Playground Love

March is over, thank goodness. We’ve been all sorts of sick and are now back on our feet. This post will be a big photo dump of everything we’ve been up to, from spring break on.

The carousel at the Village Museum

Over spring break we went to the Burnaby Village Museum and enjoyed all sorts of old-timey stuff. I’d been holding off going, because I thought it would be hokey- but it was just the thing to cure the boredom and stuck-at-home doll drums we’ve been in! A was super excited about the carousel but  was quite freaked out once we got there. It goes really fast and the horses are quite high so the first few rides were spent on the sleigh bench. We eventually worked our way up to the stationary mini-horses just right for toddlers.

This inspired me to dig out a pop-out book that my Aunt S gave to me when I was really young. Amina enjoyed it and added some of her own modern day dollhouse furniture to it along with critters and dolls.

I’m usually not surprised when Amina picks out books from the library because they tend to be quite predictable (cowgirls wearing boots, etc). One book tends to stand out for both of us though and it’s Traction Man. This book is geared towards little boys which follows an action hero saving everyday objects from around the house, but who has a special action hero outfit for every adventure.  Amina is quite enamoured with him. We found a printable pdf to turn Traction Man into a physical two-dimensional dress up doll. A match made in heaven. Here’s how it turned out:

Can I tell you how awesome it is when kids can use scissors on their own?

Art, art and more art.

Amina going on an Easter egg hunt.

This is C’s first art too! He’s been watching (and eating A’s markers) and now wants to have a go. So fun! I put some side walk chalk out and got him to pound on the blackboard. Looking forward to more art firsts with him!

Happy April!

xok

Well what a night!

Our little scarlet macaw brought home a tonne of loot despite only trick and treating for 20 minutes. Had a blast putting together the costume and love that A loves it. Here are some pictures of our month- Halloween, art and some other stuff we’ve been up to.

A scarlet macaw at pre-school

Whipped a macaw costume together for M- "special persons night" at pre-school

Not a scarlet macaw- C at 6+ months!

Angry bird from angry birds video game

Blue macaw made from Plasticine

Pre-school art

M's pumpkin- spooky

Have to say that I am a bit relieved that October is over- now I can officially get excited about Christmas and the holidays!

You’d think with a title like that we would own several blue macaws. Alas- A has become fixated with the movie Rio which stars- can  you guess? two blue macaws. Ironically she’s always been terrified of these birds whenever we see them at  Maplewood Farm.

Anyhow- she been playing some serious games with these two. Anything blue in our house is fair game. Building blocks, blue string, blue mittens- everything is being used as birds. I am in the process of needle felting her a bird, but that is on the back burner at the moment. Halloween is creeping up slowly and I’ve got a blue macaw costume to make! (inward sigh of relief that we’ve escaped the princess thing for yet another year!)

Blue macaw art everywhere too- which is awesome. I see her interests expanding and challenging her to draw and use new shapes.

We’ve been tackling different projects as well and using new materials- here is a necklace that we made out of old t-shirt tubes.

Cut them, stretch them and make them look like noodles.

Wrap them to cover the ends

Proudly wear them.

This is a picture A drew of me picking flowers.

A sheep.

New jacket for Callie:

M has been showing A how to use plasticine- it’s nice that they have this time together and this medium:

An alien and his planet

A ballerina.

September has come and gone with me kicking and screaming every step of the way and now we are into October. I am embracing the fall and the lead up to the holidays. Secretly one of my favorite times a year. I am resolving to get out and enjoy our creek and our trails more because all too soon the rains will be upon us. Here’s to many hours of future leaf collecting.  Happy Fall!

xok

We went to a wonderful birthday party held at Collage Collage on Sunday and besides all the fun of the party, came away with an awesome picture of a rocket powered unicorn. A what? You bet- inspired by my new favorite book called An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton. I continually inspired by A these days and the art that she finds everywhere! This particular unicorn- besides having rainbow tail, mail and sweater also has a bandaged foot and crutches and is eating a purple and blue monster carrot. Where in her imagination does this kind of stuff come from? I guess that’s the message of the book- keep dreaming even if the grown ups tell you its silly. Awesome, awesome. As you can tell it’s already framed and hanging in the dining room.

What else is keeping us busy besides unicorns and rockets? Sleep is keeping me busy- starting to get better. Found a miracle sleep training program that seems to be really working. C is teething though so we’re not pushing it too far- but nice to sleep and only nurse 1-2 times per night instead of being a snack bar.

I have been really busy making items for my etsy shop! I have no idea if anything will sell- but it will be really exciting if it does. I’ll post more when it’s unveiled.

xok

xok

A has been busy painting several works of art daily. She’s been into cats and rainbows mostly, with the odd orca thrown in here and there!

Orca! Inspired by a humpback whale postcard from her Omi + Papa

Cat

Our Cat, Todd

Another cat

Rainbow with pinks and organges

Rainbow with blues and greens

A and I are under the weather today- so not much to add.

xok