Pudding Paint and Wild Animal Park

I've been trying to think of fun things to do with the boys lately. I feel like I've been in a crazed cleaning and planning mode lately (trying to clean out cr*p so we can get ready to put our house on the market), and I tend to spend most of my free time doing chores around the house. I do spend time playing with Jack and Thomas, but many times I feel like there is so much work to be done that I have them play by themselves while I do chores or they "help" me do stuff. They actually enjoy helping me, but sometimes that ends up being more work for me (i.e. Thomas is often faster at dismantling clothes piles, stacks of books, DVDs, etc. than I am at organizing them!). So, I probably don't have them help as often as I should. I have to remember that somtimes the speed of doing a chore isn't as important as being joyful in my work, and teaching the boys to pitch in (because, let's face it, there will always be more chores to do!).

Anyway, on that note, I made pudding paint for Jack and Thomas a few days ago. You just make up some vanilla instant pudding and use food coloring to make different paint colors. I had them use spoons and pastry brushes to paint a big white platter, and they had a blast! They couldn't believe they were allowed to eat the stuff, too!

And today we took a trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We have memberships there, but it's been several months since we've gone. I had to run some errands this moring, and after those were done I drove straight to the Park. Jack kept asking me where we were going, but I told him it was a surprise. When we got to the Park, Jack said "I cannot believe it! We're at the Park!". :). Then we took a sarafi tour bus ride around the park, which Jack thought was amazing. Thomas sat on my lap, and he squirmed a lot. He also thought it would be fun to compete with the tour guide over the speakers to see who could be the loudest. Yeah, he won. :). I felt bad for the people sitting right next to us!! I just couldn't keep Thomas from squealing and shrieking during the ride. At least he was happy, though!

And we got to have a picnic lunch there, and see some more animals up close in Keeper Talks. It was a cool trip! Jack walked his little legs off (and I think he may actually be napping!), and Thomas is screaming from his crib as I type (apparently he's counting his 20-minute nap in the car as his nap for the day -- d'oh!). But they should both sleep well tonight, anyway!