Learning Fun

 

We're trying to work a little learning into our summer fun these days. Recently, the boys spent a week learning about bugs. We read lots of books about bugs, and their favorite was Old Black Fly. We sang songs such as "Itsy Bitsy Spider". Wyatt attended a local parks program where he got to hold a mealworm and a beetle. We looked for bugs around our yard, and we sure did find lots! And to wrap it all up, we did some flyswatter painting. As you can see in the picture above, the boys enjoyed using a flyswatter to create an interesting splatter painting. It was a fun way to end our weeklong study of bugs!

Another learning theme we studied recently is dinosaurs. We read books like Dinosaur Days and I am a Dinosaur. We also talked about differences and similarities between the dinosaurs. The highlight of the week was hosting a Kids' Book Club for some of our MOMS Club friends. We read a book, dug for dinosaur bones and had lots of fun cracking open some dinosaur eggs, as you can see in the picture above.


We plan to continue our learning themes, and we'll definitely be having some fun along the way!

Summer Bucket List: Picnic

 

What happens when you have a picnic on the deck with two little guys? Well, some eating does occur.

 

Not everyone eats off of his own plate, though.

And some eating is done on the run.

 

And some food ends up on the table and the deck. (It's okay, though, Mommy, because the dogs will eat it!)

Oddly enough, they both ate more food during the picnic than they usually eat at the kitchen table! And the cleanup was waaaaaaay easier.

We'll definitely have to make this a weekly tradition. And maybe next time we'll try a picnic on a blanket in the yard. Bring on the ants!

Touch a Truck

Can you guess where Wyatt is standing in this photo? If your guess was "on the rear of a Rumpke truck" you're right! That look on his face makes it seem that he's standing there, fast forwarding twenty years; that's right where he wants to be.

Mr. Colby was drawn to the fire truck. He climbed up all by himself and spent a good amount of time prowling around inside. Who knows what he was thinking! Probably something along the lines of "What can I find in here to jump off of?"

 

The boys each got the opportunity to see big trucks up close at a Touch a Truck event last week. They even got to see a medical helicopter land just a few yards away! It was a very fun day for them, and Mommy and Daddy had fun watching the boys' reactions to seeing big things they usually only read about in books. 

Summer Bucket List: Flub's Ice Cream

Thanks to Pinterest, Mommy got the crazy idea in her head that we needed a Summer Bucket List. One of the items on the list was a trip to the local ice cream stand, Flub's. We've lived here for six years now and we've never been there, despite hearing great things from friends. So we packed the boys in the car on a sweltering evening and headed out for pre-dinner dessert.

Wyatt settled on a cup of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles, while Colby insisted on "Choc-wat" ice cream.

 

Mommy and Daddy had knock-off Reese Cup Blizzards.

 

The ice cream was indeed yummy, and Wyatt finished most of his cupful.

 

Colby, on the other hand, ate a couple of bites and decided he was done with it.

 

 Perhaps he was distracted by the train tracks and rocks next to the picnic tables.

 

 Of course, big brother had to join in. And Daddy regaled us with stories of his youth with many days spent running and riding down the tracks.

Perhaps Mommy should add "Run down some railroad tracks" to the Summer Bucket List!

Two Years Old

Mr. Colby, is it even possible that you are two years old? When Mommy and Daddy think about all the things that you can do, we must admit that, yes, you are indeed growing up. You can ride your trike like there is no tomorrow. Who needs pedals when you can paddle yourself along with your little feet and coast along at crazy speeds? This is absolutely one of your favorite outside activities (and it is also one of many things that makes Mama want to place you in a coat of bubble wrap for protection!).

At the age of two, you have absolutely hit the "I can do it myself!" stage. You actually say "all by myself!" whenever you finish doing something independently, and it is very cute to see your pride in yourself. One thing you INSIST upon doing on your own is get into your carseat. Mommy and Daddy have to wait for you to crawl into the SUV, crawl up onto the seat, do a little dance, and then flop into the seat itself. It's quite a laborious process, but we know it's important to let you build your confidence with skills like these. 

 

We've come to think of you as part monkey, part kangaroo these days, Mr. Colby. You will climb onto and/or jump off of anything. Steps, patios, decks, rocking toys, bags of topsoil, tables, chairs, your brother, your daddy, beds, stepstools, buckets, slides, etc., have all been used as "jumping off points" by you. It seems you are absolutely fearless when it comes to jumping. Perhaps you have a future as a skydiver? (Again, Mama wants to clothe you in bubble wrap!)

 

We love you for so many reasons, little Colby. We love your little voice and the funny expressions you use, such as "I do too, too" and "my favorite!" We love to watch you interact with your brother, even when you antagonize him by insisting that you, not he, will drive the garbage truck someday. We know that you'll drive a "Backhoe! Backhoe! Backhoe!" someday, anyway. We love to see your fondness for reading. You wowed Mommy recently by reciting some pages of a library book from memory. 

We're so happy to have you in our lives, Colby, and we look forward to seeing all the new things you'll do in the coming year!

Happy Birthday, Colby!

Two years ago today, we were blessed with a bouncing baby boy. He is cuddly, sweet, and rambunctious. Happy Birthday, little Colby! We love you more than words can say!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Danielle!

We love you, miss you, and hope you have a wonderful day!