How’s this for a Fun Day suggestion?  With all the green appearing in the backyard both children gravitated toward the one spot of brown.  I let them, despite my personal misgivings about stains in clothing and such because what is the point of childhood really if not to unabashedly immerse yourself in the world around you?

I feel like maybe I’ve not been completely honest with you so I’ve decided to come clean.  My children watch television AND they play video games AND I don’t put limits on how much they can do either. . . and without limits they don’t actually do either that much.  Shocking isn’t it?  But just to prove that it does happen I snapped these pictures.

This is what they were playing …

and this is how they were playing it.

Following their Mario Party bonanza, Dad got a wild hair to visit Safari Park.  So, we did. (Unfortunately my camera lost power minutes after our arrival so I don’t have any pictures of the lions or tigers or bears… oh my well.  I’ll get them next time.)

At home again, Sister pulled out the cotton balls and glue (among other things) and got crafty for an hour or so.

Later, we conducted a very scientific experiment.

Observation:

Brother’s Fire Engine can move small objects.

Hypothesis:

Brother’s Fire Engine can break through a domino wall.

Test(s):

(Sister’s) Conclusion:

Brother’s Fire Engine is weak.

(Brother’s) Conclusion:

“I need a new engine.”

Did you ever play marbles as a child?  No?  Me neither.  But I totally wish I had because… what fun!  By no means did we follow these rules… waay too complicated instead we made up some simple house rules.  Big circle, 10 marbles, take turns trying to knock them out.  Around here a bag of marbles with a “Tolley” (or Shooter) is about $2.50.  I’ll bet they’re at least that cheap in your area.  Why don’t you go find out and reclaim some childhood.

Anne Kroeker’s has started hosting Monday Funday recently.  I mention it because there are some good ideas floating about over there and because I thought of her carnival this weekend during Brother’s Un-Birthday Party.  Sometime early in the day Brother declared he wanted a party.  Always accomodating (HA!), Sister began making preparations.  With very little adult supervision help she decorated the bedroom with balloons, made paper party hats, pulled out games to play and turned on some groovy music. (Because “No party is complete without music, Mom.”)

Sister found out I was making muffins for breakfast the next day and as soon as they appeared from the oven she stabbed one in the center with a candle claiming them as party food.

Once the party began there were puzzle races and a hilarious game of Party Line.  You remember that one don’t you?  The first person whispers a phrase to the second person who whispers it to the third person and so on.  The last person says the unusually altered and often humorous phrase aloud.  This was especially fun with a three year old in the mix.  Next, our hostess brought out the snacks and we sang “Very Merry Un-birthday” while Brother blew out the candle.  A little dancing and a game of Guess Who? rounded out the hour.

Is today your Un-birthday?  It is!?  Well, then this is for you!

A non-Newtonian fluid is “a liquid that does not abide by any of Sir Isaac Newton’s laws on how liquids behave. Quicksand, gelatin, and ketchup are all non-Newtonian fluids.” And though I’d very much like for you to think of me as a genius-mom who can spew all sorts of facts and resources out at a moment’s notice, I must confess that this particular bit of information came from Joey Green who also provided the following super-fun recipe for slime.  (When your done here click on over for some slimy facts.)

Green Slime

What You Need

• 4-ounce bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All
• Two large glass bowls
• Water
• Green food coloring
• Large spoon
• Measuring cup
• 1 teaspoon 20 Mule Team Borax
• Ziploc Storage Bag or airtight container

What to Do
Empty the bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All into the first bowl. Fill the empty glue bottle with water and then pour it into the bowl of glue. Add ten drops of food coloring and stir well.

In the second bowl, mix the borax with 1 cup water. Stir until the powder dissolves.

Slowly pour the colored glue into the bowl containing the borax solution, stirring as you do so. Remove the thick glob that forms, and knead the glob with your hands until it feels smooth and dry. Discard the excess water remaining in the bowl. Store the Green Slime in the Ziploc bag or airtight container.

What Happens
The resulting soft, pliable, rubbery glob snaps if pulled quickly, stretches if pulled slowly, and slowly oozes to the floor if placed over the edge of a table.

Why It Works
The polyvinylacetate molecules in the glue act like invisible bicycle chains drifting around the water. The borax molecules (sodium tetraborate) act like little padlocks, locking the chain links together wherever they touch the chain. The locks and chains form a interconnected “fishnet,” and the water molecules act like fish trapped in the net.

We didn’t have food coloring to make it green but even so the children had a blast and remained occupied for almost an hour.  Pretty good toy if you ask me.

On a similar note, I came by Joey’s slime via a search for Borax uses of which there are many.  If you don’t have box of this stuff in your house I highly suggest you get some.  Oh and this link is great too … if you’d like to know where borax comes from.

