So many forts to build, so little time...

I've been eagerly waiting for this post.  I've become a fort 'collector'.  My girls love to create forts and they become pretty elaborate a lot of the time...sporting multiple rooms, luxurious bedding and there are even 'themed' forts as well.  What fascinates me about my daugthers' fort making?  Well, because no two forts are the same.  Every single one is different.  Each one takes vision and resourcefulness.  And they are just seriously fun, too.  In order of appearance, then, I present....

1)  A multi-roomed fort utlizing the couch cushions, our favorite Land of Nod blanket and even special battery operated tea lights to set the mood.  My favorite part of this fort is that there are two rooms, but they spent the whole time together in one room :)

2)  This fort used a Princess sheet tied to the bedposts of Z's bed.  She then put a broom straight up toward the headboard to give more head room.  She decided that this tent was the meeting place of a new 'Bible Club' they she and Little P and I were going to form.  So, she and little P looked through a picture Bible in there for a while.

3)  This one was made using black folding chairs and several sheets.  This fort gave Z the most angst because the chairs are slippery and the sheets kept falling off.  But, like you can see in the pictures, they still managed to have a blast.

4)  A 'retro' moment (OK, it's only a year old).  This is the girls first documented fort together.  It's our favorite orange blanket and Z's bedspread flung over Little P's freestanding Johnny Jump up. 

By the way, there's currenty a fort still standing in Z's room.  It is a special one connected to her bed.  She informed me tonight that one room is for Daddy and I and one is for her and Little P.  We'll find a fun way to enjoy this newest creation tomorrow...

Water Fun

Well, fun with water came about because Z started playing with a bucket of water....on my carpet this morning.  I therefore promised her some water fun this afternoon and whisked away the bucket as quickly as possible.  I've been wanting to recreate the water section of the Dupage Children's Museum for a while now, anyway; it's Z's favorite part of the whole museum.  So, I started gathering around the house.  I didn't get a great picture of everything I put in the pool and the green tub so here's a list:
1.  buckets -- all sizes
2.  Recyle bin plastic containers
3.  plastic egg carton
4.  paint brushes
5.  Plastic cups
6.  plastic soup ladle and plastic mixing spoon
7.  Tupperware bowls
8.  Empty plastic bottle
9.  A couple of funnel sizes
10.  Ball
11.  An old umbrella
12.  Watering cans
13.  Slowly running hose
14.  Tons of bubble blowing 'implements' we had lying around

All of this equalled over an hour of focused and creative play.  Little P spent a lot of time drinking the water out of various containers but she also had a great time pouring water from one container to another.  Z decided to paint the tree (as you can see above) and then moved on to create mini 'waterfalls' by filling plastic cups and slamming them against the tree.  Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that.  I guess that's the whole idea :)

Eoz makes Art

I've showed you Z's 'make something' box before here when she made binoculars.  This is our next installment.  The first picture is what the box was filled with and the next three are what she created.  She did the 'pipe cleaner sculpture' first.  She came out and presented it to me.  I asked her what it was and she looked at me demurely and simply said...'Art'.  But of course.  It is a super twirly and dynamic sculpture, I have to say.  The others, from left to right are:  1)  an octpus complete with horns  2) a sign of some sort, 3)  the aforementioned 'art' and finally, a kaliedescope.  This was so creative that I took a shot of the inside so you all could experience looking 'through' it as well.  The stuff on the bottom is molding clay and brightly colored beads.  I came away from this thinking that it looks like such fun and therefore, I need a make something box, too.  Can someone please hand me a make something box someday and command me to 'CREATE'?  That would make my day.

Fairies and Bubbles

I love how dressing up in fairy costumes and blowing bubbles in our front yard is so very normal to my two sweet girls.  Not that we'd ever done it before....but it is completely natural for them to do.  Some of us lose that ease with the spontaneous and fanciful as adults.  I know I do sometimes.  We're so blessed with these girls and their reminders of how God created us to delight in Him, in eachother and in His creation.

A Roundup

Well, I haven't blogged in a bit but Z has been busy so here's a roundup (a good 'blogish' kind of word) of her recent bursts of creativity:
1)  Antenae for her ladybug costume out of puff balls and pipe cleaners attached to a headband.  Her expression is rather smug, I think, as if to say, 'I know you have antenae envy, now.' 

2)  One night, Z decided to make our dinner really 'fancy' and wrapped our silverware in napkins and tied it with ribbon.  We put a summery table cloth on the table and had a fancy dinner at home! 

3)  This one was really fun.  One night, Z 'disappeared' for a while (shortly after this happens, I'm ususally reaching for the camera because she's done something clever) and emerged from her room having taped tiny pieces of paper to these battery operated tea lights.  When we put them on her lap desk, we realied they twinked like stars and so turned out the lights and made constellations.  I was really surpried how addictive moving around 10 small lights into different shapes is...but there you go.

Introducing Little P

I focus a lot in this blog on my eldest daughter, Z, and her creative, wacky adventures....but it is time to introduce you properly to Little P and what she's up to.  So...here's what she's been doing while I've been posting about Z.  1)  Playing in dirt and eating a fair amount!  She is sitting IN the garden from a few posts ago.  2)  Wearng a dress I wore when I was her age!  3) Walking around the house with a Barbie in each armpit (don't ask me, that's where she thinks they go...?)  4)  Helping us with yard work 5)  Pointing out dogs, airplanes and helicopters is one of her most beloved pastimes

She's a busy girl.  :)

Koala in a gum tree

Even though I've shared one of Z's drawings using the book Draw Write Now, I had to show you this one, too, because of the fun 'stuff'  Z included.  First of all, this is a koala.  What I love is that she actually created a really good gum tree for it to live in!   I think the cool scribble (the tree leaves) at the top is so interesting, too.  The other things I like are the 'monkey' hand reaching from off the page to get the bananas (he he) and the crocodile waiting below to eat the koala if he possibly can.  Good fun.