Category Archives: pictures/video

Making Pinatas – Part 4

If you haven’t read parts 1, 2, or 3 yet, feel free to go catch up before (or after) you continue. If you don’t like ketchup with your blogs, just continue reading. 😀

When we were making the pinatas, we put on many many layers because we were afraid the home made pinatas might not be as tough as the store bought ones. They were, after all, only put together with flour and water. We went light on the one the little kids would be hitting, though.

Let me tell you, the strength of those pinatas was a big surprise! The kids had a hard time with the one we went easy on! When we got up to the next age group and saw how hard they were hitting the pinata and only making dents, we decided to let a few adults try. Three different men whacked the pinata with all they had and still only left dents!

For the toughest pinata (for the oldest kids), the guys finally gave in and cut slits in it. Even then, the pinata still held strong. Finally, they raised it all the way to the ceiling and let it hit the concrete. That worked! The only downfall was that some of the candy took quite a beating (but it still tasted good, I’m sure)! Needless to say, we were quite pleased with the strength of our pinatas! I must say, though, I am now curious what flour does to our bodies when we eat it if it is that sticky! 🙂

And now for the moment you have all been waiting for! The finished pinatas!! I will tell you ahead of time that they are a turkey, a pie, and 2 pumpkins.

Making Pinatas: Part 3

Here is a short video I took while the family was working on pinatas. Peter really enjoyed the newspaper strips while Phillip liked just standing there cutting up newspaper. Anna was very hands on. At different times she tore newspaper, wet strips with flour paste, and placed the wet pieces on the balloons.

Even though, the other kids were involved in several parts of the pinata making, Anna is probably the only one old enough to have a full knowledge of the process. The others will probably refer to it as that time when they had permission to make a big mess in the floor and then play in it! 😀

Hay Ride

Every year a local homeschooling family in the area offers free hayrides on their farm. This was our second year to go, and it is always fun! Here are a few pictures I took before and during the hayride.

Just How Much is Everything?

While trying to train my children on how to clean their room, I suggested that they pile everything in the middle of the room. Somehow they got the idea to be silly and tease me a little bit (wonder where they got that from?). 🙂

Here is what I saw when I walked in the room to check up on them. Don’t you think they did  good job of piling “everything” in the middle of the floor?

Are Your Bones Clean?

I was impressed with how clean my 2 year old got her chicken bone at supper the other night. There was no chicken on the floor or her plate when she was done, either. In case you are curious, this was a thigh bone.

And just in case you didn’t get a good look, here is a close up of the bone.

Go ahead, just try to get yours cleaner! If nothing else, it is a good excuse to eat chicken!

Laughing Twins

Every once in a while I go on youtube to look for something funny. I usually end up watching a video with kids or animals because I don’t tend to appreciate adult humor (and kids and animals make the funnies innocent mistakes!). I guess I’m around kids enough that the things that make them laugh work for me too.

While looking for a funny video, I ran across a cute video of twin boys laughing together in their crib. It is very cute. 🙂

Candice at 8 Months

I decided it was high time I gave a little update on Candice. She has been crawling for just over a month and has now mastered pulling up. She is also really beginning to babble and is getting big enough to enjoy playing with and getting “irritated by” (Phillip’s version of “entertained by”) her siblings. 🙂

Here are a few pictures of Candice taken within the last few weeks:

Professional Portraits (sort of)

Back in 2004, around the time we went on a trip to Niagara Falls, we decided to stop doing professional portraits of our children and make our own with a digital camera. Recently I posted the pictures of our older four children, but Candice slept through most of the photo shoot. So, we tried again this past Sunday and here are her two best “professional portraits” at the age of 8 months. (I will post more casual pictures of her soon).

 

 

A Farewell to the Ocean

Here are pictures of what was probably our last swim in the ocean for the year.