Slime!

When we lived in Logan, UT we went to a family day on campus. They had bounce houses, games, crafts, and huge tractors. Each college had a station and an activity they did for the kids. One of the activities was to make slime. Everest still remembers that (it was before I was pregnant with Leaf-Everest was only 2). The other day he told me he wanted to make green slime like we did in UT.

I found an easy recipe on Family Fun's website. It is just glue, borax, water and food coloring. The boys had so much fun with it. We usually make play dough, but decided to make slime for a change.

Waiting for the slime to congeal. Everest was so excited. In the beginning Everest wanted green, but when it came time to add color, both boys picked blue.

Everest with his slime.

WOW!

Leaf wasn't sure what to think at first.

Then he rolled it.

Then he realized if you put it near the edge, it will drip down.

We got out cookie cutters and other things we use with play dough. Later that night, I had a meeting and the boys played with Nathan. They found out you can also draw on slime with markers. 

* Slime Recipe (recipe from Family Fun Magazine)

3/4 c warm water

1 c glue (white or clear)

food coloring

4 t borax

1 1/3 c warm water

1. Mix together 3/4 cup warm water, 1 cup glue and several drops of green food coloring in the first bowl.
   
2. In the second bowl, mix together 4 teaspoons borax and 1 1/3 cups warm water.
   
3. Pour the contents of the first bowl into the second, but don't stir. Let it sit for 1 minute, then lift the now-congealed slime out of the bowl.
   
4. Divide slime so that each child has a piece to play with. The glue in slime can make it stick to certain fabrics. To minimize accidents, give each little monster a zip-top bag to store it in.
   

*A friend told us to use clear glue and add things like glitter or sequence.

Many faces of Aurora

 Aurora just hanging out, being content!

 She is a wonderful baby. Now if she can only teach her brothers how to be happy and content.

 Laughing. She has laughed with her whole body since the day she was born. In the beginning, I know it was not intentional, but it is now.

 Well, if you have had a baby or been around babies, you know what this face means. She was very happy after.

Playing

 Aurora has been staying up late working with her daddy. Phew, all this cuddling is hard work.

Nathan put in a new water heater and he gave the boys the box. Everest drew the lines and Nathan cut them to make a fort. Our friend Micah was over and the boys had a great time playing.

Leaf wearing his safety glasses while playing with Legos. If anyone is interested in well made, real life, kid size things (like the safety glasses), check out For Small Hands. It is a wonderful magazine, it is where Montessori gets their supplies. I ordered 2 more pair of gardening gloves because the boys LOVE the pair I got last year. I also ordered brooms, dust pans and spatulas for Leaf's birthday. (He got a wooden kitchen from my parents.)

My beautiful girl. She is a very happy baby. She smiles and laughs when you talk to her. She also coos often, even in her sleep. It is a nice change to have a baby that sleeps and is happy. We are enjoying her so much.

More playing in the "fort". How many kids can you fit in one box? This box has been a fort, house, ice cream and pizza shop. Now they are working on coloring and papering it.

When our friend Micah was over, the boys asked to play with the beans. They all had so much fun, Micah did not want to leave. Heather ended up buying beans later that day for Micah and Elliot to play with at home.

Leaf will play with the beans for long periods at a time. He loves filling and dumping. We are still working on dumping. He gets about half in the container and half on the floor. For clean up of the floor, I give the kids tall shot glasses and we have a race to see who can fill up their glass first. The kids love this.

Hope you are having a wonderful Fall. My parents were out for Leaf's birthday. We had a great time. The weather has been beautiful, well at least the temperature. What season are we in?

Bottling "kid beer"

The day after the apple pressing, we had Heather, Christopher and the kids over to bottle some apple cider. The kids had a lot of fun bottling. A few bottles got over filled and some under filled. The kids had fun and that is all that matters.

Elliot filling up a bottle.

Aurora slept through the whole event. She has her harness on now. She has to have another ultra sound in a few weeks. That will determine how long she is in it.

Nathan helping Elliot, while Leaf waits patiently.

We pasteurized the kid beer in Nathan's 10 gallon brew pot.

Everest and Leaf unloaded the brew pot.

Leaf just about fell into the pot trying to get the bottles on the bottom.

Making "kid beer"

The boys love to help Nathan make beer, but they constantly ask to drink some. Last year we made them a batch of "kid beer". We had some 8oz glass coke bottles, we decided to use for kid beer. We had the kids help bottle apple cider, then we pasteurized it. They loved drinking it and sharing it with friends. 
This year, they asked to do it again. We asked some friends to come to. We all had a great time.

Nathan and Leaf checking out the apple press at the beer brewing club party.

 This months party was at a friends house who lives on a farm. She has sheep, chickens, ducks and bees. I thought the kids would love all of that, but the huge dirt pile was MUCH more fun.

 Everest and Elliot played on the dirt pile all night. Micah and Leaf joined them for a while too. All kids were quite dirty.

 Leaf, Micah and Elliot washing the apples before putting them in the press.

 Everest and Elliot got on each side of the bar and walked in circles pressing the apples.

 Elliot enjoyed her first experience with an apple press.