Day 18 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Last week we finished learning about dinosaurs for science.  We worked our way through the book The Great Dinosaur Mystery and the Bible.  We had discussions, Kent and Katy answered many questions and we did several experiments, too.  In one experiment we learned about animal cell structure and in another we learned about the head and tail balancing the dinosaur.  The kids made dinosaurs with Legos, too.  One day we even watched I Dig Dinosaurs which my mom gave the kids.

Animal Cell Structure

Our next unit in science will have us learning more about the constellations.

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Day 17 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Today is Veteran's Day.  We made sure that our Flag is flying in the front yard this morning.  We will sing our National Anthem after saying the Pledge of Allegiance.  We will use Uncle Rick's Veteran's Day Story to learn more about this holiday.  We will also make a Patriotic Star Wreath and we will work on a Veteran's Day Word Search.

-Sometimes on a holiday we have a day of lessons that focus more on that holiday's theme.

Update:  We also watched an online video of the changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  On Kent's patriotic wreath we wrote, "Thank you for your service to our country."  Then we put it on our neighbor's easy chair in his garage, because he is a veteran.


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Day 16 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

This whole week I've felt like I haven't been on top of school.  Partly, because I didn't make my weekly plans.  When those days happen I try to make sure we are just doing the basics.  This week we've worked on English Grammar, some writing,  a little math, reading, storytime and a little bit of science.  I know when we stay on top of these subjects we can catch up again easily in science and history, when we get back to our regular schedule.  In place of some of our school we've had low key days, Legos, a show from Netflix or two, more play, working on keeping house, sewing, play-doh,  errands, and getting ready for and packing shoe-boxes.  This is the time of year when I want to take a back seat and enjoy the season right before Thanksgiving and leading up to Christmas, but I know that in order to have a month off in December we need to make sure we are still getting enough work done each school day to not get behind.

Counting it Joy in Novemeber - Week 1

This month I am working on counting it joy.  A couple years ago I wrote about James 1:2-4 and really enjoyed the experience.  So once a week this month I plan to show you a list of the things that I can think of being joyful and blessings of things that have taken place this week.

1.  A broken bowl - no one was injured when Katy dropped a serving bowl that literally exploded all over the kitchen and beyond.
2.  A crick in my neck - I get to care for my own baby and sometimes that means sleeping in odd positions after getting up with Quinn during the night.
3.  Big children helping little children get breakfast.
4. Sewing - something I enjoy doing, but often don't feel like I have the time to work on projects.  It's satisfactory to complete something, whether it is mending or a project that I've been wanting to sew.
5. Jeff coming into the kitchen and seeing that the dishwasher needs to be filled and doing it.
6.  Interruptions - shows that the kids need me in their lives, even when it takes me 30 minutes to remake the bed.
7.  Playing a grand piano for a friend who is learning some songs that she needs to practice singing.  -I never thought I'd be practicing on a grand piano.

Day 15 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

I didn't get ready for school today as I had hoped, so I decided to go with what was on the schedule for last Friday, that we didn't do.  We did some math, science, Bible and chores around the house.  I also put a movie on for the littles in the middle of the day, which is almost unheard of.  The older ones watched, too.  They enjoyed their movie time and lunch was ready for them when it was over.  Kent decided to spend some time playing the piano this afternoon.  He was enjoying figuring out how to play Amazing Grace from the hymnbook.

November Skirts

I made November skirts for Katy and Kaomi today.  So we had an impromptu photo shoot...

Kaomi's November Skirt

Katy's November Skirt

And because I think my girls are beautiful...

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Day 14 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

We try to go to the library every week or two.  It is a great resource for books when we are studying a certain topic in school.  When I plan ahead I can put a hold on books that we want to borrow from our own library as well as other libraries that are in our consortium.  The kids enjoy borrowing books that go along with their interests.  Sometimes I give the kids an assignment to look for books on a specific topic or genre.  Then they get to peruse the shelf looking for a book in the criteria that interests them.  They can also ask the librarians or me for help when they don't know where to look or can't find what they want.  Yesterday we came home with books about octopi, mysteries, American Girls, football, healthy eating, and thanksgiving as well as many others.  I didn't give any specific assignments, but you can see that there is quite a variety.

