What to do on a cool June day?

Mixing blue goo- I love how Dani can bend all the way down with her legs straight!

The weather here has been unseasonably cool for June the last few days. It is too cold to play in the sprinkler or pool. Today, Joey suggested that we make blue goo to play with outside.

What is blue goo? It is a mixture of cornstarch, water, and food coloring. Today, we left out the food coloring. It tends to give the skin a nice tint that requires bathing. I was just not into giving baths before lunch today, so I guess my kids had to suffer with "plain old goo" rather than the pretty colored stuff. Goo is a very interesting mixture. When you squeeze it in your hand, it feels like a solid, otherwise it acts like a liquid. Here is the information below from the website so you can try it for yourself:

You can make squishy, fun blue goo to play with. Ask your mom or dad to help you. This will be messy, so be sure to do it in the kitchen on old newspaper.YOU WILL NEED• Newspapers• Mixing bowl• Cornstarch (16-ounce [454-gram] box)• Measuring cup • Water• Blue food coloringHERE'S HOW1. Pour a box of cornstarch into a bowl.2. Add 1 1/2 cups (240 milliliters) of water.3. Add about 15 drops of food coloring. You can also try this with different colors.4. Mix it all together with your hands. Have fun squishing!
COOL SCIENCEThe weird goo hardens in your hands when you squeeze it. It feels like a solid. When you open your hands, the goo feels like a liquid. It acts like both a solid and a liquid.

PARENT TIP: SCIENCE
Promote scientific thinking: Have your child develop a theory by predicting what may happen, and then prove or disprove it. After making blue goo, discuss the properties of liquids versus solids by asking your child to describe the differences between how water feels, how cornstarch feels, and how blue goo feels.

I have made this in the house before (during a snow blizzard) but it is much more fun outside where you don't have to clean up! (The water evaporates out of the cornstarch, then you just have cornstarch that blows away!)

If you are having an off day or don't feel well, do what I did last summer and have "mommy's spa day". Whip up a batch of this stuff, sit in the lawnchair with your legs up and let the kids smear it all over your skin. Fun for the kids because they are getting to put gunk on mommy; fun for you because your little precious angels are touching you and you don't have to worry about where they are as you are sitting there with your eyes closed. (Did this last August when I had an ear infection/sinus infection and could barely move).

NOTE: Today, a 16 oz box of cornstarch cost $1.59; that's all it cost to do this project. My kids were entertained for literally two hours and then this afternoon they both took two hour naps! Quite a great investment for $1.59!!!

Prayers for baby Garet

We personally do not know this family. His grandpa is a Methodist minister and that is how I have learned about baby Garet. He has a blog which is http://garethoward.blogspot.com/.
Garet needs a heart transplant. I am hoping that everyone that reads this will pray for this sweet little boy.

If you knew me when Joey was born, you know our story. Due to complications at birth, Joey was placed in NICU. This was the last thing Mike and I expected and it was an extremely stressful time. Joey's story has a happy ending; his lungs needed to clear of amniotic fluid and he needed lights to recover from jaundice. He is now almost five and the best big brother in the universe (so maybe I'm a little biased...)

Anyway, please pray for little Garet.

These are the moments...

Our gymnastic champions, Danielle and Joey. Both began gymnastics in September 2008 and continued through the entire school year (except for the nine week hiatus Dani took with her broken leg). Here they are with their medals from their spring gymnastic performances.

It has been quite a while since I have updated our blog. Since I have gotten on Facebook, I haven't blogged as much.

A few weeks ago, Danielle and I were home alone. I said to her, "I would love to just bottle you up and keep you." She replied, "Mommy, I too BIG!"

So included below are some of the moments from the past few months that I would like to bottle up and keep if I could.

Photos above: Dani playing in our backyard pool, our family with Ronald McDonald at the 2009 Tab Top Pandemonium, Fred Bird upending Joey at the Diabetes walk, Dani covered in shaving cream, chalk, and who knows what else, Joey holding a snake at Tab Top Pandemonium.

Good Friday

We attended the Good Friday service at church today at noon. I had debated going tonight at 7pm, but I was afraid Joey and Danielle wouldn't last and that the church would be packed. Mike took a long lunch hour to join us and all the pews were FULL at noon.

