Clayton likes to ask to "paint the road" (probably because of this book) which is just a simple cornstarch paint with foam brushes on our driveway! I mix equal parts of water and cornstarch (1 cup of each is about perfect for their attention span) plus a tiny squirt of dish soap (to keep the cornstarch from sitting at the bottom) in a measuring cup in the house. Then once we are outside I separate the white liquid into little paint cans that I got with some actual sidewalk chalk paint.
When I bought them there was colored powder inside to mix with water - it was probably colored cornstarch, LOL
Then I add several drops of food coloring to each can and stir with the end of a paintbrush. The sidewalk chalk paint came with two foam roller brushes and these trays so then I pour each color in there.
Yesterday was was an incredibly fun afternoon/evening! After naps we met mommy's friend Laura and her kiddos at Miller Park, where she let me in on the secret of the "Green Bridge" where you can watch the trains go by right underneath you. Clayton and Reese were totally stoked! I promised a trip back to see more trains after supper and we sure enjoyed it since this time the train was full - what a rush! (Ok, Mommy really likes it too ) We played in the park for a while, then Clayton and Reese became the only two spectators of some co-ed softball practice, cheering and clapping loudly whenever they hit the ball. We finished the evening with a trip to Runza with the summer's first chocolate ice cream cones. YAY for summer!!
Lost in Fun is an indoor playground in Lincoln, and the boys and I went there today (it was our plan for last week Thursday but it snowed at just the wrong time so we couldn't make it) and it was a BLAST the boys loved it and I will for sure be back. There is just so much to do, climb and bounce on, they could never get bored. Several wooden playsets with slides a (small) ball bit which was Reese's favorite, many many bounce houses, even a "Space Pit" room which was lit with black lights and included a huge foam pit!
Here they are climbing up to go down the slide inside a huge bounce house.
And coming down!
In the Foam Space Pit.. . . Since it's a black light room, the flash didn't work! haha
They slept in the car and are now taking more naps now that we are home!
The boys got a two-sided chalk board easel and some paint from Grandma Dianne as a Valentine's Day present and while they have colored on it with chalk, Mommy hasn't been brave enough to secure some paper to it for a painting project - until today. My plan for the day was snowed out, so I bucked up and pulled out the paints instead. I think they enjoyed it a lot!
I started them off w/ one color each since I wasn't sure how it would go... Clayton picked red, and blue for Reese.
They seemed to be doing well, so I added some green and yellow for Clayton. And some red and green for Reese.
No pictures, please - I'm not finished
They did two pictures each. Clayton's both looked really similar, mostly making up and down lines with the red paint. Reese's are each different though. He choose black for the second piece of paper and made circles instead of lines. What adorable little artists!
Sorry Reese... I know you didn't want you picture taken, but... we just gotta!
And I quote "Oh, I forgot what little people are used for when you are cleaning up leaves in the yard" -Daddy
And a couple from when we raked up leaves a few nights ago. The boys were really big helpers and filled a couple of big pumpkin bags up while Daddy raked (and Mommy took pictures) almost by themselves. Clayton can take really big arm-fulls!
^^That was a fun pile, but nothing compared to the epic pile that we made today using a snow shovel to get a FEW of the leave off of our driveway! What a blast fall is with two rambunctious toddlers to help with the chores and jump in a pile of leaves!
Well, Clayton is certainly three! Here he is practicing, first thing (6:40am) Thursday morning.
On Thursday morning around 10:00 am we had a little party for Clayton. Our neighbor (and friend), Heidi has a daycare and we often go to her house to play with them when they are outside (and have an adult conversation occasionally). She normally has 4 toddlers there, but on Thursday she had just three of them and was able to easily walk them over for our little party. We had lots of fun and I think Clayton thought it was really neat that his friends came to play with him at HIS house.
All 5 kids playing together on the swingset
Clayton helping Mommy adjust the piñata
Hi Reese!
Clayton taking a swing at the piñata
Reese having a turn
Looking for the candy in the broken piñata
Clayton blowing out his candles in a banana bread muffin
You might also notice in these pictures, on the shed by the sandbox that there is some artwork taking shape there. Aunt Amy has been working on a construction site mural on the side of the shed as a present to the boys. She has the trucks done now and it looks awesome! There will be more to come on that later!
Sadly, there were parent/teacher conferences until late Wednesday and Thursday night so daddy was not around to help us celebrate that evening. After naps Clayton asked if he could go to the park, so to the park we went. We played until it was time to come home for supper and had a great time, just mommy and the boys. We even got a a surprise visit that evening from Papa and Grandma Branz on their way out of town to give Clayton a little birthday present, three little toy monster trucks that both boys love. There is already a favorite one that gets fought over too!
After that, Clayton still wanted to go outside and play even though it was dark, we played anyway.
digging in the sand in the dark
I also thought it would be fun to lay down and look up at the stars since we were out after dark. The boys really liked it and we even spotted a few planes as well as the moon and stars!
Clayton and Mommy - Happy 3rd Birthday, Baby boy!!