Day 13 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Today is "Teacher's Day".  I try to take the first Monday of every month off to work on things that get missed when we are schooling or just have a break.  This time we were able to take last Friday off, so we have had a four day weekend.  Today I will be finishing up working on the great clothing switch out which I have been working on since Friday and I have a small amount of mending I would like to get completed.  I also hope to get our school plans for the rest of the week ready to be used on Tuesday.

A Homemaker's Prayer

I came across a poem called A Homemaker's Prayer.  I think it is a wonderful poem about the things that I do in my home.  You can read it on Joanie's blog at Simple Living Mama.

Day 12 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

For Halloween, we host an event where we serve our community.  We serve hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips for free as an outreach of Christ's love on the evening that everyone will come to our door.  It is sponsored by our church and small group Bible study.  Our children help get ready and serve where they can during the event.  The next morning we serve our community again, by going out and cleaning up any trash that is on our street and in our neighbors' yards, which may have generated from the event in our home.  This year I just had to laugh as our children who have been arguing with each other frequently, went out to pick up trash and argued over who would pick up different pieces.  They all wanted to pick up the same pieces.

Day 11 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

In our homeschool I require every assignment on a loose piece of paper to have a name and date on it.  Since I have up to three children and sometimes toddlers doing the assignments I don't need to be trying to figure out their work and writing their name and the date when they can do it while completing the page.  If their work is in a notebook or folder I require the date on the page they are completing.  I don't require the date in a workbook that they fill in, but occasionally I will write the date on the page that they finished, just so I have an idea when they might have been working on a certain concept.  I do write the date for Kaomi most of the time, since she hasn't learned that on her own, unless she is copying it.  Even though I require the date and their name, everyone seems to struggle with this most of the time.  I usually mark it for them to add while they do corrections  Am I asking too much? 

Day 10 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Sometimes our homeschool days can be frustrating.  Yesterday it seemed like everyone except Quinn got up on the wrong side of the bed.  There was constant bickering between themselves, arguing with me, grumbling, and it seemed like everyone had gone deaf.  I would give an instruction and it wouldn't get followed.  We were volunteering in the church classrooms and no one seemed to want to help.  If I told them what I expected they either flat out didn't do it, seemed to pretend not to hear me, or turned right around and asked me what they were supposed to do.  It is frustrating to repeat yourself multiple times.  Especially when you see their eyes start to glaze over and you know they aren't paying attention to you, again.  Clark and Lissie were in defiance/disobedience mode all day, too.  I felt like I was in constant correction mode and it didn't even seem that they would get the fact that they weren't obeying.

Day 9 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

For teaching Reading I'm using The Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading.  Kaomi progress slowly through the first part of this book last year and now she is going at a much quicker pace, often completing two lessons without any struggles.  She enjoys reading and will often be found practicing her reading skills on all kinds of books, even chapter books.  I'm not sure if she has ever finished a longer chapter book, but I know she has read several sections from many.  Kent and Katy have a pretty good grasp on reading and for their school reading lessons we use the Drawn into the Heart of Reading program.  Even though they read different books and are in different levels I can use the same teachers' guide.  As we study through a genre there are several lessons that we do together.  I enjoy the aspect of learning together, but still having days where I get to work one on one listening to them read.

Day 8 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

I really like that our curriculum is laid out with easy to follow plans for each day.  I have found that when I write out our plans for the week we can flow through our days more efficiently.  I have a laminated page with our together classes as well as one for each child which has space for me to write for each individual assignment.  I use a dry erase marker, but a wet erase marker would work just as well.  When I've taken the time to write our plan out the children can check their own sheet easily to see what they can work on or what they may need to do with me.  I check off what has been completed and at the end of the day if there is something that still needs to be finished I circle it so we know to work on that  before continuing.

More Pictures from Katy's Birthday

 Happy Birthday, Katy!  I guess I didn't take any pictures of just the cake this time.  She had a strawberry layer cake with strawberry cream cheese icing and pink sprinkles.

Finding out that her present from Daddy and Mommy was a trip to the American Girl Store and she could pick out a doll.  We went to the American Girl Store the day after her birthday and invited Aunt Cathy, Johannah, and Samarah to go with us.  Kent and Clark got to stay home with Uncle Ben and play with Zach.

 At the American Girl Store Katy choose the Marie-Grace Doll and accessories.  Each of the other girls got to choose a mini-doll to take home, too.  Johannah choose Felicity and Samarah chose Elizabeth(?).  Felicity chose Nellie and Kaomi chose Marie-Grace.  Each of the mini dolls comes with a tiny book that tells a little of the story of the doll.

