Easter in Xtown

We headed up on Sunday to spend Easter with Grandma & DD. It was a beautiful day jam-packed with one bit of fun after the other: egg-dyeing, candy-munching, bubble-blowing, ham-eating, drum-playing, jeep-riding, dog-cuddling, car-swinging goodness.

Here are some of the highlights.  (The whole jam session silliness will get a post all its own soon.)

Bea loves Bella (and her hand-me-down dress from Lylabird):

Josie takes Bea on her first ride in the Barbie Jeep that DD found last year at a garage sale (Score!)

A butterfly lands on Grandma (which for us means good luck, which was just what I felt we needed with Bea in that Jeep and Josie at the wheel);

Sweet, Sweet Josie wraps her arm around her little sister (and sometimes forgets to watch the road):

Off the go:

What a gorgeous day:

A little jump rope break in the parking lot:

Bea looks longingly at the empty Jeep:

And thinks she should take it for a spin. She can't reach the pedals, but thinks she's driving.

And then thanks to DD, really thinks she's driving.

Gooo Bea!

Then Josie gets the bright idea to be the "gas-pusher" while Bea steers. And they're off!

There are lots of other fun activities throughout the day. Bea swings in the carswing that they bought Josie 4 years ago.

Grandma & Josie dyed eggs:

Which Josie took as very serious work:

DD took Bea on a tour of the yard. This girl is always, always on the move:

More dipping:

And walking:

Bea loves Bella:

Josie loves Bella. And Bella loves them both - especially Josie who filled Easter Eggs with dog treats so Bella could have some Easter fun of her own.

Grandma's turn to tour with Bea:

Mama's dogwood tree brings back memories of dozens of springs on the back deck:

And new springtime memories under the dogwood:

Let the great Easter Egg hunt of 2012 begin!

After some blue candy (can you see her lips?):

And some more swinging:

Josie stops & starts her and earns one of Bea's famous looks:

"Don't worry Bea; I won't push you too high..."

And we are back to wind-through-the-hair, swing-induced bliss:

And now for the eggs:

(Perfumed by the smell of Grandma's lilacs floating through the yard)

Bea finds her first egg:

And knows just what to do with it:

More eggs:

More catapulting them into the basket with the velocity of Major-League pitcher:

All told, quite the Easter at Grandma & DD's - even if we didn't make it home til 10pm. Hey Grandma & DD - please be sure to pass on our big big thanks to the Easter Bunny! xo

EWH Easter

This year was a quiet "Four Schneiders" Easter weekend - with Saturday spent among friends at the neighborhood easter egg hunt. Last year it rained like cats & dogs. This year we had two little ones to run around collecting eggs in the greenest grass you've ever seen, under blue skies and sunshine.  Boy oh boy, days like this make our hearts ache at the thought of leaving East Walnut Hills.  Here are a couple of photos of our little ones soaking it all in.

(Very special shout out to Carissa for the dresses! MWAH!)

Easter Jam Session Preview

On Easter Sunday we traveled to Xenia where DD surprised Josie with the drumkit he had set up (a la Josie's favorite Fresh Beat Band member Marina). Before we know it, there was quite the jam session happening. I have dozens of videos from the music fest that day in DD's basement. Josie named her band "The LaLaLows".  Here's a little sneak preview.  Enjoy (and check out Lou on the trombone).

Lego Explanation

Oddly enough, playing with Legos just "clicked" with Josie and holds her attention now. Here's the 'lego creation' (as she called it) that she asked me to videotape on Easter morning.



(Sweet moment too in the final seconds. Love this girl.)

A spring poem by Josie

Josie was trying to write a poem on my cell phone, but after getting frustrated asked me if I would write while she said her poem. This is what rolled off her sweet little tongue. Enjoy.

Spring. By Josie

Flowers are blooming,

Trees are sprouting,

And all the people are coming out.

Everybody is going outside.

It is time for spring.

The trees and flowers are going to the mountain blue.

And all the people are coming out.

It’s time for spring.

With you.

Classically, after she finished the poem and I printed it out for her to illustrate, she looks at us and says, "What is a mountain blue anyway?"  We told her that having a mysterious part of her poem made it even more special. 

A montessori birthday and work day

So, there was another birthday celebration not too long ago!  Because Josie has a summer birthday, she gets to celebrate her half-birthday at school. Here are some photos from the montessori tradition - her circles around the sun.

Our little family joins circle time:

 

"The earth goes round the sun, the earth goes round the sun. It takes a year, your birthday's here. The earth goes round the sun, and now you're one!"

...and now you're two!

 And now you're three...

 And now you're four (and a half)...

Bea loves the singing and get a little daddy-smooch:

Josie makes a special secret birthday wish:

A very special secret birthday wish:

Best friend Lucia gets chosen to help:

Bea delights the class with her infinite cuteness:

I pause to consider how quickly Bea will be taking circles around the sun:

A couple of weeks later, Josie's school had its bi-annual parent work day. On this day, we get to come to the school on a Sunday afternoon to be shown the montessori ropes by our little ones. Josie was SO eager to take us through a work-cycle. It was amazing to see how her work choices have evolved since our first parent work day.

Some math using the bead strings:

Preparing us a hummus & carrot bread snack:

Spelling with the movable alphabet:

Learning from the masters at the art desk:

Showing me the steps to thumb-print painting:

More math, sorting the rods:

I can't tell you just how much we love montessori education.  It's so well-suited to our philosophies as parents, our core values as people and our priorities as a family.  Here's a great little overview of the difference between traditional and montessori education if you are interested in learning more.

Science Time with Josie

The Mammal Song