Ruby Red Slippers

I was out "sacking" this week.  I'm not sure where that term developed, but it refers to hopping around to various Goodwill type stores in search of, well, whatever you are searching for and some things you aren't.  Ol' Mother Hubbard and I are throwing a shower this Sunday, and Rae and I in early fall, so I had a few items on my "sacking" list.  I found a beautiful dress-up dress and ruby red slippers.

Missy Bugg went straight from the car to the ruby red dress and shoes.  When her cousins arrived and were all appropriately decked out, they felt Aunt Lois was in need of yet another fashion show.

This lovely white number had a previous life as Ol' Mother Hubbard's Class Day dress.

Miss Linee was sure to spin and twirl so Aunt Lois could fully appreciate all aspects of her ensemble.

 All that finery barely fit in the dolphin swing, and climbing in with those slippers was quite a feat to behold.

 We had a little rain, enough to let the kids net some creek life.

Antebellie was ecstatic to find her first minnow.

Baby Giddy-up discovered the little creek, which led to through the troll tunnel to the new creek and was smitten.

 He was amazed that some of the kidlets left goodies on the snack blanket after story time. He is not one to let a good cookie go to waste.

 And this little Missy, continues to take it all in.

Wow, only two more summer Playdates.  Say it ain't so.

Jumping Off in the Deep End

I'm taking my first online class-an artsy, painting, sketching type of class. Hmmm.  I might as well just go on and say, I can't draw convincing stick people.  Painting typically results in more paint on me than the surface for which it was intended.  That paint and paper and brushes and stuff is not my strong suit.
By now you may be asking, "Well, why did you take the class?" And that would be a reasonable sort of question.
See, just because I'm no account at it doesn't mean I don't love it.  This class was given by this place in the northeast that does these way cool workshops in all types of art that I've long pined to experience. It's kind of pricey and faraway, so I figured this was the next best thing.
Then too, I started having my class do some sketching at the end of last year,  and I noticed that my children who struggled with perspective also struggled with math, which got me thinking.  Getting me thinking will always stir up trouble of some sort.  I will have the same kidlets again this year.  I wondered if I took them a little deeper with sketching, if, you know, it might cause some neurons to fire in their brains and create some easier paths for the math to take.  Who knows?
This was like my great idea to teach them to knit, due to all the research showing connections between learning and good hand and eye coordination. See, you agree it was a good idea, except that,  I couldn't knit. So, I got a book and taught myself enough to make a scarf, and I taught it to them.  Now, seven years later, I can still only make scarves.  Thankfully Gardener E. has taken many of my students farther than I've ever gone.

So, back to this class.  We started this week, and my homework was to set up my creative space with the million dollars worth of needed tools, and to establish an inspirational board.  That pink basket is filled with 8 oz jars of the recommended paint. Not what you buy from Crayola at Michaels just let me say.

 Okay, ready.
I actually loved having the proper push for the inspirational board.  I love, love, love little bits of stuff.  Often, there isn't time for turning the stuff into something,or, more honestly, I don't have a single notion what to turn it into,  and so it gets stashed here and yon. It was neat to pluck some ephemera, as the instructor calls it, from it's hiding place and give it a spot to be admired.  I realize no one will much admire it but me, but it does make me smile.

When I finished, I doodled around in my new sketch book with my new colored pencils.  Looks just like something you'd find in a fifth graders notebook, but it was fun.

I won't mind if I'm still not great at it, as long as I can bring something new to my classroom and gramerlings.  

Things and Ways to Love

There are so many things I love.  I love that my gramerlings and adopted family get to experience, here on Playdate, things that they really may otherwise never experience, or certainly not weekly.  How often is the age span in any situation 8 weeks to 92 years?  How often is it okay to just stay in your swim suit all day, paint yourself, sling mud, throw rocks, handle chickens and rabbits and crawdads, tadfrogs and mentos ( Buggs word for minnows)?  I love blessing them with such experiences and am thankful to the Good Lord for the space, energy and time to do it.
I miss though the one on one time.  When my grandparenting career began, I had two little fellows that I followed around and did everything they wanted to do. I didn't have to worry, because they were always with me. I absolutely loved listening to their conversations and frequently wrote them letters telling them all about their wee selves.  Now, I find with a chorus of 14 plus little voices, I can barely remember my own name at the end of Playdate, much less any of the many conversations I listened to.   My mental energy and focus goes to constantly counting heads to be sure no one has wandered off.

Recently I just had Bean and Bugg and we did some experimenting with water colors.

It was so fun to watch them playing around with mixing colors.  Art is slowly being removed from our public schools and I so want to give them these kinds of opportunities.

When Bean mixed this red he gasped and exclaimed, "Look, it's velvet. I made red velvet."  And so he had and my heart sang. 

Missy Bugg wanted to make Mommy a rose.

All three of us painted and discussed our art and discoveries and I loved it.

It just doesn't seem like there are enough hours in the day to have a lot of these experiences.  I might be willing to trade multiple short term sessions with Playdate, but I fear I wouldn't get any takers.  I tried to talk to Bean about doing things a bit differently and he claimed that he just couldn't even consider such a notion.  I guess I know what he loves.

What do you love?

All Things Yummy

After our big time at the museum, we headed across the street to an indoor playground.  Ugh, I hate when they are up so high. Bean and Bugg were not in anyway deterred however.

Bean and Bugg are up there somewhere.

We had supper there from Snappy Tomato Pizza.  I've never had that pizza, but we all liked it. It's the first time in a long time that I've had a pizza where the cheese stretched and stretched when you tried to bite off a piece.

Handy Man thinks beer is yummy- ewwwwww.

 Last stop was Zaharakos-Ice  Cream Parlor and Museum.  The museum part was fancy schmancy soda fountains from the late 1800's- really beautiful works of art.  Bean and Bugg where more impressed by the  Big Z sundae.

Mmmmm, time for ice cream.

I absolutely love this picture.

In addition to the the big bowl of ice cream, you received a boat of hot fudge and a boat of caramel sauce.  Let's just say Missy Bugg did some serious damage to that sundae.

Then this morning, we dug a few potatoes and along with our garlic, some onions and leftover ham, I made hash and it was so very yummy.

Heat Cancels Playdate

So hot, heat advisory, seeking someplace cool.  Handy Man and I headed to Kid's Commons with Bean and Bugg in tow.  It is really a well done children's spot.  I've taken Bean before, but Bugg had never been and couldn't wait to climb through the commode.  It's three floors of how a house works in the places you don't see. They learn about heat, electricity, plumbing, insulation, etc.  There are many, many other things to do as well as the Inside a House exhibit.

Down she goes!

Napping in the trailer.

Disappearing through the hidden passageway in the bookcase.

In Bubbleology

 I've spent quite a bit of time in various museums watching them try to completely envelope themselves in a bubble. This is the tallest on I've seen yet.

 Bugg at the tiptop.

 Bean climbing the wall.

Fun times.
I said, "Bugg, why do you have on a corduroy jumper that's a size too small in the middle of July?" She replied, "It is my Daddy's favorite colors."  Enough said.

Summertime Activity

Killer Kraut made by my Handy Man

 I do so love my garden flowers. I love when I pull in the drive and see them in the garden and try to hold that picture in my mind as I drive past the Playdate Yard of Disaster.  I also love to give them away.  Today's bouquets will go to Mom and Aunt Lois.

Let me tell you, these chickens are entertaining.

It Is A.............

And we used it today to do it's job.