Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Fall

I love fall. The one semester I spent in Illinois was an eye-opening 6 months (in soooo many ways); it was there I learned that I had never truly experienced the seasons. Everyday I would step out of my ancient dormitory and see that overnight the trees had managed to turn yet another, more brilliant shade of red, orange, or yellow.

It's not too surprising then, especially with my disgust for all things Halloween, that we are doing tons of fall crafts and nearly no Halloween ones. I did have Gabe make a bat flying in front a moon; of course, Gabe promptly named him "Batty." For my literal child, it fits well with his stuffed animals named: Spider Monkey, Puppy, Teddy, and Ducky.

I found some fun craft ideas, and combined them to make two at one time.

First, each kid took plain white paper and painted it in random patterns, but without a lot of mixing of color, in fall colors.

Then, to their great dismay, I cut off a piece and had them rip into small pieces the rest.

The hunk I cut off we made into leaves, which we then add glitter veins to; I might make the leaves into something--we shall see.

The little pieces we made into an acorn mosaic:



Gabe (far left) and Mckenna (far right) stuck around to put a frame on their crafts. Juliana did not. But she did learn how to spell her last name and how to write her numbers, and identify all the shapes this week--so I am fine with no frame.

I can see their personalities in their crafts...but rather than tell you all about it, I will just share a funny story.

Last week Juliana's memory verse was: God will cover you with His wings. We did all these fun hen crafts and some role-play about how a hen covers her chicks. I explained to Jules that God does not have actual wings, but that this verse is a picture of how He cares for us.

She said:

I know mom. But I have wings. I have super power wings.

Fast forward to today:

I often talk to my mom on the phone as I drive to my algebra teaching job, and today was no exception. This morning, for no reason (even the radio said there was no reason) the traffic was horrific. It took me 54 minutes, and it normally takes me 25-30.

As I was sitting behind a giant semi, parked on the good old southern ca. freeway system, I said to my mom: I wish my kids were here. They could use their super powers to blast the traffic away.

She said: Yeah, they really could. They could use their super powers to let you go in the carpool lane.

Touche, mom. I have been laughing about that one all day.

2 comments:

Grandma Cyndi said...

First turkeys then acorns, you are a crafting genius. Love them and yes I can see which one did which without being told. So fun

Anonymous said...

I am totally coming over when it's time for Christmas crafts!
--Briana Norton--