School Projects: Southwest Region Native American Pueblo House
Southwestern Region Native American Pueblo House Project
Karlie recently did a Social Studies project for school. She was studying about the Native Americans and the different regions. Karlie picked the Southwest Region and the pueblo house for her project. She had to make a pueblo house and write a paragraph on how the lodging benefited them.
Even though the girls are both in the same grade and have similar projects they rarely chose do to the same thing with their projects! The great part about them being so different is we have more opportunities to learn while doing various school projects. For this particular Social Studies Project Brina did the Great Plains Region with Tepee housing and Karlie chose the Southwest Region with Pueblo housing.
Putting the final touches on the pueblo house!
Karlie‘s Southwest Region Pueblo Paragraph: Southwest Pueblo Native Americans used pueblo houses that were made of harden clay. They lived in a village and their houses resembled an apartment building on mesas. The pueblo housing was beneficial to their way of life because the mesas helped cool the houses and protect them from sand storms. You can fit a lot of families into a pueblo apartment building. It is easier to help each other out because they were all together during bad weather or other hard times. In their village they grew corn, beans, squash, and cotton to help feed their families. All the people in the village worked together hunting, farming, and raising their families.
Karlie putting her title and name on her project!
Jake and Karlie put together this neat Pueblo House with items we had in the garage!
Pueblo Construction:
- Flat Pieces of Scrap Wood
- Wood Glue
- Speckled Paint
- Wooden Dowels
- Cotton Balls
- Markers
They took flat pieces of scrap wood from various wood working projects and glued them together to create this Pueblo house. The house has three levels. Once all the pieces are glued together and the glue has dried they attached the house to a flat board with wood glue. After the structure was put together we sprayed the whole pueblo with speckled paint (you can get this at Home Depot or Lowe’s). It ended up taking two coats of spray paint in order to get it covered well. The ladders are made out of small wooden dowels. The top windows and doors are cut out, but the other ones are drawn on with marker. The cotton balls represent the cotton the Southwest Region Native Americans grew in their fields. Inside the house on the top level there is a fire and a mat for sleeping.
Pueblo house is finished and ready to go!
We didn’t paint the back of the Pueblo with two coats of paint, but this picture gives you a glimpse at the top inside which has the 3D fire and mat for sleeping. The little storage “cubby” (as Karlie called it) with the paper in it on the lower left is where Karlie stored her written paragraph and ladders during transport to and from school.
Karlie so proud of her project! It was a handful to carry into school!
School Projects: Great Plains Native American Tepee Home
Great Plains Tepee Project
Brina recently did a Social Studies project for school. She was studying about the Native Americans and the different regions. Brina picked the Great Plains Region and the tepee for her project. She had to make a tepee and write a paragraph on how the lodging benefited them. On this Social Studies project Brina did the Great Plains Region with Tepee housing and Karlie chose the Southwest Region with Pueblo housing.
Making her designs on the tepee!
She finished the Native American designs on her tepee! Looks good!
Tepee Construction:
- Cereal Box
- Old White T-Shirt
- Elmer’s Glue
- Wooden Dowels
- Hot Glue & Hot Glue Gun
- Markers
Cut a cereal box into a semi-circle. Use Elmer’s Glue and attach the T-Shirt to the non-print side of the cardboard from the cereal box. Once the glue dries use the markers to create your own special Native American designs on your tepee. Cut out the door to your tepee. Hot glue the wooden dowels to the inside of the tepee. Once the glue dries stand the tepee up and hot glue it to the poster board. To help your tepee maintain its shape you can use rubber bands around it as it dries in place.
Brina’s Great Plains Paragraph: The Great Plains Native Americans used tepees because they were very transportable. They used the tepees so they could follow the buffalo and other animals while hunting them. Their main source of food was buffalo meat. The tepees were light weight, transportable, could be folded up, and carried to the next spot. they also used the tepee poles to carry buffalo meat. The tepees were shelter during the nights for the families and transportable when they were trying to find food. The tepees were a valuable tool used to help feed their families.
Brina’s social studies project ready to go!
She was so excited to hot glue her horse and a folded up tepee on her poster board!
