Pool Fun

Jump!

 Baby Woolinda--she's done this since she was a year old!  A bit more strain on Daddy's arm at 4 years, though!

 Beck loves pulling me by my feet around the baby pool.

Nametags all around

Quinn is a textbook emergent-literacy kid.  By that I mean that her literacy awareness is unfolding/developing naturally exactly like it was described in my college literacy-methods textbook.   So much fun to observe her growth, and really we are not doing much to prompt her along except tons of read-alouds (both picture books and chapter books), lots of opportunities for writing and drawing and a print-rich environment.  And we spell a gazillion words a day, at her request.  :)  Her latest kick is making everyone nametags.  All family members, pets, her dolls and stuffed animals....I made her some little strips with everyone's names on them to copy so that I didn't have to spell Alie 3 times a day.  Here are her self-made nametags.

Morning Tablework

 tonging pompoms

 geoboard (rubberbands on pegs to make designs)

 clipping

 colored washers on pegs--he can sort them by color!

 squeezing water from sponges with citrus press

 squeezing water with fingers

Dress Up--all around!

Friday morning I sent Quinn to her room to get dressed.  Remember that on "home days" she gets to choose whatever she wants to wear, which is always interesting.  Lately it's been a dress with a skirt under it.  This particular time she comes in with an armful of her favorite animals--all dressed up quite fine!  She showed me Rispin and Ms. Mouse then said, "And wait till you see Pickels, he looks LOVELY!  He has on a beautiful dress." 

After the photo I told her to take the animals back down to her room and Beck snatched up Ms. Mouse, wanting to help with the relocation.  He walked with her in his arms saying, "Heaby.  Heaby," and grunting.  (heavy). 

Tacos, Bats and Ice Cream, Hurrah!

Sunday night we had a fun evening!  First we met friends at the most delicious taco place ev-uh!  Quinn ADORES their salmon tacos and is outraged all taco establishments don't offer salmon.  I love the crazy tacos-of-the-month, and June is an asian-inspired taco with sriacha sauce (I love saying that word, but not spelling it.)  It's the second time I've had it in June, if you want the truth. :)  One member of our family MIGHT have eaten 3 tacos to my 1....

Then we headed downtown for the Waugh Street Bridge (not technically DOWNTOWN proper...but that direction).  There was running, hill-rolling, frisbee throwing-and-catching, and all sorts of outdoor enjoyment had by all.  

Here's my girl showing off her bat shirt that we made for the occasion.  

 

 

There were some crazy blue trees (art?) that someone had to climb.  Then got blue hands, which were rubbed all over her skin, her skirt....madness, I tell ya!

She was a little concerned walking over the overpass.....

 

The bats were already flying around under the bridge when we got there.  

 

 

Walking over with the Matt's to check out the other side of the bridge.

 

Watching with Shannon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the show was great!  There were TONS of bats!  Honestly the bat part was better than the Congress St bridge in Austin because you can see so much better and it's way less crowded (see above picture).  However there is something to be said about the atmosphere in Austin...there were definitely no leashed pigs and far less body piercings at the Houston bat venue.  We didn't take bat pics because it was dark when they came out.  I do have some video to upload at some point, though.  We were excited to actually see bats (we DO have a history....).  

 Afterwards there was some Amy's in store.  Q ate no-sugar-added chocolate like a champ!  And I have pics of Beck eating his peanut butter ice cream that I will have to find and post!

Here are some pics Shannon took and sent me!  So I am in them!  Yeaa!

Monday is bread day.

 

 

We made "sun bread" (wheatbread in the shape of a big sunshine) to celebrate the beginning of summer. 

From Q's purple marker....

She's on the phone.

At least the vacuum that's been sitting in my living room for a week is getting SOME use. ;)

Sidenote:  I had seen her going to the vacuum occasionally for phone calls and knew I wanted a picture, so I casually mentioned "I think your phone is ringing" with my camera hidden stealthily behind the computer nook wall.  Of course "I didn't hear it ring."  "Well I did, see if someone called."  She's saying, "Hello?  Hello?" in this picture that I quickly snapped.  Then she looked at me disgustedly and said, "No one called, Daicia.  Phones TELL YOU if there's a missed call and it doesn't say anything."  Duh, excuse me for forgetting about caller id.  

"flower in a storm" art by Quinn