Less Stress

Janet Lansbury has some really good articles about parenting. I could spend all day reading her opinions and soaking up information! Here is an article that may help anyone with stressed kids (or to prevent stress). I think forming habits in infancy is crucial but only time will tell for us (2 years in!). Really, I think creating an environment from the start to relax and deal with things as you can handle it is important. Perhaps Janet can add yoga and breathing exercises to the list because I KNOW that my 2 year old benefits from it greatly, as do I :)

Less Stressed Kids

Art

I have a ton of ideas and constantly looking for more ideas of fun things to do with the kids using different art mediums.

I figured I'd share a blog that I just stumbled upon-art4littlehands. I like her projects (easy to do and creative)!

Pumpkin Decorating

It seems like I've seen melted crayon art a lot online lately, mostly on canvas with crayons perfectly lined up creating a rainbow. I really like the idea, plus I know from experience that kids love blow dryers. So, while debating on different ideas to have toddler friendly pumpkin decorating I thought we could try to melt crayons onto pumpkins… it worked out well :)

Adro came over to spend the day with us so he went first (most trusted child when it comes to art). 

Mo was next up, and very eager to get started!

Ez thought it was hilarious. 

 Jimbo's enthusiasm...

Brotherly love <3

Adro read stories to all the others!

We did halloween artwork and good ole' Grandma's package of novelties always have holiday activity books- Adro loved working in the activity book completing Halloween crosswords, word scrambles, mazes, matching images, coloring pages, fill in the blank games, etc.

I never tire of seeing a happy baby. It always makes me appreciate life just that much more. 

Breakfast was pumpkin muffins and orange cream Shatto milk. Lunch was make your own pizza. We also snacked on apples and oranges, trail-mix, and rice pudding. All the kids love rice pudding and it is so easy to make and so good for them (brown rice, almond milk, a little cinnamon, raisins). Obviously rice pudding could be a more time consuming complex fix but they eat it up the way I've been making it and it takes me seconds to prepare.

TGIF :)

Beautiful Fall Weather

There are times I like to remind myself of the beauty found in our neighborhood. So, we went for a walk to the park and ran up and down the hills, talked about all the beautiful colors of the leaves, found different types of nuts and sticks and whatnots, and marveled at the view (or I did). Kessler Park is huge and leads into Cliff Drive. The view of the city is breathtaking and located just off the Kansas City Museum which is a gorgeous structure. Then we came home and continued our outdoor fun. We found some caterpillars in the garden and gathered fallen leaves to throw up in the air. 

I am lucky to be here.

Wonderscope

Here are a few pictures of the littles having fun at Wonderscope!

A velcro board with tubes to arrange for golf balls to roll through

Gardening in the Farm to Market room

Grocer at the market

Cows eat carrots?

Collecting eggs

Fruits and veggies for all

Of course, a train table, and there they stayed till I pulled them away

The doctors

Veterinary station 

The snake was REALLY lively

The turtles were also very lively (and not pictured, the iguana)

Water room

We ended our fun in the lego land and I guess I was tired of taking pictures. There was the airway system that was super neat to watch and huge foam building blocks.

I also made my way to the feed store and got the chickens some bedding and food. They are getting BIG! Their coop is coming along, Brian is building it all from scrap materials found primarily from businesses along his route and the free section on Craigslist.

Well we made it to the library all dressed up! The kids had fun… but I think it was just one of those days… Ez was a biker dude with an attitude to accompany his costume. It might have just been a situation like when you have a big pimple on your face and feel like EVERYONE is staring at you but in reality no one thinks anything of it. I felt like Ez was the most unruly child there. After story time we headed down to the Vault, which is a really really cool part of the library. Mrs.Clare, the librarian, put on a Reading Rainbow film and all the children sat nicely to watch the film except for Ez. He was running around, while I was trying to nurse Lo, flipping up people's seats while they were sitting in them, pulling at others costumes, walking in front of people's views… Needless to say we didn't stay through the entirety of the film. My kids just don't know how to watch tv (I don't know if it's a good thing or bad).

Buzz Lightyear and Biker Dude

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Listening to a story

Biker Dude does the latch board

So we went to the park. Macken Park is just north of the Missouri River and has always been a favorite place of mine. I like the playgroud equipment and it is surrounded with trees so completely shaded. They also have a lengthy walking trail that is really well maintained. There are always friendly dog walkers and joggers that all have smiles constantly. It is just a happy place :) Of course it was dry and windy and the mulch dust left a coating on all of our bodies. I guess I won't be complaining that today is raining because we need it!

His favorite thing at the playground: a park bench

Swing Enthusiasts

Once we returned home from our adventures we played a few Halloween games! I printed these cutouts from Busy Bee Kids Printables. Mo used them as a matching game rather than the intended memory game.

Today, since it is raining out and chilly, I don't think we will spend much time outdoors. So, we are headed to the children's museum which is conveniently located right next to the feed shop (okay, really I just need chicken feed so I am making it a fun outing).