Beach

With the temperatures threatening to crest above 100 (I think it made it to 104) we made a post-swim lesson retreat to Cannon Beach. Grace was not impressed - with the surf or the sand. She stayed mainly on the blanket. Bayley body surfed. He's getting muct too brave around the water for my comfort. I think Daddy has to come with us next time!

SLIME!!

I'm not so sure about packing half full containers of random science experiement stuff...so we had a slime filled afternoon to use up some of the stuff. (There is still plenty, if anyone wants a slime-fest of their very own).


We made magnetic slime, glow in the dark slime, sparkly slime, thermo-slime (color changing with heat as you play with it - however, it usually looks like a blood clot), Saturn Sludge which looks a lot like flubber (it's the orange stuff), and plain slime...which I am convinced set designers use as movie snot. The stuff looks like a giant booger.



While I cleaned up (because some of the stuff can stain, I opted out of boy help) they played with Grace...by helping her climb atop yet another box, this time filled with their science paraphanelia. Tomorrow, Bayley is breaking out the microscope to examine our slime collection....which is currently chilling out in my fridge. Hungry?

Outpost

Every weekday, all summer long, there is a free lunch program called Outpost in Hillsboro. One of the local churches staffs it, and there is always something fun to do.

It starts right about when the boys get out of swim lessons, so we trek over and check it out. Today they had slip & slides set up.

And Grace, who is not a fan of the boys having swimming lessons by the way, has decided her new favorite thing to do is to empty out the laundry basket in her room.

The toy box

With the move, we pared Grace down to one box of toys. So, she's decided the box is also one of the toys. She likes to climb into the box and play with toys there, and she gets her brothers to push her around in the box, using the stuffed toys as crash padding.

Swimming Lessons!

The boys are taking lessons again...I think I put them in the wrong class. Oh well, it's practice anyway.

Baleen!

Grandpa Bill came back from Alaska with something unexpected -- baleen from a beluga whale! It felt like a hairy fingernail.

Stargazing

We made it to one of the Star Parties OMSI puts on at Stub Stewart State Park...but we were woefully unprepared. It was so hot last night we had the air conditioning running all night, but tonight at the star party? We were freezing!

The boys got a star chart and peeked through telescopes to see Saturn and a twin star. And then, they had to head home. I should have dressed them in something other than shorts and UO jerseys! I packed a sweatshirt, but coats would have been good. Anyway, they were pleased to get to stay up so late, and want to do it again...with blankets and hot cocoa.

Summertime is Fun Time!

Hayden is wicked good at catching frogs.

The boys have decided that the bucket we'd been using to corrall their bats and balls is their swimming pool - we can't find theirs...it may have made an early trip into the storage unit.

Grace was simply adorable today.

Keeping Busy

Bayley got a Spy Kit for his birthday...he quickly fingerprinted Hayden so he can tell if Hayden touches his stuff...I doubt most mothers photograph their child's first finger printing...

Since Bayley is at Camp Invention, Hayden has been bored so we went to OMSI. Grace was really into it since everything is at kid height. This was her first try at playdough.

It's HOT!

This is the boys' favorite way to cool off.

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

Our baby boy is 6! It's amazing how quickly the time has flown by.

Hayden enjoyed his time as birthday boy, choosing what we did and when we did it all day long. That meant pancakes for breakfast, Wii & Sponge Bob, McDonald's for lunch, and dinner at Chevy's so he could get a song and a sombrerro.


Then it was time for fireworks! The neighborhood gathered and Hayden shared his cupcakes with everyone. The kids played with sparklers until the sun went down, then we watched the Costco fireworks collection and tried to guess where people were shooting off the illegals. A perfect 4th of July.



Tomorrow Hayden's birthday celebration continues with his Chuck E Cheese party!

Happy Birthday, Bayley!

Our big boy is 8! As the birthday boy, he got to do whatever he wanted...and he wanted to play Wii and his new Nintendo DS. We managed to get him out for lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and the park. He loved having everyone sing to him at Red Robin.

Bayley wanted a big boy Lego party - no little kids allowed! Daddy made it happen by hiding upstairs with Hayden & Grace while Bayley and his friends went to town on Legos!

I can't wait to see what this next year will bring!