Bath Time

Ducky and Weasel got baths in the bathroom sink today!!

The floors got pretty well mopped up too!!

Apple Orchard Fun.

We went on our first field trip through the homeschool co-op today. It was a trip to an apple orchard. For $12 we got to pick our own 10lbs of apples, and make 1 gallon of cider. As you can see, it was $12 well spent!!

Again, that is Bo's photo smile. I know it looks like he's in pain here, but he's really quite happy!!

Math Time

We don't do a lot of sitting at the table and filling out worksheets, but so far Hailey does enjoy working in her math book. After I set her up at the table Bo asked for "mine blue math". (The pegboard for his number puzzle is blue.) They were pretty happy working together!!

Biker Gang

Out for an evening ride... Nobody'd mess with these two!! :)

Fiesta!!

Last week we studied Mexico. We ended the week with a Fiesta at Grandma and Grandpa with the Pony's house.

A Hailey made pinata!!

Getting ready to whack it!!

Thwack!!

CANDY!! YUM!!

Lots of swinging with Grandpa!!

After the pinata bashing, we all took a siesta. Then we had a wonderful dinner. Tacos with tortillas made by Hailey and Bo, watermelon, and homemade churros for dessert. I honestly can't think of anything better. Thanks Mom and Dad for hosting our fiesta!!

New Do

Bo has officially had hair cut number 3! This time was the best of all. He didn't even cry for any of it! I asked, "Bo, do you want a hair cut?" He says, "Yes!" He went off to the bathroom and we shaved away! It's amazing how different he looks! Sooooo cute! :)

We also just got back from the Grandparents house in Neillsville... We had a super fun fiesta party and pinata, but those pictures will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, you'll just have to enjoy this super suave boy! ;)

Slowly but Surely

I've been working on and off this year teaching myself how to play the guitar. I bought it back on January and have had some good stretches and not so good stretches of practicing and playing. When I do, it's really fun! So hopefully I can continue to carve out time to play for the kids. They both love it when I play... Even if it's just a few scales. Sooner or later I'll be able to play something cool like Mary had a Little Lamb or something!! :-D

Apple Dapples

We got a load of apples from Grandma and Grandpa with the Pony last week. Needless to say, we've been cranking away (literally) making applesauce! Bo and Hailey have been wonderful helpers. Bo just got done with a batch and seemed sneaky to be tasting some on his fingers. When I told him he could have some... Well... Have some he did!

Big First Day

We've had to switch up our schedule a little bit for the co-op on Monday. So I got to be home for the first day!

I have to admit that seeing these guys so excited before work made my day! :)

Monarch Festival

After our big week of studying butterflies, we got to celebrate at the Minneapolis Monarch Festival!! This was the first year we've gone, but we will definitely go again. We spent the morning doing various art projects, then Hailey ran in the fun run, and we got to help tag and release a monarch. Hailey and Bo made their own butterfly wings for the event.

This is Bo's "biggest smile". His eyes are supposed to be closed, that's how he does it.

Hailey had been telling me for weeks leading up to the Monarch Fest that she was going to win the fun run. I was struggling with this, how much do I support and encourage, and how much do I prepare her for the possibility that she might not win. I just tried to do a little of both and hoped it would work out. It did!! She didn't win the actual run, and she was a very good sport about it. Then her number was called and she found out she won an award for her costume!! She was so excited!! She got to go on stage to accept her award. She almost rushed onto the stage while the band was still playing, but I managed to keep her down. When they let the winners up there, the other kids stood off to the side. Hailey ran to the front and center of the stage. I bet her toes were hanging off the end of it. No stage fright for my little girl!!

Bo took his wings and antennae off about 10 seconds after I took the picture. He was so funny about it. Everywhere Hailey went people were complimenting her on her beautiful wings. After they were done, Bo would grunt at them, and then point at his wings in our wagon, and grunt again. He had no interest in actually wearing them, but he still wanted everyone to know he made them!! Such a goofy boy!!

Butterfly Art

I promised I'd finish up with our first week of school, and guess what. . . here it is!!

I got this fantastic idea from A Swell Mess. Their blog is definitely worth looking at for preschool art. http://www.a-swell-mess.blogspot.com/ (I really want someone to build me. . . I mean my kids, the mud kitchen!!)

Butterfly Foot Print Paintings!!

By: Hailey

By: Bo

Hailey declared this to be "The Wildest Art I've EVER Done!!"

Bo wanted no part of it, until I put my feet in the paint. Then I had a hard time getting him out of it!! They both made quite a few but we thought these were the best.

Sorry, there are no pictures of the actual process. I needed both my hands (and could have used 2 more) just to keep this project moving!!

