wednesday

hmmm...
this here is gonna be a MOST fascinating post.

uh...
watched pbs.

madd rode around on a stick horse with a cowboy hat on, and made a hat for White Bunny.

i combed out the tangles from trev's hair. (that took a bit, but 'twasn't too bad. always feels so good to have such things done.)

we loaded up and spent the remainder of the day doing errands...

buying $85 worth of candies, and some other lovelies for our spring baskets... which will be given tomorrow.

babes are playing their new games - they chose them and so i couldn't make them wait 'til tomorrow.

new undies for mama and madd. wootwoot!!

i had to choose a new razor 'cause they quit selling my blades. hmmph.

new garden tools, too.

that's about it, and i ain't expectin' much more.
now aren't you glad you came to read this?

a tuesday

Maddie likes it when she starts her day with Curious George.

After that, she got on the computer for a little video game play,
and then went to CoolMathGames. CoolMath 's good.

We hopped in bed with Trevy (who was still sleeping) and started talking about what we wanted to do with our day. Bike ride! Cookies! Baseball!

And then more...
Spore Galactic
and Peep.

Bubbles.

A little makeover.

Poetry.

Music.

Bill Nye. Dinosaurs!

And build.

skewers and clay

Citiblocs

Polydrons

Geoboard play.
Go here visit our friends for some lovely wooden-play creations!


Maddie built a habitat.
A tortoise habitat. (For her newly-found toy tortoise.) Complete with 'vermometer' - a 'tencturature' gauge (which is really a 'turkey baster' :) Lord help anyone basting a turkey with a pipette) and herb mix -Mama's favorite organic salad combo- and soft, plushy green grass to walk upon and a water bowl.


Trev created prehistory outside.
While Bessie - the tortoise - gets used to her new home and Madd explores Spore.

Along those lines,
Mama went downstairs to get our book Map Turtles and Diamondback Terrapins.
And In the Wild : Elephants, and Animals Under Threat: Peregrine Falcons, while I was there.

What about that bike ride?
Yep.

Fly Me To the Moon...
was next. Love Netflix.

Maybe...
Dophins Imax? Sea Monsters? Let me just say it again... Love Netflix. It's so awesome to see our favorite planetarium shows at home!

We're home and happy and warm,
and probably that will about do it for us, today.

All is well, then.
'Til tomorrow.

monday, in early spring

oh, my. over the last month i've absolutely gotten out of the rhythm of writing every day!
that doesn't matter to anyone but me, but it does matter to me, so i'm determined to strum and hum along again.

it is 9:59 in the morning, and i have no idea where this day shall go.
but this seems like a good spot for pausing for a moment to contemplate magic and learning and seeking joy, doesn't it?
so let's begin.

mmm, we've made strawberry cupcakes this morning. we haven't made them in a while, and they've been on mine and maddie's list for a couple of weeks, now. we get our recipe here.


madd watched Bambi.

her mama added new solution to our dwindling pot of bubbles.


chalkboard


rubbings


after a trip downstairs to find something interesting, we came up with a box....

and so chemistry play.
salt, vinegar, colors, baking soda, goldenrod paper, ammonia, milk, cold and hot water, pipettes, funnels, corn starch, pie pan, test tubes, distilled water, mad scientist goggles...

"It's gonna blow!!!" Shouted the children as they ran for cover.

Madd sped the colouring of the milk along by experimenting
with blowing upon the surface.

Acid, definitely. Upon goldenrod paper.

yeah.
"What does 'acids and bases' mean?"
Let's go to chem4kids, shall we?

and


and computer game play...
online super smash brothers brawl for trevy
and plants vs. zombies for madd.

and our good friend Bill Nye over toast.
and after toast.

(The Elements)

love that book!

and during pattern making.


DinoRun with Cousin.

love you Megan. you can't move to Maine.
but logging in was really petty damned funny....
"Use a 'u', Mom."
What?, I think. Fine. ''TrevUlyn.
no.
"Use 'U', Mom!"
TrevelUn.
"Mom!! Use a U!"
oohhhh. 'derby' is spelled, in kid language -of course!- with a 'u'. silly mama. 'dinodUrby'.
:) sheesh. rolls eyes.
lawdy.

while Cousin Love was going on...
"Mom... will you play Super Mario Brothers with me?"


readin' a numbers book.
because he found it. and was curious.


"Mom. So thin... like this.... means it isn't stable. An thick... means it is stable." This was Maddie.
"Well.... it depends. Some things, like metal, can be thin, and very stable."
"But... like, ice... if it is thiiiiiis thin, it isn't stable..."
"Right. Thin ice is unstable. Correct."
hmmm. more chemistry. think you?

daddy gets back from skiin'--we're totally going with next time. we gave him this one for himself.
"Hey.... ready to go to the park, to fly kites?" We ask while he's unloading his gear.
Whaaaa?, he's thinkin', but we inerrupt with, "Or swimming? Or bowling?"
Bowling it is!


aaaah.
physics and geometry. and just our style.
totally. that will do.

to home,
to home.

to hot baths and quiet computer time, as we choose.
and art. can't forget that.

and now the babies are playin' quiet and friendly-like and the mama and daddy are heading to bed for a documentary.

it's a damned fine life, friends.
and that will do.

the soul of sunday

what's yours?


a place for moments
or snapshots
or entire days of shine.

Flower Bracelet

Maddie came home from Girl Scouts with the cutest bracelet... I thought it would be a perfect thing to share with you. It's a sort of daisy chain stitch.
The pattern would be also lovely with rose petal beads, or wooden, or ones you've made yourselves out of clay or paper.
They're just right for a tea party or for a little girl's birthday party - as favors or a craft.

We only used laces, six large-holed beads (pony beads), and other beads for leaves and the flower center.


We started with a knot several inches away from the edge - maybe five inches or so.

Through the other end away from the knot, add the six beads that will be the petals of your flower.

Loop it around, like so, then thread your lace through the first bead - the one that is next to your knot.

Put a bead onto your lace - this will be the center of your flower.


When you've positioned it in the middle of your flower, thread your lace through the fourth bead, coming out (up) so that your flower will be centered on the lace.


Knot it close to the bead


so that your flower retains its shape.


You can add leaves as you like - either right next to the flower, or by placing another knot a couple of inches away, adding two or so green leaves, then knotting it again.


Do the same thing for the other side.

Decide how long you need the bracelet (or necklace), and tie it off.


Don't forget to come play at Saturday's Artist!

Saturday's Artist

Welcome to Saturday's Artist; a weekly joining and celebration of every kind of creativity.
We hope you'll join us in celebrating this wonderful part of ourselves.
Show us where in the past week you've been shining your artistic, magnificent light!

Something this week that fed your spirit.
An outstanding photograph.
A day of mad painting.
A new yarn discovered that has sparked something fabulous for you.

The only requirement is that it is your favorite artistic Create! of the week!

(If you'd like to post a link so your readers might join in Saturday's Artist,

we would all love to share with them.)

Linking is only open each week until Tuesday morning!