Archive for March, 2008

Working on Cardboard

We do lots of art around here. Sometimes, it is a little difficult to keep crayons and markers exciting when you seem to play with them all the time. So working on something new can change plain markers and crayons into new and exciting.

After Andrew’s ofice was all set up, we had plenty of cardboard boxes leftover to draw and create on. Beka and Jared had a fun time because it was on the floor and it was a bigger "canvas" then they are used to.

2008 03 15 Beka wokring on cardboard project2

2008 03 15 Jared painting on cardboard

2008 15 2008 Beka pasting flowers on cardboard

2008 03 15 Jared working on cardboard project2

2008 03 15 Beka and Jared working on their cardboard pi

Did you know?

With both kids in school, I hear that question alot. Jared especially has been full of facts lately. Here are somethings heard and learned over the past week

Did you know that….

  • kangaroos heads are shaped like a deers head?
  • kangaroos are nocturnal?
  • if you cut a starfish in half you get two starfish?
  • octopuses can grow new tentacles if one gets cut off?
  • Rosa Parks had to ride in the back of the bus because people are mean?
  • Avatar is the best show on TV?
  • bean seeds grow faster than lemon seeds?

This is a Job for the Men

Andrew finally got some new office furniture for his office. It now looks AWESOME! He has room, light, and organization. When he ordered the furniture, he decided he would put it together. One night Andrew put some of it together. Along comes Jared the next day wanting to help. So the two men sat down and put the last of the furniture together. All Jared wanted to do was the hammering.

2008 03 13 Jared and Daddy working on furniture

2008 03 13 Jared and daddy working on furniture 2

"Can I hammer now, Dad?"

2008 03 13 can I hammer now

Mommy needs some Sanity

2008 03 04 Beka and Jared mixing rice and noodles

Just a random photo of me trying to find something for the kids to do for awhile besides run around shouting "pay attention to me" over and over again The are mixing macaroni noodles and rice in order to develop pretend recipes.

Yes, I Let My Children Play with their Food

Jared is very into the sink and float experiments. I think he just likes to put things in the water. Still, he asks to do experiments of this kind all the time. So I decided we would try different fruit in the aquarium to see whihc sank and whick floated. We used an apple, tangelo, lime, lemon, carrots, and grapes. First the children had to fill out a sheet predicting which items would sink of float.

2008 03 09 Beka filling out sink or float paper 2

2008 03 09 Beka filling out sink or float paper

2008 03 09 Jared filling out sink or float paper

2008 03 09 table angle filling out sink or float paper

Next, we placed, aka dropped, the food in the water and marked down whether it sank or floated.

2008 03 09 Apple in first

2008 03 09 all the fruit in

2008 03 09 all the fruit in 2

Lastly, we peeled the tangelo, lemon, and lime to see if being peeled made a difference.

2008 03 09 after peeling some of the fruit

Okay so for Beka and Jared that wasn’t the last step. The last step was to mutilate all the food into unrecognizable shapes, add salt to make the "witches’ brew or stew", and then taste it. I don’t know why all my science experiments disintegrate into making a mess, but at least the kids learned something for awhile.

2008 03 09 Beka and Jared a free for all with the fruit

Exploring Static Electricity with Ballons and Bubbles

I read about this cool science experiment on a messageboard I belong to. You build up static electricity on a balloon and the bubbles will be attracted to the balloon. It was simply amazing. Beka and Jared could get the bubbles to land on their balloons. If the bubbles landed on the ground, you could get them to "jump" onto the ballon.

2008 03 04 Jared with bubbles and balloon

2008 03 04 Beka with bubbles and balloons

Of course, the activity, eventually, disintegrated into stomping bubbles.
2008 03 04 Jared stomping bubbles

A Taste of Spring

One day recently and no, I don’t remember which day, the weather was beautiful with a hint of spring in it. (and yes grandparents I do know the same day in your town was more like a hint of summer…but I am not listening to that.) We made the most of it by staying outside as long as possible. To encourage staying outside, we played baseball, frisbee, and soccer. The playground here is still basically flooded so we didn’t get to do that.

2008 03 02 Beka and Jared playing soccer

2008 03 02 Beka and Jared playing soccer 2

2008 03 02 Beka and Jared with the frisbee

2008 03 02 Jared play ball

2008 03 02 Jared running

2008 03 02 Beka running
I just love how free and full of life Beka looks here.

Dancing in the Night

Beka decided she wanted a dance party. So the boys were willing to dance with her. Well, it turned out she had more fun taking pictures of Daddy and Jared’s antics.

2008 02 28 Jared  s moves

2008 02 28 jared  s moves 2

2008 02 28 Daddy and Jared  s moves

Playing in the Snow

Last Saturday, was beautiful here. There was just enough snow on the ground to play in and it was warm enough to stay outside for hours without feeling like you were going to lose some digits. And it was about time! The kids were going stir crazy staying inside. It was wonderful to go outside and actually play until we were tired instead of until we were so cold we couldn’t take it. Jared can’t wait for Spring. He is counting down the days. Beka is taking it better, but any chance she gets she is out riding her bike.

2008 02 23 Beka and Jared in the snow

2008 02 23 Jared in the sled

2008 02 23 Beka in the sled

2008 02 23 Beka and Jared trying to pull mommy

2008 02 23 Daddy puling both kids in the sleds

2008 02 23 Jared  Daddy  and Beka building a snow castl

2008 02 23 Beka with her snow castle