Day 17 - Mary Had A Little Lamb

Today we went back to Thanksgiving Point to another one of their classes. This time it was all about sheep. They brought a little baby lamb into the classroom. Was that ever exciting. They all got to take turns feeding and petting it. The pony ride at the end was as exciting as ever. We had a nice time just mosey(ing) around and feeding all the animals..... fidgeting with everything there was to fidget with.

Then we finished up a ceramic project Mackenzie painted at Color Me Mine. She picked out a princess crown.... what else could it have been. We made a bead holder for it so she can hang it on her wall. Do you think she is wearing out on that dang camera always following her around.... recording her every movement. And as always she is my best dinner maker helper. Tonight we made spagetti and she helped me snap more green beans. What a girl!!

Day 15 - Discovery Gateway

Yesterday we drove to Salt Lake City to the Discovery Gateway Museum for kids. (it is next to the Energy Solutions building) We decided we were going to let her set the pace and play for as long as it held her interest without anyone telling her to hurry up (I wonder who that could possibly be) and just let her soak it all in. We were there about 5 hours. She mostly played in the little grocery store...... picking out food and ringing it up...... running over to the kitchen to put it away or cook it up...... running around to check the mail in all the mailboxes. What a cute place for kids. We'll have to take the boys there, Jana, when you are here next. They have all sorts of play stations. Kenzie said her favorite thing was having the clown (who was a fake clown by the way) make her a balloon. If you're wondering about the long thing hanging from it...... well, she asked if the horse could have a long tail. We thought she'd ask next for a princess and a prince charming to go with it and maybe a castle too. Her next favorite was the Life Flight Helicopter. It even made a sound like an engine starting up. We had a full and happy day.

Day 14 - Play Date With Erica

Erica didn't have school on Friday so she picked up our little Rosebud (Erica is also teaching her about flowers) at 9:00 am for a day of fun. I haven't had a chance to talk to Erica yet but she took so many cute pictures with my camera it was hard to choose which ones to use. First they hiked to the waterfall that is behind Pleasant Grove (I think by Rotary Park) Then it looks like they played games..... and then I heard they had a picnic at Discovery Park for dinner. Thank you Erica for making it a wonderful day for all of us.... you have a way of making the world a little brighter with everything you touch.

Day 14 - Mackenzie Gets Her Land Legs

Just behind our condos is a charter school. Kenzie can hear the kids out on the playground. She loves to just go out and watch them play. I can hear hear the theme music from the Little Mermaid filling the air....."oh, how I wish I could be a part of their world...."

Well, today was her lucky day. (wouldn't you know it's one of the only days I didn't have her dressed). Anyway, one of the teachers opened the gate and let her run in wild and free. True to course she had a dozen kids following her across the steps to the slides within 5 minutes and made a best friend in six. Today she is having a special play date with Erica so I won't report in until late tonight.....

Day 13 - A Sad State of Affairs

Taking that last step over the halfway mark, this is how Annie found me this morning. All the energy I had could have fit into my big toe. Annie, God bless her, racked up a massive amount of stars.....set her homework aside......... did the morning routine with her and trotted her off to the park. Having people around you to help ease the load when you are at your saturation level is a beautiful thing. By the time they returned I was rejuevinated and ready to take the afternoon on.

She had a blast at the park and joined all the activities that were going on. She is such a social creature.... within minutes of joining a group of kids she is happily a part of the group. She is surely her dad's girl.

This afternoon we got a little wading pool for the back patio. It's not much but it's a step above the 9X11 pan she was dishing water out of. After carrying out 12 big pans of hot water to dump into it she informed me she didn't want to play in it anymore. Damn it kid..... you get out there and have fun playing in that pool (of course I didn't say that but the words blinked off and on like a neon sign in my brain)..... Hmmmm....... Hmmmmm...... That is me doing my mantra with thumbs touching my index finger, legs crossed, with incense burning.....

Day 12 - Shaving Cream Fun

Little Petunia is starting to plan her own projects now. Today she decided we should make birdhouses. (I have an unfinished one on my computer desk) It took quite a bit of convincing for her to accept we wouldn't be able to get a real bird to go in them. We made a puffy paint which was awesome. However she didn't want it to be puffy so she squished the heck out of it.

Puffy Paint

1/3 Cup white glue

2/3 Cup shaving cream

Mix together and add tempura paint for the coloring. We used a styrofoam egg carton to mix our individual colors in. I had some sea shells and insect buttons and leaves that we used for decorations and she picked out some birds from Michaels. But, what Miss Funfinity was really interested in was that can of shaving cream.

About the time I was getting her situated on the back patio, Erica came over..... very much not knowing what she was walking in to. Out came the glint in the eye, and the contagious giggle.... joy filled her whole being as she covered us both with her magic potion. Watching her made me realize how it seems never again will we feel as much complete and simple joy as we do in childhood.... and what a shame it is to squelch it with too many no's, or I don't have the time, or a million other ways we turn them away. (I know because I did it more times than I care to remember to my own kids) Even though I'm exhaused at the end of the day, this time with Mackenzie has been wonderfully fullfilling and joyful. If we frustrate each other it's only because we are two apples growing on the same tree.

Day 11 - Aunt Annie

Kenzie lives for the hour when Aunt Annie is home from work. Her very favorite thing to do is going on a walking adventure with her and Abbey. (anywhere you walk is qualified as an adventure) She also loves playing superman, dancing, sharing a laugh, doing their homework together, and wearing her glasses. Annie is passing on all of her good advice..... "when you grow up and you are 18 you will go to college"..... she makes her repeat it over and over everyday. Right now they are working on their letters. Don't they look sweet together?