Fun 'til Dusk

Cookies and Construction

Kale helped me make cookies for the first time.  He loved the measuring and pouring part but still isn't so sure about the mixer.  It ranks right up there with the vacuum!

And I'm loving that he's making connections to wear his construction hat with his construction equipment.  Pretty cute.

SHOES

One way my boy might  be like me...his mama...he seems to love shoes...!

Preschool Packs

For a small town, I think we have an awesome library.  Last week I checked out a "preschool pack" on colors.  Inside the little backpack were a couple of books on colors as well as activity sheets for ideas.  Also included were the bowls and poms in the photo below.  Kale is really learning his colors and shapes-but sometimes gets confused when we ask what shape something is; instead he'll tell us what color it is.

 Speaking of preschools, there was an open house at a preschool called "Farmstead" today.  Families were invited to come out and see the animals, take part in activities and learn more about the preschool.  Kale enjoyed his time meeting the pony and checking out the goats.

 Can't believe he's nearing that age where we'll have to make the decision whether to send him to preschool or not.  For now, I'll enjoy having him home watching him sort his poms into bowls!

Flag Snatcher...Er...Garden Helper

On Thursday, Justin worked to ready the garden for planting.  (Please divert your eyes from the weed, I mean, strawberry patch in the lower left corner...Our neighbor who tills for us asks if we are ready to "till them under" just about every year.  Are we gluttons for punishment or what?  Yes, we kept them...)

 Kale, always wanting to be near Papa, wasn't going to miss a beat.

 He loves flags, just about as much as he loves cars and stars and tractors.  Whenever he spots a flag, car, star or tractor, it is announced in his sweet little Kale voice.

 As Justin would put the flags into the ground, Kale would soon enough take them out...

 and place them in the burn barrel.

 And when it came time to plant the seeds, Kale would follow behind and pick the seeds out of the rows and put a few of them in his mouth.  Wishful thinking that with his "help" he might actually eat some of the produce???

Cherishing these photos and memories of our little flag snatcher...er...garden helper.

Galena Getaway

Justin has been on vacation this week and it's been a delight.  We've gotten lots of things done around the house as well as take a little getaway to Galena.

 Kale and Cedar stayed with my parents and had loads of fun.  Kale knows that at Grams and Gramps, he gets to ride the "tractor".

 This was his last tractor ride before we took him home.  I think by that look on his face, he knew it was his last ride!

We enjoyed our hotel stay and time in Galena.  Thanks to my mom and dad for caring for our boys!

Ocean Sensory Bin

I recently put together an ocean sensory bin for Kale.  It's got acquarium rocks, plants, fish,a scuba diver, etc.  When asked if he wanted to visit the ocean, he excitedly said "yeah, yeah, yeah."  Mama had fun burying the fish in the rocks and Kale would dig them out.  Long after the "ocean" got put away, Kale would say "ocean" as if in a question.  Think this will be great for rainy days or hot sunny days outside on the deck.  Thanks to my sis for finding some fun sea creatures for us!

April MN Visit

We enjoyed a weekend trip to visit Justin's family in MN.  Unfortunate for them, they had lots of rain pushing them out of the fields.  Fortunate for us, we got to spend lots of time with all of them which was awesome.

 Had a great visit with Grandma Mabel.  Kale kept himself entertained with Papa's phone and figuring out the buttons to push to make the doors open in the facility.  Never a dull moment...

 Though we couldn't get in the fields, we still found the tractors to sit in and make tractor noises, of course.

 Kale hangin' with Uncle Nate.

 Grandpa Howard and a few of the grandkids.  The two girls are the oldest of the clan and the boy is the current youngest.  Grace (in blue) has a baby sibling on the way.  Baby will make #9.

 The 8 grandkids.  Since we are the only "out of towners", we try the grandkid shot whenever there is a chance.  Notice our son (at right) didn't want to stay for the shoot.  Look at all those BOYS.

Kale has really taken to Grandma/pa's piano.  Notice his right hand in the air like he's Mozart or something.  Didn't quite sound like Mozart...