Watch Them Grow, Then Let Them Go! - A Butterfly Garden Review

For the last several weeks we've been really been enjoying ourselves.  Ever heard of a Butterfly Garden?  I have really been wanting to do one of these with the kids for a long time, I am so glad that we finally did!  We were given the chance to review the Butterfly Garden by Insect Lore. 

We got a whole butterfly kit - we got the Butterfly Garden, Butterfly Life Cycle Stage Figures and a Beautiful Painted Lady Butterfly Life Cycle Poster (which is laminated).

Remember how I said that I have my UPS man trained to NOT knock on the door (napping kids, barking dogs - you know the drill) when he delivers a package.  Ok, so the hubs comes homes and says "There is a package on the front porch that say LIVE INSECTS - Open Immediately!  What in the world are you all up to now?" So the kids and I ran, yes I ran too, to the front porch to get our catty's!  5 adorable teeny tiny caterpillars in a cute little jar!

 

The catty's had everything they needed - air, light and the special food that Insect Lore provided inside the jar.    For about a week, we got to watch them as they grew and grew and grew some more, this was so AWESOME!   We also got to watch them turn into a chrysalis, again VERY AWESOME!  We have never seen this process, to see the caterpillars spinning and turning into a chrysalis right before your eyes in an amazing thing. 

The hardest thing about having a butterfly garden is having to wait for the butterflies to emerge.  We couldn't wait to see them!  I think it took about a week and then out came the first butterfly.  I have to say, when the Lord creates, He goes all out!  These butterflies were beautiful!

One by one out they came, all five of them.  They were very simple to care for, I placed a paper plate on the bottom of the "garden" and put sliced fruit, fresh flowers and a sea sponge with sugar water on it.  We hooked them up!  We watched them for about 5 days and once it was a nice day we released them. 

This, I think, was the coolest part.  I know that it is not good to touch their wings so I put my finger to their feet and they would climb right on.  I was able to let each of the older kids hold a butterfly until it flew off! 

As you can see, they loved this!  This was a great experience for the whole family and I highly recommend Butterfly Gardens.  Beings that Insect Lore sells them for only $19.95, they would be great for Science, a Birthday gift or for no reason at all!

What's In the Box Wednesday - Pre K Style!

My 3 year old son loves his workboxes, although not always in numerical order.  I generally like to do boxes 1 & 2 with him, that way he feels he has had some school time with mom too.  I try make one a story and one an activity or little craft.

Here are his boxes:

1. This is a craft of a Chinese Junk Ship that we did.  It is from a craft kit that we are currently reviewing (& loving BTW) from Shirley's Pre Packaged Crafts.

2. The A Book and Ten Apples on Top books (these were his chioce).

 

3. The Beginner's Bible - he uses this sometimes during Bible.  I will usually allow them something quiet to do when we are doing Bible, like draw or color.  Sometimes we all jsut snuggle on a coach and read.

4. This is a Bean & Button Sorting Activity Bag.  I participated in a Preschool Activity Bags Swag and was very glad I did, got lots of fun stuff to do!

5. A Very Big Dinosaur Coloring Book

6. Chocolate Fix by Thinkfun.  It is one of those critical thinking kind of games, he really enjoys these!

7. Vtech Preschool Learning Tote 7 Go Laptop.  He has his own "big boy puter."

8. The Great Animal Search (this was included in the MFW ECC).

9. Royal Rescue, another critical thinking game.  This one is really cool, you have to make a "bridge" for the Prince to save the Princess, really cool little game.

10. Peg Board and Pegs.  Got this on clearance from an educational wesite. 

Just In Case You Were Wondering...

Since I am now obsessed really into blogging, my blog is the ocassional the topic of conversation with my hubby and my RLF's (real life friends). Last night the hubs and I were talking about the blog and he thought that Sola Gratia was spanish for something and really wasn't sure why I had chosen this title for my blog considering I speak do not a lick of it.  I was explaining to him that Sola Gratia was one of the five solas.

Then this morning my friend and I were also talking about the blog and she also thought is has something to do with espanol.  Seeing the theme here I thought an explanation might be in order.
Soooo, allow me to explain.  Sola Gratia is By Grace Alone in Latin ,God's Grace that is.  The five solas are from the reformation and they are:

1 Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")

2 Sola fide ("by faith alone")

3 Sola gratia ("by grace alone")

4 Solus Christus or Solo Christo ("Christ alone" or "through Christ alone")

5 Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")


So, Living Sola Gratia means to live by God's Grace alone, in other words, not of me but of God.  Now that I am looking at the five solas I am thinking any of them would have made a fine blog title but Sola Gratia works for my life.  The things that the Lord has called me to do (be a wife, mother, homeschooler, keeper of my home, doer of the word, etc), the only reason that I can do any of these things is because of the Grace that Christ has given (and continues to give) me!  The scripture that I try to continually cling to is:

2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Making Cards Again!

I used to be VERY into scrapbooking and card making, I even used to be a demo for Stampin' Up!  Somehow, I got away from this little passion of mine.  My sister has started going to these Friday night card classes and she had invited me a few times but I had thanked her and said naa.  This time when she told me she was going I think I might have invited myself to go : )  So glad I did, I had a great little time. 

We had so much fun that she even came over on Saturday and we made more cards while our kids ran wild played nicely together out back.

Here are the few things I accomplished:

Can't wait til the next one, doing this made me realize how much I missed it!  I am  going to be doing a scrapbooking class soon too.

Menu Plan Monday

I did pull out a few cookbooks to plan my meals for this week, they mostly just sat there cheering me on.  I felt a little inspired but not much.  Still haven't fired the grill up - the weather is hot and then cold and back and forth, hopefully soon!  I do think my first grill of the season will be Kabobs! 

Like I said last week, the hubs is a simple kinda food guy.  When I pulled out the hoagies last week,
I could almost hear the Hallelujah Chorus!  So, I am probably going to be having a hoagie night for a little while.  I am not complaining, it is super easy, just not super healthy IPO!  For my health conscience friends, yes the meats are nitrate free!  The kids loved how I made platters and let them assemble their own sammies. 

So this what I came up with for the week...


Monday:
Hoagies w/ Salt & Pepper Chips, Fruit Salad, Veggies w/ Dip

Tuesday:
Rosemary Pork Loin w/ Raspberry Sauce w/ Carrots and Potatoes


Wednesday:
Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup w/ Tortilla Chips & Sour Cream


Thursday:
Breakfast Night (in the Crocky Pot) Egg & Cheese Bake w/ Bacon and Biscuits & Cantaloupe



Friday:
Papa J's

Saturday:
Tacos & Corn


Sunday:
Chicken Parmesan over noodles w/ Steamed Veggies