Scavenger Hunts

I have a teenager who is helping me out after school with Daniel and Anabella while I work with S and S on their homework.  To say I am thrilled to have an extra set of hands with four kids during the afternoon hours is an understatement.  I'm elated! Not only is she an extra set of hands, turns out she's really creative, too. 

She's always thinking up fun games and activities to keep D and A entertained and anticipating her arrival. One of the things she did with them during one of her first visits was take them on a "scavenger hunt" outside.  She gave them each a sand bucket and suggested things for them to find- different colored leaves, rocks, sticks, etc. 

You'd a thought she invented Monopoly!

We have the newest, coolest, funnest (I do know that's not a word) game ever!

Here are some pictures from some of the "hunts" we've had since being introduced to the game:

Look what I found- a boy in a tree!
Mommy is good at this game. 

Is that a bird up there...or a squirrel.... or a monkey?!
Oh, it's just Dan Credle.

Sometimes we let Solomon come along, too.

We "donated" this bag of pine cones to the teachers at Daytime Playtime who requested that we bring in colorful leaves and pine cones if we could find some in our yards.  We found some. :)

Squirrels, birds, rabbits, skunks....and now we have a friendly turtle visiting us on Preakness Place.  I'm thinking of getting a sign for the front door: 
All Little Critters Welcome Here
(After all, Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books are some of our very favorite.)

Seriously though, I found this little guy (Chomp is his name) in the road one day on the way to pick up the kids from preschool. I was super excited because I knew they'd be excited because they love my pet turtle stories (Chomp stories).  I moved him to the grass and we searched and searched when we got home but Chomp got away.  Come back, Chomp, come back! (I told the kids that like Frosty, he may be back again someday. Again after it rains straight for like 5 days like it did during the first week of October. No hurry, Chomp.) 

Don't you love the pile of leaves they collected in their buckets?

So, if you've been wondering what we Credles have been up to- well, that's it.
Just climbing trees and picking up leaves.  (Among other things....I participated in a consignment sale last week and it consumed all my "free" time....hoping to catch up on my blogging this week, so stay tuned!)