Here's the pictures of the boys.  This one of Kent and Quinn was from Katy's birthday when she was opening her presents.  Kent hadn't wanted his picture taken all day, but waiting for this was worth it.

Kent and Quinn

 When I was taking pictures of the girls with their dolls, Clark wanted in on the action.  Here he tried to photo bomb Kaomi's take, but was happy with the results and ran back up the yard, making sure to stay in most of Kaomi's pictures with his back towards the camera.

Day 7 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

When we have beautiful weather and the kids head outside of their own initiative I don't stop them.  We don't usually take our books outside, but I enjoy hearing them play and knowing that the fresh air and exercise will help them concentrate better on their lessons when they come back inside.  The constant opening and closing of the door, doesn't bother me on a nice day.  The traipsing back and forth through the house to the garage or upstairs to get something to help them in their imaginary play is fun to watch and see what happens.  There are certain things that don't go outside and may get stopped at the door, but when bicycles and balls start being pushed through the house I gently help them get to the destination without harming the furniture or walls.  The chalk dust brushes off easily, so even though it may look messy it cleans up easily.  The back step gets covered with dirt cakes and pies, but easily sweeps away or can be hosed off if needed.  Shoes are on feet and then shed either in the house or out and Clark has yet to figure out that he should take his socks off, too.  I don't allow this type of traipsing back and forth when it is muddy in the yard or when the air is too hot or cool.  Autumn is a great time to play outside all day long for many days here in our home.

Day 6 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Felicity and Clark have been learning about "The Christmas Story" for school this week, so they have been retelling the story using our Little People Nativity Set. 

Find some kitchen chairs in the living room and put them back at the table in the kitchen.

Katy's been having attitude about math this week.  She's not struggling with it, she just doesn't want to do it.  I gave her an ultimatum that she needs to shape up her math and do it right with a good attitude and get caught up to where I think she is supposed to be this week or she will not go to an event this weekend that she has been looking forward to attending.  I'm not sure how I will make that happen, but I will find a way (hopefully I won't have to).

After I gave Katy her ultimatum, I spent 4 minutes rolling up 1/2 roll of trash bags that Clark was dragging around the house.  I found myself laughing a his silliness, even though this isn't the first time.

Kaomi wasn't happy that she got a 62% on her fifth math review this week.  I think that she didn't completely understand the directions for a couple of the problems.  Sometimes she writes her numbers backwards and that factors into her answers as well.  She got an 81% on her fourth review this week, too.  Overall she is doing well, but she hates having to make math corrections.

Kent wants to know if he can take a break "now".  I told him to play with Clark.

We loaded into the van without mishap and went to a doctor appointment.  While there the Dr. wanted to know what it is like to shop with all the kids.  I let him know that I seldom grocery shop with all the kids, because I can't concentrate on finding what I need to get.  Leave and go to Walmart, because if I don't get something for supper we will have to do something else or eat cereal.  Spend a lot of time telling the kids to stay with me and keep their hands off and...checkout and tell the cashier I'm tired when she asks how I'm doing.  On the way home I realize I was in Walmart for at least an hour and a half.

Get the van unloaded, send kids to finish schoolwork or go outside and throw something together for my lunch, because I didn't have time to eat before we had to leave.  Feed Quinn.  Wish for a nap and try to focus on the pile of schoolwork that has been on the table all week.

Put on signing time for Clark, but he decides he's not interested and repeatedly gets in trouble.

I notice that there is a kitchen chair in the living room again.

Kaomi is playing with Lissie and Clark, so I try to finish the schoolwork pile, but my mind isn't thinking very clearly and now I have to figure out what to make for supper too.  I'm overwhelmed with all the noise of kids, the TV, and my mind trying to figure out what I need to do next.  So I work on my blog.  Then tackle the school work pile.  Oh wait, that didn't happen I heard odd sounds coming from my bedroom and Clark was in there playing with pliers.  I don't even know where he found the pliers, since they belong in the garage.  Then I tackled the school work pile...

Day 5 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

This year I've had to start assigning homework.  Most of the time we are able to complete everything that I need to teach for the day before 3:00 pm.  I have one child in particular who likes to be distracted which has caused me to institute a new rule that any assignments not completed by 3:00 are homework and still need to be completed that day, even if they have to stay up past bedtime.  That means if you have homework you get no play time until it is done.  Sometimes I feel mean instituting this, but I think that a certain child would skip school, by not doing the assignments if allowed.  I do occasionally grant lenience if I think there are other circumstances in our life that may have prevented them from completing everything on time.  I don't feel that the assignments are too hard to complete in the time allowed for them during school either or I would be seeking to make changes in what I assign.

