Movie Time

The theater is dark, the curtains are still closed, the anticipation of a great movie is high…

or you’re Corbin you hide your eyes because it’s all a little overwhelming and scary:)

We headed to a discovery and learning center this weekend and had so much fun (yes, even Corbin:).

One of the first things we did was hop into a small theater room and watch a movie about the Flint Hills.  I know it sounds boring and I had some concerns about how Corbin’s interest level would do with this, but it was awesome.

After the movie got started Corbin loved it.  The theater enhanced the experience by creating moments where you could feel the wind from the plains blowing on you, smoke filled the room when the fires hit the grass, and even snow fell from the ski when winter came upon the fields!  It was such an interesting and unique experience.

Then we walked around the exhibits which were ok, but what really got Corbin’s attention again was the discovery center for kids upstairs.  He was a happy boy building block towers, playing with trains, crawling into tunnels that led to a slide, and putting together puzzles (of snakes…why does he like snakes, big yuck to that!)

And of course, having Grandma and Grandpa there made the day perfect for Corbin!

Imagination

For several months Corbin has really been delving into the world of pretend and imagination. 

He will play with his trucks and animals, creating dialogue and adventures for them all.  I love this!

Hearing him talk to himself as he plays is one of my favorite things right now.  I will just sit, as quiet as I can be, outside his doorway or listen from the kitchen as he plays and talks.  It’s so sweet and so interesting.

Often he talks about the trucks and how they are working hard, driving to school, or stuck in the mud.  As for the animals they are usually playing with each other or are hungry and need to be fed.

Yesterday morning he even had a phone conversation.  It went something like this:

“Oh, my phone’s ringing!  Hello?  I’m just sitting on the couch playing.  Mommy’s cleaning up.  We can’t play with you now.  Ok, later!”

What in the world!?!? 

Sometimes that boy is too stinkin’ cute…sometimes;)

Pick and Stick Nature Walk

So now that the weather has cooled off a little and it’s less than 80° at 8:00am, spending time outside is much more enjoyable.

Yesterday we decided to venture out and take a walk.  To keep Corbin engaged I remember seeing an idea (sorry, I don’t know the original source) that suggested using duck tape as a bracelet and then having them stick their finds to it.  So we tried it out.

I put two pieces of duck tape, sticky side up, onto his wrist.  As we walked if he found anything interesting to him he picked it up and stuck it onto his tape. 

He had a great time hunting around.  It was actually fun to really take time and look carefully at the ground around us.

We are city people, so we only ventured out into the tree lined sidewalk path in our neighborhood, but for those more adventurous and nature oriented (that would not be me:) I’m sure a walk in the woods or field would result in some fun and interesting finds.

At the end of our a walk we had a bracelet full of “treasures” that now need to find a way into the trash without Corbin noticing:)  (I made the mistake of throwing away an “art project” too early and he went to the trash to throw something away and spotted his art.  He was devastated!  Really, he was crushed that it had ended up in the trash…oops:)

Anyway, take advantage of the cooler temperatures and as fall approaches strap on some tape and go out for a walk.  Have fun picking and sticking!

Weather Report

Corbin loves to be outside.  Something he’s been doing lately, when we are out, is to relay a weather report to me. 

Although I’m outside with him, he clearly is concerned that I’m not aware of the weather and it’s his job to inform me. 

Ok, that’s nice Corbin, tell me what the weather is right now:)

To prepare and gather his weather data he does not need technology.  Nope, he relies soley on the world around him.  He intently looks up at the sky and proceeds to tell me if it’s sunny or cloudy.  Then he checks the trees to see if they are moving to get an accurate idea if it’s windy or not. Although his weather reports do lack some pertinent information I still think they are fabulous;)

And hey, there’s not a cuter meteorologist around!

Wordless Wednesday

Cleaning Skills — He’s Got Them

This little guy is a great helper in the cleaning department! 

 

“Oh mom…now people have expectations of my cleaning skills.  This is a disaster!  I’m too young for such pressure!”

Stuck

 

“I love playing with my trucks!”

 

“This road is a little steep, but no worries, I’m a good driver.”

 

“Uh oh…something went terribly wrong.”

 

“The truck is stuck in the tree.  Does this reflect poorly on my driving abilities?”

Olympics 2012

Anyone else watching the Olympics?  Ha, I know, who isn’t watching!  I do love to watch them.  I’ve stayed up far too late getting caught up in the competitions.  My favorite part is to learn about the athletes and their stories.  It’s so interesting to me to hear about their training, their families, and their challenges.

I also have delusions when I watch the Olympics.  These athletes make everything look SO easy.  I watch gymnastics and I think in my head that, with just a little practice, I too could do a double back flip with a full twist!  Or of course, with just a little training, I too could swim the 100 meter backstroke in mere seconds.  Let’s not even go into how “easy” the sand volleyball games look…all I would need is a good day of skills practice and then I too could be out there hitting the ball with ease.  Am I alone in this type of thinking? ;)

The Olympics also bring me heartache.  I feel so sad for those athletes who have spent most of their life training for moments like this and then they don’t medal or have a colossal breakdown (i.e. USA men’s gymnasts!).  I can’t even imagine the disappointment they feel.  But then I’m also inspired because so many of these athletes seem to deal with these losses in stride.  Yes, they’re upset and disappointed, but they seem ready to go back, train some more and try again.  Umm, no thanks, I think I would be packing my bags and hitting the Ben and Jerry’s!  Perhaps that’s why I’m not an Olympic athlete…among other reasons:)

We can all take a page from the athletes who handle adversity so well.  What a strong positive mental attitude they have.  Maybe I can’t compete like an Olympic athlete, but I can certainly try to think more like one…and who knows maybe one day….nope never mind I think I’ve passed the prime of ever making gold;)