October Cub Scouts

Matt takes James to scouts, so I don't remember exactly where they were tonight.  I think it may have been the Foothills Learning Center.  They took a hike and looked at some cool bugs and sculptures.

Is that a praying mantis on her hand?

Bye, Bye Butterflies

James' class grew butterflies from caterpillars.  This year, they had painted lady butterflies.

Each year his teacher takes her class to the river to release them.  We went along for the ceremonies.  Jacob, Julia, two grandmas and one grandpa all came too!

I guess I need to figure out how to edit color . . .

Getting ready to release the butterflies (James' teacher is the one in the hat).

Look, but please don't touch.

Some of the butterflies took a few minutes to decide to leave the hand.

When all the butterflies had flown away, the kids played on this super cool tree.

James mows the lawn!

James has always liked "helping" push the lawnmower and Matt has always encouraged it.  This week, James actually took control of the mower without dad's help!

James really was proud of himself today.

Great job James!!

First day of school 2011

Hello second grade!!!!  James started second grade this year.  I can't believe he's growing up so fast.  So far he's doing very well and has a wonderful teacher.  She makes a point of greeting each child and saying something personal to them both as they enter and leave the classroom every day.

Labeling all of our school supplies.

Coloring the Travel Folder picture.

James loves silly faces.

James Day #3

Our final James Day finally arrived the day before school started.  We decided to go to Camel's Back Park, as Jacob's school was having a playmate there as well.  Besides, it's been a while since we'd gone to that park to play (and it wasn't cold and wet!).

Our day started with a special James Day breakfast.  And in true James Day style, James topped his previous two breakfasts by a mile (notice the soda can at James' place?).

After we got to the park, the kids spied a dog and since Jacob says he's now "not afraid of dogs anymore," they all decided to ask to pet the doggy.

A rare moment when all three are on the swings at once.

James and his nemesis, the monkey bars.  Actually, today he could not complete the bars, but by the second day of school, he was a whiz!  I'm so proud of him!

Jacob sitting on the bench.  Apparently, he thought his tummy hurt and decided he needed to leave the park.  So I let him sit on the bench in the shade for a while.

Oh the tunnels at Camle's Back!

Slide hair!!!

For some reason today, Jacob decided that he was Frankenstein.  I'm not sure where this notion came from today, but he was certainly playing the role well.  Actually, he wasn't just Frankenstein, he was an electric Frankenstein.  So, in his best monotone robot voice, he walked around the park saying, "I am a Frankenstein and you are not."  By the time we were ready to leave the park, he had two other boys following him repeating his phrase as electric Frankensteins.  I guess he's the pied piper now.

Listen and you'll hear the "Electric Frankenstein."

Electric Frank and his posse.

Lunch.  In front of the tv of course (actually, I think it was a Spongebob video).

A rare photo of mommy when James asked to take some pictures.

Snack time.  Soda, again.  And if you look closely, you'll see that the kids have s'mores for their snack (we had just gone camping the weekend prior so s'mores were on the brain).

Dinner was my now famous pizza pockets (thank you "Our Best Bites!").

James Day #2

Ann Morrison Park!

Today we celebrated our second James Day, in preparation for the first day of school.  James decided we should eat blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  Usually I cut the pancakes into shapes or bite size pieces.  Today, James wanted a "stack" of pancakes that he could cut by himself.  So that's exactly what he got, complete with his own knife to cut them with.  He thoroughly enjoyed himself, as did Jacob.  After breakfast, we finished getting dressed and brushed teeth, then it was off to Ann Morrison Park to play and have lunch.  They all had a great time.

Julia keeps up with the boys.

Anything you can do, I can do better!!  This is Julia's mantra as she follows the boys' lead in climbing.

Jacob is so funny sometimes.  He is completely in his own little pretend world and he gets so involved in his play.  He met another little boy, who, according to his father, believed every word Jacob said.  He thinks Jacob is a spy!  Jacob had a lot of fun weaving elaborate spy tails today.

James chose pizza pockets for lunch today.  I made them yesterday with our "magical" breadstick dough (they hold magical powers, according to the recipe book).  James thought they were fantastic!  He'll be seeing some of those in his school lunches this year.  I also let the kids have chocolate milk with their lunch.  An unusual treat for us.

Our trip to the park finished with some romping in the fountain.  What fun for a hot day!

Julia chose not to engage in water play today.  The noise from the fountains scares her a little bit.  Instead, she sat on the bench and watched, occasionally petting the deer.

James Day #1

Today is the first of three "James Days" that we will have before the first day of school in two weeks.  We decided last night that James needed to have some super fun days before returning to school.  So he got to decide what we ate for breakfast, snack and dessert as well as what we did today.  Here is what our day has been like so far:

TV--Arthur, Martha Speaks, Curious George

Breakfast--French toast with bananas, strawberries and whipped cream

Play at Julia Davis Park (his choice of parks today)

Lunch at the park

Dessert making--chocolate covered bananas--of course James and Jacob ate a large helping of chocolate chips by themselves (I should have taken pictures of their chocolate faces and hands!  What a mess!).

After the bananas, James helped make tonight's dinner, sloppy joes, by chopping veggies, mixing and tasting (he gave it a big two thumbs up!).

James is making a snack for Julia and himself--mango!

French Toast--the incredibly unhealthy version that mom would never, ever serve up on a normal day!

Lunch in the park with a new friend.

Julia's first trip down the tunnel slide.  I think she enjoyed herself.

James met a turtle as we were leaving.

Jacob is obsessed with puzzles.  This one had really small pieces and was a little more challenging than what he normally does, but still he did it almost completely on his own.  He got stuck with the last 10 pieces.  James and I helped.

James loves making goofy faces.

Julia adores play dough, especially fresh play dough.  We made play dough today and James decided we needed red dough.  I used almost all my red food coloring and made this blood red concoction.  It's a little too red and looks weird.  Especially since we decided to make it "pretty" by adding glitter to it.  Truth be told, when it's rolled out on the table, it looks a little like spaghetti sauce that someone hurled in.

Here is a video of James helping in the kitchen: