Play: May 2011

We had some good weather in May, not a ton, but some. When it was nice outside, we jumped at the chance to hang outside.
My favorite day is Saturday. I love when our whole family spends time outside.This day was one of those perfect Saturdays. The kids loved playing with this make-shift water table.



My sister-in-law passed this book down to us. It's a great little book on painting in a variety of different ways. The girls painted with Q-tips and here is my youngest little girl's Q-tip painting.



I am wanting to incorporate numbers more into our day. The girls can count to 20 but they still don't understand the concept of numbers holding values.

I set up a store with price tags. I gave them real money (because this was not a planned activity and I didn't have fake money) and a plastic grocery sack. One at a time they came to the store and bought what they would like. I had them count out the money and pay me.

I think this helped a little bit with the concept of numbers. And since we've been practicing in other activities with numbers too, they are starting to get it.






I was at Winco one night and saw that I could buy diff. colored lentils in the bulk section. So I got a little bit of each color and let them play with them outside in a sensory tub. They LOVED this. And the feel of it was really neat.






My oldest daughter: almost 4, youngest daughter, almost 3, and son-1.5

Embroidery Hoop Tutorial

I contributed a tutorial on the Riley Blake (Designer Fabrics) blog yesterday. The tutorial is on how to make fabric embroidery hoops. I stained my hoop a dark brown and added some embellishments on a few.

Check it out!

Yo Gabba Gabba Birthday Party

My little girls have been talking about their birthdays every day, several times a day for the last 6months.

They have mostly been excited about singing happy birthday and getting a Plex and Foofa cake. They have talked about those cakes so many times, I could barely hold back my excitment to make them.

To have the day finally happen was more than exciting...for them and me. I am so grateful for each of my kids and the thought of celebrating them on their birthdays is something I always want to do.

A month before their birthday, I started making them presents, dresses, and party decor. I put my etsy shops on vacation and focused any extra time I had during naps and late at night to do birthday stuff.

This is Foofa! She's my youngest daughters favorite (she's turning 3 soon)Foofa is dainty and sweet just like my little girl.

This is Plex! The robot. She's my oldests favorite. He's inventive, creative and a leader just like my little girl.

I tried to hide their cakes but they found them when they woke up. This is the look on their faces when they first saw it. They were beyond excited.

I found this circa 1940's/50's typewriter while out thrifting the day before the party. I just had to put it on display with a special message typed to them: "Happy Birthday, Weww heww you're 3 and 4!!!!!"

Here's the Plex dress. I used this pattern from MADE. It was my first clothing item I've ever sewn and it was a great place to start.

They also had special painted princess crowns

And they got lots and lots of fun presents. Thanks everyone!!!

This is the girls' best bud, K-man! He's the cutest little kid and I'm pretty sure our kids think he is family. They love each other so much. K-man was born a couple days after my youngest little girl.

In the background you can see a fun dose of "Uncle baseball" happening. Man we love our nieces and nephews! They are all such amazing kids and we have a lot of fun when we get together.

It was a very fun party. We had it in my parents back yard. The kids could explore the yard, see the new chickens, chill in the hammock, play on the pin-ball machine, and swing on the new tree swings my dad built for the girls' birthdays.

They have 3 patio furniture sets with umbrellas next to their pond. So it was nice for the adults to be able to relax. Thanks mom and dad for such a beautiful party setting!

I hung large tissue paper pom-poms, circle garland, and balloon garland at the patio area. I wish I would have taken a picture of all of that :)

My girls were so excited for their party that they didn't want to take naps after church. I was worried that they would be ornery for the party they'd been so excited for. But they did great. And they were definitely celebrated!

I love you girls SO SO SO SO SO SO SO much!!

Happy Birthday.