Outdoor Learning

Summer is here!  The boys are home for the summer and basically seem to be living outside.  Tonight they wanted to play a game so I quickly came up with this counting scavenger hunt for them.  I thought it might keep them busy for about 10 minutes.  However, I was mistaken!  This was a huge hit and kept them busy for 45 minutes!  

All I did was chalk boxes on the driveway with number 1-10 inside the box.  I told them they had to find items that were identical in the amount indicated on the boxes.  So 10 rocks went in box 10, 5 balls in box 5, etc.  I did limit them by telling them that it had to be things they could find in the yard or garage because I didn't want them running in and out of the house.  

5 balls

2 yellow bubbles and 2 bubble wands.  And someone informed me he also made a pattern.  

3 flowers they picked and 3 blue bottles of bubbles.

4 cans of paint.  This one gave them a pretty good workout too!

1 pine cone and 1 small can of paint.  

Seriously this is one game I may pull out several times this summer.  Counting, sorting, and team work!  This one scores big points in my book!

Why Is That Child Crying

It's time for another round of one of my favorite games!  

Why is that child crying?

A.  He doesn't want to go to school.

B.  His backpack smells like a shoe.

C.  He doesn't want school to be out for summer.

Why is that child crying?

A.  We made him eat a black bean.

B.  He can't have anymore milk.

C.  I threw away a black banana.

Why is that child crying?

A.  He wants to take a shower.

B.  He doesn't want to take a bath.

C.  He doesn't want to get out of the shower.

D.  Water got in his mouth while in the shower.

Why is that child crying?

A.  Someone took his stuffed rabbit and stuck it in the potted plants.

B.  He wanted syrup on the side not on top of his pancake.

C.  We washed his dirty stuffed rabbit and now it smells different.

Why is that child crying?

A.  He wants to wear jeans and it is 85 degrees out.

B.  He doesn't want to read the book about robots.

C.  He can't remember why but he knows it is important.

What makes this game so great is we are all winners!  If you picked any of the above answers you would be correct.  This house of crying kids cried about a lot of things this week.  Oddly none of the things they cried about were really that important. 

We Are Doing Something Right

 

 

There are so many days that I feel like we are off track, overwhelmed, in over our heads.  Meeting Sylas' needs is a full time job and then I feel guilty because I worry the other kids get overlooked.  I'm worried about how stressful it is for them.  I know how hard parenting a special needs kiddo is so I can't imagine being a sibling.  It's something I'm always struggling with.  And then I get a sign that we are on the right track. 

 

 

 

We went to pick this sweet guy up at school the other day and before we got out of the building he stopped and opened up his backpack and pulled out two pieces of candy.  He said, "Sylas this one is for you and this one is for me."  It dawned on me that this is something Brayden does every day.  Every single day this kid gives Sylas one treat or reward without question. 

 

When we got home that evening and Sylas was in another room I thanked Brayden for always sharing and asked him why he gave up his treats.  His response about made me cry.  First he looked at me like I was crazy.  Then he said simply, "Well I just work really hard all day to get lots of rewards because I know Sylas works hard every day but still never gets rewards because people think it's not as good.  So I will just get a lot so he can have a treat every day too." 

 

That boy makes me so damn proud!  What a heart!  And he is exactly right.  Sylas works his butt off everyday to do what so many people do without question.  And in society's eyes it is very rarely good enough.  I can count on one hand the number of good day notes or prizes that child has received.  But his brother knows how hard he tries and his brother has his back.  It may not always be easy or pretty but we are doing something right.  If nothing else this sweet boy has compassion!  Love him!

A Tornado Is Coming

I live in Kansas.  Kansas and tornadoes go hand in hand.  I don't freak out about them anymore.  I do however try to prepare just a bit.  Today was no different.

When I realized the weather was going to be bad today I went ahead and took a nap.  I prefer to be well rested before disasters.  When my house burnt down on a Monday I had just come out of a very restful weekend.  I like to believe that naps help things not seem so bad.  So nap I did!

When I woke up I took a few pictures of the house, closets and cabinets.  I uploaded those pics to Picasa online.  If the house gets destroyed it makes it way easier to complete your insurance claim with pictures.  

As the storm drew closer I began the smoker during a storm debate.  If you don't smoke you don't get this but if you do you feel my pain.  This is where you try to determine how much time you have to smoke before it starts pouring outside and it's not safe to go out.  So you go out and smoke but then you realize you were wrong and the storm doesn't hit and then you go out again because you are sure it's going to be a matter of minutes.  It's quite a battle which usually results in me smoking too much and still getting rained out.  

I decided there was no point in really cleaning the house in case it got blown away.  I did go ahead and load the dishwasher just so knives and pans wouldn't fly into the little children.

I moved the car to the street.  I would hate for a tree to fall on it.  But I wouldn't mind if it got some hail damage. 

I told the kids to get shoes and socks on.  If they have to walk to get me help I want them in comfy shoes.  

I made sure the flashlights were sat out where we could easily get to them.  Then I yelled at the kids to leave them alone so they wouldn't run the batteries out before we needed them.  

I ate a piece of chocolate eclair pudding dessert.  I'd hate to die in a tornado and not have tried a bite of that!  It was delicious.

And then I made a video of the kids and in the middle of it the sirens actually went off!

Now I'm sitting in the bathroom with them and typing this post.  As soon as a finish I'm gonna clean in here while we wait out the storm.  Seriously, this room smells like pee!  I have too many boys!  I can't die in a room that smells like pee!!!

Say What?

The other night about midnight I awoke when I heard our bedroom door shut.  Then the closet light shut off.  I started saying kids names, expecting an answer.  Finally Sylas says, "Don't be frightened mama, I woke up and I just needed to check on you.  I had a feeling you needed me to snuggle you."  Well of course I need to be snuggled by a huge 5 year old in the middle of the night.  What a sneaky way to end up in our bed. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One kid comes running in the house and declares "You don't have to water the flowers tonight."  I walk outside to investigate and see that the flowers all have sprinkles on them.  "Well guys that's odd, it's not raining so what happened here?"  They both looked at each other and said, "Some other kids were walking by and just peed on them."  Of course!  Random strange children just pee on my flowers. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was trying to pee and a kid walked in.  "Close the door please I want my privacy."  He closes the door.  "Your supposed to be on the outside of the door.  I want my privacy."  "It's okay I'm going to push on the door so no one else gets in and you have lots of privacy okay."  Seriously will I ever pee alone again!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We were eating dinner and Brayden picked a bunch of food up with his hands.  I handed him a napkin and said "let's wipe your hands off and use a fork.  We don't need to eat like cavemen."  Sylas pipes up and says, "whose Caven and why does he eat messy?"  Really no one listens to me!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Just so you know when I'm 1530 years old I'm going to download all the apps I want! Even the ones that cost money!"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"I fink you are a little crabby today mama.  Maybe you need to take a big breath and hold it for a long time.  Like till you go to sleep."  Great advice kid!  Hold my breath till I pass out.   Hmmm actually that might work...