Monday, April 30, 2012

Project Life Tuesday

Tuesday 24

Playing nicely and having a picnic in the house!

Wednesday 25

Julianne loves the Chick fil a waffle fries.  I bet Jax would too, if he would sit down long enought to eat.  But that slide.its just callinng name!

Thursday 26

I love it when Julie cuddles with my stuffed dog Buffy.  This was one of my favorite stuffed animals growin up.  In fact, when we moved to a new town when I was 9 years old, he was the only toy I was allowed to keep out of the box during the move.

Friday 27

I was rocking little Julie for her nap when Jax came up to me and asked if this is how you wear a belt.  Silly boy.  He's really into what is normal and silly.

Saturday 28

I still can't believe this was the way he reached the top shelf in his closet to get some toys down.  We're lucky we didn't have to go to Urgent Care

Sunday 29

"Tah,tah"  which means "tickle, tickle!"

Monday 30

I watched this neat sermon series on arenting online today.  I guess Saddleback has an online campus!  Who knew?

 

RRSK: Letter Cc

Jax is 4 years old.


This week was about the letter Cc.  And Cc is for Camping!  Yes, we have done camping already, but I thought we would highlight some of the fun stuff that Jax loved the last time.  (All links to the sources we used are at the end of the post.)

I started Calendar time back up again! 

Afterwords, he wanted to do Julie's Tot School magnet tray.  Um, ok!

We placed the magnets on the dots, clipped clothes pins onto the tray, made a smily face out of letters, and played "Guess the words" a sight word game I made up (which he thought was so much fun!).

Jaxson cut out his RRSK Bible verse and taped it together. Jax thought it was long!

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Cutting, glueing, and sorting with the Bird Pattern Worksheet from Homeschool Creations Bird Preschool Pack. 

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Subtraction Firefly clip cards from Making Learning if fun.  These are awesome!  I wanted Jax to use his brain a little more with these clip cards.  There was a lot of dialogue going on such as "taking away" and "how many are left." 

Drawing Cc pictures from RRSK.

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Sorting Letter Cc Word Pictures from RRSK.

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Jax loved the Camping Clip Wheel.  He just thought it was so cool that it was in a circle.

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Campfire Shape Match from Making Learning Fun was a little too easy for him.  But I loved how there were a variety of shapes so we could talk about the different names.

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Cutting and gluing with the Camping Patterns Worksheet by Homeschool Creations.  Jax has trouble with patterns but each week I notice improvement!

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Sources:

RRSK Letter Cc by 1+1+1=1

N Magnet Page by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Bird Preschool Pack by Homeschool Creations

Firefly Clip Cards from Making Learning Fun

Camping Clip & Learn Wheel by 1+1+1=1

Campfire Shape Sorter by Making Learning Fun

Camping Preschool Pack from Homeschool Creations.

I'm linking up to Preschool Corner at Homeschool Creations!

 

2012 Goals Update {April}

I thought it might be time to do a little update...just to see how on track I am on my 2012 goals.  Here is my update for April:

Financial

Start putting money into savings. (Yes.)

Starting a Christmas fund. (Yes.)

Vacation fund. (Update:  Got a little bit in there!)

School

Plan out the year with Tot School.  (Update:  The year is planned out and modified for us.  I'm starting Julie on Tot School very slowly with about 2 posts a month on her.)

Home Management

Make a cleaning schedule and stick to it weekly. (Update:  This list is not going to work for me.  Time to admit it.  So now I am trying a modified cleaning list from Little Green Notebook.)

Personal

Books

Here is the list I want to read.  Again, I'm shooting under the table because if I finish this list, I can ADD MORE.  What a revoultion!

The Hole in the Gospel by Richard Sterns  (I felt that the Part 1, 2, and 3 were too long.  And Parts 4 and 5 were too short!  But overall a good read.  Some great principles and ideas discussed in here.)

Real Marriage by Mark Driscoll  (Finished.  It took me almost all month to read this.  It was not interesting.)

Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

The Hunger Games by Suzane Collins

The Help by Kathryn Stockett  (Fantastic book!  But after reading the book, the movie was very disappointing.)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen  (Finished.  Love, love, love it!  Can't wait to watch the movie.  It will probably disappoint me.)

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

More Lost Than Found by Jared Herd

Kisses from Katie by Katie J. Davis  (A great read about an amazing young lady following Jesus to Africa.  Highly reccomend!)

Radical by David Platt

Book read with YA Book Club at church:

1000 Gifts by Ann Voskmap (Highly recommend!)

Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton  (Reading this right now.  Lot's of great insight in this book!)

Books I've added on:

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Bible Study time

Memorize the book of James  (Memorized to verse 21.)

Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore (Finished.  So good!)

Study Ephesians with Good Morning Girls.  (Done!)

31 Days to Pray for your Children from Keep it Personal

Whew...in just a month, I've accomplished a lot!

Week in the Life {Review}

I thought after an intense week of picture and note taking, that I would decompress and share my thoughts.

First, I was a little disappointed with this week.  I wanted to catch a slice of "an ordinary" week for our family.

Last week was the furthest from ordinary. 

Justin worked a lot more than he normally does.  He didn't even take a day off on Monday like he normally does.  Jaxson acted out a lot.  Time-outs were plentiful.  Tot School was also unorganized.  We never do Tot School on Saturdays.  And yet this last week we did.

And then it hit me.  I'm not going to find an ordinary week.  Each week is crazy, yet "normal" in its own way.  And that's ok.  It's my job to find the joy in each week.  And the joy in each day.

Observations:

Get ready before the kids wake up in the morning!  I don't know why I need to continually tell myself that, but I do.

