In the Garden...eventually

Isaiah and I have just finished up his Space Unit Study we've been working away at for the month of April. We used this book as the backbone for what he's learning.  He's a clever little boy and he really enjoyed learning about the planets and other celestial bodies floating around out there.  Since we're wrapping that up last week, we've started looking at the Green Thumbs book and planning some of our summer school activities.  Now I'm super impatient for the Powers That Be to put sod in our backyard so I can get going on the gardens.

Isaiah and I have made plans to grow veggies to eat (and make salsa) and also flowers that attract garden helpers like bees and butterflies. We're also hoping to make some bird feeders and our own sprays for pest control.  I'm really hoping to create a beautiful and productive space out there with enough room for the kids to be able to run around a little. 

Right now our back yard looks like a mud bog and unless I want to try to chip dried clay off the knees of their pants and rubber boots - the kids really can't play back there. We have plans to fence the sides of our yard as well but that may be a project for next summer.

Earlier this week we did our first "Green Thumb" activity - planting seeds in egg cartons and putting them in plastic bags which work like little greenhouses.  The weather was rainy so we had to do our project indoors.  Now, believe me, I knew it would be messy, I'm no fool. But I did lose my temper at one point when I was trying to clean up and Lucy kept walking in the dirt and then walking on the floor and simultaneously Isaiah kept squirting one section of egg carton with the spray bottle until it lost all structural integrity and folded into a very soggy, very muddy mess. Sigh. Next time I think I'll wait for a sunny day since neither of those incidents would have been an issue outdoors.

Anyway, our seeds are still below the dirt but hopefully we'll see some shoots soon. If you're looking to do a fun project with your little one, may I suggest a Fairy Garden?  They use Chia Seeds which sprout super quickly for those impatient kidlets and it is always fun to decorate. I thought I had a picture of one we did a couple of years ago but apparently I do not. Here's a tutorial if you'd like one.