Go Green

I'm always looking for ways to help the environment, so I thought I would post some of things that I do to help. Maybe it will give someone else some ideas.
1. I use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store and Target.
2. I pick up trash when I am out on a walk.
3. I have energy efficient appliances, including a front loading washer.
4. I use cloth diapers.
5. I turn out the lights when I'm not in the room.
6. I recycle most everything and use the backs of paper and old envelopes for lists.
7. I use Method cleaning products which are non-toxic.
8. I turn off the water when I brush my teeth.
9. I have a tankless water heater.
10. I use a reusable water bottle filled with tap water.
So, those are good things, but I have a long way to go:
1. I drive an SUV.
2. I leave the computer on 24/7.
3. I like to have my house really cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Easter Highlights

The Easter bunny brought the boys Easter baskets with lots of toys and candy. Then, Costas looked for eggs in the backyard. Later, we went to church where we ate roasted lamb. Then, an Easter egg hunt at church.

Happy Easter!

Gymnastics

Costas loves his gymnastics class. He recently moved up to the 4 year old class. The class is now in the main gym with the larger apparatuses. Costas favorite part is the bar. He loves to hang upside down. At the end, the kids jump into a foam block pit, which he also loves. Here are a few short clips of forward rolls, bar, balance beam, and springboard jumping.

Happy Earth Day!

Kings Canyon National Park is only an hour from here so I thought it was a good place to go to celebrate Earth Day. We walked on the General Grant trail which is named after the General Grant tree which is the third-largest tree in the world. Costas had a great time hiking the trail, some of which still had snow. We walked through a downed Sequoia tree and crawled under another Sequoia tree. As much as Costas enjoyed the hike, the highlight of the trip was a cup of hot chocolate at the end.

Costas' Name

Costas does such a nice job writing his name. He has to sign his name everyday at school.

Cornstarch Goo

Here is a fun activity that we enjoy and is very inexpensive. Mix cornstarch and water to a consistency that you like. Stick your hands in and squeeze it between your fingers. If you get the right consistency, it will stick together when worked with, but becomes more like liquid when you stop squeezing it. It is best to play with this outside. It washes off very easily with plain water.

Actaeos is 6 Months Old

Actually, he turned 6 months old on Saturday, but I haven't posted since then. He is still a happy, happy baby. He is very active and loves to roll over and move around the room. He loves to watch Costas play. He also loves to pull hair. He loves to smile and laugh and rarely cries. When he is tired or hungry, he just whimpers a little. He did cry when he received his immunizations today, but just for a few seconds. I use an alternative schedule for vaccinations, so he only had one shot today, and I'll go back next month for two more shots. At his checkup, he weighed 19 lbs., 7 oz., which is in the 80th percentile. He measured in at 26 inches, which is in the 90th percentile. He is a big baby! I can't believe 6 months has gone by already!

Babyfest

We had a great time at Babyfest on Saturday. Costas stayed in the bounce house for almost an hour. We then looked at all the fun stuff from vendors around town. There is lots of fun stuff for kids to do around town, so I am always looking for the best thing to do. The event was held at the Discovery Center which has a great pond with fish and tadpoles. Between the bounce house and pond, Costas was very happy. I was happy too. There were booths with babywearing information and lots of different moms clubs. I saw a few people I know which was nice too.

Baby on the Move

Actaeos has become mobile. If I put him in one spot and come back in a few minutes, he is about 5 feet from where I left him. He lifts his upper body up and scoots backwards and sideways. I have to really careful now about leaving Costas' toys around. In this picture, he started out on the activity mat and ended up here.

Keeping Busy

Yesterday we spent a fun day at the park. First, we fed the ducks and geese. They were following us everywhere, which Costas loved. Then we headed to the playground. Next, we headed down to the creek, which is a nice quiet spot for Costas to explore. We repeated he whole cycle, ending with lunch. We spent the whole morning there.

After school today, we went to the fish hatchery. It's where trout are raised to stock the lakes and rivers. We were there for a feeding which was fun to watch. As soon as the food was in the water, hundreds of fish could be seen thrashing in the water. We were also able to feed the fish with some pellets we bought.

New Background

So, I changed my background and lost all of my widgets, websites, and pictures that were on the side. Before I bother to put everything back on, I want to know what people think of the new background. Is it too hard to read the blue and white lettering? It's easy to change, so any opinions would be appreciated.

Big Hat Days

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