Playing Catch-Up

It is time to play a bit catch up on the blog as I have not gotten the time to post some pictures in a while. For the past 2 weeks, I feel like all I do is catch-up on everything. Somehow the days are flying by...The #blogtemberchallenge is fun but also takes up time. So instead of posting a favorite recipe today, I will post what we have been up to lately. While Derrick was gone on a business trip the week before last, the kids and I stayed busy by doing fun things in the afternoons. One afternoon we visited the playground and the kids made quickly friends with two other girls and were imagining to be pirates at high seas:

While it was very hot outside (still in the 90s F here), we decided it is best to stay indoors. So we visited the local library twice that week. On Thursday, they had a project afternoon and the kids learned about the 3 R's- reduce, recycle, reuse. Since it was only my two kids there, it was very tailored to them. They listened to stories about recycling and each made their own poster board out of recycled materials.

We also played dress-up at home, puzzled, read stories, colored and created new words with our banagrams. 

Captain Underpants and his loyal subjects (Amelia dressed me up like a doll):

That same week, Elliot had his first play-date at a local gymnastics place. For one hour, the kids were allowed to run around and try out everything in the gym: trampolines, balance beams, the vaults, and the floor mats. Of course, Elliot and his new little friends had a ball: 

By Friday evening, we were all exhausted and happy that our main man, aka my hubby, was back home. We spent the weekend doing some chores around the house, volunteering at the local consignment sale, and spending some one-on-one time with the kids. While Elliot and Derrick were at the park, we girls grabbed our paintbrushes and got creative. Amelia made some pretty pictures and I'm working on a sign for our front door. 

My favorite picture of the week, even though it is blurry:

During the week when Amelia is in school, Elliot loves to spend some one-on-one time with me. Often I don't take the time and stop to play with him but this week, I made an effort to spent at least 30 minutes a day just focusing on him. It takes effort but is so worth it... for both of us. 

He is reading his train books to me

Coloring our little hearts  out

On Wednesday morning, we had another MOPS play-date at a nearby park. The playground was awesome but it was oh so hot. Elliot enjoyed eating his picnic lunch under the shaded shelter and playing catch with his friends while the moms enjoyed chatting a bit.

Since I like to be involved in my child's schooling and help out around the school, I agreed to be the room mom for Amelia's class room. A room mom is the liaison between the teacher and parents and helps out with events and fundraisers. Since the decorations in her classroom lack a bit, I decided to try my hand at a Fall door decoration. I think it came out pretty good. The kids and her teacher loved it. And Amelia was so proud of it because she helped me glue on the leaves (which have the names of all her classmates on them).

Over the past 2 weeks, we enjoyed the company of a new house guest. When I bought a basil plant for my kitchen, I noticed that a caterpillar came with it. So we scooped him up and made him a new home. He ate and ate and ate (my poor basil and parsley plant where his favorite food) and about 10 days ago he turned in to a chrysalis. The kids checked every day on their house guest and yesterday, a butterfly (it looked more like moth) had emerged from the chrysalis and was sitting on the sticks. So when Daddy got home, we all released him. This was a great learning experience for the kids about the cycle of life and we found us already a new roommate to occupy the glass jar.

As you can tell, our past two weeks have been quite entertaining and by the end of the week, we all are usually exhausted. So since Amelia had started school in August, we created the tradition of having an indoor picnic and a movie on Friday nights. The kids love it and it all keeps us calm and happy and the drama to a minimum. 

Happy Weekend to you all!