Pet Rock

 I found these cute little match boxes and thought we should create pet rocks.  In a large supply bin of leftover stuff, I found some small rocks that we spray painted orange last year to create 5 pumpkins to be stored in small bags.  They were the perfect size for our project this time, too.

The kids chose a tissue paper square to glue into the box.  This is the blanket for rock. 

The next step was to add a small construction paper pillow.   Rock needs to be comfortable, you know.

Then it was time to choose a rock and add a face.  I love how kids think anything with a face is alive.  Almost immediately, kids were making their little rocks talk to each other.  This is cheap and easy fun! The little match boxes can be easily made out of paper.  Happy Friday!♥♥♥

American Girl by Tom Petty.♫  Enjoyed seeing Tom Petty a couple of years ago.  Of course, Eddie Vedder had to crash the show, why does he ALWAYS do that?

Foam Monsters

 When there is a project ahead that involves lots of small pieces, we use paper plates.  This time we had a foam monster magnet kit from Oriental Trading.  *Tip: The magnets that come in the foam kits from Oriental Trading usually DO NOT posses the strength required to actually hold the project on the fridge.  For this reason, I either keep a better supply of magnets on hand or tape the project to a stick instead, creating a puppet. 

These were really cute little monsters.  It sparked a conversation about whether or not monsters are real.  "Of course not." I replied for the hundredth time. ☺

Glue and stick, glue and stick.. easy squeezy!  These kids actually followed the picture of the project very well.  When making monsters, it can be especially fun to mix the pieces up a bit. 

Ta-da!  When the monsters were dry, we added a popsicle stick to the back of them.  

For the younger kiddos, a paper to color! I learned the hard way (isn't it funny how quickly we forget the eating habits of little ones just because our own kids have grown out of this stage?) that the little ones can only manage one crayon at a time.  They need to be handed one crayon and then watched constantly to ensure that it doesn't become a snack. ♥  Happy Thursday!♥♥♥

"Sunburn" by Muse.♫

Table Manners, Please

 Every snack and lunch time we usually end up mentioning table manners at least once.  "Please chew with your mouth closed" is a popular one.  "Please use your fork" is a close second.  Followed by "please chew and swallow your food before you speak."  I suppose I feel like a lunch and snack time table manners nazi at times, but I am truly hoping that some of it sinks in. 

"Elbows belong at your sides" is more difficult for them to follow, as is "inside table voices, please."   Table manners are important!

I love to see the kids learning things that are not in the curriculum.  Every day behaviors and manners are so very important.  Happy Wednesday!♥♥♥

"Tick Tock" by Mother Mother. ♫

Finger Paint

I had a brain freeze the other day and there wasn't anything on my curriculum schedule except for the word "art".  I rolled my eyes at myself and then popped online in search of something to create.  Then it dawned on me- art doesn't always need to be organized.  Let them finger paint.

Everyone had their piece of paper on a tray.  I just squirted out different colors onto their papers and let them do the rest.

It's almost like a science experiment.  They paid attention to the colors as they changed with each swipe. 

Gotta love the bright Crayola colors. ♥

 Even the littlest one of our brood enjoyed the squishy paint experience.  Happy Tuesday!  We have a new little one here this morning. ♥♥♥

Harvest

We had a productive weekend! A couple of sick trees were taken down and a little bit of harvest was happening.  This morning I shredded two large zucchini in preparation for zucchini bread this winter. 

I have never owned a food processor larger than the one cup size.  Maybe the reason is the price?  I do not know.  I must have a good right bicep because all of my shredding happens on this trusty grater.  Someday, I will own a large food processor.  Meanwhile, I am grateful for what I have.  The job is done.

Look at these GIANT ziplock freezer bags! 2 1/2 gallon sized, I could put one on as a shirt they are so large. 

12 individual ziplock bags that contain one cup of shredded zucchini in each.  They filled half of the giant ziplock bag.  Now they are ready to go into the freezer.  On a cold winter morning I will pop into the freezer and snatch one of the bags out for some warm zucchini bread.  Easy as pie.  By the way, who said pie is easy?  I think not.

Stephanie held the ladder for me and I picked some apples for some pie.

Onto the apple peeler they went.  This is still one of my most useful garage sale finds EVER! 

Into the bowl.  Yum! But NOT easy.  After all of that work there was still pie dough to be made.  Have a wonderful Monday everyone!♥♥♥

"Rosanna" by Toto.  Rumor has it the Patrick Swayze is one of the dancers in the background.  Not sure.♫

Great Treasure Finds

I love living in Snohomish.  There are so many great little antique shops to wander through.  I found this primitive fork for a couple of dollars and was in love.  I want to pin it to the wall somehow and haven't done it yet. It sits on one of the barn box shelves for the time being. 

