Extracurricular Activities

Those titles, man. Not easy to come up with, but that'll do I guess. Well, I went to Michael's the other day to see if there was a cool paint pen I could use to write on my rhinestone shirts that I make (every now and then) and didn't find anything I liked. Ethan, however, found a craft that he wanted to do. Now I have been steering away from anything "crafty" only because I didn't think he'd want to do it when I got it home and unwrapped. Also, let's be honest here, I didn't want to have to clean up the mess.... I know - so bad of me. Well, he picked something out and I used my 50% off coupon on a sun-catcher. (and it's not the beaded kind as I know that would be too much for me to handle). This was a gel that dries overnight - and even has glitter in it! He was so excited so I knew he'd actually want to do it when I got it out of the package. At first I was a little bit of a hovering artist/mom and then I realized I needed to back off and let him do it by himself. He did a great job and was so proud of himself! I was proud of both of us, too. ha ha! (me because I actually didn't stress about the mess I wasn't a hovering mom).

Austin watched his brother do it, but there was no way I was going to let him at it. It would have been everywhere!!!

Before the boys woke up from naps, I attempted a Chinese character on one of my tank tops with the rhinestones. I wanted to try it before I did it on the ones I'd make for other people (if I ever do). I think it ended up being too complicated, so I need to simplify, but it turned out ok! I almost had a tragedy, though, because I went to lay it out to take a picture while Ethan was doing his craft, and I laid it over one of his paint pots!! I RUSHED to the sink to wash it off. Yes, the paint IS water soluble and does come off with soap and water (if you all are interested). Bryan would have said that was so me to lay it on top of the paint, which on some days, it is. I didn't want to ruin it after putting all those Swarovski's on there!!! Whew!! So above is the finished piece.

Saturdays have been filled with attempting to find fun things to do since Bryan's class is every Saturday this month, and several more beyond. My friend Michelle's youngest plays on a little league team and they were at the park playing in the morning. She invited me to come, so I hauled the boys and my really low beach chair to the park. Sometimes you really have to ask yourself if it's worth dragging the toys, chair, diapers, sunblock, snacks, drinks, etc. to somewhere like that where it's going to be HOT...which it was, but it was definitely worth it. Her two middle boys played with Ethan and he thought that was so fun. Austin just wandered around making friends with everyone. I was chatting and craning my neck to even see one baseball player since my butt was about 2 inches off the ground in my sand chair. Nice choice, Cara. Oh well. We had so much fun. Thanks Michelle and fam!

Matt and Ethan playing a game of "throw and bat." I can't say baseball since it's not really. Ethan can actually hit it, too! It's baseball season and we're watching it on TV...hence the reason he knows how to hold the bat and swing like the big guys (well, sort of - he's learning).

Our first BIG crop of strawberries from our "garden." I use quotes because it's really just a small area in our back planter that I decided to throw some strawberry plants into. Miraculously, they have multiplied and produce berries!! We also are anxious for our Boysenberries and Blackberries to start growing!! We have a pomegranate tree, too, and it's a big producer. All seriously low maintenance plants, I tell you, since Bryan comments that when I plant things, it looks like a gopher did it. I know these look half ripe, but if I let them sit too long, they are covered in holes with slugs eating the innards. We chop off the white part, and the red part is sweeter than store bought berries! As you can tell, Austin is pretty much saying, "knock it off with the pictures, where's the food??"