How Does Your Garden Grow?

This is our theme for the week at Vacation Bible School.  We're trying to make the connection between growing plants and God's love growing inside us (the parable of the sower).  Each day we have a "picnic" (snack) at the church garden.  It is overflowing with big beautiful plants and I have to say, it puts my carrot growing efforts to shame.  Neland pulled a carrot last week.  According to all my googling they were ready to be picked.

We're going to leave the rest in a little longer.

A Little Preview

We're all at Vacation Bible School this week (except Chris, he's working).  Neland is a tomato, I'm the leader of the blueberries and Teague is having a blast in the toddler room.  Above is a preview of what's to come on Friday.  We're learning about plants and the parable of the sower.

In case you need a translation:
oats, peas, beans and barley grow
oats, peas, beans and barley grow
can you or i or anyone know
how oats, peas, beans and barley grow
first the farmer plants some seeds
stands up tall and looks so pleased
stomps his feet
claps his hands
turns around to view God's land.

Teague's Dad

Neland was mad tonight because he told Chris that when he grew up he wanted to be Teague's daddy and Chris told Neland he couldn't be Teague's dad because Teague already had a daddy. 

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Father's Day was Sunday and we had a lot of fun celebrating!  We started on Saturday by taking Neland to get his first baseball glove.  We won tickets to the Knight's game and planned on going for Father's Day.  We spent forever trying on gloves before we found the perfect one (and the softest baseball, because Neland really can't catch).  Chris was so excited to get Neland a glove.  My parents came down Saturday night and Sunday we were ready for some fun.

Breakfast at Panera (dad's favorite weekend tradition)

 

Then off to church

 Then GAME TIME!

(the Knight's won and we saw 4 home runs!)

 We realized right before the game when Neland was practicing catching that Chris had bought him a glove for his right hand.  Neland looked so awkward trying to throw.  The tags were already off, but hopefully they'll let us return it.  Chris played left handed, so when he tried on the glove he didn't realize he'd gotten the wrong hand!  Luckily, Chris' mom met us for lunch and brought some old gloves that Chris used to have so Neland could use one of those.

 Teague LOVED the game.  He actually seemed to be watching parts of it.

 After the game, the kids could run the bases and play catch with their dad.  Neland was just a little over the heat and the game so no bases were run and very little catch was played (so much for the big glove buying adventure and mix up).

Dear God

Today Neland said, "Mommy I'm going to talk to God, okay?" and this is what followed, "Hey God, is tomorrow movie day?" and then Neland looked at me and said, "God talks in your head. Sometimes you just talk to Him and don't hear Him."

Wonder if tomorrow will be movie day?

1 more thing...

Continuing on the topic from yesterday...

Brotherly Love

Last Friday we were at the park.  Neland ran off and Teague ran off after him.  There was an older boy near where Neland was playing and when Teague ran up, the boy said "Look at the stupid baby."  Neland said very forcefully, "He is not a stupid baby." The boy said, "Well sometimes I just say stupid baby."  Neland looked at him again and said, "He is not a stupid baby." The boy then started walking away saying "Well sometimes I just say it and don't mean it."  I kind of laughed and beamed with pride all at the same time.

Today Neland spent the morning at camp.  Teague and I had a morning to ourselves (to go to Target, of course). When we picked Neland up I told him that when we got home I'd put Teague down for a nap and then I'd make his lunch.  Neland said, "Does Teague have to take a nap?"  As the conversation continued I finally caught on and asked, "Neland did you miss Teague while you were at camp?" and he said, "YES"! 

Neland is always the first one to hear Teague when he wakes up and always wants to run to his room.  I don't mind because it buys me some time before I need to go in.  Last week, when I walked in, Neland had 3 books out and said he had read them to Teague. 

Goodness I love these boys!

I've learned a lot

these first weeks of summer.  I've been trying to plan fun outings and keep the boys occupied.  To document the summer, at the end of the day Neland completes a sentence and draws a picture.  The sentence is "My favorite thing about today was..."  With all I've been doing, some of Neland's answers have been:
-playing outside with the stomp rocket
-having an Icee
-watching the movie
-going to Daddy's work and bringing Daddy back home (he even wore his fancy dress shoes with his pjs for this outing)
-getting an Icee at Target
-getting an Icee and going to Space Kidets

Thank goodness for this summer journal because I've realized that I do not need to plan like crazy, just a little thing here or there will make his day.

So a few pictures from this week:

First Snow Cone

Neland had pink bubble gum and Teague and I shared banana (great for a teething boy!)

A haircut

Gymboree

Teague thought going down the slide with Neland was hilarious!

Teague was convinced Gymbo needed to be dragged around the room and tried to climb each piece of equipment with him.

Neland said "Mommy I'm pretending I'm at the beach." I wish we were! 

Last Swim Lesson for Level 1 (moving on to Level 2 next week)!

 Neland wouldn't drop!  He just kept hanging!

Teague's Favorite Letter is

B

Teague loves balloons, broccoli, blueberries, bats, bananas, brushes, birds and balls. 

(he also likes ducks, dogs, and stuffed animals but that doesn't fit with the b theme)

What's that you say?

