Let's Play Together!

A few quick shots from the last month...

It's so fun to stick pasta into play dough. 

Should we say "cheese" or "bananas?"

Check out the light table mommy made for us!

Who wants a ride?

We really do love each other!

Science Night

As we were getting ready for another science night, Amelia asked, "What experiment are we going to do?"

We are going to watch what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar...

Daddy puts the baking soda in a balloon. 

Amelia empties the balloon into the vinegar while Bryce watches intently. 

Wow, it's bubbling up!

It's so exciting Bryce bursts into tears. 

The balloon fills up!

Try it at home!

Happy Easter

We have had two fun filled Easter days.  It all started with a neighborhood party at our clubhouse and then spilled over into today with a an egg hunt, egg decorating and lots of Easter bunny dramatic play.  Enjoy a photo tour of some of the wonderful family memories we are building.    (You will notice that Jim is not present - he is off in Lombok climbing Mt. Rinjani with a group of friends.  He will post photos when he returns!)

To get ready for the party we made our own bunny ears with recycled cardboard and felt.  Amelia loves using glue so she was pretty excited about this project.  Even little Bryce was happy to wear his new ears...we'll at least until we got to the party...

Is it time to go yet?  What do you mean we have to nap first?

I want to be a kitty!

The Easter Egg Workshop is open!

But we are not really sure what to do with it...

So we we will build our background knowledge with a classic Walt Disney video.  

Now I've got it!  I'll paint and you hide the eggs!

Time to decorate eggs!

First we will make some egg dye...drip, drop!

Designs with white crayon and let them soak...

Look at our beautiful eggs!  

What do you think, Bryce?

Morning Egg Hunt!

Look, I found one!

Hope your day was filled just as much love, laughter and fun as ours was!

Homemade Finger Paint

While I was home sick a couple of weeks ago and laid up in bed, I stumbled on to a fantastic blog called The Imagination Tree that has TONS of great things to do with young children.  It helps you think of ways to ignite imagination, the senses and discover with your children.  I fell in love with it and was very excited jump right in...our first venture was homemade finger paint.  It went very well, but then unfortunately I didn't store it in the fridge and with the hot and humid weather here it turned pretty disgusting!  Good thing it is easy enough to make another batch!  

"I'll make the blue."

"The red is almost ready."

"Look daddy, I'm painting!"

Car Free Sunday

Every third Sunday of the month, a nearby road is blocked off to motor traffic so the local community can get active. Bryce wasn't up for it because a cold was getting the better of him, so Amelia and I ventured out on our own...

Mid ride we came upon some dancers...

Lots of people enjoying the morning. 

But sadly, no plan for dealing with all the trash left behind. 

Litter was scattered everywhere and there wasn't a bin in sight. 

It was so lovely to get out and have a safe and traffic-free ride, but this was certainly a downer. There's got to be something we can do to better this situation. I think I may need to get in contact with the organizers and make some suggestions. 

What have we been up to lately?

It seems that we have finally beat the viruses that hit our family and we are back in the swing of things.  Poor Bryce got the worst of it as he had such a bad cold and was just so uncomfortable.  Mixed in with that, we all got some sort of fever and then I got pink eye!  As always, Jim was unaffected by all of our coughs and chills.  He has some sort of superman strength immunity.  

Amelia continues to pretty much ooze happiness and is an absolute joy to be around.  She is so funny and articulate.  She has taken to calling me "Liz" at the moment, which catches me off guard, but gives me a giggle as well.  Amelia loves to sit and run her fingers across the words of the books we have read again and again as she recites the words.  It is priceless.  She is a little sponge ready to soak it all up!

Bryce is really coming into himself.  He loves "This Little Piggie," and tickles.  He adores Amelia and can even say her name now, but still often calls her "sis-sis."  He is starting to put a couple of words together and gives a yes or no when asked a question.  Bryce is turning into a joker, but really...how could he not!?!  His little laugh just melts our hearts.  

We've been doing a lot of cooking, arts and crafts and play together as a family.  Here are some photos to give you a little window into our world...

Can I help you cut the cucumber?

Bryce, the dessert nazi

Look, two children doing the dishes together!  We may not need that dishwasher this summer after all!

This tunnel is open for snuggles...visitor's welcome!

First Portrait

Here it is...Amelia's first drawing of mommy!  Wow, this is SUCH a big deal to see how she has moved from scribbles to actual shapes working together to make a portrait.  I love it so much that I just had to share!