Our Bubble World: June 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Cute and Easy Dress

While reading a parenting magazine I stumbled across the cutest and easiest dress pattern for a little girl. You start with two scarves and sew down a 1" seam on each. Then place the scarves together with the sewn seam s matching and sew together leaving at least a 4" space at top, the sewn seam edge, for the arm holes. You then thread ribbon through your sewn seam and there you have the ties. Super easy and way cute. The store I went to didn't have silk scarves so I just used two handkerchiefs. This would also make a cute summer shirt for an older girl.

Up close shot

Here you get a view of most of it. Alexis was not very cooperative for a photo shoot.

Yay! Last picture and she has a new dress.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

New Sleeping Bag

This past Wednesday Doug had mutual so I had the privilege to get all the kids in bed. Finally after much wailing and fighting the whole go to bed idea the children were in bed. I went to check on them about a half hour later and of course Evan was still awake and wanting to play. I re-tucked him in and then got ready for bed myself. When Doug came home a half hour later he went in to check on the children and asked me if I had already checked on the kids and I said yes. He then told me to come and look at Evan.

This is what I saw

He took his pillowcase off his pillow and decided he needed to use it as a sleeping bag instead.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Robot invasion

A little while ago we made a robot out of milk cartons. Evan loves his and plays with it still if I let him. I don't very often because I was fool enough to put some dried beans in the carton for a noise maker. Silly me. Here is the finished project hope it gets you thinkin' what your kids can make out of your garbage. We just wrapped a milk carton with foil and glued on eyes, arms, legs, and a nose. Then he went crazy with the stickers.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Little Ladybugs

So here is the next little bug we made. If you don't know last week we made caterpillars that turned out so cute. This week it was ladybugs.

A word about making them: Again we used egg cartons. If you are going to paint like we did paint the red first and then the black. The first one I did I painted the black first and the red wouldn't show over it. I used a big stick pin to poke the holes to thread the pipe cleaners thru but a skewer would work too. Other than that have fun making the only kind of bugs I like to have around: Fake!

Free Movies!

We have a movie theater in town that is offering free movies for the summer. I was so excited to see this and quickly planned out the summer movie schedule. Today was the first trip. We saw Inkheart at 9:30am. Yes you read that right it is an early morning movie time for the free ones, but that works just great for me. By the time we get home it is nap time for the kids and quiet time for me.

As Doug and I were trying to keep the two younger kids calmed down and quiet it dawned on me that this free movie time was the best time to go. Everyone there had a child and some had much more (I saw two buses outside for kids to load up on) so they expect some noise. It isn't like going to a night showing where you could have some kids and a lot of adults. Nope this was kid chaos at it's best. I loved it. Loved the movie too. I plan on going almost every week this summer to a new movie with the kids and maybe a picnic at the park every now and then.

Not the best of pictures cause they were taken with a cell phone. I was going to bring the camera but I forgot. Maybe next time I'll remember, or not. :)

Just waiting for the movie to start and getting all our eats ready.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Daddy's little girl

There is just something about a little girl and her daddy. Once Doug got home from his trip Alexis was glued to his side and got very irate if he tried to remove her from it.

Dancing with daddy

Sleepy yet still hanging on

Father's Day

Never before has the song "I'm so glad when daddy comes home" meant so much when sung on Father's Day. Last week Doug had the opportunity to travel for work and I had the opportunity? to stay with the children. Before he left I told him that there was going to be big trouble if he didn't make it home for Father's Day. He doesn't travel too often, but when he does it seems to fall on or very near important days. For example he missed Evan's first birthday, the last day of school, small holidays, and a big holiday for me - Fourth of July. He's also come close to missing our anniversary and other birthdays and major holidays like Christmas. Not to complain, but it is hard enough to have him gone for days or weeks at a time without having him miss something I feel is important too.

Okay off that road and back to him being home. So he left on Sunday morning and was suppose to be home Friday afternoon. Well it didn't quite happen that way. His home bound trip started off right on schedule and then Mother Nature stepped in. His flight out of Chicago was delay for about 5 hours because of lightening storms. Needless to say he missed his plane in Denver and ended up standing in line for 3 hours to try to find another flight to Spokane. Lucky for him and Mother Nature there was a later flight that he was able to catch and he made it home just half a day behind schedule, yet he almost didn't make it. He woke up on the flight to the pilot saying that Spokane was closed because of lightening and they needed to circle around, but they didn't have enough fuel for that so they were turning to Missoula to refuel and would head back to Spokane. Thankfully the storm was a swift one and passed. Instead of Friday afternoon he made it home early (like 2am) on Saturday morning. If he had been stuck I'm sure our friends Heath and Shaina would have been please because Doug talked about calling them to see if he could stay with them. Lucky for me he came home instead.

So, Sunday morning we made stuffed french toast with a carmel apple sauce, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and milk for his breakfast. I think he liked it.

Because of the type of food (the sauce) Doug came out of bed to eat at the table with us

Frogs

For some reason this year we have an abundance of little things outside. Specifically, I'm talking about frogs and toads. I've already mentioned the big toad in the driveway, but what I failed to mention was the little one in the orchard grass and now Doug and Chris found a tree frog. It was a hopping little thing. Doug and Chris of course had to bring the little hopper inside to show me. Thankfully I'm not that squeamish. I held it and then gave it back. Then I saw the hopping skills. That little thing just did not want to stay still. After a couple of pictures I was more than ready to have it returned to it's home. I so did not want a little frog jumping around free in my house.

