68. Make a snake out of a necktie!

67. Fact of the day

Oo is for Ocean
These pictures show the four main views we had of the ocean
for five days at sea--one view from each side of the ship.
Do you know what the four sides of a ship are called?

A. Front . . . back . . . left . . . right

B. North . . . south . . . east . . . west

C. Fore . . . portside . . . starboard . . . aft
D. One . . . two . . . three . . . four

66. Read the newspaper today! . . .
(or a "Friend" magazine)

65. Picture of the day

Nn is for Norway
The last place we visited on our European cruise was
Olso, Norway--where the 1994 Winter Olympics were held.
Which picture shows something that was part of those Olympics?
Picture #1 are some itty bitty cars in Oslo
#2 is a tree-lined street in Oslo
#3 shows  the Olympic ski jump off in the distance
#4 is a ship in the harbor
#5 is the flower market right downtown in Oslo

64. Let the games begin!

The 2012 Summer Olympics begin tonight.
You can watch them on TV for the next few weeks or . . .
you can play outdoor games in your own backyard instead!



63.  Play with money and create coin critters!

62. Question of the day

Mm is for moneyWhat is Grandpa doing at this purple bank?
1. Getting Euros in Ireland.
2. Getting pounds in England.
3. Getting kroners in Norway.
4. Getting postage stamps in Portugal.

61. Load up your wagon and go for a walk around the block
while you sing a primary pioneer song.

Happy Pioneer Day!

60. It's the dog days of summer (the hottest days)
so enjoy a rocket dog for dinner

Happy National Hot Dog Month!

59. Draw or write about your favorite foods
in your journal or Alpha-Book

58. Try a tropical island fruit salad.

57. Question of the day

Ll is for land ahoy!

Finally after being at sea for five days, we heard the captain of our ship
announce one day: "land ahoy!" What we were approaching?
A. The Azores Islands
B. The Hawaiian Islands
C. The Canary Islands
D. Gilligan's Island

56. How about a lemon cooler for lunch?!

55. Pictures of the day

Kk is for knickers

Which is worse:
This inappropriate photograph Grandpa took of a shop window in England?

Or this slightly naughty picture book Grandma bought as a souvenir of England?

54. Make jumping cups.

53. Word of the day

Jj is for jubileeWhat is  jubilee?
A. European musical instrument
B.Special 50-year celebration
C. Name for a cute girl
D. Flaming dessert made with cherries

(There was a diamond jubliee in London, England
 shortly after our cruise to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's
60 years on the throne)

52. Eat an ice cream sundae on this Sunday or . . .
make ice cream in a bag to celebrate . . .

Happy National Ice Cream Day!

51. Do some invisible painting.

50. Question of the day

Ii is for IrelandWhat do you think we did in the country of
Ireland when we were on our vacation?
A. Went window shopping on St. Patrick's Street
B. Kissed the Blarney stone at Blarney Castle
(no thanks--although lots of tourists stand in long lines to do just that)
C. Found a four-leaf clover
D. Got a guiness and "Grandma's Magical Storybook"
(Grandpa got a "guiness" mug--not the famous alcoholic beverage)

49. I spy with my little eye . . .

twelve red, white, or blue items around my house.
Can you identify any or all of them?
1) wooden watermelon decoration . . . 2) blue table
3) flag on front door . . . 4) stars on tree
5) Fisher-Price race cars . . . 6) star marshmallows
7) wagon . . . 8) raspberries, bananas and blueberries
9) toy boat . . . 10) my "America" picture books
11) Grandpa's blue shirt . . . 12) USA bears!

Happy 12 on the 12th!

48. Grow a grassapillar

47. Read a book while you hulu hoop!
(Or learn how to do each one alone first?)

46. Picture of the day

Hh is for houses
People in Europe live in houses with windows and doors,
celings and walls and floors just like yours.
However, their houses look different than yours on the outside.
Which picture is not a place where people live in Europe?

Picture "a" is cube houses in the Netherlands . . . picture "b"
is homes on a hillside in Ireland . . . picture "d" is an apartment
complex in France . . . and picture "c" is  a real telephone
booth in Cornwall (with someone you know inside it)

45. Write or draw four of your favorite things
about the 4th of July (in your journal or Alpha-Book)

44. Eat some macaroni and cheese for lunch or
do a pasta project to celebrate
National Macaroni Day!

43. Word of the day

Gg is for gargoyle
Guess what is a gargoyle?
A. a grotesque animal carved out of stone
B. a creature that lives in the Atlantic Ocean
C. a sculpture on castles that scares away evil spirits
D. the sound your throat makes when you are swishing mouthwash around

If you look closely near the top of this photo you might see two carved creatures sticking out of both sides of the Canterbury Cathedral. We saw gargoyles on most of the cathedrals in Europe which I thought was quite weird, but they are like water drains to keep the water from running straight down the fancy walls of these cathedrals.

42. It's not too late for a red-white-and-blue snack.

41. Watch a parade!

40. Go see some fireworks
or make some fireworks in a jar!

39. Do a flag arts 'n crafts project for
the July page of your calendar or for
Chapter Ff of your Alpha-Book or
just for fun!

38. How about some French toast on a stick for breakfast?