Tie Dye Experiment

For Father's Day, Nathan's school class is creating a "Rock Star" music video to send home on DVD with each Dad on "Father Fun Day".  This last week Nathan was supposed to go to school looking like a rock star and having practiced dancing to pop music at home for the filming.  (What homework!) 

We decided to try making a tie dye shirt for him to wear.  It ended up being a fun project for us to do with our Grandma and Grandpa while they were visiting this last week. 

At JoAnns these days they sell several tie dye kits.  With a 40% off coupon we were able to get one for about $6.  We used it to do two shirts and a onsie (once we started...everyone needed one).  But, the kits come with everything you need and can do up to 8 shirts.

After carefully considering our options using instructions provided...

We put elastics on the shirts and then with the dye in squeezable bottles executed the plan.

It's so fun that really Greg is definitely the most creative one in our family.  When he's willing to get into these types of things there are always great results!

Elizabeth's 1st Birthday!

It was a great day to honor our special girl!! 

Just can't say how much we love her!

The Birthday Cake

Before and After

Opening Presents

A blanket from Mommy

A blanket from Great-Grandma and Grandpa Christensen

(Before my Grandma passed away...she and my Grandpa made a blanket for each of their grandchildren to pass on to their children.  They wanted the next generation to have something that connected to them and helped them know of my grandparent's love...even if they couldn't be here to show it.)

I've been waiting to give it to Elizabeth...but couldn't wait any longer!  A special thing to -- on a day when we wished we had family here to celebrate -- feel a closeness with "those who have gone before". 

It didn't take long for Elizabeth to "catch the spirit" of opening presents.

You can tell she totally enjoyed it!

Probably the sweetest part of Elizabeth's birthday for me was watching the love for her from "the men" in her life.  

Nathan has had a gift for Elizabeth for weeks...tucked away in his desk. A week or so ago, we were at a party store and he just begged to buy a bow...at first I couldn't think of why...but when I saw the purple sparkles on the one he'd chosen I realized this probably wasn't for himself.  The first present on the table on the birthday morning was Nathan's little treasure box with a glow in the dark star and a note.  (See the treasure box with bow in the top "Opening Presents" picture above and note below.)  For a mom...it doesn't get any better than this!

 

Packages from Grandmas

Friends that helped us celebrate.

A new dress for Sunday.

Family Movie Night

We've tried a lot of different "reward systems"...and so far this is one of my favorites.  Nearly-instant gratification for all!  The idea came from this post on "My Mix of Six" . 

Friday is usually the day I try to get the house in order for the weekend.  For me it's worth a lot to have at least that one day...the children help to get the house clean! 

So, a few weekends ago we announced a "family movie night" on Friday morning ... to happen that evening.  I bought a roll of raffle-type tickets at Wal-Mart (you get 1000 or more for about $6).  Each job the children helped complete earned them tickets.  Then, for the movie that night they had to have a certain number of tickets to "get admission" to the movie...and then there were other things to buy.  Blankets, pillows, popcorn, root beer floats, etc. 

Of all the fun things we tried to do on our Spring Break week here at home...this is the thing that Nathan has talked about most!

(Greg making it official with the "cash register"...
Joshua carefully counting the tickets in his mug.) 

Another Friday since then we've had Nathan and Joshua do "homework activities" to earn tickets instead.  (A way to positively keep them busy while I dashed around and cleaned -- sometimes the idea of "help" is more than I can take.)

Learning Through Play -- Cars!

This week we've gotten the fun suprise of a visit from our Grandma and Grandpa Franson!  I'm still planning to post pictures of Elizabeth's birthday...and now of their visit.  But, for tonight I'll just post a couple quick, fun learning ideas for boys who love cars!

I saw a cute idea on this website...for an alphabet of letters made to look like a road.  Joshua has had a fun time tracing his letters to spell his name.

On this website...they had a cute idea for a parking lot with numbers.  I made a "one digit" version for Joshua and a "three digit" version for Nathan.  I'd call out a number for each of them and they'd "pull in" to the correct parking spot.  (Or of course if you're Joshua you always back in so you can pull straight out.)  By the time we were done we'd added a digit to each of their numbers!  A fun way to get a gauge of where they're really at in learning numbers and help them practice.

Our Birthday Girl!

Yesterday Elizabeth turned 1!!

(More pictures to come...)

Ahoy Mates!

Nathan has a great friend at school named Zinoviy.  This last week we invited Zinoviy and his brother, Maxim (just Joshua's age!) over for a play date.  Sometimes it helps play dates around here if there is one fun "planned" thing to do to help get the imaginations and interacting going.

Playing "pirates" is one of our favorites.  Props include:  eye patches (from dollar store or party store), periscopes (toilet paper tubes covered in tin foil), bandanas (clearance Halloween fabric...cut in triangles), and various weapons as needed. 

Hunting for treasure -- hidden 3 x 5 cards with a picture of a "place" to look next and a few-word hint for the "readers".

Enjoying their "treasure" (snack).

My "Growing Up" Girl

Elizabeth's hair has gotten long enough to get a little crazy lately.  I've tried barrettes and headbands -- nothing stays.  It finally dawned on me we might be on the verge of a whole new level of hair potential. 

Buying piggytail elastics at the store for my own daughter felt like a whole new step of motherhood for me!  I feel torn these days between feeling the excitement of the fun new stages of this girl...and the tenderness that my one-year-old this next week really is growing up! 

We're all excited about Elizabeth's new look...

Joshua thinks it's just hilarious she looks just like a whale!

Easter Morning Favorites

When the Easter Bunny comes to our house...he makes an egg hill to roll the eggs down!

Elizabeth loved her first jelly bean!

Joshua loved his sidewalk chalk!

Nathan loved what the Easter Bunny brought all the boys to play...BATTLESHIP!

Joshua's recent dilemma has been ...

"Mom, I know that Transformers come back to life...but are they resurrected?"

At least you know he's thinking...maybe even 'liken'ing!

We are so grateful to remember and celebrate Christ's life and resurrection!

Easter Eggs

A beautiful spring day to dye easter eggs...

and friends to do it with!

Who needs as easter egg when you've got a nerf dart?

Enjoying General Conference...

We totally loved listening to General Conference this weekend.  We'd planned on trying to make it to the church for a session...but things went well enough gathered around the computer that we just stuck with what was working!

Making a pizza from a "kit" ... a great fundraiser purchase from our friends.

Playing "moon sand" out on the deck while General Conference blared just inside the screen door.

I came in to find Nathan and Joshua had put Elizabeth inside the little car this weekend.  (Just the thought of it makes me nervous!)  But our little adventure-girl soon figured out how to get herself in!  Now she loves to ride and be pushed...and can even walk behind it quite well while someone is inside.

We start our kids loving cars young.  =)

A typical sight -- gathered around the computer.  Two boys on Greg's lap and Elizabeth swatting at the mouse.

Taking a break from conference at an elementary school playground near our home.