"E" the Letter of the Week

Every week I do an art project, a science experiment, and we take a trip somewhere. This week for our art project we painted with egg yolks. Ares especially loved it because he got to crack the eggs. I had them paint the egg yolks onto some spare scrapbook paper I had because it was thicker then regular paper.

For our science experiment this week we had Ares do an egg drop. We used different types of items to fill our catching box to see what would catch our egg without it breaking. We tried easter grass, cotton, clothes, and we even let Ares try it on cement so that he knew what would happen.

For our trip this week we went to Exploration Place. It was so packed that we weren't able to see everything like we normally do, but we were still able to do some fun stuff!

The kids were able to be construction workers, and build things out of blocks.

After this Kyle and I split up so that the kids could get to see their age appropriate play areas. I took the girls to the toddler area. I had to ask an employee where it was because it used to be where the construction play area was. He told me that it was "temporarily" in this other area when the Star Wars exhibit had needed more room so they had relocated it. The thing is that this exhibit was from last summer and they still hadn't put it back yet. They had moved the toddler area into their old preschool classroom which is super small and cramped with all of the toddler land stuff crammed in there. I was not impressed. The girls only wanted to play with this bridge, which worked out well for us seeing that older kids that are not supposed to be allowed in there were playing on most of the stuff that was clearly to small for them.

 

Ares and Kyle on the other hand had a jolly good time at the Medieval castle play area. There was a dress up area.

 

You could farm

 

You could catapult balls at a target

 

Play Medieval instruments

 

See what you look like in a fun house mirror

 

And you could try your hand in alchemy!

 

All in all it was a good visit to Exploration Place, I just wish that they would put their toddler area back to the way it used to be. Everything else was educational and fun!



Weekend at the Lake

My best friend Kyle Ann's grandma owns a lake house near Fall River Lake, and she invited us to go along. We hadn't gone out there with them since I was pregnant with the twins two summers ago, and luckily we remembered our way out there for the most part so we didn't get lost!

We had picked Ares up early from his dad on Saturday so we would could make sure to have plenty of time swimming just in case it rained on Sunday. After we got out there we all got on our swim suits, sunscreen, and life jackets, and headed to the docks. Ares and the girls absolutely loved being in the water! I could tell Ares' swim lessons had paid off because of all the confidence he had in the water, and his swimming technique had greatly improved.

After we had enjoyed our time swimming we went back to the lake house where Kyle Ann's hubby Kyle Edwin (yes I know I have a LOT of Kyle's in my life, but that just makes it more fun) grilled us some delicious turkey burgers. Not long after that we got all the kiddos in their pjs, made a fire in the fire pit, and roasted some marshmallows to make s'mores. We used Reese's Peanut Butter Cups as well as Hershey chocolate bars for the s'mores, and everyone approved.

Then it was bedtime because we were all so exhausted from all that time in the water and sun. The next day, Sunday, Kira (Kyle Edwin's sister), and I woke up before anyone else so we decided to start making pancakes. Apparently, even though I make them better than my Kyle, I still rather suck at them. Ares and Kyle Edwin secretly made Ares a new pancake because the I made him was that bad! I felt so bad! At least I tried though that's what counts! Once we all had a delicious breakfast we all got on our swimsuits again, and went to the swim area instead of the docks. Ares loved showing his swimming skills to two little girls about his age that he befriended while Ceridwen and Brigid enjoyed the water and the sand.

Ceridwen, Brigid, and Jude loved the beach the best I think. Sand is definitely one of their favorite sensory activities.

Kyle Edwin also tried to teach Ares how to skip rocks across the lake. He tried very hard, and I think with more practice he will get it. Despite not quite grasping the technique for rock skipping he still had a ton of fun trying!

After a relaxing and fun day in the water we went back to the lake house to wash up, and enjoy some lunch. Then Ares and I watched some tv on the couch while Kyle, Brigid, and Ceridwen took naps. Sadly it was then time to go home. On our way out of Fall River we stopped in this beautiful field of prairie grass that I wanted take Ares' picture in. I'm not a photographer by any means, but I like to pretend I am. Here are two of my favorite pictures I took.

"D" the Letter of the Week

I apologize for being so late and posting anything. Ares' birthday party last week took up so much of my spare time since I made most of the stuff myself, and then we went to the lake this weekend. With everything that went on though we still made time to do a couple things for the letter "D". We reviewed the letter like we normally do, and come up with a list of things that start with "D". I didn't have an art project this week, but two outside activities instead. The first one was feed the ducks at Grandma and Granddad's house. Thank you so much to my Aunt Dianna for taking these pictures since I had forgotten my camera! You are a life saver :)

The second activity that we did this week was a sensory activity, digging for dinosaurs. We originally were going to dig at the park, but my mom had gotten sand for her back yard so we dug there instead. We had only a couple dinos at the house so we also added whales and lobsters because Kansas used to be underwater so that's what we probably find if we went on a real dig anyway.

Our third "D" activity was donating. I didn't take any pictures of this because I don't believe in advertising your good deeds. We did collect old clothes and donated them to people, not saying who, and Ares wants to donate food sometime so we will have to do that too. It is a good way to have your children show love for other human beings, especially those in need.