Shots from a few days in summer.

Here's a few shots from our summer days so far...

The Little is sometimes a high sensory seeker...as can be seen here, "napping" in the sandbox. Oh so much sand EVERYWHERE! 

Three nights of sleep. Hard Work = Deep Sleep! My favorite is where she fell asleep with the Hungry Caterpillar book open! 

We got to go out for a treat (smoothies) and to the park with the zip line. Initially I asked Little if she wanted to go and she shook her head and said, "No!" But after giving her time to warm up and choose, she decided she DID want to go...and then she didn't want to stop! Big Brother held her tight and they went a few times, and only fell off once at the end, but he caught her! Little Man was along for the ride and the life of the party as he slept through the whole park trip. 

Here's a video of it! 

Roll baby roll! Little Man has FINALLY rolled over! Here's the action shot at a little over 4 months old. 

Here's to more fun during our summer days! 

Dramatic Play Area - Always A Work In Progress

As with the whole learning environment, it's a work in progress, as it always is. The dramatic play area is no different. I've been thrifting for storage for this area and have one shelf set (a few more not picture in progress).

So here's a shot of one shelf. There are some IKEA tins cooking pots and pans. I love them because they are affordable and realistic! I found these great wooden coaster that work perfectly as plates at our local thrift store! At the bottom are slice fruits and veggies, which are always a hit, and on the top are another favorite company's item, the Melissa & Doug cookies...although the frosting on one is missing in this pic :) 

I set up a play invitation for Little, pizza and birthday cake making, again from Melissa & Doug. She insisted I sing happy birthday to her duck after she created her cake. This activity kept her busy for quite some time. 

We have a lot of other items in our play area, but again I'm trying to go to more realistic looking pieces (wood, metal, etc.). More pictures to come as more changes are made :) 

Colored Oatmeal Sensory Bin

I have seen colored oatmeal on Pinterest and have been wanting to try it. I FINALLY got around to it and it was SO easy and pretty quick! 

I picked up some oats on sale at our grocery store. I used both regular food coloring and biocolor. Both came out great, I just didn't have green or red biocolor...perhaps an excuse to make an order!!! 

I chose to mix in a bowl, but you can do a baggie and shake it too, espeically if your Little wants to help..mine was napping! I did 2 cups of oatmeal for each color and about 3/4 cup coloring and water. I placed them in the sun to dry and in a few hours they were completely dry. The oatmeal did stick together, but I just used my hand to break the pieces apart. 

THE FINISHED PRODUCT! 

I presented the oats to Little along with some wooden bowls, spoons, ceramic leaf bowls, and some old heart scoopers, which she used basically the whole time. She did watch me put the bin together so the fact that I got a picture of the finished product before she tore into it was an accomplishment all on it's own! 

After playing for a while, she decided that our thrift store find, the bunny bank, needed some tasty treats. The oats kind of remind me of looking like fruity pebbles cereal. 

This was super easy and semi quick to do, although drying did take some time. I've done the same with rice too and again, super quick. We just store this on a low shelf in the room in a plastic bin with a lid and use until she loses interest, then switch out for another sensory material.

Again, I'm Not a Blogger...

I love the idea of documenting our play and life, and think, "Oooooh I can do that!" SO then I start and do it for a few weeks and then life happens and BAM, no more.

So, again, going to try, but we'll see.

Since the last post, WHICH was a year ago, we have added to our family!

We Now Have a MINI, A LITTLE, and ANOTHER LITTLE! Our newest addition joined us in February, he's so sweet and adorable and already growing up so fast! The MINI is again on summer vacation, he's 10 and looks like he's 13, he's finally as tall as I am and I bet by the time summer is over he'll be taller than I!!! The LITTLE is 2, that's right folks, 2, and YES she got the memo and is living it up...2!

I am still a stay at home mom, which I love because it's best for my children, but I still miss "working"...perhaps one day. Yes I use the term "working" as in outside the home...don't even get me started on any of that!!! My poor husband works so much, SOOOO much, but we sure are a lucky bunch that he does so that we can be home together.

