Eat. Share. Read... Rinse and Repeat.

For us, we look forward to dinner time! Not because of an elaborate meal...because it never is. Remember, I have 3 kids! It's because it's the one time of day we all sit together, with no interruptions, eat, and enjoy being in one another's company.  Does that sound "Walton-like?" So be it.

This is where Savannah and Noah have learned the Lord's Prayer by heart.  It's where they share about their day with daddy.  It's where Levi learns to sign rather than scream for his food (we're STILL working hard here). It's where laughter fills the whole house.  It's where hard conversations happen when they need to happen.  

And it's where stories are sometimes read.  Like this particular night.

He sure does love his babies.  And I love that he thinks story time is so important. After all, did you see that expression on Savannah's face?  Go back up and take a look. 


I think reading to your children is one of the most joyous gifts you can give them.  For so many reasons.  Agree? I'm sure you do!


And just because I thought it was cute...I threw in some shots of them showing off their super scary bats they made at the library!!

 (I think they look so much alike here).

Good night for now.  I think I'll go plan tomorrow's elaborate meal.  hehehehe.


blessings,
~k.

Apple Dilemma: Preserve or Eat!

My mother and father-in law recently gave our family a large box of yummy yellow apples!  I was so excited to get them in the freezer...after eating a few and tasting just how delicious they were.  

This fancy apple slicer you see here belongs to my sister-in-law and she was so kind to loan it to us so that we could preserve our apples more efficiently.  The kiddos thought it was something from a movie! When I brought it out of the box, their eyes grew wide and you would have thought it was a brand new toy delivered by Santa himself! What probably would have taken 5 minutes to put together, turned into 20! "Savannah, can you get Levi a toy?" "Noah, hold on just a minute, let mommy put it together." "Don't put the apple on yet, please." "Hand me the screwdriver, Noah." "Oh, it's a phillips...Savannah, can you go and get a penny from mommy's wallet?" "Levi, what is in your mouth?" ( I know...you ALL are saying, WHY in the world did she try to put that thing together with all of her kids?)
So, maybe I could have prepared ahead a little better, but look at all the fun they had! 

Savannah and I were turning the slicer and as the peeling fell off, guess who was more than ready and willing to take care of it!

From the looks of this table, you'd think we had sliced a dozen apples...Try 2! 

Seeing that more were being eaten, squished, stepped on...etc. etc. etc....we tidied the table (which means, I cleaned while they ate) and put away the slicer, for mommy to resume at another time...like nap time!  

We'll be delivering that back to our "Aunt Neese" soon (and I'm sure the children will surely miss it!).

Thankfully, we have lots of baggies in the freezer filled with apple slices. Thank you, sweet family, for the apples and the memory.

blessings,

~k.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Something Fun for Baby

Baby Levi is sitting so well now.  From rolling, to scooting on his back, to now scooting on his belly...he's figuring it all out! Being the baby of 3, he often is placed on the floor to play solo while I tend to the other 2, who demand mommy's attention...pretty much all day! 

A few days ago, I changed things up a bit and let Levi play in the kitchen with me watching and preparing breakfast, while Savannah and Noah played together in the living room.  There was a bowl of rice along with some little toys left out on the floor from the day before when I had given it to Savannah and Noah as an activity.  Levi found it quickly and I happened to think it was a fabulous idea! 

 Meanwhile....

 I love how they both are holding on to their "build-a-bear" animals...oh and yes, the cushions from the couch are on the floor. It's much more fun this way! 

I'm ok with this...really, I am. =)


Blessings,
~k.

Learning the letter...R

First off...I love the "Letter of the Week" curriculum from "Confessions of a Homeschooler."  We have been working on various letters/sounds and are enjoying the many activities that help S learn them!

While we are using the curriculum now, we plan to "take it up a notch" come fall! So, school's in for the summer here...because Savannah wouldn't have it any other way.  Her love of learning and quest for knowledge fuels this homeschool train.  And for now, we're at the perfect speed.  She turns 4 next week, and for her...and probably most other 4 year olds, learning is about stretching her imagination and curiosity, developing her growing interest in academic things and activities that involve exploring and investigating, and seeing how skills such as reading and writing are useful (for example, by listening to stories as they are read to her as well as dictating stories to adults.)

Why "R?"

We have a mommy raccoon who has made her den high in the tree just next to Savannah and Noah's sandbox.  We, along with the children, have seen her come down and scurry into the woods.  We frequently check to see if she is out or visible at all from her hole.  

Raccoons are THE topic of conversation in this house! On our library trip last week, we picked up 2 children's nonfiction raccoon books and are heading to pick up another tomorrow after a phone call from our librarian to let us know she found another!

So "R" it is! 

For today, we read this book at storytime...

Then, while the children napped...I set up the trays.

Green tray...Fish cutout with colored paper and aluminum foil (for fins), glue, sponge brush, and eye! She loves glue so this was the first tray she chose!

And, here is her rainbow fish!

Blue tray... a coloring page, "Rectangles Make Funny Cows"

Orange tray...Letter "R" cutout with rocks and cubes.  She lined them up in the shape of the "R."

Raisins for snack! (on a Red plate)

Levi was content to be on his belly while his sister "worked."

 And later...Rasberry cobbler!

Looking forward to tomorrow! Perhaps we'll have another Raccoon sighting!

A rope, a wagon, and a pampers box!

Sounds like the makings of some serious play, right?

Savannah loves anything with which she can pull objects, tie up objects (including Noah), and simply use as a toy...ropes, ribbon, scarves, string...you get the idea! This day was no exception...and the long piece of twine proved to be a true asset to her and Noah's playtime.  

Noah does whatever Savannah tells him to do.  If she wants him to dress up with her and wear a dress, hat, and silver shoes...then he does so! And with pride! If she wants him to give her one of his 2 cookies, she need only ask tell him and hold out her hand.  Oh, if she only knew the level of her influence... Well, in this case, she wanted to pull him around the house in his wagon.  So, he takes Daddy's tape measure with him (not sure where he found it since it's usually up high in the laundry room...)and hops on! She needed a little help with her knot, but after that, they both had a blast whirling around the furniture and slamming into walls. *insert long sigh here*

This became old after about 30 minutes and she wanted to use her rope for something else.  They had been playing with a wipes box and I suggested that we "modify" it so she could pull all the monkeys around.  We had read a book about Raggedy Ann and Andy riding a rollercoaster, so she was excited to recreate this experience for her little "friends."  And here they are...

*Yes, that is a heart sticker on the wall beside the piano.  That's another thing Savannah loves.  And oh, how I love to find them all over the house! 

Truly, it's the simplest of things that make children happy.  

Thankful today for a rope, a wagon, and a pampers box...and the children who enjoy playing with them.

~k