Watermelon Fest

I am lucky enough to be one of the teen leaders for a local homeschool group. I'm not going to post any of their pics, but I do want to share how much fun Elias had during a recent event!

We had a watermelon fest. Each teen brought a watermelon or 2 cantaloupe. We made armor out of them, had watermelon-seed spitting contests, greased watermelon in the pool, and cantaloupe bowling.

Here's some of the remains of Cantaloupe Bowling.


Elias was the "target" for watermelon-seed spitting.  He loved it!

This isn't even all of them! It was a messy night for sure...definitely outside with hoses required!

4th of July

I am so behind on blogging...oh well!

Usually, every 4th of July, all of our neighbors end up at one house and we have a big fireworks fest. Each year, some of us buy too much and end up with leftovers.  It has the makings of a very nice evening.

The night started off great! Sebastian wasn't scared of the poppers, and got into stomping on them......



Elias wanted to ride his bike through every color smoke bomb, over and over......

Someone nearby was doing "illegal" fireworks, but they sure were pretty to see......as the light was fading....

And then the darkness descended and the shrill fireworks started and that was the end of Sebastian.  Well, maybe it'll be better for him next year!  Elias did have a nice time, he stayed out with the neighbors for quite awhile, enjoying the evening and the company.

Another "In..."

 This was before we shaved his head...Sebastian puts things "in", he goes "in"...we can never find anything!!!!!!!!! I couldn't find his binky one night. the next day went to get some plastic wrap, it was in the drawer! We couldn't find his sandals for 3 days....and I was really looking in all the odd places. Then I found them in a little used Desk Drawer.  ACH!!!  It's funny but so unpredictable!

Here's Sebastian IN The Bin

Space Camp

What a week! I contracted with the US Space and Rocket Center's US Space Camp, to send out instructors to Las Vegas and do their Build-A-Shuttle program with a group of our Las Vegas homeschooled students. It is so incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't use enough exclamation points!!!!!!!!

We cycled about 150 kids through the program each day, and each day they built upon what the previous class had done. It culminated in a HUGE space shuttle/ISS/Payload Bay/Engine Block/Mission Control Center that took up almost an entire gymnasium!

The most incredible part was watching how the instructors gave the children free reign for interpretation. They would say, ok, we're going to use these boxes and buckets to make an engine block. GO! It was hours of work and so much fun and so much cooperative work, and so much learning about space! I just can't say enough about the program or the instructors, or the kids! I had chills all week long, watching it unfold!

Then, the last day, the kids all got to dress up as astronauts or mission control specialists, and put on this play, it was THE BOMB! My son has been walking on his heels vvveeerrrryyy slowly, for days, with his arms outstretched...in preparation of his part.

Ok, enough talk, here are some pics:

Looking over boxes and trying to make decisions for the Engine Block

We had several stations set up through the room. Here some banners are being painted, while the engine block is being created in the background.


This Mommy fell in love with the Satellite she helped her group make. She ended up bringing him home after The Mission was complete!


Flames are being added to the engine block


The frame of the ISS is done, and the frame of the orbiter is now being put together. Thankfully some dads came and helped! Cutting PVC is hard work!

Adding some last minute decorations


Elias with Linda

Then it was time for The Mission. Some in the audience came dressed for it!  Too cute!


The astronauts got on their gear

Then they had to lay on their backs for a long time getting ready to go up


After a successful Launch, Elias had to do a space walk in order to repair a piece of the satelite


Here's another group completing their space walk, after repairing a solar panel


Our Mission Control Specialists did a great job!


Here's our crew, back home safe and sound!


Two of the more adventurous moms took home the ISS and the shuttle pieces


I think the kids will be talking about this for years to come!

Turning 3

At 10:38am, 3 years ago yesterday, I gave birth to Sebastian after a quick 12 minutes being in a hospital bed. I hate pain, but I hate drugs more....I stayed home as long as I could and ended up pushing in the car! Hmmmm....shoulda just stayed home!

Now my little baby is 3! And turning into this handsome young toddler. I am so thankful for his health today, and for his energy. He's an awful big blessing in my life!

Look at the creative balloon-man our neighbor made Sebastian!


Sebastian sat on Chase's lap and everyone was so patient, letting him open presents and play with them, moving on at his own rate. He's so lucky to be so loved!


He got some good books, which he enjoys looking through


He loved his yummy cake. Elias was the primary baker for this one...taking over Brian's job as Chief Cakemaker.


One of our friends made Sebastian this beautiful shirt.He loved getting his pics taken in it!


What a keepsake! I LOVE crafty people!!!


Now, I just have to work on thinking of him as a "big boy" and not "the baby".

I Love IKEA

I do, I really do, I love IKEA. What's there not to love? Great products, cheap prices, super easy to put together....Now if only they'd open one in Vegas!!!!

Well, I am blessed enough to have friends that go to LA often, and sometimes PURELY for a trip to IKEA...so I send along my list!

Here's my recent catch!

In the back are 10 circle soft spots...I'll be using them for our upcoming preschool co-op class. Then there's a salad spinner. I recently found out people do Spin Art in salad spinners! How fun!
Then there's the toddler plates, tumblers and bowls. I've had a set of their bowls and sets of their toddler utensils and they last for years and are so great. I need more (especially with preschool co-op coming up....I figure why keep using paper plates?!?).
Then there's plastic tumblers that look like glass....for the play kitchen set. Very cool! I got an apple corer and a timer (no significant educational meaning there!) and not pictured are 2 white wood children's chairs for Elias' treehouse. All this, under $100!

Did I already say I Love IKEA?

Artful Potter

We went to Artful Potter, a local place where you paint pottery and then they fire it for you. I've never let Sebastian do it before but this time I decided to.

He sat very nicely and waited for everyone to get there. Then he very nicely tried to wet his bowl.


Then he very nicely started dragging his brush around getting whatever he hit. Sometimes the bowl, sometimes his head, sometimes me...I was just trying to keep him from accidentally painting another child's project!


Elias diligently painted his entire bowl blue..inside and out...and then added green dots all over it. This took quite awhile.


During which Sebastian had no more interest in painting.


I really want things the kids do to be a fair representation of them at that time, and their ability....so I restrained myself from "helping". I did manage to get one of Sebastian's fingerprint on the bowl...but other than that...it's his creation! (or, in this case, non-creation....I shoulda saved my $10!)


And here's Elias'


It was fun, and Elias always loves this field trip. Sebastian will grow into it, one day...

Cub Scout Advancing

Elias recently moved up from a Tiger to a Wolf! Here are some pics of his advancement ceremony.

Here I am, putting his Tiger Patch on him, upside down...he earned it this year, and when he does a good deed for someone, it can be turned right side up.


Here he is trying to pin my pin on me.


Here we are, with our fabulous Den Leader, Miss Hope


The boys scouts have to remove the Tiger neckerchiefs, and tie on their new ones.


How proud, to be wearing the new Wolf ones!


Shaking Cubmaster Jim's hand



We love scouts, we love our small den, we love our leader....and we've completed our first year! (Well, Elias' first year! Brian used to be in scouts, and I used to be a leader....then along came more children!)