Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Busy Bean Box

Why is it that finding something that keeps your kids completely entertained all day so that you don't need to makes you feel like you're an awesome mom?

I don't know, but that's how I feel today. Kaylee's favorite thing at preschool is the bean table and today after dropping her off, I decided to make something similar at home. My kids have been playing with these beans ALL day! I know that soon it will lose it's newness and I will get tired of cleaning up all those spilled beans, but for now, I just feel good that they're so happy and entertained.


We found lots of things to do with it already. Scooping and pouring. Measuring (I was showing Kaylee how many 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups fit into a whole cup). Burying and finding toys. Making ramps for toys to roll into the beans. Etc...

BTW - today I asked Kaylee why the leaves were falling from the trees. She says "because it's a holiday".

Potty Project and Other Things

Well Hudson started to use the potty chair on Jeff's birthday. He did really well for a few days but we have a ways to go! This is the poor little guy just waking up from a nap, using his potty chair while Kaylee is pestering him.

Hudson is always saying, "Can I help you?" (which actually means, can you help ME?) I don't know why, but everytime he says it I think he really wants to help me and then I find out he really wants MY help!

Another recent saying is "Did you see that?!" Its pretty cute.

Well Hudson was impressing Kaylee's preschool teacher the other day. Hud and I went to her class' Teddy Bear Picnic last Friday. Hudson noticed the carpet squares on the floor and started saying the numbers on them... he found 8 and 9. The teacher overheard him and asked how old he was. I told her he just turned 2 and she seemed impressed. I asked if that was good for his age and she said that many of the kids in the preschool wouldn't know those numbers by sight. When I told Jeff this story he says "Well that doesn't say much about their program there, does it". I laughed pretty hard, but it's a good thing he wasn't there at the time! :)

Hudson also impressed me the other day when we were writing on the chalkboard. I helped him draw a t and he starts making the t sound! But then when I tried other letters he kept making the same sound. Oh well.

I am impressed with how he continues to see pictures in other objects. He spilled some milk the other day and ran a finger through it. Then he points and says "airplane". Today when we were working in the garden he was finding other shapes in the dirt that spilled on the wood border. I can't remember right now what it was, but it's always neat for me to get a glimpse of the world through his eyes.

I forgot... he's also been into counting objects. The other day he looked up at the kitchen ceiling and said, "5...6". I looked up and saw he was counting the 6 can lights up there. He's been doing the same thing with his toy cars. He is just a sponge these days!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Where is God?

Tonight before bed, we watched a Veggie Tales video called "Where's God When I'm Scared". After the show I turned off the tv and shuffled the kids towards the bathroom to get ready for bed. Kaylee began complaining that it was dark. I asked her what we just learned on the video...that God is always with us and He's bigger than anything we might be afraid of.

"But I can't see God", she complained.

"Yep, God is invisible, and He's always with us to keep us safe" I replied.

"Where is He? Maybe He's in the walls" (knock, knock)

"Hmm...could be. I never thought of that."

:)

Friday, September 10, 2010

Bunk Beds

We are entering into a new phase of our lives. The kids will share a room as we make ready for baby #3.

Wish us luck, and please, pray for us!!
p.s. check out the amazing quilt my neices and Mom made for Hudson's bed!! They made it out of everyone's old jeans and denim shirts. Very special!

City Bus Adventure

When we're driving around town, my kids LOVE to look for busses. City busses, school busses, big busses, and little busses. For a long time I contemplated going on a bus ride field trip. Finally I just decided to go for it.
Step one. Gotta look cool.
Step 2. Make sure you have the right amount of change for the bus fare.
Step 3. Know the route, the schedule, and have a plan.
This is the bus we were GOING to ride until I realized I needed fare for the return trips. So I had to herd everyone back to the car to steal some change from my daughter's piggy bank. Really...I did that. I'm not ashamed. I figure she owes me.

So we had a great time waiting for the NEXT bus to arrive a half hour later.
We rode the bus to a park and had a wonderful afternoon of swings, slides, and throwing rocks into water. Then we rode the bus back to the station and went out for some Mc Donalds. Pretty fun adventure.



First Day of Preschool

Kaylee started preschool this month. She is going to Evergreen Christian, which is only a few miles from our home. She LOVES it! She loves her teachers Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Van. She loves that her best friend Emily is in her class. She will be there three days a week for three hours each day. Hopefully this will also give Hudson and I some quality alone time that he's never had before.