I is for Ice Cream

This week we did I is for ice-cream. I have an ice-cream stamp that we stamped on big "I" and small "i" from the Letter of the Week from Confessions of a Homeschooler. We did many of the pages in the Ice Cream Tot Pack from Our Little Monkeys. She has several free and low-cost packs.

Which one is Different?

Picture Puzzles

Singing Along

Tonight Blueberry sang along WITH me for the first time when I sang to her at bedtime. She sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Itsy Bitsy Spider and recited Humpty Dumpty.

Growing Up!

Some days it seems like your child grows up overnight. She made it all night without the binky and even slept in. She woke up with a dry diaper and used the potty chair. She helped Mommy make smoothies and was no longer afraid of the blender noise because she can hold her ears. It makes a mommy's heart joyful!

Alsea Beach House

We were blessed to find a place to stay for an early birthday weekend. We went with my mom and some friends to Alsea Bay in Oregon. We told Blueberry the night before that we were going to the Ocean the next day. I'm not sure what she knew about the ocean since she has only a recollection from books, but she became very excited and didn't want to go to sleep. It was a long drive for a little girl, but we timed it so she slept most of the way. We drove into Newport first to find some local seafood to cook up at the beach house. We stopped at a local bakery and window shopped for a bit. Then she saw it. She exclaimed and pointed "Look, Mommy! Ocean! Come on!" and took my hand and started running towards the shore. She continued running screaming "Ocean!", "Sand", "Look! Beach", "Waves!" Running through every word she knew to express her excitement. 

When we got to the beach house she immediately wanted to go outside. Friday evening was windy and cold but she just wanted to be out there and experience it. Seeing it through her eyes is such an amazing blessing. My husband knows I LOVE the ocean, but to see it through HER eyes was very special. 

Blueberry loved the giant sandbox in the back!

Sitting on the sand dunes with Mommy

Saturday was a gorgeous, warm and sunny day with just enough wind to make it pleasant. We spent all day at the beach house cooking in the kitchen with the ocean view, digging in the sand and taking walks on the beach. We even managed some minor beach cleanup, grabbing only what we could carry and wishing we had brought a large garbage bag. (There was even a wreckage from a house.) I took a long bath in the Jacuzzi tub. I was SO relaxed!

View from the kitchen window.

 I couldn't even make it to take a full shot of the 280 degree view.

Sunday we took Blueberry to the Aquarium. Another very anticipated experience. She loved watching the trainers feed the sea lions. She loved the fish, the jellyfish and the sharks but she did not want to touch the sea stars or anemones in the touch tank. We topped the weekend off with seafood at Mo's in Newport before heading back home because David likes to try all of the clam chowder, everywhere. 

The Touch Tank with Mommy and Nonna

Sharks!

Sea Lions

It was a wonderfully relaxing weekend and we could not have asked for better weather. We hope to make it back to the coast and Alsea Beach House again soon!

Planting "Tuna" Seeds

This morning Blueberry and I planted "Tuna" (Petunia) seeds into soil pellets. She had fun hydrating the pellets, watching them expand and carefully placed three seeds in each one. Later in the day, when Nonna came to visit, and after Blueberry's nap, she showed her the cups we planted them in and told her they are going to "grow flowers". I was impressed at her retention of what I explained to her.

Silicone Baking Cups

I wasn't the only one excited about my new silicone baking cups. The lovely colors were perfect for sorting colors and Blueberry loved playing with them.

I did not tell her what to do with them. She just started putting the same colored ones together.

I have been looking for these and was about to order them on Amazon, but I found them on clearance locally. The festive colors make these reusable cups very versatile.

Continuing on in my goal to limit kitchen paper waste as my daughter goes "please cup-capes!"

First Day at the Park This Year

Blueberry and I met Nonna at the park with the cousins, Shortcake and Butterfly (nicknames).  I didn't get a good picture of Butterfly because she was climbing and running around so much (hence her nickname.)

Blueberry and Shortcake