Sticker Program Prize Redemption - Shopping

Shopping at Toysrus!  And yes, my friends, my little girls are growing up!  We go to a toy store with any toy you can dream of and my girls choose an umbrella and a purse!  Whatever makes you happy!

Super Summer Science - Take 4 - Cloud Dough



Today we made Cloud Dough!  I would change the name to Beach Sand!  So cool and all you need is flour and baby oil!

 

Here is Liv measuring the flour

 What a good little scientist

 Juliana measuring her cup

 Add the oil and then mix it together

 It smells amazing and and it actually feels like beach sand.  You can mold it together like beach sand and make castles or whatever you want to make.  We did make a little bit of a mess but it was worth it!

Olivia-isms

So, this post all started with a discussion Roger and I had.  There are several things that Olivia says "incorrectly" that I find completely adorable.  And I must admit I don't correct her.  Why?  You might be asking.  Because she is growing so fast and I want to enjoy these little things for as long as possible.  I know she can't say aminals forever but I am going to enjoy it while I can.  So here is a list of my favorite Olivia-isms along with a short video capturing just 3 of them:

1. I made the mistake one time while joking around with her I said "Why I oughta!!!!" and she how now adopted the phrase "Why Why Oughta!!!!"
2. Trash Cans are now Crash Cans
3. Desserts are Zesserts
4. Animals are Aminals
5. Chihuahuas are Chicka-wow-was
6. Instead of referring to your offspring as daughters, she calls them sweeties.  As in she and Juliana are my sweeties and one day she will have sweeties of her own and her baby dolls are her sweeties
7. Instead of referring to her toes as piggies she has a family.  The big toe is the daddy toe, the second one is the mommy toe and the other three are the sweeties.  You can't help but laugh when she stubs her toes and she screams "It's the MOMMY TOE!!!!!!"  And I always say, "No NOT THE MOMMY TOE!!!!"
8. Yestermorning.  I think we should start using this expression more often.  It means just what it says, yesterday in the morning.
9. Instead of gravity she has gravily.

And here is a short video of some of my favorites:

Sticker Program Redemption - Indoor Camping

So one of the prizes the girls wanted to include in the Sticker Program Prize jar was Camping!  Well, allow me to introduce you to the Brooks.  We DON'T CAMP!  Unless it's in a cabin with a toilet and shower.  It's not that we are fancy or don't like getting dirty.  Not at all.  I just don't like bugs or creatures or being hot.  So our compromise - which the girls didn't mind at all - was "Indoor Camping".  We set up a huge tent in the playroom and had a picnic lunch inside!

 Check out that smile!  Not too shabby!  And the price of this prize . . . . . $0!!!!!!

Super Summer Science - Take 3 - Jelly Balls



This was a fun, easy and cheap experiment.  I'm not sure what these are officially called, but they are tiny little balls that hydrate into these super fun jelly balls.

 Look how tiny they are!

 Juliana was not impressed at this point

 After about 30 minutes - Wow!  Have to say it was kind of a bummer because they wanted to see what would happen so we sat and watched while these tiny balls hydrated themselves.  Would have been much more awesome to soak the night before.

 And after about an hour!  So we put our hands in them. . . .

 We stuck our feet in them. . . . . .

 They were so cool and wet and slimy!

 It was kind of funny because it kept tickling Juliana's feet, which in turn made her violently kick the little jelly balls all over the carpet!

 She preferred touching them with her hands!

 Liv preferred the feet:)

 Then we sorted colors!

All in all a great Super Summer Science day!  I ordered them on amazon for literally about $5 including shipping and they lasted forever.  We also found that you can take them out of water and reuse later! 

Painting Class

I have been wanting to do this for months and it finally happened.  It's one of those painting places where you go with nothing but your favorite drinks and snacks and they teach you how to paint something.  And by teach, they tell you step by step how to do it.  It was so much fun!!!!! My good friend Linda agreed to come with and we had a blast.  Here we are during the first couple of steps.  Yes we are painting pots.

This is Linda's

 Here is mine

 She's a natural - look at her go!  And we discovered that the more wine you drink the better the painter you become!

 Mine

 And the finished products!

Don't know why blogger is turning my pictures sideways but it sure is annoying!

Super Summer Science - Take 2 - Slime!

For the second installment of Super Summer Science we decided we would make slime!  What you need for this experiment is:

• Elmer's Glue
• Water
• Borax
• Food Coloring

 Step 1 - Pour glue in the container.  After I bought the glue I read it's cooler if you use the clear glue.  Oh well, next time.  We used 2 bottles.

 Step 2 - Mix 1 tablespoon of the Borax with warm water until dissolved.

 Step 3 - Add a cup of water to the glue and mix with food color

 Step 4 - Add the two mixtures together

 Step 5 - keep stirring

 For those with a weak stomach, I would not recommend going with the green color because it literally looked like nasty infected snot.  It was pretty nasty and then after it solidified a bit more it looked more just like slime.  But in the beginning, trust me, it's nasty!

 This is Livi's Gross Face!

 Playing with the slime

 Then we discovered that this slime substance is the exact same substance they put in those little jars to make fart sounds.  So like any great parents I looked for a small jar but all I found was a shot glass.  Guess what it works just as good.  Here is Liv's face as she made fart sounds.

Tobii Travels

So most of you know that Juliana has had a Tobii with eye-gaze for about a year now.  It is basically a computer that she can control with her eyes.  This computer is literally her voice.  It has changed our lives but unfortunately until recently it was only used at home and at school.  The reason?  It is a pretty heavy and VERY expensive device.  We have table mounts which makes it easy to use at home at at school but not very easy when you go to Costco or out to dinner.  So we finally were able to get a wheel chair mount - which means this device will now go with her wherever she goes.  We were so excited because she loves to go shopping and out to eat but we always felt sad that she couldn't express herself adequately in those situations.  So we had to try it out asap.  We thought Ikea would be a good test since there is lots of shopping and a food court.

We were kind of curious as to how this would play out.  I mean I figure people would be curious what the huge device was and want to see it or ask questions, which we are totally fine with.  I just didn't know how Juliana would feel.  Would she be embarrassed to have it with her and have people staring at her or would she be proud to have such a cool machine.  Well, I have to say, not many stares or questions and very happy to report that she was as proud as she could be.  Towards the end of our trip we got into the elevator which was full of people and extremely quiet as most elevator rides tend to be.  Juliana noticed a lady looking in her direction.  Juliana made serious eye contact with this lady, as if to say "I'm talking to YOU." and then on her computer proudly said "YOU - LOOK"  We all kind of giggled and the lady looked at her computer.  She is such a cool kid!

Dallas Museum of Science

Museum time!  We love going to the Museums of Science.  We came this time to the Dallas museum since they had a special Magic School Bus exhibit and that is currently Olivia's favorite show.



 First stop - giant bubbles!

 Then exploring air with ping pong balls

 Then the Magic School Bus Exhibit - which side note was a bit of a disappointment because at the entrance there was a big sign saying Ms. Frizzle would be there live so look for her around the exhibit.  We got Livi all excited and guess what. . . . . . No Frizzle :(

 Exploring what absorbs more heat

 Exploring how the Earth rotates around the sun

 Hanging at the Frizzle's desk

 Liv and Juj giving the weather

 This was a thermal camera to show heat  That is Roger's super hot head and Juliana right in front of him.

 This was in the dress up section.

 Her own private dressing room

 Liv playing some tunes

 Juj on the drums

 Water play section

 This was my brilliant idea to get her on a tricycle.  Let's just say it was kind of slippery and she ended up on the ground:(

 The milk maid