Little Shop of Smoothies

Zoë loves setting up shop.  She would come up with all types of things to sell.  Sometimes Josh would get into it and they both would spend quite some time prepping, doing up signs, decorating their “shop,” and planning their pricing and menu.

Coincidentally, this weekend, part of Josh’s homework was to set up a pretend shop and practice money sense.   So he took over Zoë’s shop of smoothies, revised her menu a bit, added prices, cooked up a promotion to attract customers.   Josh also made some paper currency for us to use when buying from their shop.



Zoë came up with some really creative concoctions.  There was Sparkle Smoothie (made up of glitters and beads); Jackie Smoothie  (made with jacks);  Bow-piette would be made up with her different hair bows;

the Spider Smoothie (in the orange cup –note the four “legs” sticking out on each side)… 

The names of the smoothies are mostly Zoë’s creation and Josh made sure to point that out in his homework sheet, because he didn’t want his classmates to think that he thought up all those “crazy girly names” for the smoothies.



Yes, the place was quite messy –what with scraps of paper everywhere, plastic cups and pens and other “necessary stuff” that they had hidden under their shop table (because they needed them for “ingredients”), pens and markers lying around… but I took a deep breath, sighed, and…

I smiled.

I love their pretend play.

The Creativity Project | The Men in Our Lives

Grandpa, dad, husband, lover, boyfriend…

Son, cousins, friends, colleagues…

Teachers and coaches…

The old man who owns the bubble tea shop…

The subjects in my photos…

Mr. Postman, the courier guy…

Mr. E from my regular photo shop who takes the time to answer all my questions…

So many.

 

 

But my main man?  My main man is my husband.  The pictures below give you an idea why… but they barely tell the story.  He is all that you see below and so much more.

 

 

 

Zoë’s drawing of herself and Daddy.

 

 

 

Happy Father’s Day, Chris!

 

~~o~~

 

Go on and head over to Katherine’s blog (Most People Exist) and check out who the men in her life are and then follow her link to the next one in The Creative Project’s circle.  Do visit us on our Facebook page and share with us who the men in your life are!

 

Serendipity is Sweet -- Finding Serendipity -- The Long Road to China – Little by Little

Swimming in the Rain

Not counting the weekly swimming classes, this is our first dip in our pool this summer.   It was the perfect day for a swim –warm, but not too hot; the water was cool, not too cold. 

 

Zoë can now touch bottom without having to go on tippy toes and she was so happy.  The kids were swimming around like little tadpoles when suddenly the heavens opened up and it started to rain. 

 

 

I was teasing them telling them to quickly get out of the pool or they would get wet from the rain.  Zoë and Josh both told me in an exasperated tone, “But we are already wet!”

 

Josh floated on his back, eyes closed, mouth open, trying to catch the raindrops.  Zoë was just plain having fun –rain or not.

 

Apparently swimming in the rain was the highlight of their day when we did our “what-are-you-thankful-for-today” part that night.  I should take the kids out to play in the rain one of these days.  I’m sure I will be frowned upon or well-meaning old ladies here who would see me do that would advise me to take the kids in lest they get sick… but every child needs to experience playing in the rain at least once in their childhood.  Methinks.

 

Bedtime Reading

Nothing pleases me more than walking into the kids’ room at bedtime

to find them both quietly reading.

“It is not true we have only one life to live; if we can read,

we can live as many lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.”

~ S.I. Hayakawa

On the Floor

On Sunday afternoon,

the kids spent a few hours just like this --

on the floor

playing with Lego pieces…

making up stories,

playing out the scenes.

Small Lego pieces were strewn all over the floor.  It was quite a chaotic mess.  I was torn between exasperation over the mess –and the inevitable “lost” pieces that would eventually be found under the sofa, –and thankfulness that (1) both of them could lose themselves in imaginative play; (2) they collaborated quite well on the scenes they were playing out; (3) we could hear much giggles and laughter (and yes, the occasional protest or two)  as they created hilarious (to them) scenes for their characters.

Clapping Games

Did you play clapping games when you were younger?

I did.  I remember loving them…

and would play them with my friends during recess

and any chance we’d get.

I remember that there were a few variations, a few different songs.  Some only involved two players, while others would have as many as four or even six!

Now I see Zoë and her friends playing these clapping games.  They sing the songs in their cute little girl voices;  they try to go faster and faster and then giggle and laugh when they trip themselves up.  So cute!

The Strangers We Meet

While waiting for my friend, I saw this couple at a brisk jog in the park.  It’s not everyday that I see a man jogging with someone riding on their shoulders.  Maybe because I was smiling at them in amazement, they smiled at me when they got nearer, which made me brave enough to call out and ask them what they were doing.  The man stopped and told me that he’s working out and needs to build up strength in his legs.

I asked them if they would mind if I take a photo of them.  They gladly posed.

They went a couple of laps around and when they came back to where I was, he was giving her a piggyback ride.  One could only guess what their relationship is.  Whatever it might be, though, they make a fascinating couple.

I love how they both were color-coordinated –he, in blue and she in red.  Their colors together kind of remind me of Superman.

Indulgence

Sinful…

but oh so good!

Irresistible.

(Recipe here)

We still have a few squares left from the first batch I made, but I am off to make another batch later today.  I shouldn’t, because I can’t stop myself from sneaking a few bars here and there throughout the day, but they are so easy to make and really, really good!