spring break

I love spring break because we have no schedule to follow and can go about our day as we choose. Today was one of those days... well, not quite. I had plans to go swimming but the kids had other plans. I kept asking "are we ready to go swimming?" and the response was "Not yet, we're playing!" I'd start another project and then ask again but received the same answer so I decided to savor the moments by playing with another creative mode on my camera... AV (aperture value) and watching the kids play sweetly together.

First location... our bedroom and legos. They must have played for 40 minutes. Alyssa with her pink legos and the house Jaiden made for her. Jaiden with his storm troopers in the pink lego garden house he also created for her.

So I put away laundry when I noticed they were no longer in my room but all dressed up at the kitchen table, coloring. I thought the view I had with their outfits was hilarious so I practiced a few more photos.

Then I asked "are we ready to go to the pool yet?" Jaiden said "No, I am helping Alyssa color her shrinky dinks. We found them and she wants to share." Okay, fine so I took a few more photos from the front because they really were too cute.

We finally made it to the pool and when we came home, Jaiden asked to play his Nintendo. I dashed to finish some more laundry and after about 20 minutes, I came in to find this. He's playing his Nintendo quite loudly and she is snoring quite loudly!

So this is why I love spring break. The freedom to do as we please and enjoy spending time playing together even if we have different toys to play with!

oh shoot!

Slow vs. Fast shutter speeds...

I am taking my first digital photography class called Oh Shoot! Beginning Digital SLR Photography (found here) and this week was to learn about shutter speeds. Since I just uploaded my assignment, I thought I would pop over here and show you my homework as it involves cuties. This is the one I submitted. The assignment was to shoot at a slow shutter speed and then a fast shutter speed... the purpose is to be able to slow something down with the effect of blurring motion or shoot something fast to stop motion.  In case you can't tell, the slow speed is on the left and fast is on the right.

Thankfully, today we had a very warm sunny day. We went to Palm Sunday service, out to lunch, to a park (where I captured the photo above) and then on a bike ride. It was lovely given that just a few days ago, it looked like this...

Luckily, these spring storms come with a bang and are gone a few days later leaving us a big wet puddle - perfect for our May flowers!

bugs, bugs, everywhere

Jaiden has a weekly reading assignment that involves reading a book he has chosen and then choosing a project from a list. This week his book was about bugs and his project: a diorama.

We had lots of fun making it. He painted grass and two flowers (you can see the green stems and the red flower. the yellow one is hiding) inside, added some bug stickers, made a butterfly, ladybug and a walking stick bug, put some bark, grass and rocks inside, and then added some our favorite bugs from his infamous bug hunt birthday party (yes, can you believe we still have the bugs and there is still lots of joy in hiding and finding the bugs?)

Anyway, I didn't know this at the time but after school, Jaiden informed me he was the first one to do a diorama (we've been doing these projects for 9 weeks) and he had to share it with the whole class! He was quite pleased with himself.

PS. The photo is a little off because I am venturing to the "creative" side of my camera and am taking an online class. This was a manual shot where I set the aperture and ISO... yep, I am becoming a techno geek around here.

happy birthday tutu!

Happy Birthday Tutu!

If we were closer, you can bet that they both would climb all over you with snuggles and hugs again!

We hope you have/had a wonderful day!

scientist in training

Not our typical Sunday morning but a very good one indeed! While waiting for Jaiden's goop to numb up his arm, our Jr. house scientist wanted to try out some experiments he saw in one of Mommy's craft books.

First, Magic Muck! A nice slimy concoction of water, food coloring and cornstarch. The cool part is you have to move slowly for it to stay slimy and liquid like, otherwise it becomes hard and crumbly... but let it sit still in your hand and it returns to the slimy, liquid like form.

Next up was a volcano like reaction... the old fashion baking soda and vinegar concoction. What a memorable expression he had as he poured the vinegar into the cups Daddy and he assembled. You can't see it very well but he attempted to write "scary volcano" on the styrafoam cups.

