Apples!

Thank you Mariah for organizing the annual apple-picking excursion this past weekend. The weather was PERFECT: sunny skies, moderate/ seasonable temps, a light breeze, and zero humidity. Ahhh, perfect for picking apples.

I'll let the photos do most of the talking; the trip was worth it, even if Hunter's only nap was the last 30 minutes of our ride home.

Hunter wanted in on the picking action; we had to explain that apples on the ground weren't exactly pick-worthy.

Can you see the hubs in the tree?

Watching Daddy pick apples. Notice who's in the stroller, and who isn't.

Apples taste better when you pick 'em yourselves.

Checking out the flower Leah picked for me. When I told him to sniff it, he leaned in as if he were going to kiss it.

The best part about apple picking? Making an apple pie!

Rolling out the leftover pie crust to make cinnamon chips. After all her help, turns out Leah doesn't like apple pie (but she does enjoy ice cream and cinnamon chips!).

First Day of School!

We (okay, it's more like "I") made the decision to start Leah in pre-school this year... at home, so I have been working on compiling activities for different units (and swapping them with a friend who is doing the same). [I won't go into too much detail here since I covered much of this in an earlier post.]

To say Leah's been excited would be an understatement. On her first day of school (last Tuesday), she came downstairs to find her backpack sitting on the table, filled with all the materials for that day's lesson on butterflies. Not wasting any time, she unzipped the bag and pulled out the contents, eager for us to begin. "Not until after breakfast, kiddo." (Wouldn't you know it, that was the fastest she's eaten breakfast in a LONG time.)

With breakfast out of the way, it was time to get dressed (she picked out her outfit: pink tank and blue plaid shorts), take the first day of school photo (she actually LET me take her picture. That hasn't happened in a while.), and begin our lesson: making a butterfly mask. We talked about how a butterfly's wings are symmetrical, and though the wings on her butterfly aren't, at least she had the right idea; there are flowers on both sides. Our first lesson didn't take too long, especially since we spread it out over the course of the day due to letting the paint dry, but that didn't diminish her enthusiasm.

Later that day, when Scott asked, "Leah, did you go to school today? What did you learn?" Leah replied, "No, Daddy. I didn't go to school. I did school at my house." Who'd have thought she'd pick up on such a slight difference?

Since that first day, we've "done school" two more times, and each day, Leah loves it (and let's be honest, so do I). Next time you see her, be sure to ask about the life cycle of a butterfly. I'm sure she'd willingly share her new-found knowledge. 

 Sept. 4, 2012 First Day of PSL (Pre-school Light)

 Painting half the butterfly mask before folding it in half to create the mirror image. (She was more interested in painting it all purple, which certainly made it easier to print on the other half.)

Butterfly girl!

New York Vacation 2012

We trekked north for our annual New York summer vacation a couple weeks ago. Unlike last year, where we packed our week with numerous activities, this year, we took a more relaxed approach. This should have been a restful trip (and, for the most part it was), but sleeping in a home next to a busy country road that's frequented by big trucks doesn't bode well for sleeping babies or preschoolers. Thus the kiddos were up early every day (well, except for the day we left; then Leah slept in until just after 7)-- as in, usually by 6:30, 6:45 at the absolute latest. (In case you didn't know, at home, the kids aren't usually up until at least 7.)

Despite the less-than-ideal/ expected amount of sleep, the kids powered through the days, buoyed by the joy and excitement of being at Papa and Grandma's. Our week was filled with time with the cousins, running around the yard, enjoying the fire pit (complete with hot dogs and s'mores), a visit with Great Grandma Teddy (complete with a spiedie lunch and a ride on a carousel), a trip to the fair, and a horse ride. Of course, some days we had time to relax at my in-laws' place. Those were the moments when I could enjoy being a mom without the distractions of errands to run, a house to maintain, or a "to do" list to complete. Instead, I could play with my kids (that is, when they wanted to. For some reason, Leah just wanted to play with Grandma.) or read a magazine (read during the day when my kids are AWAKE? What an absurd notion!). 

Ahhh, vacation. Though it's over, and we're back in the swing of things, complete with a busy fall schedule, I feel rested and rejuvenated. Guess that's what vacation does to a girl, eh?

 Daily, Hunter would bring us his shoes (and sometimes my shoes!) then point to the door. He couldn't get enough of the outdoors, especially with ride-on toys available. He loved this motorized car, and was particularly proud of himself once he learned how to make it go.

If Leah had her way, she would have stayed on the carousel all afternoon.

She looks like she's dancing, but really, she's chasing (and popping) bubbles.

Leah and cousin Mila snuggle in a chair around the fire pit.

Hunter loved playing this game with Grandma through the window. (That is, when he wasn't busy running laps around the house.)

Quality time with Daddy.

