Math fun

This has been the first week since summer started that we haven't had any activities going on for the week (VBS, summer camp, VBS, camping etc...).  The kids are already bored :-)  I find this amusing, since I know there are only 2 1/2 weeks left until we start the new school year.  (did I say that correctly?? I can't even BELIEVE the summer is going by so quickly!!).

Anyways, I pulled out some of my fun non-schooly books off the shelf and the kids came running to the table to see what I was up to.

We spent yesterday painting animal pictures and talking about color.  I drew the parrot (and Sammy helped), and Z and H did some sort of weasle. E did the Eagle, Peter did another Parrot and JP drew an apple with drums around it (LOL... he's always the one who's a bit different).

This morning I pulled out the book "Math Wizardry for Kids"  and we started with the first chapter on triangles and making a magic cat out of triangles.  Then we practiced measuring the angles with a protractor and finding out the secret of triangle angles.  We learned about hypotenuse, scalene, right angle, and isocolese (sp???) triangles.    I love this book. It's solid math, but the kids loved it and wanted to do more!!

 We also had an enormously fun time playing with a box of cornstarch and a whole lot of water.  What a mess, but my, it was fun.  I highly recommend it.  I have no idea why it behaves the way it does (guess we'll have to look into that for a chem lesson tomorrow), but the kids had a blast.

Crazy sweet little girl

She's on the move and growing faster every day.  She turned 4 months old last week, and is definitely mobile now.  It was cute last week, but now it's a little out of control.  First, I couldn't stop her from flinging herself over the side of her bouncy chair, and now she's pushing herself around the floor....  yesterday I found her eating a mermaid picture, today she was checking out the (broken) fireplace.    She went from squirming along on her belly, to actually getting up on her knees in half a day.

There must be something in the air around here, because all the kids are super mobile all of a sudden. Sammy was found on top of the new bunk beds (memories of my little snapdragon toddler a few years ago), and my eldest is on a sleepover and walking to the slurpee store all by herself. Stop the madness! They are growing up too fast!

baby... stop that! you are not supposed to do that yet!!!  Let's try acting like a normal four month old and lay on the floor and coo at your mobile.  

From the drafts folder: And he's off!!

This is timely... I was looking in my neglected 'drafts' folder and found this little gem.  I guess I can't be so slow in getting these memories down in this family... we're already onto the next baby crawling!! LOL  (also note that this was written on may 9, 2010... which means he was 7 months old.. not the crazy 4 that my new baby is)


Samuel learned how to crawl yesterday. He's been up on his hands and knees for weeks rocking back and forth but yesterday he finally figured out that if he moves his hands forward, he could start moving.

Now the sweet happy baby honeymoon is coming to a quick close... Out come the gates, the vacuum and the broom. Next, he will quickly move to conquering stairs, pulling things out of cupboards and off shelves. Next thing i know he'll be playing hockey in my kitchen with the other boys and hammering holes in my walls (don't ask). Oh sweet little baby, why are you growing so fast?

That was easy!

Last fall we bought the twins some run bikes for their birthday.  You might have seen them... they are little tiny bikes with no pedals.  The idea is that they can push themselves along with their feet, and glide forward.  This is supposed to help with developing the sense of balance needed to ride a two wheel bike without training wheels.

All year they could be seen riding up and down the sidewalks on our street, riding as fast as their little legs could push them.  They were quite the pair to be seen.  Being short for their age (4), they looked like two little toddlers zipping along...  in fact, just yesterday they scared a little old lady half to death as they zoomed by her on the way home from church.  She leapt out of their way with her hands in the air, muttering about 'hellions' and how worried she was about their safety.  (she obviously never raised twin boys).

Anyways,  yesterday they were hunting around in the shed and pulled out heather's old little bike (with pedals), and with a short 30 second lesson from their six year old sister Peter was off, riding a pedal bike!!

John Paul followed suit the next morning with a little push from Daddy and now they are tearing around the neighbourhood on big bikes looking very pleased with the increased speed.  Watch out!!