Day 4 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

I've been impressed by how much we have been memorizing this year.  We have Memorized Psalm 1:1-6, Psalm 127:3-5, Psalm 9:9-10, and Psalm 34-1-9.  Even Felicity who is three can say most of these verses with little to no prompting when she wants to.  Today we began learning Psalm 98:1.  We will be learning the whole Psalm over the next several weeks.  Once a week we try to review all the verses we have already learned.  This morning Kent, Katy and Kaomi showed me their memorization skills on a poem that they chose to learn by Robert Louis Stevenson.  Kaomi and Katy each chose to learn The Swing and Kent chose to learn Autumn Fires.  They each quoted their poem to our whole school.  They worked on memorizing the poems over the last two school weeks on their own.  This was an assignment I chose to critique and grade.  They all did well receiving 99%, 97%, and 95%.  The critique included addressing issues like speaking too quickly or too softly and playing with hair or touching their faces rather than keeping their hands by their sides.  Only one person needed to be prompted, twice.

Day 3 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Yesterday we had a holiday from school.  We take a holiday for most birthdays.  Since yesterday was Katy's birthday we had a special day to do things that she likes to do and school didn't make the list.  It's nice to have an occasional day to have fun with the kids and not have to worry about a schedule or make sure that everyone did what they were supposed to do before the weekend begins.

Katy's Birthday - 2013

Katy is celebrating her 8th birthday today.  Here's a few pictures from this morning.

Happy 8th Birthday!

Special Place Setting

 She had a special breakfast of Amish Baked Oatmeal, strawberry milk, and a pink donut.  Then we worked on a hat craft to make bonnets like Marie-Grace the American Girl wore.

Fun Hats!

Katy

Felicity

Kaomi

For lunch Katy wanted a picnic in the living room while she watched the American Girl movie Kit.

Day 2 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

With having so many young children in the house it is almost never quiet.  There is a cacophony of sounds that surrounds our homeschool day.  Children are asking for help in the lessons, reviewing memory work, doing their math or other questions out loud, playing  and making all kinds of sounds.  Sometimes there is crying and grumpiness and more often there is laughter and fun.  Kent has some kind of need to almost always be talking or making some kind of noise.  If there is a moment of silence it is rare.  The sounds in our home are often loud, but I enjoy knowing that they are because we choose to school at home and I get to stay home with my children to hear them growing up.   Sometimes I wonder how any learning can take place with all the noise, but it does and the children do learn.  If a child needs to concentrate they may try to find a quieter room or corner to sit in while they work.  Whispering is occasional when we remember to use a quiet voice.

Day 1 in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

Monday this week I wasn't prepared to start school with the kids.  I knew that we needed to get back to work so we started with Bible and then we moved on to English.  For English we wrote notes to some people we know who were in the hospital.  We talked about how we could try to cheer up someone who might not be having a fun day.  We used cards, stickers, paper, stencils and coloring utensils.  Then we went to the library for story and craft time.  When we came home we had some fall decorations to hang in our entry way from the storytime craft.  After lunch, we took the cards that we made and went to visit one of the people we knew who was in the hospital and we gave the other packet of cards to a nurse to deliver to the other person we knew who wasn't allowed to have visitors.  In the evening on Mondays while Jeff and Kent are at CSB we are working on a Girl's Bible Study with my girls, my sister-in-law, and my nieces.

Beginning 30 Days in Our Homeschool - Fall 2013

I've been missing sharing about my family here, so I'm trying to come back, beginning with a series of 30 Days in Our Homeschool.  I plan to highlight some of the activities that we do and some of the extra school activities we get for the fall season.  I won't promise 30 days in a row, but I hope to get close to sharing each day.  I'm planning to start tomorrow.  See you later.

Quote about Patience

I was reading over at The Legacy of Home and this quote caught my attention and I wanted to share it with you.

