Build-and-grow

We have gotten in the habit lately of taking the kids to the build-and-grow at Lowes.  Every couple weeks they have a new thing to build and the kids love it! As a matter of fact, Nate came into our room this morning and saw the printout for the waiver and started squealing with delight.  A couple of weeks I actually remembered to bring my camera and snapped some pictures.  

This was the "castle"  The kids don't always help a lot, but they love adding the stickers.

Usually the kids hammer once our twice and hit their finger/thumb and then are out for the count, but this week we did a "card maker" for valentine's day.  Gwen actually decided to hammer, so I had Eric take a picture.

  Today since it is March Madness time we are going to build a mini basketball hoop.  The kids will be able to add new patches for their aprons and get their little certificate.  It is a great way to start the weekend.

Bunk bed

The kids need a bunk bed and instead of buying one Eric decided to make one.  I have been trying to talk him out of doing it for weeks.  Not because I doubt his abilities, but because I was afraid it was going to take forever and although I love my children, containing them while Daddy is home and they can't play with him is an altogether another story.  Nate told me it was like "daddy was at work" and he didn't seem 100% pleased.  The first day, Gwen decided to sort all the puzzles we have, which is about 8 kid puzzles and 3 puzzle books. That actually took most of the morning and the kids seemed to enjoy it, but by the afternoon they were toast, so we watched a movie, it was too rainy to go outside and Eric didn't want us to leave since he was running the saw, in case of emergency!  By the first night he had finished the bottom, but didn't have enough wood to finish the top, so he had to go back to the store for the 3rd time.  We put the room "back together" and put Gwen's bed on the bottom and left Nate's daybed together.  Eric was curious about some noises he heard and went in and found they had made a fort out of the bed and last night they slept in the fort, it was really sweet.

So, day 2 we went to Church came home and Eric had almost finished the slats and needed more stuff from the store (trip 4 if you are keeping track) so we all went and Eric struggled to finish realizing he needed 1 more run to the store (trip 5) and finally he finished.  The kids and I persevered through another day with minimal fighting and disturbance.  But, man they wanted to help and play with Daddy!  Here is a slide show of the bed making! 

Bunk bed - how to make a free slideshow

On day 2 while Eric was working we decided to work on Gwen's "landform" for school.  Can you tell what she decided to do? 

It is the desert.  I made the "modeling clay" and she helped with the colors, a little and then she designed and made the rest of it.  I have to laugh because it is so hilarious what she thinks and how she gets confused.  She told us the sun is always shining in the desert (the moon never comes out) and there is a buffalo and cacti and a snake.  She has a whole story for the buffalo, which I can't remember but it was walking through the desert and what not, who knows. She has been to the desert before, so I was thinking that should help her, but you've got to let them do what they want, fortunately this isn't for a grade, just for fun!

So now all that is left to do is buy a twin mattress for Nate, rearrange the room, paint the bed and we'll be done...how long do you think that will be?