Sensory play

I usually don’t mind a mess if my kids are having fun. If they are learning at the same time, then I am more likely to repeat the project or play again despite the mess. Yet I had never done a sensory play project with the boys. I didn’t like the idea of cleaning up sand/rice/etc from everywhere. So I held out for a ling time.
But today I decided that while G napped the boys needed a quiet activity. I had boxes in my cabinet that had tiny amounts left in them-none being enough to make a dinner with. So into two baking pans I dumped rice, 2 pasta shapes, and instant potato flakes (Don’t judge. I only use them if I make my homemade version too runny.). I then put a couple toy cups, a measuring spoon, heart container, and a toy dump truck.
J took to filling the truck up, driving around the pan, and dumping its contents in another part of the pan:

here is j using spoon to fill truck

E liked scooping up with one cup and pouring the contents into another:

E did some munching while he was playing. Crunches of dry pasta came from his end if the table 🙂
Both were so focused on their play that it was almost uncharacteristicly quiet in my kitchen. In fact, I type this out as they still sit here at the table playing almost 40minutes later! I am almost okay with the fact that there is potato flakes and pasta strewn out on the table and dropping onto the floor. After all with this quiet learning and sensory play going on, a little mess is nothing that our dog a vacuum can’t handle.

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That is talent that I am not even mad

This is what Husband said when I told him E “learned” a new thing to
do:

Can you see it? E developed a gross talent of having his thumb in his mouth while also having his index finger up his nose! He started this when he got sick last week. I seriously didn’t know how to respond other than laugh when E first did it. Husband’s response just made me laugh even more. I don’t know if it will stop with the end of the cold or it it may be childhood “yuckyness”. I am hoping for the end of the cold but not holding my breath.

Healthy treat

So while on vacation we stopped at an outlet center. Inside was a kitchen outlet-you know the ones that sell every gadget and small appliance someone could possibly use. Well, me being cheap frugal, headed straight for the clearance spot. I found what looked like a deep icecube tray with loose handle like things-aka a popsicle tray! The best part was the $1.48 price tag. So yesterday when I had some strawberries that were too squishy to eat but still not bad, I thought to popsicles they go. Add some watered down juice and a freezer. Results:

this one E had already started on

Both boys gave it a nod and smile of approval:

So I think my outlet find was a good one. I even found a recipe for using peas, milk, mint extract, and mini chocolate chips for healthy mint chip popsicle. Summer will be filled with popsicles. 🙂

So ready for summer

So we here in central California have had a really mild winter. Hasn’t been too cold at all. Though Husband would like more snow so he could actually go up the mountain and snowboard, but I haven’t minded in the least bit.
The only problem we had was our summer pool hadn’t been taken down (due to me being pregnant and Husband being super busy at work) and the backyard was in need of a serious day of elbow grease. We finally just sucked it up and did it yesterday. Pool removed, lawn mowed, and everything given a good hose down.
Today the kids and I enjoyed the low 70s in the backyard. The boys were busy with a bucket of water:

Which they scooped the water up in measuring cups, pout into water can, and walk over to dump in garden to make mud:

While G and I sat on the patio and watched.

We had a lot of fun and would like mote relaxed days of sun…so bring on the summer.

Too cute not to share

Our little one has developed her schedule finally. It is getting better and more consistent-only two wake ups during the night. This makes my sleep better too.
But really that isn’t the point of this post. While the boys took their bath, I had G have some tummy time (on a boppy pillow). I got a couple good pictures of her that are really too cute not to share:

And

And of course her adorable smile too

Miss G is full of those smiles.

Happy anniversary!

This past week Husband and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary. I especially liked this particular year because it marks the point in which we have now been married for as long as we dated. We were so young when we met that we had to mature according to Husband dated longer to be able to finish college (me) and be more established in career (Husband).
I can’t believe how fast our world changed but I felt like we have only grown closer as we experienced it all. We have had some low points that had us begging God to give us the knowledge and strength to do what was best for our little family. And we have had many high points (three of which are sleeping peacefully upstairs) that we have praised God for how much he has given us.
So, Husband, here is to us. May we continue to grow together. May we communicate to the best degree we can to ensure our marriage is strong and our kids are growing up right. Here is to another, hmm, 80 years together. I love you….
Ps-we were a little nuts and drove the 9 hours with all the kids to Vegas to enjoy some time together. We made it through exhausted but this was of hotel room view.

Not too bad 😉 We are back home and going back to our regular routine once again.

Car wash

J and E are not very patient when they “need” something and I am feeding G.  This is especially true when we get home from somewhere and G needs to be fed immediately.
Today when we got home from the park around lunch time. Boys were hungry and so was G. So to buy some time to quiet the boys while I fed baby, I set up a “car wash” for the trucks they had just driven through the sand box at the park:

J washing cars

E drying train off

They each had a pan of water, a sponge, plenty of cars to clean, and a towel to dry them off. It seriously kept them imagining stories for a good half hour. I heard “bathtime”, “you’re all dirty. Yucky. You need a wash, Thomas”, and “clean up, clean up, it’s time to clean up” (our clean up song).
It was cool that the toys got dirt all rinsed off and that the boys had some fun doing it too.