Adventures in Paper Mache

We decided to get our hands dirty with paper mache this week. I wish I could offer you some great recipe for it, but we just mix flour and water until it's like runny oatmeal. Then we pour in a bit of salt, because I read once that salt keeps it from turning into a science project. We covered an inflated balloon with saturated newspaper strips (Andy's favorite part). After it dried overnight, I popped the balloon and cut out the mask shapes. The kids painted (Jonah's favorite part). Here are the finished products. Jonah's had these suits since he was about three. Looks like it's about time to trade in the Spiderman knickers for a bigger size.Nice. Don't you think?

Jonah traced over some pencil lines I drew for the web on Spidey's face. He did a good job, but I must admit, you're looking at the reason I've never considered permanent eyeliner.

A Visit From Our Cousin

This is our cousin Joanna. She came to visit us from Colorado.

We went to the park to run and play and wear ourselves out.

Some of us did wear out.

and others of us... not so much.

Stop, Drop, and Roll

We went with a group of kids from our neighborhood to the local firehouse.

This is Fireman Jimmy. He showed us how they bandage busted heads.

No more monkeys jumpin' on the bed.

They showed us the truck.

We got to tour the firehouse.

They turned out all the lights and showed us what it's like when they get a call in the middle of the night. The alarm goes off, the lights come on, and the doors swing open. Mom said they could just keep some kids around to get the same effect.

We even got to spray the hose.


It was great, and we want to be firemen when we grow up (if that happens in a few days; any longer and we'll probably change our minds).

Centennial Park

Yesterday we went downtown to the Centennial Park fountains and had ourselves a big time.

Is it just me, or does Andy seem to be wearing larger swim trunks than Jonah?

Playschool

We go to playschool twice a week to give Mom a break. We're not sure from what, but she says she needs it.
Here we are at the front door, just itchin' to go inside. "C'mon, Mom, take the picture already!"

We take Andy to his class first.

Then Jonah.

Then Mom gets her hair and nails done at a posh salon while servant girls feed her grapes and chocolate. Then she wakes up from her nap and comes to pick us up.

Hey, You, Out There!

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What Little Boys are Made of

This little worm lost his freedom in March.

I introduced the kids to the joy of worm collecting while I was gardening one fine spring day, and they took it to the next level. I heard the screen door slam shut after they had amassed a fortune of the little dirt miners in a bowl. Of course, I followed them inside to see what fate they had planned for their captives and arrived just in time to hear the ding of the microwave. That's right, they cooked them. When I asked what they were doing, Andy answered matter-of-factly, "Makin' pasketti."

An Angel in My Bed

Look what showed up in my bed this morning. And that's after screaming at me in the middle of the night to sleep with him in his bed. Oh, I lose much sleep over this one. But just look at him. Isn't he sweet? I don't mind so much after all.

The Saga of the Fish

A few months ago our neighbors gave us their old fish tank. We set it up and went out to buy fish the same day (our first mistake). Jonah and Andy each picked out his own $3.00 goldfish. They used to be 99 cents when I was a kid. These pet stores have guarantees on fish now. I didn't mind paying the extra $2.01 for the guarantee because... they died and I knew they would. You never put fish in a tank you just set up that day. We were just so excited for the kids to have their very own pets.

In the car I let them each hold a bag. Jonah had the fish and Andy had the snails. We figured snails would help keep the glass clean. We were trying to come up with names for the fish but only had one of the snails named by the time we got home. "Chip" is what we came up with. I'll let you guess what happened to lead us to that one. Doesn't matter because... Chip died and so did his buddy. Apparently if you're going to buy snails to keep the glass clean you better not clean the glass yourself or they'll starve to death. Lesson learned.

That fateful day that the fish died happened to be a day we had something planned for the morning. Good thing. I figured we could get the kids all dressed and ready to usher out the door without a thought for the fish. No such luck. The first thing they both did was run to the tank and ask where the fish were. They pressed me and so I cracked. "They died. I'm sorry. We can get new ones today." There was no crying, just one question. "Where are they?" Again they pressed and again I cracked. "They're in my purse in a baggy." (Remember the guarantee at the pet store? Well, you have to produce the dead bodies for an exchange.) They insisted on seeing them, but you guessed that. I pulled their lifeless little bodies out for the viewing. Still, no crying. Instead, both of my sensitive little cherubs laughed. They had a great time squishing the fish in the bag. I only allowed that long enough to get my things together to leave the house then we went to exchange the fish.

Now we have all new fish. Here's one:

and the other:

and the other:

Actually, there are ten of these but they all look exactly alike. I don't care if that does sound prejudice. It's a fact. Oh, and there's a catfish and two new snails. We found out that they sell algae pellets for the snails, which kind of defeats their whole purpose - to keep the glass clean. Now I am feeding the cleaning ladies and they're not even cleaning. Jonah and Andy like to drop in the algae tablets and watch all the fish go after them. That's right, everybody wants in on the algae tablet action. By the time the snails get to them, they are usually pretty sparse if they are at all. Good luck, my little employees.

Here they are just after the pellet hit the rocks. See all the fish? See the snails? My point exactly. We still don't have names for the goldfish, but they've probably been around long enough that it's safe to name them. I'll keep you posted on that. Let us know if you have any ideas.

The Man Face

This is what Jonah calls his "man face". Lighten up out there, people. I don't want my kid growing up thinking this is what adulthood is all about.

Here's Andy trying to make the face. For goodness sake, you would think John and I walk around with a snarl on our face all day. Where do they get this?

Spider Brothers

Here we are in our Spiderman t-shirts, looking like the angels we are. We never fight or yell or run screaming towards each other with swords.