“Stretch” Round up of our Month of May

May seems like it has gone pretty fast. This was the first month where it felt like we got a bit derailed from our plan. On the same hand, we did have some pretty memorable experiences and moments. And May, with its finish lines and wraps ups is just kind of like that. So bring on summer we say!

 Giants and Pilgrims’ “Abacus” is a creative home curriculum centered on a monthly theme. This month’s theme was STRETCH. Read the whole list of ideas here.

Here is our run down of the month :

On May 1st, Tim and the girls kept up our fabulous tradition of May Day baskets – complete with Bacon bouquets (which are so weird and so awesome at the same time)

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May the Fourth was celebrated by all with an epic Star Wars movie night and pizza.

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I had really wanted to get into some better practices as a family with our physical activity. We did an OK (but not great) job following this little calendar of days. I would say we maybe did 1/3rd of the days. But hey, better than nothing. And at the end of this month, I started running with Run Atlas Run a practice that I have absolutely loved and hope to keep up all summer.
May weekly workout
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Someone is working harder here than the others…
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We still haven’t had a chance to run at an outdoor track, partly because every time I suggest it the girls are stinkers about it, but I have high hopes that they will enjoy it more than they think they will. We’ll get there…

We watched the Karate Kid – which I had never seen before. So great!! Now I finally get the Cobra Kai reference of a t-shirt I have had for the last 8 years…
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We made lots of oozy gooey slime – great “stretchy” fun. I still want to try to make bouncy balls and silly putty.

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Slime making adventures from www.giantsandpilgrims.com

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One morning we made rubber band instruments. Lucy got a stick and played hers like a violin.

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One Friday we took a family trip to Fort Collins and had a wonderful time trying out different instruments and learning all about the properties of sound at the Fort Collins Children’s Museum of Discovery.

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This was a neat “build your own horn” station

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Here is Harriet playing an electronic drum kit

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Lucy trying out an electric guitar

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The kids’ highlight from the day was the “Tornado Chamber.” We kept losing Harriet and then finding her in it.
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When I was a kid, I specifically remember LOVING the shadow wall at the Children’s museum in Wichita, KS. I was so excited that they had one in Fort Collins. Basically it flashes a bright light and then your shadow is captured on the wall. It feels very Peter Pan.
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It was a good day.

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Someone else did some musical experiments of their own.

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We read Twistable Turnable Man, finally finished the Secret Garden, started”Ballet Shoes”, plus all sorts of other “Stretch” related books we picked up at the library this month. Now if I could just find that stupid “Train Travel” book before I have to pay for it at the library. Dang it.

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We went on a pretty epic adventure by train. 

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 We of course had to make a wall installation of our “Stretch” activities. I didn’t particularly like how my drawing turned out so I let Harriet color all over it. Which made it much more awesome.

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Our other “Stretch” themed art projects kind of fell by the wayside, but we did have a lovely afternoon playing with clay. We made little nests with eggs and necklace pendants. IMG_4225

Thanks for playing!! See you on the other side in June with some “Collections!”

-Betony

Spring Cleaning Workin’ Playlist

Spring Cleaning to me is about opening the windows, turning up the music, and rolling up your sleeves to really dig in and get the grim out. Here is a fun Workin’ Mix we curated to get you going.

1. Whistle While You Work – Disney
2. Whip It – Devo
3. Happy Working Song – Amy Adams
4. So Fresh, So Clean – OutKast
5. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
6. Takin’ Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
7. Working for The Weekend – Loverboy
8. Working in a Coal Mine – Devo
9. Get a Job – The Silhouettes
10. Yakety Yak – The Coasters
11. Washing Dishes – Jack Johnson
12. Whistle While You Work – Louis Armstrong

Travel By Train: A Photo Journal of our Most Recent Family Adventure

This last week in honor of Mother’s Day and just needing a little family get-a-way, we took an Amtrak train from Denver to Glenwood Springs, CO. I have always wanted to see the views on the train through the rocky mountains. One of my favorite memories from traveling by train as a kid is that the train cuts through areas different than the interstate highway so you get a better sense of the wilderness and beauty of the landscape. Traveling with kids, it is great because they can get up and walk around, get a snack, check out the observation car, etc. The train from Denver to Glenwood Springs is about 6 hours and is full of beautiful views and unique history. We had a blast.
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In Glenwood Springs, we didn’t have a car, so we just enjoyed exploring and walking every where.