On Monday Ann Kroeker reminded me how to make Cootie Catchers or as some people call them Fortune Tellers. The children and I have had much fun since then creating and using our own. A big square of scrapbook paper is perfect for this and makes them so colorful. Anyway, it occurred to me that since you could write just about anything inside that perhaps they would make a good Valentine gift. So that’s what I’m making for my sweetie this year. Hopefully, he won’t read this post before I actually get to give it to him - or maybe he will and he’ll smile at the thought of what’s coming. ;)  See, I’ve hidden phrases like ” ‘K’ is for …” or ” ‘H is for … ” inside so if he picks one of those I will give him a “K”iss or a “H”ug.  Make sense?  These examples are pretty benign (This is a family friendly blog after all.) and are not actually in my fortune teller. For my hubby of almost 10 years I came up with some more lover-ly phrases.  Phrases which I expect will lead to much satisfaction happiness at the Simple house.

******************************

shadow play of love

only a candle watches

rhythmic forms dancing

Have you written your haiku yet?

There are days that Brother’s toys are scattered here, there and yonder… and then there are symetrical days.

and my personal favorite.

In what unexpected configurations have you found your child’s toys?

Did I tell you we went to see Go, Diego, Go - Live?  It was back in July.  I kept meaning to bring it up but little by little the story got pushed to the back of my drafts folder. Ah, well.

It was the first major live production Brother had attended (Will & Sister went to the Ballet only a couple months earlier.) so I was unsure how he would react.  For most of the performance he sat completely still and quiet.  Even when the characters on stage invited a response he remained silent.  Did he like it?  Was he scared?  I couldn’t tell.  After the whole event was over and we were well on our way to the car, Brother finally spoke - a reverent whisper almost - “Let’s do it again, Mama.”

Last Christmas Grandma gifted us with a butterfly kit. It came with everything you’d need to raise butterflies … except the butterflies. For that there was a coupon which we saved until the spring. Early in March our caterpillars arrived and over the next few weeks we watched them grow and grow and grow and finally make their way to the top of the cup they came in and attach themselves to its ceiling. The transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis was amazing to watch but nothing compared to the day pictured above. The day they emerged as the lovely winged creatures they were destined to be.

Did you play?

Technorati tags: Photo Hunt

This weekend Will’s little sis, K was in a play.  She is attending local performing arts classes and they finish each semester with a performance.  We hadn’t intended to go, as the going would involve a good bit of driving, but late Thursday night Sister turned her puppy dog eyes to Daddy and suddenly our plans changed.  It was decided that Will would take off early Friday so we could arrive in time but by then there were only Saturday night tickets available and our plans changed again.  Saturday found us traveling the turnpike west toward OKC (that’s Oklahoma City for you non-Okies).  This particular stretch of road is divided neatly into thirds by the quintessential American road stop… McDonald’s.  I would love to say McDonald’s is an establishment we avoid. Indeed before I had children I swore I would never take them there but … plans change. (It’s a running theme in my life.)  We had deftly avoided two of the golden arch stops and were almost past the third when Brother declares he needs his diaper changed.  A sudden odor in car confirms his statement and initiates a not so golden detour.

We exit at the last moment and park in a somewhat shady spot near a tree.  While I take care of Brother, Sister and Will go inside to get some drinks.  Interestingly, Brother does not need changed.  He’s not even wet.  I let him get out of the car and play in the shade while we wait.  Will and Sister return.  We are ready to get in the car when suddenly I feel sick to my stomach.  I go inside to use the restroom while the three of them sip on ice tea and take their turn at waiting.  When I get to the restroom I no longer feel sick - not even a little.  I puzzle over this as I wash my hands.  I am almost to the exit when I see Will and the children coming back inside.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting a refill.”

“You already drank that all of that?!”  (He got the largest size they had.)

“No.  I used it to put out the fire.”

“The fire?!”

“Yep and I think I deserve a free refill.”

A series of questions reveals that while my family was waiting for their not sick mother.  Sister spied a fire just beginning to grow in a bush near the building.  She alerted Will.

“Look dad, there’s a fire.”

Will scans the horizon looking for a grass fire.  “Where?” 

“There.”  Sister points.

“Oh, there!”

Using only his quick wits and beverage, Will calms the flames long enough for a volunteer fireman (who just happened to be out dining with his family) to come and finish the job.

We thought about it later.  In all the time we’ve ever lived in Oklahoma, in all the times (too many to count) we’ve ever traveled that road, we have never stopped at that particular place.  We wouldn’t have stopped that day except to change a boy that didn’t need changed and we wouldn’t have stuck around long enough for Sister to spot the flames except to wait for a mom who wasn’t sick.

“How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.”

Proverbs 20:24 (New Living Translation)

The incident quickly became a memory when we arrived in OKC and were introduced to the grandparent’s new hot tub.  A quick bit of splashing and a simple steak dinner ( simple steak dinner - seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it?) were followed by one of the best junior productions of anything I’ve ever seen.  The children were enthralled and I found myself wishing my friend Leslie and her sweet daughter could have joined us for if anyone would appreciate Suessical it would be they.

After the curtain call and congratulations were over, Will and I packed up Brother in the car and headed back to Tulsa for the night.  Sister stayed for a slumber party and the promise of a visit to Sam Noble’s Museum of Natural HIstory. 

A good time was had by all.