A Little Inspiration by Eric Carle

I'm sure everyone has heard of Eric Carle...the famous author/illustrator who wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other fun stories.  When you look at the pictures he creates it's amazing to see the process that he does in order to make the unique colors.  Before he makes the creatures for his stories he paints paper, uses tissue paper, glue, etc. and makes a sheet of paper with blended colors.  He then cuts from that to create the characters.  We used his idea to make some projects of our own.
 


I gave the kids large pieces of white paper...left over math pages from school that I didn't use...gave them different finger paints and let them go.  It was a mess but so fun.  Isaiah's stomach was covered with paint...I think he purposely put paint there.  They made designs, mixed colors, and just had fun.  We let the papers dry and then used them to cut out different shapes for our own little project.

Ava's using marker to add more color to her dried paint.

Is this kid ever out of his pajamas?  It's rare to see him in regular clothes during the summer unless we go somewhere.  He's happy wearing different jammies all day long!

What are these little illustrators going to make?

I started to make a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree.  Isaiah made his own and added sticker letters.

Ava was adding to what I had started.

I love how you cut from the different colors of paint and make a picture.  It makes it really unique and the colors really pop!

She added stickers to the tree too.

Ava helped me make a spaghetti and meatballs bowl.

Isaiah said, "Look at the collage I made."  He was very proud and I love looking at his little handprints.  When it was done he put his project right on the fridge.

This past weekend, Miss Isabelle and Kevin came up to play.  During this picture Isaiah was sleeping on the couch.  Ava and Isabelle made Pinkilcious and Purplicious cupcakes.  We made the batter and colored half of it pink and purple.  We LOVE those stories!

A little pink and purple frosting and LOTS of sprinkles make for fantastic cupcakes.

After the kids decorated I looked under the table where Jackson was sitting.  That poor dog had sprinkles galore in his fur.  In my opinion...messy=fun!

My Three Happy's:

1) Watching the kids at Bible School.  This week we go to church each night for games, crafts, singing, story time, and snack.  They are so cute during the singing parts.  Although at 8:00 when it's over they are exhausted!

2) Slowly but surely I'm making progress in my classroom.  I have a LONG way to got...but I'm getting there.  Yesterday I accomplished my least favorite task of cleaning out half of the cupboards.  After 11 years of teaching I still have too much stuff. 

3) Today we're taking the kids school supply shopping.  As a kid I loved getting those new pointed crayons, smelling the fresh notebooks, getting new markers that are full of color, and just looking at everything new...as the kids would say "mint in the box" (a quote from Toy Story 2).

My Favorite:

**Garden tomatoes:  I love eating them right off the vine.  They're warmed from the sun, fresh, and absolutely delicious!

Happy 60th Grandma!

This past Saturday Janet turned 60!  Dan and Janet invited lots of family and friends out to their house for some pool fun, games, golf cart races, jungle tours...I'll explain later, and water gun fights.  I didn't mention the AWESOME FOOD!!!!!!  For meat let's just say they had grilled chicken and burgers, smoked pork, smoked beef, BBQ pork, and BBQ beef...and that was just the meat.  I'm sure you can imagine what other yummies we had!  So good!



Here's Grandma taking her seat and closing her eyes for the reveal of her birthday present from us and Jody, Tim, and Ayden.

...an Iowa State bags set.  Jody had a friend make the wood structure and bean bags and then she did the decals and painting.  It turned out so cute.  This will be the perfect addition to our Iowa State tailgating experience this fall!

Grandma and Grandpa got a new pool for the kids.  Isaiah was all over loading up water guns.

Ava LOVED swimming in their hot tub that was filled with cool water.

For this one she said, "Watch this Mom!." 

Grandma helping Isaiah open bubbles.

Jerry and Judy Hand...Dan and Janet's neighbors.  They've lived by each other for a very long time and are great friends. 

Ayden working on his Bags technique.

Jody is a complete pro at this...I wonder if she practiced while she was making it!  She put so many bags in the hole!  I need to get more pointers from her!

Andy having a go at it.

Tim trying too!

Miss Ava trying out one of the cool bubble wands.

Miss Harley...she's turning 13 this year.  She loves being around people and is such a good dog!

Isaiah joined his sister in the hot tub.  They thought it was funny to make big splashes at people as they walked by.

Tim and Great Grandpa chatting.

Aunt Deanna and Andy...Deanna, Tim and Leita came back from Bettendorf to hang with us. 

Let the water gun squirting begin!

Great Grandma and Judy looking at the quilted Iowa State bag that Judy made Janet.  This bag is so big and perfect for bringing stuff to tailgates!

Jody and Uncle Tim enjoying a cold one together.

Janet, Darrell, Rayla, Great Grandma, and Harley

Ava doing a little ring toss.

Look out!

Deanna wouldn't be Deanna without her big smile! 

Kirstin was playing Bags against her boyfriend Bryson.

I forgot to mention the practice golf balls they had.  Ayden was working on his swing.

Ava and Grandma

Dan painted this sign on an old car trunk.

Isaiah and Grandma getting ready for a little golf cart race through the jungle.

Grandpa and Ava are ready to go too!

Tim and Ayden are set also!

Tim and Great Grandpa playing Bags together.

Ah...that "Jungle" that lurks throughout the backyard.  Dan and Janet hide tons of animals in the bushes and trees and the kids love searching for them.  In this picture Isaiah is trying to unload what he found.  The kids always bring a load home and then we bring them back again.  We came home with eight that night.

