Learning on Vacation

While the older kids have made fudge many times with grandma (recipe from their great-great aunt) this was the first time J got involved. He did scoop and help some, but mostly he sampled. 🙂

Grandma showed them what happens if you microwave a small piece of Ivory soap:

Everyone got involved with the art projects, even the baby painted a bird house:

We often caught C reading quietly in the nook hidden away upstairs:

Splash pad down on the river:

This scared me to death, but we let the kids go up on the roof to see the river view.

Swim Lessons

We were so blessed to have two weeks of swim lessons gifted to us – especially wonderful as we wrangle the six kids at the lake and worry about keeping them safe. We saw amazing progress with the older three, and the younger three aren’t swimming but are much more water safe, which was our goal.

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Things We’re Currently Loving – 2012/2013

Prima Latina
Shakespeare Can Be Fun
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales from the library – I don’t love them but the kids will tell you all about Shakespeare now!
BBC Typing Program
Cursive First
Multiplication in Minutes book
PBS App with free video streaming!
PBS Kids App though I think demand exceeded their expectations as this one wasn’t reliably working.
Little Tikes Disc Swing in our backyard tree!
State Park Pass for our weekly beach visits to Lake Ray Roberts
Biology 110 text – I got it free of Paperback Swap and I’m surprised at how much the kids like it! We’re going through it slowly, of course – about one section a week, one chapter a month. But hey – it is a college text. 🙂
Online drawing lessons, the kids think these are fantastic! We got a group discount deal – thanks, Becky!

Lake & Summer Prep!

This year we’re finally getting around to signing up for a state parks pass so we can enjoy the lake beach, hiking, and camping that’s just 12 miles north of us. (Why have we not done this in the pass? I’m always pregnant or caring for a little one in the summers and didn’t want to worry about little ones in the lake.) But this year we’re going for it! Our littlest is a strong walker and now loves the water, our oldest is a strong swimmer, and we have friends getting passes so there will always be at least two adults to supervise if I go while Kit’s at work. I know, how crazy ambitious am I getting??

Yesterday I did a stock up trip for our summer gear, as this is partially a thank you to the kids for putting up with this crazy May with me working and being gone so much. (Not that they minded!) But I feel better knowing we’re getting in some concentrated Mommy attention after the busiest month I’ve had as a mother working outside the home.

What gear?

*New camping chair, as we use those at the park a lot, in the driveway while supervising them out front, and now at the beach

*A 6 foot umbrella for the beach, park, front yard (it has a nice little carrying case like the chairs) and it was only $10. I believe in sunshade!

*Sand toys, I found a great deal! Bucket, sifter, shovels, rakes, castles molds, boat, etc, etc. It was only $10 and enough to keep all the kids busy!

*Water toys: little rockets, noodle, beach ball, etc – all under $2

*floaties

*Life jacket for the 3 year old (we have one for the baby) – my biggest (and most important) purchase.

We’ve got our sun shirts and hats, flip flops, towels, waterproof blanket, and we’re ready to go! I’m really excited. Our plan is that every other week we’ll make an early morning (8am) trip to the beach and on alternate weeks we’ll have an evening beach trip. We’ve got a cooler and we’ll picnic for lunch or dinner when we head up. Fun!!!!

Free Summer Movies at the Rave

List here.

Twice a week (Monday & Thursday) for 9 weeks
Doors open at 9:30am – Show starts at 10:00am

I put the dates & kids we plan to attend, tentatively.
Week of:
June 11 Cats & Dogs
June 18 Legend of the Guardians
June 25 Yogi Bear
July 02 Happy Feet 2 (5th CMBE w/Heidi)
July 09 Journey 2
July 16 Dolphin Tale (19th CMBE w/Kit)
July 23 Shorts (26th CM w/Heidi)
July 30 Inkheart (August 2nd CM w/Kit)
Aug 06 Happy Feet (August 9th CMBEJ w/Kit)

Denton Parks Summer 2012

This is probably the wrong season to really check out parks, going into summer. But here’s the list of parks in Denton and I want us to visit them all before the end of the summer!

Denton Parks List

Avondale Park
Bowling Green Park
Briercliff Park
Carl Young, Sr. Park
Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
Cross Timbers Park
Denia Park
Evers Park
Fred Moore Park
Greenbelt Trail
Joe Skiles Park
Lake Forest Park
Mack Park and Roberts Field
McKenna Park
Milam Park
MLK Park
Nette Shultz Park
North Lakes Park
North Pointe Park
Owsley Park
Quakertown Park
Rail Trail
Skate Park
South Lakes Park
Spc. Ernest W. Dallas Jr. Veterans Memorial Park
Water Works Park
Wiggly Field Dog Park