summer school

Since the summer is almost over, I guess I should admit that we didn't do as much "school" as I had hoped, but I'm sure my kids kept learning anyway :)

We took an afternoon and went to Deception pass...

We came home with pockets full of rock (I admit, I brought the most)

I had some fun making letter stones, and story stones.

Gretchy!!

I made a lower case and upper case set of letters, so the girls could put them in alphabetical order and make pairs of letters that go together.

I also made these "word builders" from paint sample papers, and just so anyone might be impressed with me, I got all my ideas from someone else :)

I had Ava move the one card that had an ending sound on it over the other card that had consonants on it and write the ones down that made a word, she loved it.

Ava's and my sharpies on foil drawing.

This idea came from here , we used Lego's to stamp pictures.

Sydney's

and Ryan's ( I only got a picture of the beginning)

Looking forward to more "summer schooling" :)

Painting with a friend

I was going to have Ava's birthday part 2 but I forgot my camera at home for her joint party with her cousin, so here are pictures from today :)

I set up a painting station outside and sprayed shaving cream on some trays, then I put some liquid water color paint in the shaving cream. The girls had to mix it up themselves...

they are a little unsure at first, but...

in no time they were loving it :)

and what play date would be complete with out making "soup" ?

Harvest Party

Travis has been working so much lately that when he got off early on Thursday, we decided to throw a last minute party.

Ava - the ballerina butterfly

Travis was... me :)


Gretchen - the cutest dragon ever!
She actually loved wearing this and kept "grrring" at everyone :)

Sydney was a pirate and Ryan... well, he just put on a bunch of stuff...

we finished the evening with watching How to Train Your Dragon.

good times

Playmobil Medevil Times

This post was actually started last year, but my camera ran out of batteries mid story so we never finished it. I'm posting what we did , maybe we will finish it someday.(knowing how I do project, don't count on it) :)

enjoy.

Long, long ago, in the land of England

there was a king...

"I have servants to do everything for me...I'm bored!"



" I know, I'll have a tournament!"




"Herald, I want you to find me some brave knights, and tell the royal cook to plan a big feast"


"Yes, Sire"




"Royal cook, you must prepare a big feast for the King."



"This isn't going to be enough for a big feast"

"here, kitty, kitty, kitty"

to be continued.....(maybe)

learn from your mistakes...

that's kind of what Gretchen did today ,

her and Ava were laughing and giggling in the pantry and when I went to check out what was going on I found half of my bag of straws from Ikea spilled all over the floor.

Ava picked them up (after I let them have a few more minutes total happiness) and I set Gretchen up in the living room with some saved spaghetti jars (from my favorite sauces from Trader Joe's) and I let Gretchen sort the straws.

she did so great and it kept her busy for quite a while :)

catch up (#1 the kids)

it's been a while, so I'm going to do some updates from the last few months...

Sydney and Ryan were in gymnastics class this year


yes, Sydney was able to climb all the way to the top

isn't this the cutest watermelon eater you ever saw??

Gretchen "helping" Dad mow the lawn

Ava's haircut

Ava played t-ball this spring...

in flip flops ;)

this was the closest we got to the tulip fields this year

Sydney decorated a cake in girls club at church

we studied ancient Egypt