Friday, January 31, 2014

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Merry Christmas 2013


Ready for Church

 All dressed up in our Christmas clothes for church.
 Emily, Kelsie, Matson, Carter
This is as good as it gets with these two!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Christmas Morning

 Christmas Jammies
 The boys bought swords for each other and immediately started a sword fight!
 The girls got each other calendars with their favorite animals.
 Carter was thrilled to get a super cozy blanket just like moms...cause he always steals mine!
 Kelsie and her new camera

 
Emily's last and favorite present was a MONKEY (to replace one mom sold) She was thrilled!
 

Emily and her new doll Emily
 That little boy is a nut and he loves his daddy
 Carter attacking the castle with the ogre
 Carter and Matson playing with their new castle!

Sunday, January 26, 2014

3 Year Old Wisdom

I saw this on facebook this week and loved it!  Tonight I had to post it for my cute little three year old who refused to go to his Sunbeam class today.  He has always LOVED nursery and church so I couldn't figure out why he didn't want to go today.  This is what he told me:

"In my new class we just have to sit and sit."
Aha!  I'm thankful my 3 year old is a able to verbalize exactly what the problem is!  Nursery was fun and engaging but Sunbeams was boring and full of expectations he couldn't reach.  There wasn't much I could say to that.  I agree whole heartedly with my little guy.  It's completely developmentally inappropriate for preschoolers to be expected to sit quietly in a chair without moving, touching, or doing anything that stimulates their little mind, while a teacher stands in front of 75 kids and tries to hold their attention.  I've struggled with that reality every time I've stepped foot into Junior Sharing Time.  The Early Childhood Educator in me can hardly handle being in the room.  I love that my little three year old could put the problem into words.

For the record, I did still try to get him to go to class.  I really talked up how fun it was and how they sing songs in his class.  His response was this:

"They put up a picture.  Sing a song.  They put up a picture.  Sing a song.  It's Lame!" 

at least we know where he stands on the topic.  :)  I love my opinionated little three year old.

Education Rant is now OVER. 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

True Friends

 True friends like these two don't grow apart.  When they get back together they pick up right where they left off.  I loved that Brianna showed up at our house with a rainbow loom in hand!  Kelsie is obsessed by rainbow loom bracelets and they immediately headed to her room and commenced making dozens of bracelets.  It made me smile to see how they were living hundreds of miles from each other but they still love the same things and pick right up like it was just yesterday that they saw each other!
All the kids needed a picture with their favorite friend, Brianna!  We all miss Brianna and love having her here for visits!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Merry Christmas from TRidge Elementary!

 Emily's class all got to decorate their own gingerbread houses.  I went to help and it was SO fun.  It was the first time I'd helped in my kids classes this year.  I've been too sick with the pregnancy to help in their classes and I've missed it so much.  Being at the school helping is one my FAVORITE places to be!  Gingerbread houses and 32 3rd graders made it extra fun!
 My cute kindergartener.  He loves school and I LOVE his teacher.  I popped in unannounced and she invited me in and put me in charge of an activity so I could help with the party and feel involved.  Super fun to see Carter's shocked face when he saw me there!
 We got lucky and ran into this cute 6th grader in the halls as she was judging the hallway decorations for a Student Council contest they are doing.  Student Council has been so great for her!  She loves being involved and has been responsible for so many things and keeps up with it all, on her own.
 Here's Carter's cute Christmas gift to John and I.
Cleaning out the backpacks after school I found this cute note to Santa from Emily.  That's my sweet Emily.