Rainy Days...And Not So Much

Yesterday rained...Indoor days are a challenge. I like to have them now and then, we can catch up on laundry and cleaning... But we've had a lot of them the past few weeks, and the kiddos get bored. It seems the messes they make out weigh any cleaning that happened. Ah well, story of my life. Yesterday I was excited because I discovered a new favorite resource: Play At Home Mom blog Inspiration for sensory, indoor activities to do with your young children. LOVE IT. 


This is what we did for quite some time in the morning I was able to clean the kitchen while they created!

Yes, once again a "naked" (that's what the girls call being in your unders) day at home (ah, underwear is so versatile you know). 

Roo's bangs, the bane of my existence...Okay not THAT bad, but it drives me nuts how she can just walk around half blind unless I force matters (these aren't in chronological order this was the first picture: Above you see how nicely her hair looks pinned back).

We had a LOT of fun with playdoh, popcicle sticks, pegs, and pasta...Oh, and an egg carton. And why, yes that's a Little People baby as well...

TODAY:

I can't believe how strong and fast Roo has gotten this summer!! Last spring it was kind of a "agh! Light bulb Moment" as to why last winter was SO hard (Roo just seemed like a caged animal some days). I took her to this park on the first warm-enough day of spring and she rode her tricycle the entire 1.25 mile loop. I was flabbergasted. No wonder she was so miserable inside all winter! Well today I took her and she RACED the loop. I seriously had to run (pushing Friendly) to keep up with her! I am sad at how fast she's grown, she really needs a "big kid bike" (we're thinking hopefully a 16" Toy Story Bike for Christmas :0) but we've been stretching out her tricycle for the summer as Friendly isn't ready for it yet and it's SMALL (make taking it place easier). 

Holding onto the "reigns"...I really don't know what we're going to do for "big muscle play" this winter...Both girls have so much need to MOVE, constantly. Maybe instead of a outdoor bike I should get them a kiddie exercise bike...kidding...mostly! :0D

Apple slices on the bench mid-way around the loop... "Autumn" and "Apple slices" just seem to go together. And the book I'm currently reading
 Learning All the Time
 How small children begin to read, write, count and investigate the world, with out being taught
by John Holt
Loving it!

Roo is always people watching. 

Enjoying our apple slices.

Ducks!

Her hair, as crazy as it can drive me, is BEAUTIFUL. 

Friendly likes to sit waaay back.....sheesh. 

It was a wonderful day... 

Autumn Shifting...Chalk City

Monday was beautiful! A perfect morning. And since "they" were calling for rain and overcast skies all week we made a morning of it at the park. We spent 3 hours playing, running, and creating a side walk "city". 

Can you see our city??

Can you tell this was the end of the 3 hours? They were TIRED.

Leftover of Roo's shadow...

Looking for ducks...

Oh the joy of STICKS!

Taken when I was laying in the grass...enjoying the almost- Autumn sunshine. 

She reall wanted it to stick in the ground so it could be a "sail". 

They were so excited that the leaves were starting to fall!

Throwing them up and yelling "The leaves are falling the leaves are falling! IT'S FAAAAALL!"
My girls. 

They played under these trees for a lovely long time. This is our favorite spot in the park. 

Two days until Autumn begins....And counting!!!

 

Fun OUTSIDE!

Friday Riding in our VAN! We've been a one car family since April...It's wonderful to have it back!

Newby And I waiting to go...

SATURDAY: Roo LOVES side walk chalk right now... She could draw for hours.

At Nana's house... We wrote on the front steps... Do you see Roo's version of welcome (it's backwards but there are definite copying of letters happening there!) and up on the top steps she wrote a few C's and O's and a "bubble A" (far right) and in the center she said "That's my HAPPY CHILD." That's what she calls all her potato people. She gets the term "Happy Child" from Toy Story...You know the part where Sid (the bad kid) is laughing and Buzz Lightyear says "You mean that HAPPY CHILD?" I don't think Roo caught the humor...But the phrase stuck and she loves using it!

TODAY: Daddy made them a hopscotch...But he couldn't understand why they couldn't use it! :0D (in case you can't see: it's that minuscule thing of rectangles between them!)

Roo Jumping away on the "big" hopscotch.

Sweet Friendly gave us a bit of a scare today. They were all running around being crazy and Ryan was chasing them and making them laugh and run, and laugh and run... Well they were doing this for over 10 minutes when Friendly laughed so hard she tripped and fell and hit her head (on the soft carpet). While she was "winding up" to scream Ryan went over her and scooped her up and went to carry her to me...As they were crossing the room to me Friendly went limp. Fainted. Out cold. Thankfully the spell only lasted a few seconds and she came to WAILING. I've heard of kids doing this before, but it had never happened to us and UGH. Nothing worse than seeing your baby unconscious! She is totally fine (as you can see from these pictures, after the fact) but gave us a good scare!

Another Newby Picture: 23ish weeks.

Roo Drawing a "snow man".

Ryan is a GOOF!

More Newby...

More Newby...

Touching the water...AKA getting filthy.

I was trying to get in the picture.

They really liked touching the water, no one fell in...sucess.

such a pretty spot.

playing "pooh sticks".

This cracked me up! Roo is terrified of riding on Ryan's shoulders. But I think because Friendly loves it so much Roo feels the need to keep trying it. She usually clings to Ryan's eye sockets (no joke) like there is no tomorrow...Our little octopi high above the ground. Well This ride started out that way... At some point we passed some dogs and Roo turned "side saddle" to watch... For some reason this way feels safer to her (though it's so not!) and she happily rode like this for quite some time. I'm sure Ryan's eye balls appreciated it!

Friendly JUMPING over the root. <3

Roo saw a segment on tracing people's shadows on Curious George (PBS show) and has been waiting and waiting for a good sunny afternoon to really have fun with it. Today she got her chance!

She patiently traced Daddy's LOOOOONG shadow. Cutest thing we've ever watched, seriously.

I was trying to get a shadow shot of Newby...and caught one of the whole family!!

Roo tracing my shadow.

Can you see "Newby"? Ryan drew her into the shadow. :0) She's such a part of our lives already, the girls love to talk to her... Friendly especially spends a LOT of time snuggling my belly and talking to the baby. We're so excited to have her HERE with us, joining in all the fun!

Another attempt at a family shadow shot!

A TRAIN!

It doesn't really look like it here, but Roo was trying to push the train. She just didn't' get why it wouldn't MOVE!

This was another Train... Rocks are good for that too!

After this Friendly announced "I have to go pee-pee!" and while we were walking to the van (where we keep a little potty for such occasions) she had a bit of an accident. I need to toot my horn, because I have faithfully lugged extra changes of clothing around in my bag for weeks... And for weeks we have not needed them! But there was that one day where some one had an accident and ended up riding home wrapped in some thing I found in the back of the car (I wasn't prepared)... After that I swore I would be prepared: and today I was! Or I thought I was! Friendly got Ryan's shirt (he was carrying her) all wet. I never thought I'd have to pack changes of clothing for us too. Either way, I so excited that I didn't have to end our fun afternoon on a sour note (I mean Ryan's shirt will probably be a bit sour...).

After we got her cleaned up the girls rode bikes and had some more fun.

Well I am getting VERY tired from this busy weekend...And we just tucked two very tired souls into bed...It's been a wonderful weekend!