The Cahill's

Last week was Jonny Appleseed – a name the kids enjoyed saying.

We (mommy) peeled and cut up a bunch of apples to make applesauce. The kids put the pieces in the pot for me. Lance tried his hand at a peeler but couldn’t get the hang of it.

After cooking, we blended them in our fantastic blender (compliments to Brian for finding this one!) added a little cinnamon and enjoyed! Even baby Flora could participate in the tasting this time!

We made applesauce cookies (not with our home made applesauce) and shared them with friends.

We also did “apple science” – cutting up an apple, tasting it, smelling it, listening to it, feeling it, noting the different colors inside from outside, examining the seeds. It is now drying on the counter and we look at it every few days.

I know it’s been much too long since my last post – I actually have several things to post about but thought I would do a general “see how the kids have grown!” kind of post first.

In the pool:

Flora loves using her floatie in the baby pool. The shallow water allows her to walk herself all over and be a part of the action!

While Ivy will play with us in the shallow pool, she loves testing herself in the “big water”. She’s not afraid to go under water (we learned that last year!) and we’re working hard to teach her to swim. She kicks well and is starting to use her arms more.

Lance still prefers “the little” and likes to specify which pool we’re going to before we even leave the house. He likes to wear this float and practice swimming movements where he can still touch the bottom.

In the house:

Ivy LOVES to color and received several different art products for her birthday – one of which is a dry erase crayon board. Lance, who is not as keen on coloring, likes this board too. All three kids try it out after Ivy’s party. Lance happened to be coloring with a brown crayon, pointed to his work and told me it was “big poop.” Ivy giggled. Flora munched.

The kids got sick this week and I got a sick day! What I mean, is that they felt bad, laid around, didn’t drag stuff out and took such great naps that I had more time than I expected and organized the drawers by my desk.

Part of organizing included boxing up some stuff and Flora surprised me by pulling up to a stand on the boxes. This is a new and very fun skill for her and is now being practiced all over the place.

Here the kids are playing in their “rocket ship” – I think they were taking swimsuits to mars or something. Interestingly, story time at the library later that day was about space and Lance was excited to read about a rocket. I’ll have to do a space theme sometime soon.

Out and about:

Chick-Fil-A cow day had us making costumes – I think I spent longer doing this than I would have spent making dinner. Oh well, it was fun, the kids were excited to get their own drink and play on the playground. Lance also liked seeing the “cow” but Ivy was on the verge of tears as it passed our table.

I would have taken a picture of Brian and I but I forgot the tape, our costumes were blowing everywhere and the kids were in the parking lot Life isn’t always “picture perfect.”

One morning we all enjoyed breakfast on the back porch so Daddy could sleep in after a long night of work. While I was busy carting stuff in and out, Flora found some leftovers and introduced herself to a new food – NutriGrain bars!

We played with water guns and Lance had the strangest idea of fun. I also like the way they say “shooting.” Later we took a walk around the complex, shooting everything we saw. Unfortunately I didn’t bring the camera. Lance found an earthworm and carried it until it died. Ivy made a nest out of crepe myrtle flowers and put rock “eggs” in it like the dinosaur movie they saw the day before. Flora sat in the stroller and wished she could walk.

Hope you enjoyed some of the highlights of the last two weeks!

Ahoy Matey! We’re about to set sail for adventure, wanna come along? A word of warning, this will be no pleasure voyage, but if ye weather through, ye might be finding some treasure at the end!

Still want to sign on? Har! Come aboard then.

Get rid of those land lubberly clothes and deck yourself out in the rags of a pirate! (Brian and I rigged these up the night before “camp” started)

Didn’t expect to find yourself swabbing the deck? Har, har, har. Here be the rules: (swabbing the playground – a very popular activity)

Double time it or you’ll feel the ropes end! (swabbing a fence)

You better prove yourself seaworthy… (making milk carton boats)

…or you might find yourself walking the plank! (jumping off into the swimming pool)

Eat yer grub, even if it’s lookin’ at ye. (the moms were so creative with the snacks!)

Tha cook spent a long time makin’ it for you scurvy dogs. (blue jello with gummy fish)

Ahoy thar! An enemy ship! All hands on deck! (we had water balloons almost every day!)

Load the cannon! Give ‘em back whatever they dish out.

Battle is over, better hoist our colors. (making flags)

What’s this? A clue, eh? (treasure hunts)

Into the swag you dogs, no holding back. (Searching for pennies in a “swamp”)

Dig, DIG, me hearties! “X” marks the spot. Tis treasure we’ll be finding! (we buried and dug up treasure several times)

A chest with a curse – dare we open? (this treasure hunt yielded golden “doubloons”)

Black beard’s treasure! (necklaces, coins and painted rocks!)

What’s this? More treasure? (Digging in the ball pool for suckers)

Ah, a pirates life for me! (cute little costumes made by one of the moms)

End note: 6 moms and their kiddos (14 pre-schoolers and baby Flora) got together to make this camp happen. We each planned and hosted one day at our house or a park. The kids had bunches of fun, learned new stuff and we moms had fun doing it.