Two Years Ago...

Wow. I can't believe this was two years ago! I still love the fact that we can go back as far as we want and check out the pictures from whenever we want since the kids have been born! In this case, the special moment 2 years ago from today marked post number 1,000! Today, in case you were wondering, we are just over 1600 :)

Tamarack Nature Center

Back to our first week of school. . . . I really will be wrapping this up soon!! I promise!!

We are planning to have Thursdays as our nature study day. Last week we went to the Tamarack Nature Center for the first time. Woah man, was it ever fun!! There was a lot to look at inside the building. Hailey was super excited to hold this sea star.

We met up with our friends Meghan and Toby and went for a little walk. We saw a bunch of turkeys, and the kids decided to stop and draw what they saw.

Then we got to play in their natural playground.

Peeking through the house.

Thinking on a tree stump.

WATER!! I'm kind of glad we didn't find the water first. They all loved it so much we probably wouldn't have gotten to anything else.

Not much better than sitting in a big puddle. We brought home some tired and dirty kids that day!!

Muddy Update

Well, I've been waiting patiently for the official pictures from the mud run website (www.theoriginalmudrun.com). Until then, I've gotten some pictures that Meghan took as well as some that were taken on the course as well! Hope you enjoy and I'm sure I'll be posting some more when I find them!

The obligatory "before" picture... Look at how unsuspecting we were! Next year I'm sure we'll have a much more serious game face on. :)

This is in the first mud hole about 20 feet from the start line. Someone sprayed me with mud right away. It was good to get the first "mud in the eye" and "mud in the mouth" out of the way right out of the gate. It really made the rest of the mud holes much easier to deal with ! :)

Nearly done! Trying to run a little bit near the end. Man I can still feel my feet hurting!

At about mile 5 the talk of the "free beer at the end of the course" began. I was trying to figure out how the food and beer people know how to separate the competitors from the spectators. (competitors got free lunch and one beer).

After seeing this picture, I remembered that it was because we had wrist bands on! DUH! :-)

Science

A couple days before we started school I asked Hailey what she was most looking forward to. She said, "Science Experiments!!" I was so disappointed to hear that. I had planned almost our whole year out. We had lots plans for nature study and learning about animals and habitats, but nothing that she would consider a science experiment. My bad!! Luckily the kids are young enough that its still pretty easy to figure out an interesting experiment!!

One of our butterfly books was Butterfly Colors by Helen Frost. We used that as a start to an experiment. I cut out a color wheel for each of them, and drew in the primary colors. Then they got to mix colors (food coloring and water) in jars to learn what the secondary colors are, and fill them in on the wheel.

Doesn't she look like a little scientist?!

Recording her results.

Bo lasted almost as long as Hailey with this one. He ended up making several jars of brown, but he had a lot of fun doing it!!

The real first day of school.

I can't believe we've already finished our first week of school!! Last week we studied butterflies. I thought it would be a gentle way to start up school since both kids love butterflies, and Hailey already knows a lot about them. We had a lot of fun!!

We made a craft that we had seen months ago in Hailey's "My Big Backyard" magazine. (Thanks again Grandma Jane!!)

Bo was very focused, as usual!!

Hailey was proud of her work.

The finished product: A caterpillar, that you can put into a chrysalis, and then open up as a monarch!!

After we were done with our butterflies, Hailey was working on her math book. Bo pulled out his number and pegs puzzle and announced, "I'm doing math too!!"

Mud Run Spot

Well, nearly 36 hours after completing the run, I have to say I feel alright. I now know things I can do differently next year to prepare for the course. Two things... #1, who cares about running on a track or a treadmill. Stair climbers non-stop! There was so many ups and downs and for the most part, you couldn't run up or down due to mud, rocks, loose dirt, rocks and mud. #2, better shoes. I definitely could have used some kind of footwear that would not have allowed 5 pounds of mud be crammed in around both my feet. For the last couple miles, I could barely run because my feet hurt. I thought about trying to empty them out, but I spent about 5 minutes trying to untie one shoe. I realized quickly that it probably wasn't a great idea, so I retied my shoes and plodded on.

It was really amazing to see so many people out to support a great cause. One of the hosts has MS and asked the runners while they were running to think of the physical struggles of each obstacle and to compare it to the struggles of living with MS. Fighting that battle on a daily basis made me encouraged to be out there supporting the cause even more. It made me run when I didn't think I could. Stand when my legs cramped. And be thankful knowing that we were able to help. September 8th next year I'm hoping to run again!

