CV Homeschool Science Fair 2011

This is the mess form all the cutting to make the beautiful display boards for the Science Fair. We used 6 glue sticks and were up till 1:15 am the night before. Sheez! I could have made my own project just about getting ready for the Fair!


Here is the little girl that finished her project a week before the fair so she got to play while others stressed. I am so glad I had her to watch the little kids while I helped the other two finish projects.

Her project was called Cocoaflage-M&M's in Disguise. It was about habitats and how animals adapt to their environment and blend in using Camouflage to survive.

She used M&M's as the prey, chocolate eating people as the predators and different colors of construction paper for the backgrounds as the habitats.

She tested if the m&m's could hide and blend in on the paper and which colors were best to survive. Her hypothesis was actually proven to be wrong but we had fun following the scientific method anyway. And we found that it is best to be a yellow M&M because they survived the most out of all the colors.


This boy finally decided on a project and actually finished it! That was the goal-FINISH. He learned a bunch about tanks, tires, trucks and wheels. He also used his Mindstorm Lego set, programed it on the computer and found a design built the robotic vehicle then did the experiment. he also learned is it best to structure your time and eliminate outside distractions if you want to reach your goal.

He wanted to find out if wheels or threads were faster. Wheels were faster on carpet and cement. If he had more time he would have run the experiment on snow, rocky terrain and sand. He had fun.



Here is the other Girl's project. She likes to spin on a chair. I think she misses jumping an swinging outside because there is too much snow right now. She just sits and spins forever on this chair. So naturally she wanted to do something about dizziness.

She talked our neighbors into helping. They got really dizzy.

She proved her hypothesis to be correct. If you look down at an object while spinning, like your hand that is spinning with you than you will get dizzier then if you looked out at random things in the room not focusing on anything in particular.
She researched the ears and flight simulators. It was fun.

Here are some cousins projects. They were all interesting.




Everyone got a prize in the end for participating...candy!

Aunt Kami organized the whole event and did a great job! The judges were volunteer scientists in the community and the event was held on USU-Bridgland's campus.

The top three projects will get to participate in the Utah State Science Fair in Salt Lake City. Maybe next year one of my kids will go!

Star Scout Rising: First Trail volume one - by Gary Darby

I loved this book. It took me on an unexpected adventure in Outer Space,
Star Date 2433.056 !!!

At first I thought the picture on the cover looked really scary, but you should never judge a book by its cover because later the picture was very helpful in understanding a few parts in the book. It was supposed to look scary because the creature was actually terrifying! This was a book I just couldn't put down. It took me a while to figure out who was who with so many characters right at the beginning, but as I got more and more into the story it started coming together. The house didn't get cleaned and the kids didn't get dinner because some books just take you away to another world. This book did that and it was quite an adventure.

The story takes place in the future and there are people living all over the universes. Space Flight is normal and different planets have been discovered all over. There are all kinds of different vegetation and animals on all the planets, some dangerous some harmless. The air or the water could have deadly parasites or particles in it that could kill humans. It is amazing how much imagination went into this book, it is truly amazing! My son is 13, he read it too and loved it!

The main character is a young boy named Del. He is in training to become a Star Scout. He has to go through a series of tests to move up the ladder. Usually the tests are hands on. It has a military feel to it. He has a team and they learn to work together, or try to learn to work together. Of course their is a lot of learning about relationships and communication that goes into this kind of trust in any team. The Star Scouts explore new places and document what they find. This is all fine and dandy as Del and his team tries to track a creature on a foreign planet, perfectly harmless, or not? Then things get tricky. During one test he discovers he is not only the hunter but also the hunted! And then they find out they are not the only humans on the planet when there shouldn't be anyone else there at the time! Are they poachers, a gang of robbers, or sightseers? I won't give it away for you.

There is also another story that seems to intersect. There are terrorists called the Fraction that are highly organized. They seem to be ahead of the Star Scouts and the politicians every move. In fact there are some mysterious missing in action comrades and what is the connection? They are hiding something big and getting more powerful. What are they up too and how does that affect the Star Scouts, the peaceful explorers of Space?