Next up- FINALLY, I am the owner of a white handled egg beater.  I love it.  I don't think this shelf will be it's permanent home, either.  Not sure where to put it, but I think it deserves it's own space.  We will see.  Isn't it great?  I should've lived as a pioneer woman.  

My favorite recent find was at the bottom of a box of old tools in our new local thrift store.  Imagine my joy when the price tag said .50!  Just look at that amazing handle!

I think I am going to attempt to hammer the spade out enough to bolt this to one of the doors on our shed in the back yard as a handle.  The shed is currently stocked full of outside toys.  Someday it  could be a garden shed. Happy Friday!♥♥♥

Song for today is "Here With Me" by Dido.♫  I love this song but I want to reach into the video and fix her shirt.

Lazy Summer

Yesterday we had a lazy summer day.  The kids watched an old Chip N Dale cartoon and had popcorn.  Those old cartoons are the BEST.  No crude remarks, just hilarious mishaps and blunders.  We lounged around outside and took note of what was happening around us.  I noticed that our beloved Wisteria is finally winding itself around the post. ♥

We have been waking up to mice gifts from Smudge.  He was awfully busy that night.. We had these two waiting for us while he was batting around another one.

Happy cat roll.. ♥

Our baby "Big Max" pumpkin.  We just clipped the vine at the end to stop vine growth.  Doing so allows the pumpkin to grow larger.  We will see.  Our pumpkins haven't been very successful over the past few years.

The corn is coming along.  I love corn stalks for looks alone.  If we get some ears of corn I consider that a bonus. 

The sunflowers are reaching to the sky!  My favorite flower, every year, they can reach up to 14 feet. 

Next on my to do list= harvest apples and begin dehydrating them.  

The trick is to actually GET them.  This tree hasn't been pruned, probably ever.  It produces a great amount of fruit.  Last year I injured my knee pretty severely and still suffer the effects.  It won't bend properly, therefor I cannot just climb a tree anymore.  I need to rely on Adam for that, and he will get up there and drop the apples to me.  Team work!  If we are lucky we will come away with some canned apples.  These ones are also great for pie.

Quietly playing, look at those beautiful long summer shadows.  Sometimes the simplest things spark great thankfulness in my heart to God for all He has created.  Lazy summer days are among the greatest of those things to be thankful for.  Happy Thursday!♥♥♥

"Never Going back Again" by Fleetwood Mac.♫

Apple Print Caterpillar

I have a box of Oriental Trading projects that I saved for this last week of summer projects.  That's what happens every summer because I know my mind wanders on to preschool planning at this time each year and I will need some easy and already prepared things for the kids to do.  

The kids used half of an apple to stamp apple prints onto the caterpillar pieces.  

They added the legs on, which were fabulous because the had sticky backs. 

This is my new go-to glue!  It is so much better than Elmer's school glue.  It does not drip- things actually stay together when glued.  EVEN foam pieces.  It's thick enough that the kids have a hard time squeezing out more glue than they need.  I am sold. Although I have not had a tacky glue disaster to clean up yet- so we shall see.

They used it to glue the body parts together, forming a caterpillar.  To complete the project, they glued on eyes, nose and antennae, followed by a marker smile.   Happy Wednesday!  It's my handsome hubby's birthday today!  ♥♥♥

What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction.♫

Is It September Yet?

Things have slowed down and there is much to say.  The past few weeks have been so very busy!  We saw hot air balloons over our yard...

We made some awesome paper bag dog puppets..

Made some very cute raccoon fridge magnets.. (Thank you oriental Trading!)

We created hand and footprint lobsters... LOVED this one..

We created paper plate sunflowers in an attempt to recreate what is growing in the yard..

The gardens are blooming!

Our bean (Ethan) turned 9.  I cannot believe he is NINE.

Then we were all on an island for five days of junior high camp. 

I went tubing for the first time.  That is my daughter on the left, cheering me on.  (I saw what was in that water... seals, porpoises, giant bogs of scary seaweed...)  We have been very busy!

We had some veggies to harvest..♥

Now the weather has dropped into the 60s again and I am getting more and more excited as preschool planning continues.  I like to have the entire year planned out in advance.   Hurry up, September!  I am ready to return to our school schedule.  Meanwhile, we have a full time spot available. Please pray that we will meet someone who really needs preschool! Happy Tuesday.♥♥♥

"Only Time" by Enya.♫