Snow Day Science Projects

We had some snow and freezing rain last week so, of course, the kids had two more snow days.  I think we are up to 16 snow days this year.  sigh.  Enough about that.  On these latest snow days, Elise decided she wanted to do some science experiments (she was inspired by some books she'd gotten at the public library that weekend).  I love my little scientist and how curious she is!

How various liquids affect tooth enamel:

For this experiment, Elise filled 4 jars with different liquids (vinegar, water, cola and coffee), then put a white egg in each jar.  Leave for 24 hours then pull eggs out to see the effects of each liquid on the shell of the egg (and, therefore, on human teeth).

Jars filled and labeled, now wait for the results!

Findings:  the vinegar turned the shell to mush, cola and coffee turned the shell brown, water did nothing to the shell.  Elise decided she didn't want to drink vinegar!

Making sugar crystals (aka Rock Candy)

Boil some sugar and water, then pour it
in a jar, suspend a string in the jar with a
paper clip on the bottom, and about a day
later you will have sugar crystals formed
on the string!

Kite Flying in February? Yes, Ma'am!

I've written some about the winter weather here and how up and down it can be.  Back in February, on Super Bowl Sunday, the weather was so beautiful we added kite flying to our pre-game activities!  Anja had been begging to fly a kite (she'd never flown a kite), so we figured "why not!"

A beautiful February day, out in
our shirtsleeves flying a kite!

Kite flying is always better when wearing a
purple sparkly mask.

Anja had a BLAST flying the kite.

Joy, joy, joy

Elise was a terrific helper, launching the kite.

The girls helped Jason take a turn...



Beautiful weather, joyful children,
simple pleasures are great pleasures.

Girl Scouts Going Wild!

Well, not really wild, but definitely busy!  Elise and Anja are in a multi-age troop that has girls from Kindergarten to fifth grade.  During regular meetings they split up into Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadets, but for special events they are all thrown together.  It makes it fun for me and the girls, since we all get to go together and share these experiences.

A Visit to the Local Newspaper

Elise and Anja's troop wrapping up their
tour of the Freelance-Star (Elise is in the pink hat in
the back row, Anja is in the purple jacket in front)

Outside the newspaper office, paper boy
statue in the background.

Cookie Sales!

We have not gone door-to-door this year, but have sold cookies at both Jason and Darcie's workplaces and have done booth sales.  The girls were great at the booth sale.  Elise went out to the busy corner and held up a sign to attract people into our booth, and Anja held a sign and yelled "Girl Scout cookies for sale!"

Taking a break from holding her sign

We take credit cards!

Learning About How Soil is Made

I am a helper for Anja's group, the Daisies, so I get to see a lot more of what she is doing, and get more pictures of what she is doing.  At our last meeting, a person from the Conservation office came in and taught the girls how soil is made, using oreo cookies (rocks), pudding (chemical and organic matter), licorice (worms), sprinkles (rocks and leaves on top).  They had a great time and hopefully even learned a little!

Anja was very anxious to help with making
soil (her with hand raised).

Crushing up her "rocks" (oreo cookies).

Soil all made!  On top is organic matter
(chocolate pudding), worms (licorice),
rocks and leaves (sprinkles).  She had fun
eating it all, after a warning from the
Conservation lady to "never eat real soil."

Some Fun

Most of our days are filled with "normal life," which is filled with many fun, funny, and memorable moments...


Lunch out on a Saturday afternoon, where Jason drew portraits of the girls on the back of the kid's menus:

Getting dressed up for Valentine's Day parties at school (2 days late because we had a snow day on Valentine's Day):

Uncovering the dress-up box:

Game night!

Watching lovely, silly girls grow-up:

Honor Roll!

Elise is tickled pink to have made the Honor Roll last term!  She has been working extremely hard and we are super proud of her!

You Know You are in the South When...

Civil War cannon are used as lawn ornaments...



As seen in front of a house in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia

I Had Resolved to Not Go On About the Weather, BUT

This winter, I resolved to not dwell on the weather.  "You are in a new place," I told myself, "you have to keep an open mind and just go with it."  But there has been a bit more than I can just placidly accept and move past without comment. 

Don't Like the Weather in Virginia?  Wait a Week, It'll Change

The week of Valentine's Day we had a snowstorm that dumped 12" of snow on us.  Within a few days temps were in the 40s, a couple of days after that we had a thunderstorm with rain, tornado warnings and electricity going out, and a couple of days after that, temps hit 80.  It is now a week after our 80 degree day and we are expecting another snow storm tonight.  Weather whiplash?  You bet. *

We Have Had 13 Snow Days This Winter

Yep, two times this winter we've had snowfalls that required plowing, and we've had 13 snow days.  I don't even know what to say about that.  Up do this point, I've kept the fact hidden from my friends and family in Minnesota, who are struggling through the hardest winter in 20 years, because I am embarrassed by the number of snow days we've had.  I'm sure you are asking yourself how we could have had 13 snow days with just 2 significant snowfalls.  Well, one day was because of "extreme cold" (daytime temps were in the teens).  I know, I know.  To put that in some context, most kids here don't own snowpants or snowboots.  Two people I know had pipes in their house freeze during that period because the houses here are not built for that cold and are not insulated for it.  Some of the other snow days have come when we've had freezing rain.  The roads get slick and dangerous, especially in this country where there are twisy, turny, up and down roads through the hilly country, and the county doesn't have the equipment or supplies to get salt and sand down, so we basically have to wait until it warms up and the ice melts for the roads to become safe.

The county also doesn't have the equipment and supplies to handle the snow when it comes.  It only snows here about every four years, so they don't invest a lot in snow removal equipment.  It takes DAYS to get the roads plowed after a snow storm and for people to dig themselves out.  When it only snows every 4 years or so, very few people have snowblowers, or even shovels.  Every time snow is threatened, EVERY store sells out of snow shovels and ice melt.  Right now, with a storm headed toward us just two weeks after the last, stores haven't had time to re-stock and the shelves for snow shovels and snow melt are still bare.

This winter has been an experience.  Often I have had to consciously decide to not say anything when someone asks me "How are you handling the cold?"  Inside I say "SERIOUSLY????  YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COLD IS!!"  But on the outside I say "Oh, it's not too bad."  I remind myself to keep an open mind and try not to judge.

*I posted this on the morning of March 2nd.  By 11:00 a.m. it was 65 degrees, sunny and beautiful.  By 4:00 p.m. it was cold and raining.  That rain is supposed to turn to freezing rain overnight, then 8-10" of snow tomorrow.  By 8:00 p.m. tonight all area schools had been cancelled, the public library closed, and Quantico (the Marine Corps base near here) is closed.  As I've said before, when the Marines call a snow day, it's got to be bad.  We shall see.