Deacon is 4 1/2 now, so I am going to start doing some more "organized" preschool with him this fall. I have decided to have monthly themes and just weave all subjects into those themes. I asked Deacon what he would like to learn in preschool. He gave me three things he wanted to learn: 1. How to call all of the people he knows on the phone. 2. How to make his bed and 3. How to make pretty pictures like the ones on our walls.
We read a lot, but I am going to start getting more nonfiction from the library. These are my guidelines, but I will adjust and change things as needed. For example, if he is ready to learn to read in September, we will go for it! I also want to include Roman as much as he is interested.
Deacon will also have his Cubbie work from church and Gym and Swim. I also hope to become a little more organized with their household jobs this fall and maybe add an allowence. We will see!
So here is the plan (by the way, I made this plan in under 10 minutes. Feel free to remind me of anything I may have forgotten). I am sure I will be doing a lot of adding and subtracting!:
SEPTEMBER: Weather Month
* Daily weather predictions and learning how to use the online weather tools
* 30 day weather notebook
* Working with Noah on taking pictures of sky
* Writing out weather related words
* counting and adding related to weather theme (ie: How many windy days this week etc.)
* Books from the library about weather
* Possibly a field trip to the local TV station
OCTOBER: Calendar Month
* Books from library about Seasons
* Make a calendar
* Make a Seasons themed book
* Learn months, days, seasons
* Writing out months, days, seasons
* Learn how numbers work on a calendar
* Introduce reading a clock
NOVEMBER: Domestic Month
*Learn address, phone number
*Concentrate on simple household chores
* Learn etiquette for placing phone calls
* Teach about 911 and emergencies
* Books about 911 and emergencies
* Possible field trip to Police Station
* Review Shapes and Colors
DECEMBER: Christmas and Cooking
* Books about Christmas
* Cooking with kids
* Teaching simple cooking related math
* Write out some favorite recipes (or use pictures)
* Christmas cards and crafts
JANUARY: Animal Emphasis
* Animal math games
* Animal classifications (mammels, reptiles etc)
* Field trip to pet store, aquarium etc.
* Possibly purchase a fish??!!
* Lots of animal books from library
* Animal crafts
* Writing out animal names, matching with pictures etc
FEBRUARY: Math Emphasis/History Emphasis
* Lots of math games
* Biographies from the library
* Writing Deacon's own biography
MARCH: Alphabet/Reading
* more concentrated work on phonics if he is interested
* Make alphabet book with Deacon and Roman
* Lots of reading
APRIL: Science emphasis
* Plants!
* Starting indoor flowers
* Learn about how things grow etc.
* Lots of reading on plants, growth etc.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
100 things about me
1. I often overestimate how much I can get done in 1 day
2. I make a lot of lists
3. I struggle with clutter. I blame this on a foolish decision I made long ago.
4. Long ago I had a Rainbow Brite Sprite. (Question: What can kill a sprite?)
5. Long ago my sister and I played a game with the sprite. It's name was Red Nose Tweaks.
6. Long ago I wanted money.
7. Long ago I sold my Red Nose Tweaks at a garage sale.
8. I have always regretted selling the Sprite at the garage sale.
9. Now I struggle with clutter.
10. I married a man who is very thoughtful.
11. He bought me a Sprite on ebay. But I still struggle with clutter.
12. I like to save my money
13. One time my sister wanted a little kitten in a basket. She had no money
14. I had money so I bought the kitten in the basket, even though I don't like cats
15. I just wanted to flaunt that I had money.
16. I have never been athletic
17. In 5th grade softball I pitched once at practice. I was really good.
18. I pitched the next day in a game. I stunk.
19. 16 years later I tried to pitch during a softball game. I was 9 months pregnant and they made me quit.