Close up of our little jumper

On Doug's shoulder

On Christopher's chest. Hope he doesn't hop up his nose.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Storm cuts swimming short

This afternoon we were all out playing in the water. Well the kids were I just sat in the shade making sure no one drowned. The boys were in the pool and Alexis was at the slip and slide. Suddenly I started hearing some rumbling. At first I thought nothing of it because it sounded like a big truck on the road. It kept coming pretty regular and I looked in the sky. Darkness was approaching. "Boys get out of the pool!" I yell. Of course they ask why and I quickly explain that a storm was coming and we needed to get inside to be safe from the lightening. We made it with a few minutes to spare.

Threatening storm approaches

Not easy to see but hard rain coming down

You can see the hard rain pelting down

Watching the storm that ruined her fun

And the pool stands alone

Cute Caterpillars

Today was craft day in our summer schedule of events and the boys were ready. I was too because I had this cute idea and I wanted to see if it would work and it did. We made cute little caterpillars out of egg cartons and pipe cleaners. Then we added color and some eyes, nose and mouth. They turned out so good that I am thinking of making a small bug garden, but you'll have to wait to see the new creations I come up with. Here are our caterpillar making adventures and results.

First step was to cut the egg carton in half and then color it. We used crayons, but paint would work great.

Then we used a skewer and poked holes to thread the pipe cleaner through to make the legs and the antenna.

Last was adding the final touches to make a face and there you have a cute caterpillar.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Lawn mowing surprise

I was mowing the lawn today and found a surprise hidden among the long grass and rocks of our "driveway". There hidden in the grass was a big fat toad.

I called the boys over to see and they all gathered round.

I then tried to get them to pick it up and Ben said; "No. It's dead." Chris and I told him it wasn't and he poked at it with a little vial he found. For a moment nothing and then the toad leaped to safety under my van. No one was brave enough to touch it let alone pick it up. I was really looking forward to taking a picture of their expresions when it jumped out of their hands. But alas, I was denied the pleassure.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Documented Proof

What you are about to see might cause heart failure. Well maybe not, but just in case you might want to sit down before you get to the pictures. Each week we have to clean the house and I say we because I won't do it alone. I don't make all the mess why should I clean it all. Well now I have documented proof that my children help clean the house. Yes you read right - my children helped clean the house this past weekend and I got pictures. Well Doug took the pictures, but only after my request for him to do so. So without further adieu here they are:

Benjamin vacuuming and Christopher cleaning their bathroom

Not sure what Evan is doing (maybe the vacuum dance to help Benjamin), but Benjamin is still vacuuming

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Fun in the sun

We got lots of sun today after the kids came home from school. Hope we aren't too burnt. I did apply suncreen. It was only a half day because it was the last day.

We went swimming.

Ate special treats made by Aunt Paige - Rice Krispie Treats

And just hung around

Last Day of School!!!!

Today was the last day of school for Benjamin and Christopher. My how the time flies.

Here is the burden of the first day of school back in September

Here is the freedom of the last day of school!

AH! To have the freedom of summer vacation again. I think I would like it please. Please? PLEASE!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

First summer outing - take 2

Head of the first trail we took. We actually took parts of 4 trails that made a big loop back to where we were parked.

Ready! Set! Go! And they are off. Ben and Evan take the lead easily.

Doug, Alexis, and Chris bring up the rear

Some of scenery we saw and way up ahead are Ben and Evan

Our poor little trooper: Christopher

First Summer Outing - Take 1

This summer we have plans to do something local every other weekend. This is in lieu of going on a big family vacation which we do every other year and last year we went to the Oregon Coast. So we went out to a local park and did some hiking. A very good day to go. It was overcast and not too hot, but with the coolness came one problem: MOSQUITOES. I hate those little blood sucking vermin. Everyone got sprayed down with Off and yet I still came away with three bites right where they get bothered easily - the back of my arms right under my shirt sleeve. Even though I was live bait I still had fun and so did everyone else. Even Chris who was still coughing a lung out. Alexis loved walking and did a good amount of it. She also was very bossy when some of us would get too far ahead of her and she couldn't catch up. Ben and Evan loved being in the front and leading the way. All in all a good start to summer.

We started out with a picnic lunch. There were hamburgers, peanut butter sandwiches, doritos and peaches.

Alexis took a walking hit

But got right back up and started walking again

Benjamin found some mushrooms on the path

At our first break we had licorice and Benjamin decided to make a green licorice smile

Gone Fishin'

The boys and Doug have been waiting since the snow started melting to go fishing. This past weekend was going to be The Weekend to go and it was in part. First thing saturday morning all the boys were going to load up and head out to a friends place where they have a pond filled with fish. However, one little boy was unable to go. The night before fish time, Christopher started coughing and could not stop. I decided it best if he stay home and I take him to urgent care for medicine. Again I ruined a little boy's day. He was not happy when he woke up to everyone gone. I had to console him as best I could, but I don't think it helped much. Oh well, better luck next time. Benjamin and Evan had a great time fishing and came home telling "fish" stories. You know - who caught the most and how big. Everytime Evan would reel in a fish his pole beat a beat against the bench. He just couldn't seem to hold it up and reel in at the same time. All in all it was a good time had for all. Sorry Christopher, next time you can go.

Bring on the fish pictures.

Here is Evan sitting and ready to fish. You can see the bench on the side/back the his pole hit.

Benjamin with one catch

Ben caught a live one. Look at it's moves.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Baby sister graduates!

This past weekend was memorable in that the original baby of the family finally graduated from high school. For those who don't know I have 7 natural brothers and sisters and one adopted brother. Hence the original baby graduated and not the adopted baby (he is only 3). She was the salutatorian so we got front row seats for the event. It was good to be there for her.

Erin Vanderholm Graduation: June 5, 2009

Salutatorian Speech

Recieving the diploma from our dad. He is on the school board and the board members hand out the diplomas.

Tossing the cap!

Finding the caps!