I also need to remember to buckle Julie in her highchair.  That girl does not sit still!

Coffee is an extremely important part of my day.

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And so are Moonpies.  I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to them.

Overheard:

"Barney Beach is back!" Jax talking about Netflix putting one of his favorite Barney episode back in the library.

"I love my new sippy cup!"  Jax talking about his new Toy Story sippy cups he picked out.

"Momma, I want to know you something." What Jax says to me when he wants to tell me something important.

"Oh, that sounds nummy!" What Jax said when we told him that we were going to Chick fil a for a Banana Cream Pie shake.

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"Ma!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Julie says loudly when she needs me for something.

"Are you going to look like Angelina Ballerina tomorrow for church?" Jax asked me on Saturday night.  He's referring to the fact that Angelina wears a dress and he wanted me to wear a dress too.

"Tah,Tah"  Julie's way of saying "tickle, tickle!"

Gratitude:

Chick fil a!  A slide/play area indoors is just pure genius!

I'm very thankful that the "water" under my kitchen sink was not a leaking pipe.  Instead it was just about a gallon of spilled vinegar.  Smelly, but easy to clean up.

Favorite Moment:

Jax and Julie doing my hair.  It was a rat's nest by the time they were done.  And yet Jax still talks about that!  (See little Julie in the corner?  She was working hard!)

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Julie giving me lots of slobbery kisses!

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We went to get the mail and Alma sent a package to Julie.  (Jax's was coming UPS.)  Jax was so excited over the package.  But I told him that this one was for Julie.  So he proceeded to read to me what Alma "wrote", "Dear Doolie.  I miss you."

Julie using her baby food as ketchup to dip her food into.  So gross and so funny all at the same time!

Julie tickling us whenever we sit at the dining room table.

Ah, fun memories!

This week inspired me to be more mindful of taking pictures and document more of what the kids say.  I often get so caught up in the dishes, laundry, dinner plans etc. that I think I will do it later, only to forget it.

I plan on making a photo book of this week.  I have a gift card to spend and look forward to seeing how it will turn out!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Week in the Life {Sunday}

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8:45am:  Jax was so excited for church this morning!  He ran to the door.  We were still at the car unloading!

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Sermon was based on 1 John 3.

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10:00am:  The first graders were at Holywood today..which meant a movie and popcorn for us!  (What a great breakfast!)

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3:30pm:  After quiet time, Jax was into making stuff.  And by stuff, I mean anything that required markers, scissors, and a LARGE amount of glue.

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Meanwhile, Julie wanted to tickle us as we worked.  Jax kept calling her a "silly girl."

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4:30pm:  Mulit-tasking at it's finest.  Since Justin was working tonight, it was pancakes and eggs tonight.  And in between flips, I would cut and organize coupons!

I'm linking up to Week in the Life at Ali Edwards.

Week in the Life {Saturday}

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I walked into Jax's room this morning and saw this.  Apparently, he really needed something off the shelf in his closet.  And instead of asking his parents for help, he decided he would risk breaking his neck.

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Miss Julie is enjoying Jax's hats.

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Running errands today with a reindeer in the backseat.

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Tot School with Daddy today!  What a treat!

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You can take the boy out of Washington, but you can't take Washington out of the boy!  Sock+Sandals=totally acceptable on the island.  Notsomuch here!

I'm linking to Week in the Life at Ali Edwards.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Week in the Life 2012 {Friday}

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1.  Glasses arrived at 8:30am this morning.  Why yes, Jax and I answered the door in our pajamas!

2.  The highlight of my morning routine for the kids?  Plugging in the vacuum and turning it on. 

3.  Playing somewhat nicely with each other.

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4.  Julie laughing and being silly.

5.  And by being silly, I mean that she was using her Banana and Pumpkin baby food like ketchup.  Everything was being dunked!

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6.  Naptime bottle.

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7.  A box arrives!  This is a high light of Jax's day!  Thanks Alma!

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8.  Jax's blue flip flop found!  In the outside storage closet?

9.  It's never too early to celebrate Christmas!

10.  New Milestone Alert!  Julie can now get on and off the dump truck all by herself.

11.  Backyard beauty.

I'm linking to Week in the Life at Ali Edwards.

 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Week in the Life 2012 {Thursday}

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Kids have so much passion for life.  Everything is a joy to them.  Like rolled down windows.  I would never think that would bring me joy.  In fact, a rolled down window is really just going to mess up my hair.  But to Jax, it is a moment for him to experience the cool country air blowing on his face.

When did the fresh air become a burden to me?

I'm taking a different approach to today's post.  We traveled to a church camp about 1 1/2 away for a tour.  We were on the road most of the day.

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I love early morning thunderstorms!

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Jax played with the couch cushions yet again this morning.  Today there were a slide and a tent!

Meanwhile, Julie was stuffing her doll into the stoller.  And then taking her out and flinging her on the floor.  She's gonna be a great mother someday.

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We drove into a crazy storm.  Lots and lots of rain.

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We arrive and its so pretty there!  While waiting for the tour, one of the employees found a frog to show Jaxson.  He was alittle aprehensive, but curious.

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Evos.  I wonder if it was a good idea for them to put the stickers (intended for all the different varieties of ketchup) for Jax to see?

A superhero visits us.  Jax, I mean, Super Jax was quite impressive twirling around in his blanket cape.

It's fun to see the world through Jax's eyes.  Joy is rain puddles, jumping frogs, rolled down windows, a game of tag, stickers, and being a superhero.

I'm linking to Week in the Life at Ali Edwards!