March 24th, 2009 §
We spotted these Mallard ducklings across the lake over the weekend. There are 9 of them…9 little puffs of fluff sticking close to Mama and making all kinds of sweet little duckling noises. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I’ve been telling the girls to expect some ducklings soon, so I was elated when I noticed them swimming about!
So far they’ve been staying by the natural preserve across from our lot, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them as they get older. There are a couple of Canadian Geese that have been behaving very aggressively towards these little guys, so Mama Duck is understandably keeping them as protected as she can.
We’ll be keeping an eye on our ducklings, so you can probably expect a few more updates over the next few months!
February 26th, 2009 §
With Spring-like days becoming more and more common, we’ve had some especially blustery days. On a whim, I decided to “try” to make a kite with the girls. It was very spur-of-the-moment and I had no idea how it would turn out, but it ended being a wonderful way to spend our morning.
The photo at the top is the original kite. I took pictures of a step-by-step later using a brown paper bag…both flew just fine, but I think I should have made the width a little longer on the latter.
Materials
Paper (I used cardstock and brown paper bag)
Scissors
3 Straws
Ruler
Twine
Tape
First I marked the same distance from the corner to either side of the paper (7-8 inches is probably best).
Then I used the ruler to meet both marks down to a point. It figures I don’t have a picture of this step…but you’re making a diamond, so I think you can figure it out.
Then I taped two of my straws end to end.
And attached the last straw with tape and twine. Eyeball on your diamond-shape to see where the straws should intersect. Leave a long tail on your twine…this is how you are going to hold your kite.
Tape to your diamond shape….and you have a kite!
Now wait for some good wind to come along and watch your children delight in the physics of nature!
That was Annabelle after my first demonstration of the kite…dying to have a turn!
And the kite DID fly…although it was hard to get a picture.
Of course, nobody wanted to come inside after such a fine morning, so we had a picnic!
And then I pretty much had to drag two very reluctant toddlers inside for their naps. 
But, the kites have held up and they still ask for them sometimes when we go outside…we just need some more windy days!
Hope you make a kite!
February 24th, 2009 §
A few days ago the girls were *begging* to paint, but I just frankly wasn’t up for a big mess late in the day. So…I let them paint with water. 
It was perfect. They painted their little hearts out all over the driveway and my car until they had their fill, then jumped around in the water puddle left by the spilled water bucket.
They were then able to move on to things like examining a spider (it’s small, but it’s there)…
and jumping off anything higher than two inches off the ground.
We’ve been spending alot of time outside as of late, so I’ll be sharing some of our outdoorsy fun with you in the coming days. See you soon!
February 16th, 2009 §
A few days ago, after numerous requests by Charlotte (the little one) to go outside, I finally gave in. It’s her favorite place to be and she usually asks several times per day.
We’ve had some really beautiful days around here lately, so I have no idea why I was so reluctant. Anywho, once outdoors I fiddled around with my camera while she entertained herself by picking up leaves and plucking blades of grass. I love how kids this age are so fascinated by their surroundings.
Sometimes I forget to make the most of the time that I have with my kids. This was not one of those times. I put the camera down and made a game of her newfound interest. I separated them into piles for her and she quickly caught on.
This little game would be easy to adapt for older kids. You could incorporate more natural elements, such as rocks and sticks. You could sort by color, size, shape. You could even sort by type of leaf. I think the main things are to use what your children are interested in, follow their lead, and have fun!
