A California Adventure - pt 3

When I think of California, I think of the beach. We were staying about 15 minutes from what I'm told is the best surfing in the world right now. Although I've been itching to learn how to surf, I decided that it would be best to 'get my feet wet' in less intimidating waters. So check back next year for an entry about surfing. (And if anyone in the PA/NJ area wants to give me a lesson, let me know!)

However, we did get to spend a bit of time on the wild windy beach by the Natural Bridges (well, Natural Bridge these days). The waves were pretty intense, so we were happy to stay out of the water. However, nothing could keep Rowan from making another lovely sandcastle. But how do you do that with no buckets or shovels? We were across the country from her sandcastle supplies and we forgot to make our way to a store to get replacements. So Rowan, being a kid, and kids being the most resourceful things on the planet (when it comes to play), decided that a couple of empty bottles and bottle caps were just fine. We used the caps for digging & construction. She delegated water-retrieval to me. I had the task of repeatedly filling one empty lemonade bottle and two empty soda bottles with ocean water so we could construct our palace. The absence of our normal toys also made the seaweed, sticks, shells and feathers that we found that much more interesting and useful. 

Our cross-coastal beach trip made me realize that maybe I'm making too big of a deal of packing up for our own 'local' beach days. I'm sure that any parent has experienced that moment when they see their child transform the strangest and most commonplace things into the most wondrous toys. And, although I am fully aware and appreciative of the value of some of the wonderful toys, books & games out there, it's nice to be reminded that we don't need fancy things to have the time of our lives.

Love,
Lolly

A California Adventure - pt 2

Well, we're back home now. But our trip was so full of new and fun things that I still want to share some of the places we've been, things that we've done, and adventures we've had.

So, for our next act, let me take you to the grand ol' California Redwoods. Rowan had never seen such a large tree in her life. I had been out to visit my brother in California before, so I had seen them in the past, but they never cease to amaze me. We couldn't help stretching up high like the trees or reaching our arms around the trees as far as they could go (which was not very far at all). The loop that we hiked was just over a mile, which was reasonable for an eager and excited 4 year old. But there are much longer hikes that we could have taken and other parks we could have visited. Next time. There were hollowed out trees on the trail that you could walk under. Perfect little nooks for a kid.

The thing that I loved about taking Rowan to this park was that, from the moment we walked onto the trail, she wanted more. She asked if we could camp there (again, maybe next time), and she wanted to explore everything. I'm glad that we could show her the largest trees we have ever seen. I hope that her love of nature grows each day.

Love,
Lolly

A California Adventure - pt 1

This has been quite a week! We have traveled to the other side of the country to visit family. This means that Rowan experienced her first plane ride and her first major time change. And she's been doing really well!

Even so, sometimes the best behaved kid has trouble with things like sitting still for hours or waiting patiently in line. So I've been falling back on some of my favorite games that we do at our shows to keep Rowan (and me) happy. 

Earlier in the week, we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium is always an amazing place, but the sea otter exhibit and incredible interactive jelly fish and  sea horse exhibits were like nothing i've ever seen before. The excitement of the museums made the simple task of waiting for a table for lunch almost too much for a little kid. So we played Aquarium Freeze. After spending time seeing these animals in real life, it can be much easier and much more fun to come up with new ways to act like some incredible creatures. It's a game that doesn't take up much space, so you can play it even when you're in a crowded space. You just have your kid (or kids) dance around, then call out the name of an animal and they can 'freeze' like that animal. It's easy and fun for a variety of ages. 

Have a lovely day!

Lolly

Goin' to the Zoo!

We played at Elmwood Zoo yesterday in Norristown, PA and made a new friend! Here's a little video of us and Tharubu the giraffe. You can come feed the giraffes while they're staying at Elmwood (through the beginning of September). 
We especially like going to the zoo because it's a place where you can get endless inspiration for games, movement, and songs. 
Have a lovely day!

Lolly & YoYo

The Linen Ocean

I sure do love forts. Today we set things up so we could pretend that we were at the beach. The 'ocean' was made out of three sheets, some binder clips and our living room furniture. Add a few fans for effect, and you're good to go! We've been playing for hours. We even ate lunch on the 'beach' (tuna salad, of course). Crawling under the waves all day is a sure recipe for a happy and tired family at the end of the day.

Have a lovely day.
Lolly

Honey Lemonade

There's nothing like a nice cold lemonade to take the edge off of a hot summer day. Yesterday, after a humid day at the park, Rowan & I decided to try to make our own. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, so here are some pictures & a recipe:

4 lemons
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of boiling water
3 cups of cold water

Squeeze the lemons into a pitcher. Dissolve the honey in the boiling water to make one cup of honey water. Add the honey water to the lemon juice. Stir it all up. Add lots of ice and the rest of the water. Enjoy!

We hope you like it!

Love,
Lolly

Flying Around

Good evening! I'm just taking Rowan for a night time 'fly'. I vividly remember balancing on my mom's feet just like this when I was a little girl. And, thankfully, when I got a little too big for her feet, my big brothers were up for a challenge and would 'fly' me on theirs. Anyhow, happy bedtime!

Love
Lolly