Make an indoor farm / city!!

It has still be hovering around 100 degrees here - whew!!  I'm ready for winter I tell you!  

Even the cats don't want to move........

Don't worry, when the sun goes down and it cools off a bit, they get frisky and run around and play!

Anyway, my oldest is still at camp and my little one wants a constant playmate.  So we built an "indoor farm / city."

 He got very creative with adding trees and fields full of different crops.

Big trucks loading hay bales - what excitement!!!

Spraying a field of soybeans......I think.......

At one point, he had LEGO guys helping out.

Fill 'er up!  Yes, that is supposed to be a gas pump - I did not major in Art in college - can you tell???

"Bridge over troubled water"..........OK, so maybe that was Simon & Garfunkel :)

Apparently, this is me - driving an Audi and living in a blue house!!  OK. 

The city is getting larger and larger.  Even has a tunnel under the bar stools.

 I have a feeling we'll have this one around for several days!

One HOT day!!

For the past couple of weeks, we've had really hot weather.  Staying around 100 degrees - too hot for me and the boys to go outside.  I am not a hot weather person at all - give me snow any day!  My sons are the same way. 

My oldest has been at camp all week, so my youngest has been "bored" and wanting a playmate all of the time.  

OK - think, think, think.....I have laundry, cleaning and a list of other stuff to do.......

Here!  Let's play with bubbles in the sink........

First, he gave some of his tractors a bath!

 Tupperware lids make GREAT Lilly pads.......

He was content for over an hour......and I got the majority of my "list" done.

We had just come back in from filling the "ever evaporating" bird baths - note the sweaty hair and red face!

This is his token "hot outside" attire - a really BIG Angry Bird shirt and undies!  ALL DAY LONG

What has your family been up to during these hot summer days??

We're going to have baby Canadian geese

Behind one of our buildings on the farm is a large pond.  

This year a pair of Canadian geese decided to nest there.

How cool.

Grabbed the boys, my camera and some bread 

and took off.

Five HUGE eggs. 

They obviously were a little skeptical and stayed away during our short visit.  We left some bread, took some photos and headed home. 

Just a neat old tree on the way out on the dirt road. Can only imagine the woodpeckers that have a time with it :)

Slowing down to play farm

Usually after my youngest rides in the tractor with hubby,

we come home to set up our own farm.  

HOURS we are talking about here!!!

I keep reminding myself to soak it all in for its only a season

and soon he won't want to do this anymore.

Sometimes I ask, how was plowing?  Fine.  What did you and Daddy talk about?  Stuff.  What kind of stuff?  Boy stuff.  Like what?  Never mind.     

Wow - he's learning early!  

I also love listening to him talk to his tractors or animals.  So many things he copies from what he's heard Daddy say.  "Tractor broke - going to cost a lot to fix."  "Wish it would rain - too dry."  etc.....  too funny!

Lay on the floor and play with your young ones today - soon they won't be so young!

Mommy, will you play with me?

My three year old has been "clingy" lately.

Between his brother starting back school and

my husband spending some time in the hospital

last month,

he has needed more attention lately.

More reassurance.

More cuddling.

More one-on-one time

More "look me in the eye" time

More "get on the floor with me" time.

So that's what we have been doing:

We love LEGOs in this house!

Add some Jenga blocks to heighten the fun!

Throw in some alphabet blocks and pompom puffs too while you're at it.

Just playing. 

Just he and I.

Preschool at home

I found the cutest foam counting shapes for

my preschooler.

Check them out!

What a great way to learn colors, shapes and numbers.

However, my youngest son is obsessed with farm

equipment - so he is usually seen playing with these...



so, I came up with a creative way for him still to

"play farm" and learn -

"Beep, Beep.  I need a load filled please!

Can I get two blue squares and one green star?"

"Fill'er up!  Thanks for the load.  Beep, Beep, bye-bye!"

Fun + Learning = Happy child and Happy mommy

Organizing Your Child's Artwork

Its all beautiful,

of course, because our children made it.

We know we can't keep it all, so I came up with a

solution for the keepers and "non-keepers."

I have a rotating art gallery in my kitchen and in the playroom.

I have large windows in my kitchen.

