Thursday, July 18th - Passport Club

Our monthly Passport Club event was hosted by the Cerdas family, and we were gathered together to learn more about England!  The kids really enjoyed the craft, sampling the food (tea & scones as the snack, and fish & chips for lunch), the two stories, but above all the thing they came home talking about the most was the different phrases British English-speakers say.  Plaster instead of Band Aid, Loo instead of Bathroom, Lorry instead of moving truck, and so forth and so on.  One other element they brought home with them was a fun game called "Mr. Crocodile, may I cross your golden river?"  This game has gotten a lot of play back at our house! 

Listening intently to the overview on England.

The kids all enjoyed the Katie in London book!

Materials used - Mrs. C did a wonderful job hosting :-)

Victoria enjoying her scone (tea followed shortly).

Watching closely as Mrs. C explained the art project steps - the kids would be creating a little British solider/palace guard.

Excited to show me his progress.

Scarlett really wanted hers to look just like the example.

Victoria getting started.

The girls with their completed palace guards!  Such a cute idea!

All of the children's completed art projects.  Please notice Lincoln's guy - it stands out because it's the only one that looks like an African bushman ;-)

The kids lined up on one side, while one is in the street (thankfully their house is in a cul-de-sac so there was no traffic!) as Mr. Crocodile.  The kids have to ask permission to cross and he comes up with stipulations - "You may cross if you are wearing stripes."

After many have passed who meet the different specifications, the rest run across and try not to get caught by the crocodile.  Really fun, and again, the kids have played it dozens of times since we've been home!

Waverly certainly never lacked for attention!  Especially after lunch, we had a prime example for using the word "queue" in context since the girls needed to form a line to wait their turn to hold the baby :-)  It started by me asking Olivia if she would like to hold Waverly - she is always so sweet with her and I love listening to the little things she whispers to the baby.  Soon Grace wanted a turn, followed by her little sister Lily.  All did very, very well holding Waverly.

We ended up staying quite a bit longer than anticipated, because the kids were all playing so nicely and we moms were enjoying chatting.  Once home, it was naptime, tea & story time, and then when Nana got home from work I took the kids outside to swim a while.  It was one of the first truly HOT days (low 90's and h-u-m-i-d) and I was thankful to be able to leave the baby inside to be doted on by Nana :-)  After swimming for over an hour and playing in the backyard with their good friend from next door for another 45 minutes, they were finally wore out and ready for dinner.  Pancakes and sausage was on the menu, and so of course I had an eager helper in Scarlett!  She was ready to put her newfound pancake-making skills to use!

Scarlett's tea & story time summary drawing and sentence: "The king tells the beautiful princess that she has to marry the prince."

Victoria's tea & story time summary and sentence: "Edward listens to the family plan (to) go on (a) ship."  She left out a couple of words, but her handwriting has improved so much in the past several months - I'm impressed!

It was definitely hot enough for popsicles!

I was not allowed to help at all.  She made up ten pancakes all by herself :-)

Jim had messed up his back earlier in the week playing golf, but was still a trooper and helping out with the baby - even if it meant laying in the floor (since it hurt to hold her) and getting her to smile at her bear!