My Boy!

Ah, the Lego creation of the week:  a cherry picker.  As far as I can tell he made this contraption all on his own!  I'd say that it's the most elaborate of all his thus far.  It comes complete with a moveable bucket and chainsaw.

A neighbor brought over some fabric that she had lying around.  I requested one piece that would be more boy-friendly so that Mn could make something.  He's been wanting me to make him a cape for some time and so after the fabric was quarantined for several days we lay it all out and he chose his piece and decided what to do with it!  He had a plan:  cut here, put button here and hole there.  I helped him fine-tune it and then we got out his little sewing kit.  He stitched around the collar and then added buttons on the shoulders as well as the button that would be used for a closure.

Mid-week, daddy got off work an hour early and we packed a picnic and went hiking.  It was a much needed unwind!  This week has been the hardest of all the quarantine weeks we've experienced.  Not that it was different from any other, but...we're breathing easier and interacting better after some time in God's beautiful creation!

We played a game of Carcassonne and afterwards were putting things away and enjoyed a good laugh setting up this photo for Grandma..."Your red meeples and your Mn are missing you today."  ;)

Thursday, during my supper prep hour the rest of the crew went on a 6 mile bike ride!  They came back warm, tired and happy!

This morning Mn finished his cape and showed it off for the camera and sharing.  He's worn it most of the day so far.  He only took it off when he realized that he was rubbing his lunch pb on it.

The writing/drawing assignment today for school was to write about something you did this week or what you want to do next week.  L was writing about taking the bus to Grandma's and Nana's and making a plan for that in her journal.  They then decided that they should pack...it was all-inclusive packing...undies, pjs, swimsuits, a few books and activities... Then, they headed out to the bus-stop (the swing in the driveway).  I looked out a bit later and they were GONE!!  Gazed out a little longer and saw that they were coming back from the corner.  They are now spending some time moving L's mattress into Mn's room.  We'll finish up our school reading...later.  We'll savor this excitement.

Mn's plan of what he wants to do next week:

The Weekend!

Kj and Mn decide to make a tower that was Mn's size.  At first, I think, it was meant to be able to fit him in it, but they quickly realized that it wouldn't happen that way!

Finished a second double-strength afghan.  A little smaller than the one that I made 2 winters ago, but it was so fun to do it.  Every now and then one of the girls would stitch part of a row, but mostly my work.

Mn has had some grumpy wrists lately.  We had thought that he grew out of such sensitive skin, but it came back recently.  Since we're all at home for the next few weeks without travels planned, we decided to do some experimenting with his diet.  He's going gluten free per our negotiations, and the next day decided that he wasn't going to have cheese either (which is basically the only dairy product that we have in the house).  So, here is my before picture...maybe should have gotten a little closer up...

Saturday afternoon we made some deliveries of Norwex and homeschool books to friends that we've been gathering on our pew.  Then, we spent most of the afternoon we spent at a state park in our area that has an archery course.  It was great!!  It started out with just targets and then the rest of them were shooting across a gully and walking over small footbridges and then up the other side to get to the next target.

Sunday...a morning nap for Anna, church, friends dropping off hay and chatting distantly, lunch, afternoon nap for Kevin then outdoor time.  We're trying one "permaculture" raised garden.  We were able to get the cardboard layer and the first layer of hay.  In the next week, we'll add the compost and more hay layers, as well as, another set of boards to make the sides taller.  The rest of our various garden plots will be the same as usual...we think...we scavenged the whole house and garage for cardboard and brown paper, so, we probably can't do another like this.  Oh, just looked at our "guide"...might need to find somewhere to get manure!!

Richard Scarry and Legos

...what a great combination!!  These 2 had a great time building their own fire trucks.  Long explanations were give as to what each part was, but I'm sorry, that was days ago and I can't remember it all.  Kj is holding in her hand the fire hydrant and the black hoses hook up to them.  Mn has a fancy ladder in his - the pole with all the yellow circles on it.

Finally, the fire station...

Legos

There was getting to be some possessiveness and fighting over different Lego pieces.  So, we made an agreement...they'd finish up what they were building and then get pictures taken.  After that, I'd post the pictures with their explanations.  Here are their pieces.  Mn's wasn't the full and final, but was what he wanted posted.

Mn:  I built a farm and I made 2 cars. That's all.

Kj:  I have a house and a stagecoach. The stagecoach has a barrel on top. There is a man driving and a  man riding. The clear thing behind the man is a suitcase.  

My house has a coat closet, a bathroom with a shower, a kitchen with a stove and sink, a living room with a fireplace, and a dining room. The man is eating salad. In the coat closet, there are skis that fit the Lego man.

L:  I made a Ice Cream shop, a House, and a Dock with a Boat. The Ice Cream shop also sold smoothies, and the Boat was a ferry.