Bike Ramp

We had a spare piece of plywood in our carport.  The kids immediately adopted it.
It has been used as a stomp board, fort wall, rain roof, giant sled . . .
and most recently as a warped bike ramp. 

Love seeing these imaginations at work. 
Love seeing our daring kids have fun. 

Painted Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch : )

Shelby Farms

For a "field trip" this week, we ventured out to Shelby Farms Park.  We wanted to check out this new park, visit the bison herd (inspired by our Lewis and Clark learning), and have a picnic, but we were really excited to visit the Woodland Discovery Playground.   We had heard this place was awesome - it is most certainly one of the coolest playgrounds ever!  

The playground has four "nests" connected by a winding steel arbor.  Each "nest" is different: a ropes coarse, swings and see-saws, slide pit (with slide mats), and sand and water.  The unique spaces all allow kids to be kids: allowing opportunity to be courageous and daring, and have a ton of fun.   The kids each had their favorite pod, but thoroughly enjoyed trying it all: they climbed, swung, and bounced high; slid fast, and got super dirty : ) 
It was most definitely a playground worth visiting.  We can't wait to return!  

Tiny Dancers

Once each semester, we have the privilege of being an audience to the girls dance class.  (All other times we are quarantined in the lobby while the girls work hard in secret behind closed doors).  This week we had the great treat of watching our girls "do their thing".

Their sweet class of 4 and 5 year-old, second-year-students, focused mainly on ballet.  They're full of giggles, but impressively are learning real steps.  They pricked the floor with their extended legs and  pointed toes while shouting out a staccato "pi-que! pi-que! pi-que!"  They worked at the barre, pretending their pointed toes were "little squirrels climbing a tree" - the squirrel's name was "passe".  They raised up on releve tippy-toes.  The little ones stretched on the mat and attempted bend back to touch their toes to their foreheads and took turns somersaulting across the mat.  For the graceful finale, they practiced their curtsy. 

Maegli was having a ball, exhibiting the biggest personality and spunk of the group.  She was a little firecracker, but so adorable and really trying to do her very best as the youngest ballerina in the bunch.  She was impressively flexible and was very proud of her dancing. 
Hiwot was clearly the most mature and graceful dancer of the class.  She was so focused and determined the entire 30 minutes, showing beautiful form.

We loved watching our girls have so much fun - and were especially pleased to see these sisters rushing to be together throughout the class.  

Silhouette

The kids LOVE art.  They love creating, painting, crafting, cutting, gluing, molding, and coloring.  If given the choice, they would make art all day, everyday.   (It's quite amazing how patient and focused they all are while doing art!).
To allow them opportunity to create, we try our best to incorporate art in our schooling; whether through art history and learning of famous artworks, testing and trying new media, creating nature field journals, or drawing our historical figures. 

This week, while studying early 1800s, the kids were proud to cut out their very own silhouettes.  Back before cameras, silhouettes would have been a relatively easy way to memorialize a family member - much cheaper and quicker than a formal painting.  We love having them hung in the house.  We may need to have the kids make us another set to be framed : )
 

busy at work with water colors

Buddies

While the big kids are working on school, the littles are having fun : )

Fairy Dust

It's quite impressive how quickly two little dancers are able to spread their fairy dust . . .

In just a few minutes, our girls had fun decorating the entire downstairs with baby powder - ugh!

Thankfully, with sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping, we were able to clean up without a trace.
It took us 2 hours -  Not exactly how we had planned to spend our evening. 

Only one casualty . . . my phone is on the fritz thanks to a thorough covering of fairy dust. 

Roommates

In the alcove at the top of the stairs, we've hung a curtain to create a space with just enough room for two cribs. 
Kolpin is ready to move to a big boy bed and officially join the boys in the "big boy room", but for now, it's special to have our two youngest share this space together, to see them standing together and hear their sweet chatter - Love it!  

She Eats

 Carrots
 With lots of helpers : )