Candy Land Birthday Party!

 

Today was Joseph’s kids birthday party.  This is the second year I have done a theme and I really do have a bit too much fun with it ;-)  I went crazy with Candy Land (one of Joseph’s very favorite things).  This was most of the spread.

 

 

The kids made necklaces out of cereal.  Joseph loves projects like this and I was really surprised that all his guests also seemed to have fun with it (well ok the girls did outlast all the boys except for Joseph). 

 

I was also happily surprised that the kids didn't seem to have any problem waiting till after eating to hit the candy bar.  They all got a little bag and had fun filling it up.

 

Next was the piñata.  No one got wacked.  Everyone took turns and stood in line.  And everyone got candy and games (little tiny tic-tac-toe games and packs of cards were my favorite finds).

 

Going in for the loot.

 

My FAVORITE: The cake!  I have to say I am pretty proud of how this came out.  It is my first real cake project.  It did take hours and I stayed up way late, but it was totally worth it.

Also love the hand decorated presents!

Opening presents

 

And lots of playing

 

Hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

Been busy :-)

the new green leaves against the springtime sky; dandelion fields, young grass, long-awaited sunshine, picnics and playtime

More of the unexpected milestones

The first time your child:

• leaves some unexpected masterpieces on your walls 
• goes to their room when you say to 
• makes their own breakfast, which in this house is peanut butter and jelly
• checks their library books out by themselves
• asks you what a word means
• tells you exactly what they think about the fact you are making plans that do not include them
• gives their own hair a trim
• turns down a kiss ;-(
• is the oldest somewhere
• can really actually play catch
• cuts a picture of a desired item out of a catalogue
• tells you they hate you
• says you are their best friend
• begins to wash and brush their hair and teeth on their own
• asks about why someone is different (“talks funny”)
• catches you telling a polite little lie
• is big enough you can start cooking with hot sauce again
• goes to a funeral
• wipes themselves
• asks if they are going to die
• tries a bike without training wheels
• eats your pickles
• spontaneously and sincerely tells you they love you

Spring is really here!

We made our last run of syrup.  Joseph even got to stay up late a few times to boil!  We made 4 gallons this year and had lots of fun again. 

 

Joseph has been very into birds lately.  When we head out first thing in the morning Joseph always chats with the birds.  Sometimes he draws them pictures when he is at school because he misses them.  And we rigged these birdfeeders for our friends enjoyment.

 

Brad sold the old tractor and got a new “Big Green Tractor”

 

Spring walks are always special

 

AND—meet Bean, our newest calf.  He was born here in Shoreham on April Fools Day and saved from the big sale because the farmer’s kids liked him. 

 

Brad and Joseph broke out their shorts

 

New frogs came to visit

 

The view out my kitchen window

 

A visit to Chuckee Cheese yesterday  with the cousins

Bogie and Bean hanging out for the first time today

 

nope, that is not going to work, but glad that they are getting along

How fast things change

The day after my last post Joseph drew this masterpiece depicting Jonny, Tonny, and Ronny (dad, mom, and son) at their house.  They each have a little bed upstairs, there is a fireplace, stairs, and some windows.  The sun is shinning and their goat is outside and a calf inside (yes, we have a new calf and no, we have not so far brought any bovines inside).   I just think it is adorable.  It is also exciting because this is one of the very few things that he really likes to do by himself.  I believe this was created while I showered and got ready for work.  We are having lots of fun with art lately.  I must add that the almost four-year-old whining, grumpiness, demanding, cunning, sneakiness (like hair cutting when my back was turned), difficult questions (is everyone going to die? so you are going to die? and me too? was I really a seed in your tummy? how did I get there?), challenging social intricacies are not always so fun . . . let’s just say it was a multiple time-out kind of day, with some sweet moments mixed in. 

The HUGE piles of pictures and projects in our house

So, just after my last post, of course winter came back to visit, but I’ve already blocked that out and we had some beautiful spring weather today.  Anyways, I have been meaning to post forever about Joseph drawing and being creative.  It has been so much fun watching Joseph’s changing and evolving creativity.

 

It was only about a year ago that Joseph first drew a picture that actually resembled something.  This was last March and he drew it at his old school (“Sarah’s”).  I was shocked at the time.  He was so proud he posted it on the door :-)  It depicts our family.

Only last summer that he wrote his first letter (the H’s)

And only this past fall he first wrote his name.

This Christmas was the first time he really drew something besides a face that looked like its subject (a reindeer)

Now here are a bunch of current pictures:

The Easter bunny

 

A bird (it really really is spring!)

 

Star Wars (he has some Star Wars legos)

 

(He labeled this himself!  He is not breaking any records in learning to write, but it is neat to witness.  Only very recently did he begin writing things besides his name.  Now he very often asks how to spell words and even knows some letter/sound correspondences.)

A plan for the house he planned to build with the play tools and blocks at school

He also LOVES making projects of different kinds. I have put many of them on here, but some of the most endearing are actually the projects he comes up with one his own.  He loves cutting and taping and is always making new things.  He has always wanted sugary cereals that we won’t buy him, so finally he decided to cover the jar we keep granola in with paper and drawings of Shrek so he could have his own Shrek cereal.   Just the other day he saw the sweater I was knitting, and after I wouldn’t let him help on the real one, he decided to make his own.  He ended up making a vest for each of us! 

This is all lots of fun and it is amazing to watch the fast pace of changes.  All this creativity has also been a big problem for my clutter issues.  It was only very recently that I was finally able to actual recycle some things.  So hopefully it will help to preserve some of the memories on here!

Signs of spring ;-)

  

the sap is flowing!

syrup!!

 

popsicle picnic with friends (followed by swinging, digging, trucks, and hours in a huge puddle, while us mommas knitted in the sun)

mud, mud, dirty, dirty

 

car washing

maple flavored everything

 

is it a lake?  a wildlife sanctuary?  nope, our neighbor’s flooded farm field

completely covered in geese (or ducks??)  (pictures do not even begin to convey how beautiful this, and the many other similar fields in the area, are)

animals loving life in the sun

 

checking the fence (and other outside chores)

 

walks and lots of play

and love in the air ;-)  (this is what I found in J’s pocket while doing laundry)

Potty talk

There is A LOT of this in our house right now.  Has been for quite some time (well, actually ever since I have known Brad actually, but now it is multiplied since J inherited his sense of humor).  Here are two little stories we found humorous:

The other day J was sitting on the potty and called me in.  “Look mom,” he said.  “It’s a happy guy!”  (I was dying with laughter, which of course encouraged him.) “He has a party hat on.  He’s going to a party . . . “  And some crazy story about Mr. Peepee going to a party ensued.  I was laughing too hard to remember it all. 

Another incident happened a while back, and Brad has always thought I should post it here.  Brad and I were looking at the computer in our room while J sat on the potty in the attached bathroom.  Suddenly the door opened, a sock with poop on it flew out, and the door closed.  No explanation.  Hmmmm.  “What is that?”  Brad yelled.  J answered calmly, “it happens.”  HAAAAAAAA!  It too funny too stay mad.

Lots of deliberate potty jokes also occur.  J’s current favorite is to blame his gas on someone else.  “You farted mom!” is about the funniest line ever to him.  Just before bedtime tonight Brad and J went on an extended songwriting gig about sitting on the potty set to the tunes of his Pete Seeger CD.  It goes on and on.  Well, laughing is good (even when crass)!