Also, Del's father has a mysterious history and that is one reason he wants to be a Star Scout, to find his father. Del's uncle, Jak McCarel is also a Star Scout, he seems to an important figure in the story but I haven't figured out why yet. He is sent to investigate the terrorists and find the leaks from the inside of his organization. I can't wait to see what he does next, I hope the second book is written soon!

This book reminds me of the Boy Scouts but on a much more intense level. Literally out of this world. The Star Scouts need to work together and follow a seasoned Star Scout leader, like a Scout Master. He has trained them and started them out small and as they get older and better at what they do the level of difficulty and decision making gets more intense. Just like Scouts, they start out in Cubs then more to Scouts then Ventures and do an Eagle project...

Del gets into many near death adventures but he keeps his head and is still surviving out there. I can't wait to see what could possibly happen next to this kid. From diving in a lake of acid when his spaceship is in the middle of a acid tsunami and volcanoes are erupting on some strange planet, what could he possibly face worse then this? hmmmm And did I mention the girl on the team? Will Del fall madly in love, will this compromise his judgment when making key decision of life an death for his team and his chance to be a Star Scout?

I can't wait for the next book.

My personal classification: WHOLE BOOK

Here is the link for the authors website.

Purchase Link and Kindle

I Coriander by Sally Gardner

This was an interesting and unpredictable book. Coriander's mother is not from our world but from the land of the fairies. Coriander is writing the story as she uses the light of seven candles late at night. As each one goes out she has completed a part of her story. It is a sad and tragic story of death, magic, sorcery and love. Everything was fine until she received a gift from an unknown benefactor. The gift was a pair of silver slippers. They were of course magical but also seemed to have an evil spell on them. Coriander didn't understand her mother's past but must figure it all out to save a prince, her friends, family, father and her own life. It is a wonderful fairytale filled with adventure.

This is the authors first attempt at a novel for older people. She has written and illustrated many children's books but never a novel. She is also dyslexic. She didn't learn to read or write until she was 14. She didn't give up when the teachers gave up on her. She gained a degree with the highest honors at a leading London art college. She went on to become a successful costume designer. She is a mother of three and enjoys writing and drawing. I think she is amazing and it just goes to show you what you can do when you think different from how the world wants you to think and do at certain ages and times in a persons life. Hooray for Sally!

Healing Book

Happy Birthday ! I Am TWO!

I am TWO! 2011

2009 New baby!


Baby 2009


Read me a story. Feb. 2009


Happy Boy! 2009


Cousins! 2009

Mess maker. 2009




siblings 2009


Feb 2010

Blue Blueberries 2010


I love to climb in boxes. 2010





2010 Soccer boy!


Surgery 2010.


Bang! 2010

Church time!2010


Board Games!2011


Tea please!2011

Hot chocolate boy.2011


piano mistro!2011

Storytime!2011


Car box. 2011


Favorite Fruit 2011.


His little hand 5 months later. He was sleeping on the right hand so those are just sleep marks. The left hand is the one with the scars fading. 2011 feb.

His dad took him riding on the motorcycle during his lunch break for his B-Day! feb. 2011

Pure happiness!

He blew out his candles faster then we could sing. We just kept lighting them over and over again during the song. Feb 2011



New motorcycle track! Birthday Feb 2011

Birthday motorcycle. He is falling asleep with it even as I type this. Feb. 2011

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

I don't think I was in the mood for this book because I didn't really enjoy it. I have heard so many people say they loved it and how good it was. Maybe I was just waiting for something like the first book I had read by this author, The Bridge to Terabithia. This was NOTHING like that...it is based on a bible verse about Esau and Jacob.
This story takes place in the 1940's era on the Chesapeake Bay. It is about twin sisters. It is told from the perspective of one of the twins. She constantly compares herself to her beautiful talented sister and she can't see anything good in herself. It is interesting to see the rivalry between siblings from a one sided view. The author also gets into other relationships with this sister and I like how you can see her point of view but not agree with it. The book is a a lot of complaining and feeling sorry for herself.
I'm glad it has a happy ending, which is a bit rushed but at least it all comes together.
I love the wonderful storytelling about the fishermen that worked so hard from before sunrise to sunset providing for their families generation after generation. The history of this little island and the lives lived there is fascinating. I didn't ever know any thing about crabs but the book put new perspective on their complicated cycles.
My favorite part was when they have to catch all the cats in the old ladies house. You will have to read it to see what happens.