I couldn't decide which expression I liked so you get two but he was so delighted with the results of his experiments.

And strangely, had to taste both experiments. At some point, Daddy will have to explain that scientists do not always eat their experiments unless the science is beer making (which I think root beer making is up next!).

And where was Alyssa in all this? Sitting next to Mommy watching the volcano but in the previous experiment, she was concocting her own version. This deserves its own post so stayed tuned and see what she made!

more leprechauns

Still thinking of leprechauns in our house. Jaiden wanted to create a HUGE picture using the shamrock stickers he found yesterday. So I laid out a roll of art paper and he set to work lining up his shamrocks ...

... deciding which one to use next. I think he was creating a pattern.

Notice the two leprechauns and the pot of gold he drew?

Alyssa had to join in the fun too. She asked Jaiden to draw her a leprechaun which she mostly colored blue and then added some pink shoes, I think.

This was too cute not to add to the post. The kids had me trace their hands at the tops of their paper for clouds but it wasn't until much later that I noticed Alyssa trying to trace her feet! I forgot to ask her what her footprint was... the moon? the sun? You never know with this little peach!

green pizza

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

We (or I should truthfully say, I) had a little fun today. School was exciting for Jaiden as there was leprechaun trouble in the classroom. But lucky for them, the leprechaun left lucky charms (the cereal) for each kid of which the teacher than had them sort and graph the charms they received in their baggies! There was all sort of cute leprechaun art in his backpack as well.

Then it was home with friends where we discovered a leprechaun was lurking in our house leaving lovely shamrock stickers behind. The kids were on a mission squealing in delight when they found more shamrocks or hoping to spot a little green. It was definitely some mischievous fun! And to top the night off, since Dennis was gone and the kids are not so keen on our traditional Irish faire, I made them green pizza dough which they covered with their favorite toppings.

Jaiden's pizza

Peeking over Alyssa's shoulder at her pizza...

Yummy, yum!

homework schmomework

This afternoon was a serious homework day.

Jaiden came home with one assignment last Thursday (not due till tomorrow); then another on Friday (due by Thursday) and another one today (due Wednesday)! Yes, they seriously work these little kindergarteners... nothing like what it used to be. We all know how much Jaiden LOVES homework (ha ha) and while we had started some before the weekend I figured I better get him cracking so we could have fun for the rest of the week before we get the next Thursday assignment.

The first one we worked on was a poster about me. He really got into to it and I couldn't help but admire his creativity... now you get to check it out too!

This is the house he drew for the I live in ... question. He even drew a tree!

This was my favorite part because he not only wrote Alyssa's name first followed by Annie, Bradon, Will but then came Wesley and Karina! A few more were added but it was so adorable to see how he included his family.

The finished project. We added some photos. Upper left is the photo of him jumping off the pier at Priest Lake; upper right is a family photo of us on a big rock showing our strength from a hike last summer; bottom left is a photo he took of his fish, Jacob.

The other homework was simple but not nearly as cute and interesting as this one. The one thing I am shocked at is how quickly he is figuring out how to read. He sees things everywhere and reads them out; for example today, I drove by JcPenney's and he read the sign! Hilarious and sweet.

1461 days

Can it be that this was you 4 years ago? What a sweet precious baby girl you were!

And now look at you... still cute and precious...

Hippo birdies sweet girl!

learning to fly

Attacked...

I left my computer for a moment this morning during the entire craft episode (see earlier post) and returned to find danger lurking near the keyboard. Apparently, this is Alyssa's subtle way of telling me to get off the computer and come play!

Later in the day, Alyssa and I ventured out for flying lessons. She is a ladybug fairy in training as she told me. I asked how do you know? Her reply "because this is what you do when you turn 4!"

