Mmmmm.......Hold Still!!!

This is why my children are so pale. 

We no longer go to the beach! 

Discovery Scope

This is one of the coolest things we have gotten to review....ever.

It is a hand-held, widefield microscope.  Hand-held, like you actually carry it around with you....even outside......to look at things under a microscope!



L-girl, A-man and S-girl have had a blast with this....although S-girl doesn't quite have the skills it takes to get everything completely in focus....she still thinks it is really cool to walk around our yard and pick stuff up and look at it under the Discovery Scope.


The information page on the Discovery Scope website goes into all the great features this little guy has. The last thing they mention is that light makes the difference.  And, boy, is that true.  The beauty of this is you get your specimen clamped into place and then you move into different lighting to see it in different ways.  Like, for example, you could have the light just bouncing off the eyes of your bug.....or you could move so the light is shining through your bug.

The Discovery Scope is very small and most definitely portable.....and definitely sturdy.  In fact, if there is any problem during "normal" use of the scope, they will replace the defective part, for free. 



It is, quite simply, a way to look up close and personal at things....but not have to put them on a slide to do it.  It comes with a little clear plastic box, so you can catch live specimens and look at them without having to squish them on a slide.   So, you take a look and then release the little guy.

Did I mention how small it is?

L-girl has it in this one.  They are looking at a tiny slice of watermelon.

Here is my picture of the dandelion that the kids were looking at.  I tried to get one of the caterpillar too....but instead of putting that one in the specimen box, A-man put it in the clamp....and, it died.   I did get to see it....but it was gross.   Lesson learned.

Alright, my little point and shoot camera set for macros isn't quite cutting it.  (There is a camera adapter available.)  One of my fellow reviewers, Marcy, has a fancy Ipad that takes pictures (do they all?) and hers turned out really well.  Take a look....






Bottom line is, this is one of those products that is NOT just for homeschoolers.  Any curious little boy....or girl.....would love having one of these around when they head out on adventures.  It would be a lot of fun to have on a camping or hiking trip.

I know it isn't Christmas yet....but these would make a great Christmas gift....they could look at a snowflake on their mitten....and prove once and for all that each and every snowflake is unique.

You can get the basic Discovery Scope Kit for $40.00, which includes, one Discovery Scope©, one mini clamp, one multi-use chamber holder, two 1"X3/4" clear view chambers, and one water dropper.   It comes packed in a Tupperware-type container with a lid, so it is easy to throw into your bag and take it on the road with you.  That is something you cannot do with a standard classroom microscope.

I love, love, love that it is portable....you can look at stuff in your house....like, uhhhhh....dust bunnies.  No, really, you could look at sugar, salt, your toothbrush, a pencil....the bottom of your toys to see their country of origin....the options are endless  But it is created so you can walk around your yard and find treasures to look at that don't require picking the flowers off their stems....or killing bugs....again.....we are sorry, little caterpillar.

You can see what other TOS crew members thought of the Discovery Scope here.


Disclaimer:  I received the Discovery Scope for free in exchange for an honest review.

Just In Time....

I am finally making this house mine and it is just in time.  I told you in this post that since we moved in almost 3 years ago, I have hardly hung up any pictures and personal items.  I did hang up the kids baby pictures in our bedroom, and I hung up these "yearly" portraits on our main level.

I mostly hung them up because most of the nails were already in place from the previous owners.  Our wedding picture is in the middle.  I will confess that these "yearly" photos are not so "yearly".  The picture of D-man was the last one taken while we lived in Minnesota.  The others I took here in Georgia....but they aren't exactly current either.

Notice anything wrong with this little tableau?

Here.  Look again.

Down there.  Bottom right corner.  Yup, an empty frame.  That empty frame has been there since I hung these up....well, that it not entirely true.  It did hold V-girl's 8x10 newborn shot from the hospital until I  felt guilty enough to actually start her scrapbook....when she was about 1.

So, as you know, I have started painting trim and filling all the nail holes that have just been sitting around since we moved in. 

There were a lot of nails that I just let sit in the walls from the previous owners. 

I know. 

It is sad, isn't it?

I am doing this project  little by little, as I have time, or, more accurately, as the kids will leave me alone so I can do it. 

Last night I was painting (actual walls - which I will fill you in on later) as the four youngest kids (D-man and A-girl are on a mission trip) watched Prom.  I know....but, for some reason they love it....and it doesn't have any language or inappropriate content. (I have to admit I love Lloyd and Jesse is one cute, not really a bad boy, "bad boy".)

I walked through this hallway where the pictures are located...

(Like the toy gun and Incredible Hulk fist, plus miscellaneous garbage strewn about?)

....and I found V-girl standing by her play kitchen....but, she wasn't playing.  She was looking up at the pictures on the wall and said,

"Where's me?"

Like I said, this taking pictures down and painting and revamping things is just in time.  I had totally forgotten that there was an empty spot where V-girl should be.  Totally.

I promise you V-girl, momma will actually take the time to order a beautiful picture of you and hang it up when I put these back up!  I promise!