Park Play

Today we loaded up the van with outdoor toys and went to the park to play.  

Sissy road her bike around the track for half a mile, while I pushed the boys in the stroller.  It’s amazing how much she improves each time she rides her bike.  It is also amazing that even after half a mile she can still talk constantly without pause ;)  We found a perfect open field and set the boys free!  They kicked balls, played golf, batted at wiffle balls and ran to their little hearts’ content.   

After everyone had gotten their wiggles out, we walked up to the playground to swing and slide.  Thankfully, the boys are a bit too small to successfully climb most of the ladders, so they walked around and watched Sissy.  Both twins loved the swing!

Two hours after arriving, we loaded the van up with the toys and three hot, exhausted, and happy children.  Nothing makes our day go more smoothly than starting it with some good physical exercise.  The boys nap better, the kids eat better, Sissy minds better, and I am infinitely more patient.   

So, here’s my advice for having a great summer… grab a big cup of coffee, a bike, and some balls and head to the park... the earlier the better.
 
Wishing you the happiest summer!

A Day at the Zoo

Posing with the red panda.

It finally feels like summer!  The weather is warm, the sun is shining… perfect for a day at the zoo!  

 

Showing her brothers the rhinos.

Sissy lead the expedition through the zoo.  She was happy to point and tell her brothers about each animal, and they were happy to observe.  This was our first trip to the zoo where the twins were really engaged by the animals.  They saw the rhinos and were amazed.  They called out “duck” and pointed at the macaws.  They “ooo ooo-ed”and pounded their chests at the gibbon.  They growled at the tiger.  Basically, they loved every minute of it.  Introducing the boys to the zoo makes it exciting for Sissy as she shares her infinite 5 year old wisdom with her sweet brothers.     

1st time at the splash pad!

After lunch, we headed over to the splash pad at the zoo.  Sissy happily ran through the cool water, but the boys were suspicious at first.  They eventually warmed up to the idea and had a wonderful time playing and splashing.  One of the twins was a bit more adventurous than his brother, and even sat under some of the heavier waterfalls.  

It is such a joy to observe my children growing and experiencing new things.  Sissy has developed self confidence and strength over the past year.  The twins have such a strong bond, but discover new situations in very different ways.  I can only imagine how much they will develop over the summer, but I am thrilled to be documenting it all.

Happy summer from the Quinns!

Salted Watercolors

Well, we’re back at it after the long Memorial Day weekend.  We had lofty expectations of hikes, picnics, and pool days, but ended up with three sick kiddos.  Most of the weekend was spent cuddled up on the floor watching movies.  Despite the sniffles and coughing, we had a wonderful time with Daddy home, and were quite sad to send him back to work.   Unfortunately, the kids are all still a bit sick, so no one was ready for a big adventure today.  Instead we opted to try a new art project… salted watercolors.

What you need:

• Thick art paper (watercolor paper would be best, but we used sketch pad paper)
• Watercolors (we used Prang Professionals) 
• Paint brushes (small and large)
• Salt
• Water 

Method:

Put a bit of water in each of your watercolors to get them ready.  Using a large brush, paint the whole sheet of paper with water.  Dip a brush into the wet watercolor and dab it onto the wet sheet of paper.  The color should bleed and run and look a bit like fireworks (if it doesn’t the paper probably isn’t wet enough).  Continue adding paint until the paper is mostly covered.  The thicker the paper, the better it will hold the water and paint.  When the painting is complete, sprinkle with salt.  The salt will absorb some of the colors as the paint dries, leaving behind an interesting pattern.   Let the painting dry, then brush off the salt.    We experimented a bit with how much water, how much paint, and how much salt to get different effects. 

 

Result:

The kids loved this project!  The twins were able to do their own paintings with a bit of help (a big thanks to my mom for providing another set of hands).  Sissy thought the effect of the paint bleeding on the wet paper was amazing and ended up painting three masterpieces.  She says this is the only way we are ever painting again.  The boys were primed to complete a second painting when they discovered how delicious salted watercolors are and began to eat the brushes, paint, paper, and anything else dusted in salt!

 

The paintings are beautiful as is, but would also make nice cards or gift tags.  I even saw a similar craft that used them as bookmarks (http://simplekids.net/fun-and-simple-bookmark-crafts-for-kids/).   

Perhaps you will see them again around Father’s Day! 

Happy Summer Break!

Strawberry Picking

Today the kids and I went strawberry picking at our favorite local farm.  Due to an extra cold and long winter, the strawberries have been reluctant to make an appearance this spring, but they are finally getting ripe.  The berries are small but exquisitely sweet.  

  

As expected, the twins ate the red berries nearly as fast as I could pick them.  Sissy, on the other hand, was a great helper and picked almost a pound of strawberries by herself.  All three kids explored the patch, basked in the sun, sprawled in the grass, and generally had a fabulous and relaxed morning. 

 

 I love watching the kids experience food in its natural state.  I’m afraid we too often forget the origin of our food and what a delight it can be in its pure form.  These sweet berries certainly don’t need a thing to be delicious.  Picking the berries gives the kids such a real connection to the food, and I hope the same applies as we start to harvest corn, broccoli, and tomatoes from our garden.  Please comment with the ways you share pure foods with your kids.       

What a blessing to experience one of life’s simple pleasures on our second day of summer break!

Summer Break

Today marks the beginning of the end.  In a few short months, my daughter will enroll in Kindergarten.  While she is more than prepared, I am not.  I am saddened and anxious about sharing her with someone else.  I am so accustomed to her sweet presence in the house, I’m afraid it will feel very strange without her.  Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to watch her learn and grow, but the twins and I are going to miss her terribly.

With that in mind, I have decided this summer break should be the BEST ever!  I want to do something fun with the kids every day and I plan to chronicle our adventures here.  Maybe I’ll come up with a catchy name, but for now, here is our first day of summer fun!

Summer Break 

Day 1:  Library Day

Our family loves to read, so it stands to reason that our first adventure of the summer would be a trip to the library.  The twins read board books (and didn’t even eat them), while Sissy and I collected books from her summer reading list.  I believe she will learn to read over the summer, so I want to have lots of great books available to her.  We compiled a diverse offering including the Berenstain Bears, Amelia Bedelia, some Eric Carle’s, several from the Magic Treehouse series, Strega Nona, and the piece de resistance, The Invention of Hugo Cabret!   I can’t wait to share all of these stories with the kids.  

Our goal is to read at least four books each week day, so Library Day will likely become a weekly phenomenon.  Follow along with our summer reading on my Pinterest board: Summer Reading for Kindergarten  

Please share your favorite children’s book and we’ll incorporate it into our reading. 

Happy first day of summer break!