20. I am trying to discover my inner athlete.
21. I like goals
22. I just had to go upstairs and take the cinnemon sugar bowl away from my 2 year old. He was eating it in his crib.
23. I worry about my 2 year old
24. But then I remember that I like to eat sugar straight up too.
25. I don't eat sugar in my bed though.
26. I go back to worrying about my 2 year old.
27. My husband and I used to write letters to each other in jr. high and high school
28. We still have all the letters.
29. My husband won't read them. I will.
30. I liked my husband in 7th grade.
31. I like him better now.
32. I don't buy paper towels
33. I scoffed at my husband when he said he wanted two computer monitors at home
34. Now I love my 2 monitors
35. I thought it was a little excessive when I got a pair of Keen Sandals
36. My Keen sandals are my favorite item of apparel I own
37. I never have diapers when I need them.
38. I never can find anything in my purse
39. I never can find my cell phone.
40. I really wanted a Keen bag.
41. Noah bought me the Keen bag for Mother's Day
42. I was told that the Keen bag would not make me more organized.
43. I am not more organized with my Keen bag.
44. But I do feel cooler.
45. I keep my cell phone in my car
46. Even when I am not in my car
47. I always miss calls on my phone.
48. I like preschoolers
49. I love to watch my children interact with other children
50. My favorite time of day is the evenings
51. I love children's books
52. My husband bought me "Are you My Mother?" for Mother's Day when I was newly pregnant with Deacon.
53. I am an ICU nurse
54. I don't always have a good sense of what normal people think is disgusting
55. It doesn't bother me if my baby pees on me. It is just sweet baby pee. I've seen worse.
56. I can eat a hamburger and french fries for breakfast without batting an eye
57. I will go to parties (tupperware, pampered chef etc) but I will not host one.
58. I have never successfully made Amish Friendship Bread.
59. I always try to complete the complicated process of AFB
60. I walk fast
61. I have a family that God made slow
62. I don't like snakes or rodents
63. I have to call strange men over to kill snakes on my property (I use the word "strange" lightly, Mike)
64. My husband calls me a poor snob
65. That means I look down on people that spend too much money on things.
66. I am working on not being a poor snob while maintaining my ideals of frugality
67. I have a lot of cooking disasters
68. Sometimes I feel like my life should be grander, bigger, more amazing then it is
69. But then I look at all I have and think it is pretty amazing already.
70. I am more of a big picture person
71. I am easily bogged down with details
72. Sometimes I have to pass along details to other people
73. Once I have other people covering the details, I can move on to my next big plan
74. I once made my 4 year old wear my extra shoes into REI because he had forgotten to put his on.
75. People sometimes think my children look like clowns
76. My childrens grandmas are always washing their faces. (I think they think they look like orphans)
77. I am really tired of washing faces.
78. And hands.
79. And other things.
80. I do a lot of laundry.
81. I don't always separate the lights from the whites and the darks from the towels.
82. Sometimes I don't even separate the lights from the darks (shh...don't tell)
83. I figure that the chocolate milk stain on the white shirt kind of makes it a dark, and the koolaid on the kahki sort of turns it into a red anyway.
84. I love my mini van
85. When I forget to ask for a lap counter at the YMCA, I keep track of my laps on my fingers
86. My husband thinks it looks dorky to count laps on my fingers.
87. I think it is dorky not to know how far you have run.
88. I get bogged down in papers.
89. I won't spend over $20 for a pair of jeans.
90. I have never seen the movie "Speed" *gasp*
91. I did once hear the whole plot of the movie "Speed" from a guy at Arbys
92. I live in a chronic state of dehydration
93. I think my goal for the next week is going to hydrate myself
94. I don't know how long it will last because I don't have time to pee.
95. We lived in Terre Haute, IN for a couple of years.
96. I have never cried, or been tempted to cry when my kids get their vaccines
97. I have worked out a plan for how to save my children if our mini van should ever become submerged in some sort of Lake/Pond/River situation
98. I used to go on a lot of walks and to a lot of garage sales
99. I now have children that can climb out of their strollers.
100. I never go to bed when I say I need to.
2. I make a lot of lists
3. I struggle with clutter. I blame this on a foolish decision I made long ago.
4. Long ago I had a Rainbow Brite Sprite. (Question: What can kill a sprite?)
5. Long ago my sister and I played a game with the sprite. It's name was Red Nose Tweaks.
6. Long ago I wanted money.
7. Long ago I sold my Red Nose Tweaks at a garage sale.
8. I have always regretted selling the Sprite at the garage sale.
9. Now I struggle with clutter.
10. I married a man who is very thoughtful.
11. He bought me a Sprite on ebay. But I still struggle with clutter.
12. I like to save my money
13. One time my sister wanted a little kitten in a basket. She had no money
14. I had money so I bought the kitten in the basket, even though I don't like cats
15. I just wanted to flaunt that I had money.
16. I have never been athletic
17. In 5th grade softball I pitched once at practice. I was really good.
18. I pitched the next day in a game. I stunk.
19. 16 years later I tried to pitch during a softball game. I was 9 months pregnant and they made me quit.
