Pre-School week #1

I love school. I love everything about school. I love the new pencils, bright colored posters, book bags, everything.  Ryan is turning 4 in a week and technically has 2 full years before he will begin kindergarten, but he has really expressed a lot of interest in learning so about 2 months ago I began planning and thinking about doing some preschool with him here at home. I am also helping lead a Co-op pre-school group this year that he will be involved in once a week. I have been super excited over the last couple of months planning so this is a few things we did on our week 1! =)

Unfortunately I had to buy all new calendar stuff because I couldn't find my old one from teaching! This is our little set up in our bonus room.

Morning work: color sheet and a tracing sheet. The baskets have little books and flash cards for him to busy himself when I need to take a phone call, change a diaper, etc. And the chart to the right is his incentive chart for having a good day. He receives an apple sticker at the end of our time if he has:      1. Tried his hardest    2. Had a good attitude   3. Obeyed

Here he is on our first day. He meets me downstairs for morning work at 8:30 after he has his clothes on, made his bed (with help), eaten breakfast, brushed his teeth and hair.

He was excited to get started!

Explaining things. =) 

Showing books.

Learning to color things the right color and stay in the lines (somewhat). =)

Scott wanted to color too! (for about 2 minutes) =)

I know I look serious here don't I? lol - Josh keeps telling me to laugh and have fun with it. I can be a little too matter-of-fact sometimes. (I am used to 3rd graders!)

First Read Aloud book for school.

Not too bad!

First tracing activity.

This was a pocket chart story I did with him on the first day. I got tons of first week stuff from Julie Lee on teacherspayteachers.com. She is wonderful and has given me a lot of guidance on little kids. She also has a blog with pictures of all her units which helps so much.

This booklet Ryan illustrated during the story.

We also began this counting the days together. I prob won't mention the Ones Tens and Hundreds part till he's older. Right now we are just having fun counting the days and finding ways to represent the numbers.

Learning to write his name.

This was a fun apple game with coloring, pasting, and learning to represent numbers.

Measuring with unifix cubes!

Practicing with glue!

These are all the Read Alouds I did the first week to talk about the first day of school, rules, names, and doing your best.

We also started this chapter book during his "quiet time" in the afternoons.

Breakfast with dad after a week of hard work! =)

Josh said he ate a whole plate of hotcakes! 

Satisfied! =)

 Sorry this is turned the wrong way. I was encouraged that later during the week he tried to write his name with sidewalk chalk. And I can tell what it says! First time!

 On Friday we didn't do school. Instead we went to the apple festival to begin our next month's theme: apples! If and when I go back to teaching who knows...I might go for the younger grades! =) So, that was just a small glimpse of our busy first week of school!

Saturday night fun

Tonight I decided to have Ryan fix dinner. lol - I know, right? He said he had to put on his chef's hat  (Krispy Kreme hat) to cook.  Here is how we made Breakfast Casserole Bites.

Ryan first put muffin cups in the muffin pan. We forgot to spray them! Big mistake! =)

Then he put pieces of bread in each cup. I told him to put 5 pieces in each cup and to count them out. Educational moment! =) 

Good job Ryan!

Whisking 8 eggs and 1/2 cup of milk. Ryan thought the eggs looked gross.

Then he put equal amounts of the egg mixture into each cup with the bread.

He helped put the bacon on.... Classic Ryan face btw

Then we cut up the bacon and sprinkled equal amounts of it and grated cheese.

Into the oven at 350 for 15.

Finished product and one happy customer! =)

Yum! They were really good.

and then...Movie Night!

Grocery store nightmare

I had only been in Walmart around 5 minutes when I confirmed to myself that this was getting ready to be a rough trip. lol - If you are a mom you know exactly what I mean. Some trips to the store are peaceful, pleasant, productive...you use your coupons, get everything you need, and get home in time to fix everyone lunch before they are super hungry. And then on some trips when you leave the store you feel like everyone is applauding the fact that you are FINALLY leaving.

 I have had some rough trips before....now humorous of course, but at the time really taxing. I remember one trip when Scott was a new born and he cried the entire trip because Ryan had hit him shortly after entering the store. As we were leaving somehow my 2 carts (why did I have 2 carts?? That was crazy) got separated while I was trying to drive both of them and Scott's when out in the middle of the road.

On another trip to Lowes  Josh and I were picking out carpet for the house when Ryan bent down and bit Scott's toe "to see what would happen" which resulted in a commotion that I'm pretty sure the entire store heard. We had to just leave on that trip.

But there are some trips when you are determined to get everything you need REGARDLESS of what happens. This trip was one of those trips. On the coffee isle for some reason Scott decided to head bang in the grocery cart while I was discussing Reach Out plans with a friend from church. (Head banging is NOT advisable for babies.) He landed his mouth right on the grocery cart handle and busted it right open. Blood galore. People concerned. Mother embarrassed. And then I did the only thing I could do...which was commit the cardinal sin no mother should ever do with a kid in the cart at a grocery store....I got him out...!!!!!!This resulted of course in a kid who was determined to not get back in to the cart for the rest of the trip. Shortly after the head banging incident, it became apparent that Ryan needed to go to the bathroom (and stay a while if you know what I mean). However he denied it although looking pretty uncomfortable for most of the rest of the trip. At this point I was totally ok with the denial just to get finished. Getting Scott back into the cart could only be done with bribery of things like keys, chap stick, phone, etc. Which all ended up being thrown eventually. To end the trip my debit card wouldn't work right, people waiting behind me, child on my hip wanting down, a long wait at the deli, Ryan taking off with the cart and the groceries and there you have it. I got everyone and everything in the car sat down, turned on the radio and heard these words...

Bless the Lord Oh my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
Worship His holy name

The sun comes up
Its a new day dawning
Its time to sing your song again
Whatever may come and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Tears filled my eyes and I was reminded that God has his hand on it all. From the inconveniences and struggles at the grocery store to news about a friend with a serious illness. Living for him means finding joy in him and remembering that momentary troubles will pass away. Our relationship with him is everlasting.

Beach Trip

I always look forward to going to the beach. The food, the sound of the ocean, the smell of sunscreen, laughter, games, and unforgettable memories. This is the first year we have had 4 boys that can all walk under the age of 4 so we knew it would be a wild trip and it proved to be just that! =) Here are some of my favorite and funny photos.

Smiles with daddy

First salt water splash!

Exploring

I am always the ONLY one looking in these photos. =)

Sand mud

Josh calls this the "Moses picture".

Best Buds

Story time

Love this face.

My boys

A little distracted.

Cousin love

Sweet Blakey chillin' with a 101 temp.

Watercolor painting

Little artists

And of course a little Math - perimeter

Just hanging out

Josh makes the best horse =)

Riding a ferry

Aquarium adventure!

Checking it all out.

Ryan thinking about touching a horse shoe crab

Sting ray

What a great time we had! It was a lot of work with all the boys, but certainly worth it. Sometimes the things that seem like the most work are the things that end up being the very dearest and yield the greatest blessing. 

Dinner and a movie

                                                                           Rain

Salad

Baked Spaghetti

Rocky

I've got to admit, I'm excited =)