Z day 2010

S finally invested in some Zany Bandz for the kids.




We took advantage of the "cool" weather (forecast high less than 100°F) by going to the zoo. G spotted some Z-shaped landscaping near the entrance.

 

S saw some zinnias.




The chimpanzee house was a favorite.




How many zebras did we see? Zero.



lunch = Little Caesars pizza & Crazy Bread, with Fun Fizz to drink


In the evening, E worked on puzzles.







Then she got her Zhu Zhu Pets ready for bed.





bedtime story = Roller Coaster
by Marla Frazee
This title and author are big favorites in our house. T & E found Z words zips and zooms.



This is the end: time to catch some Zs.

R day: August 5, 2010

This morning as we drove to pick up J's replacement contact lens, there were a few rare raindrops on the windshield.

Next we went to our neighborhood grocery store, Reasor's.

G, T, & E found some red roses.


lunch = ramen noodles

We made Rice Krispie treats.


Other snacks = Fruit Roll-ups and IBC Root Beer

The boys were going to play with their red robot, but they couldn't find the remote control.


Dinner included Rice-A-Roni




and broccoli & carrots with Ranch.





Later we returned some books to the library.


The kids love to read.


G & J even read on a rabbit.


On the way back to the car, the kids did a little rock climbing.





bedtime story =
A Ride on the Red Mare's Back
by Ursula K. Le Guin
paintings by Julie Downing

U day 2010

This morning we visited the Center of the Universe.


Nearby is the old Union Station, now a Jazz museum.

(That's kind of an ugly face T is making. Very unattractive. Let's blame the heat for making everyone feel uncooperative.)

We explored some of the underground tunnels downtown.


To return to ground level, we went up the escalator.


Urban explorers; United States flag



After lunch we went swimming at some friends' house. E posed under an umbrella...


...and G posed underwater.


This evening we drove by the University of Tulsa. This part of campus (just in front of Lottie Jane; that's McFarlin library in the background) is "the U", or at least that's what it was called years ago when I went there. The campus has changed so much, I hardly recognize anything!


Later we played a fun game of UNO (using the old cards with S for Skip, etc., not the new ones with the international symbol for "Draw Two").

Bedtime stories included Shel Silverstein's poems "Unfair" and "Falling Up".

X day 2010

The kids got some exercise this morning swimming at our friends' pool.

lunch = bakery: EXIT here



We've had record high temperatures this week, as well as an Excessive Heat Warning.

 
It is extremely hot outside!







G & T watched Wolverine and the X-Men and enjoyed some Extra gum.


E helped make some cornbread from a mix in a box.




We performed several scientific experiments. The first was "Sink or Float".






Next we tested melting time for an ice cube in water at different temperatures.





Thankfully, there were no x-rays required for this day's Letter activities :)

P day 2010

breakfast = pink & purple pancakes

E woke up in purple pajamas, then she picked a pretty, pale purple dress to wear to church. We prayed and praised God together.

 
This was E's last day to have S as her Sunday School teacher. Our class had been learning about Moses, so we watched part of Prince of Egypt.

(The scene when God parts the Red Sea is amazing!)

lunch = Pei Wei

The boys played T's new Wii game (Super Mario Galaxy 2), then J drew some pictures for E to paint.

At Grandma's, little S helped his big cousins play pinball.

We went to a pool party for Aunt Earon.

(Uncle Pat was there, too.)

Sometimes it's hard to get eight cousins to pose for a picture.

Grandpa brought pizza.

 

Bedtime stories:

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann
E & T saw these words:
pink, picky, promised, played, princess, pediatrician, purse, please, playground, peonies, Peter, peered, pickles

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon



Then E snuggled down with her favorite pink blankie for some sleep.

K day 2010

In the morning we went to fly kites with the kids' Great Uncle Brett.




Brett sews these himself. See how small his Dough Boy kite looks in this picture?



It's really very big!







E and T kicked around a soccer ball with little cousin E.


We had lunch with a big group of family members, including Aunt Karen.


We went to see The Karate Kid. Everyone loved it—E especially enjoyed the kung fu.




At the mall, E saw some Hello Kitty shirts.





dessert = Hershey's Kisses





bedtime story = The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop
(T & E saw king, keep, kindness, and kingdom)




Then everyone got a goodnight kiss from Mom :)