Noodle Sprinker

Yesterday, we wanted to go to the pool in the late afternoon. Except around that time, a line of thunderstorms loomed in the distance. The pool, rightly so, makes everyone get out of the water once thunder is heard and keeps people out for half an hour after the last thunder clap. My neighbor and I were worried that we would arrive at the pool only to have to corral the children under the awnings for a hour or more. We decided not to take the risk.

In place of the pool, she brought out a present she received last year--a noodle sprinkler. The cloud cover made the air a little cooler than desired for running through jets of water. To give the kids some courage, MaddJones and I ran through the spraying water with the kids. Larien managed a few runs. Inwe, even fewer than her sister. Finwe gathered his courage and did a toddler sprint continually until the thunder got too close for the parents' comfort.

Take my picture

Trio

Photo by my mother-in-law. The kids are eating strawberries from our yard. This evening, each one of them ate the lettuce from our garden.

Teacher Appreciation Day 4

I'm quite happy with what the social committee (oh, yes, the school has a social committee of which I am not a member) organized for teacher appreciation week. Day 1 was a drawing from the kids. Easy. Day two required each kid to bring a flower. We picked an iris for each girl from our yard.

Yesterday was to bring a treat. We baked brownies and brought one each for the teachers. Some parents misinterpreted the directions and brought enough of their treat to feed all the teachers in the school. Nice, but overkill.

Today was to present the teacher with a memory dictated by the child. I had the girls tell me and typed their responses. Could I have gotten Inwe to write hers? Yes. Call it laziness after a long day.

From Larien:

I love Ms. B because she takes care of me when I play. She helps me build things that I like. Ms. B always, always, always will give me a treat.

Ms. C helps me build a tower when I like it. She likes helping me and my friends.

From Inwe:

Mrs. M, I like when we have reading groups. I love when you thought we were in college. Thank you for being my teacher.

Ms. Cd, I like when you help us. I liked when you checked on us when we made a page of our math books.

Snuggling

While Finwe napped this afternoon, Larien and I took some quiet time together.

"Mom, I'm going to use you as a pillow."

"Okay," I replied. I was reclined on the couch doing my best imitation of Phill's parenting style. Larien leaned her head on my stomach and twisted slightly. She slid off the couch to position her blanket in my middle.

"You're too hard, Mom. My blanket will make you softer."

There are worse problems to have.

Hip Cat

Cats are her thing now. Larien, that is. She draws them everywhere, much like Inwe draws rainbows.

Peeking

Really Interesting

Because it won't get there on time

Inwe and Larien decorated frames for my sister, Maverick, for her birthday on Sunday. I didn't have Finwe decorate a frame as he's 19 months of age. He can glue rocks and dirt to a frame next year.

Cat's Out of the Bag

On Saturday during the heat of the day, the girls and I did some painting. We also invited Idril to join us. We first painted some small wooden cat cutouts that Inwe received after participating in a child psychology study. We turned the into magnets, but I'll cover that in another post.

After we finished with the cats, I pulled out some pieces of press board that came with some kid furniture. Larien began painting something. As I was sorting mail while I was overseeing the other two kids, I didn't look at Larien's creation until she was nearly finished.

She painted a cat. No one helped her with the outline. I'll try to get a non-upside down picture later.

An extra set of hands

On Sunday, all of us went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg for the day. There was one big, huge, amazing addition: T, babysitter extraordinaire.

Finwe rode everything that he could. Larien rode everything that she could and two rides that she probably wasn't supposed to be, but the new pair of Thomas the Tank Engine Sandals gave her that extra inch. Inwe rode everything that she wanted to ride plus two rides that she wasn't so sure about, but well, her younger sister did it so she could, right?

We're tired. We're happy. We're so bringing T again.

The photo pictured is of Da Vinci's Cradle, one of the rides that Larien did. She cajoled T into going wither her and did it again with T, Inwe, and Phill. The ride rocks forwards and back until momentum leads to a complete rotation.

Every day is Earth Day

The girls' school had an Earth Day celebration today.

I'd show you pictures, but I seem to enjoy helping with activities instead of recording the fun that occurred.

There was lots of dirt digging as one of the parents built four huge flower boxes on the field. I'm pretty sure that flowers and vegetables were planted in them. I don't really know as I didn't help with that. Finwe was with me and decided that he needed to be attached to me so that he could breathe, because breathing without me is so difficult. He's really got to learn to do this better.

There was a small pile of dirt left over from filling the boxes, so the kids dug there as well.

Someone brought a can crusher and aluminum cans. This was way cool for the kids to do.

The kids also made concrete stepping stones decorated with shiny stones and bits of ceramic on top. When these are set, the school will put them around the flower boxes.