Leah and her cousins (Mila and Kate) check out a 3-day old calf that was born at the fair.

Hunter LOVED petting the sheep... until they "baaed" and scared him!

Scott bought the orangeade for himself, but Hunter drank most of it. That little bugger couldn't get enough of it!

Trying cotton candy for the first time.

Hunter was all about the tractor. Who's really steering?

When asked who wanted to ride the horse first, Leah immediately volunteered.

Despite the expression on his face, Hunter enjoyed himself.

Leah knew exactly what to do on the Dragon Coaster: scream her little girl heart out!

Happy Birthday

My wonderful hubby just celebrated birthday #___. Leah helped me bake the cake and make the icing. She also determined how we should decorate the cake (since you know a grown man really wants a character-themed cake, right?). She's too young to appreciate the humor in her decision:

She probably chose this because of her love FOR pigs. Or maybe she chose it because of Babe the pig. (Mine and Scott's nicknames for each other are "babe" or "baby". Well, after Leah saw the movie Babe, she assumed that Scott and I called each other "babe" because of the pig. Ahhh, I love watching her make connections, even if they aren't correct.)

Karate Baby

At the young age of 13 months, Hunter's already following in his Daddy's footsteps; our little man is proficient in self-defense. Better watch out for Karate Baby! He'll charm you with his smile before disarming you with his lightening fast moves!

She's THREE.

I don't know what people were talking about when they came up with the term "terrible twos"; seems to me threes are much more terrible.

Recently, Leah -- my sweet, loving, obedient, kind, funny, creative daughter-- has morphed into a three-year-old... and it hasn't been pretty. Those are the days when she cries over the little things or for no apparent reason (a sign of what's to come in the teenage years?); when she refuses to follow instructions (or commands); when she can't help but play a little too roughly with Hunter; when she pouts and throws a tantrum if she doesn't get her way. Ahhh, THREE.

And so I must remind myself that "She's THREE." She's at that age where she's becoming more independent, but she still wants Mommy (or Daddy). With new experiences, come new feelings, some of which are a bit difficult to label (for her).

On those days, when the hubs asks how my day was, I simply utter the phrase, "She's three," and he knows EXACTLY what kind of day I had.

In spite of those three-year-old moments (which she's having right now, by the way), I love her to pieces. And after she settles down, and returns to her sweet self, we can continue with our day or our activity. There's grace.

So that got me thinking: how wonderful that God loves me in spite of my 30-something moments. When I'm ugly. When I pout because things don't go my way. When I am deliberately disobedient. That makes me wonder: Does He look at me and say with a shake of his head, "She's 3__"? 

Pre-school Light

This past spring I wrestled with the decision about whether or not we should send Leah to pre-school this fall. Through prayer and consideration, I finally came to the conclusion that we'll do pre-school "light" here at home. (I won't detail all the reasons for this; let's just say this is what will work best for our family.)

Anyway, the teacher (and dare I say it, "nerd") in me is REALLY excited about this. REALLY excited. I've already started planning some lessons. (Well, I've planned one unit, but I've considered other topics!) Since I don't want to do anything too intense (after all, Leah is only three, and won't start kindergarten for two more years), I thought we'd cover four subjects over the course of two weeks (so two subjects a week). The beauty of PSL is we can cover those subjects when we have time. Thus, one week we could do school M/T, and another week do school T/TH. Plus, I figured this would help us transition into homeschooling (yes, this will be a LONG transition). We could see what works, what doesn't, and of course, figure out how to keep Hunter occupied while Leah is in "school."

The teacher in me is excited because I can create my own curriculum based on Leah's interests, which is why I'm planning units now. She's expressed an interest in learning about bears, butterflies, ladybugs, and flowers, so that means doing the research to find science; math; art/craft; and reading/writing activities that tie in with these topics. Inter-disciplinary learning is so important for encouraging creativity, and making connections (that's one fault I find with our educational system; all subjects are taught in isolation when students should be required to see how they all work together), so the challenge of connecting the topics/ finding activities compels me forward.

Yesterday, we had our first experience with PSL. Leah checked out "Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?", a story about a momma kangaroo on the hunt to discover who ate the cookie dough. (Super cute. Very endearing. Plenty of rhyme and repetition. Beautiful illustrations.) Anyway, we read the book and then made kangaroo cookies (quite tasty, I might add). Thus, PSL. We didn't spend that much time on the "lesson" as a whole, but we could read, discuss the story (comprehension), and bake (following directions; measuring; science). Still, it was a rewarding experience, especially when, while talking to Grandma later, Leah could tell her what we made and why, as well as share bits about the story.

I know not all of our lessons will be successful, but God's grace is bigger than my flops; and, as I reminded myself when I was teaching high school, the students will learn something, even if they don't retain everything.