Origami

DIY Fun, by lauren, June 16, 2015, 2 Replies

DSC_0682DSC_0684DSC_0691

Milo is keeping very busy this summer. He has matured into such a driven, curious, knowledge-hungry little boy! When he is not spending time outside or burying his nose in a book, he is doing origami. And I’m not just saying this because he’s my kid — he’s really very good! I think it’s because there are specific steps to follow and he has always had a knack for following directions, specifically for building things or putting things together.

And it’s not all that easy! I was so impressed with his lily above, I sat down to make one with him, and I messed up. Twice. A true lesson in patience and practice, as one of these things can take a good 20 minutes to complete!

Right now, there is origami all over our house. On every surface, beautifully folded designs, boxes, flowers, birds, fish, and even skunks! I love finding them tucked away on windowsills and nightstands.
DSC_0722DSC_0776

He taught Oliver how to make origami fish, so they worked together one afternoon to make a whole school of fish to hang from the ceiling of their room. Whenever we turn the fan on low, they gently “swim” around in such a pleasant way. So relaxing to lie on our backs on the rug underneath and watch them move. DSC_0780If you’re looking for something special for an older child, I highly recommend getting this set, which comes with an instructional DVD (really, it’s very helpful to see step-by-step what each fold should look like). It’s actually something parents will enjoy doing with their kids, I promise!

Also, if you’re wanting to sneak in a little math this summer, this geometric origami kit seems awesome…

This kit is all about flowers, while this one is all animals (but it looks a lot more advanced).

Happy folding!

Reading… (and Listening)

Books, by lauren, June 16, 2015, 3 Replies

DSC_0001

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig

We checked out this book on cd at our library recently, and having never read it before (maybe as a child, but I had certainly never read it to my kids), fell totally and completely in love! We popped the cd into our car cd player while driving around the city running errands, and were greeted by the lovely deep voice of James Earl Jones, who narrates the book. He is the perfect narrator for this story! Instantly, all three of my boys were captivated and had his full attention.

DSC_0007

The story is about Sylvester, a donkey who happens upon a magic pebble and accidentally turns himself into a rock. He is missing for months, as he cannot wish himself back into a donkey unless he is touching the magic pebble, which sits next to him just out of reach. The book itself covers so many strong feelings, which Emil in particular is feeling at the tender age of three. The grief Sylvester’s parents feel as they miss their son and wonder what has become of them particularly touched Emil, who began to talk about how sad we would be if he turned into a stone. The empathy he felt was so deep and true! DSC_0004The story goes through other emotions, such as joy, loss, regret, sadness, love, and elation, all of which are clearly expressed in the faces of the illustrated animals. Magic is just the icing on the cake. Steig captures a wide range of powerful human emotions in this one touching story, and manages to crawl inside the magical mind of a child. And it’s an old classic — in 1970, it won the prestigious Caldecott Medal, which it clearly deserves. Relevant at any time, I highly recommend this one!

Weekend Shenanigans

Family, by lauren, June 15, 2015, 1 Reply

DSC_0115

DSC_0113

DSC_0117I took it easy this weekend on the pictures. I’m fighting a nasty summer cold — sore throat, headache, body aches, and all the other great stuff that comes along with being sick, no matter the season. There’s something strange about being sick when the sun is shining for so many hours of the day; for a few hours you can forget your misery and overdo it instead of resting, confusing beautiful weather for good health. This was the story of the weekend: me trying to act energetic and healthy, then dropping like a fly at night.

DSC_0131DSC_0132DSC_0138DSC_0085

But the boys and I managed to have a lot of fun, joining the Tower Grover farmer’s market on Saturday morning for the first time this season, where we ran into so many good friends it was like a surprise party! It was so good to socialize. Sometimes when Andrew travels I tend to keep to myself, which backfires. I am an extrovert and need adult conversation! My life depends on it and so does my attitude!

DSC_0073DSC_0071

While out and about, we were invited to join friends for the baseball game Saturday afternoon, which we happily accepted. It was another great diversion and I was grateful for the plans. We left a bit early for early bath and bedtime, and I finally watched Wild, which I loved (though I cried on at least five separate occasions throughout — it really got to me!). Check out the trailer below if you haven’t already seen it:

Tomorrow the boys start two different summer camps, so I get a few hours to myself in the mornings, which I have really missed. It goes without saying that we are having an amazing summer, but I miss having time to read. By the end of the day, I’m too exhausted to read more than five pages in a row! Looking forward to a bit of relaxing outside at a coffee shop with this book, which my dear friend Maggie lent me. It’s really good so far (and I’m not very far in).

DSC_0101Hope you are having a lovely summer, and enjoy your Monday!

Andrew & Emil

Family, by lauren, June 12, 2015, 3 Replies

DSC_0728

DSC_0723

DSC_0725DSC_0727

Just had to share these sweet pictures from last weekend when Andrew returned from a trip — Emil was just beside himself with happiness to see him. Those two: peas in a pod. Andrew has been traveling more than ever before, but you’d better believe he has been making the most of our family time together when he’s here. Dear, dear Andrew, come home soon to us again!

P.s. — If you’re wondering if the I Am Batman shirt is the only shirt Emil owns, the answer is no; however, it is the only shirt he wears. 

Have a wonderful weekend.