"B" the Letter of the Week

The lesson plans that I made for this week included the letter "B" so we did a lot "B" related activities. On Tuesday we made binoculars. I had been saving up toilet paper rolls so I could do this. The kids rolled their toilet paper rolls into paint because... well in honesty it was just more fun than using paint brushes. :)

Wichita has a semi-pro baseball team called the Wingnuts. I had originally bought tickets for the game on Wednesday, but we then found out that it was free general admission night with our Riverfest buttons so we were able to exchange our tickets for another night this month that will have fireworks. This was the first time Ares had ever been to a baseball game, and he LOVED it!



We watched a friend of mine, Jessica Chandler, sing the National Anthem, and she did a great job.

Since this was his first baseball game I wanted him to have the full experience, so that of course was a soda and a ball park hot dog. I have never seen him devour a hot dog like he did!

Here are some of my favorite shots of the game!

 

 

 

We did not stay for the whole game though so I have no idea if the Wingnuts won. Now it wasn't because of a lack of wanting to stay on Ares' part, because he didn't want to go. We had another place to be though, and that was Grammy and Granddad's house to meet up with some of our cousins to play glow in the dark bowling (In case you didn't catch that, bowling is another thing for the letter "B"). All the kids had so much fun :) My Aunt Jenny put it all together, and she did a wonderful job.

 

On Thursday we did a science experiment, filling a balloon with vinegar and baking soda. We couldn't get it as full as pictures I saw of it, however at least it worked.

 

After we did our science experiment we went to Botanica (the Wichita gardens) with my Mom. It was an exciting afternoon. We watched a butterfly emerge from its' chrysalis.

We then watered some plants.

Then we got to experience color and music.

We then played in the play area. Their play area was so much fun! I love how it is a whole nature looking area with fake tree stumps to crawl through, a tree house with faces carved into it. The trees with faces remind me a lot of the movie Babes in Toyland where the children get lost in the forest with the dancing trees. There was also a place to dig for "fossils", and a place for kids to have some water fun by playing in the salamander pond where you can paint the rocks with water (there really wasn't any salamanders just fyi).

After the children's area we went to see the traveling exhibit, Storybook. Ares especially loved it because all you had to do was press a button on the giant book next to each exhibit, and it would tell you the fairy tale that went with it. This picture was especially my favorite!

 

 

See! There are lots of things to do with the letter "B"!





Riverfest, Helicopter Ride, and Karate

For the last 41 years the city of Wichita has celebrated River Festival, or how it is most fondly known as, Riverfest. My family and I were lucky enough to be able to visit during a weekday this year. The first thing we did was having funnel cake! It was definitely a huge hit with the kids!

In the Kid's Corner there were lots of activities. Ares had a ton of fun in the bouncy castles, and then they all became star struck with this banjo player. He was very talented, and we all sat and enjoyed him for a long time.

 

 

Next up was Ares' first ever helicopter ride! The reason I had wanted him to do this was because when I was his age I went on my first airplane ride with my Dad as a birthday present. It was amazing! I still remember the pilot asking me where I wanted to go, over the Topeka flood or over my house. I surprisingly chose the flood. I remember all the houses surrounded by water, and even a trampoline submerged under the water in someone's backyard. Now it was Ares' turn to feel that rush of excitement as he was flown through the air! His Aunt Lindsey braved the flight with him, and they both had a great time looking over our fair city. 

 

 

 This is the Wichita Wagonmasters' float. I tried to look up the history of this, but the most I was able to find out was that it was started by a group of select community leaders who started this in 1973. Apparently they got the idea for the Windwagon Smith (the wagon's name) from an old Disney cartoon that featured an Admiral sailing his wagon across the prairie.

From left to right it is Jude, Kyle Ann, Lindsey holding Ceridwen, Kira holding Brigid, and Ares.

 

 

After our fun filled afternoon was Ares' karate class. He has been practicing a lot, and when I talked to his instructor last night I found that it has paid off. He did really well at lessons last night, and next week he will test for his first stripe.

 



 

Sprinkler Day

Yesterday was the beginning of Vacation Bible School for Ares. The theme for VBS was COLOSSAL, and it's about facing your fears. Ares loves it so far, and the people in charge are so nice. Afterwards we went over to my best friend, Kyle Ann's, house. I made grilled cheese and broccoli for everybody, and we had a nice lunch outside on her patio. After that we all had a blast playing in the sprinkler, playing in the wading pool, and just enjoying laying out in the sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Since Kyle Ann's son Jude is only 3 months younger than the twins we have determined that Jude will marry one of them when they get older. Since the girls got these adorable animal print outfits for their birthday from their Aunt Jenny I just had to get a picture of Jude in his animal print diaper cover so I could have a Tarzan and his "Janes" picture. As you can see from this picture Jude was way more into Brigid than Ceridwen. Ceri had enough of these pictures so she just got up and left them.

Here is Tarzan and Jane! Aren't they so cute!?!

Kyle Ann took a lot of great pictures of my kids while we were there. I edited them and made them black and white to add effect. They turned out awesome if I do say so myself.

 

 



 

 

Ooblick

I meant to post this on Friday, but I got so caught up with getting things ready for when my son came home that it completely slipped my mind! For those of you who didn't know, my son Ares was with his dad for a vacation. This was the first time his dad has taken him anywhere for this long so I was anxious the entire time he was gone. I'm so glad he's home I missed him so much!

Any who, the girls and I made ooblick this Thursday. It is just cornstarch and water, and is a great way to begin teaching the difference between wet and dry because ooblick is a suspension (contains the properties of both a liquid and a solid). You can add food coloring if you want, which makes it a lot more fun for kids. I forgot to add food coloring this time though... oops! The girls loved it though!

Brigid and Ceri were not sure what to think of it at first! I showed them how you could pick it up, and then how it would pool into a their hands, and spill over their fingers.

 

 

 

I just love these SMILES!!!