"One of the greatest things I have learned as a homemaker and mother, is to have incredible patience with life.  One must never act on emotion - never in the moment.  Time is needed to pray, or to consider.  Having simple, quiet days at home, has made this all very clear to me.  Through a trusting patience in the Lord, we have a great contentment. Worries tend not to linger. They fade away as quickly as they came. "

                                                                                           -Mrs. White on Simple Days at Home

If You Were a Fly on the Wall Today

I'm up just after 6:30 am packing lunches, having my quiet time with God in the Psalms, checking my e-mail, correcting more of yesterday's school lessons.  Jeff, Ben, and Noah head out for their day.  It is "quiet" time in the house until 7:30.  Kent eats breakfast at 7:10.  7:25 am get Clark and Lissie dressed and started on breakfast.  7:30 - the kids start their before breakfast services and Kent has his time with me for his school assignments for the day.  8:00 - Kent begins his before breakfast services and Kaomi eats breakfast.  8:15 - Katy's time with me for her school assignments.  8:35 - Katy eats breakfast and I put Quinn in the swing.  The kids have free time and I get my breakfast.

At 9:15 the school bell rings everyone meets in the kitchen and we start with the Pledge of Allegiance, Bible time/song, and poetry.  The poem we have been studying is My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson, so we headed outside to look at our shadows and we trace around everyone's shadows on the sidewalk with chalk.  We come back inside at 9:43 and everyone tackles their mid-morning chores.  Katy finished quickly and started her individual work at 9:46.  At 9:58 Kaomi began her individual work and Kent started his at 10:00.  I got an activity box out for Lissie and Clark, then fed Quinn and listened to Kent's Independent History Study assignment.  10:25 - I checked on how individual work was going, put Quinn in the pack and play with a few toys, corrected some of the work that was waiting in my basket, and listened to Katy's Independent History Study Assignment.  10:48 - Close windows, pick-up Quinn and give Kaomi a spelling test.  10:58 - Try to get Kent to understand that I can't answer his question without seeing his problem in math.  Kaomi gets a break and Kent brings his math book.  Then I have to try to convince Kent that the question he is asking me is irrelevant to the answer he needs to find.  He doesn't need to convert meters into feet because the answer is supposed to be in meters.  I'm not sure I got though to him and I noticed he never completed that problem in math.  11:02 - I cleaned up the activity so Quinn could play on the floor.  11:08 - Kaomi worked on her reading lesson with me, Clark and Lissie are playing nicely, Quinn is in the kitchen.  I pick him up.  11:15 - I put Quinn back in the pack and play with a "new" toy and did grammar with Kaomi.  11:27 - I check on individual work and reply to a text from Mom.  11:30 - We all went back outside to to check our shadows and to trace them again.  11:45 - The kids work on their lunchtime duties, have free time, the girls help with Quinn while I make lunch, lunch time/recess, I feed Quinn, check e-mail and put Quinn in his swing again.   The kids go outside to play with the Beach activity box and water.  12:40 - I fix my lunch and enjoy the semi-silence.  I straighten up the kitchen a little and get the mail.

1:00 - Time to clean up the outside activity.  The kids start their afternoon jobs; I change Clark's wet clothes, read him a story and put him to bed.  1:15 - We start school for the afternoon in the living room.  We work on storytimes, History, History Narration, and science reading.  2:05 - We work on our science experiment.  2:25 - Lissie went for quiet time and the older kids filled out their lab forms for science.  2:35  I work on math with Kaomi.  Kent and Katy work on the last of their unfinished work for school and the corrections in the blue basket.  2:55 - I work on correcting the lessons from the day that are in my basket.  3:30 - Time for a break.  Katy and Kaomi have math homework and Kent needs to finish the corrections he was working on in math for homework.  We go outside to look at our shadows and trace them again.  Noah arrives home from school.  3:45 - The neighbor girl knocks on the door.  She needs help with some math homework.  4:00 - Lissie and Clark get up from their nap, so I start making snack.  Clark is fussing, so he gets to go back to bed.  Noah has a question about algebra.  Kaomi works more on her homework.  4:10 - I finish making snack and get Clark up again.  4:15 - I help the neighbor with her homework and hold Clark.  4:30 - Noah and Kent head outside to mow the yard.