20. I am trying to discover my inner athlete.
21. I like goals
22. I just had to go upstairs and take the cinnemon sugar bowl away from my 2 year old. He was eating it in his crib.
23. I worry about my 2 year old
24. But then I remember that I like to eat sugar straight up too.
25. I don't eat sugar in my bed though.
26. I go back to worrying about my 2 year old.
27. My husband and I used to write letters to each other in jr. high and high school
28. We still have all the letters.
29. My husband won't read them. I will.
30. I liked my husband in 7th grade.
31. I like him better now.
32. I don't buy paper towels
33. I scoffed at my husband when he said he wanted two computer monitors at home
34. Now I love my 2 monitors
35. I thought it was a little excessive when I got a pair of Keen Sandals
36. My Keen sandals are my favorite item of apparel I own
37. I never have diapers when I need them.
38. I never can find anything in my purse
39. I never can find my cell phone.
40. I really wanted a Keen bag.
41. Noah bought me the Keen bag for Mother's Day
42. I was told that the Keen bag would not make me more organized.
43. I am not more organized with my Keen bag.
44. But I do feel cooler.
45. I keep my cell phone in my car
46. Even when I am not in my car
47. I always miss calls on my phone.
48. I like preschoolers
49. I love to watch my children interact with other children
50. My favorite time of day is the evenings
51. I love children's books
52. My husband bought me "Are you My Mother?" for Mother's Day when I was newly pregnant with Deacon.
53. I am an ICU nurse
54. I don't always have a good sense of what normal people think is disgusting
55. It doesn't bother me if my baby pees on me. It is just sweet baby pee. I've seen worse.
56. I can eat a hamburger and french fries for breakfast without batting an eye
57. I will go to parties (tupperware, pampered chef etc) but I will not host one.
58. I have never successfully made Amish Friendship Bread.
59. I always try to complete the complicated process of AFB
60. I walk fast
61. I have a family that God made slow
62. I don't like snakes or rodents
63. I have to call strange men over to kill snakes on my property (I use the word "strange" lightly, Mike)
64. My husband calls me a poor snob
65. That means I look down on people that spend too much money on things.
66. I am working on not being a poor snob while maintaining my ideals of frugality
67. I have a lot of cooking disasters
68. Sometimes I feel like my life should be grander, bigger, more amazing then it is
69. But then I look at all I have and think it is pretty amazing already.
70. I am more of a big picture person
71. I am easily bogged down with details
72. Sometimes I have to pass along details to other people
73. Once I have other people covering the details, I can move on to my next big plan
74. I once made my 4 year old wear my extra shoes into REI because he had forgotten to put his on.
75. People sometimes think my children look like clowns
76. My childrens grandmas are always washing their faces. (I think they think they look like orphans)
77. I am really tired of washing faces.
78. And hands.
79. And other things.
80. I do a lot of laundry.
81. I don't always separate the lights from the whites and the darks from the towels.
82. Sometimes I don't even separate the lights from the darks (shh...don't tell)
83. I figure that the chocolate milk stain on the white shirt kind of makes it a dark, and the koolaid on the kahki sort of turns it into a red anyway.
84. I love my mini van
85. When I forget to ask for a lap counter at the YMCA, I keep track of my laps on my fingers
86. My husband thinks it looks dorky to count laps on my fingers.
87. I think it is dorky not to know how far you have run.
88. I get bogged down in papers.
89. I won't spend over $20 for a pair of jeans.
90. I have never seen the movie "Speed" *gasp*
91. I did once hear the whole plot of the movie "Speed" from a guy at Arbys
92. I live in a chronic state of dehydration
93. I think my goal for the next week is going to hydrate myself
94. I don't know how long it will last because I don't have time to pee.
95. We lived in Terre Haute, IN for a couple of years.
96. I have never cried, or been tempted to cry when my kids get their vaccines
97. I have worked out a plan for how to save my children if our mini van should ever become submerged in some sort of Lake/Pond/River situation
98. I used to go on a lot of walks and to a lot of garage sales
99. I now have children that can climb out of their strollers.
100. I never go to bed when I say I need to.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Wrong Sport
We are less then 2 weeks away from race day and we are starting to get nervous. What if we panic? What if we can't finish? What if we are last? What if it is a lot harder then we could ever imagine? What if we get flat tires?
There is not much we can do about it at this point, but still the questions remain.
I have been doing some reading though and can you believe that the annual mean income for triathletes (according to a survey in 2006) is $161,000?! I think we are in the wrong sport - it is just too tempting to buy all the "proper" gear. If you are just focusing on 1 thing there is only so much to buy - with 3 legs of the journey, the possibilities are endless!
All I can say is, this better not be our last event!
There is not much we can do about it at this point, but still the questions remain.