Her tepee turned out well!
Brina was super excited about the fire because Jake used his 3D printer to make it for her project!
Awesome learning lesson about the Great Plains Native Americans and their transportable home – the tepee! It was a great project!
Introducing Febreze Fall Home Harvest Collection – #FebrezeFall
The Fall Season is just around the corner! Even though Fall officially starts on September 22, 2014 it is already starting to cool down in our area. The leaves are falling, apples are ripening, and animals are scurrying around to finish stocking up for the cooler months. Recently we received a package and this adorable barn was inside from Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks! Let’s just say the kids were as excited about seeing the barn box as I was about getting all the amazing fall Febreze scents and goodies!
One of my favorite parts about Fall is all the amazing Fall smells from toasted nuts, pumpkins, fall harvest, apple picking, pears baking, and more amazing scents of the season. What are your favorite Fall Scents? Febreze has come out with their Fall Home Harvest Collection! Have you already tried the Febreze Home Harvest Collection? If not it is a great way to get you ready for the upcoming Fall season! They have some perfect Fall scents to get your house and car ready! Some of the scents you might want to check out this Fall season are Vanilla Latte, Autumn Harvest, Spiced Pear, Toasted Almond, Sugared Cranberry, and more.
We opened up our Febreze Fall Home Home Collection barn box and were pleasantly surprised with all the cool scents, goodies, and activities included. What a great way to get excited and prepared for the Fall Season! Febreze truly eliminates odors so your guests will only notice the freshness of fall when they enter your home.
We received a Febreze NOTICEables Warmer with two NOTICEables NOTABLES. One was the Autumn Harvest which is a blend of sandalwood and chai – smells amazing! The other NOTICEables NOTABLES was the Vanilla Latte which is a blend of vanilla and sugar – absolutely love the smell of this one! Reminds me of a fresh hot cup of coffee on a cool Fall day! Febreze even took care of bringing Fall to our car! They sent us a Febreze Car Toasted Almond vent clip which lasts up to 30 days and smells delicious! Even the teachers have commented that they really like the scent when I pick the kids up in car line at school.
The barn yard is complete with the awesome Febreze Fall Home Harvest Collection, activity cards in the scentspiration box, a gift card from Walmart, and cute decorative picket fence, wagon wheels, and hay bales!
They thought of everything! Included are some delicious Fall Recipes, fun Fall Activities to do with your family, and Fall Home Decor to get your home ready for the Fall Season! We will share a few of the ones we have done so far below.
We are already enjoying the Febreze NOTICEables Warmer with NOTICEables NOTABLES Vanilla Latte!!! Makes the house smell amazing! Do you like having a different fall scent in each room or one scent filling the whole home?
One of the recipes that Febreze included that will make your house smell like Fall – Oven Baked Smores:
What you need: A graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate bar per Smore and an appropriate baking sheet to fit all the Smores you are making.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place graham crackers on a baking sheet.
3. Press marshmallows between your fingers to make them a little flat, then place them on the graham crackers.
4. Bake until the marshmallows have puffed up and the edges turn a light, caramel brown color.
5. Remove tray from oven, and firmly press a piece of chocolate down into the marshmallow. You want the warmth of the marshmallow to melt the chocolate. Enjoy!
Delicious Oven Baked Smores! You can put another graham cracker on top if you want as well. You can probably use a little less chocolate too, but we enjoy the extra sweetness!
Febreze Fall Activities – Whistle with an Acorn Top
What you need: An acorn top. I recommend washing your acorns with water first to make sure they are clean and bug free.
Directions (once your acorn is washed):
1. Make a fist with your hands, then place your hands together with your fingers touching.
2. Place the acorn top on the top of your index finger.
3. Put your thumbs on top of the acorn top, angling them so that the tips of your thumbs make a “V” shape.
4. Blow over the top of your thumbs, and you’ll hear a whistle!
Our whole family tried the various acorn tops for whistles. Jake won the contest for the the loudest and most shrill whistle! These were a little more difficult than we expected, but if you got your fingers and acorn top just right you can get a really loud whistle which brings smiles to the kids faces. Do you have any of the great scentspiration activities you would like to share?
