Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Four Year Shots...

Connor has only been four since March. I'm feeling pretty good that we finally got him in for his well-check. Geez. So he has grown three-and-a-half inches, which puts him in the 40th percentile. Yay. We have a kid that broke the tenth percentile! That's exciting.

We warned Connor last night that he would have to get shots. I don't know which is worse...springing it on them at the last minute or forewarning. He tried so hard to be brave, but it was just too much when the needles actually made their dreaded appearance.

Sometimes I feel silly taking pictures of, what seems like mundane, unimportant things like going to the doctor...but down the road I'm always glad I did. It's memories that would probably otherwise be forgotten. I love the little everyday happenings of life.
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My parents bought Ladder Ball for the kids. That's a fun game. We've been playing in the front yard. All 3 of our kids are competitive. They like to talk a lot of smack. Wonder where they get that from?!
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Saturday, July 23, 2011

In Pictures...

So my new thing is playing with the Instagram app. I love taking pictures of the little, daily things that make up our life. And Blurb has the coolest idea...putting your instagram photos in a book. Love it! I plan on doing one for each season. The summer book is almost finished and ready for print.

In pictures, this is what has been happening round here.

I found these magnetic letters at the Dollar Spot in Target. Haven't had them in awhile, but they are great for Connor.

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They're back! Oh yes...love friendship bracelets!
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Oh Harry...why does it have to end?
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Playing on www.pbskids.org
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Hanging around
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Too big
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I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I'm in the love phase right now...hoping it lasts.
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Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Goings On at the Hill's...

We spent last Saturday at our friends' getaway in Roaring Springs. They call it the TTR (teeny tiny ranch). It is beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing...a great place to take a deep breath and enjoy nature.
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We floated the pond.
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We cooked-out on the reefer.
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We played.

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We bonded.
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We enjoyed the rain clouds that surrounded us.
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We rode like red-necks. Life on the TTR is nice!
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These 2 little guys are the best of friends. We just refer to them as Seth and Chad Jr. They are miniature versions of their dads, and it is too funny watching them in action. They took swimming lessons together this week and got to hang out a little more than usual. Love these boys!
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And last night this happened. Our doorbell rang at 10:55 and this is what was waiting for us. a sidewalk and driveway all chalked-up. Yep! Taylor was "chalked" for the first time. We are especially thankful it was not t.p. Considering our younger days of wrapping, if what goes around comes around then we are done for.
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Sunday, July 10, 2011

I ♥ West Texas...

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The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Psalm 19:1

Friday, July 8, 2011

The Mommy Teacher...

As a teacher I am always looking for ways to make learning more enjoyable for my students. Of course my most important students are my 3 kiddos.

Our mission right now? The alphabet. We are working with Connor on his letters and the sounds they make. I find it fascinating how little ones acquire language. They are just like little sponges.

We want it to be fun so we came up with a few activities to motivate him. The girls are even excited about it. And man they are great little teachers themselves. It's so fun watching them work patiently with their little brother.

Our plan is to focus on one letter a week. We will really delve into that letter and learn as much as we can about it (capital, lowercase, its sound, etc). We will have Connor do different activities with each letter. For example we may print off a page of capital A's and lowercase a's, have him cut them out, and then sort them into 2 piles. That will also help develop his fine motor skills. We will explore our world and discover all the places we find letters.

We are starting with "A". Tomorrow we are going on a road trip and the competition is on. Whoever finds the most A's wins. The "A" can be on signs, billboards, clothes, the t.v., inside the car...wherever! I will keep a log and the winner gets to pick out a prize (dollar spot @ Target, ice cream, etc). They are pumped!

What I love most is sitting down and reading a good book with my kids. From picture books to chapter books I want to instill in them a love for reading. And what better way to end a long day than cuddling up with my 3 babies and escaping in a good story?!

There are so many resources that promote phonics skills/phonemic awareness. Here are a few of the resources we have found and like:

http://themommyteacher.com (a great resource for ideas)

iPhone app: ABC Tracing
This app is great! It helps kids get a feel for the formation of letters as they trace along the dotted lines. It shows both upper and lowercase letters as well as a picture to help kids learn the sound it makes.
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin
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LeapFrog Letter Factory Video. The girls watched this over and over again when they were little and they still remember the catchy song. "The A says /a/...the A says /a/...every letter makes a sound the A says /a/"!
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Sunday, July 3, 2011

4th of July...

You know those days where you don't have a care in the world? Nothing weighing you down...just a perfectly peaceful state of mind. That was today for us. It consisted of:
  • A little Round of Hand and Foot
  • Decorating Bikes/Scooters for the Parade @ Vintage
  • Watermelon and Hot Dogs
  • Dip in the Pool
The 4th is Fun...With or Without Fireworks
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Listening to One of the Founding Fathers
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Cooling Off
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