Power Lab: VBS

We enjoyed VBS at our church this week.

The youth group dressed up like quirky lab people all week to lead the songs. We did some science type experiments and crafts (made a tornado in a bottle, etc.).

In bible study group the kids got to be a leper (with spots all over their face), be blind (with blindfolds - and got to wash each other's eyes with oatmeal!), walk on water (in rubbermaid bins as they stepped out of the boats that the leader made), give their sin to Jesus (move frowney face stickers onto Jesus), and learn how to spread the good news (played a game with balloons that they wrote a fact about Jesus on and they had to keep the "good news alive" by keeping the balloons in the air). .

- Power Lab!

The Caterpillars Arrived

For graduation Mikaela received a Butterfly Garden (http://insectlore.stores.yahoo.net/butgarwitcer.html).

Our caterpillars arrived- and were so tiny!

It took them about a week (for all five) for them to make a chrysalid.

We are now waiting for them to turn into butterflies!

Girls Fancy Day

Both the kids have journals that they write in each night - recording a sentence or two in their own writing about the day - favorite parts, silly moments, or special thoughts.

On rare occasions (when I can keep my eyes open and focused after I put them to bed), I write in their journals - a letter to them.

Here is Mikaela's letter for our fancy girl's day:

Mikaela,

You and I had the best day ever today! I loved every moment of it.

Our day began with you getting ready in your fancy clothes. You took such time picking out matching outfits for you and Rosi (your doll). You finally settled on a pretty pink dress, complete with matching headbands. You woke so early - excited and ready!

Next, you packed Rosi's things (a bottle, and her pajamas should she get tired from her big day out).

And you packed a purse for yourself - glittery lip gloss, shiny lip gloss, and yes - more lip gloss!

You picked out a butterfly necklace to wear - because the pinks matched perfectly.

We began our day at the American Girl Store at North Point Mall. You are such an authority on shopping there - you showed me all your favorite things about the store.

You are such a careful shopper - you looked at each bitty baby outfit carefully opening the boxes, checking to see which books came, which accessories were included.

You narrowed down your choices to two - the "bugs and butterfly" set (http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/html/ProductPage.jsf/itemId/116608/itemType/FG/webTemplateId/3/uniqueId/193/saleGroupId/321) and the "beach" (http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/html/ProductPage.jsf/itemId/103244/itemType/FG/webTemplateId/3/uniqueId/193/saleGroupId/321) set.

We talked about each outfit - where would Rosi wear them? You waited until we had looked the whole store over TWICE! - and then swiftly decided on the bugs and butterfly set.

"Are you kidding me? Rosi is going to look so great in this - so cute!"

"Are you kidding me?" is your new favorite phrase - you sound so grown up each time you say it.

Next, we went to lunch. A special treat - we dined at the American Girl Bistro.

You were so excited! Rosi was seated first in her American Girl High chair, given her special doll menu.

You had a pink lemonade, warm pretzel bread, macaroni and cheese, and curly fries.

I loved how you counted the number of curls in each fry before you ate it.

You looked so big seated across from me at lunch today. We talked about our favorite parts of the American Girl Store. You were so excited that you called Nana to tell her where you were!

After lunch, we headed over to the movie - a PREMIERE!

We got AmericanGirl t-shirts, matching t-shirts for the twins and a book about the movie on our way in. I bought us a big popcorn and we were ready to see the show!

We saw "Kit Kittredge" - you had seen previews on television and kept telling me all the parts you already knew while we waited for the movie. (http://www.kitkittredge.com/).

The movie was so good! We laughed at many of the same parts. I loved looking over to see that you were giggling as well.

I hope today was the first of many special shopping/movie/lunch days for us.

Love,
Mommy

http://www.sparklesrollerrinks.com/index.php?pr=G-Home

We went to Sparkles Skating Rink in Lawrenceville with some friends from Mikaela's kindergarten class last week.

Mikaela and Xander have been skating in our garage (you remember those pictures - helmets, knee pads, elbow bads, anxious mom/dad?). Since we have never been to a skating rink, and there is only one of me and two of them - we did not skate.

I have to admit that I thought there would be some whining about not getting to check out the stinky rental skates or skate to the cheesey music.

Nope - not one whine.

Not one request to skate.

The minute we walked in the door - all they focused on was the very large indoor, suspended playground.

Let the fun begin!

Summer Fun!

Summer Fun - little swimming

little sleeping!

Swimming at BearPas!

The Paci Fairy Came to Visit Xander

Xander woke Saturday morning ready for the pacifier fairy to come. We had been talking about her upcoming arrival for a while - but were waiting for him to be ready.

Saturday Xander wrote a letter to the pacifier fairy - about how he was a brave, big boy now and didn't need pacifiers any more.

Then - the pacifier hunt began. We gathered all his pacifiers and he put them in a box. He decorated the box with one of his favorite themes - The Wiggles coloring book pages!

He put the box outside and he WAITED!

While we were gone out for dinner, she came.

The pacifier fairy left magic fairy confetti so we would know that she had come.

In the box - Xander found a prize for being big enough and brave enough to give his pacifiers away!

New Superman sheets and a new superman big bed pillow!!!!!

Since this post sounds so positive, I won't bore you with the details of how long it is taking to get him to go to bed at night. He hasn't asked for his pacifiers again - but has learned how to be a jack in the box at night!