Pages

Monday, July 30, 2007

Cool Drinks

Aine must have ice in her drinks. Even in the middle of the night, she refuses a mere glass of water. It must have ice.

Aine helped me give Ava water this morning. She quipped, "Ava need ice."

Friday, July 27, 2007

Rockets

Eamon decided to make home-made air rockets for preschool at our house. I had found the link on another blog and thought it looked like a lot of fun. I assembled the launcher before the other children arrived with help from Eamon and Aine. Everyone crafted their own rockets, personalizing them with stickers. The launching took place outside in the yard. Everyone's rockets flew really high. Eamon's landed on the roof. It was a HUGE hit and a great activity.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Park Time

We headed out early and spent several hours at the park. WIth a packed breakfast, it makes for a great morning. Eamon and Aine used yellow shovels they received from a friend. They each worked on their climbing skills.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Singing in the Rain


We had a beautiful rain storm today. Aine slept through most of it, but Eamon and I had a chance to play a bit in it.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

ROARRRR!!!

We went to the Mesa Southwest Museum to explore the dinosaurs of the southwest. The kids LOVED it. They had so much fun looking at the skeletons of huge reptiles, watching a real alligator, and exploring the health display(Your Healer Within). It was a great afternoon.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

I don't like the cottage

Aine and I were having a snack of watermelon and cottage cheese while Dave was reading with Eamon. Aine was scarfing the cottage cheese. Eamon decided he would like some too. He ate a small bowl and then asked for more. As he was eating the second bowl, he said, "I don't like this cheese." I asked what he meant, since he had been eating it. He replied, "I like the cheese. I don't like the cottage."

Signs

I started breaking things. I dropped the blue cup - broken. I practically hurled the IKEA cereal container across the kitchen smashing it to pieces. This is one of my first clues. For some reason I am super clumsy while pregnant. I don't usually break kitchenware, but while gestating - look out.

Today

We had a monsoon last night which brought some cooler morning and evening temperatures. We spent much of the day outside.


Phoenix Drivers


You can never be too careful...

Friday, July 20, 2007

Pisces Link?

I have started swimming at the YMCA. I really, truly enjoy it. I swam as kid and on and off through the years. Before kids, I went to the gym regularly, but swimming was always tough. For some reason, it is coming together for me now. I enjoy the cool water and the solitude - just me and the water. I swim about a mile - sometimes more, sometimes less. I am even getting better at my strokes. I have always loved the breaststroke, but freestyle tires me out. Freestyle is even getting easier. I notice some small changes, but the bigger draw is that I really like it. I am toying with the idea of doing a triathlon (sprint version). The big drawback isn't the running with which I have a love/hate relationship. The part that scares the beejesus out of me is swimming in TEMPE TOWN LAKE - BLECH.

Soda Truck

While driving to swimming lessons, we were behind a truck with a large picture of a TAB energy ad. Aine quipped, "Look, Mama, a soda truck". She was quite pleased with her find.

Louis

Today at the grocery store, Eamon selected some clementines and put them in his bag. He then put the bag around his neck (we use reuseable bags that I made). I told him he may want to put the bag in the cart, because it would be heavy. He replied, "No, I am Louis."

For those of you not in the know, Louis is the swan in Trumpet of the Swan. He carries many things around his neck (slate and pencil, trumpet, medal, money bag).

Sunday, July 15, 2007

One step forward, two steps back: Cleaning

Today while I was picking up the playroom, Eamon and Aine were "reading" in the den. The rooms are right beside each other. Here is the result (apparently they weren't just reading):

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Illustrating

When we read we talk about authors and illustrators. Eamon decided he wanted to illustrate a book. He grabbed a purple sharpie, some paper and set to work. Dave sat with him while he illustrated and together they wrote the story for their book.



Friday, July 13, 2007

Stealing

I admit it, I shamelessly steal. If I find a good idea, I will use and adapt it. My sister is a great source of ideas as well as my friends. Most of the stealing is kid ideas, but it stretches to crafting as well. I found some great blogs and a flikr site that has all kinds of kid ideas. I really like browsing the Creative Summer flikr group for ideas. One idea I really liked was the frogs and lily pads. I made a set of frogs for us, my nieces and a friend for her birthday. The first two set of lily pads were okay, but then I had an epiphany - felt. I made the gift lily pads out of felt and embroidered the numbers on them. It looks amazing.
Off in search of more stealable ideas.