I have been doing some reading though and can you believe that the annual mean income for triathletes (according to a survey in 2006) is $161,000?! I think we are in the wrong sport - it is just too tempting to buy all the "proper" gear. If you are just focusing on 1 thing there is only so much to buy - with 3 legs of the journey, the possibilities are endless!
All I can say is, this better not be our last event!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Pizza Hut: An Attempt at a Dining Experience
Facts:
*Kids have free personal pan pizza coupons from the library reading program
*The kids like pizza
*Deacon loves restaurants
*We had no other plans for supper
Conclusion:
*Perfect time to go to Pizza Hut for for a lovely family dinner.
Here is what happened:
Pull into the parking lot.
Noah: "hope we can get a table!" (smirk, smirk)
Julie rolls eyes (note: only 2 cars in the parking lot)
We walk in.
Deacon: "Wow! This is a FANCY place! Look! They have fruits and vegetables!" (admiring the salad bar)
Waitress: "4 1/2? Would you like a booth or a table?"
Noah: "one of the corner booths, please"
*we are seated at Noah's nostalgic corner booth. Unfortunantly, it is within 2 year old arm reach of the neon sign*
Julie: "Roman, turn around. Stop messing with the sign"
Then we have a long conversation with the waitress about drinks and whether or not they have chocolate milk in stock. She doesn't think that they do.
Noah: "Roman, don't lick the top of the parmeson cheese. Julie, why don't you come and sit down here so we are not at opposite ends of the table?" (I come down and sit across from him, please note that.)
*Kids have free personal pan pizza coupons from the library reading program
*The kids like pizza
*Deacon loves restaurants
*We had no other plans for supper
Conclusion:
*Perfect time to go to Pizza Hut for for a lovely family dinner.
Here is what happened:
Pull into the parking lot.
Noah: "hope we can get a table!" (smirk, smirk)
Julie rolls eyes (note: only 2 cars in the parking lot)
We walk in.
Deacon: "Wow! This is a FANCY place! Look! They have fruits and vegetables!" (admiring the salad bar)
Waitress: "4 1/2? Would you like a booth or a table?"
Noah: "one of the corner booths, please"
*we are seated at Noah's nostalgic corner booth. Unfortunantly, it is within 2 year old arm reach of the neon sign*
Julie: "Roman, turn around. Stop messing with the sign"
Then we have a long conversation with the waitress about drinks and whether or not they have chocolate milk in stock. She doesn't think that they do.
Noah: "Roman, don't lick the top of the parmeson cheese. Julie, why don't you come and sit down here so we are not at opposite ends of the table?" (I come down and sit across from him, please note that.)
Julie: "What do you want on your pizzas? Pepperoni? Roman, don't unplug the sign! Turn around, man!"
Waitress: "are you ready to order?"
Deacon: "I want cheesy bread"
Julie: "No. We have the coupons, remember? Cute little personal pizzas. That is what we are getting. Roman, stop climbing the back of the booth!"
Waitress leaves
Noah: "Roman, you are going to spill that! Keep your straw in your cup!"
Deacon gets up and walks away.
Noah: "Where are you going?"
Deacon: "I gotta go to the bathroom"
Noah: "ok, I will take you" they exit
Roman: "where is our car?" (looking out the window) "oh, there it is. Where is more cars? Oh, I guess there are some driving."
Roman climbs down and starts walking away.
Julie: "Roman, where are you going?"
Roman: "I need to go potty"
Thankfully, before I had to haul the baby out of his seat, Noah came back with Deacon and quickly exited again with Roman.
Deacon: "That bathroom was just beautiful. They had pictures in there. It reminded me of the bathrooms in Space Aliens where there are so many pictures"
*note: Deacon likes flowery bathrooms and pictures. We have neither. He is very anti girly for himself, but he loves to compliment me when I wear a dress with flowers on it and he is quick to compliment a hostess who has a flowery bathroom.*
Noah: (back from the bathroom) "Roman, be careful with your drink. Please"
Noah: "can we get some more napkins here?"
Noah: "Roman, you have to be more careful. Don't tip it that way."
Noah: "Roman, you are going to spill your juice. Just hold it like this and suck on the straw."
Unfortunantly, at that precise moment, as Noah reached over the table to help Roman, he knocked over his full glass of pop. All over the table and all over me. (Remember, he had invited me to his end of the table.)
Julie (laughing hysterically): "Now that was ironic!"
Noah: "well, I am glad you think this is funny."
Deacon: "Dad, do you need some more napkins down there?"