Eating dinner and loving that yummy food!

Mommy and Isaiah playing catch.

Of course my camera battery died and I didn't get a change to take pictures of Uncle Alan, Aunt Karen, and Great Grandpa Knaphus.  I also missed the golf cart water gun fights.  Almost everyone was drenched by the time it was over.  I'd say that Uncle Darrell won the award for getting the most wet.  He had squishy socks and shoes by the time that event was over.  We had such a fun time and the weather was overcast and perfect.  Happy 60th Janet!

***Random thought...Andy was reading this book yesterday that Grandma and Grandma Richardson have and it said that today is National Vanilla Ice Cream Day!  So enjoy yourself a nice scoop...Happy Monday!

My Three Happy's:

1) Watching the kids get so excited about that water gun fight.  They would take off on the golf cart, find people to shoot and soak, and then go back to the pool to reload.  This went on and on.  They had a blast and fell asleep within 3 minutes of driving home.

2) We picked 10 ears of sweet corn from the garden so far.  It was so crisp and yummy.  I planted it in sections this year so it wasn't all ready at the same time. 

3)Vacation Bible school starts tonight.  The kids love the songs, games, snacks, story time, and crafts.  It's an ocean theme this year.  They are excited to go to church this week.

My Favorite Thing:

-Do you have any idea how many different types of ribbon you can find these days?  Oh my!  My classroom is a pirate theme and it's all black, red, and white.  I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and stocked up on polka dot, striped, plain...you name it.  They have so many different sizes and styles.  Ribbon does so much to add that little decorative detail.  Ribbon...my new favorite thing!

I Spy Something Fun

 I spy a drenched Uncle Kevin.

We went over to visit Julie, Kevin, and Isabelle last week and the kids thought it would be fun to dump water and soap all over Kevin.  I guess they were giving him his shower for the day.

 I spy cousin Roro eating noodles and yummy food with us at the Mongolian Buffet.

 I spy a silly kid slurping noodles.

 I spy two kids diving into their play dough collection.  Isaiah picked out a new Transformers set and the kids had fun making all the cars.

 I spy a Bootles running through the yard trying to get soaked in a sprinkler.

 I spy someone trying to aim with his water gun.

 I spy a yummy, cold popcicle!

 I spy a happy little girl!

 I spy a multitaster...who said you couldn't enjoy a popsicle while mowing the lawn.

 I spy a big smile!

 I spy a cutie going after her cousin.

 I spy the birthday boy...Uncle Kevin.  He turned 30 last Friday.

 I spy Aunt Julie getting the ice cream cake ready.

 I spy a Daddy and his love.

 I spy Oreos and ice cream galore!

 I spy a cute family!  Happy b-day Kevin!

 I spy someone making a wish.

 I spy a beauty salon.  Ava had her best friend Reagan over on Friday and they played for 6 hours.  The final activity was the Ooh La La Beauty Spa...an idea adapted from Fancy Nancy.  The kids traded off doing nails, hair, and make-up.

 I spy a little brother who was excited to help!

 I spy a cool hair-do in the making.

 I spy two friends forever...how cute are they!!!

 I spy a whole lotta fun!

 I spy a tired pup who loves his new hotdog toy.

 I spy an elephant lurking through the jungle.  Isaiah wanted to make a mask to wear around.

 I spy a Princess Laya mask in the making.

 I spy two artists designing a Darth Vader mask.

 I spy Princess Laya...although Ava was a little upset and said she looked more like an animal than a princess.  Too funny!

 I spy a future Ballard Bomber football player.  Andy brought home a helmet for Isaiah to try on.

 I spy two incentive jars.  As a family we decided the kids need a little work on doing jobs around the house, saying please and thank you without being prompted, and going to bed more independently.  Right now we read them books and have made the big mistake of laying with them until they fall asleep.  We're trying to wean our way out of that one.  Starting tonight it will be stories, laying with them for two songs, and then letting them put themselves to sleep.

 I spy Isaiah's jar filled with pirate stickers.  He added so many more after this picture.

I spy Ava's jar...she continued to add lots of fun glittery flowers and some Hannah Montana stickers.  They are working to fill this with cotton balls for doing things on the list that we made together.  I wrote four things they are going to work on and they signed their name.  Once their jar is full they can choose to go to Target or Build a Bear to pick out a toy.  Cross your fingers that bedtime goes well tonight!

My Three Happy's:

1) Mommy and Ava morning...the boys stayed home and the two of us went to Hobby Lobby and Target to get some stuff for my classroom.  We did end up with some "other stuff" that wasn't on the list.  We ate lunch at McDonalds and headed home. 

2) Making our incentive jars today.  The kids seemed really excited about it.  When the jars were done they said, "Can we get a cotton ball if we fold our laundry downstairs?"  Did I hear that right?????  I think it's working already.

3)Yummy salads!  Tonight I made a spinach salad with a broccoli slaw, shrimp, tomatoes, black beans, corn, and tortilla strips.  So good!

.................................................................My Favorite Thing.....................................................

I decided to start adding one more thing to the blog..."My Favorite Thing."  With each post I will be sharing one thing that is or has become my favorite thing.  I could say my husband and kids every day...but I'm going to stick with other random things.

**My Favorite Thing**
-My Scotch laminator that my parents got me for my b-day.  I love that thing.  It warms up quick, is easy to use, and the end product is very durable!  I've been laminating lots of back to school stuff on it the past few days.