Sixty

I grumbled a little bit to myself today when my kids were playing with a friend who was singing aloud lyrics to a song he's evidently heard numerous times on his parents' car radios.  I wasn't ready for my kids to be learning words like these.  Then I listened a little more carefully. 

The friend sang: I'm sixty and I know it.  Da-da-da.

Rachel sang: I'm sixty and I know it.  Da-da-da.

Nathan sang: I'm eighty and I know it.  Da-da-da.

Then someone sang: I'm ninety and I know it!  Da-da-da.

I guess I don't need to worry too much.  If they don't have a context for understanding something, they work it around to make it make sense.  Darlings!

Tidbits

We've been having a lot of "shows" at our house lately.  Usually the practice and planning is the biggest part, of course, but occasionally there is actually a show to show for all that.  Here's a snap of one--we have gifted performers for all of our shows, of course, and there is usually a full house to watch them.

We did our annual blueberry picking outing last week--got over 19 pounds of berries!  Rachel and Nathan are getting better all the time at picking and contributed significantly to our pails this year.  They also contributed significantly to their tummies, of course!

The troof

When we had a visitor a couple of weeks ago, Nathan told her at least three times, "I play with Rachel, but I don't really like her."  Fine.  She would probably say pretty much the same thing at any given moment, but we don't believe her.

Then the other night after dinner, Rachel said what color popsicle she wanted.  Nathan quickly chimed in, hoping for that same color.  Then he looked right at Rachel and said, "Know why I copy you, Rachel?  It's because I really, really like you.  I'm tellin' the troof.  I do."  David and I just looked at each other.  It's nice to see, from time to time, that something is working.

Summer science

There are some science investigations that really lend themselves to hot days.  Fortunately, we have been provided with an abundance of that particular resource this summer.  Last week, we investigated density and buoyancy--and got a little wet in the process!

We also made our own paint, and though I never said so, I suppose we were investigating color and viscosity.  I am not above claiming more intentionality for my parenting than was perhaps there at the time.

 Today we built a solar cooker and made s'mores.  Half the neighborhood would tell you that they turned out delicious and nicely melty.  (The other half was at work or camp.)  But first we tested our solar cooker by watching whether an ice cube melted faster inside it or outside it.  (It was nearly a draw.  Our design my need some refining, but hey--I have to leave something for their elementary and middle-school science teachers, right?)

One note in case you consider making your own paint out of sweetened condensed milk: it made very cool, swirly paintings, but they attracted flies and never really dried.  Not something for the archive, but the process was a lot of fun!

Summer snow

Thanks, Grandmerr, for the enormous quantity of packing peanuts--Rachel and Nathan knew just what to do with them!

Flag hats

We've been playing with our friend E a lot lately.  Last Friday, he and Rachel made some swanky hats to wear to the Independence Day parade.  Then we went out on the front porch to watch a storm roll in.  Don't they look like they're having fun together?

Handy kids

My children are quite handy to have around.  They're able to build shelter for themselves, 

tie up intruders--or unsuspecting houseguests (thanks for the good nature, CathE!),

 

and even fend off the undead. 

These are all important life skills--or does it seem like they're ready for their own reality TV program?

Back stories: They spent Monday morning picking up a lot of sticks in our neighborhood from the weekend's storms and wanted to build a fort with them.  Voila--a teepee was born!  I'm not sure exactly what was going on with Cathy, but I think she ended up being someone's pet.  And Nathan was helping us decorate our garden with Irish Spring stakes to fend off toothy critters that like our plants.  Now it smells like my grandparents' bathroom.

So, yes--we've been keeping busy!