RRRR Ribbit



I made two frogs and some lily pads for the kids. It is a game that has many applications - gross motor, counting, and just plain old fun.

Piggies

Doodle Pro

Eamon has been drawing a lot lately. He is especially interested in drawing people - mama, daddy, Aine and himself.Aine posing with the picture Eamon drew of her.Ashlyn and a hot air balloon
Eamon and Aine holding hands

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Ice Skating

Despite outside temperatures, Eamon and Aine will not be deterred from ice skating. Here is Aine speed-skating.
Yes, her skates are puppets on her feet. They work quite well.

Finished

The wall-hanging/memory quilt is done.

I just finished the binding tonight. I am so pleased with the final product. As a child, I helped my mom and grandmother cut and piece the quilt for my bed. I didn't do any of the quilting or binding, so this is a first for me.

Here is my first quilt. Finished size is approx 20"L X 15'H. The quilt is meant to signify various natural elements - sky, sun, grass, trees, water, air. These seem to be areas where the recipient most feels her lost child. The elemental portion was hand-quilted. The white "frame" was machine quilted.

Please excuse the poor photo quality. I was too eager to get the finished quilt photographed and proof posted!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Housework

We checked out Marlo Thomas and Friends CD Free to Be You and Me from the library. We were listening to it in the car yesterday when Eamon commented on Housework by Carol Channing.

E: Even if you are 4 years old, you don't like housework.

It is a pretty good CD with a nice message. Some name calling is on it (Sissy - when Williams wants a doll).


Monday, July 09, 2007

Eating Eggs

Eamon was looking at a book about penguins in the car on the way home from the library.

E: Look Mama, the woman has eggs in her basket.
H: She has penguin eggs in her basket?
E: Yes. It is so silly. She thinks they are eating eggs, but they are baby eggs.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

A whole lotta crafting has been happening, although there hasn't been much blogging. After finishing the kids' aprons, I made two yoga tops for me. The pattern is McCalls M4664, and it is super easy. It fits pretty well, although with swimming lessons, I haven't had a chance to test it in a yoga class.I have also sewn a few pairs of pajama bottoms. Another easy pattern and very popular around our house. The bottom pair is out of some thrifted material. I also made a yoga top from the piece of fabric which was only $1.


My niece's birthday required the making of a couple gifts. I knit her the Monica shirt from Knitty. Since it is the second one I have made, I had some modifications. I knit it in the round and I used longer straps which you can tie. I also made an apron and matching bag for her art supplies. A good gift I think.

My knitting has been a bit slow due to the sewing. I was able to knit and felt a bag. I have done quite a few bags, so I didn't really follow a pattern. Here is a picture of it drying. I like the size and shape. I am trying to decide if I want to line it and create a fastener.


Finally I started my first quilt. I am making it for a friend of a friend. She is amazingly strong during a very hard time in her life. I wanted to make something for her to remember her baby who just died. The pictures below are the pieces and the pieced quilt. I have finished hand-quilting the middle and machine quilting the border. I just need to sit down and do the binding. I think it will be finished today.

At least it is fortified...

When asked what she wants to eat, Aine always replies, "cereal." This is regardless of time of day and what kind we have available. She loves cereal especially dry. Although she will tell you that she likes milk.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Pump it Up

(not everyone is in our preschool coop)

For preschool today, we celebrated a friend's birthday at the bounce house. Aine showed no fear as she climbed up the walls to get to the slides. Eamon made a new friend. Each of them loved bouncing, running and sliding.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

At the Bottom of the Sea

...where the mermaids murmur, you'll find me at the bottom of the sea...

The Arizona Museum for Youth is having an exhibit called FantaSEA. The kids are really enjoying the nautical themed exhibit. Last week we took in the gallery side, and today we spent our visit in Artville (the hands-on play area). Each of the kids enjoyed dressing up in costumes as fish, divers and explorers while "swimming" and playing in a submarine.


Independence Day




Eamon was very excited this year for Independence Day. He has been eagerly awaiting the event. He did not want to setup camp in the field behind our house to watchthe displays which were a mile from home. We set off to watch them at Gilbert's Old Fashioned Fourth of July. They sported their star shirts marveling at the glow in the dark stars. Aine wore her star skirt which twirled to perfection. Both were fast asleep before we were home.