Teague is becoming quite the talker!  I absolutely love his sweet little voice.  I put him down for a nap two days ago and said, "I love you" and he said it right back!  He's been saying "thank you" for quite awhile.  Give him a piece of food and he says "thank you" with each piece.  His other words include, "mama", "dada", "balloon", "hi", and sometimes it sounds like he says "bye".  

(the whiny other child heard in the video is not Neland, it's a tired, grumpy, three year old that is not my sweet sweet Neland... well maybe it is, but I couldn't get a better video of Teague talking so grumpy Neland has to be heard as well).

Neland's favorite song right now is Firework, the Glee version (much better than the Katy Perry version, although this is debated in our house).  Neland can belt it out (and will, any place, any time).  Teague has started singing along too.  He does the "oh, oh, oh" parts and it is so cute.  I've been trying to get it on video but it's been impossible.  Fingers crossed I can capture it, just so I can embarrass him with it in his teenage years. 

The end of Week 2

Whew! What a week.  Swim lesson were great.  Neland even got to swing on the rope into the pool (I didn't have my camera with me so bad cell phone pics will have to do).  Space Kidets was a hit today.  Neland has been begging to have his party there.  Last year his party was there and we haven't been since August so I wanted some time there to be sure he really remembered it (he did and still wants his party there). 

Neland on the rope swing!

Don't these look yummy? 

I made them for a meeting that I never got to attend, but the boys enjoyed helping make and eat them.

(and I won't even get into the terrible trip to the grocery store that was required to make these, or the fact that I actually dried my hair and put on make-up, all to eat these with my beautiful boys)

The crazy kid at Space Kidets

It was almost impossible to get a picture of Neland.  He was running around much faster than my camera was prepared to handle (and Neland was determined to wear this shirt even in the crazy heat).

Oh yes, we have a baller!!

And how did our week end??

Camp Mommy Week 2 - Part 2

Apparently EVERYONE is worn out!  Yesterday I'd planned going to the Farmer's Market in our area (after a morning walk to the local elementary school to check out the playground for when school is out - but apparently walking has turned into running because Neland likes to go "fast"), then a quick trip to Target before lunch, a trip to preschool to drop off our "This Year Buzzed By" cards (we finally made them), then time at the park with friends and popiscles!  I probably should have checked the time of the Farmer's Market before planning the trip.  It was just an empty parking lot.  It worked out well though because Neland was complaining about not wanting to go the entire way there.  He was much happier at Target with his Icee and pretzel. And we even had time at home for some "learning" fun.

Stamping out a few high frequency words.He is doing great in memorizing words, however I've noticed he sings ABTDEFGHRJKL"MNO" PQRSTUV "DOUBLE U U" XYZ.  I think I might have corrected this, but it was so funny!

Working with a Tangram like puzzle.

We made it to the park! 

Leaving the park Neland had a completely meltdown, tears, screams, the "I never want to come back here again", it was definitely the works (I had to keep reminding myself, he's just 3, he's just 3! Teague had been really cranky the entire time we were there.  His nap was much shorter than it needed to be and he was mad I wouldn't let him play with the older kids.  Once home I told Neland he needed to read books in his bed while I put Teague down for a nap.  It took Teague probably thirty minutes to fall asleep.  Neland was asleep within ten.  I haven't had both boys napping at the same time in over a year!  I did not know what to do with myself.  They both woke up at 5:30 and were hungry.

It was definitely bath time after dinner.

Teague went right back to bed and then Neland and I headed to a special location to read his new "Mr. Putter and Tabby" books that had arrived today.

 

(a goofy one of us)

We put Neland to bed around 8:30.  At 9:30 he was still chatting with himself.  I invited him to watch So You Think You Can Dance with us and we all went to bed at 10:30.  At 11:00 Neland was still awake.  Hope he's ready for swim lessons tomorrow!

Camp Mommy Week 2 - Part 1

I feel like the week should be over already.  Monday we:

Walked to a "secret playground" which took a good hour and half.

Then came home and ran through the sprinkler

 Teague chose to mow the grass.

Then Teague took a nap and Mommy really did mow the grass (what's left of it in the back yard). 

Today, I surprised Neland with a trip to Sports Connection.  We'd been to a birthday party a few weeks ago and had a card with $5 left on it.  I thought it'd be perfect for a summer day (before the schools let out) so we went to spend our $5 on games.  

Notice the bat, can you guess Teague's behavior at this point??

He ran off with the bat while Neland and I played skee ball.

Neland walked over to this ride twice and deemed it a "baby ride", but eventually his "baby side" gave in and he asked to ride it.  He then said it was the most fun thing there.

 

Teague loved it too.

When we were done Neland had enough tickets for a candy necklace - his first!

 

It was completely eaten by the time we were two miles away! 

This afternoon became a "movie day" with Toy Story and tonight I'm pretty sure we'll all sleep well (and together).

Tomorrow is popsicles in the park with friends, Thursday is swim lessons and Friday is Space Kidets with preschool friends.  Shouldn't there be a weekend in there somewhere?  How do preschool teachers do this?!