Febreze Fall Home Decor – Acorn Centerpiece
What you need: Acorns, leaves or flowers or ribbons, a vase, Febreze Air Effects
Directions:
1. Gather lots of acorns.
2. Take the vase of any shape and size and fill it to the top with acorns.
3. Add colorful leaves or flowers if you want to cover the top of vase.
4. Lightly spray the top of the arrangement with your favorite scent from the Febreze Fall Harvest Collection for a unique final touch, and then put it on display.
Do you decorate your tables with seasonal decor? Have you ever used Febreze to add an extra festive touch to your home or used Febreze scents to enhance your home décor?
I would love to hear how your family prepares for the Fall Season:
• Have you ever tried making toasted almonds?
• Have you ever tasted sugared cranberries?
• What is your most popular pears dessert recipe?
• Do you have another version of one of the recipes, decorations, or activities that I shared today?
• I would love for you to share any pictures of the Fall scentspiration activities you have tried.
• Are there any scents or designs that help inspire the ideas for you?
• What new ideas do you have to get your home fall-ready?More information about Febreze:
- Like Febreze’s Facebook Page
- Follow Febreze’s Twitter Feed
- Pick up your favorite Febreze Fall Home Harvest Scent at your local Walmart
A special thanks to SheSpeaks, Febreze, and Walmart for sponsoring this post! Any specific product information was provided by Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own. We received a complimentary products for sharing information and our family’s experience.
Travel & Vacation – Exploring Colonial Williamsburg
Our wild crew at Colonial Williamsburg in front of the Governor’s Palace!
We had a chance to explore Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia on our recent road trip up the East Coast! It was our first big stop an our road trip. After driving to the area the day before we spent the night at a local hotel and were up early the next morning with our picnic lunch packed and ready to explore the area.
Jake had to work on Friday so for the most part it was just the girls and I exploring Colonial Williamsburg. He did get to join us for a little bit over his lunch break though which was really nice. It was a lot of fun seeing so many neat historical places. The girls did the quest exploration and scavenger hunt. My phone didn’t work in all the areas so we didn’t finish all the quest activities, but we did get our prize for completing the scavenger hunt.
Last year in school the girls studied a lot of about the American Revolution, Civil War and more in Social Studies so this adventure really ties into some of the items they have been learning about in school. Colonial Williamsburg is like taking a step back into America’s past during the time of the American Revolution. There are hundreds of restored buildings, exhibits, homes, government offices, trade shops, museums and more to explore.
We’ve made it!
Hiking along the path to the next location to explore! This was a neat bridge with a stream and path running underneath it, nice and cool on a hot summer day!
Brina and Karlie outside the Governor’s Palace!
Beautiful display of pistols with the family crest in the entry way of the Governor’s Palace!
Standing in front of the fire palace with a small portion of the weapons on display in the palace. The Governor’s Palace had impressive displays of muskets, pistols, swords, curve-blade sabers and more! The hundreds of weapons visible once stepping into the house was meant to both wow and intimidate you.
More weapons displayed on the stairwell. Brina really thought they did a great job hanging the guns!
Touring the gardens at the Governor’s Palace!
Jake with his girls near the palace greens!
George Wythe House and gardens!
Exploring inside George Wythe’s house!
Wow, he was studying some really cool scientific items.
Playing the game of “Pick up Sticks”
Watching him hand-make cedar shingles for a building at Colonial Williamsburg! The fresh wood shavings smelled awesome!
Oh no! Brina and Karlie in the stocks, what did they do?!
Touring the print shop! Wow, there are some BIG books! Karlie loved it!
Brina all smiles!
Grinding up seeds of grain. This is going to take forever if we want to make some homemade bread!
Outside the capital building!
We had a blast exploring Colonial Williamsburg! The girls were ready to stay for a week and explore even more. We only had the one day at Colonial Williamsburg along our road trip, but we packed in a ton of activities into that one day. Thankfully, we started early and were able to get through a large portion of the items that the girls wanted to do. It was really neat learning what it would be like to live there during the time of the American Revolution. All the people were very friendly, helpful, and it was a great day with the kids. We were all exhausted by the time we got back into the car later that day and headed back onto the road towards our next destination.
