Summer Shenanigans, Part 5: TOY STORY 3!!!

What is the coolest thing that you could possibly experience if your last name is Ballard and you are under 6 years old?
Oh, I don't know...something involving Toy Story? A huge movie screen?
I mean, really, the heavens smiled down on us with this whole Toy Story 3 thing happening while our kids were little. They love little more than all things Toy Story and they needed a really great first experience at the movie theater. (Bethany had technically already been once but this was the first trip for all three together)
Anyway, I am tickled by the timing.

We actually waited nice and long for the craziness to die down then went on a Monday when JC was off from work so that maybe things wouldn't be so crowded and we could have a nice comfortable experience. (long awkward sentence)

The kids were in awe of the long, dark hallways and all the lit-up movie posters on the walls.
(They were also terrified of all the loud noises coming from the theaters where movies were already in session! It must seem so strange!)

Settled in and SO excited...but still with no idea what to expect.

We ended up moving further down and James took advantage of the safety bars.
Yeah, safety.

Ready to go!
(We ended up the only ones in the theater!)

It was so fun to see a movie as a family. (plus Grandma Trudie and Aunt Laura, yay!) The kids sat through the movie and loved it! Well...they sat through it except for the six potty breaks we took. Yes, six. (four James, two Bethany)
Now, THAT'S how you see a movie.
(Just ask my sister-in-law, Bonnie. She knows.)
...(I love you, Bonnie.) :)

And, well, it was great. I loved the fun, I loved the movie.

And, if anyone is wondering, I started crying about half an hour before the end of the movie and didn't really stop.
Come on, it was emotional!
Plus, we all have been on the Toy Story train for a while now, yes? I mean, I remember seeing the first one when I was younger, I remember seeing the 2nd one in highschool on a date with a guy I wasn't quite sure about so I had my friend Katie and her little sister 'accidentally' run into us at the movie theater and happen to be seeing the same movie as we were...the trickery...
(The guy ended up buying dinner after the movie for not only me but Katie and her little sister as well. Then I felt a little guilty for pulling that stunt.)
Anyway, and now I got to see the third one with my little family.
And a guy that I actually am quite sure about.

JC and Ben on the way back to the car.
Happy.
(and yes, Ben is carrying a plush Buzz doll. Buzz, Woody, and Rex joined us for the experience.)

This is quite unrelated, besides being sort of sentimental just like Toy Story is for me...
I got this shot of the water tower on the way back from the movie.

I love living in Gilbert.
The splash pad from the previous post is right under that water tower.
The movie theater is right down the street...as is the house JC grew up in.
My old stomping grounds aren't far either.
And home is only a couple miles away.
I like feeling at home.

Well, I think that about wraps it up for now. Especially because it is late and I am tired enough that I just typed 'that about raps it up for now'...nobody wants to see me RAP it up.
Though I might give that little kid on America's Got Talent a run for his money. Yeah, I can dance too. No big.

All right, really.
Il est fini.
(Highschool french class does pay off...as does google when you're not quite sure you remember correctly...)

Summer Shenanigans, Part 4: ...zzz...

Sometimes, all the summer fun gets to you.
And you crash.
Whenever and wherever it may be.

Sometimes it's after church...still in your clothes, shoes barely off, a snack and a drink meant to hold you off till dinner, and your nursery artwork (an outline of your hands) nearby.

And sometimes it's at night...though sometimes your own bed won't quite cut it...
(confusing and unnerving your parents when they come to check on you before they head to bed)

But sometimes you need the comfort and security of Mom and Dad's bed.
So that's where you go (and are found.)

When it comes to the lazy days of these long, hot months...there are no rules.
Turns out even the little ones know that.

Summer Shenanigans, Part 3: Pasta Party

What do you do when your kitchen looks like this?:


The obvious answer is not to clean but rather add to the mess substantially by making homemade pasta with your 5, 4, and 2 yr olds.
I mean, doesn't it just make sense?

The kids were super involved in the entire process.
They (with some guidance) measured the flour.

Dumped in the eggs.

Since I did the work of mixing it all gently together by hand, (literally by hand...it's the best way!), I involved them by trying to scare the kids with my sticky monster hands. They were amused with my attempt.

Once things were all mixed up, they kneaded...

punched...

and worked that dough into its prime!

When I took the dough over to the counter to rest for a few minutes, I turned around to find this:
They can always find a way to amuse themselves.

I let them play while I pulled out the drying rack and pasta maker. I checked on the dough and washed the pot to be used in the near future (you remember what my sink looked like...nothing was clean). When I returned to the table, I found them already assembling the drying rack.
I may be biased but I am pretty sure we are dealing with hugely ambitious geniuses.
I'm just saying.

When it was time to get started rolling out and cutting the pasta, they were so interested and so eager. At this point, we had already been working for a good half hour. Usually by that point, everyone would be scattered in different directions but apparently pasta making is a pleasing activity to this group!
Look at them go.

(You will notice that James was self-appointed supervisor to make sure all was going as it should)

Their favorite part was cutting the flattened dough into noodles.

My favorite part was seeing the glorious sight of pasta abundance when we were all done.

And...the mess we left behind.

But my oh my, the goodness that was spaghetti that night.
Seriously, simple, boring spaghetti turned into something amazing. I think I have an unhealthy love for homemade pasta.

But at least I'm not alone!

