Feb 27, 2014

Jack's Homework

Clever assignment by his First Grade Teacher.  He had to create 10 math problems for one of his parents to solve.  So he created a test for his Dad and the answer key.  Gary passed...whew!  Can you?  :)



Feb 25, 2014

Puppet Theater

It might mean your child is a bit creative if you come home to find he built a puppet theater all by himself..including puppets! 


 He is working on his story...  Stay tuned!

Feb 24, 2014

Bronwyn Put the B in Bounce

Helping to roll up the bouncy house or hindering?  You guess!


Bouncy houses in February!  Washing toy cars and cleaning the garage.  Oh do promise me these are signs of Spring!


Just 200+ Days to Go

But that isn't stopping Bronwyn from thinking up her Birthday wish list.  I'd say she takes after her mother and is a Type A Crazy Planner if it wasn't for the abundance of evidence that says she just hasn't quite grasped time yet.  Case in point...an example from this morning:

Gary: Bronwyn are you ready for breakfast?

Bronwyn:  I told you I'm not eating this week!  I won't be hungry until tomorrow!

Back to her birthday list.  Today she spontaneously shared her wishes with us.

1.  A robot.
2.  A family of dolls that look just like mom, dad, jack and herself.
3.  A toy dog with a button that when pushed causes the dog to bounce down the stairs.  The dog must be large enough that she can ride on its back while it bounds down the stairs.

Good thing we have over 200 days...may take a while to find these ;)

Feb 16, 2014

Lessons from Legos

Thanks to Disney Lego, Bronwyn is becoming as much a fan of the small bricks as her big brother.  Together they built a princess village only to have Emmett from The Lego Movie and Bad Cop invade it!!!

This morning Bronwyn was fighting with Jack over which Lego man she was to be.  Who knew life lessons could be imparted through Lego play. 

Bronwyn: "I don't want him.  He's yellow!"
 
Jack: "Don't judge people by the colour of their skin, Bronwyn.  It doesn't really matter they deserve to be treated equally."
 
Bronwyn: "But he looks tired!"
 
Jack: "Just because he is yellow doesn't mean he is tired.  It's illegal to discriminate."

 HAHAHAHA!!!  Good for Jack.  Much better than teaching her how to burp on command.  Well done, big brother ;)
 
Cinderella's castle and Rapunzel's Tower.  So Stinkin' Cute!!!

The yellow guy in question...

Rare moments of peaceful play.  Thank you Legos ;)
 

Happy Valentine Day

Lego men are yellow
Creepers are green,
I Love You--I want to scream!
Forever be mine,
I'll forever be yours
people in Minecraft call sticks ores!
- Jack (1st grade)
 
 
Bronwyn made us all homemade Valentine with Nanna

Trying not to read anything into this gift...Nanna and Bronwyn made me a wine sleeve....
No deliveries due to the snow...so my loving husband ran out to ensure his girls had flowers.  Mine!


For Daddy's little Princess!

For Dad we made homemade cards.  Step One: Cut out border!

Step #2: with blue or gray markers, draw your secret love message.  Bronwyn drew Daddy and her (they are both wearing shade, fyi...under the sun!

Step 3: Conceal secret message with red, pink and orange scribbles.  We learned scribbles alone don't work as well as if you write messages on top of your secret love note :)

Step 4: Glue heart onto border and use secret decoder heart to read love message. 

We made the decorder by taping red celephane to a cut out heart.  VOILA!
 

Winterpalooza 2014

What can shut Atlanta down for three days? Cause Gary to eat brown eggs? And have Bronwyn convinced Queen Elsa (Ice Queen) is in the backyard?
 
SNOW!!!
 

First flakes fell Tuesday...



Took until Thursday for the ice to stop and a Winter Wonderland to be created!


How long until front yard covered with foot prints? 
Not long at all!  This snow was perfect for snowballs as Bronwyn quickly figured out.  Girls got an arm on her!!!
 
WHEEEEE!!!!!!


DOUBLE WHEEEEEEEEE!
 


My Snow Bunnies!
Snow days are best spent with friends...



and yummy hot chocolate!







Feb 11, 2014

Pax 2014

Jack is getting ready for the ice storm.  Caught him in his room building light circuits as he was concerned he didn't have enough flashlights.


Frozen Obsession Continues

Mark this date.  Go ahead...take a screen shot, get a pen, commit it to long-term memory.  Today I'm calling Bronwyn's first bonafide obsession.

Disney's Frozen (the movie)

The evidence?

