Outside Playscape

For the boys birthday we made an addition to our outside playscape.  I have been trying to figure out a swing of sorts and the tire swing landed right in our laps.  Uncle Zak needed new tires, he was at our house, brought a tire home and voila, magically on Asher's birthday the tire was hanging from the tree.

 

Just one broken bolt and a minor drastic drop to the ground, some new hardware and we are off and swinging.  This was an easy addition to the yard and wasn't too hard to figure out.

 

 

 

 

 

PLAY

Stage one of our outdoor project for the kids is complete. We removed the chicken tractor and started off with this space.Some cedar posts.
The frame came together quickly.
Cedar decking and some climbing bars. We were really trying to figure out ways to challenge Asher's climbing skills, he had a bit of a challenge for maybe 5 minutes and was up.
Cedar shakes left over from the kitchen remodel- I love putting these up, this was the mama job.
River is really drawn to play houses and counter parts of playground and other peoples homes, and as he can't climb like his brother we dedicated the lower section to him.
A tarp to stay dry in the rain, it is also a great bird blind and we have been able to see a lot of the warbler migration hidden.
90% there, Asher loves his new perch.
And the grand finale. We found some awesome hand holds made from some dude for a great price and were thrilled to make the climbing wall.
T nuts holding them into place.Ratcheting from the top.Holds layed out on the boards.Secured and ready for climbing. Up in no time. I originally thought Ben was a little crazy for the separated posts opposed to a solid wall for climbing on but it lets light into the underneath, is quite original and worked out great. Stage 2 will include pulleys, rope ladders and whatever strikes us between now and then.

Into the Woods:: 1/18

We did hit the woods last Thursday on our regularly scheduled day, and wow it was amazingly beautiful. I went to take a first picture on that day and was very sad to discover that my memory card wasn't in the darn thing:(

So what else is there to do in town with kids on MLK day? The woods are always open. Luckily we were joined by some friends that answered my last minute playgroup plea.
Asher cracked ice with sticks.
River hung out in the usual place.
We found the evidence of what we expect was an unexpected fall into the ice for someone. Not something I would want to happen to me, be careful of thin ice.
Leaves refusing to decompose.
Our favorite seahorse surviving the cold.
Deer Scat: I was so happy to see this. We have a lot of talks about poop here on a daily basis, asher reads our big field guide to animal tracks while he poops on the potty and when he finishes he declares what kind of animal he is. He had bear and fox scat yesterday. Plus with all the deer in Busey Woods I never see the poop.
Osage Orange parts showing off their color.

Tarzan style swinging from a vine.

And Icicles. There was a lot of snow/icicle consumption on the trip. I think asher really got a big immune system boost with all the dirt particles he consumed.

But who could deny someone such simple pleasure? (rhetorical question, I actually know the answer.)

PA: Castle Park

We headed to Doylestown for day one in PA. Bubbie has been raving about this playground for some time and it definitely lived up to the hype. For those who love Meadowbrook's playground this is that times 100. The tallest tower at MBK is the lowest one here.

the castle itself is a maze of paths up to the four towers, each equiped with constellation riddles. Lot of the paths involve crawling and the tunnel slide from the top to the bottom is nothing less than awesome! The green tube is long and pitch black inside plus it feels like anyone talking at the bottom outside of the slide is always at your feet.

Bubbie sliding down the paths- super smooth wood let you slide instead of having to crawl down.

Asher had a super fun time. Besides all the climbing they had a pretty substantial creative play area as well. We will definitely make this a regular stop when we visit.

Imitation

I know that kids learn from so many many sources surrounding them. They are such little sponges and every minute of their day is spent learning. It is amazing to witness first hand as a parent. Nothing, nothing comes close to the power of imitation. It is a scary thing really to think about: our kids learn so much from watching us. You really need to watch what you do. All the things we do in front of our kids truly do have the ability to become part of their character. Actions lead to habits which develop into character. I have to remind myself of this a lot more as I loose my cool (i am sooo cool) with Asher as he really tests my patience. For the most part I am very happy with his imitating (cursing in a two year old is cute right? j/k grandma).

Asher loves doing the things we love to do and it is so rewarding that way. i hope that deep down they will really lay a foundation for him discovering a person within him that we respect as his parents when we are all older. I know he will be who he chooses, you know I just want to be able to have respect to go with that everlasting love. I love how he really wants to help and hope it isn't just the first child need to please thing. Making hamburgers with his papa, and cutting up potatoes to fry up. Ben simply precut the taters and stuck them back together so that Asher could do his work safely. I did just get a second crinkle cutter so that he can cut softer things on his own, like cucumbers. And an apple cutter that I hope he can manuever.

I don't know enough about the montessori philosophy behind it, but I really think that children's involvement in the growing and making of their own food is soo important. I mean really when you think about it what better way to help them feel independant and sure of themselves. Food is such an important thing, we need it to survive. So for a kid to feel like they have no control over this really could lead to insecurities and more dependance. I like to keep some food options at his height and more importantly always keep water available to him, a small ball jar on a designated shelf in the kitchen. And then there is other work, Asher loves tools and luckily we have enough backups and rumage sale finds for him to have some of his own real tools. He helped build the fence, and loves to help with any hammering. Today he helped fix the sledge and maul- new handles needed so we can get on with the wood chopping already. Big or small, help is always needed, and I love that this little boy often says through out the day, "I want to help mama." I also hope to do a better job being worthy of imitation.

True Love

During most years, spring tries hard to win me over, with it's I'm so pretty newness attitude. It cries out fresh and beginning and it really is long anticipated after the gray of winter. By the time the equinox shows up I am very ready to give up my cozy wood stove- more ready to give up hauling in wood and sick of starting the fire in a cold house. I am ready to see green growth to get outside more frequently. It is wonderful and all, but Fall, oh Fall how I love you.

I appreciate all of the seasons and enjoy them, but nothing gives my whole body and mind the feelings that fall brings with it. It always starts with me as the kids go back to school (i want new notepads and pencils so much), the anticipation of the season. I always want to bring out my cozy clothes early, get the warmer bedding out and really isn't it time for the first woodstove fire of the season? Fall is all about change for me. Embracing my past year and deciding what is going to stick with me into the next. From the change of grades and teachers to jobs and locations, fall has brought me so many changes. I am entering this years season fully embracing my role as a mama, wife, business partner and myself.And what better way to celebrate the seasonal shift, than a walk in the woods. While they aren't an american showcase, Busey Woods has been there now for seven of my falls, (7, oh my!!). The acorns are here in record numbers, birds are migrating through and I couldn't believe my eyes when leaves were falling and they weren't green! It is almost as if the world knows that this year I needed to embrace changes a little early. And this year I get to see the fall through the eyes of my two(!) boys. Asher is at such a wonderful age for exploring and River loves being in the backpack viewing the world.A and his collection bags. He had great fun picking up acorns, rocks, walnuts and leaves. He spent the majority of the hike hauling ass along the trails, stopping only to pick up something cool and then place it in his bag. I love collecting fall things to bring in our home as symbols of the season. A little senior portrait moments to finish the day.

btw, the leaves up on the top photos are some of my favorites to find, leaf skeletons from the year past. I remember on spring in college looking out into my back yard and thinking that there was some netted trash back there. Upon further examination it was just covered in leaf skeletons. Absulutely amazing. I did loads of fun projects with my then boyfriend with these leaves and one is still framed in my grandma's kitchen. You don't get to see them every year, just under the right conditions, and with this rainy summer we are in luck!