What John is up to and other stories

 Last week was the last week of our summer.  I wanted to try making ice cream with the kids as it is one of their four food groups.  We invited the neighbors over for the 'science experiment'.  Amazingly, it worked quite well.  You put half a cup of half and half in a small ziplock bag with a tablespoon of sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Seal that bag, and place it in a bigger bag/container with a lot of ice and a bunch of salt.  Shake it around for about 10 minutes (we did a little less) and you make ice cream.  Everyone, including yours truly, was a little amazed this worked.  We happened to have toppings and waffle bowls from a housewarming (housecooling?) gift.  Instant ice cream party!

A side story, the above picture was the one picture I took of the event.  For 24 hours after this, I could not find the camera.  I was afraid I'd thrown it out somehow with the trash.  The one thing I kept thinking was that our neighbor's two-year-old son had been present and he has a reputation of picking up things and placing them in random spots.  But, I kept thinking that his mom and I would have noticed if he picked the camera up from the table.  I must have thrown it away or misplaced it.

I researched cameras quite a bit and had basically decided to buy a new one, when Eric joined me in the hunt.  We were standing on the back deck and I was telling him about the last time I remembered having it.  He casually walked over to the doggie door flap, reached in, and nonchalantly says:  "Found it".  So now I have a little scapegoat for every time I misplace something:  "Brayden!"

We started school on Tuesday.  Attempting to teach with a 1 year old in the house is slightly different than with a 4 month-old.  In many ways it is easier, but I know if he is quiet I should probably go and check on him. 

 Over the weekend we hung some curtains and pictures on the wall.  We also set up the little coffee station in our kitchen.  I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.  And we have just the right amount of mugs that even as we use a couple, the two we used previously have been washed and are ready to be replaced.  Do not take this as an invitation to give us display mugs.  We have plenty! But, I am glad to show off some of the more clever mugs we have collected over the years (including one from the Dollar Tree (I love that store!)).  And despite Eric's misgivings, John was only curious in that above picture.  He's never bothered them again. 

 As opposed to other activities...

 On Monday, the kids discovered that John could climb a ladder.  This is all well and good...until he is on the top bunk and hopping around.  I don't have time for ER visits.  Therefore, I placed the ladder in the closet.  Yesterday, I heard crying in the kids' room.  I walked in expecting to find John, but couldn't see him.  Molly directed me to the closet where John had decided to ignore my motherly advice and climb the ladder to nowhere.  He was good and stuck.  Which meant he wasn't going to fall and I had time to get my camera.  #motheroftheyear

 We placed the filing cabinet in the office and the kids' reaction was everything I'd hoped it would be.  I actually didn't take the above picture.  I'm pretty sure it was Molly based on some other pictures I found. My vision for the office/homeschool resource room has become basically a reality.  The kids come in here for quiet time activities (Will is currently quizzing Molly with her brain quest trivia cards) and actually do use the garage for playtime sort of.  I'm sure once the garage is set up, this will be an excellent hang out spot for them.  Right now, there are a bunch of boxes in their area which makes movement difficult.  They also spend much more time in their room than they did at the other house.  Yesterday they discovered a 'secret passageway' to the bunk beds.  I think hopping over lava is involved.

 Along with climbing ladders, John keeps himself occupied with other activities as I teach the boys.  The funny thing about the cabinet picture is that he only opens that door.  If he were to shift his attention slightly to the left...he'd find our wine collection.  Don't tell him.  I specifically put the water bottles behind the smaller door because he has always liked to open it and while those make a mess, they will not break.  He also likes to completely empty the cup and bowl drawers.  Will is my little helper and generally cleans it all up without even being asked. 

 John also likes to play with light sabers (um...who doesn't?).  The light of the saber is only rivaled by the light in his eyes as he comes around the corner wielding it.  I have visions of him going as Yoda or R2D2 for Halloween.  Or in the lion costume that we already have.  It will probably be that...but, in a twist his siblings did not get to be he will be a Jedi Lion!

 Yup, Molly definitely took the picture of the filing cabinet.

She also took the picture of John's sippy cup and pretzel.  I like it, so I'm adding it here.  It also adds a nice segue into a story about our new neighbors.  Ok, not so much a story, but a fact: They are KU grads.  Rock Chalk!

And just because I don't want to end the post on a picture of a sippy cup and pretzel stick, here is John enjoying his first peanut butter sandwich.  I think I made one for him before, but he had more on him than in him.  This one he ate quite delicately with a pretzel at first and then decided to eat the bread as well.  It was pretty cute to watch.  I took a video, but it is a video that really only a mother and siblings would enjoy.  And I don't know how to post it on here anyway.

Ok, time to get the day started.  Day 3 of Homeschool.  Everything has gone very well so far.  I've only yelled three times.  I think.  I may have lost track...