Nelson Atkins Art Museum

After reading about different types of art we decided to go explore an Art Museum. We looked at colors, textures, form, lines and much much more.

Tekla - We saw a LION! statue
We saw two monsters; they were brown.
I saw people with 1,2,3,4,5 arms. (Shiva)
Tekla also told Grandma a creative and detailed story about a painting (a mountainscape).

Jael - Two statues looked mean and scary. (Same as Tekla's monsters)
There was a statue that was called "The Thinking" (The Thinker)
i drew a still life. A pot with flowers in it.

Saoirse - experimented with sound and echoes in all the big rooms!

Our other findings include:

Personal reflextion

Texture

Still life

Form

Mommy's Day Off

While on our month long sabatical to Grandmas' houses(while Daddy was gone on a work related trip), Grandma and Grandpa S treated me to a "Mommy's Day off" complete with a bubble bath in the jetted tub and nothing to do (except make rolls for dinner).
While I was enjoying the day off they took the girls to Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, follewd by a park, lunch then home for a quiet time.



Jael: We saw a bunch of ...
I caught some animals - green crickets
I got a leaf with eggs
I saw deer tracks on the sidewalk


Tekla: I saw the creek water
We picked no flowers (we know how hard that is for a 3yo)
We heard birds


Saoirse: poked Papa's head with a stick
walked on the overlook deck - and wanted off!

National Zoo (Take 1 and Take 2)

As our regular weekend outting with Daddy we decided to go to the National Zoo. Jael wanted to see the flamingos, Tekla wanted to see the giraffes, and Daddy wanted to see the gorillas. Unfortunately, everyone was too tired and short tempered to see much more than a few animals. We did see some zebras up close, got a short glimps of the pandas, and went to the bird house. In the aviary, a bird tried to atack the stroller but, Daddy our hero with steel toed boots, kept him away from little oneswho were very interested but worried. We did make it to see the flamingoes and that was the highlight we had to end on. By that time... It was just time to go.

Later in the week, some friends (Mommy and her 3 little girls) called and asked if we would like to go to the zoo with them. So we tried it again and were able to see many more animals! We saw lions and tigers, prarie dogs, seals, elephants, pigmy hippos, capybaras, apes, monkeys, lemurs, and even got to listen to a zoo keeper talk about a type of porcupine while it was being fed. Unfortunately, I forgot to take the camera and we forgot to recap our favorite points on the way home. Everyone was exhausted by the time we got home, and the next day was simply a day of recovery for both families (esp. the Mommies who had to push the strollers up the BIG hill). It was fun but I think we'll be going in cooler weather next time.

Go'in to the zoo, zoo, zoo!

Daddy and the girls went to the Columbus Zoo with Uncle N and Aunt M. They were hot, tired and hungry when it came time to recap, so all I can tell you is they had fun.

Big Rocks and Wispering Water

Our excursions this week took us to Great Falls National Park. After a quiet picnic lunch we set out on the trail along the river. Little fingers found sand to play in, feet found mud to squish in, eyes found butterflies and flowers, and ears listened to the whispering of the water. At the visitor center the girls were able to look at and touch pieces of nature. They also had an exhibit explaining how they were able to get boats from above the falls to the lower river. Best of all, the girls got to climb rocks; big massive boulders as big as Daddy or bigger! Tekla's fine tuned motor planning did her well.

Battle at Manassas...

Battle of the wills...or...Run of the Bulls...or...Just a Long Day
Whatever title suits you.



We spent our family day at the farmers market and Manassas museum. Regardless of any hardheadedness on any ones part, we had a good day.

Daddy: "I saw a butterfly statue."
"Jael hid behind a bush so well we couldn't find her. She did a good job coming out when she was asked too."




Mommy set me in the grass and it tickled My feet.




Cannons. They had holes in them and were pointing dat way! (with infliction and gestures that simply cannot translate into typed words)
We saw a park too. I did not slide down.
I saw a candle maker (form to pour wax into)
I ate yummy cheese with sticks in the bottom (farmers market samples)




I was hiding [at the park] when daddy came. I was in the tunnel that was all red inside.
I got to draw a fly, it was black with wings, and a bee.
I got a book mark because I didn't touch. It was my surprise. (from the museum curator)
We saw cards (playing cards from civil war era)
There were some jars on the counter with money in them.
We got corn (on the cob to cook)
We got to go to Red Robin twice (1st one was not open to public yet)




The End

Pat and Nat - by Jael

Pat and Nat were packing up to go outside to have a picnic. There were some friends. One was a beaver and one was a turtle, and another was a rabbit. Their picnic was salad and frozen vegetables. The dessert was apple pie and pumpkin pie.
The End

Goldilocks - By Tekla

Goldilocks saw some soup and the bears went over to walk. And the bears wanted to go. She eat it all gone. She go up stairs and go to sleep. And also, the bears sat down to talk. And also the bears went to go to the van.
The End

Speeding on...or not.

