It's a TRAP!

This weekend we spent time creating the Annual Leprechaun Traps! As you can see, the kids have to be FORCED into it, as usual! :)

took them to Craft Warehouse where they picked out the "bones" of the house for the little green guy....

went through the craft box & came up with these goodies to decorate with....some leftover mardi gras decor, pirate coins from Em's 3rd birthday, scrapbook paper, etc. FUN STUFF!

Em decided that a gold glitter glue "B for Bryce" and "E for EmmaLee" were appropriate on her green abode-

she couldn't get enough of the glitter glue-oh the little things in life!

Project complete! Even has a "Rainbow Chimney"-though not attached to the house....whatever-who cares. Leprechauns aren't picky you know! She decided that in order to "trap" him, she needed to pour glue down on the inside floor of the house-"because then he'd jump in the window and his feet would sink in the glue on the floor & he'd get stuck in there!"Hmmmmm- I get ya....I get ya....

Bryce was just as simple with his plans to catch a Leprechaun....the leprechaun will jump to the top, and slide down the candy rainbow slides and fall in the "poker bushes" at the bottom. I will just assume that he figures the tiny guy would then throw a "Bryce tantrum" from being hurt by prickle bushes & thus it would leave us time to go capture him??! :)

Nevertheless-he is pleased as punch with his creation! And isn't the random display of giant gold pieces appealing? I'd be all over it if I were a leprechaun!

Today the traps went to school & they shared the details & plans with the rest of the kids, who also brought their own contraptions-it was a GREAT day for imagination! We'll just see if they were cunning enough to trick that little trickster come St. Patty's Day morn!

Growin Up :(

My little girl is growing up. She's finally hit a level of maturity that I can now trust her with her the "right of passage" that my sisters and I had growing up-the love of American Girl Dolls! Em got her first mini AG doll "Kaya" from Grammie at my baby shower for Em in Bremerton. I tucked it away on her bookshelf these past 4 years and vowed to NOT let Em touch it until the time came. She got her 2nd mini "Emily" on her first trip to the American Girl store at the Grove in LA when she was 1.

She has ALWAYS had a love of baby dolls, but these dollies are different-different than barbies & any other kind of doll. If you've ever owned one-you know what I mean. :) They are collectable "playthings" with TONS AND TONS of accessories, books, & other various items that the company can market at outrageous prices. The one thing I will say for American Girl though-is they stand the test of time & are made EXTREMELY well.

 

Well-she finally got her own room back (after the mess of the classroom/playroom switch around a few months back) and now that she is back high atop her playhouse bed, she noticed these 2 random boxes with doll faces peeking out them, nestled on the highest platform of her bookshelf. Funny thing is, 2 days prior to this "discovery", Dad brought home the mail & handed the AG catalog to her. She LOVED looking through it and asked me what each dollies name was, and some info about each one. We've been getting this catty for years, but this is the first time she's paid any attention to its contents. The best part was when I showed her the doll that looked like her-and told her the dolls name was really EMILY and to top it off Emily's best friend doll is MOLLY! Funny. Em of course replied "See Mom-just like ME and MY Molly!" (Molly is EmmaLee's best friend at school). I think we were equally excited-she & I! Silly right? So when she saw those boxes and the logos on them she KNEW.....
which brings me to tonight. Having just had my wisdom teeth pulled, Mike was in-charge this evening, but of course (dizzy as I was), I had to go in and tuck my babies in after they fell asleep. This is what I found-

See that...catalog & all. :) I'm keeping a close watch on this chicadee & if she can prove herself with these minis-she is going to have a GREAT time on the girls trip to LA with Nana and I this summer! We just might need to make a stop in for "tea" at the AG cafe! :) Right now she is earning chores money (helping mom around the house, keeping her room tidy-that kind of stuff) and is hoping to earn a mini Molly to join this little group. Good for her. I love character building opportunities, especially when she comes up with the plan to earn things on her own accord-even if she is only 4. Can't wait to expose her to all the matchy match outfits for herself & the bigger size dolls! She'll be in HOG HEAVEN-fashion AND dolls-oh my! 

Awesome Teacher & New Website!

My husband is an AMAZING teacher. Seriously people. He used to help tutor me with all my Math in high school, and I told him back then that he had a knack for teaching....he's patient & delivers the content of incredibly complex "crud" in an amazingly simple way-without making you feel like a ding dong. Long story short-Mike teaches Educational Technology for CWU (has for years) and gave me a crash course in web design-something that takes weeks to teach his students.
I owe him HUGE! My website turned out just as fabulous as I imagined it would, and it was actually fun! Thanks for your help-I love you Poobee! :)
Look how awesome it turned out. Drumroll please....and maybe a little "Indiana Jones" theme song in your head...

PRESENTING www.mysteppingstonesacademy.com!!!

Midweek Mail!

How fun! THANKS NANA!

look at that face-he had just finished a MAJOR tantrum when this package arrived-oh the terrible 2's, my FAV! ugh.

she squealed "ooooooh I been wanting these!"

he is FASCINATED with this thing!

enough said :)

they decided to save these for when dad gets home....fun stuff!

Teacher in the making

Caught red handed. Alone in the new classroom with every baby doll "student" she could find..too cute-

I'm sure she was delivering a FANTASTIC lesson. Her students were doing a great job listening! :)

Astronauts in Training

Can't get enough of the new authentic jr. astronaut costumes that Grammie & Grandpa sent from their D.C. trip! Of course-Bryce was completely torn-jumpsuit....buzz.....jumpsuit....buzz.....Buzz it was on this particular occasion.

Popped up the Rocket Ship tent that Shannon got me for my classroom-we are soooooo ready to start our Outer Space Unit this month!