I Spy Something Red

Cruz and I spent the last couple of weeks studying the color red.  And although I had plans for crab crafts and fire station visits, we've been going pretty easy around here as of late, already hitting the lazy days of summer I think.  We mostly chose to explore and celebrate red with books, food, and familiar play things around the house.  

I did throw together a discovery box for the week, filled with raisins and licorice, fire trucks, play ketchup and an apple, and two of Cruz's most beloved characters - Elmo and Lightning McQueen.

We spent a rainy afternoon at the library and found some great books about the color red.  At home, we read some of our favorites, and we even got to spend one morning at Mom's library, curled up on the couch reading from the convenient shelf of fire books.  Cruz loves firemen; however, the many books he's read have convinced him their only job is to save kittens from trees!  

Here are a few of our very favorite red books in case you're looking to recreate some color weeks at your house.  

  

We had some fun in the kitchen this week, baking a fresh strawberry pie after our strawberry hunt, and a graham cracker fire truck snack with lots of sweets.  And one night when Beau had to work late, I let Cruz man the kitchen with a Mini Murph's pizza from Papa Murphy's.  With his chef's hat and apron, I let Cruz have total control over his own little masterpiece, all outside where he could make a mess.  It was our first Mini Murph's, and I was totally impressed with the concept.  After you select pepperoni, cheese, or sausage, the fix up a tiny plate of dough, a cup of sauce, a cup of cheese, and your toppings, and secure it in an individual pizza box.  Just as their big pizzas, you take and bake it right on the plate it comes with, and Cruz had a ball putting it together.  I think they would be perfect for a pizza party or birthday party and I was impressed with the results.  I might just order my own Mini Murph's next time! 

Going to bake his masterpiece...

Eating his hard work...

We went on red wagon rides and played with Cruz's Little People Barn.  We had strawberry shakes, hunted for some ladybugs, and made two trips to Target (Mom looks for ways to celebrate red week, too).  Cruz has his colors down pat, and it's fun to listen to him point out his own examples of the color wheel.  He likes to find colors that match and claims his favorite color is purple.

Taking a break from color weeks for the next couple as we've got some fun red, white, and blue activities in store and some road trip planning to start.  Two weeks from today we will be halfway across the country...in a mini van!  Holy smokes!

Happy weekend, everyone!