Seamus wears his hat everywhere and it gets to go on many adventures - find out what his hat is up to. If you are wondering why were are out and about so much during school time it is because our adventures are made possible because big sister Izabel attends a virtual academy.
Izabel tried a new hat this week. A fencing helmet. She had her first fencing lessons and absolutly loves it. She asked that we give her a hair cut so that the helmet can fit on better. She giggles when she practices first position (en garde).
On Thursday after picking Seamus up from school we went to a bowling event that was designed to get the kids excited to join a league. It was crazy busy; I guess a free hour of bowling with free pizza and soda cannot be passed. When we got there we ran into a couple of Izabel's friends whom she was excited to see (she ran over and tackled them). After a quick trip to the library by which point Seamus was refusing to wear shoes and it was not worth the fight we headed to choir practice. While Izabel practices, Seamus can run around with some friend there too. The grand total for the funds they raised during the bake sale was $325! That is enough for the shirts they need and expedited shipping so that they will have them for their first performance on the 18th.
Seamus blowing bubbles at Sunday's picnic.
Some time at the park
Totem hanging out.
Origami Squirrel in an acorn tree.
Origami mouse in an evergreen bush.
Beginning of the lesson - a history of fencing and the three weapons they use.
Seamus really enjoyed having the middle part of the gym to himself. Especially the lines on the court.
Getting into 1st position. Izabel is in green.
Starting to advance. "Don't do the Igor," they were told. I doubt many of them understood what the coach meant.
Izabel giving me a look because she didn't want to have her picture taken.
Izabel's choir raised over $200 at their bake sale; it will go toward new shirts for the kids. We made a Hungarian pastry that when the math was done each slice has .75 Tablespoons of butter. I am very happy with the results. It is a dense yeast cake in 3 layers with apricot and pecans between them all baked as one unit then topped with a chocolate sort-of ganash or frosting. The texture is unreal - not really a cracker not really a cake. I will have to try more from this cookbook.
While we were at the picnic they took the younger kids out to the park to blow bubbles. AS Seamus walked by holding hands with his friends (4 other 3 year olds who are all the same height) he sees me and declares, "Loo MaPa I got friends!" (He calls us both MaPa, I guess he doesn't have time to figure out which one of us he is talking to).
Izabel and Seamus turned in their collection tubes for the Denver Zoo habitat for the elephants. They raised a total of $27.36! They did a good job collecting change for a good cause.
Izabel and Matt disect an owl pellet. This one is a simulated pellet because 1. it was what the store was selling, 2. it doesn't have the microbes et. al. that a real pellet has, 3. it has a guaranteed full starling skeleton inside.
Our caterpillar friend has finally completed his cocoon and we are set up waiting for a new sphinx moth to emerge.
This adventure week brought us a new hat - a magician's hat. When he wears it Seamus says, "I lizard". It took us a little while to realize he was meaning 'wizard'.
Seamus dressed up like Izabel complete with her shoes and us having to call him "Ba-Bel". He then added her hat and sun-glasses.
The kids enjoyed the end of year party for 4-H. They had pizza, played some games and generally ran a muck. Izabel went to Lowe's on Saturday with Matt to do their Build and Grow Project. They give (that's free) the kids goggles and a kit to build, this time it was a little school locker, then they get a certificate and patch. At the same time Seamus was at home making a wizards hat and watching Robin Hood - the Disney version. When Robin jumps from the burning castle toward the end I turned around to find Seamus near tears. Even after Robin emerges still alive Seamus seemed unsure.
Izabel completed her summer reading challenge from Barnes and Nobles and they rewarded her with a new book (another freebie). She chose the book Liberty Porter, First Daughter by Julia DeVillers.
Izabel has finished her long division unit in math (I am sure it is more exciting for us than you) and is working on bones in science (more specifically the muscular-skeletal systems), and the early Renaissance in history and art. After doing a lesson on Lorenzo the Magnificent, grandson, of course, of Cosimo de'Medici, and Seamus having school picture day (no hat this time), the kids enjoyed an afternoon at Monkey Bizness. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how interesting a place like Monkey Bizness is, there is no way to capture it in an interesting photo.
Izabel's 4-H friends enjoying a game
Important life skill.
Izabel is really into her crochet hat these days despite the heat.
Izabel showing off her new book from Barnes and Nobles
The kids enjoyed some Magic Science from a kit - they made bubbling potions and generally ran a-muck.
Izabel's school had its first day back. It was a bit of a ruff start with some tech problems but we are up and running.
Izabel's lessons set up for her first day. She studied Brunelleschi in Art and bones in Science (hence the drawing of Jack Skelington done by me). That art history major finally pays off (well I switch it to Asian Studies but I did study it).
With the start of school these post are probably going to be a little less daily and a little more weekly. And in honor of the new school year we have changed the look of the site. We still have plenty of activities. A quick preview will include some bowling, some cool choir stuff for Izabel, Monkey Bizness, 4-H, and Izabel is going to try fencing lessons.
Izabel created some fashions for her dolls - Thank You Emma and Kate for the hand me down's. Izabel had it all set up with an invitation to come see her new designs. The dolls had a cloth towel on top of them for the unveiling - it looked like some doll morgue it was awful.
Seamus donned a new h ,at - Izabel's old Red Sox's hat while she wore her Yankees hat. They played wiffle ball in the park and Seamus blew bubbles.
As part of her art block she learned about the Marzocco sculpture by Donatello - a lion with a shield with a lily on it symbolizing protection for the city of Florence. Izabel's project was to make a sculpture of a protection animal (a ring-tailed lemur) with a shield wrapped in his tail. Her shield is a tree with two swords crossed because, "lemurs live in trees". She worked hard on it and did a good job.
Click here to learn about the real Marzocco and compare with Izabel's.
We were planning on going to see friends in Akron Colorado on Saturday but they were ill. We found the Boulder Art Festival instead. It was a lot of fun. In the past we talked about trying to show there, now that we have seen it I think we will consider it next year.
This booth was Haute Chocolate meets the movie Labyrinth.
They had face painting - Izabel chose princess eyes, Seamus chose princess eyes too. I asked the lady if she would do them in green or more like leaves. We brainstormed and she did a dragon. Once we told Seamus that he would look like Toothless from How to Train your Dragon he was set. He loved getting the paint put on and sat perfectly still. He then loved breathing fire on everyone, every dog and everything we passed.
Seamus gets his face painted.
Izabel refused to pose for anymore pictures. This is the best I could get.
The Golden History Museum that is adjacent to the festival had an open house with reenactors, the Colorado Lace Makers Guild, and a blacksmith. The guild had a woman making a design with human hair like those memorials that you see in history museums.
Izabel learns how to spin wool.
Seamus checking out his makeup.
On the way out the door we met a new friend. Honestly, I was rather started at this catipillar crawling across the parking lot. It is 3 inches long and strong enough that it can moove around some rocks. We looked it up it is a virginia creeper shynx moth. Those moths are as big as a hummingbird; we used to get them in Brush in our morning glories.
