Growing Crystals

What better way to spend a lazy Saturday morning than growing crystals with the kids!

First we colored the water with red, blue and yellow bath tablets and mixed the colors to make more colors.

Then each of the kids got to take turns putting in the little rocks that came with the kit.

We had to let them soak for a while so they would 'grow'

Ta-da!

The little rocks grew into those gel 'crystals' like you see in candles or artificial flower arrangements.

The kids were more impressed by the tie-dye pattern left on the paper plate and paper towel by the crystals as they dried!

Clara actually taped the paper towel up on her bedroom door, which you know kills me every time I walked down the hall. I have a feeling it may disappear after a couple days!

We'll have to find a recipe for rock candy. I think they may more impressed by crystals that taste good...and then there won't be anything to hang up!

Lovin' Penelope

It may look like he's torturing her, but he's really just trying to hold her still so he can kiss her nose!

And a hug!

I think she's still trying to figure out if she should run away!

Easter Festivities

This year, our neighbor's across the street hosted Easter Dinner. We moved the kids egg hunt to the evening, right before dinner. I was finishing up some cooking, so I sent Chris out with the camera to take pictures of the egg hunt.

Jonathan

Matthew

He wanted to open each one as he found it, and had no desire to look for more once he had one!

Clara

The Bearcat Kids

We have a small tradition, called 'Mystery Egg'. When making deviled eggs, you put some hot sauce under the yolk. No one knows which one is the 'mystery Egg' until someone bites into it! Belle wanted to get the mystery egg, and she did!

Yum!

Her dad, Matt, finished it for her.

He obviously didn't mind the hot sauce!

Matthew got to jump on the trampoline with Mrs. Carrie and some of the other kids!

Matthew and Hunter

No idea who thought it was a good idea to give him a cake pop on the trampoline, but he seems to like it!

We did a confetti egg fight again this year, but I was having camera issues (my SD card was full, and by the time I switched it out, the battle was over). Belle had planned to get Chris back for last year, when he smashed an egg on her head, but I kinda stole her thunder when I saw an opportunity to get him (sorry Belle).

Bearcat girls

Easter Baskets

The kids' Easter baskets

Jonathan's

Matthew's

Clara's

The 2 older kids got up very early, and didn't wake Chris and I up, so we didn't get to see them unpack their baskets. They had gone through Matthew's to see what the Easter Bunny had brought him, but put it back together for Matthew to unpack again on his own.

Matthew had fun taking everything out of his basket...

...everything...

...but, once unpacked, he didn't care to play with it all!

Dying Easter Eggs

We're in charge of deviled eggs this year at our neighbor's Easter get-together, so what better time to to dye eggs!

Jonathan helped, but somehow I neglected to get a picture of him!

Everyone got an egg with their name on it!

Our finished product!

I didn't buy a kit, just used food coloring...Next year, I'm getting a kit!

Book Buddies

It's almost like they like each other!

Clara loves helping teach Jonathan to read...she'll make a great teacher someday!

Easter Pics

We took the kids to get their picture with the Easter Bunny. Seems like every year the holiday 'character' pics get more expensive, and the quality gets worse, but at least we had it done!

Jonathan's preschool had a photographer come in with real bunnies, and since Matthew was with me dropping Jonathan off at school, they told me to throw him in there too...obviously, I hadn't planned for it, or he'd have shoes on!

The Zoo

The kids are out of school for spring break, so we took a trip to the zoo!

Orangutan

Giraffes

Giraffes

I let the kids go in the petting zoo. I don't let them do that too much anymore, so it was Matthew's first time in there since he was old enough to walk around on his own. I thought Jonathan was fearless at this age in terms of animals, but he was nothing compared to Matthew. Matthew wanted to kiss the goats, but the problem is that he doesn't like to kiss animals anywhere, but on the nose. If the goats wouldn't look at him, he'd grab them by the horns to turn their head...I just about had a heart attack!

Jonathan brushing a goat

Jonathan and Matthew being nice to the goat!

Petting the goat

Clara and her favorite goat (because it was laying in the trough).

Clara and Jonathan with the goat

Look! I'm in a picture!