Entries from April 2017 ↓

Even though it was raining and cold today, we went out to Lilacia Park to smell the flowers. I love lilac season. I have an early memory of running under lilac bushes when I was three.

At first we thought we were the only ones in the park this morning, but there were eight others there and ten if you counted the dogs. Ivan wanted to count the dogs. On sunny days in lilac season, the park is filled with people. It was nice to enjoy its quiet, drippy, cool beauty.

Stopping to smell the tulips

So many kinds and colors of tulips

Where did those kids go?

Lilac POWER!

One with smiles

One with silly faces

Ezri asked if she could make a new dress for Peppy.
She chose the colors and designed the heart and flower (on back) designs.

Ivan designed and cut out the green pocket and its decorations.

They discussed options:
Ezri: An upside down pocket is not very useful.
Ivan: Unless it has a zipper at the bottom that zips automatically when you put something in it.
I let them know we didn’t have a zipper small enough.

Ezri did most of the sewing. I did the side seams and some reinforcing stitches.

Ezri styled Peppy with an ear flower and sunglasses to pull the look together.

There is a brown felt square to be Peppy’s brownie in her pocket. “You never know when you will want a brownie.”

We decided to re-run the Doctor scarves and hats. The kids got a lot of love from attendees.

Wonderwoman (made of lego) and my Wondergirl (not made of lego)

Two Doctors, a ghostbuster, and an astromech droid. . .

Tuskan raider!

Ezri recognized these cosplayers as Team Skull from Pokemon and was excited. She asked to have her photo with them and Team Skull was pretty sweet to her.

The trio by the showfloor.

Ezri got to pick a purchase from the showfloor and she came home with these ears. She has plans for a squirrel girl costume for Halloween.

Lake Michigan

Outside McCormick there is a lake and as we walked along it the kids saw BEACH! They ran and they ran to go play in the sand.

Both kids are really into the 13 story tree house books by Andy Griffiths. We’ve been reading them together at bedtime, but the kids read ahead during the day. Just ask them about catnaries, marshmallow guns and how they feel about pirates.

Ezri has also read and enjoyed
Fortunately the Milk by Gaiman
Word of Mouse by Patterson
Pip Bartlett’s Guides by Pearce & Stiefvater
The Never Girls series by Thorpe
Pixie Tricks series by West
Dragon Masters series by West
Judy Moody by McDonald (there’s no magic in these books and she still likes them)

And she continues to adore graphic novels. Recent favorites include:
Superhero High Girls vol. 1 & 2
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Courageous Princess by Espinosa
Amulet by Kibuishi
Phoebe and Her Unicorn series by Simpson

Nonfiction titles with gross facts about the body and titles with interesting facts about animals are also getting read.

I made the kids quick bunny pancakes.

Ezri decided to make her own decorated pancake. Eric calls her creation “the eye of Sauron.”

She’s pretty proud of it.

Group picture after making snacks

Making tortillas

Ezri liked gefilte fish.
Ivan did not.
Ivan loved matzah.
Ezri thought it was okay.

Everyone liked singing with family and the meal.
Passover observed in full – with full hearts and bellies.

Amethyst was aiding her friend, Sparkle, in her quest to become a master Magi.

Ezri at some point (we’re thinking at school) cut some of her front hair very short. When initially asked about this she denied it, but then more pieces got shorter. I asked her if she wanted bangs. She said she didn’t know but the way her hair is now is fine, “I know I checked it in the mirror. It looks good.”

Also, she asked me to take a photo of this hunk of styrofoam we found in the park.