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Archive for February 23rd, 2010

Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself

Posted by Heather Manning On February - 23 - 2010

51vd6ZdnQkL._SL500_AA240_ Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) by Carla Mooney (author) – Megan Stearns (Illustrator)

Separating the vast continent into its many distinct and diverse countries, this comprehensive reference introduces the ancient civilizations and tribes, unique traditions, and amazing wildlife of Africa. With 25 fun projects that kids can complete using easily accessible supplies and even recycled materials, this study clearly demonstrates what life is like in each unique setting. Step-by-step instructions show how to make shields for an initiation ceremony, cook banana fritters and benne cakes, and design animal masks to celebrate the seasons. Summarizing one of the world’s largest and most populous landscapes, this overview also touches on the obstacles overcome by the African people and how the global community can help them face future challenges.

Jordan and I got this book to review and we have had so much fun looking through it!  Jordan is determined that the first project that we are going to complete together is African FuFu.  FuFu by the way is

a thick porridge or paste made with yams, cassava, or grains

Pato didn’t buy us yams when he went to the store so that is on my grocery list.  I personally am up for the Banana Fritters because, well, I love bananas.

I am huge on my children learning about other cultures.  I think it’s so important for them.  We live in such a diverse and beautiful world and you are less likely to believe in stereotypes or participate in racism (which, in my opinion, racism stems from being afraid of someone who is different from you – and isn’t being different what makes us each beautiful?) if you learn about other people, other cultures, learn about their customs, why they do this, why they do that.  I’ve told my kids before that there are plenty of things that we do that seem weird to other people, but when they learn why, they understand us.  (Keep in simple for the kids.)

This book is so great.  It goes into facts about Africa.  It tells about the different cultures in Africa.  Africa is huge.  There are so many different customs, languages (did you know there are an estimated 2,000 different langages spoken on that continent alone?)  That’s a lot of diversity.  This book takes some of that and teaches it to kids, giving them simple instructions on projects that can help them understand how other people (in the case of kids in the US – other people on the other side of the world) live.  It goes into their storytelling, their wildlife, challenges their civilizations have had to overcome, it’s just an amazing book.

So amazing that when Jordan’s teacher saw it, she asked to borrow it for the weekend to read.  I actually had to tell Jordan to get it back from her because I needed to do the review.  :)   It’s fascinating!  I promised her she could borrow it again as soon as I had this typed up for you all to see. 

There are so many projects in here: make your own golden amulet, the recipes I mentioned above, make a soccer ball, a Fon story banner, a ceremonial mask, an African rain stick and so much more. 

The projects I think are going to be fun for us to do on weekends and during summer vacation when the kids are saying, Mooooom, I’m booooored.  I’ll get the book out, read them some facts, and get down to making one of these cool items.

Jordan has carried this book around quite a bit, mom, did you know that black rhinos have been known to attack rocks and trees because they can’t see well?  or mom, did you know that many Africans think nothing of a 6 hour walk to visit family?  Yeah, that is not happening here.  If I can’t drive to see my mom, I’m not going.  (Sorry mom! :) )  I love books like this.  Ones that my kids will pick up over and over again. 

I have to mention the illustrations here as well, they are gorgeous!  Megan Stearns is fantastically talented.  They are black and white sketches, but they are so realistic.  It looks like the people were posing for her as she drew them.  Just beautiful artwork to accompany this great book!

I want to get more of these books for the kids now.  If you look through the books over at Nomad Press they have so many different books like this.  I’m really really interested in getting them:

Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series)

Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself! (Build It Yourself series)

Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series)

Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series)

Those I think are my top ones because not only is important to learn about others, it’s important to learn where we came from and how we got to where we are today.

Who am I kidding, I want all the books.  I’m hooked after just this one. 

Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) gets a big-

thumbsup

for being a fun amazing book filled with so many things to do, so many facts to learn, but presented in a way that Jordan can understand easily.  He could even read this (and has read part of it) to Katiana.  It’s been wonderful!

disclaimer

Thank you so much to Nomad Press for sending us a copy of Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) to review!  Also, thank you to the Product Review Place for connecting us together.

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Catching up on Project 365 and other pics

Posted by Heather Manning On February - 23 - 2010

I got behind.  This is going to end up being project 245 or something like that. I  thought since I have other pictures today I would just make it one post.

Day 52

This is from last night.  Kat wanted me to braid her hair to make it all “bent“.  You mean crimped. What’s crimped?  Bent. :)   We did Alyce’s too because she has to do what Kat does.

