Beka and Jared really enjoy painting on the easel. When we can’t paint outside, I bring everything in and set it on top of a vinyl tablecloth. That way the clean up is really easy.
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On a TV show Beka and Jared saw the characters catching snowflakes on pieces of paper. The next time it snowed we decided to try it. It is not as easy as the show made it out to be and we need a better magnifying glass to really see how each snowflake is unique. But we had fun trying and then playing in the snow
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I was very adventurous the other day. I had the children crush some old crayons with a hammer. Amazingly, Andrew slept through all the hammering. Then, we put the crushed crayons between two pieces of waxed paper. The kids then "helped" me iron the crayons until they were melted. There are no pictures on the actual ironing process. I needed both hands on the iron.
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Today, the kids had no school because it is President’s Day. So we made plans. Each child had received some money for Valentine’s Day. (thank you grandparents) So we went ot Target to spend it. Now, Jared chose this action figure and a super hero set of toys. Beka is sometimes mistaken for a girly girl. She loves pink, princesses and wearing dresses. I have no problem with her being a girl and loving it. Based on that you would make certain assumption about what she would buy with her own money and you would be WRONG. This toy is what she decided to spend her money. I think it is wonderful that Beka refuses to be any kind of typical child. (click on the links to see pictures of what they bought)
We also made top hats to celebrate President’s Day and we talked about President Lincoln a little bit. The hats are just made from paper plates and some paper.
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We have done this experiment before but Jared really likes it and is intrigue by it. You take a container of milk and add food coloring around the edges. The food coloring will not move or mix due to the surface tension of the milk, but whne you add a drop of soap to the middle that all changes. The food coloring mixes and swirls together. Interesting patterns emerge. It is cool even as an adult to watch.
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Okay, I am trying to do crafts and stuff with the kids so that none of us end up in the winter doldrums. It is hard around here because we are all anticipating spring and have cabin fever. I, especially, am tired of winter and that isn’t helping anyones’ moods. So last Saturday, I was all set up to do a project with the kids. I went to find them and here is what I see.
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Apparently, watching Daddy play a Star Wars game was more exciting then a craft with Mommy. Oh well, at least they were occupied and it was a good time for them. I just thought that the intensity with which they were all watching was hilarious.
Beka’s small group at church all went together to go bowling. Here are a few pictures of my daughter on her first bowling trip. She didn’t break 100, but a good time was had by all.
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My little man is sick with a fever, cough and stuffy nose. Doesn’t he look pathetic.
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Beka and Jared have recently started this new activity. Jared is practicing to become a ninja and Beka is his coach. It is really cute to watch. She even makes him practice meditating. Jared kicks and punches the stuffed horse where and when Beka tells him. And sometimes, he even gets to use his nunchucks he made.
My kids have always been explorers. They love learning about the world around them and how things work. I am consistently looking up information in order to answer these questions. I don’t know how many times I have been over the water cycle with Beka because she continues to wonder where rain comes from and now (because of a commercial) she wants to understand low and high pressure systems. Anyway, some things are best learned by exploring them yourself. So when the kids were asking about eggs and baby chicks, we got out some eggs and looked at them and discussed them.
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The project went a little off track when they decided we need to add food coloring.
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