When the natives are restless

Lydie came down with a fever in the middle of the night (Sunday/Monday). So I knew we would be homebound for the first half of the week, at least. Monday went fine. But this morning I woke up very aware that the kids might be a little grumpy. (And I was tired, too.) So here's what I did:

I made a list of 20 things for them to do today. Thankfully, they love these types of challenges. Especially at the end of the summer when they have been at home with so much free time! (Their creative juices are tapped!)

The list:

1. Create an Alice in Wonderland scene with Legos
2. Play with stuff on kitchen table (Lite Brite, wooden peg stacking toy, dominoes)
3. Play frisbee outside
4. Bring me your sheets
5. Dump the upstairs trash
6. Paint in the kitchen
7. Make a blanket fort
8. Swing/ trampoline
9. Read
10. Play a board game
11. Do 2 pages in workbook (Summer Bridge)
12. Listen to Mom read from history book
13. Work on a puzzle in the playroom
14. Play Geotrax or Hot Wheels
15. Draw a picture
16. Explore and find a few backyard treasures
17. Make blueberry smoothies
18. Call Nana or Mimi
19. Make a masterpiece with paper and scissors
20. Lay a blanket in the yard- lay down and look around. Enjoy God's creation- notice the trees, birds, clouds, what else? Blow bubbles or draw with chalk!

Ragamuffin boy (has he brushed his hair since church?) so thrilled to find that pink and blue make lavender

My girl got stuck on #6 for at least an hour.

This is Alice's hole that she fell into when she found Wonderland

Somewhere between #5 and #10, this is what the cat drug to the back door! A copperhead from the yard! I have never loved our cat more. I am so thankful she got to it before the children. Incidentally, when I called my (biologist) husband with the news, he insisted that I bag it and freeze it for him. That explains the bag. That little exercise involved tongs, screaming, and much drama.

The beginnings of The Fort!

Do any of our puzzles have all of the pieces any more??

Currently, it is 4:40 and the boys are on #14. Other than making a quick trip to the store and our snake ordeal, they've been playing all day. It has been a smooth day. I'm thinking by the time they get done and clean it all up it will be dinner time. Maybe later in the week we will have another "list day". I've got some old pie tins...I'm thinking mud pies would be a fun activity! And ant hotels, did any one ever create those with shoe boxes? And I need help planting some flowers, too!