I had mentioned in a previous blog about Mike Lewis, the Jesus Painter and he was at our church for Good Friday services. He did three huge painting; each one completed in about seven minutes! It was intriguing to watch him work. The first portrait shown at the left started as a cross and people standing gazing at the cross. It was truly a blessing to see his work. He has a website http://www.jesuspainter.com/

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER 2009! Yes, Joey and Dani have been to visit the Easter bunny. No, Easter decorations have not made it up at our house yet. The Marchand family will be having Easter lunch with us on Sunday, so I have until then to get the baskets and eggs out, right?

This week has already been full of Easter festivities. Monday, the kids and I met some friends at a local historical house where we got to see a puppet show, pet a bunny, visit the Easter bunny (again) and make a craft.

Tomorrow we're off to a local farm where we will visit and pet baby bunnies, chicks, pigs, play in a hayloft, watch a dog show and visit the Easter bunny (again!).

I am quite excited about something happening at our church on Good Friday. We have a special guest coming; Mike Lewis, the Jesus Painter. You can google him and see his work. He does a huge portrait of Jesus in 20 minutes. At 4 1/2, Joey is very interested in art and so I am excited that Joey will be able to see an artist in action. If you are in the area, come on over for church with us at 7 pm.

We had snow a few weekends ago. I was so thankful it was on the weekend. Anyone that knows me knows that I am a summer girl; so thankfully Mike was home to take the kids out to play.

Mike and the kids made a volcano in the basement in March. It is pictured above. I don't know if you can tell from the above photo, but they planted trees on the mountain and also dinosaurs. The volcano is a 2 liter soda bottle. They add baking soda and vinegar and the volcano erupts. The kids really enjoy doing this with daddy.

There was a celebration at Mike's work site last Saturday for the opening of a new research facility. The children had a great time enjoying bounce houses, balloon animals, face painting, and train rides. Joey wanted me to be sure and put on our blog a photo of him with his face painted as a skull.

Joey is in his 4th session of gymnastics this year and Dani is in her 3rd session (she sat one out due to her broken leg). Both of them really enjoy it and are gaining so much self confidence. Here is a photo of Dani hanging from the rings with her instructor by her. We will be taking the summer off to relax, but if the kids want to, I will sign them up again in the fall for the next year of gymnastics. Joey's class has a spring performance in May and I am excited to see that. I do not get to watch Joey in his class because it is the same time as the class Danielle is in and her class requires parent participation.

May Jesus bless you as this Easter season. I hope everyone is able to spend time with their family and friends.

Twilight DVD Release Party

Okay, so I have lived a sheltered life and never been to a "release party" of an item. When Harry Potter books were popular, I watched the release parties on the news and it looked like a good time. All these people dressed up as Harry Potter characters waiting anxiously their copy of the newest book. However, I have never been (1) because although I enjoyed the H.P. books, I didn't want one that bad and (2)these parties are late at night and I'm sleeping!

I had girlfriend time last night and was scrapbooking with BFF Michele. Michele reminds me that the Twilight DVD is being released at midnight. Hey, we're up, we're caffienated, so we decide to go and find a party. We go to Border's bookstore; nothing happening except a lot of preteens and teens standing around waiting. Same thing when we went to Blockbuster.

In case you aren't in the know, Twilight is a book by Stephenie Meyer (she has three more in the series) that has been made into a movie. It is a story about a 17 year old girl named Bella who falls in love with Edward. Edward is a vampire.

FYI I have read Twilight and enjoyed it. Awaiting my turn to read the 2nd book (on order at the library), but no intention of purchasing the DVD; will just rent it and watch it.

Michele and I were expecting to see all kinds of vampire costumes and dark makeup. Instead, I think people were looking at us; we weren't exactly in the age range of the other girls!

To commemorate this occasion, here is a photo of me with a Twilight umbrella and a copy of the book and a photo of Michele with Edward (well, a photo of him anyway!)

Open Mouth, Insert Flip Flop

The weather here has been in the 70s and Joey and Dani have both outgrown their flip flops. So, Tuesday we went to the mall to find some new ones.

We went to Children's Place and the flip flops were $3.50 ea or 2/$5.00. Of course, Murphy's Law is that one child will throw a fit and not want a pair now that we are there.

As we are checking out, the sales clerk reminds me of the price and I decided to go ahead and pick up a pair for Dani anyway because as soon as we get home, I know she'll want some. The sales clerk says to me, "yes, I know how that is. I have children at home myself." She was wearing a loose black top and I say to her, "oh! and you're expecting another one!". To which she replies, "no, I'm just fat!"

I wanted to die right there on the spot. I was so embarrassed and I apologized. Anyway, hope you all get a laugh or learn a lesson from my outing this week.