Foam play...

We can't be outside when it's hot, well technically we can but it is way too hot and the kids automatically migrate inside to the a/c. So, we took a trip to Michael's Craft Store this morning and found a project for them to do. Foam crafts! They are really into pirates and there was a pirate ship that the boys really wanted and a cute girly garden that Hannah wanted, so we took all three home. 

After we opened all of them I realized that we needed a glue gun and I am pretty happy that I knew where that was! It was just so lucky that I had just unpacked the box that it was in! (yes, still unpacking) I helped Ben get his ship together and then showed him how to safely use the glue gun and he finished the rest. Hannah's garden needed some major help in the beginning but then she was really busy with putting the flowers and butterflies on it. I did 95% of Noah's, he was really tired of waiting for it to be finished. But they all played with them and are pretty happy with them. I'm pretty sure that all the Lego men that we own are now pirates.

It was fun for them. Next time they want the $20 pirate ships and the princess castle...I'll have to have someone else here to help me out.

Ben working on his ship

Ben's ship is all finished

Noah's ship with a Lego pirate man

Hannah working on her fairy garden

Swim day...

Boy has it been hot! During the heat, it is fun to go swimming! Everyone went in today even the baby! She just sits there and sucks on her fingers. She doesn't scream which is good, I am pretty sure one of our kids didn't like the pool as a baby, but I can't remember which one that was. Today was a special day because Hannah showed me her newest moves in the pool, she can swim. She has been able to for a while but I haven't been around to see it...until today :) Check out the video below. I think Noah is on his way to doing it without the life vest too, we'll have to see if he'll swim to me next time we go. 

Ben practiced surfing on the inflatable board that my parents have, he wants to learn how to stand up and not get toppled over by the waves, like he did last month at the beach. He'll get it soon, he's like that. He will practice something until he has it perfected and then he'll call himself a pro :)

Cheese!

Ben practicing surfing

Rebekah snuggled up after the swim

and a video,

Hannah can swim! No swim lessons for her, she's taught herself :)

Ice cream...

Today we went on our monthly field trip with our homeschooling friends. It was by far the most popular field trip yet (besides the farm tours and the train trip) and the yummiest. One of the families owns the Tomberlies ice cream company which is a raw and vegan ice cream, delicious. It is available locally at OB Peoples, Jimbos, Whole Foods and other stores (local and non-local). We got an introduction about how they make the base ice cream and it really is raw ingredients -no dairy! The kids got to create their own cups and take home to eat. Ben and Hannah made a strawberry creation, Noah added blueberry to his and I made mine with maca (caramel-like), macademia nuts and blueberry. It was yum. Everyone loved their creation and sadly they are all gone tonight.

Pouring into the machine to be frozen

Everyone patiently waiting for it to come out of the machine

Hannah watching the ice cream come out

Noah ready to put his creation in his cup

Words...

We let the kids buy their Nintendo DSi's with the hopes that we could get them educational games to play. While they do have a few educational games, there aren't many. But there is a feature that allows them to chat with each other in the same room and we tried it out today and they started sending each other some words that they could read and write. There's the ability to write out the word free-hand or type it with the keyboard. It was pretty fun for them and now they know another thing to do with their games! We will probably use them with them too.

Pics...

Just a couple of pictures of the early risers in our house. For some reason these kids wake up early in our house...even though the rooms are darkened. I haven't figured out how to help them learn to sleep in yet.

look at those gerbil cheeks!