After being home just one week from school, my kids are already bored! How can that be when they all day long to think of something to do?? One of their favorite activities right now is running through the sprinklers. I started out encouraging them to play in the sprinkler because it is already so hot here that our front yard was cracking and dry. Now, the sprinkler has been on daily and I will probably have a $500 water bill. And, those cracks are gone now and replaced with MUD! Not what I was going for in the beginning, but I will take it because those precious few minutes in the sprinkler means that mom can get some work done. Kids' screams as they run, crab walk, caterpillar, hop, jump, and yes, try to ride their bikes up a ramp and over the sprinkler <CRINGE> can sometimes be comforting...at least I know they are having fun and are happy. Glory be, they got along as they worked together to create all of their death defying stunts, too! We may have the water hose on everyday this summer! I may be investing in so!me turf before July
I have enjoyed my time off and have had time to rest, plan, sleep, think, and I am now approaching some action. For days I was almost too tired to do much more than watch TV!! Today, I feel like I can conquer the world!
So, what did I do yesterday to entertain my little village? (I say village because it seems that now that the students from my school have figured out that I live in the neighborhood, my house seems to be THE YARD to play in. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. But, their conversations are entertaining!
Yesterday, I was watching 'my' group which is made up of my two kids, my two godchildren that stay with us part time, my neighbor's little boy, and a straggler that was in my room this past year. I had planned on doing a little art, so I just loaded them all up with me to go to Hobby Lobby. I felt like I was on a field trip! I kept turning and counting to make sure they were all with me. I actually made it through Hobby Lobby with no casualties!!! So proud of my 'group'!!
While at Hobby Lobby, I bought a canvas and box of crayons for all. Did you know that it takes at least 61 crayons to fill up a canvas when you do one of those neat little crayon art projects that keep popping up with Pinterest? And, did you know if you have a super responsible 10 year old like I do that you can EVEN let them work the glue gun??? I spent about 15 minutes with the kids explaining what they were going to do at the dining room table. They grouped their colors, arranged, and rearranged and then got to work with the glue gun. I was intrigued by their thought processes as they talked about which set of colors they would put next. Oh, we did have a conversation about ole Roy G. Biv, but the rebels that they are, they didn't care much for his story.
After getting every color almost imaginable glued on to the canvas, it was time to go outside for 'center time'. Yes, you read correctly! Center #1 was riding bikes. Center #2 was the sprinkler. Center #3 was art!! It was amazing!. The kids knew what I expected and they did it. Once one of the kids was done with their canvas and my hair dryer, they went to the sprinklers, and then rotated to bike riding to dry off and get ready for 'art'. My older kids automatically helped the younger kids with the hairdryer without me having to ask. I just sat in the sun and soaked it all in. I'm not sure we'll have another day like this during the summer break, but yesterday will forever be a great memory.
Ever heard of the crooked man that had the crooked house? Well, I am the crooked wife and apparently my husband is the crooked photographer!! Not one of these pictures is straight!! Oh well. At least he took them for me!! Here is some of the art that they created! We were even able to take one of the canvasses to their Grammy who fell and broke her wrist. The kids were so excited to present it to her so that the colors could make her happy!
Didn't they do a great job? I would really like to try one without the crayon wrappers because as the hair dryer melts the crayon, the wrapper looks greasy. You can tell by looking at these which canvasses had more heat applied by the hair dryer.
If you are looking ahead (like me) so that you can start printing, cutting, and laminating new Common Core activities, take a look at my store. Here is a super product for your K/1 group from my good friend Brian Hopkins over at Hoppin' Hopkin's Happenings which will help with phonics! Just click on the picture!! It has 159 pages and costs $14.99, which you can take off of your taxes next year!!
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| They created their own water slide using an old tarp!!! |
I have enjoyed my time off and have had time to rest, plan, sleep, think, and I am now approaching some action. For days I was almost too tired to do much more than watch TV!! Today, I feel like I can conquer the world!
So, what did I do yesterday to entertain my little village? (I say village because it seems that now that the students from my school have figured out that I live in the neighborhood, my house seems to be THE YARD to play in. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. But, their conversations are entertaining!
Yesterday, I was watching 'my' group which is made up of my two kids, my two godchildren that stay with us part time, my neighbor's little boy, and a straggler that was in my room this past year. I had planned on doing a little art, so I just loaded them all up with me to go to Hobby Lobby. I felt like I was on a field trip! I kept turning and counting to make sure they were all with me. I actually made it through Hobby Lobby with no casualties!!! So proud of my 'group'!!
While at Hobby Lobby, I bought a canvas and box of crayons for all. Did you know that it takes at least 61 crayons to fill up a canvas when you do one of those neat little crayon art projects that keep popping up with Pinterest? And, did you know if you have a super responsible 10 year old like I do that you can EVEN let them work the glue gun??? I spent about 15 minutes with the kids explaining what they were going to do at the dining room table. They grouped their colors, arranged, and rearranged and then got to work with the glue gun. I was intrigued by their thought processes as they talked about which set of colors they would put next. Oh, we did have a conversation about ole Roy G. Biv, but the rebels that they are, they didn't care much for his story.
After getting every color almost imaginable glued on to the canvas, it was time to go outside for 'center time'. Yes, you read correctly! Center #1 was riding bikes. Center #2 was the sprinkler. Center #3 was art!! It was amazing!. The kids knew what I expected and they did it. Once one of the kids was done with their canvas and my hair dryer, they went to the sprinklers, and then rotated to bike riding to dry off and get ready for 'art'. My older kids automatically helped the younger kids with the hairdryer without me having to ask. I just sat in the sun and soaked it all in. I'm not sure we'll have another day like this during the summer break, but yesterday will forever be a great memory.
Ever heard of the crooked man that had the crooked house? Well, I am the crooked wife and apparently my husband is the crooked photographer!! Not one of these pictures is straight!! Oh well. At least he took them for me!! Here is some of the art that they created! We were even able to take one of the canvasses to their Grammy who fell and broke her wrist. The kids were so excited to present it to her so that the colors could make her happy!
Didn't they do a great job? I would really like to try one without the crayon wrappers because as the hair dryer melts the crayon, the wrapper looks greasy. You can tell by looking at these which canvasses had more heat applied by the hair dryer.
If you are looking ahead (like me) so that you can start printing, cutting, and laminating new Common Core activities, take a look at my store. Here is a super product for your K/1 group from my good friend Brian Hopkins over at Hoppin' Hopkin's Happenings which will help with phonics! Just click on the picture!! It has 159 pages and costs $14.99, which you can take off of your taxes next year!!
Enjoy!
P.S. Leave me a comment if you are from Canada. In your comment, tell me something that I may not have ever guessed about Canada and its people!! I'd like to see how many Canadians read my blog!
My husband is Canadian and we visit there a lot. I like to eat a pastry called Beaver Tails and I also love Poutine!
ReplyDeleteOK, I'll bite. What is in Beaver Tails and Poutine???
ReplyDelete