen in the campground just a few days before we arrived, so we were extra careful to clean everything up at night before going to bed in the trailer. If a bear becomes a problem they have to kill him, which is really sad, so it's best not to attract them to areas where people are.



You know I love birds, so I was busy studying my favorite bird guide every afternoon. We saw downy woodpeckers, stellars jays, and lot of other birds.



But, my favorite one was this western tanager that we saw when we first arrived.



There were lots of chipmunks and squirrels around, too. They would pack their cheeks full of food and then run off to their homes to store it for winter.



Clara loves plants! She identified and wrote about the ones we saw. This is sage and smells wonderful.



And a few Indian Paintbrushes were still in bloom.



This is called harebell and is very dainty!



I liked these pretty red berries, but Clara warned me that they are poisonous! There are kinnikinnick or bearberries.



Look at this baby pine tree that Clara found! There have been a lot of trees killed by a pine beetle, so some new one are being planted. The tree is protected so animals won't eat it.



We learned how to cook on a campfire by raking the hot coals out and burying the food in them. It was so yummy, especially the sweet potatoes!



Clara and I agreed that camping is a great way to learn about nature!

See you again soon,

Kiki

The Homework Club Part 1

Hi everyone! It's Kiki here, with a special blog honoring back to school week. My friends and I are very excited about school starting and we really want to do our best this year.


Remember the beach house? Well, it is now...



...The Homework Club!!!



I spent all day setting up the treehouse to get it ready to be a place to study. We have a calendar, a globe, a map, dictionary and books and notebooks. I think we will need some snacks, too! Want to meet the members of the club? I am going to interview a few of them.



Kiki: Welcome, Clara. Will you please tell us why you joined the homework club and what you want to be when you grow up.
Clara: I want to be a teacher when I grow up! I just love school. I am excited about doing homework with my friends and maybe I can even teach them if they need help.



Kiki: This is Kit. Kit, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Kit: Well, Kiki, I want to be a writer. I might be a journalist or a novelist, but definitely some kind of writer.

,

Kiki: And, this is Eva. Tell us a little bit about what you want to do with your life.

Eva: Well, I want to be an actress, or a pilot, or an interior designer, or a veterinarian, or ...

Kiki: Okay! It's good to keep your options open!



Kiki: And last of all we have Ella. I think I know what she wants to be!

Ella: Yes, I am already a gymnast and I want to continue that and win a gold medal. But, later I'll probably coach or teach or something. Gymnastics takes a lot of my time, but school comes first, so I joined The Homework Club to stay motivated.



And there you have it! The beginning of a successful school year. If you want to, you could start a homework club, too. Let me know how it goes and good luck with school!

Kiki - your ace reporter who still wants to be an ornithologist!

Camping Time

This week Holly, Ella and Aleah went camping up in the mountains. They had a great time.


First they had to set up the tent, including the rain fly. It's a good thing they did, because it did rain one night!



For some reason, camping always makes the girls hungry.



Everything was stowed in the tent and it was time to enjoy the mountains.



The girls put on their backpacks and headed off on the hiking trail.



It was a big mountain to climb for little legs.



Taking a little break is a nice way to enjoy the view.



Look what the girls saw when they got over the top of the mountain!



Two llamas and two goats were grazing in the meadow. They were such cute animals that Aleah and Holly wanted to take them home!



When nighttime came the girls got into their pajamas. They didn't have a fire because of the rain, but still sang some campfire songs. Then Aleah read some ghost stories.



But, soon Ella's eyes were closing and it was time for sleep. Good night!

Gold!

The girls are very proud of their gold medals. The team won gold and Mia won on floor exercise, Aleah in beam and Lalita on the bar. Congrats to them!

Dolly Olympics!

The team has been practicing for ages and is ready for the Dolly Olympics!


Here they are, marching into the arena.



Mia pauses to wave to the cheering fans.



Then it's time to warm up.



Mia begins her floor exercise routine with a walkover.



She finishes with a layout with a twist!



Aleah is known for her leaps.



She begins her balance beam routine with a smile.



She can even do amazing leaps on the beam!



Oh no! She almost lost her balance here.



Lalita can fly around the bar.



She has a great handstand.

I wonder if any of the girls will win a medal? Stay tuned!

From Laguna Madre

Hi from the Laguna where it is summer and warm! We are in Corpus Christi, staying right on the laguna that leads into the gulf. I am in paradise. :)



There are beautiful flowers all over the property and we look right out over the Laguna where I can watch the birds all day. There are boats and wind surfers out there, too.



I love the place we are staying, which is called Laguna Shores. It's an RV park and we look kind of funny with our tiny teardrop, but everyone is really nice. I have been welcomed with open arms by my new friend, Jennie, who is the owner.



There are fish in the pond and a waterfall.



I haven't been swimming yet, but we take walks on the beach at least twice a day. I've seen so many birds, you wouldn't believe it! I am going to have a huge life list for someone only nine years old. I get so excited about seeing them and watching their behavior. I know for sure that I want to be an ornithologist now!

I have started collecting seashells. I'll bring some home to all my friends. :)



Sorry it has taken so long to post this. It's hard to go indoors on the laptop when you are having so much fun outside!

Hugs,

Kiki - reporting from the Luguna!

Let's Make Easter Bonnets!

Hi everyone! Yesterday Aleah came over and she told us that she wished she could have an Easter bonnet to go with her new Easter dress that our person made for her. I'm not the crafty one in the family, but I did think it would be nice if we could make her one, and I knew just who to talk to about that: Leenie! After Aleah left I found Leenie and asked if she wanted to help me, and she said, "Of course!"



Leenie said our person had some straw hats we could use and we would need lots of things to decorate with like lace and ribbon...



...and jewels. Lots of shiny jewels!



Here's all the stuff we used: lace, ribbon, beads, jewels, bits of trim, scissors and a glue gun. You could use craft glue if you want to or if an adult doesn't think you should use a glue gun. I didn't take a "before photo" of the hats, but they were just plain straw hats from Hobby Lobby that cost 99 cents a piece.



It was easy to do and lots of fun. I thought Leenie had the best ideas, but she liked what I made, too. I guess I can be creative! I even used the glue gun and didn't burn myself, but it does get hot.



Here are the hats we have made so far. We had to stop because we didn't have any more straw hats, but our person said she can buy us more. I hope you will consider trying this and send me photos if you do. If I can do it, you can, too!

Hugs,

~ Kiki, crafter extraordinarie! hahaaaa