Project365-2010-52

Day 53 (today)

Project365-2010-53

How Kat’s hair turned out this morning.  Isn’t it cute?  Don’t mind breakfast on her lips.  I think it was actually in her mouth too as I was taking the picture.

And now on to other pictures.

Feb-2010-11

Birthday boy number 1!  (Don’t mind whatever he spilled all over his sweatshirt.  He changed it before he went to school.)  Jordan.  My oldest.  My first born.  Look at that proud  I just turned 11 today face!

Feb-2010-12

Birthday boy number 2!  My youngest.  My last child.  The one who woke up with a serious case of the birthday crankies this morning.  Christiano is 1 today!

There’s a story behind that owie under his nose. (And notice the rash hasn’t gone away completely yet.)  Sunday night Alyce went to hug Christiano in the kitchen.  She hugged him so hard she knocked him over.  He fell, knocking his face onto a kitchen chair.  He started bleeding all over the place.  It was horrible.  That poor kid can’t win for losing.

And because I can’t take and edit pictures of the other 3 without my model saying, mom, you don’t have a picture of me.  One of Miss Alyce and her beautiful hair this morning.

Feb-2010-13

She’s such a doll baby.

Tonight is the boys’ birthday party.  We are going to The Incredible Pizza Company.  Mini golf? Check.  Bowling?  Check.  Bumper cars and Go Karts?  Check check. Arcade games?  Of course!  Pizza buffet?  Awesome!

The birthday cake will be ready at 1 and they are making Christiano a matching first birthday cake that he can dig into.  Remind me to bring him an extra set of clothes for the party.  I don’t know how they would like me stripping him down to the diaper to eat his cake.

Jordan was a tad disgruntled that he couldn’t open his presents before school today, but I didn’t think he should open one when Christiano and Pato were still sleeping.  Everyone wants to see it darling.  I’ll let them open their presents before we go so we don’t have to haul them back and forth. 

Tomorrow is not one, not two, but three child well check ups.   We had to cancel Alyce’s 3 year check in December and I forgot to reschedule so we threw her in with Jordan’s 11 year and Christiano’s 12 month.  If Jordan has to get his tetanus booster, Alyce will be the only one not getting shots.  I’m not sure if Jordan gets that this year or next.  I want to say this year?  Don’t you get that every 7 years?  The last one he had was at 4 I think.  I don’t know, I just know they are all current on their shots.  With getting all 4 kids ready to go to school (Kat) and doctor, I may not get to blog first thing in the morning, but I’m sure I’ll be back some time with lots of birthday pictures. 

You have a wonderful day!

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**CLOSED** The Moon Looked Down Giveaway

Posted by Heather Manning On February - 23 - 2010

Congratulations to the winners!  I’ll be sending you an email and you have 48 hours to respond.  Thank you to everyone who entered!

9780446616089_154X233
The Moon Looked Down by Dorothy Garlock

from Amazon -

When WWII breaks out, many Americans find their lives turned upside down, few more so than the Heller family. Seeking refuge from Hitler-controlled Germany, the Hellers had moved to smalltown Victory, Ill., only to find themselves, 10 years later, suspected by their neighbors of being Nazis. Feeling the threat to her family grow, headstrong 20-year-old Sophie Heller also feels powerless to stop it; soon, however, she meets a handsome, similarly frustrated schoolteacher named Cole Ambrose, whose bad leg prevents him from enlisting. Their instant attraction is, naturally defied by racist townsfolk bent on keeping them apart by whatever means necessary. Garlock (Leaving Whiskey Bend) exhibits a too-comfortable mastery of the romance genre; Ambrose is a true gentleman and Sophie is a charming heroine, but both are painfully bland. The villainous characters prove more interesting, but stray often into caricature. The central conceit, racism against German immigrants during WWII, is compelling but not really explored except as a vehicle for star-crossed romance. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This sounds like such a fabulous book by fellow Iowan (I don’t get to say that very often) Dorothy Garlock.  As this is being released on the same day that this giveaway will be posted, I haven’t gotten my copy yet to review, but it will be here soon and I can’t wait!

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Tell me another of Dorothy Garlock‘s books you would like to read.  You can find them here on Amazon.com.

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disclaimer

Thank you to Hatchette Book Group for sending me a copy of  The Moon Looked Down when it is released.

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