OCC and a haircut

  This week Ryan and I talked a lot about Operation Christmas Child. Last year he was really too young to understand, so this year we spent time looking at our globe, filling out a personalization sheet, picking out items, and packing them together. I really enjoyed it and I think he did too!

I'm pretty sure we have enough candy for 3 or 4 boxes! =)

I am hoping to be able to track the package so we can look at what country it traveled to! 

Yes I broke down and got it cut. I have been asked twice lately if he was a girl or a boy so I gave in. It made me sad. The wildness is gone.  =) We were super thankful for the lady in Boone who cut it. She was wonderful and very patient with him.

So handsome!! =)

I love it! =)

                                        

The accident

Last Saturday we were enjoying a relaxed afternoon...pork tenderloin on the grill, veggies in the oven, Charlotte's Web on for the kiddos. We had company coming in 15 minutes. I was in the shower when I heard a loud thud, a cry, then a long silent pause which turned out to be Scott holding his breath. I didn't panic, this is pretty normal for us...(at least 3 or 4 times a week). Then, Josh ran into the bathroom and said, "Carrie, get out now we have to go to the Hospital!" Before I had even seen it I was crying. Josh is usually pretty calm.  As it turns out, Scott had fallen off the couch and hit the coffee table. We decided I would stay home with Ryan, finish dinner, greet our guests, and let Josh take him. I am sooo thankful Josh was home. Here are the pictures of my poor lil guy. 

After the initial crying, Scott was actually pretty calm. Josh said he drank his juice in the car and talked to himself. =)

Josh said the nurses gave him a stuffed animal and juice when he got there. 

He also said Scott blew kisses to all the nurses. =)

This is the finished product. They glued it instead of stitches. He was super tough! =) Thankful for Josh and everyone at McDowell Hospital for taking care of him quickly and doing a super job! =) So thankful also to God for looking after him when I couldn't. It could have been his eye and the doctor said he prob would have lost some vision. Thank you God for your love and care over him!

Mama will you play with me?

How many times have I heard these words this week? Too many to count! And to be quite honest, when I do get asked this question I usually don't leap for joy. I usually look like a deer in headlights trying to think of a response. I have had more older women tell me than I can count to "savor this age" and "you'll regret not spending more time playing than cleaning." I understand that and totally agree, but lets just be honest... after you spend hours playing, that load of laundry is still unfolded, dinner isn't made, and those bills will sit another day on your desk waiting. And another thing... in the past 5 years I think I have lost my imagination. Really I have. It made me sad at first. It may have to do with the fact that Ryan's idea of play right now involves swords, guns, chases, and tackles. (My sister and I didn't exactly pretend play this way) So, I'm having to cope with this. I don't want to be that mom that never plays, but I do also have quite a few things to get done in the course of a day.

So, I came across this article in Parent Magazine this month that was pretty good. It said when your child asks to play with you instead of that "deer in headlights" look to respond with "Yes and..." This is suppose to help you get started with the pretending. So, if Ryan says, "Mom, play outside with me," my answer should be "Yes and I will be knight chasing the dragon!" or "Yes and I will push you on the swings first!"

I still feel firmly that children (at Ryan's age) should play mostly with other children and themselves for the majority of the day, but I decided that at least for one hour a day (after lunch and before quiet time) I will play and pretend and totally BE that dragon or knight or whatever and get my pretend on! So, yesterday I was having sort of a yucky day for lots of small reasons and Ryan said "Mom, come play with me!" So, I tried it out and said, "Yes! And I will be the leaf monster outside and chase you!" Ryan looked at me and smiled a smile of disbelief. lol - I could tell he didn't know what to think. So, we ran outside, threw leaves, tackled, built a pretend campfire, roasted marshmallows in it and slept under the stars (for about 5 minutes) =) And guess what? It totally changed my day. I smiled, laughed and forgot about the dirty dishes and truly didn't care for the time. And I think I learned something...that kid is still in there and so is the imagination...it's just been covered up by the day to day of this world. And that hour a day may do more for me than for Ryan. =)

Hello Big FOUR Year Old!

     Happy Birthday to my sweet Ryan! Four years ago I walked into a hospital never having any birthing classes, nursing classes, tour of a hospital, or having changed more than 1 diaper in my life. I literally called for the nurses to come in to change his diaper because I didn't know how. lol - And today my little boy is turning four!  I am truly so blessed to get to spend my time with this creative, energetic, talkative, unpredictable, independent, and hilarious kid. It thrills me to have such a close relationship. Mothering him has grown me in the knowledge of grace in ways I never could have imagined. I love him.

     One of Ryan's best qualities is his humor so I have included some of his funny quotes over the course of this year along with some classic Ryan photos. =)

"That Mr. Greg, that goes with Marla, I love him. He's the best guy I ever seen."

"I trusted God. I knew he was watching over me!"

"Mom, naughty means you disobeyed. Naughty means your a stinker. Mom, what does naughty mean?"

R - "Mom, where do you buy all this weird food?"

 Me - "It's not weird."

 R- "Trust me. It is."

"Scott, you're my best friend, but you have to play with the cars because I'm playing with this."

"There's a tornado watch today mom. (while watching the weather on TV). Trust me."

"Mom! I know what this game is called. Scott throws it down and I pick it up!"

"Mom you're my favorite in all the land!"

(while watching the Hensley fam. leave) "Hey mom, all the creatures are leaving!"

Almost every Sunday on the way to church: "Mom lets talk about manners!"

"Is quiet time over yet?....Is quiet time over yet?....Is quiet time over yet?"

"Dad can we wrestle?" =) (all the time)

I don't think a day has passed that I have not laughed out loud or smiled at this guy. What a gift he has given me for four years! =) I cannot wait to see what God has in store for him! =) Happy Birthday sweetie!

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!