Perfect way to document our travels and teach some geography too!

Fun Fall Art Project

This morning after we took the kids to school, Parker, Connor and I were eating breakfast.  Parker asked me, "So what art project are we doing today mom?"  I had to think fast and remembered a fun fall leaf project that I've done before with some of my other kids.  I told Parker the game plan and he was so excited.  I told him that we'd have to wait until Connor took his nap though because I knew he'd be a little too helpful:)  All morning, Parker was asking me if it was Connor's nap time yet.  Finally the nap came and the art project started.  First we gathered some broken fall colored crayons and peeled off the wrappers.

It took a while to peel all of them, but Parker had fun doing it.  I loved watching the look of pure concentration on his face!  With the help of his favorite mommy, they finally all got peeled. 

Next, we got some wax paper and drew leaf outlines on it.  I was going to free hand the leaves but apparently I way over estimated my leaf drawing abilities.  I kept ending up with Christmas trees.  I admitted defeat and turned to the internet for some help.  If your artistic abilities are as amazing as mine you can find some basic leaf outlines here.  I traced them onto the wax paper.  I decided to cut a couple of them out first but most of them I did not cut out.  As it turns out, it is much easier and turns out way better if you do not cut the leaf outlines first.  When you draw the leaves on the wax paper, you'll want to use a black permanent marker so that it will still show up when it's time to cut them out. 

Good idea:

Bad idea:

Parker was very excited about this next step.  Before you get into it though, you'll want to lay down some newspaper or something.  I couldn't find a single newspaper around the house so I used some freezer paper.  Things are going to get kind of messy, so be prepared:)  We got out some cheese graters and grated up our naked crayons onto the wax paper.  FYI, the finer grater seems to work better.  You really have to be careful with this part though because it's easy to grate little fingers.  I only gave Parker long crayons and I did the shorter ones myself.  We managed to get by without any casualties.  While you're making the crayon shavings, you'll want to plug in your iron.  You'll need it in a minute.

The crayon shavings will be all over.  Make sure there are plenty on the leaf outlines you drew.  When you're all done it looks so pretty!  Like a little fall party on your paper!

Next, put another piece of wax paper over the top of your crayon shavings.

Now it's time to use the iron to make some magic!  Iron directly on the top layer of the wax paper.  I just pressed it down on the wax paper long enough to melt the crayon.  It happens really fast.  Make sure they melt down, but the less time you leave it on the cooler it looks in the end. 

I loved watching Parker's face.  First the anticipation,

then the magic!

(Yes, I was taking pictures of him while I was ironing.  Be very impressed:)  When the crayons are melted you'll want to let it cool for minute.  As a side note, make sure you don't have any crayon on your iron before you turn it off.  Melted crayon on your husbands white shirt may not go over well.  I just rubbed it around on an old dish towel to rub any melted crayon off.  After it cools, you can cut out the leaves.  This is when you want to make sure you can really see the leaf outlines.

When they're all cut out you'll have yourself some neat looking fall leaves!

After trying to figure out what to do with them, we decided to hang them from a string in front of the window.  I love the way they look with the light shining through them.  It really makes the colors stand out.  Now I only wish we had made more of them.  Maybe another day:)

Good Question

My sister, Jamie, made this cute vinyl sign and gave it to us for Christmas a few years ago.  It's been displayed on different shelves and tables and now rests on our mantle.  I love it!  When we got it, I presumptuously put it on display as a statement that Christ is the center of our home.  A few weeks ago Kambry, then six, was studying it and said, "Mom, does that sign say 'Christ is the center of our home', or 'Is the center of our home Christ?'".  Now when I see this sign I can't help but to ask myself, "Is the center of our home Christ?"  That question usually leads to others such as, "What am I doing to make Christ the center of our home?"  "Do my children feel that Christ is the center of our home?" "Would others coming into our home feel that Christ is the center of our home?"  I'm grateful for the six year old wisdom that has helped me to look at our cute little sign in a new light.

Rainy Saturday Morning

We woke up this morning to some heavy gray clouds.  It didn't take long before the heavens opened up and poured down buckets of rain.  We had some good heavy rain for quite a while and then lighter rain into the afternoon.  I was content to sit inside and snuggle up in a blanket.  Ricky thought the kids would have fun playing out in the flooded yard and streets.  Of course he was right out there with them.  I snapped a ton of pictures from inside our dry warm house.  Good thing our kids have such a fun dad:)

I was about to get Connor dressed and figured there was no point in dressing him only to get his clothes soaking wet.  So yes, my baby looks like a rug rat.  He enjoyed watching the rain and feeling it with his hand but would only go out in it with Kambry and her umbrella.

Abby had the right idea.  After playing in the rain, she came in and snuggled up in a blanket.  I didn't have any hot cocoa, so she made some warm cinnamon milk.  It turned out so good!

Boys and Cars

After watching for a few minutes as these two cuties played together...

I knew the camera had to come out! I am so in love with these little hands and toes and sparkley eyes and I could never get enough of their smiles. There is just something I love about watching little boys on their hands and knees pushing around thier cars, trucks and trains. That's what little boys were made to do. I love that these two are the best of friends and have so much fun playing together. I'm a lucky mama!!!

Nature Picture

Today for "Mommy Preschool" we went on a nature walk.  The original plan was to go on a nature walk around our neighborhood.  As it turned out, Connor was napping when we got to that part of our day.  So, we improvised and went on a nature walk around our yard gathering things to use for a picture.  It was so cute to watch Parker carefully examine the different leaves, weeds and flowers trying to find unique and interesting things to make his picture with.  This is the stash that we came in with:

We also found some pom-poms and googly eyes in our craft box that we pulled out for added fun.  Parker had so much fun arranging nature on his paper to create a picture.  He arranged everything and then I used the glue gun to glue it to the paper.  In his mind he created a whole character for the man he made.  This is the newest super hero - Nature Boy!  "If he sees any plants that are dying he can make them alive again and then they can't die any more.  He helps take care of animals too."  I really enjoyed watching him create his picture and talk with him about his creations.  He kept saying thing like, "This is so fun!",  "This is the best project ever!"  I've definitely got to do more things like this.  I sure do love one on one time with my kids!

His favorite part of the picture?  The googly eyed lady bug sitting on the leaf of the tree.

I just love his cute little four year old handwriting and had to take a picture of the "Parker 4" in the corner of his picture.