And so my ladybug is learning to fly.

school mornings

School mornings can be incredibly difficult sometimes. This morning was no exception. Alyssa was upset over every little thing (couldn't find all of her last year birthday cards, missing her slippers, concerned we had no heat, didn't want Jaiden to eat yogurt because she doesn't like it and all sorts of silly trivial things) but when we got home, we started to look for those birthday cards and we found "crafts".

So she got busy while I quickly checked my email. I looked up from the computer and there she was totally engaged in creating a glittery rainbow. The photo opportunity was so tempting because despite the previous chaos, I was captivated by her intense, quiet and independent self creating. I love how mornings can go from crazy to sweet. And I love having the time to enjoy these moments.

Happy Friday!

rainbows and crown

Yesterday, Alyssa and I spent part of the day making "rainbow" cupcakes for her class party today. I wasn't sure what exactly she meant by "rainbow" cupcakes so I chose a yummy strawberry cupcake recipe.

Singing away while she stirs up the strawberry, vanilla, milk yumminess.

Decorated with fluffy white blobs (supposed to be clouds) and lines of food coloring dyed frosting for rainbows... when I showed Alyssa, she said "I looooovvvve it!"

Here she is with some sort of goofy grin and her 4 year old crown. I think she was in heaven all day for being the special birthday girl. At dinner, Daddy asked how it went at school.

A: "It was great! Now I am 4."

D: "Not yet, your birthday is Sunday."

A: "No, I am 4 now. My crown said so!"

routines

Today was a nice reminder of the beauty of routines. I am still in a very deep yoga nidra ("yogic sleep") but today was lovely and I had to share the simplicity of our routines...

Starting with taking Alyssa to school. She wanted her Keen sandals but settled for hot pink rainboots on a very sunny day and of course, couldn't leave the house without her pink cowgirl hat...

Then it was off to school for Jaiden. A little blurry but the boy just runs from the camera...

Nothing like eating your lunch on the kitchen floor while rolling around...

Or quickly diving under the counter to escape being photographed...

A walk/ bike ride outside in the afternoon. I was playing with the camera and just love this shot of Alyssa.

Discovering the long jump in the track field... I loved this one too.

Not bad for a landing.

And then I thought as I was sifting through photos, was I really here last week?

rearranging furniture...

Today, I got the treat of a few action photos from home compliments of Bumbum. Here we have "flash Jaiden"... I can only assume this means that Jaiden is so fast peeking in and out that he became a flash of silliness?

Here is "space girl" which I believe refers to the rocket ship I heard about on Skype the other night? It seems the kids are having just as crazy as an adventure!

Oh, and the sweetness of them playing together. I love this one. Well, I loved them all but I always enjoy when they play together so sweetly.

Thanks Jim - it brightened my day!

tortugas...

A baby green turtle... not even one day old! There is a small group here who helps preserve the baby turtle eggs, once the eggs hatch they send them back out to the sea as it is supposed to be. We were fortunate to find out and partake in this really cool adventure. I am only including the best photos but I obviously have a ton more and may share when I get home. In the meantime, here are the cuties...

Same species, but not the same turtle. I just love the close up of this photo. 

Finding their way home! And I love this photo with the silhouettes of the babies finding their home. It was really quite something.

Lots of love to all...

ps. today we saw more whales playing but still no good photo of a flippy tail! Loving the yoga too... it's really intense but amazing. I learned a new pose called frog pose which I can't wait to show Jaiden!

flip my flippy tail

Buenos dias, mi familia!

Today is my first day and I must say I am sure many of you may not want to hear my stories or see my photos... because yes, it is gorgeous here. These photos are from lunch time and all I could think of was Jaiden's chicken soup with rice song but I can't remember all the words but something like ...

flippy once, flippy twice

flip my flippy tail in chicken soup with rice

and there she arches...

and there is her flippy tail...

I spotted her while waiting for lunch but wasn't smart enough to bring my camera with me so I missed a dozen good shots... maybe next meal time! I will be prepared now.

Love to all of you!