Whole Book

For Love of Ivy by Susan Evans McCloud

My dad let me borrow this book this last weekend. I think it reminded him of our pioneer heritage. It is a short read about a girl 16 years old that makes it to the Salt Lake Valley all the way from England in the year 1851. She marries a boy she knew in England and they move down south to Payson. He builds a home and they live 4 miles out of town all by themselves. She goes through some tough times but their marriage, love for each other and faith in God keeps them going even in the hardest of times.
I think it was well written in the voice of a women as she fights depression, loneliness, heartache and death of loved ones. I think it is neat that she makes friends with Indians. BUT I don't think the book was completely researched for the time period. A few modern sayings and things are in there that I don't think would be historically correct. I guess that is why it isn't historical fiction. It was a fun read, a little on the romance side, sappy but other then that a nice read. I like how the ending tells of future generations that benefited from the sacrifices of their ancestors blazing the way in Utah.

Whole Book

Happy Birthday Great Grandmother and Granfather Rasmussen!

My kids great grandmother turned 99 on Saturday and great grandfather turns 116 on Wed. We don't want to forget them because without their sacrifices and love we wouldn't be here!

We have been studying about our family history so we decided to celebrate their Birthdays and everyone else in February that has a Birthday. Tons of people in our family do. This is the most Birthdays in a month ever month. :) That is a funny sentence.

So I made a mysterious chocolate cake from scratch. It didn't have any eggs in the recipe, that is mysterious. Also there is a mysterious ingredient. Really, I know I have a problem with following recipes, I confess, I just CAN'T follow them. I happened to have some left over sauerkraut so I added it to the chocolate cake. Of course it is delicious and tastes a bit like coconut in texture or like adding pineapple. Don't tell my husband or my kids...I will in a few days after we have eaten it all.

We called my mom and had her tell us all kinds of tales about my grandparents. My grandmother used to babysit little Indian children. She lived in Roosevelt. Later in life she wrote editorials for the newspaper. Grandpa was a cattle man. They had land with oil, cows and horses. (lots of prairie dogs too) Grandma and Grandpa were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1934.

They had 7 boys and 2 daughters. (one was my mom) Grandma Telintha lived much longer then grandpa Ollie. Her sons provided for her later in life. My uncles and aunts were successful businessmen, some served missions, some served in the military, some graduated from USU and most tried their best as mothers and fathers. I am excited for the Family Reunion planned his summer out near Vernal, Utah. I have a lot of cousins.


2007 Reunion

Random funny family things

Such a cute baby, all dressed up and no where to go! She belongs to Pam and Dan.

My nephew got baptized! Here we are at the church giving him congratulations and high fives. Wait I didn't shake his hand at all he was not feeling well. His dad gave him a blessing earlier that morning because he really didn't want to miss his own baptism! He perked up for a while, got baptized, then he went home and back to bed.


His two sets of grandparents and his own parents.


This little girl loves to play games with her dad. They are playing pictionary. I can not tell what some of those pictures are. Looks like a fun game.


This is a little cowboy. He is sitting on a small play horse riding it around the room. I could not stop laughing. Giddy-up!


The cat doesn't seem to mind playing with the naked Barbies, just as long as she gets to sit on the heater vent. It is amazing what little girls can get away with and the cat takes it if she can stay right there. Warm!

Computer Vent cat.


Our bunnies were not getting along. We had to move Cheddar in from the cold. We put him in a hamster cage but he was getting a bit cramped so now he lives in a mansion. The two bunnies outside are so jealous. I think we might have to rotate them taking turns in the downstairs vacation spot of the year! He is toasty warm inside and they are freezing their little cotton tails off outside in the barn.

His favorite movie is Charlotte's Web. Such a funny bunny!