All decked out with helmets and pads on their new (or new-to-them)cycles. Jael and Tekla have been working hard to learn how to pedal down the side walk. (We finally put on training wheels because Mommy's back just couldn't take it any more.) Scrapes and Bruises abound, they are doing a great job and being very persistent.

This week's creative writing...

ONE by Tekla
Eeore was looking at the grass and Rabbit was there. Hohi was not there. Pooh was behind Christopher Robin. Owl was there too. They were talking. Owl was flying. Pooh is beside Piglet. They ran out of milk. Piglet had a straw-let. Gol-i-go, Piglet didn't have socks to go with, or to, or tie. Oh-hi!
The end.

(Can you guess what book she was looking at?)


The Book of National Stories by Jael
Once upon a time, there was a cat and a rat. The rat was smacking the rat in the head with a stick and the rat was on the windowsil and the cat was reading a newspaper.
The end.

(These are original narration. No parent-ization given.)

"...Like a giant wall!"

On our regular outing with Daddy, Saturday, we went to Fort Washington Park. We walked along the waters edge to the lighthouse then up to the fort to have a look around.
Highlights
Jael:
We saw cannons...
got on a cannon and took a picture...
we saw ocean (actually the bay)...
it [the fort] was really huge, like a giant wall.
Tekla:
We see a house (Officers quarters)...
and some wheels (Daddy showed the girls how they used the wheels and track to aim the cannon)...
saw a wall (outer wall of the fort)...
a biggerest boat (a tour cruse that came close to the fort)...

Saoirse (in accordance to Daddy):
I saw an osprey.

Beauty and brains!

Ok, I am still working on this post, just give me time... Proud mama vidieos... My narrator...

My communicator...

My philosopher...

Adressing Gettysburg

While Mommy had a meeting, Daddy decided to take girls around Gettysburg National Military Park. When it was all said and done, these were the girls highlights:
Jael: "We have seen guns, battlefield guns" (miming the action of cocking and shooting)
"Saw two hands and a face of a man made out of stone" (cast of Abe Lincoln)
"Saw jackets that had buttons and a jacket that had the buttons fall off because it was really too old."
"We walked in the leaves"(Along a wall near McMillan Woods)
"We talked" (about not throwing/kicking sticks)
"We got to sit on a cannon"(Reynolds Avenue)
"We got to run up a hill"
"I skipped like a Ballerina"
"We climbed a mountain" (Big Round Top)
"We Switched roads" (Jael went the direct route while Tekla, Daddy, and Saoirse took the paved switchback path)
"I (Jael) tried to kick a little tree down"
"We saw a stone wall (solders defense,the girls went up and looked over it like soldiers would have)

Tekla: "Actually saw the battlefield"
"We saw a hand" (prosthetic arm)
"We ran in the grass"
"knocked flowers off a monument" (then had a talk about respect)

We started doing Chore Packs a few days ago. These are simple sets of cards in a holder that the girls clip to their clothes. Each card has on it a number and a chore that the girl is to do in order. They have a morning one that includes making bed, going to the bathroom, brushing teeth and other personal chores. Then they also have chores, such as sorting laundry, emptying the dishwasher and folding diapers or socks, that they do for the family. So far these packs have been good for reminding me what chores the girls should do every day (and I have one too). The girls are getting better about changing to the next chore, but I do have to keep reminding them to stay on task. This is particularly challenging with Tekla as she has a tendency to break into a song and dance every time she turns around.

While the house is not spotless, it is definitely closer to being tidy than it has in a while and on a more consistent basis. We'll see if this continues to be true when David is home. Since we started this he has been home less than 24 hours, and while I do not plan on him doing a chore pack, he is one more person living in the space to keep clean. Then again, when I left hem to do bedtime chores with the girls while I went grocery shopping, he did do a great job encouraging them and keeping them on task.

The girls are also developing good habits of taking care of themselves and helping around the house. I can see adding more chores to our schedule in the future as they get better at keeping them selves on task, moving directly from one chore to another. I have hope of having a not-so-chaotic looking house someday.

At this point, Saoirse dose not have a pack of her own. I figure she should probably learn to walk first...and maybe learn to follow direction too.