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Harriet insisted on running across all the bridges.

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We, of course, ate lots of yummy food. And, we discovered the MOST amazing little Polish restaurant called “Polankas.” Who knew I could love Polish food so much? Pierogis, potato pancakes, blinzes….ahhhh….(Slope & Hatch’s tacos were pretty great too)

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Lots of fun was had by all playing at the hotel pool and indoor waterpark. Thank you Hotel Glenwood Springs.

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In the habit of my father, I got up early one morning and took the girls exploring. Ever since our mountain month, Lucy has wanted to go mountain climbing.
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Conveniently, the Gondolas for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park left from the parking lot of our hotel to take you to the top of the mountain. Again, pretty epic views.Processed with VSCOcam with f3 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with f2 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with f1 preset
Once we got to the top, we had all sorts of fun at the Adventure Park – which it felt like we practically had to ourselves.
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No we did not ride that swing ride. No Thank you.

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This one was Harriet’s favorite. The Giddy Up.
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This alpine coaster was pretty great – kids can ride on your lap, you control the speed, it is a delightfully long ride, you can ride as many times as you want, and it winds down the mountain through the lovely scenery very quietly. So fun.
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We toured one of the famous caves, Fairy Caverns. It was beautiful, but confirms the fact that I was not cut out to be a spelunker.Processed with VSCOcam with g3 preset

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We had a tiny vacation practice of having an afternoon tea time every day with board games. Or, in Beatrice’s case, chewing on dominos.Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

And, lets be honest. We watched LOTS of cartoons.
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In the dining car on the train ride home, Lucy lost her very first tooth – so exciting. She also VERY animatedly told absolutely everyone she encountered from there on out about it. EVERY-ONE.Processed with VSCOcam with g3 preset

Sweet Beatrice always the “Easy-Beasy” was a joy to travel with.
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Here’s to many more adventures together with this sweet family of mine.

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Documenting the Creative Process Series

Continuing work on our new series titled –  “Becoming” – current release date for the album and artwork is this fall.

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Making sure to get this little girl started early.

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It helps when you have an awesome dad to listen to and watch.

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A lovely tea time sketching out ideas with my mom for a new header for her antique button business called House of Button.

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Tim has been doing all sorts of recording and tracking – both in my very messy studio and at the UNC recording studio. Having AMAZING musician friends is pretty great. Thanks, Melanie Haskins!
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Thanks to my amazing parents and husband, my library mural is finally fixed (there was a problem with some cloudiness in the anti-graffiti coating) – You can see the difference in the black below between the finished redone black and the cloudy. It took LOTS of scrubbing and sanding, but it looks so bright and happy now. Just how I intended it.

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Getting it done called for me to actually remember to sign it this time.
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And, I am working on a second draft of a new book project. The first version incorporated a lot of cool collage elements, but the publisher we are working with nixed the idea. Still going to be pretty wonderful though.
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Printable Mother’s Day Card

Need a card for Mother’s Day still? Here is a little sailor “mom” inspired illustration. Print it and give it 🙂

Enjoy! Please only use for personal use 🙂

Much love, Betony

 

Mothers day card

 

Also, if you are needing graduation cards, we have a printable one for you as well!

May 2015 Desktop and iPhone Wallpaper

May is bold. An embracing of a new season. A stepping into new bright venues and phases of life. The shedding of timidity and stepping fully into the light. Here is to bold beginnings for summer. Start off with a new desktop for your computer and iphone.  For the iphone wallpaper, navigate to this page on your phone and then click and hold on the iphone images. Select ‘Save image to camera roll’. Then from your camera roll set your home screen/lock screen. Enjoy!

For iPhones:

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For Desktops (Click the small thumbnail below to download the large sized file.):
may 2015 desktop

For more inspiration for May, check out our list of “Stretch” themed activities – including a daily workout regime, and read this poem written by Tim.

Thank you Angie Makes for the fun graphics to play with!