July's Treasures

Good ol' spaghetti never fails us...

Ms. Patty gave the kids her old swimming cap and Josiah really, really loved it. He wore it for at least an hour. Maybe there is something comforting about the snugness of it.

These pictures just never get old to me...

Miss Fancy-Pants with straight hair :) ...

An out-of-the-ordinary night deserves an out-of-the ordinary family picture. 

Enjoying these precious family moments together at Mellow Mushroom. 

A flower for you, mommy...

This month I had the honor of miming with these two incredibly beautiful ladies. I can't even explain what a blessing it was to minister again with them. I am so grateful for Amy's obedience in listening to the voice of God and for His move in us and through us. 

The famous living room fort...

These next few pictures are from the last story-time of the summer as well as the first of ones in which Josiah abandoned my side to join the others on the carpet.

So sad yet so sweet.

Our wonderful librarians wrapped things up with a little celebrating outside. The kids had fun playing at bubble stations, water stations and paint stations. We really are so lucky (blessed) to have the chance to participate in such wonderful programs at our library.

The Sanchez Café...

Gabriella and Alyana got the chance to visit a bridal boutique with me to try on and pick up my bridesmaid dress. Oh how fun it was for me to see their giddy grins and excited demeanor while prancing and twirling around that shop.

Happy 32nd Birthday, Mommy

 On a day that appears to be just like any other day of the week, this little family of mine sure knows how to make me feel so special. With homemade cards galore!

Daddy sent me away for a couple hours on my birthday and requested three things: that I treat myself to Starbucks, buy a book from the bookstore, and (made me promise to venture out to) get a pedicure.

Daddy took notice in the particular type of art the kiddos have been interested in lately and

upon coming home I was greeted with the most beautiful, time intensive (to date) family birthday card ever. It was beautiful! 

Shelf Markers

I first learned about the idea of using a shelf marker while teaching at VanStory Hills Elementary School. As part of their library's procedures for checking out books, the students were required to use shelf markers. These shelf markers were really nothing more than wooden rulers. Upon finding a book they were interested in perusing the contents of, they'd simply slide their ruler into the shelf before removing the book then remove the book. The shelf marker would help to hold the book's place while they flipped through the pages and decided if it was one they'd like to check out.  If they decided not to check the book out, they'd place the book back where their shelf marker sat, remove their shelf marker and continue their search for the perfect book. What a brilliant idea, right?! I sure loved it.

 

The thought of introducing these shelf markers to my kiddos has crossed my mind a few times in the past year or so but it wasn't until this summer that I decided we'd give them a try. Even if they didn't use them exactly the way they were intended, it would still serve as a great lesson on how important organization is within the library, build their appreciation for the liberians and promote the significance of being a responsible library citizen. (Something about feeling like they are ready for all of that makes me a little sad, like we've reached some sort of milestone through all of this shelf marker stuff. Silly, I know.)

I wanted to help them create a sense of pride and ownership so I thought it'd be a fun project to allow them the chance to personalize their own shelf marker. I swung by Lowes to pick up five paint stirrers. In effort to prime the sticks and cover the lettering, I painted both sides white.  When it was time for the kids to paint they took their blank canvases and quickly got to work. Michael and Josiah were pretty fascinated with the new circular foam brushes I laid out and got busy making dots right away. Gabriella's vision started with solid a color on each side; one pink and the other side yellow. She later decided to add a few details with sharpie markers. 

It was so much fun to do a little role playing at home with the books on our own little bookshelf. Here, Gabriella is showing us exactly how to use a shelf marker. She's such a great teacher!

Our weekly visit to the library happened to be the day after they completed their project.

They were thrilled to put their shelf markers to use and went straight in to test them out on real public library shelves.

I'm positive Josiah's will more than likey rotate between being a sword and a shelf marker for the next few years or so but that's ok, it makes my heart smile.

I'm so glad they all enjoyed this experience.

 

 

Painting Outdoors

Closer to the beginning of the summer I scooped up a few bottles of finger paint with the idea in mind that we would make a mess of painting with our feet one summer morning until little hearts were blissfully happy. It's taken us a little while to get around to such intentional messy play but today, we finally did.  

We made some time to read through The Colorful Kittens before we headed outdoors and oh, what a hit that story was.

I believe Mikey was the most inspired by The Colorful Kittens and got busy right away with color mixing. Orange was first on the list, then purple and finally green. 

Although Josiah and Mikey didn't seem to mind, Gabriella wasn't crazy about the slimy feeling of paint between her toes. They all eventually decided upon using their hands as the primary tool for this painting's session. 

Josiah lost all interest in the paint when I brought out the rinsing bucket.

 

A Home for the Ants

These little ones possess a love for all sorts of creatures, even for some of the smallest of all...ants. They spent quite some time here, at the corner of our home, under the shade of a tree, finding rocks and building up a structure for the safety of their beloved friends. 

Mikey stole the "camera" away and snuck this picture of Josiah and I. How incredibly sweet.