Photo bug

Conan loves loves LOVES to take pictures. This explains why the camera batteries always seem to be dead...

Impromptu drum concert

Dean, Hank and Conan treated us to an impromptu after-dinner drum concert.

Bragging

Tonight at bedtime as we were picking some books to read, Conan started pointing to the letters at the top of one of them. I was astounded when he read off to me "A-L-L A-B-O-A-R-D R-F-A-D-I-N-G". Ok, so he made one mistake, calling the E an F. But for 2 1/2 I think it's pretty impressive, and I just had to brag. :)

Trixie is One

Happy Birthday big girl!

Alphabet Puzzle!

Conan really loves this puzzle. He's completely mastered putting it together, and can do it all by himself now. Although there are still a few mysteries about the puzzle design for him - such as why there's a "beaver" on the W piece. (What, you think it might be a walrus, not a beaver? Pure nonsense.)


It also seems kind of odd that there's a "Polar bear caught in a net" representing the letter 'i'. I guess Iguanas are hard to draw, or something. And seriously, if you'd never heard of an igloo before you saw this picture, what would YOU think that was? I think a net is a pretty good guess.


Whew, this Alphabet Express is finished and ready to roll!

Playing with Seeds

Here's a rainy day activity that we have a lot of fun with: playing with seeds. It's not rocket science, just some basic pantry items turned into a quick fun game. I think half the fun for Conan is that it seems like something he shouldn't really be getting into.

I mixed up about two cups total of various beans, lentils, popcorn, rice, and a few cloves to make it smell nice. Poured out onto a tray, it's virtually irresistible to keep from running your fingers through them, whether you're big or little. Several small bowls and a couple of spoons completes the equipment needed to scoop, sort and just generally play around with seeds.
Occasionally a seed gets eaten, but it's no big deal - after all, it's just a bean or a grain of rice. Sure, a few get dropped on the floor, but they are easily swept up when playtime is over. In fact, you'll notice a small red dustpan in the background of the photo - sweeping up the dropped seeds is another part of the game. After we've cleaned up, I just pour the seeds back into a jar and save them for the next time we're stuck indoors.

It may not be the most creative game ever, but this rainy rainy rainy April we need all the indoor play ideas we can get!

Egg Day

We had a lovely gathering at Grandma Joy's house. Conan, Chloe, and Odessa had a lot of fun hunting for eggs hidden by their older cousins Hazel and Hannah. The kids had candy and bubbles and new toys and books to play with, and the grown ups had a lot of fun watching the kids and visiting. The only downside is that I stubbed my toe badly on a chair leg and may have broken it. I went to the doctor yesterday, she advised that there was no need for x-rays to determine if it was really broken or not because the treatment is the same either way: elevation, taping, and ice packs. That's right, I broke my toe at Easter Dinner. (I'm just so hard core!) I managed not to drop my plate or curse loudly, so I'm kind of proud of myself for that.