Another Summer update

We've been having fun this week...here are our pictures!

First up:  ice treasure hunting.  I put several small toys in a bowl and froze them.  Bear and Daddy had fun excavating them.

 Next:  We (meaning Daddy) sliced up a pool noodle and made some nice marble tracks.  They raced marbles for quite a while.  There was some experimenting and we even got a loop-de-loop out of it!  They loved that.  Bear also learned to play marbles so we've been having fun with that too.

 Third:  Scratch and sniff paint!  Kool aid + a little water is all you need.  It does stain though so be careful!

 And last, self-portrait dolls.  I got this idea here:  http://mymagicmom.com/self-portrait-dolls/
Bear wanted to do her whole family.  Bug just colored on one that I made of her.  The pics aren't very clear and I forgot to take a picture of the back, but they do like them - despite Bear's somber look!

 

Hope you enjoy these shots and maybe get some good ideas! 

Another week of summer fun

Not a lot of pics this week.  What all did we do?

Well, we painted on our windows, played freeze tag, and the girls camped inside their tent.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the cuteness in the tent.  Today we made twirling paper ladybugs.  I think there were a couple of other things in there.  So much stuff I can't remember it all.  We've had lots of fun and the house is now a mess. I may need to have a clean and purge night after the girls go to bed just to get some semblance of order in here.  My urge to purge cannot be suppressed forever!  Crafting is messy...but we have fun and it's worth it.

Here are a few pics from the week.  The window paint recipe I got from www. mymagicmom.com
and the twirling paper ladybugs were found at www.makeandtakes.com

Have a wonderful Independence Day weekend!  We have great plans made with family and food and ice cream and pool fun and fireworks. 

Doesn't get much better than that!

High Tea

So last night Bear picked a Tea Party as her summer fun adventure for today.  Everything was all good until I looked in my china box and realized I do not own a teapot.  Not sure exactly how I was planning to make tea without a teapot!  So I frantically went searching all over my town.  Again, not sure why I was actually expecting to find one in this tiny place!   I finally got the bright idea to borrow one from a friend.  (big sigh of relief)  I made tea cakes and bought some caffeine free herbal tea.  We played classical music and had a grand old time.  Even Bug...though there were a few times I thought she was going to break the china.


It was very special for Bear to get to use real China.  She asked if it was made in China (no) and then spent the rest of the tea party asking questions about China and when we are going to China because she has never been there and she needs to go. 

All in all, we had a lovely time and I will definitely do this again.  Until then, I will be on the look out for a teapot of my own!

Summer Fun

So Summer is in full swing (as if you can't tell by the sweltering heat outside!)  With summer has come a burst of crafting and sewing for me.  Though we homeschooled last year and school flowed easier into the summer, I am trying to make summer different and special.  We spend most of our time at home and it can get monotonous very easily!  So in my internet researching last week I discovered the idea of the Summer Fun jar!  So I made one of my own:

      Every day Bear picks an activity out of the jar and we do it!  So far we've made clothespin dolls, colored our entire sidewalk, took a trip to the library, colored hot rocks and tomorrow we are sending a homemade card.  This gives her something to look forward to and helps me fill the time.  I also made them some bean bags and colored some rice for them to play in.  So far it's all been a big hit!  And it's helping on these crazy hot days when it's just TOO hot to go outside.  Here are a few pics from our adventures so far and I will keep adding from here on out.  I'll try and give you links to some of the projects that I found online and copied...That way you can try it too!

 Clothespin Dolls

 

What's Up Weekly Board

bean bags!

Hot rocks!

We made our own chalk!

Playing in colored rice!

Jesus and the Three Little Pigs

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.   And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.   And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."  Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

 My little Bear (5) read the classic children's story Three Little Pigs this week.  She's become fascinated with it and has gone as far as to create pig and wolf puppets and put on a little play.  Of course, we had to video it because she's so cute!

So today I was reading in Matthew chapter 7 and was struck by the similarities to that story in the chapter.  Of course, you have the mention of pearls before swine and the wolf in sheep's clothing in there, but after that Jesus talks about the wise man and the foolish man building their houses.  

Those 1st two little pigs are so like the foolish man.  They just built their houses as quickly as possible so they could play and have fun.  But pig #3 (he's the fat one, according to Anna) took his time.  He laid a foundation, he put on a roof and added a door.  He even had a chimney.  Then when he was done he could rest in knowing that his house was safe.  

I got to thinking about how we can tend to brush over the words of Jesus quickly and not put them into practice or into our hearts.  We take the easy way out so we can play and have a good time.  But then when the Big Bad Wolf comes huffing and puffing, our house gets blown in and we are left running for our lives.

How much better would it be to be like the wise man (pig) builds a foundation on the Word of God, hiding it in his heart, and putting into action the words of Jesus?  For that person, when the Big Bad Wolf comes huffing and puffing we can be like the 3rd little pig, look out our window, and say, "Go ahead, wolf!  Blow your head off!  This is a good, strong house.  You can't blow it down!"

So go ahead, start building your strong house today. 

Disney

We just got back from a whirlwind Disney weekend.  It was awesome!  Driving down on Thursday, park all day Friday, drive home Saturday.  It was Bug's first time there and she had no idea what was going on.  Classic!  The problem is what happens when I get home.  See Disney for me is like heaven on earth.  Rides, talking animals, fairies, endless food.  I don't care about the heat, the lines or whatever...it's all about the atmosphere.  It's like being high on something.  Then I come home.  At that point I realize that I have to clean, and cook, actually take care of my kids, be responsible.  My system just can't take it.  So I crash.  I have no motivation to do anything so the house gets trashed, kids get bored, everyone is hungry and I just sit around in some kind of haze.  It takes some time to pull myself up out of it.  Usually beginning to plan and save for the next trip helps.  Wow, I need help.

Winter cough

So obviously my little Bug has decided to have a chest cough for the entire winter.  She actually started early in October and will probably make it all the way until April (she is stubborn, after all).  Antibiotics don't phase her, humidifier...nah.  Vicks - bring it on.  Still, the coughing and the runny nose.  Oh the running of the nose!  One day it will end.  Until then I will continue to, "Wipee nose, mommy!"  "Thank you so much, mommy!"

Love my life!

Mopsy Topsy

Today has been a quiet day.  Went to MOPS this morning with the girls and it was SO quiet in the backseat.  This is a major feat since it's almost an hour drive one way!  I don't know if they were just tired or maybe confused by the fog.  Whatever.  I totally took advantage of that time for doing some praying.  It's a rare thing.  Honestly, they have been little angels today.  Screams have been traded in for laughs, fits have been traded for dancing...there was even a glorious 3 hour nap.  I am telling you, this day is one for the books!  If every day were like this, mommyhood would be a piece of cake!  But alas, every day is not like this.  I think they picked today because they subconsciously realized I would be blogging now and they don't want their antics to be internet fodder.  I don't think they can keep it up very long.   I can definitely wait them out - I am bigger and have a longer attention span (most of the time).

It begins

I've been threatening to do this for months and now, here we are.  So we'll just see how this goes.