Good-Bye Char-Broil, Hello Weber!

This week we are focusing on the color orange.  As part of that, and also for tactile development, Meghan bought dehydrated water beads (and then hydrated them) to create a bowl of slippery orange orbs.  Joshua liked touching them and hiding his hand in them, but he also wanted to bounce and squish them, which weren't exactly part of the encouraged activities.

We've had the same grill since we bought our first house ten years ago.  It wasn't a high-end brand, just a Char-Broil, so we're probably lucky it's lasted this long.  It still works pretty well, but it has started to rust in places and the cooking was more uneven than it used to be.  So we decided it was time for a new grill.  I did a lot of research, and pretty much everyone says that most mid-range grills you can buy are likely to last 2 to 3 years.  Some people get lucky (like we did), but others need a new grill after only a year.  So I made the decision to step it up a notch and buy a Weber.  It cost more, but it should almost certainly last quite awhile.  Tonight I decided to start putting it together after dinner, and not surprisingly, I had two volunteer helpers.  I managed to keep them from losing any parts, which was pretty much my benchmark for a successful "helping" session with the kids.  Joshua loves using tools, especially a screwdriver.  He has a toy version that's his, but he really really loves using my electric cordless one.  So after Clara lost interest, I gave him my screwdriver and let him help me.  He didn't actually screw anything in, but as you can see from him face, he was 100% serious about the task at hand and really felt like he was doing his part.  Even though he didn't actually help, I love having him try, as it's so cute to see him want to contribute to whatever task I'm doing.