End of the School Year Gifts

A parent in Bailey's class suggested we all get together for Teacher Appreciation Week and for the End of School gift. We all pitched in some cash and for Teacher Appreciation Week the kids made a card and brought flowers for the teachers and on one day a parent picked up Starbucks for breakfast and on another day someone delivered lunch. For the end of the school year gift each child was to decorate a sheet of paper and dictate something about each teacher and all the pages will be bound together. (And they'll each also get a gift card.) Well, she has four teachers so we've been working hard today on four pictures. (One teacher is also leaving this year so we had to make another page for another book for her too) She made ladybugs and butterflies - her two favorites! Well, four pictures pretty much took up most of our day.

First we mod podged tissue paper on card stock.

Bailey cutting out a leaf that her ladybug will sit on.

Gregory making ladybug spot stickers

Here's what Bailey's ladybug and butterfly looks like.
(The parent who's putting this together printed
each child's name on card stock.)

And we're done!
Added the dictation portion, Bailey's signature and her photo.
Now we need to remember to take them with us to school Tuesday!

Art and Wind Festival

Every year we go to the Art and Wind Festival in San Ramon. They have a bunch of vendors selling their wares, lots of food booths and crafts for the kids. They also bring in these amazing kite fliers! (which is why we go) We pack a picnic, find a nice spot on the grass and enjoy the show. Daddy also usually buys a bag of kettle corn and we may roam around a bit, but basically we just go to see the kites. Great fun for all of us.


Today's picnic - Spam musubi, cherries, apricots, mini gyoza & sugar cookies for dessert!


See these mini gyoza?! Aren't they cute? They are dairy and egg free! and quite delicious!!


The kids enjoying lunch


Mi familia showing me they can all curl their tongues (I can't)


This was a two person act


Gregory resting on my lap


Bailey making a funny face


Mommy and Gregory going to catch some candy


Here comes Bailey


Here's the kite that drops the candy. You can't really tell by the picture, but the kite is HUGE!

Our Tabletop Science Project

We've been working on a few tabletop science projects this spring, but only one is actually working. We tried to start a pineapple plant, but it got moldy. We also tried to grow beans in a jar with paper towel, but boy did they stink! And we also started an avocado seed in a glass. And guess what! It finally sprouted a tail! (as Gregory tells me)

Can you see it? Can't wait to see if we'll be seeing leaves by summer!

Meadowlark Art Show

Tonight Bailey's preschool had it's Art Show. Daddy came home early so we could all go and enjoy Bailey's five mounted masterpieces! The teachers had everything beautifully displayed and we enjoyed hunting for Bailey's works. After we walked around and saw the art the kids played for a bit on the playground. It was getting WILD out there with all those kids on apple juice and cookies so we decided to come home. (Plus the Lakers are playing tonight so you know where Clark wanted to be!)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Splishing and a Splashing!

Well, I hope the weather we've been having this weekend isn't any indication of how hot our summer is going to be. It's 12:43pm and it's already 97 degrees outside! It was already warmer outside than inside our house when we woke up so after breakfast the kids and Daddy went outside to play in the water. Daddy filled up their mini pool and our water table was already filled from yesterday. I think they spent a good hour and a half outside playing in the water! Got too hot so they had to come inside, but they are looking forward to the weather cooling off a bit so they can go back outside. (They are also waiting for the LAKER game to end. I'm hoping for a loss, so we can end this madness, but since Clark will be in a bad mood the rest of the week..."Go Lakers!")

Daddy soaking his feet

My little man took a header into the water.
I rushed out when I heard him crying and
asked if he was okay and he told me
he would feel better if he had a Skittle.

Teacher Appreciation Card

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and tomorrow the kids in Bailey's class are going to bring the teachers a card and a flower from their garden. Today we made our card. We made finger print flowers and mod podged a tissue paper vase. I love how it turned out! Gregory made a larger version so he could join in the fun too.

(Note to self: Remember to close the blinds when taking pictures!)

Bailey's Card

Gregory's picture

Our garden update...

We planted our second round of lettuce and it's looking pretty good! Gregory can't wait to have a salad. Our strawberries are also looking great. We've picked four (very small) berries so far!

Celebrating Mother's Day in Stockton

Today we went to Stockton to celebrate Mother's Day. We drove down after lunch and the kids had a great time swimming in the (freezing cold) water with Daddy. Dinner was yummy as always and we all had a great time playing, laughing and chatting. Smilebox slide show to follow. The show loops so hit the "X" in the upper right corner to exit.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Wednesday Field Trip

Daddy took the day off so he could watch the kids this afternoon while I went to the doctor. He had planned to work on the cabinets while we were at therapy this morning. But therapy was cancelled, so we decided to take the kids to the zoo.

We thought we'd be the only ones at the zoo, but again we ran into field trip day with a bunch of elementary school kids. The kids (our kids) were still able to see their favorite animals, use their zoo keys (the highlight of zoo trips these days) and ride the merry-go-round.

It was a fun morning and they always love having Daddy around.

We hunt for zoo key boxes instead of looking at the animals

Bailey brushing the goat

Gregory watching from afar with his brush

Bailey in the tree house

Bailey on the rhino

Gregory on the cheetah

Ladybugs

This month, Bailey is learning about bugs at preschool and today they had a ladybug hunt. She caught and brought home ten ladybugs! She wanted to keep them in the cup to show Daddy, but they weren't looking to happy. So we released them after lunch. She tells me hunting for ladybugs was the favorite part of her day today.