May 19-20

That was most definitely NOT a question for Trinity or Emanuel… but the twins… well we made the leap and not only got them lovely brand new bikes (the used stores just were not a good enough deal after researching the ones open on Sundays) but bikes WITHOUT training wheels! Yikes!! Oh and helmets, do not forget the helmets!

We took the whole family to Target and hunted the mighty bikes… there really is not much left for options so early in the season (though I saw a retro style bike for an ADULT at Walmart that if I had had 95 dollars sitting around… well… maybe later in the year?)…

Check out

The girls got sunglasses… adorable ones… 1.00. And Emanuel got a dinosaur (another 1.00 purchase… gotta love the dollar area at Target).

Sunglasses

Once we got home, and got the baby down to nap, it was time to bust out the new bikes and helmets and give it a go. Results are mixed and of course it is going to take some time… but I have high hopes for successful 2 wheel bikers!

Starting in the grass

Better on the pavement

Gavin

Zander

Daddy Son moment

Nana and Baba took the twins out on double bikes to try and work on balance, looking up and keeping their hands on the handles and feet on the pedals.

Off on the double bikes

Ken had a game that got rained out so that evening we snuck out for ice cream and together time… it was nice… I miss just us from time to time!

Some beautiful flowers around here now!

Monday marked the beginning of what feels like monsoon season. So much rain and muck, definitely not pro walking weather for us. We did start a mini multiplication book I was emailed as a printable from Peapod Labs… It is connected to an app but regardless, a fun way to start those tables going! You can find the printable HERE.

We started our Ready Freddy penguin themed book… which prompted a list of all the things we found interesting that we have learned about these flightless birds.

So much knowledge

And then there was an afternoon of the twins working on putting seeds on paper towels. They worked with Nana prepping the seeds to go on the straw bale garden. They learned all about the need to keep the seeds spaced and how the plants need certain things and certain space to requirements depending on the plants to grow properly. Oh and the math about the spacing, looking at the ruler board (inches!!). Quite the educational fun!!

Gardening prep with Nana

Lines of seeds

Trinity has embraced the workbooks. I love seeing her sit there and really get at it!

Pages done, pages to go

Miss Echo took two days of dress up fun… Sunday in her pretty dress thanks to a handmedown from Aunty Xinny… oh and a flower from Nana.

Darling

Super pixie!

And on Monday… TINKERBELL! I have to say, the highlight of my days at times is taking pictures of her partying it up in whatever outfit she chooses… but woe on you if you want her to NOT wear a dress… PARTY is her word for it! And the fancier the better!

Little Tinkerbell… Thanks to Aunty Holly

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I wish the outfit tag was now showing in this one.

May 6-7

It is now time to fully embrace the spring weather… And wow has it sort of melted into SUMMER heat. Two beautiful days, two beautiful walks culminating in park visits.

Monday’s walk was based on really just getting out and running free. The park was deserted and the kids went crazy going on all the equipment, climbing on things, sliding, playing in the gravel. The kids all took turns helping Echo to go down the bigger slides! Talk about a happy baby!!! It is great to get that fresh air first thing after breakfast and then get home in time to jump into the school work.

Slightly chilly but a good start to our week of walking

Helpful brothers

4 of 5

Working in the nature journals first

Helpful siblings!

With the lovely weather and a shelf full of comics we  took a nice chunk of the afternoon in the 3 seasons porch and had a reading session… the kids built a tent to hide in for a bit, but most of all we checked out the new comics in the sun together.

Comfortable jumble

Even Miss T

We snuck in some Mother’s Day themed fun with a dinosaur twist with Emanuel and Trinity together… the book… T. Rex and the Mother’s Day Hug by Lois G. Grambling. They each drew what they thought a dinosaur could give his or her mommy for Mother’s Day. I love that Trinity branched out and drew her OWN dinosaur.

DINOSAURS

One more outside run in the evening and our week of fresh air got off to a grand start.

Fun in the sun

Tuesday we lucked out and found the park full of kids… a daycare or two was there (in home) and more than willing to play with us and share the mud turtle they found before heading off for their lunch. Apparently they usually go on Thursdays so now we have an unofficial playdate.

Park time, of course no pics of the other kids but it was FUN!

Such a beautiful day

Examining ants

We started Trinity’s very first lapbook based on Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. I added to the lapbook I found on line with a worksheet from Obseussed HERE. All of the kids listened in on the story and Trinity and I went on to work on the light lapbook. It is so fun talking to her about Mommies.

Trinity wrote about her Mommy…

We are working our way through penguins on the edge of things this week with our REAL focus on Mother’s Day.

Gotta learn those facts

So far… a couple interesting points about the beginnings of the official day, history, etc. It was actually a bit of a hunt to find information about Mother’s Day and its history. I lucked out and tracked down a copy of the much lauded lapbook from Live and Learn Press. I am going to make up a blog entry once again to combine all my resources.

Emanuel and his bit about his godmommy Xinny

I think I mentioned our robots previously… Here are the images. Thanks again Art for Kids!

ROBOTS

Oh and we updated our list of signs of spring!

Note the little turtle included thanks to Emanuel

We had a second outing in the sun, this time to the front yard!

Bubbles!

Nana and Baba also bought a fresh pineapple so the kids got to see one cut up in a rather unique way.

Pineapple!

And then the kids rounded off the evening with Castle Panic with Daddy and Baba.

Games again

The best of inside AND outside fun with learning to boot these past two days!

Shoes in a row

My 5

I want to say a special Happy Mother’s Day to our GodMommies – Darcy, Christine, Xinny, Karyn, Esther, Bree and Ada… Grandparents – Grandma, Nana, and Grandma Reinsch… Great Grandma – Great Grandma Rapp and all the other lovely ladies in our lives who have been such a loving support! OH and my godmother too! Aunty Lorraine… I hope Veronika has given you a special hug just from me!!!