1.  Day 37 Elsa Pajamas
Its been washed, don't scrunch your face like that!

2. Can list all Frozen hairstyles with corresponding song and dress.  Has attempted to duplicate all!  

3.  Creates Frozen Mashups in her sleep.  
She has separate voices for Anna and Elsa.  Good grief.

4. Believes 'the cold never bothered me anyway'
Day 57 of jacket boycott

5.  Shoves tissues up her sleeve to spontaneously shoot snow from hands
Went through an entire tissue box in 4 minutes...like some sort of princess-crazed spider man!

6.  Knows how to spell Anna and Elsa but she is unable to spell Bronwyn!

7.  Has planned her Frozen birthday party (for September.........) 

8.  Sleeps in her Anna costume...when Elsa pajamas are in the wash ;)

9.  For show and tell--she brought in a photo of her family with Anna and Elsa drawn in the background. 

10. Spontaneously burst into song, 'Let it go' at least 8082 times a day ;)

Feb 9, 2014

Greatest Show on Earth!

Three shows this weekend!  Which do you think was the greatest?

#1  Chess Match:  Ever seen a smart and active first grade boy play chess with another smart and active first grade boy?  Like watching two boys on pogo sticks, talking smack to each other while constantly checking each other's kings without even noticing.  Jack did win 3-0...so congrats to him.  Imagine how good he might be if he actually focused ;)

Jack and his Chess Mate ignoring all lessons on opening moves and going straight for the kill.

#2  The Lego Movie:  While we appreciated the previews  shown over the last 12 months...really, they could have saved their money--they had us with LEGO MOVIE! It would have seemed like some sort of emotional parental abuse to not take Jack to see this on opening weekend.  What we didn't expect was for the whole family to be wildly entertained.  I even shed a tear at the end. 

Clearly a two-hour Lego advertisement--but done so well we didn't mind going straight to the store and getting a few Lego toys ;) 

#3 Ringling Bros and Barnum Bailey Circus:  At one point I think Gary and I both were just a notch more enthusiastic than the entertainers themselves.  But, the kids thoroughly enjoyed it.  Jack's favorites were the human cannonball and the trapeze artists on bikes.  Bronwyn spent her time picking out which outfits she liked the best and wondering when the Lions were coming out.  She was not pleased with the Elephants and their smells--saying "I think THEY need a bath!"


Cotton Candy; Poppcorn and $20 circus toys that will be sold at the next garage sale for $.20 ;)




Feb 4, 2014

Jack's Jedi Academy Birthday Party

Better late than never...

I am overdue to post pictures from Jack's STAR WARS Birthday Party.  Queue music (da dum di dum dum di dummm...)

The young padawans joined us for Jedi Training Academy.  They resuced a carbonite Han Solo; fought off Darth Vadar; and learned how to use a REAL LIGHT SABER (ha hum...)  This party was so easy to put together and a whole lot of fun!  I was never a Star Wars fan but after watching both trilogies and preparing for this party I am slowing coming to appreciate the force!


Jedi Jack

The Decorations:
Foyer converted into Jedi Welcome Center ;)

Each Padawan picked up his light saber upon entering the Training Center
Jedi Robes for the Padawans (notice the cute Yoda decal)
Little surprise touches courtesy of Jack's toys ;)
Yoda Mirror Cling!
Light Saber napkin ring printouts and star confetti kept the table decorations low key!

 
The Food:
Best part of Star Wars party is naming the food...Yoda Soda; Droid Dip; Fruit Saber; Chewbacca Chips; Vadar Veggies and Padawan Popcorn.  Whimsical without even trying!
Yoda Soda is lime sorbet and Sprite.  Blue Sugar rimmed the glasses!
Popcorn in mini containers...so cute!!!
 The Sweets:

Wookie Cookies.  William Sonoma cookie cutters made this easy!
Simple Cake!


Easy peasy light Sabers.

 The Fun:
Our Master Jedi supervised the Padawans

While another Master Jedi trained the Padawans in the art of the Force! 


The graduating Padawans with their Trainer!

Ah...the new Jedi's refueled and look pleased!

Jack's best bud...Michael!

This Jedi gave the Training Academy two thumbs up...Check out his big gift...the Falcon (my fingers are still bleeding from helping to put it together....)


Happy Birthday Jack!  I can't believe you are SEVEN!!!  I am so PROUD of the young man you are becoming.  You are such an honest, responsible, sweet, considerate, thoughtful boy with a sly sense of humor, a playful personality and enough wit and logic to challenge most adults.  I love you Jack!!!! 

xoxoxo,
Mom