Native American Homes – Extra Credit School Project
Now that the girls are in third grade is seems like they have more “hands-on” projects coming up these past few weeks. They had the opportunity to earn extra credit for Social Studies by building a replica of a South Carolina Native American home. They spent a lot of time building their houses, writing out their facts, and presenting their project to the class. Thank goodness for a yard full of saplings, vines, monkey grass, and for Jake who is creative and patient when helping the girls.
The girls really LOVED the arrow heads (even though they did not come from SC). The arrow heads are actually ones that Jake and his Grandpa Hayes collected when he was a boy. Both girls did well and got a 100% on their extra credit projects. Even though they worked hours on this project they told us it was one of the most fun homework projects they had ever done and would love to do more! Glad they enjoyed it because it was a great way to learn even more about the Native Americans from South Carolina.
Brina building the structure out of saplings for her Longhouse
Brina’s House:
- Longhouse
- Cherokee Native American’s lived in Longhouses in the summer months
- The Cherokee’s live in the Blue Ridge Mountain Region of South Carolina
Karlie weaving vines to make the structure for her Wattle & Daub
Karlie’s House:
- Wattle & Daub House
- Cherokee’s from the Blue Ridge Mountain Region lived in a Wattle & Daub house during the winter
- Yemassee’s from the Coastal Zone Region also lived in a Wattle & Daub house during the winter
A Room of Their Own – Brina & Karlie’s New Rooms
Brina’s new room after paint and carpet
Jake and I decided a few months ago that it was time the girls had their own rooms. As twins they have always shared their room (8 years). Even though the girls were born on the same day they couldn’t be more different. At first when we mentioned the possibility of them getting their own rooms one was excited while the other one was reluctant at the idea of getting her own room. One of the problems we were encountering, other than the normal messy room and no one admitting who made the mess, was that one of the girls needed more sleep, but couldn’t go to sleep at night because her sister who didn’t need as much sleep wouldn’t stop talking.
Karlie’s new room after paint and carpet
Since making the decision and starting the process of re-doing their rooms both girls started to get really excited about having their own space. They each picked out their own paint colors. Jake and I went through the colors with them and had to “approve” the chosen colors. We let them chose three different colors for their room. Jake and I are not professional painters and I am allergic to latex (which didn’t prove to be fun with all the latex in the paint), but we got through all the painting and re-carpeting in one piece. Both girls were super excited about their “new” rooms. We moved Brina into what used to be the “office” so we did her room first. After we moved Brina into her new room in the middle of August we started on Karlie’s room. The paint and carpet are done, but the rest of the room is still a work in progress.
Brina’s Colors
Main Color – Dazzling Daffodil
Outer Stripes – Aurora Orange
Inner Stripe – Orchid Rose
Brina’s yellow is a bright and cheerful color. As soon as we started painting on the walls she began giggling because she loved it so much. Her favorite colors are pink and orange which made good accents on the bright yellow walls. Karlie told Brina that whenever it is a rainy day the whole family is going to hang out in Brina’s room because it is looked so sunny in her room.
Karlie’s Colors
Main Color – Spring Green
Outer Stripes – Watermelon Smoothie
Inner Stripe – Cool Colbalt
Karlie was very patient as we worked on Brina’s room first. We got her room painted Labor Day weekend, but the carpet kept getting delayed. She never complained even though she was getting tired of sleeping in the living room. Karlie surprised me a little more with her colors; originally she was thinking of a red, white, and blue theme, but once we were at the store she choose a bright green color with a fun pink and blue accent. The best way I can think to describe the main color is it reminds me of “Key Lime Pie”. She was super excited to move into her new room and loves both her colors as well as her soft carpet.
Both girls picked out their three colors and helped pick out their carpet as well. We ended up agreeing on doing a Thatched Roof color of carpet for both of the girls rooms. They had a lot of fun picking out the colors, helping, watching, and now finally settling into their new rooms.
