gratitude in the everyday

busy week!


the grasshoppers are everywhere. i have never LOVED the creatures. which puts them on a level playing field with all bugs. but they are fascinating to look at. my smart boy reminded me that they like to eat plants. so we shoooed it away!

last weekend, we visited my in laws. brought home some yummy fresh garden goodness. peas. carrots. potatoes. swiss chard. zucchini. onions. i'm told that there is more to come!

this is a miniature version of our former sandbox. the design is being carefully guided by our resident "bumble-bee" and "pink piggy".

they keep us on the up and up.

literally!

they took a break and went to day camp together last week. which got Kiara singing all types of tunes about "daycamp". they also let their anniversary-celebrating parents have a few days - and a night! - to themselves. life is a party for these two.

i also announced some amazing news on my scrapbooking blog. i will have a layout published in Canadian Scrapbooker in December. i've had some good friends (and a certain husband of mine) bugging me for a few years now to send in some of my work....but i kept telling them that my stuff was not magazine worthy. annoying friends (and husband)....they didn't get off my case!! sooo apparently i also have to admit that THEY WERE RIGHT, AND I WAS WRONG!! oddly, that fact does not upset me...Kristian is doing the happy dance with me. and also chanting, "i told you so" repeatedly. it is a rough and tough life i lead.....

summer days

Kiara and i are heading off to the zoo...so here is a quick post in photos...


yesterday i came across an inspiring blog. which i will be adding to my favourites soon!
little momma and co.


where i read about this.


so we gave it a try. and loved it!


mixing cornstarch, water and food colouring. sidewalk paint!


Aidan is making a robot.
perfect for Kiara.

she really loved it.
serious artist at work.
and yay for mama!

a helpful mommy survival tip:

cornstarch is a must have. it softens skin. i often add it to the bath water during the dry winter months. i love how i not only gave the kids at least an hour of fun and creativity. but i got a mini spa treatment as well! love it!!

other ideas....mix the cornstarch in a bin or bowl with water and food colouring. let the kids mix it up and play with it. it is weird. when they are done playing, just put the bin or bowl away. don't even empty or clean it. the water will evaporate leaving the hardened coloured cornstarch. use a spoon or even a kids hammer....and break it up. the kids will love playing with the powder and turning it into chunks. but wait...there is more! you can also add water. and it becomes weird and cool again. the best part. play with the kids! and note how soft your hands will be afterwards. very unlike playdough which takes every ounce of moisture out of your skin...


i enrolled Aidan in a summer day camp at our church.

at the end of day one.

t-shirt is included. i will apologize for not telling anyone about it so that you could sign your kids up. the truth is that i signed Aidan up late. i totally forgot that he was old enough now!

i will definitely be passing out the registration info for next summer. it is just four mornings a week. i'm sending Kiara next year too! oh yeah!!

they get some free play time, have a story each day, make a craft, play games, have a snack....very well organized. he was exhausted. the first day they made "goop".

and this is what they made on day 2.

is that not adorable. Aidan insists that he made it himself. but i'm not sure he's that brilliant....but he insists.

he told me that he loves his "new, big kid friends". forget the kids his own age...he loves the leaders! i feel an album taking shape....