Thursday, July 21, 2011

Alphabet Adventures 2011: Letter J

J is for...
jumping!
Jumping high!
Jumping ready!
Jumping low!
Jumping up!
Jumping together!
Jumping super!
Jumping diagonal!
Jumping hero!
Jumping happy!
Jumping and flying!
Jumping and smiling!
Jumping and shouting!
Jumping and flipping!
Jumping and having fun!
Jumping!!

Alphabet Adventures 2011: Letter I

I is for Independence Day!! Mommy being the creative Mommy she is, I decided to make matching tie-dye shirts for Fourth of July. I learned how to do it a simple way at the library's summer kick-off: with sharpies and rubbing alcohol.
So here's everything ready on the counter.
I didn't trust Xander with a sharpie, so he had to strip. I did most of his twisting and rubber-banding, and he did some of his coloring.
Zack getting ready for the reveal.
Midway through the project
We spent our 4th swimming and hanging out with Gramma. After much deliberation about the weather, we decided to head to the fairgrounds for the fireworks display. It had been raining off and on in Knightdale for a while, sometimes even pouring. I was texting someone who was already at the fairgrounds, and she told me they sent everyone inside because of severe weather in the area. When we got to the parking lot, it was barely raining, and it was time for Eli to eat. We started to get everything and everyone out of the car. Then we realized that the thunder and lightning were too close. Just a few minutes after we got back in the car, it started pouring. We heard "from the inside" shortly after that the fireworks for that night were cancelled. WE still got a couple pics in the car, though.
Gramma got the boys glow necklaces to wear while watching. Of course, I had to get replacements of those for the second night.
Xander was exhausted! He slept through the car ride home. Zack and Eli got to visit with the neighbors and see their little fireworks display. Zack witnessed the destruction of an old GI Joe and a small model car. Xander slept through the whole thing!
July 5th, attempt number 2... Zack getting dizzy.

Before the fall...
After the fall...Xander slipped and fell in the water. I quickly scooped him out. He and I were pretty much soaked for the rest of the night.
Our tie-dyed family for Independence Day!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Alphabet Adventures 2011: Letters F, G and H

F is for farm, G is for Gramma, goats and gems, and H is for hill and Hill Ridge! Gramma took the boys and I out to Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville for some gem mining and some good old-fashioned fun!
The boys posing as a goat and a sheep--it was so hot!
The big slide! Xander somehow stopped in the middle, stood up and had to fix his burlap bag.
Now he made it down.
Zack's turn!
Back up the hill for another round. Mommy even took Eli down the slide once, but he didn't really get it.
He did enjoy in the corn house. Thank goodness he wasn't putting things in his mouth yet!

Duck races

Train ride
Gem panning
Some cool stuff--we found some amethysts, quartz crystals and other goodies.
Xander just enjoyed playing in the dirt. He was so hot and out of it, he was having a lot of trouble listening.

It was still fun for all!!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Alphabet Adventures 2011: Letter E

E is for Elmer the Elephant! The boys and I love the book Elmer and its sequel(s). We've read it several times. Then as I was looking through my old teaching files, I came across an Elmer that could be colored! So I copied it for each of the boys. I was going to have Zack write a story about when Elmer met a chameleon, but school time hasn't been going as well as I would have hoped.
Eli in the Bumbo seat
Xander deciding if he's going to eat his lunch or not. I used elephant cookie cutters for the sandwiches and they have nuts as a side.
One of Zack's baby elephants
There's Elmer!! While we were coloring, I had the boys help me retell the story of Elmer. Elmer was a patchwork elephant who wanted to be elephant color. So he found some elephant color berries and made himself elephant color. But then, well, I won't spoil it for you, but Elmer made the best joke and every year they celebrate Elmer's Day with a big elephant parade.
Xander still pushes down really hard with his crayons. I keep trying to tell him that he doesn't have to push down hard. He just complains that coloring makes him tired. I probably colored just as many of his squares as he did.
Oh yeah, E is for excited,
ecstatic,
and eccentric little boys!