All in all, life is GOOD and we are GOOD and how wonderful is it that, that is where we are! <3

A Hiking We Will...Oh No Watch Out For Nature!

The title is mainly due to this picture:

Beware of Nature, mountain lions, rattle snakes, ticks, poison oak, danger danger. Oh em Geee we're not going to get out alive, not to mention getting lost. (ok, really not a huge concern, but gees Louise!) Plus all the signs that warn you "Don't leave valuables in your car, lock your car, danger, danger!" Seriously, who would have thought hiking would be so hazardous...luckily, this Momma likes to live on the edge, watch out...sometimes I even stay up past 10 pm...what?!

Oh other note, the "play ground" (wood logs) clearly has a sign that says, "Check for Rattle Snakes...bahahah."

It was nice though, there were deer, turkey, ducks, geese, jack rabbits, butterflies and dragonflies, minnows, tadpoles, the whole works. It was an "easy" hike, as it's flat, and the only hard part was getting the stroller down to the river because of all the rocks.

We were lucky to have our friend and her young son join us. She had vast knowledge about all the plants and animals and even had Mini taste one of the plants!

 

       
         

The little LOVED the water, and of course the Mini LOVES the water. I told him only up to his knees, because apparently I'm a paranoid mom now, don't want him floating away down the river! The spot we were at was calm and small, but still...I'm not completely a "Yes" mom...not yet anyways.  

We ended the hike with lunch on a bench under a nice shade tree, which was lovely. I was surprised there weren't more people there since it was the first day of summer for most kiddos. 

Oh and we have super secret parking, and why is that? Because I'm WAY to cheap to pay for parking! (well and if you know me, you know that "squeak, squeak")  So we park on a side street and walk in...shout out to Grandma Darci for the secret parking spot!

If you're intersted, here's the link to the Nature Center: Effie Yeaw Nature Center - Sacramento

So, one summer adventure down, many, many more to go! 

Here's to a wonderful summer full of hikes, picnic lunches, library visits, water play, pools, and parks, friends, family,  love, hugs, patience, kindness, and adventure. 

Until next time...

Schooooolllls Out For Summer!

Welcome to Summer 2014 Mini!!!

My basically 4th grader and almost 10 year old "Mini" Wow! 

Wednesday was Mini's last day of school! His report card was really good and he's pretty much at grade level which is WONDERFUL! He brought home some art work and school work that he's done through the year, I'm still waiting to be able to read through all his stories he wrote.

I guess on his last day they had a raffle, and he won this mini water cooler! He was so stoked to try it out and I had to drink gross Gatorade because he REALLY wanted me to taste it :)

Winner Winner!!! 

 I asked him what he was most looking forward to this summer, he said hiking, and riding his bike. His mom texted me that night and said she had asked him what we (Mini and I) were going to do tomorrow on his first day of summer vacation. He said, "Well, it's Thursday, so Toni doesn't have daycare kids so we're going hiking...well I don't know if we are going hiking but we should!" Soooo we are going hiking tomorrow (which is actually today, we've already been hiking as I write this).

On Facebook, I posted this picture with the caption something to the effect of "Stuck with my other mom all summer) LOL but not really, he was just being goofy. I'd like to think if I asked him to pose for a picture of being "stuck" with me it won't look so terrifying! I'm pretty sure I'm still "ok."

Goofball! 

So tomorrow (really today) brings a hike and time at the river. Looking forward to spending some down time with the Mini. 

Feed That Baby! The Beginning of Little's Symbolic Play :D

The Little has started symbolic/pretend play! Let me shout in DELIGHT and EXCITEMENT!!! I noticed a few weeks ago she would make a car sound when pushing a car and thought, "Oh Cool!" then she started feeding her baby a bottle! EEEEeeeee cuteness! Here's a video (sloppy quick shot) of her feeding the baby. My hand in the video is me signing "milk." Her smacking her lips is the sound the baby makes while eating.

I am excited to embrace the toddler years! Whoo Hoo toddler on!