All of that being said, I'm still waiting for pictures to be posted on the Mud Run site as there were people ALL OVER the course taking pictures. I'll hunt them down to see if I can find any of myself! Also Joe ran with me (with me is a stretch, he finished 30 minutes ahead of me!) and Meghan has some pictures.

While we wait for those, check out this short video that someone shot on the course yesterday. It shines a little light on the obstacles and mud. Please focus on the mud. That wasn't nice clean water! :)

First Day of School!!

Tuesday was the first day of school around here. I had hoped to get traditional first day of school pictures of the kids. Here's what I got:

Total exhaustion by 10 am!!

Oh well, you saw the weekend they had!! I was exhausted just reading about it!!

We did have a very fun first week of school, and maybe next week I'll try for some pictures on the first day of co-op classes!!

State Fair 2011

Our Hailey and Daddy date at the Minnesota State Fair this year started with a bus ride! It's been quite a while that I've wanted to take Hailey on the bus, and it was well worth it! Her and Ducky were super excited to be sitting right next to the window!

I almost got suckered into buying this hat for Hailey. I put off most of the "hey Daddy, can we buy that" with let's see what else we find to see if that's what we really want. Well, She's pretty stinking cute, but she doesn't wear hats all that often. :)

We hit up some rides too. Hailey got her choice and we did the swinging pirate ship. What a cutie!

It seems like Hailey has the best of luck. We were sitting in the grass eating our lunch and I was thinking it was time to head for the bus. Hailey says, "Daddy, I wish I could go to a horse show." I said, "I don't know when the next horse show will be Hailey, but I will certainly try to find out so we can go, ok?" Right after that, I hear the announcement, "Horse show starting in the coliseum at 12:30" I look at the time, it's 12:27. Lucky girl! :)

Needless to say, our third annual visit to the state fair was a success! She was super tired when we were done, but she was definitely super happy!

What a Weekend!! - Part 3

On Sunday morning, Uncle Earl, Cousin Mason and I went out golfing! We had a great time. When we got done, we planned on lunch with Uncle Will at Chula Vista resort down in Wisconsin Dells!

Bo was happy to be there and have his own Bo-sized chair!

He was even more excited when he was able to have his own Bo-sized drink!!! Mango smoothie! Yum yum!!!

Of course at this point, it made Hailey want to have a picture with HER drink. Ice cold Root Beer! Talk about two happy kiddos!

Thank you Uncle Will! Hailey decided to be a big helper for a bit behind the bar. So far, she has the I'm-cute-how-can-I-help-you face down... She just needs to handle money and serving food and she'll be ready for the big time!

I also want to point out a big thanks to Chef Dave. He came out and braved our request about getting Bo something he could have that was safe to eat. We listed off the biggie... No nuts, eggs or soy. He said... Hrmm... Really, not much we can do about that. It was great to talk to him about the things they did use which I'm guessing is pretty common in all resturaunts. Cooking spray with soy and a butter replacer that was also soy based. In the end, I did pack Bo a meal. Chef Dave took it and heated it up and put it on a plate just for Bo! He was so excited to eat with us!

What a Weekend!! - Part 2

Reading with Grandma... Isn't it great? When Bo get's tired, there are two things that are pretty darned cool... The first is that he LOVES to cuddle and read books... The second is that you finally understand what we mean when we say Bo's being a caveman. Grandma got to experience both this weekend and hopefully everyone will get to know our little caveman! :)

Now when it's Hailey's turn, she got to read stories to us all! She gives us choices of little chapters to read in her Dick and Jane book... Then she reads them to us! So. Much. Fun!!!

What a Weekend!! - Part 1

We had a jam packed weekend! Trips to Wisconsin and back for Daddy, Hailey and Bo... Visiting Uncle Will in the Dells. State Fair. Butterfly wing painting party. This weekend had it all. Needless to say we're a bit wiped out, but hopefully you'll hang around for a few days while I sort our pictures and share with you!

On Saturday, during Bo's nap, Hailey and I went out with Uncle Earl on the boat for what appears to be the last time of the year judging by the cool weather that has moved in. On the way, Hailey and I stopped for gas and a couple snacks. She liked having the Starburst to munch on while Cousin Mason, Maggie and Jaden did some tubing!

Then it was finally Hailey's turn! Wheeeeee!

Then there was a switcharoo on the tubes. Hailey and Mason on the other tube now! I am fairly certain that Hailey's braveness was mainly due to Cousin Mason being there. She feels so safe around him! Thank you Mason for riding with Hailey on her first tube ride!!! :)

Hailey was asked afterwords if she liked tubing. She said a little bit... I asked just a little? She said, "yeah, just a little... I liked sitting in the boat having a few starburst and root beer better!" I guess I'll have to not bring the snacks next time!! :)