This was so much fun I swear I never want to buy pasta from the store again. The kids LOVED doing it! It took over an hour to get it all done and I don't think any of them ever blinked during the process.
I was equally captivated. I love creating things from scratch.
And I especially love doing it as a family.
We can't wait to do it again!

Summer Shenanigans, Part 2: Mascarade!

At some point, I got it in my head that one of the coolest skills ever would be face painting. Maybe because I live in a perpetual carnival.
Or maybe because I think every skill is the coolest skill ever.
But that is neither here or there. (Is the phrase 'neither here nor there'? Because that doesn't seem right...yet the way I said it sounds weird.)

So, anyway, one day, I realized that the kids would probably love to be guinea pigs in that activity. If they were interested in holding still for such an activity. You never know.

It was worth a try!
Far from professional, my works of 'art' on the kids' faces were just as pleasing to them as any!
They are sweet to me like that.

My very first attempt.
Bethany wanted an angel.
Appropriate, yes?
(...On some days, and mostly before nine a.m....)

The b0ys both wanted Spiderman but neither could sit still for anything past the eyes!
Ben, because he was so ticklish! It was so funny. Every (rough and jagged, as you can see) brush stroke I made sent him into giggles! So cute.

James wasn't ticklish but just could hardly stand it all...
so...
eyes. BIG eyes.

A few days later, Bethany wanted a butterfly.
That one was fun to do.
And she looks so pretty!

Then, in what was a proud moment for her daddy (not to mention Daddy Mason), she asked to be painted like Chetara of Thundercats fame.
JC has been watching Thundercats on DVD with the kids occasionally for the last few months. They are all chips off the ol' blocks and LOVE it.
Clearly.

Bethany found this little design in the sample book that came with the paint kit I bought.
It is called 'Disco Diva.'
I don't even know.
But, cute, yes?

And I mostly mean her smile.

Here's her favorite so far.
The ocean.

It has been fun to find something that Bethany and I can look forward to together. (If you notice, the boys dropped out after Spiderman eyes. Haha, guess it's more of a chick thing at this point!)
It has been something new to do with our inside time and hopefully something we will keep doing for fun!
We have to, actually, since Bethany is determined to get the boys through the full Spiderman face in time for Halloween!

Summer Shenanigans, Part 1: Splish Splash

I have just one question - - WHAT is going on here???
I am pretty sure the summer break started like, a week ago.
And now it is coming to a close. I can no longer count down to Bethany's first day of kindergarten in years, semesters, or even months. It has to be weeks. (just under three) Or (gulp) days. (right around 18)
WHAT is going on here? How did time start to move so fast?
Okay, I'll spare everyone the dramatics but boy oh boy...nobody was kidding when they told me the days that my kids were babies would be gone before I knew it.
So, life moves fast. But right now what I'm marveling at it is how fast the summer has moved! I had all these plans, a whole schedule-o-fun to follow to keep our days busy and our brains stimulated (this gets harder during the summer due to being inside-bound every day from noon on...at least!) but guess what? We managed to float through the summer without the schedule-o-fun and still managed to enjoy ourselves.
Now, I know we still have some time left...and definitely plenty of hot weather! But, with the school year sneaking up, it feels a little like it's time to reflect on the summer and how we've spent it. And since I have not been a very faithful blogger, now will be a good time to do so! (Even if it is in a little less detail than is normally my style.) :)

And so begins the recap of our summer shenanigans...

Many of our days began with some outside time right after breakfast. After we downed our smoothies, we would scamper into the backyard, still pajama-clad. We would swing, slide, and shade-spot-hop around until someone begged for WATER, PLEASE, WATER! Then we would find some way to water play. (sometimes in swimsuits, sometimes still in our pajamas!)

This one particular day, in swimsuits, we filled up the little pool.
We like to put it in the sandbox for a beach effect.
Plus, there is a shady spot in there.
Ben loves getting sprayed with the hose!

They ALL love it when I 'make it rain.'
I attack the tree above the sandbox with the hose on full blast and then it rains down on them and continues to drip for a while after.
Sometimes I wish there were another person around here to operate the hose so I could go play too!

They also love 'the rainbow.'
All this means is I shoot an arc of water and they run under it.
Yes, I know we're in a drought, why do you ask?

Ben loves nothing more than the whole stream of water straight from the hose right onto the top of his head. I imagine it would be painful but...I only aim to please.
He especially prefers to get soaking wet when fully dressed and when I only intended to water the sunflowers.


Check it OUT! Sunflowers a-comin! Next year I will know to start them earlier so we can enjoy the Sunflower House during the actual summertime! But they are doing great! Grow, little sunflowers, grow!!!

Our backyard is not the only place we have come to expect a grand ol' time, splashing around.
Gilbert has the best splash pad (as these things are apparently called. Now that I know that I feel like a hip and in-the-know mom)
Anyway, it's under the water tower and it's awesome.
We've gone there two or three times this summer.

It always takes Bethany a little while to warm up to getting wet (where does she get that) but she is always happy to be there!
Such a pretty face!

James always runs in to play right away but does his best to avoid getting wet! It is his little game to try running through the fountains without actually getting hit by any!

Ben (and daddy) embrace the water fun right away!

Here's James playing his game.

And...losing. Haha...I don't think he minds so much.

Woohoo!

Right next to the splash pad is this giant ball fountain floating on water.
Is there a name for such a thing?

The kids had fun turning it.

And...riding on it...?
Daddy knows how to have fun.

It's always a great time...

...for everybody.