5:00 - We stop working on homework and go outside.  Quinn is awake so I take him out with us.  5:20 - I send the neighbor girl home, feed Quinn, and most of the kids play in the backyard.  5:35 - Quinn went back into his pack and play while I tried to figure out alternative dinner plans, since I spent my dinner prep. hour on homework.  Ben arrived home from work.  I started dinner.   6:00 -Jeff arrived home and the kids worked on their evening obligations.  6:30 - Trace shadows again for the last time.  7:00 - Supper is finally ready.  7:25 - Jeff and the kids help clean up from dinner while I feed Quinn.  7:55 - I started getting Clark and Lissie ready for bed.  All the kids said goodnight and went to bed.  I prep lunches for tomorrow and Jeff kept Quinn from fussing.  8:35 pm - I sat down to feed Quinn again.  Jeff was finishing cleaning up in the kitchen and I started writing this post.  Ben took Quinn for a little while since he wasn't looking sleepy yet.

This is a fairly typical day for a Tuesday, Thursday or Friday in our home.

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Back-Burner Blogging

I'd like to have the time to continue blogging, but for now it seems like it won't be very often.  I'm busy from the time I get up to the time I go to bed with little break.  I'm exhausted.  My kids want me to do stuff with them and I can't find the time between keeping up with the three littlest, school, just staying on top of the daily home upkeep, and meals.  I feel like they are constantly getting pushed to the side.  I need to go to bed earlier and I need to get everything done to be ready for the next day, too.  I rarely get both done in one day, but sometimes I get one accomplished.

Happy birthday, Noah! - 2013

My brother and nephew Noah are living with us for a short-time, until they are able to move their whole family here next month.

Today is Noah's 16th birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOAH!

Birthday Place Setting

Happy 16th Birthday, Noah!

Quote for the Day

I think we should fight against sin simply because it is something hateful to God, because it is something so utterly unlike the spirit of Christ, whom it is our privilege to strive to imitate in all things.

     -Elizabeth Prentiss from The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss

 

Kaomi's Birthday Pictures - 2013

Kaomi wanted to go to the lake for her birthday.  Uncle Ben and Noah joined our festivities.

Quinn

Happy Birthday, Kaomi!

Kent

Kaomi with Mommy

Uncle Ben showing Lissie a shell.

Katy and Clark

Putting Clark in the hole.

Noah digging into the beach

Kaomi's Pink Cowboy Hat Cake

Happy Birthday, Kaomi - 2013

Today, Kaomi turned six!  How is it that she was just a little baby not too long ago and now she is growing up and becoming a little lady.

Special place setting - 2013

Happy Birthday, Kaomi!

Birthday Breakfast

We had a fun day visiting the lake and doing a few other things Kaomi wanted to do for her birthday.  More pictures to come.

Pictures from August 6-19, 2013

 Jeff got a new truck.

 The oldest 5 watching Jeff drive to work in his new truck.

 Kaomi, making a fun dollhouse scene.

 Kent and Katy helped snap beans for freezing.  We had an ~28# box and they did a great job.  We had at least double the beans that are in this picture.

Uncle Ben and Aunt Cathy came for a visit.

Toddler and Preschool Boxes - Day 6

On Friday's our Toddler and Preschool box activities are:  Farm Animals/Pets, Sewing Cards/Water Wow!, and a Construction Vehicles Set.

Farm Animals/Pets Toddler and Preschool Box

 Farm Animals/Pets contains:

Assorted Plastic Farm Animals (from all the kids)

Red and Blue Blocks (part of a Jenga style game from Pa and Mimi)

Matchbox tractor (from Kent's car collection)

Stickers

Puppy Puppet (we've had this since Kent was little)

Farm Animals and The Pet Store printable books (The Measured Mom)

Little Golden Books (our book collection)

Sewing Cards and Water WOW!

 Sewing Cards and Water WOW!

Zoo animal sewing cards (from Kent)

Fire Truck sewing card (Usborne Books from when Kent was a toddler)

Melissa and Doug Water WOW! books (a Christmas gift/Target)

Clark and Lissie really enjoy the Water WOW! books.  I do have to watch because they like to "paint" the same picture over and over which softens the page and make it easy to scratch the top white paper layer with the brush.  They push hard on the pages with the brush rather than "painting" gently.  I usually have to say they are done before they want to be done.  This is one activity where if we had another couple of these books it would be great, because they could have another book once the first one has been all "painted."

Construction Vehicles Set

Constructions Vehicles Set

Usborne Lift and Look Diggers book (from our book collection)

Stickers

Melissa and Doug Chunky Construction Vehicles Puzzle (Amazon)

The Construction Worker printable book (The Measured Mom)

Impromptu Break

Apparently I'm taking an impromptu break from blogging.  It's been a busy week.  I'll be back soon and return to the Toddler and Preschool Box Series on Tuesdays.