Summer Fun June 11-19

We have been busy our first full week of Summer. Before school let out I took June, July and August and planned activities everyday for the week. My hope is to not only create wonderful memories for Summer 2010 but to keep fighting and boredom down to a minnium. It might not happen, but I can always hope. So our schedule looks something like this: Monday = Art Day. Tuesday = Water Day. Wednesday = Learn Something New. Thursday = Cooking Day. Friday = Fieldtrip. Saturday = Family Fun Day. It should be an exciting Summer, we might be busy but the memories and time together are well worth it. So without further ado, our Summer fun from June 11-19.

1 ( June 11) A trip to the Artisan (Artie's Playhouse) Theatre. We watched The Monkey and the Jelly Fish. The kids love to go to the theatre and watch plays and this theatre is designed for kids so the plays are nice a short and they involve the kids in the play.

2 (June 14) for art day we made stain glass art using contact paper and tissue paper. Anthony and Madeline really enjoyed coming up with their own designs and color patterns that was unique to them. 3 the finished product. The stain glass art looks really neat especially when the sun shines through.

Water Day (June 15) we made homemade bubbles which is 1 cup of Ultra Joy Dish Soap (brand specific) to 10 cups or so of water and a little bit of bubble juice from the store. Then the kids and I went around the house looking for things that we could turn into bubble wands, basically anything with holes in it-tennis rackets work the best and are a favorite in our house. Then out to the backyard we went turning everyday household items into bubble wands and chasing all kinds of bubbles. After 30 minutes of bubble fun it was time for a little bit of sprinkler fun on the trampoline.

I threw my back out on Wednesday and Madeline had a short outpatient ear tube removal on Thursday so we moved Wednesdays and Thursdays activity to Friday and combined it with our pajama party. In wanting to teach my kids new things I thought they would enjoy learning how to sew and I thought they would think it would be really neat to sew their own pillowcases. First I taught them how to measure your fabric, line it up right and using a straight edge cut a straight line, next it was onto the sewing machine. Madeline isn't tall enough to push the pedal while sitting so she pushes the pedal and I guide the fabric (I have a speed setting on my machine so I can keep my fingers). Madeline is pretty funny when it comes to sewing, she doesn't have the attention span yet for it so while pushing the pedal she jumps around, dances, or looks everywhere and anywhere except at the fabric. Thank goodness for speed control setting on the sewing machine. This was Anthony's first time at a sewing machine and he enjoyed the whole process. He is tall enough to sit and reach the pedal so I gave him full control and showed him where to line his fabric and what line to look at to ensure a correct seam allowance. After the sewing process I taught the kids how to measure and iron out the hem, then we sewed them hem and presto two beautiful pillowcases. The kids had fun and who knows maybe next we willmove on the pj's.

Our second activity for our pajama party was making ice cream in a bag. I have seen this concept before and thought it look simple and had good possibilities of working. The down side is you need to shake them for 5 minutes which the bags easily get heavy, and the bags also get really cold with all that ice; but despite all that the ice cream turned out really well and the kids had fun shaking around the kitchen. When it came time Madeline did not want any of her ice cream. Later I learned that she saw me put rock salt in with the ice and she was just certain there were big chunks of salt in her ice cream. It took a little bit of explaining to her that it wasn't so maybe next time she will give it a try.

On Saturday (June 12) for our family activity we went bowling. The local bowling alley near our house lets the kids bowl everyday this summer for free so we thought we would take advantage of the great offer. On Saturday mornings they have non smoking times so it works great with taking our kids. The kids enjoy bowling and Grant and I just enjoy having fun and hoping that before the game ends we at least get one strike. Spencer did really well this time waiting for his turn, you could see it was really hard for him to go twice and then wait but he did and as the game went on he saw that his turn did come up again and again, with this realization he was able to relax a little and cheer for Madeline and Anthony. I have to say I am a much better bowler on the Wii then at a bowling alley.

For our field trips my goal is to take them places/activities that they either haven't done or don't normally do. So I thought for our field trip (June 18) that as a family we would go to a local minor league baseball game. The kids enjoyed it after the 5th inning when finally some action happen, we thought it was going to be a tied (0-0) game. Our local team won (4-0) which makes it extra special and after the game they had a little firework show which scared Madeline and Spencer. This time the kids got an extra special treat and we bought treats to enjoy during the game. While we were at the game we saw a walking trail and a field that give you a great view of the game, so next time we are just going to get on the walking trail and enjoy the game picnic style from there. It was fun listening to the kids cheer for the local team, participate in the songs and really get into the spirit of the game. After the fireworks they let all the kids come onto the field and run the bases. Madeline and Anthony had fun racing each other around the bases and Spencer just putted along confused at what he was suppose to do and too distracted watching everyone pass him by, but he did eventually make it around the bases with a huge smile on his face.

To wrap up our week long of fun on Saturday June 19 our city had a kid band called The Biscuit Brothers come to a local park to give a concert. The concert was very entertaining and they interacted well with kids. Before and after the concert they had a couple of bounce houses for the kids to enjoy which was a big hit with out kids. Towards the end of the concert, Spencer was enjoying himself so much that he decided to take off his shorts and run through the park with his diaper on. Grant had to chase him down to his clothes on, but Spencer sure thought it was funny. Spencer at times can be crazy, he sure keeps us on our toes and entertain.

Well there you have our busy week in a snap shot. The kids are having fun doing all the various activities and writing about them and hopefully at the end of the summer they can have a nice Summer 2010 journal and lots to tell their friends when they return back to school.