Month: September 2012

Project: Walnut End Grain Cutting Board

A few days ago Gino started working on a new project for the kitchen… a walnut end-grain cutting board, just like the one he made here.

Day 1: 13 boards to begin with.

Looking lengthwise, the boards are still loose. Then is the first application of glue.

Day 2: the glue application dried for a day.

Day 3: he cut, rotated the boards, and then glued them again.

Now we wait a few hours to let the dripped glue dry.

After the dripped glue is dried, he scraps off the excess and allows the rest of the board to dry overnight.

Day 4: clean up sanding. Smooth but still a bit rough along the edges.

After a bit more sanding and rounding the edges; it’s looking good.

A close up of the end grain surface.

One of the last steps is the application of “salad bowl” finish. The finish has a sheen and resistance of varnish but is non-toxic for food contact.

First coat of the finish.
He put on a few coats before it was complete to dry for 72 hours.

All finished just need to get some rubber feet to stop it from sliding off the counter.
Thank you for the new addition to the kitchen! I like it.

First Grade: Day 3

Today is the end of the first (1/2) week of school.

“Shoe box” booklets for today.
Isabel really likes the author of “Tad Cat Ran”!

Math work today was counting the birthdays (including Teacher Mrs. B) in class for each month. Can you guess whose is in February??

Number writing. Good practice!
Isabel is getting better at writing the numbers correctly (in the right direction).

Mini tests from earlier in the week.

Great job for the first few days in class!

A review test about the story of Creation from this weeks Bible lessons.

First Grade: Day 2

She really enjoyed school yesterday. The highlight was 3 recesses!

Hopefully as the year continues she’ll find other reasons to enjoy school too!

More “shoe box” booklets.

Writing practice with spelling too.
Teacher Mrs. B wrote the words on the board for them and Isabel had to write it on her paper. Later Mrs. B had them draw a picture to go with it.

Listen to the phonics sound mini-test.
Teacher Mrs. B gave a letter and Isabel had to remember how to write the said letter.

Phonics work with the letter “r”.
Below “I like the… bulletin board” (in class; which has a picture of a boat on it) and “Go…dog, dog, dog” (after the book “Go Dog! Go!)

First name practice. Fantastic!!

First Grade: Day 1

Today is the first day of school and the first day of First Grade!

I can’t believe that summer is over, school has begun and we have a First Grader!!! I’m sad to see her grow up but have enjoyed her each and every day that I’ve been given with her. She is such a blessing to us! I pray that as she continues to grow she will continue to grow closer to God as we build her foundation for a her future.

Impact: Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30

This year she’ll be going all day, no more half day’s for this kiddo. She’ll be packing a lunch or getting lunch from school. She’ll have 3 recesses (she really likes that!) and she’ll be learning all new things! I know she’s a bit nervous today but she knows some of the kids in her class previous from years at school and she’ll get to meet new ones as well. It’s going to be an exciting year ahead! God bless.

All packed and ready to go!
Same backpack as last year but she has a new purple lunch bag!
I love the lunch bag she picked out.

First day of FIRST GRADE!
When she grows up she wants to be a doctor (she’s been saying this for years!)

In her class, at her new desk.

There are 4 kids at each of the 6 tables but there are only 3 kids at her table (including Isabel). There are 19 kids in her class and 11 are girls.
Her new teacher is Teacher Mrs. B.

Her first day in class was a success! She enjoyed it!

Handwriting samples.

Front: the opening activity (seen in the photo above) was a maze.

Back: She finished the front and was able to do a little free time art!

I love the coloring she did on this! She took her time and colored very well. Great job!

Her first “shoe box” books.

These little books are intended to teach her how to read. However in Isabel’s case, she’s so beyond these books she calls them “baby books.” We did have a discussion about not calling the books “baby” because there are kids in her class that can NOT read or are just learning to read. So we will not be calling them “baby books” anymore out of respect for others.