Pizza arrives
Deacon: "Oh, they are so cute! AHHHHH"
Julie: "What's wrong?"
Deacon "I have a problem."
somehow Deacon had managed to get fruit punch all over the front and back of his shorts in a splash pattern. He must have spilled some and then thrashed around in it.
Noah and Julie eat
20 min later
Noah: "Guys, between the 3 of you, you have eaten less then one slice of a personal pan pizza. Are you going to eat any more?"
Roman picks up the babies discarded piece, licks it and puts it back on the table. He then turns back to the neon sign.
Julie (still laughing): "Well, I guess we have supper for tomorrow night too!"
The end.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Beach Day!
We went to the chlorinated pond on Friday. It was kind of cool because when we arrived it was raining and so we were the only ones on the beach. Well, us and the seagulls. As soon as the rain stopped all of the mini vans that had been circling the parking lot parked and invaded our private beach. We had to go to the beach despite the rain because it had been carefully planned so that Lincoln could go to my moms house while we went. (thanks, Mom!) It had also been carefully planned so that two of my friends could go along. So we went, and it was too bad that it rained, but we still had fun.
FRIEND 1:
This is Liz. The boys call her Teacher Liz because she co-teaches Deacon's Sunday School class. We like to hang out with her and the boys talk about her a lot. In fact, one time we went with her to the mall and a fancy park and they still talk about "the places where Teacher Liz took us". I like that she is willing to do stuff with me even though there are a lot of little guys with us!
FRIEND 2:
Noah buying him the sweatband didn't stick. He still wears my headbands.
FRIEND 1:
This is Liz. The boys call her Teacher Liz because she co-teaches Deacon's Sunday School class. We like to hang out with her and the boys talk about her a lot. In fact, one time we went with her to the mall and a fancy park and they still talk about "the places where Teacher Liz took us". I like that she is willing to do stuff with me even though there are a lot of little guys with us!FRIEND 2:
This is Becki. She has been a friend of mine for a long time, but she just got married so we haven't seen her as much. The boys were so happy to have her hang out with us for the morning. Let me point out now that you can see from the picture that Becki is a small person. I just wanted to make that clear.
Here are the boys and Becki on the tire swing. I had to post this picture because Deacon was having some issues with his trunks, and this picture seemed the least offensive. All my boys have problems with their trunks. I think it is because they are usually hand me downs and the elastic is often shot.
Noah buying him the sweatband didn't stick. He still wears my headbands.Deacon was sitting on Becki's back while she was swimming. I said, "oh, Roman, look. It looks like Deacon is riding a dolphin!". Roman says, "no, Mom!" She's not a dolphin! She's a whale. A humpback Whale!"
Well, I'd better get going. I have a lot to do: 1. Teach boys to wear underwear 2. Teach boys to keep their swimming trunks hoisted up 3. Teach boys that we don't pee in bushes (unless specifically told to by mommy or daddy) 4. Teach boys not to refer to girls/women as whales.
This may take some time.
Thanks Liz and Becki for coming with us! We had fun!
Friday, July 25, 2008
New Pictures!
Lincoln and cousin Ben inspecting something. I love Lincoln's little feet. 
No one is screaming, so they must have both been satisfied with the distribution of property.
Deacon with his new Spiderman blanket from Janet. He LOVES it!Thursday, July 24, 2008
Blog Anniversary Day!
1 year ago today I started blogging. The plan was just to post some pictures and cute kid stories for my sis in Brazil to read and so that the out of town relatives could see pictures of the kids without me having to send them. But for me it has changed into something more personal, and now I really enjoy blogging and connecting with others in bloggy land. Noah thinks it is funny. He never thought it would stick. And I thought he would do more of the blogging, since he likes to write. But it really is my site, not his and now I am a little possessive about it. He is allowed to post, but he really should get permission first :) Of course he is allowed to comment as much as he likes, and he can get his 2 cents in that way.
My hundreth post flew by with no mention at all. In fact, I had no idea that it had come and gone until I saw that I was almost to 1 year and noticed how many posts I have written. So I was a little sad, because I missed the "100 facts about you" post that is supposed to happen on your 100th post. So I am going to do it today, in honor of the anniversary of The Antics of the Three 22nds!
My hundreth post flew by with no mention at all. In fact, I had no idea that it had come and gone until I saw that I was almost to 1 year and noticed how many posts I have written. So I was a little sad, because I missed the "100 facts about you" post that is supposed to happen on your 100th post. So I am going to do it today, in honor of the anniversary of The Antics of the Three 22nds!
1. I often over estimate how much I can get done in a day
to be continued...
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