Jake came up with the idea of “posting a note” in each room. Once all the carpet and padding was removed we had the girls each write a note in both rooms on the floor so someday (hopefully many years from now) when we or someone else goes to replace the carpet in the house they will get to read about the little girls who once lived in the rooms.
Brina’s note in her room
It reads: 8-19-13 Hello, my name is Brina. I am 8. I have 2 goats, 2 turtles, 5 fish, and 1 dog. I am getting a new room. I have never had my own room before. The colors are dazzling daffodil, pink, and orange. My favorite colors are pink and orange.
Karlie’s note in Brina’s new room
The note says: Hi, my name is Karlie. I am Brina’s sister. I am 8 years old. I have 1 dog, 2 goats, 2 turtles, and 5 fish. I hope you like the room like Brina. I like the colors. Brina’s favorite colors are pink and orange. August 2013 – 8/18/13 at 6:14 pm
Karlie’s note on her floor
It reads: Hi, my name is Karlie. I am going to have my very own room. I have shared this room with my sister, Brina, for the first eight years of my life. My room colors are: Main Color – Spring Green, Outer Stripe – Watermelon Smoothie, and Inner Stripe – Cool Colbalt. I think I am going to like having my own room. I hope you like this room just as much as I do. Love, Karlie * 9/8/13
Brina’s note in Karlie’s room
The note reads: My name is Brina. I am 8 years old. I have 1 dog named Skipper, 2 goats named Oreo and Snowball, 2 turtles names Shipwreck and Overboard, and 5 fish. Love, Brina 9-8-13
For those of you who know me well you know this project truly was a “labor of love” because I am not a fancy painter or decorator and I am allergic to latex (any paint drops on my skin or from washing brushes made me react). I am forever grateful for my husband and all his help as well as support throughout this whole process. The girls are thrilled and love their rooms. It is neat to see their personalities really start to pop and develop even more. I am thankful that we had the opportunity to do this special project as a family. Now if anyone has any “decorating” advice….let me know!
Skipper Being a Good Sport
Skipper being a good sport after getting chased by the kids with the water bucket. Good thing she loves water!
Our guard dog…..although she has more bark than bite. She is great at hunting squirrels, protecting the house & yard, and playing with the kids. Skipper is always happy to see you and willing to nibble on a treat. It is nice having a dog around the yard. She has been known to chew a few papers, garden hoses, flipflops, and other random things, but otherwise she is on her best behavior.
Lounging on the driveway watching all the activity outside and ready to pounce on a squirrel in a moments notice.
Fresh Christmas Wreath
I DID IT!!!!! I made my first ever fresh Christmas Wreath and it actually looks……like a wreath! A friend hosted a Christmas Wreath get together recently and a bunch of us put together wreaths. At first I was not entirely sure why I was there….it seemed like all the women in attendance were crafty and have excellent decorating tastes and then me (the person who has been in the same house for 10 years and still doesn’t have curtains up, gulp).
I am thankful that Dee took the time to show me how to get started because without her guidance it would have been interesting I am sure. It was nice catching up with friends (some who I hadn’t seen in months) while I put together my wreath. It only took me a few minutes to get the base completed but as I was talking I continued stuffing more greens into the wreath and by the end this is what it looked like.
I am not really sure how or what I did but I was pleased that it at least turned out well enough to hang on the front door especially for a “not-so-crafty” person! Don’t get me wrong, I love crafts, its just mine rarely turn out looking like the picture or something I would want to hang on the front door!
It was a fun night of food, fellowship, and wreaths. I was shocked when I looked a my watch and several hours had gone by! Guess, its true “time flies when your having fun” or in this case catching up with friends and making wreaths. I am thankful for an opportunity to get together with some amazing women and for all the greenery people brought to share. There were piles of greens in the garage, kitchen, dining, etc…. I am not sure exactly where all my greens came from but they are beautiful and smell awesome. The only thing not fresh on the wreath is the berries. They did have fresh berries at the party, however, I was told they dry up and will drop on the floor so I decided to use the fake berries because they would not get tracked across the carpet.
