Category: Personal

Back home. Tired. Lots of pictures and video coming soon. What a magical place!

They are everywhere

…He’s anxious for a vaycay?

At a recent summer library day, I was reminded of this awesome gooey gunk that I was introduced to in first grade and hadn’t thought about since: Oobleck. At the library they had read some Dr. Seuss books and had some activities that involved Dr. Seuss themes (we LOVE our little library, ghetto though it may be!).

The recipe is: a small box of cornstarch ($1 at Walmart), a little bit of water, and a few drops of food coloring. Squish together with your hands, and observe how it feels solid at times, but then it feels runny when you hold it in your hands.

I remember seeing a Mythbusters episode where one of the redhead guys was able to run across a large vat of oobleck. So interesting and entertaining, even for adults! 🙂

My kids + friends played with the oobleck indoors, and although it just dissolves with water, it ended up splattered all over the walls and wiped on the ground, etc. Not ideal for a perfectionist mother. So the second and subsequent times we made it, I had them take it outside to play with it. SO oobleck is a great OUTDOOR activity, after which you can just hose everything down!

Also, there’s always good ol’ classic play dough, which is easy to make, play with and store in the fridge for a few months at a time, and then make some more if food ever gets mixed in with it.

If you ever have a really dirty kitchen to attack late at night before you go to bed, turn on some tunes to help it go by quickly! But keep them light and upbeat, because if any sentimental songs come on while you’re scrubbing dirty handprints off the counter, you’ll start to cry because you wish you were a better parent, and because your kids are growing up and you can’t quite remember how they were when they were tiny. And then the dishes you’re trying to wash will look very blurry.

Thanks to Ryan and google buzz, we went on the coolest little hike up Payson canyon. We had such a fun time even though the easy walk only took about 20 minutes. It took us longer to drive there then the hike but it was fun to play in the cool water and Chase and Charlotte loved it. McGrandparents came as well as our friends the Taegers. Ryan we’re ready for the next kid friendly hike! Enjoy the pics:

My kids like swimming, Charlotte was more of a sit around the pool and never get in the water type of girl. Chase wanted to jump in, over and over and over again. Begin pictures!

During our vacation, Chase attended a soccer day camp put on by the SSU Women’s Soccer team. It was 3 hours a day under the hot sun, and he played alongside “big” 5&6-year-olds, so I was glad he was willing to go every day. Overall, he had a good time, but he said he doesn’t like soccer anymore. I told him we’ll give it another try in the fall, and see if having some friends of the same age on his soccer team (and his own dad as a coach) doesn’t improve his outlook on the sport.

Pace enjoyed this small Father’s Day present. I just couldn’t resist these pancake molds I saw in the display window at Williams-Sonoma! Happy Father’s Day to all those wonderful fathers out there (including my own)!

Well it’s been almost three weeks without my family. It’s been nice, boring, relaxing, and boring. I’ve enjoyed actually watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, golfing with Dad, working late and sleeping uninterrupted, doing yard work all morning then sleeping off the sunburn, and exercising. I miss coming home and hearing, Daddy!! Dad’s home! I miss Joy’s cooking, nagging, laundry skills, cleaning, and kisses. I miss wrestling Chase and pretend wrestling Charlotte, singing at bedtime, and waking up in the middle of the night to tell Joy the kids need something. Well family, the break has been nice, and I’m looking forward to seeing you again! LOVE YOU!