my fair lady

Tomorrow is the big day : fair registration. The day the kids and I commit ourselves to what we're entering, dragging along, piecing together, slaving over, and lugging to the fair next month. I admit I'm giddy over this - we had so much fun last year, our first year in 4-H. We were absolutely clueless, and it was mayhem trying to get stuff done last-minute, but it marked the first time the kids had ever exhibited anything, and what a great experience. We have our work cut out for us this year!

Alexei has decided that he's going to enter thirteen classes this year (nothing like a lucky number, eh?) One of his classes is the rabbit show, which is a live class, and the other twelve will simply display his entries at the fairgrounds with all the other 4-H happenings. He's decided to enter a drawing, a model, a wooden toy car he built with his grandpa, four photographs, a photo story, a tabletop display, and three different baked goods. I know he's hoping for lots of blue ribbons and premiums, and I hope his hard work pays off for him!

The boy is certainly ambitious.

I especially like that he had to write down the ingredients and steps for all three of his recipes. Any time I can get handwriting practice in, I feel all sneaky!

Ibis just missed the age cutoff to become a junior member this year, so her entries are limited to a special Cloverbud selection and she can choose to enter up to five categories. Cloverbuds can only display their projects instead of truly compete, but they receive a special medallion and a small premium for each of their efforts. She is showing her rabbit, entering the shoebox float parade, and will be displaying a photo, a drawing, and baking cookies. I'm actually glad she's limited again this year, or I'm not sure we ever could have decided on what to enter!

The fair also has a creative arts side for any county resident. Coral's too young yet for 4-H, but creative arts has no age limit so she will be entering a drawing for display. I can't wait to see her face when she spots her artwork hung up at the fair! Creative arts is also for adults, and I'll be entering a baked good (cinnamon rolls maybe?), a drawing, and four photographs.

For an extra special treat this year, we also enrolled Coral and Hobie in the Baby Show. Basically kids ages 1, 2, and 3 dress up in cute cowboy/cowgirl duds and earn little prizes. I think I might be looking forward to this baby torture most of all!

As an aside, the kids have been working on perfecting their drawings for the fair. Grandma bought them new art sets for Christmas and they've just been itching to break them open - homeschool art Fridays and fair projects combined for the perfect excuse.

It amazes me how the bigger their workspace gets, the bigger their mess gets. Are they like those fish that grow to fill the tank?

nourishing creativity

Sometimes I'm a little lenient when the kids want a snack. Other times, I rule with an iron fist. No, you're not having a cookie! Step away from the candy jar! Those Pop Tarts are mine!

Whew, sorry about that. I get a little passionate when it comes to my Pop Tarts. Anyhow, as I was saying, I try to let the kids have some choices when it comes to eating during the day, especially with snacks. Frequently they want fruit, which is great, or both of my girls would just about live on carrots with a little ranch dressing. Coral, however, can also be the queen of gross.

After homeschool PE, everyone was ready to eat. Some of us wanted sensible foods. One of us wanted Pringles dipped in vanilla pudding.

She ate this like there was no tomorrow.

I couldn't even look at her while she was eating this. It makes me gag just typing it out.

At least there wasn't any ketchup involved.

**This post is dedicated to that little shiny gold Christmas ball, who smashed to the floor minutes after this photo was taken. You were not meant to see another tree, little shiny gold ball.**

crybaby

Today was one of those days. He cried all night long, or at least whenever he wasn't busy nursing. This morning, he started his day via the standard baby to toddler initiation of rolling off the bed. The rest of the day, he cried if I so much as adjusted his weight and he felt as though I might be preparing to put him down. How anything at all got accomplished today is a testament to the hour-long nap he graced us with.

I'm not sure if I created this crybaby, or if I'm merely coping with the situation. May tomorrow be a better day. Or at least a quieter one. 

"Enjoying the Park"

Today, we had a bright idea. Ibis was reading about people from long ago and today, and this particular page caught our fancy. Seeing as we're in Florida and January is the good time to be outside, I figured why not?

Since we were headed to a scenic location, I suggested Alexei bring along my backup camera to practice taking photos. He's enrolled in his first year with the 4-H photography project, and he's planning to enter four photos and a photo story into our county fair next month. I'm sincerely hoping that one day he doesn't drop my camera into a lake. Or himself, seeing as we have gators.

Please don't fall in. I really don't want to go in there after you.

This was my favorite scenic photo that he took of our local East Lake Tohopekaliga (pronounce that!)

I also sat with him and showed him how to adjust the camera's focal points. The beauty of an LCD screen is he can see his work on the spot, we can critique and adjust, and he can recompose his photos all in a matter of seconds. How did we live before digital photography?

I think he did a decent job.

Of course I brought my camera along, too. I never seem to get my fill, and find that I am always learning something. Frequently, that something is that I need lots more practice.

Sometimes, it's that taking photos with 4 kids tagging along is a colorful experience.

Occasionally, I have a sense of deja vu.

Or I take a photo just because it looks kind of neat. How would that look hanging over the sofa?

And then one reminds me of the tasks I have waiting once we're home.

Time to go, kids!

back to school

We are officially back to school! After Christmas, various birthdays, and a December that I can only call  "the month of eternal sickness," pencils and crayons have been picked up once again.

Ahhh, school, the perfect excuse for my Project 365, aka photo harassment.

Alexei started the day by tackling the next state on our map : South Carolina. My favorite part of the whole 50 states project is seeing the kids develop lifelong computer skills. What ten-year-old doesn't need to learn Photoshop?

I love seeing Ibis take a real interest in this project. Being in second grade, her main tasks are to color our lead scrapbook page and to color the wall map. Today she surprised me by knowing several of the blank states on our map - she got a cool wooden state puzzle for her birthday from her Grandpa and Nana, and I'm pretty sure she puts it together at least once a day! For a visual learner like her, this project couldn't be better.

Here are the states we've covered so far! Eight down, forty-two to go. We'd better get busy!

And then we have Coral. Today she was learning all about the letter M. And still in her new Cat in the Hat pajamas at noon. I'm not sure we're ever going to get her out of her Cat in the Hat pajamas.

The school day comes to a close, Christmas has come and gone. Not a trace remains. The house has returned to normal. Well, our normal.

For crying out loud, will somebody please eat these things??

p365 - day 2

I don't know how they wound up in matching shirts, but they sure love being together. A friend gave us this little toy chest yesterday - it needs to be sanded down and repainted but it's already their favorite seat in the house. Little guys need little seats.

And yes, the "shorts" came along later. The joys of being three.

project 365

This year, I resolve to participate in Project 365. I already take a photo every day anyway (ahem....hundreds of photos...) and I *know* everyone wants to see them. Aren't you lucky! So, without further ado, here is January 1st in all its photographic glory.

Yes, he has frogs on his shoes. Hobie has until this point only tried on one pair of shoes I nabbed at a yard sale, a heavy pair of Timberlands. It's gone something like this : I've put the shoes on him, he's plopped down on the floor, and the screaming has commenced. The end.

Yesterday, we went to Babies R Us because I had an extra 40% off clearance clothing coupon. Hobie needed a pair of jeans that were the correct length, and I always love a bargain. That's when we found these shoes. They weren't on clearance, but at $12.99 the price was right. I love that they're completely flexible, and thin and soft. They're also very light. For the first time I've put shoes on him and he's been able to cruise around without throwing a fit. These are similar to Stride Rite's Soft Motion shoes for early walkers. Hobie just took his first (teensy, tiny) step a few nights ago, so this was good timing!

And could they be any cuter? I don't think so.