Thanks Dee for hosting and for giving me a gentle shove out of my comfort zone to try something new. You’re a great teacher! I love having the fresh wreath on our front door! While I won’t be teaching professional wreath making classes any time soon I would be more comfortable putting together another one in the future after this experience.
Brina and Karlie were super excited to check out my wreath the next morning. When I opened the door and they saw it this was their first responses:
Karlie -“Wow, Mom that is beautiful!”
Brina – “The goats would LOVE to eat it!”
Love my girls, they know how to make my day so much brighter!
My first fresh Christmas Wreath hanging on the front door!
Travel & Vacation: Life Around the Kabini River, India
Sign near the Kabini River. Guess it probably won’t be a great idea to swim in the river….not a fan of swimming with crocodiles! Hmmm…let me think about it….No, thank you I would rather not swim with the crocodile! 🙂
I absolutely LOVED going to India. It was an amazing experience. The people were awesome and I learned a lot about myself during the trip. I have many things to be grateful for in my life yet so often I complain. I don’t have to pump drinking water or live in a tarp yet how often I grumble with the inconveniences of my life. I really do need to have a more thankful and giving heart because there a many people in this world that are content with far less. May I never forget this trip or the many things India revealed to me.
Filling her water jugs up to take back to her home. Watching her pump the water makes me appreciate the running water we have in our home. Sometimes I don’t realize how “convenient” life really is in the United States. I don’t ever remember pumping and carrying my drinking water.
Road full of goats!
Family in a small village near the Kabini River! The little boy is so cute.
Colorful houses near Kabini River
Look out stand in the tree. They use these look out to spot dangerous predators.
People will set up tents near the fields that are ready to be harvested. When the field is done they move to the next location and set up their tents. Makes me feel so very blessed to have a nice home. Even though its not perfect I don’t have to set up tarp tents near a jungle with lions and leopards in it. I have so much to be grateful for in my life.
Traveling through India was an eye opening experience for me. I enjoyed meeting a lot of wonderful people. Jake and I spent time exploring the area with Jake’s cousin Matt and his family. Thankful for an opportunity to spend some time with their family. We had a blast and hope we will be able to go back again some day.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Guest “Welcome” Basket
Welcome Basket
Occasionally we have missionaries, family, or friends staying with us that have been or will be traveling. When they stop by for a few days or weeks we try to make sure to have a “welcome” letter and basket full of goodies for them to use. They can go through the basket and pick out any items that their family can use or take with them. If there are some items that they won’t use they can give them away or leave them.
One of the best parts about shopping the sales and using coupons is you have an opportunity to be a blessing to people that you meet. I love being able to pack a basket full of products for our guests to pick out what they want or need. It saves them a little cash plus they don’t need to make that extra trip to the store.
Here are some of the items in the basket pictured above that was beside the guest bed for a family earlier this year:
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Women’s Deodorant
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Men’s Deodorant
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Breathe Right Strips
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Finger Nail Polish
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Trident Gum
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Adult Mouthwash
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Kids Mouthwash
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Floss – Adult & Kids
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Sheets Energy Strips
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Men’s Shaving Foam
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Men’s Razors
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Women’s Shaving Cream
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Women’s Razors
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Hand Sanitizer
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New Toothbrushes (for adults & kids)
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Antibacterial Bandaids
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Eye Drops
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Women’s Body Wash
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Men’s Body Wash
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Kids Kool Fever Busters
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Chapstick
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Lotion
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Cologne
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Perfume
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Women’s Body Spray
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Men’s Body Spray
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Feminine Products
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Adult Toothpaste
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Kids Toothpaste
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Contact Cleaning & Rinse Solution
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Pens / Pencils
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Paper
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Kid’s Medicine
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Adult Medicine
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And More!!!!!
Our family doesn’t have everything money can buy, but we have been richly blessed with many items so it is a real treat being able to share what we have with others. If there is something specific I know a guest enjoys (food, products, or other items) I do my best to make sure it is available for them when they arrive. I don’t always remember (or get it right) but I think it helps make your guests feel welcome when you have something to welcome them into your home. If I don’t have a basket ready for them I try to put out a note or something little on the bed or in the guest bathroom for them. How do you make your guests feel welcome when they come to stay in your home?
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