Do-A-Dot

I have to admit.  I hate painting with my kids.  What a mess.  I think it takes longer to set the whole disaster up than for them to paint.  They love it, though, so I suffer through it.  I figure we're making memories, right?  That said, I have to say that I discovered the most awesome product today at of all places, TJ Maxx.  I never go there, and now I will have to change that.  (Along with my fine art purchase I got a new Hop Skip Duo Deluxe diaper bag on the cheap!)  Anyway, I got off topic.  My new favorite art purchase is Do-a-dot paint.  There is seriously no mess with these babies.  Shake, twist off cap, dot away.  There are books that you can buy specifically for Do-a-dot art, but there are tons of free printables online as well. 

This one is a penguin that I printed from the internet. 

It was easy enough for Abby to enjoy as well.  She knew exactly what colors she wanted and where.

This printable is from my favorite homeschooling blog, Confessions of a homeschooler.  I bought her Letter of the Week curriculum awhile back, and every letter has a Do-a-dot activity...several of them, actually.  I would usually use small pom-poms to do these activities, but paint, I assure you all, is much more fun!

Here are some of William and Abby's finished projects.  Drying time is super short because very little paint is actually used.  Score!  (I'm not sure why the letter "M" and "L" printed off, when I was clearly wanting to print off the "S" and "T" but whatever.  Technology isn't always my friend.)

To spice things up, we did some tie dying as well.  Using a coffee filter, decorate with paint dots. 

Then spritz with water, twirling the filter to allow the paint to drip in cool patterns.  Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the final product.  I will vouch that it turned out pretty neat.  

A week later...

Actually yesterday was a week since the last post on our garden, but hey, life got in the way last night and I didn't have time to post.  The photos were, though, taken a week later.  There's so much growth! 

John has been watering our plants at night, since apparently I haven't been watering them enough in the morning.  They were wilting and browning and frankly, I had no idea why.  After a ton more water they perked right up! 

Both kids have watering cans, however after they spill most of it on the dirt, and literally pour the rest out on the garden it's time for a refill.  The whole process of watering the garden can take forever sometimes, as we are constantly refilling their cans.  But the sheer excitement they are getting from watching the plants spring up is very worth it.

Abby got some new glasses yesterday in the mail from Grandma...they are the wrap around the head kind.  She absolutely loves them, and wore them even as I was getting her pjs on.  They, however, do not stay on her head, as they constantly fall over her ears, so I think the regular style sunglasses might be in order.  John and I sure get a lot of laughs from that gal - between her Bermuda-style shorts, froggie rain boots, and sunglasses that wouldn't stay on she looked like a mother-less child!  BUT...she insisted on both the boots and glasses, so...we went with it.  She definitely has her own style!

The last few nights after we all water the garden John has been playing tee-ball with William.  Abby will not be left out, and jumped at the opportunity for an at-bat.  William gladly plays the outfield, and he's got quite the arm, if I say so myself!

Catching up

William is making an alphabet book.  We are almost finished with our Letter of the Week curriculum, and to finish off our "school year" this is our project.  It is exhausting work (for me!) but it has been a lot of fun.  I'm so glad I only have him as my "student" and not 29 other littles.  Oh the joy of having him at home with me!

 This is Queenie Quail.  So happens to be our state bird, too!

Tapping T, UP u, queenie quail, Umbrella U, vibrating V.  Some of the corresponding pictures are from Leap Frog, Zoo Phonics, and our imagination. 

 I thought this was a cute pic of Abby smiling her trademark smile - with her nose wrinkled!

 She simply can't get enough of her brother!

 B is for boat.  We are making picture pages for upper and lower case letters. 

Making the cover for the book...in his jammies.  He just LOVES to cut, paste, and "do letter work". 

How does your garden grow?

With rows of mystery plants
Because I didn't label them
And pretty herbs all in a row.

No, they're actually not "mystery" plants, as we do have an app with what is planted in the garden and where, but for a quick, "Mom, what is that plant?"  A simple, "It's a veggie!" will have to suffice. 

 There are actually plants up in every square, but some are hard to see at the moment.

Want to venture a guess what this plant is?

(Pictures taken April 28th.)