my space

my space
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

a little tiding up this weekend ~ if you click on the picture it will take you to flickr and you can read what books are in that little stack of stuff that's trying to look pretty on my bedside table.
I cleaned up our room and redid (for the millionth time) Lucy and Parker's room. Her space.... his space... and room for his roll top desk that will be appearing on his birthday. (yea for grandmas!!!!)
Now my kitchen has piles that have been sooo very ignored. It never ends, does it?

best pizza ever

best pizza ever
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Oh yeah! Yummy and a thick enough crust ~ I saw it first here

how many licks does it take?

how many licks does it take?
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Boy: Mr. Turtle, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Turtle: I've never even made it without biting. Ask Mr. Owl.
Boy: Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Owl: Let's find out. A One... A.two-HOO...A three..
Mr. Owl: Three!
Narrator: How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Narrator: The world may never know.

making a play kitchen

and a sink
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Parker was given a pair of roller skates today (no pictures of him skating, but he's picking it up soooo quickly!). While my goddaughter was here I turned the lids over and made a little kitchen area for her. Soon Lucy was adding deatils of burners, dials, buttons, salt & pepper...etc. Then Grace whipped up a sink out of a plastic box.
Such fun!



even Parker thought it was cool ~

Monarch
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

We found him, still a caterpillar, on the floor of our garage about 11 days ago. Once in his new home, he quickly built his cocoon and today a beautiful new creation!


He hatched from his cocoon this morning and at one point was on the ground by our back steps. I thought it would be too chilly there so offered my hand and he climbed right up!
I held this little miracle for several minutes before he flew off to warm his wings on the bricks.

Artist to Artist week three ~Ashley Bryan

Artist to Artist week three
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

This week was all about color, color, color!!

six one way week thirty five

six one way week thirty five
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

This set is from one of our "holy days" last week ~ playing at Fortress of Fun in Newburgh & Lucy's "zamples" taken from Newburgh beach.

Fairy cape found

Fairy cape found
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Grace found this leaf outside our backdoor this morning. Jonathan told her it was a fairy's cape that she must have scared the fairy when she opened the door & the fairy dropped it. She told him he was very creative this morning.

The Bees Knees

six one way week thirty-four
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

1~ Grace's knee, Parker in the background. My friend Michelle and I used to sit there and watch our daughter's play while nursing and holding our babies. Yesterday I sat with Grace and watched Lucy & Parker play.
2~ Photo shoot on the back porch. The girls were getting Parker to laugh for this shot. Amy has a cool new Esty shop and needed someone volunteer to be guniea pig.
3~ Parker anxiously waiting for his first swimming lesson.
He had his second today and was still a bit nervous, but all went well.
Next week the girls, Reese & I will jump in for free swim time. That should prove interesting!

Ohio River

Ohio River
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

After a very busy last few days, we spent the morning beachcombing, visiting the Newburgh Country Store and the Fortress of Fun. The kids are always asking to go and do things like that and I was happy to suggest it this morning before they could ask. I think they were pleasantly surprised too.

we saw cool things like these:

first swimming lesson
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Tuesday morning my little guy was a bundle of nerves. He wouldn't eat breakfast and would hardly talk to any of us. I first thought maybe this wasn't worth it, I'd never seen him so nervous before!
But, the kid can swim underwater forever, and once he watched Michael Phelps, he wanted the whole deal. He wanted to know the strokes, to see how fast he could swim, to go to the Olympics.
So here he is, waiting anxiously for the lessons to begin.
First they put a belt on him with three floaties to keep him up. He'd have non of that thank-you-very-much. He wouldn't tell the teacher, just kept saying, "Mom, mom, mom, mom, MOM"
and, "Tell Them - Tell Them - Tell THEM".
So I finally did tell them he could swim, and he was released from his bonds. Then he proceeded to swim the entire length of the pool --twice. (big glowing Yippee!!)
He's an adorable shot of Reese keeping an eye on "Par-Par"

Birthday shots!

Making thumbprint butterflies in Lucy's birthday memory book.


Sticker tag! Tag everyone else with your stickers while trying to avoid getting stickers on you!

Relay races ~ running, hopping, skipping & galloping butterflies off to find flowers on our back fence.

Kid cocoons ~ wrapping each other
and
spreading your wings to fly!!




We had our first Artist to Artist class yesterday and it went wonderfully! We had so much fun and it went so fast that I neglected my camera!

Read this today:

All of this reminds me of David H. Albert who writes about unschooling. To paraphrase him: the lighter you hold the bow the more music it releases.

birthday goodies

birthday goodies
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

we're getting ready for a party today!
my middle child, Lucy, is turning 8 and celebrating with all her girly friends. (read, dearest brother is going to hang with the boys somewhere else!)
It's butterflies all around, butterfly delight muffins to be made, bug bites treats, and butterfly party bags sewn by the oldest (she did an awesome job).
And we have perfect weather today!! Which is really good because we'll be outside playing kid cocoons, butterfly relay races, and sticker tag.
I'm off to make a butterfly cake (chocolate, from scratch... oh so good. I'll post the recipe soon)

Mitsumasa Anno

Mitsumasa Anno
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

We begin our Artist to artist study with Anno. Next week my kids & their friends will read about him in Artist to artist, we'll read Anno's Magic Seeds & check out the other books you see here as well as create some Anno-inspired art.
(I plan on some paper cut art, mask making and watercolor)