Sideways Saturday

This is going to be a combined post:  Flashback Friday, and Sideways Saturday.  I meant to blog yesterday, but just didn't get around to it.

Quick flashback of our week:

We started our school year on Tuesday.  We managed to get ALMOST the full weeks worth of lesson's done.  Friday was a rough day.  Three and Four got up at 5:15, so there were some meltdowns during school time, and I just threw in the towel.  I plan to finish up tonight/tomorrow what we didn't get done from last week (just a couple activities.)

We had preschool co-op on Wednesday, and Kindergarten co-op on Friday.  Both were excellent!

Four successfully wrote his name on the top of a handwriting worksheet this week!  All but one letter are pretty close to perfect.  I was super proud of him.  We've not really worked on that at all.  But since Three was doing it, he wanted in on the action.  *smiles*

Today we had a SUPER busy (but SUPER fun day!)  We attended BugFest at the Natural Sciences Museum in Raleigh.  Then we had lunch out, and hit the farmers market.  Followed that up with a trip to a great park-with not only a playground but a big pond, a carousel, and a train ride.  It was outstanding, but I am one tired mama.  I'm hoping for a 7pm bedtime.  Four didn't sleep at all, so I imagine he'll be ready.  Three catnapped for 15 minutes or so...but he'll still probably be ready.  *cheers*

My Sideways Saturday post was going to be about how our quiet time activities are going.  I posted back in March about pulling together ideas for quiet time because I could see the end to nap time and I just NEED that time in the afternoon.  This week was the first time I've been MILITANT about it though.  Teaching all of them has left me NEEDING that quiet time even MORE!

Here is Thursday's set up, starting closest to the camera and moving clockwise:

Number puzzle
Shape match
Beads
I can't remember!
Oatmeal bin with magnet wand and magnetic letters inside
Wedgits.

The rule was:  Play one of the quiet time activities, play in your room or go outside.  Do NOT talk to mommy (unless there is blood or vomit.)

I am going to scour around for some more ideas, so be expecting a post about them again soon!

I have a ton of pictures for Sunday Snapshots!

Summer Fun

My hope is to turn dinner over to One and Two one night a week in the fall, giving me 2 nights that I don't have to cook, plus, until it gets COLD Hubby cooks on the grill usually once a week. So, I've been doing "cooking camp" and teaching the girls how to cook some things that we have pretty often.

Two mixing meatloaf.

After my rainy day fun post yesterday, I set up some bowls for Four. He was very excited!

This week we tye-dyed some towels for the kids to use after they swim (or shower, etc). This first one belongs to Two.

This one belongs to Three, he wanted it to look like "fireworks."

I'm not posting One's towel because she chose to tie-dye her first name across the towel (which turned out super cute) but I don't call them by thier real names here, so I won't post it.

Here is Three, very excited about his discovery box yesterday afternoon!

Pool fun. :) Seriously this is the best I could do of all 4.