Mother's Day Pictures

It's been over a week since Mother's Day and I am just now getting around to looking at these pics of me with my boys.  Not one of these pictures is "perfect" as far as everyone looking at the camera, or lighting and all that. But all I see is my life.  Constant action.  Being a Mother is my greatest joy and I am so thankful for these beautiful boys that I get to watch grow.  I am still in awe of the gift of my children.  God is so good.

Car Craft Tutorial - Scoop Ball

I know you shouldn't run with scissors, but are they allowed in the car for crafting purposes?  Probably not too safe.  However, I made sure to tuck them snuggly in my purse when I was done with them so they wouldn't become a projectile in the event of an accident.  Although my purse would probably be pretty deadly.
Anyway, this is not a post about car and passenger safety.  This is a post about crafting on the go.  I've been wanting to make this scoop ball game for awhile and have had the 1/2 gallon milk carton's taking up space on my counter for too long.  So I decided, that it could be done in the car on the way to Josh's baseball game.

15 minute drive.  15 minute craft.
Cost: less than $5.00

Scoop Ball Supplies

2- 1/2 gallon plastic milk cartons, rinsed and dried
1 roll of fun Duct tape
scissors
small ball

 Before you leave the house cut your milk cartons in half horizontally about 3 inches from the bottom of the handle.  Regular scissors cut this for me.  

Begin taping at the cut edge by folding the Duct tape over into the inside.  You may need to snip at the  inside corners in order for it to have a good fit.  My son Caleb picked out this flaming Duct tape.  There are so many fun designs and colors to choose from.

Then I just wrapped it around the carton and I did one strip around at a time.  So I would cut after I had gone around once and then start on the next strip.  

I used smaller strips for getting around the handle.  I had lots of wrinkles in my tape, it did not go on smoothly, but I tried.  However, I think it still looks pretty good.  

Repeat the process with your other carton and then find a ball that will fit inside without getting stuck.  This one worked okay but I think we are going to try to find one just a bit smaller.

To play scoop ball you need two players.  The object of the game is to toss the ball using your scoop and to catch the ball using your scoop (like Lacrosse?).  You can make up your own point system and rules.  We just like to toss it back and forth and then increase the distance for a challenge.  

Egg Hunt

Here are a few pictures of the boys getting to hunt the plastic eggs.  I still think it was a dog that ate the eggs hidden the first time but so far we have no proof of how the eggs disappeared.  You can read that story HERE.

Anyway, the boys had fun and we had fun watching them! 

I had to get the boys to pose retrieving the eggs...

they were way to fast at grabbing them for my slow reflexes! 

 Simon wanted to open each egg because at his previous hunt there was candy inside.  However, Momma didn't put candy in these eggs!  I think he was disappointed.  

I love Caleb's expression, he's so excited that he found an egg!

 Searching....

Found one!

Josh

Caleb

Simon

The Disappearing Easter Eggs

The day before Easter, three little boys sat out on their porch and dyed 12 eggs.  The eggs couldn't absorb the dye fast enough for these guys, as they wanted an instant result so that they could stick the next egg in.

There were green, pink, blue and purple colors to dye them.

And fun rabbit ear tongs for grabbing the eggs.

One of the boys became very upset when he was told he could not splash in the colored water!  

Finally the eggs were dyed and put into the fridge to await the next days hunt.

The morning came with Easter baskets filled with surprises.

The boys took their time looking at each and every thing and

each piece of candy was held up and requested to be eaten.  

 After dressing in their super cute tie shirts that their awesome Mom made for them, the boys headed out the back door for an egg hunt.  The awesome Mom had hidden all twelve of the eggs out in the yard for the boys to find.  She made sure that she remembered where she hid each one.

The boys ran around looking for the eggs and as they ran past two hiding spots, the Mom wondered why the boys didn't see the eggs.  She began to realize that none of the eggs were where she put them.  They were no where to be found. The boys were ahead of her and so she hollered (because she is from Texas), "Did you guys find any eggs yet?!" and there were replies of "NO!" from all.

Every single egg was gone!  There was not a trace of an egg.  No broken shell.  No fleshy egg part.  Nothing.  The awesome Mom looked at the awesome Dad and they questioned one another about where the eggs could have gone.  It seems that they had just disappeared!  

The conclusion was made that an animal, probably a dog, sniffed them all out and gobbled them up! The doggy wouldn't know that it had ruined the three little boys egg hunt.  It would have just thought, "Yummy eggs!  This is the best day ever!"  Not realizing that later, he/she would be paying for the massive egg consumption... which the awesome Mom secretly hoped would be paid out on the owner of the dog for letting the dog run loose. 

 On the way back to the house, one egg was found.  

Just lying in the grass.  One little blue egg with a damaged side

from what appear to be teeth marks. 

Thankfully the awesome Mom and Dad had plastic eggs and the
boy were able to hunt eggs after all. And everyone was happy

....except the dog.

Wordless Wednesday - MOPS Easter Egg Hunt

We are the Yankees!

Josh had his second practice last night and he got his uniform too!  A shirt, a cap and some socks.  We bought him some baseball pants and we will be looking for some cleats tomorrow.  Hopefully, he will get to play in his first game on Saturday, so far the weather man is calling for rain.  I know there will be one disappointed little boy if it is rained out.  

This is coach pitch baseball.  Josh never played T-ball.  I hope he won't be at too much of a disadvantage because of it.  In my opinion he is doing well though.  I think it will be lot's of fun to watch him.  

  He practiced playing second base.  He did pretty good.  We need to work on him throwing without doing the whole wind up before every throw though.  Perhaps he will be a pitcher next year!

He did good at batting practice.  All the kids seem to inch further and further past the plate with each swing.  

And on a side note, when it has been raining, there are many muddy puddles out at this park.  Here's one that someone found straight away.

Yep...slipped and fell right on his hiney into the mud puddle.  YUCK!

Luckily, by the time we were ready to leave, it had dried and he could be dusted off with no problem! 

Wordless Wednesday - Walking Sticks

Walking Sticks or....

a stick horse!

Thanks Papa and Grandi!