Splash fun...

We took a few trips to the splash park this summer, I just had to share the fun! 

Don't forget your 'Gloggles'!

 That was Fun!

 K is so scientific!

 He figured out how bubbles work!

...And was determined to catch one when it came out!

Little J liked to stomp on the water.

He liked tasting it too.

I just can't quite catch it!

Can't forget the crazy big man!  Water is his second home.

He is 'the kid' that sits and waits for the bucket to drop on his head so everyone laughs at him ;).

Tricycle Fun

Another Garage Sale treasure was found!  This time it was tricyle and this isn't just any old three wheeler... It has turned into a taxi cab, come see!

While the removable handle was designed to help the child to learn to ride a trike, the boys quickly discovered a way that they could all ride together.

 All aboard and off we go, next stop- COSTCO!

 Hold on tight, we are going around a corner!

 Bye!

More summer out door playtime- Boys world...

As our summer is quickly coming to an end (school starts on Tues), I am trying to finish up our summer of lots of playing.  It was such a creative play time between the three older boys and even more amplified when we got together with friends!  This group happens to be boy heavy (as if that never happens!) and this particular back yard was a boy heaven, but what else could you expect from a friend that has 3 boys?  Dirt, big wheels, playground fort, slip & slide, wood pile and pet goats next door... It was an adventure! 

I wonder what they were pretending?

 Big ideas forming

 K was definitely in his element of exploration!  I wonder what his ideas were?!

 There was a group plan going on!

 The Big Wheel was found! 

 Can't forget the one lovely little lady!

Sports Camps

The local parks and rec hosted some great summer sports camps that we attended this past month.  I say 'we' because while Joshua was the actual camper, the whole family had some fun park days just playing!  We let J pick 2 sports he would like to try and his choices were Basketball and Baseball (it did help that he had a friend in each of those classes!).  This was a cheap way to introduce him to a sport before we committed to a league. 

Tues were Basketball days:

Warming up...



 Drills

 Dribbling

 Happenings on the sideline...

 They are holding the 'babies'!

 Go team 'Storm!'

Wednesdays were baseball days:

Hitting

 Listening

 Running the bases

 Chasing each other...

 Catching

 Throwing

 Huddling

 Buds!

Pool Days!

If you asked me a few months ago if I would be going to the pool this summer, I would tell you of course not...

My childhood summers were spent at the pool and I was a life guard for four summers, so I have good memories of spending lots of hot days at the pool.  I hoped to share that experience with my boys, but thought this year there would be no way to do that with their ages.  Watching the boys love the water in our back yard, I wanted to work with J & K in deeper water to get some swimming skills under their belts.  My mom and I were able to sneak out to our community pool after dinner/on the weekends a couple times a week with 2 or 3 of the older kids to get them used to the water and just have fun. 

It started as baby pool fun... Watch out for the splash! 

 Not sure this should be attempted in the shallow water?!  On to the big pool we go!

 Fun times jumping from the edge, blowing bubbles, throwing them like beach balls...

 Keeping track of them was definitely a 2 person job, thanks mom!

 Grandma and little J had fun throwing the ball and swimming to catch it.

 K was cold, but didn't want to get out.

 It was strange that little J didn't seem timid at all... I guess he saw his big brothers having so much fun he didn't want to miss out. 

I first enrolled J in lessons thinking I could take the other kids to the baby pool while he was in his lesson... Well, we quickly ended up in the big pool.  Myself & my 3 littlest ducklings that is!   K and little J learned their boundaries and we had a great 2 weeks of day camping and splashing at the pool.  The kids learned a few new skills too. 

 Swimming with his arms and breathing to the side... He did this stroke half the length of the pool :). 

 K had lessons too.  He swam underwater to catch some rings and kicked with a kick board. 

After swim class, it was time to play!  

 Jumping, watch out below!

 Super hero dives!

 He was off to save the day!

 A couple of times we met some friends there... This particular day there were 10 boys (11 if you include C)- they took over the baby pool during adult swim.  When they got a little rowdy, we encouraged the one 8 year old boy to get them to calm down... He did better than all of us moms combined!  They were in awe of this older kid!

 The younger boys of the group.

 Oh yeah, forgot to include the one little girl of the group... Boy is she out numbered!

 Good times at the pool!

Big Preschool project

Once baby C was born, our formal plan for home preschool became very casual, but fun.  We read lots and lots of books, played many games & puzzles, cooked & cleaned together, went on several field trips and just spent a lot of time together talking about things.  When something was asked that we didn't know the answer to, we would look it up or ask someone else.  I tried my best to cherish this year of play and exploration as I knew I could never have these precious times back. 

One of our 'big projects' that we worked together at was this never opened huge construction set that I found at a garage sale for $5 :).  We spent many 'quiet time' hours together building it... He would do the small steps of building as I connected each small step to each other, thus making roller coaster come more and more alive with each new connection.  J LOVED watching it get huge and I LOVED watching his mind figure it all out!  I hope J remembers these moments like I do!

When we first took it out, it was a bit overwhelming... Do you know what 646 pieces looks like scattered out on the floor?

 We were both proud of the end result!

 It was fun to see how chain pulleys and gears worked to make it run.

 What a fun toy!

 A few adjustments to the motor by the engineer himself.