like moths to a flame

we might be at the library, but all these boys have eyes for is the jumbo tablet. i usually say no, but today we had time and they enjoyed themselves completely. i should have taken a video because they were quite noisy and competitive. love.

golden ticket magic show

after completing the reading program at this local library the kids were given a "golden ticket" to their celebration. little did we know that we were going to be treated to a magic show!

and they loved it! i was so impressed too. mason and manning both were selected to be part of the show. i didn't get any pictures of mason because i was asked to come up with him and then my friend there was asked to come up and help us too. i was able to get pictures and video of manning.

when the show was over all of the kids were given popsicles (and it was super hot in that room). madelyn went up to show the magician her card trick. he was very kind to play along with her.

madelyn and her friend katherine had fun with the library's computer.

i was feeling sort of cute today and thought i would snap a quick picture to update my profile picture (i very rarely get a picture of just me). it was only later that i realized i did not wear any make-up that day! oops. love.

saturday funday

i have a million and one things to do before vbs starts on monday but these two boys were signed up for a "beach party" at the library this morning. they were pretty excited to be the only ones in the age group for the party from our family. and all of the kids LOVE these library parties.

after listening to some books about the beach and a flannel board story about a seagull, the boys jumped into the crafts. but there weren't terribly age appropriate (the cutting was way too detailed for 3-6 year olds).

i cut the legs and claws, but he did really well with the rest.

the boys, very generously, offered to let me use their sea critters for vbs decorations. they also made some paper tube octopuses and paper plane-like seagull. we took the toilet paper tube lobster supplies home. mommy didn't have enough time for the cutting.

the boys were given little stuffed animal crabs and fruit snacks to take home. and then we were off to pick-up the rest of our crew for another free kids' event today - a visit with bob and larry.

they had fun with a scavenger hunt around the store before enjoying lots of snacks and drinks. manning and madelyn were the only ones brave enough to take a picture with them.

of course, tattoos were a different story...

mason and i dropped off the rest of the family and then went to a birthday party for one of his kindergarten classmates. all of the kids were given a cute little sundae bowl to take home (after enjoying an impressive sundae spread).

her mom was kind enough to send a sundae bowl home for each of our kids! and they were very, very excited at the possibility of ice cream. now when to use them... love.

more felt board fun

the kids are continuing to have fun with the $5 felt set and board i made during a class at the public library. and then we discovered that we could check out ready-made felt sets from the library! manning, in particular, really loves to tell stories. this has been one of his favorites (the video is SUPER long) - polar bear, polar bear, what do you hear? (although he says "see" through the whole telling.) love.

movie in the park - inside out

if you have been reading for long, you know that we love the movies in the park put on by the public library each month in the summer. a church and a few local businesses provide inflatables, hot dogs, pop corn, cotton candy, crafts, games, prizes and balloon animals - all for free! it is a wonderful way to enjoy a summer evening. tonight's movie is inside out.

with lunch and camp and dinner at the park, i got most of the day off today! that was pretty special too.

the craft was so cute and simple - painted plate with character templates to color, cut out and glue on.

maddux got his fill of hot dogs and then some.

me and the love bug.

movie time! i must admit that reclining on a blanket with any number of kids laying/leaning on me is not comfortable at all, but the experience is heavenly. love.

felt board stories

i had accidentally signed manning up for an adult felt board class so i went instead. it was the best $5 i have spent in a long time! we were given the supplies for putting together three felt stories based on books, two general games, a felt board and several other resources for other ideas. not to mention an hour and a half of adult conversation - and fancy coffee.

the kids were thrilled to check everything out when i got home. i was only able to complete two of the stories during the class and had to finish the rest at home. we made pieces for pete the cat (pete the cat and his four groovy buttons), pigeon and duckling (the duckling gets a cookie?) and a book that was new to us tickle monster by edouard manceau. tickle monster has quickly become their very favorite.

seriously, hours and hours of storytelling fun! first the original versions and then combinations of their own stories. we are even talking about making more pieces based on other books they enjoy. love.

audio books

maddux and manning have gotten really into audio books. they love that they can 'read' even when no one can read to them. they really like the ones with songs too. we have had fun checking out the library's large selection. love.

artistic debut

seriously, could not get a decent picture tonight, but we were so proud to see mason's art in the library's art show for the elementary schools. he was pretty excited too. love.

the kids are just there for the refreshments - tonight they had a candy bar.

the library crossed over to the dark side...

movie night in the park

tonight was our last movie in the park for the summer. instead of cinderella, the library decided to play big hero 6 (that had been cancelled due to rain back in june). and it was a great night for a movie!

our first stop was the "balloon man" (his line gets long, fast). while we were getting our balloons, the newspaper was there doing a story on him and we made the footage. mason and manning opted for the special baymax balloons he had made to go along with the movie, madelyn wanted the most complicated (of course) and maddux wanted a weapon (again, of course). these are always such a treat!

a local church provides the activities - super hero wrist bands and big hero 6 tattoos, ... 

... lots of games and inflatables. 

and lots of free food - cotton candy, popcorn and pizza from papa johns!

and now it is movie time! i was able to serve as a human body pillow for all of the children during the movie. i am getting a little old for laying on the ground. matt had to go stand in the back because he just couldn't sit still that long. but we all had a great time! love.

movie in the park

the first movie of the summer was rained out, but tonight was perfect for a movie in the park! we got in the balloon line as soon as we got there because it normally takes an hour or more. the man twists balloons for a solid four hours and could not be nicer. madelyn has a monkey on a palm tree hat, mason has batman (although he already popped the head by the time we got a picture), maddux has a dragon and manning has a yellow elephant.

manning enjoyed some of the yard games while the big kids played on the inflatables.

and there was cotton candy! surprisingly, manning was not a fan.

manning and madelyn were the only ones who opted to make the mask craft while we waited for the boys to finish the obstacle course. then we all grabbed some pizza and popcorn to snack on while we waited for the movie to start.

as the sun set, the movie began! they were playing alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. after reading reviews, i wasn't too sure that it was going to be appropriate for our kids but it was cute and they loved it!

we feel so fortunate to live in a community where they provide such a great family evening - and did i mention that it is free??!! love.