Thomas the Train StoryHour

When my boss Lisa made the program schedule for Summer Reading, I jumped at the chance to do the Thomas program.  This was right up my alley.  I'm pretty sure I still know most of the train names.

 Pinterest gave me lots of decorating ideas.

 I had the tables set up in different colors and then the kids told me all the trains that were red, blue, yellow and green.

 All the kids went home with their very own train whistles.  I know the parents just loved me that day.  I wonder how many train whistles were "lost".

 After a story or two I was showing the kids the cool finger puppets we would be making.

 After cutting out about a million pieces of felt, I thought it might be best to put the faces together for them since the parts were so small.  But the kids glued the heads on the train body and the bumpers.  Each child went home with 3 train puppets, Sir Topham Hat and a conductor.  I wasn't kidding about cutting out about a million pieces of felt.

 The next craft was making a train out of lots of sweet, messy, sugary things.

The kids enjoyed the stories, crafts, songs and food.  Some of the parents are even still talking to me after I sent their kids home with train whistles and hyped up on sugar!

A Day at the Arboretum

The boys love going to the Morton Arboretum and it's always more fun to go with friends.  The boys love Joseph and even fight about who is going to play with him more.  The nice thing is that Joe is such a nice boy and he plays so well with all of the boys that there is never really any fighting when he is around.

 Gus has been really into maps lately.  He was trying to maneuver through the maze.  Even though the map had nothing to do with the maze.

 I think the boys got their shirts wet and took them off after about 5 minutes of being there.

 Sometimes it is just so hard to be little.

 Snack time.  

 The boys were way to preoccupied eating Scooby snacks to smile.

After some snacks the boys played in the koi pond.  That is usually the last thing we do at the arboretum since the boys come out of there soaking wet.

SNAG Golf

Since John wants to try everything once before repeating a sport I signed him up for SNAG golf this summer.  I am assuming it is pretty much the same as a regular group golf class just with bigger putters and bigger balls.  The kids used ball the size of tennis balls.

 John loved it.  Golf requires a different kind of athleticism and focus.  It's just what John needs.

 The boys had fun running around the golf course while John played.  The boys thought this was the "best picture ever" because it looks like Anders has lasers shooting from his eyes.

 Even though it was a group lesson the kids each got some individual attention.

 The kids would be divided into teams and play a game where they would try to hit the balls to different targets.  John was able to hit the farthest targets so he was a popular guy among the other SNAG golfers.

 There is my ham!

He looks so grown up golfing.  I'd like to say look at that nice form, but I can't because I have no idea what nice form is.  I think he looks good though.  I'm anxious to see how he does with an actual putter and golf ball.