Desert Botanical Garden Seedlings....

About 1 1/2 years ago, we applied for the Desert Botanical Garden Seedlings program. It is such a popular program, that there is a long waiting list. They finally called us, and we signed up for November -April. Today was the first day of the fall program, and the topic was "seeds". We weighed seeds, looked at seeds under a magnifying glass, went on a hike in the garden and looked at seeds, planted chives in the garden, practiced watering them, and pretended we were a seedling while we sang a song:) We made bracelets made of seeds and colored sticky tape. We even had a snack and located the seeds in the shishkabob made of strawberries, cucumbers, snap peas, tomatoes, and popcorn. Also, we were surprised to see Adam Elliot and his mom Christine. Adam is a classmate of Jasmine's at Dayspring Preschool. We also saw Brandon who was in our Soccer Camp last spring. Next week, we study butterflies, so I bet we get to see the Monarch Exhibit!

looking at a seed pod with a magnifying glass
Jasmine showing her bracelet made of seeds, pink tape, and plastic wrap
Watering the plants in the garden
Comparing the weight of a pine cone and a seed pod

Pumpkin patch.....

Today we had planned to go to the zoo for their Pumpkin Party.... but it was so crowded that we couldn't even get in. Instead we met Jenny, Gadiel and Abby at their favorite Japanese restaurant, HabaracHi (or something like that?) Jasmine was a little scared when the chef prepared the food right at the table and the flames were going up to the ceiling..... Then we went to a "pumpkin patch" and Jenny bought us a little pumpkin. Cheapskates that we are, we already bought a much larger medium sized pumpkin at the Dollar Store... yes, for only $1.00. The same sized pumpkins at the pumpkin patch were $12.00, so I was feeling pretty proud of myself:)


Jazzy and Gadiel at the Japanese restaurant
Jazzy and Gadiel at the Pumpkin Patch

Bring Your Guy To School Day....

Today was "bring your guy to school day". Grandpa Blakeman, our previous next door neighbor, drove all the way from Arizona City to go to school with Jazzy. I felt sorry for him because he had to sit on the floor and one of those little kids chairs. He could hardly walk when I picked them up from school:(

They made a book called "Me and My Guy". Questions and Answers about your Guy: "Hold old is your special guy?" 4 yrs old- Hmmm, I thought Grandpa was more like 78. "What is his special food?" apples.... I didn't know that about him. "What kind of work does he do?" Drives a truck.... Well, he does drive a truck, but he was actually a miner his entire life. He retired in 1985. "What is your Special Guy's favorite thing to do when he is not working?" Go to work..... I don't think so. He likes to work in his yard and watch the news. His favorite TV show is "Golden Girls":))) "What makes your Special Guy special?" He gives me balloons. That one is actually true.

They also made a Halloween centerpiece out of wood, syrofoam, cupcake papers, confetti, and other items.


Here is Jazzy with her guy
and another photo with her book and centerpiece.

Busy days....

Piano lessons with Ms Karen Nalder. We are back in her regular studio which was damaged by a flood. The walls and ceilings are bare, carpet had to be removed, but the pianos are ok.

Ballet class at Chandler Parks and Recreation

Swimming lessons at Tempe Kiwanis pool.

Tonight we went to our Hip Hop class. I didn't bring the camera, but it is hilarious to see the little 4 yr olds doing hip hop.

Disney Ballerinas

This is Jasmine in her Cinderella dress for Disney ballerina class. Last week, they were all sitting in a circle talking about colors of fish. Each little girl was supposed to say what color their fish was. When it was Jasmine's turn she said "I don't know because I ate it all up!!" :)

Halloween ghost...

Every day we patch Jasmine's "good" eye, the right one, for about an hour so that the left eye has to focus without the help of the other one. She has to be doing something "close up" like beading, "reading", a craft, painting etc. Grandma sent us materials to make a ghost just like the one I made 40 years ago... which is moldy and smelly. It took less than 10 minutes to make the little ghost, but it is now hanging on the front door... while the other one is in the trash can out in the garage.

Sea Life Aquarium.....

Today we spent the day with Gadiel, Abby and their mom Jenny at the Sea Life Aquarium. The aquarium was built about a year ago in the Tempe Arizona Mills mall. To say that it was crowded was a total understatement, probably because it was the first day of the so-called "fall break".

I had never heard of "fall break" until just recently. I don't even know what the purpose would be.... other than to give the teachers more time off. So, I gave myself the day off to spend with Jazzy and our friends, but not too sure what Jazzy is going to do the rest of the week when I am working. She knows she is not allowed to talk to me or make any noise when I am on the phone... and that usually works out.

So, we saw lots of stingrays, sharks, big fish, little fish, star fish, you name it. Jasmine would only stick her hand in the water, but wouldn't touch the starfish. I remember dissecting those things in high school... yuk!

After the aquarium, we went to Rainforest Cafe.. where it was "raining" and "thundering", with lots of loud animal sounds. Conversation was not an option there. We then walked around the mall.... ugh... I am not a mall person, and we rode the carousel. The day was fun and exhausting:)


Jasmine
Gadiel, Jazzy and Abby
Jazzy and Gadiel
Jazzy and Gadiel holding hands in the mall... which they pretty much did the entire day:)