Wow...I didn't expect that!

That exclamation was made by Savanna last week as she cut open her first pomegranate. Tons of bright red seeds met her eyes in an amazing star shape. But even more surprising was the size of the HUGE mango seed...and let me tell you that fruit ain't givin' it up easy. The protective pouch is fibrous and thick! Who knew you could have so much fun cutting 'Fruits' open.

Don't get me started on what's a fruit and what's a vegetable because through our research I found there really is no such thing as a vegetable...except maybe those guys that sit on the couch all Sunday watching football. It's all a conspiracy to get us to eat our greens and they don't really exist. Well, roots, tubers, greens and florets do, but Veggies...nope. What a relief huh? You can scratch that resolution off your list.

All this must mean just one thing. It's science fair time. And you know what?

I LOVE science and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. {I even like science projects AND science fairs.} Yep, I'm certifiable. Here are some highlights from Savanna's first ever science fair project.

Her Hypothesis:
Big Fruits have little seeds
Little Fruits have Big Seeds

Big Fruits have more seeds
Little Fruits have less seeds

Step 1: Measure the Fruits

Step 2: Pull out the seeds

Step 3: Count the seeds (approximately)

Conclusion: The size of the fruit does not determine how many seeds or what size seeds the fruit has. {Savanna's Words}I was most surprised about the pomegranate. I thought it would have medium size seeds but it a lot of small seeds. I was surprised to see such a big seed in the mango.

Wish her luck tomorrow!


And just in case you are ever so blessed to get to do a science project with your kids here are a couple awesome sites that will help you right through it all.

www.sciencebuddies.org Step by Step instructions for science projects for grades k-12
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/ Easily and Quickly creates graphs of all kinds.

Project 1

WAS A SUCCESS!

Our first project [Emptying, Cleaning, Chucking, Reorganizing EVERY cupboard and drawer in the kitchen...including the fridge and the freezer] under our new family Motto {A Place for Everything and Everything in it's Place} was a rousing success.

Good tunes + helpful family members + disastrous kitchen + perseverance + Lunch at Sam's Club = Happy Mom


Tip for those that try this at home: It really doesn't matter if your cans are in order if you get your 4 and 6 year old to help.

A Big thanks to Mike, Emily, Tim, Sierra, Savanna & Ethan. It was truly a family project.

Now for next week...

A Place for Everything and Everything In It's Place

This was my Grandma Thornley's motto. She told it to me, she showed it to me. She had a buffet cabinet where she kept her stamps and pens and office type stuff. It was immaculate. (Incidentally she had at least two kinds of stamps at all times because she would not send her bills out with 'fancy' stamps. Anyone requiring money (that was not a gift) only got flag stamps. Even at a young age I was impressed with her orderliness. It didn't wear off too much on me...(though my cousin Sharon definitely inherited that gene.) {jealous} ;) Anyway, it is her one line advice that occupies my mind now.

You see it's the New Year. If calendar's are correct I should have already set, broken and discarded at least 2 or 3 resolutions by this point. I don't do resolutions. But if I did I would definitely put these items on my list:

1. Dusting
2. Folding Laundry
3. Sorting Mail

Because for sure I would break them.

I do however, like to improve. It's an annoying habit of mine...this need to improve. Annoying in that I don't do quite so quickly as I think I should. I think my problem is indecisiveness. After all it did take me 2+ years to decide on a paint color for my kitchen. 2 YEARS what is wrong with this picture it is JUST paint. On the other hand it is paint that with all the brushes and junk cost 200 buckaroos plus 3 full days to spread all over my huge kitchen canvas. {Maybe if I was rich I would believe in resolutions?}

So, in regular form, this thought of my Grandmothers has been percolating for a few months now and I have finally spilled the beans to my family that this was to be our new motto for the calendar year 2010. Which, of course, set my kids to teasing me about paint colors. You just can't win.

Granted I know I will never by my Grandmother, but come Jan. 1, 2011 I hope that we have at least a little less clutter, a few more book shelves, a couple of rubbermaid containers or in other words progress. I'm throwing my indecisionness aside, caution to the wind, junk to the dump.

And if that doesn't work, there's always Dusting.

It's A Small World After All

(Amy...notice my heading...I separated the After and the All just for you.)

SUBTITLE:

My Sister-in-law knows my Sister-in-law's Sister's Sister-in-Law

That's clear as mud right? I thought so...but just in case you weren't following I'll 'splain it. Ok Ricky this is how it goes.

My sister-in-law Charlotte (married to my brother Randal lives in AZ.)
My sister-in-law Brooke (married to my husband's brother Andy lives in UT)
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE LOCATIONS ARE IMPORTANT!
My Sister-in-law's sister Amy (married to Damon who is somebody's twin brother lives in WA)
My Sister-in-law's sister's sister-in-law Trina (Married to somebody's twin brother {actually I think it's Aaron} lives in AZ.) {Sorry Trina, I don't know you [yet] so I'm unsure about linking--hope you don't mind}

AND Charlotte and Trina are friends. So there you have it...It IS a small world after all. ;)

P.S. I have it on good authority that Trina is two thumbs up AMAZING. {Charlotte being amazing herself, knows of what she speaks} Doesn't surprise me at all.

This 6 degrees of separation episode brought to you by Facebook and blogging.

What do you do...

when everyone in the family is suffering to some degree of seasonal affective disorder, you've just thrown your Christmas tree out and Spring is SOOO far away?

You make homemade ice cream of course {my hubby is a genius for the idea}...Rootbeer Floats to be exact.

PERFECTION!

New Year's Eve...It's a party.

New Year's eve at the Tree House...C.R.A.Z.Y

but fun:Now to work on some resolutions...

My new blog

No, I'm not abandoning this blog...but I have set up a new one to work on a 365 Photography challenge with some photography friends. I still plan to post here, but a lot of my photography related content will likely move to the new blog. Please come take visit.

Kat's Photo Stories