Oklahoma Fall

Summer isn't really gone here. It's just got cool enough for us to play outside all the time! We took advantage of the summer clearance toys and got some squirt guns and a Barbie kite. We've had fun going to the park and playing with water in the back yard. I've started teaching my piano student again (which is why I put a giant keyboard on the carpet with tape). The boys we nanny have a lot of batman toys, baby toys, as well as some trucks and toys outside. So, we've been playing a lot these past couple of weeks.

 Green grapes are a favorite food around here.

 Waiting to go to the park with friends.

 The clouds have been beautiful around here.

This is project: "paint swimsuits on the Barbies with nail polish and a sharpie."
Mission accomplished.

 This $1 bucket has been a great substitute for a kiddie pool.

 Todd loves fiddling with the dishwasher. It bugged me at first, but now I think it's cute.

  I like how he left a crawling trail.

 Wood chips!

 I love the fact that I can use things meant for children, from Barbies to going to the park, from cute baby clothes to the little cars in front of shopping carts (even though I feel like I'm driving a bus).

 Elsa rolled up her sleeves and washed my dishes!

 Todd takes after Claire and enjoys drawing/coloring. Here she's coloring in a traffic light.

Remember that underwear/pull-up chart? Did not work. We think she's just not ready yet. But this bedtime routine chart, it worked wonders the day we started using it! No more power struggles and feeling picked on before bedtime. The visuals mean: clean up toys, read a story, change into pull-up and PJs, brush teeth and say prayers. Doodling skills do come in handy as a mom.

 Fall craft with Claire. She painted my hand and I painted hers. Then we made them into fall trees.

 This play lawn mower and ball were from friends that moved.

 I left the kids alone for a little while and when I came back into the family room I found Todd in his own Lego pit!

I had to take a picture of Todd with three of his favorite things: his blanket, sucking fingers and walker wagon!