What did I do? Pine cone bird feeders. Instead of using peanut butter due to a few kids who are allergic, we used shortening for the goopy part. I directed the kids on what to do and attached the pipe cleaners once the bird seed was applied. Finwe sat on my lap for the first ten pine cones, but soon realized that he could leave me and not suffer some panic attack.

He pushed a kid sized wheelbarrow and carried two of the bird feeders around showing them to anyone who cared to talk to him. At this school, it means everyone.

Oh, we got messy.

Kids were happy. I was happy. Finwe passed out before we left the parking lot. So far, this is a good day. Too bad I don't have pictures.

My family has its own art service

A few days ago I found Inwe drawing a picture as Larien watched. When I asked them what was going on (they were having a rather contentious conversation), Inwe replied, "Larien is using my art service, and she doesn't like how I'm drawing her dress. I forgot to draw the button, but I'm drawing it now."

This is the resulting drawing of Larien.

Outside for Play

I'm not sure why I'm not writing more about the children lately. I would say it is because not much different is happening, but that wouldn't be true. Finwe has discovered words, real words, make life easier. He tries every sound. Inwe quizzes him in the van as we drive to and fro.

Oh, yes, that's his new decision: he must sit in the back row of seats with Inwe. Larien now has the coveted spot behind the driver's seat. Occasionally, Finwe changes his mind. Larien, amazingly, is sanguine about this and crawls into the seat with the yellow flower cover instead of the seat with the tan paw prints.

Probably the biggest change is that Phill and I purchased a swing set. Being rather frugal in big purchases, we chose a metal and plastic version instead of the wooden beam structure, which can reach up to a $1000. We have such better ways to spend $1000. $149, plus tax and shipping sounded so much better.

Honestly, the children love the swing set with attached slide and, if we ever get it built, teeter totter. There are three swings and one two seat glider. That makes space for our three plus the MaddJones kids, who have used it since we put most of it up on Tuesday. It isn't anchored. It isn't finished, but at least it is.

Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy

At swim lessons today I had to bribe Larien so that she would jump into the pool. It is inexplicable why the bribing was necessary. Usually, I cannot keep Larien from jumping into the water.

The bribe was that I would buy her a treat (edible) at the cafe at the gym (which is really a country club without the golf course). Inwe asked for a treat as well as she jumped into the pool many times and without any prodding. Sure, I agreed.

Once they were dry and dressed, we headed to the cafe. What did they choose for their treats?

Inwe: Apple juice and a navel orange.

Larien: Fruit Salad (watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries) and apple juice.

Could I be more proud that they passed up the chips and muffins and what not? So, very very cool. I'm gloating.

Picking Flowers

The purple flowers are lilacs. I think you can all recognize that the yellow ones are dandelions. Yes, we have copious amounts of dandelions in our yard. Somehow we can't be both good gardeners and good parents. We let the lawn suffer.

Not as tough as I thought

When Phill and the girls arrived home at 11:20pm last night, I was amazed and shocked that all three of them were perfectly dry. After all, it had rained continuously here; surely, it had rained in Williamsburg.

Apparently not.

While I was worrying that my precious daughters were soaking wet and cold trudging uphill, both ways, to the rides, three-fifths of my family were enjoying themselves. I'm quite glad that I decided not to worry and that I checked Phill's technology drawer so that I knew he hadn't brought his cell phone. Who does that these days? Forgets their mobile phone? Who? My husband. Frequently. Doesn't he know that the world could not revolve correctly if we weren't all talking on our cell phones about absolutely nothing important?

Made them Stronger

It's 9:15pm on a chilly, rainy day. My husband and two eldest children are not yet home from a trip to an amusement park in Williamsburg, a two hours drive from here.

Phill loves taking the girls to Busch Gardens no matter the weather. The delight of the girls at the rides and sights infects him with joy that lasts for weeks. He discovered the park would be open and that as Virginia residents we could get a relatively cheap season's pass. So, despite the forecast of gloomy weather, he took the girls.

They will either be wet, limp rats exhausted from the day when they arrive. Or, they will be so hyper that only a shot of Benadryl will allow them sleep. Not that I'm going to give them Benadryl. I'll just listen to the tales until they yawn one last time before sleep descends upon their heads.

Slip Sliding Away

At the fair last week, the girls decided to ride the big slide. Isn't that the easiest kid ride ever? Slap a big slide with lights at the beginning of the fairway, limit the access, and you have an instant "must do" activity. Luckily, we had decided to buy the armbands, so we didn't balk at forking over two tickets to slide.

Inwe did it by herself. Larien had to have Aunt Maverick.

Larien loves this Lady