 I simply punch a hole in the artwork and

use a hook suction cup and ......

there you go!

I especially love it when the kids do "holiday themed" artwork

because it makes the room look so festive - I can get away with

minimal decorations in my kitchen for Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc...

Very easy to do and they feel special that their pieces

are on "display."

Especially when we have company over for dinner -

it makes for a flattering topic of conversation for them.

Upstairs, I did something similar.  With tacks and ribbon, I made

a display place for our Alphabet cards and a place

for them to hang more artwork underneath. 

You can use regular wooden clothespins or cute ones like these.

(I found on the World Market website)

Aren't they adorable??

These two places help keep all of the art pieces under control.

When my oldest comes home with new artwork, he simply

removes the ones he's tired of looking at - either in the kitchen or in the playroom

and replaces it with the new pictures.

Then I can come behind him, guilt free, and keep my "true" favorites. 

I mean guilt free because every piece has been displayed and enjoyed by our family

and guests. 



Note: The extra special ones, I make note of the grade / year and have them

laminated.  With the expense - I only do the VERY SPECIAL ones.

I hope this gives you new ideas for your artwork gallery in your home.

Simplify

Some days seem too fast

chaotic

loud

unfocused

When it gets like this, I take the boys for a walk.  

Most times, along with our water bottles, we take binoculars, pads and pencils

to take notes or draw pictures of our discoveries.

When we start out, the boys are running and very loud,

full of energy

but after a time

the only sounds you hear

are footsteps and breathing

birds....breeze

I love our farm

Its so easy to disconnect

 

To step away from it all -

It calms the soul for all of us

I love my walks with the boys

Sometimes I get sentimental about them

How much longer will they want to take walks with me?

Look at how small their footprints are....

Watch how they stare in amazement at ants crossing a path....

He actually took my hand to hold....

It is a season isn't it?



Most days, I try to remember that fact.

On some days it harder than others to keep that in mind.

When we are having a day like that, I take them for a walk. 

I know its time to slow down - all of us.

To explore,

To discover,

To be still

To be present

To calm

To simplify

To remember that it is only a season

So I enjoy every walk......

Kid's Sensory Play Boxes

How cool are these???

I made these early last year (2010) and they have been

one of the most played with toys in the house!

Sensory Boxes

One is "Construction":

I bought an underneath the bed storage box -  

low enough for the boys to lean over while sitting on the floor,

but big enough for the BOTH OF THEM to play at one time.

I found brown smooth river rocks at the Dollar Store

for $1.00 a bag - I think I bought eleven or twelve.

With us having two boys and living on the farm,

we had enough trucks / tractors / diggers / etc....

So really it costed me about $12.00 for rocks

and $7.00 for the container.

This box has been the scene of many different "events":

Star Wars guys have invaded

LEGO houses have been moved in

Lincoln Log forts appeared

Multiple plastic animals have been seen grazing....and chasing the vehicles!

Pretty good for less than $20.00 !!!!

 

Here is our "Ocean Box"

Again, I got an underneath bed storage box ( $7.00)

I went to the pet store and got two large bags

of aquarium rocks. 

Think they were $10.00 a piece - I got two bags, probably

could have gotten away with just one - but didn't know at the time.

Also, found several seaweed and coral items on their sale rack ($4.00)

Then went to Michaels (with my 40% off coupon - of course).

Bought a "sea-life" and a "boat" pack of plastic figurines.

I think $11.00.

Then on the way out, my oldest son spotted a bag of vase rocks

that were white, teal and blue on the clearance rack ($0.75)!

Yes, he must be learning from me :)

I added several bath toys we had: sharks, crabs, fish, etc...

Again, this place has seen some action!

Tractors and LEGO men have been seen pirating ships!
The fish get booted over to the carpet and the tractors have a "blue rock quarry".
There have been rulers made into bridges so turtles could escape the scary sharks.

This is one busy box!!

It did cost more than the construction box (about $43.00)
but it has been well worth it - I think it's their favorite.

The boys play for hours!

I love watching them and seeing what they come up with.
Give me something that makes them use their imagination any day
over a video game!!

Can't decide on the next box theme......
any suggestions?????