Bowling for Reece's Birthday

For Reece's birthday we took him bowling. It was the first time any of the boys had been bowling and they really enjoyed it. It was easy and super low-key (just what we needed). It was just our family and our friends the Hastings.

Aunt Tamara, Reece and Mommy

Seth

Tamara helping Ty

Jerad helping Reece before we got the ramp

We got a $8 cookie cake from HEB and I wrote his name on it. It already had the super heroes on it, so that went great with the hero cape he got for his birthday.

Unplugged Project - Color

The theme for this weeks Unplugged Project was Color. I let Reece do something simple and he played with colorful wooden puzzles. However, I set about with something a little more complicated for Wyatt and Seth.
We did color arranging from lightest to darkest. I had made these a while back using paint cards that I got for free at Home Depot. I just cut them into little squares. I numbered the backs so that the boys could self check once they lined them up. We have several colors that I keep separated in little bags.


I also did this color matching game that I made from paint cards that I got at Home Depot. I cut the words off one card, but left the rest of it intact. Then on the matching card I cut little one inch squares and glued them to clothes pins. The boys have to clip the clothes pin to the color that it matches. It can be a little difficult because some of the colors on the card are so similar. They did each project and then switched and did the other one. They really liked it.

Update on Things to Do in 2009

So, I promised that I would put an update of my progress on my Things to do in 2009 List at the first of every month. It's the First, so here is my update:

For Myself:
1. Spend time in the Bible everyday---I'd like to say I've been doing this everyday, but that would be a lie. However, I've been WAY more consistent than I've been in the past, and I've made an effort to dig deeper in the scriptures and really see what God is trying to say to me and He has been faithful to speak to me. I'm working on this and pleased with how it's going.
2. Lose this last 25 lbs (I've lost 75 so far; 25 shouldn't be too difficult right?)---This one is going really well. Jerad entered a Biggest Loser competition at work and has lost 15 pounds!! So, his added interests in losing weight has been the push that I needed. I'm back on track with exercise and eating right. I lost 5 pounds in January.
3. Learn to knit---Okay, I haven't really done anything with this one yet, except look at pretty knit patterns online and that doesn't really count. I need to get moving on it.
4. Organize my house (I actually have a real plan for this one!!)---Now this is coming right along. I've completely done my laundry room and almost finished my kitchen/dining room. I'm also working on the kids playroom/schoolroom. The interesting thing here is that God gave Jerad and I promise about organizing our house. I know some people may find that strange, but we know He did. We know He has something in store for us if we will follow His command to be good stewards with what He has given us (our home) and right after we both felt very impressed of that, God sent two different people at two different times to confirm that promise to us. I love how God works like that.
5. Start a garden---Yeah, I haven't done anything with this one either.

For My Family:
1. Teach Wyatt and possibly Seth to read.---We are using the book, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegried Engelmann. It came highly recommended by some homeschool moms that I know and it got good reviews online. It's very easy to use and the boys are really enjoying it. I'm using it with Wyatt and Seth.
2. Potty train Reece.---I haven't started this yet, but plan to within the next few months. He just turned 2, two days ago, so I'm not in that big of a rush.
3. Find Seth's passion (Wyatt's is art, but I haven't found Seth's yet).---We're working on this. Seth has started enjoying some of the art projects we're doing, but not as much as Wyatt. He does like music, but there's nothing yet that he just gravitates towards. I know we'll find it, but it's just taking a while.
4. Go on a date once a month with my husband.---Being broke doesn't lend itself to this one. We've just got to find some time and some a little extra cash, but we're going to do it.

Happy Birthday Little Man

Little man you have come a long way since January 30th 2007. You were 6 weeks early and 5lbs 12 oz., but you were strong. You struggled with your heart rate and to breath on your own, but you never struggled to eat. God answered our prayer because when Seth was in the NICU he wouldn't eat and so we prayed and prayed that you would eat and boy did you ever. You never got a feeding tube and just did so well. The nurses kept telling us that you would have to get one. They kept saying that EVERY baby in the NICU got a feeding tube, but you never did. You were a fighter and you still are two years later. You get right in the middle of fights with your two older brothers and you never back down from anything. You love football, you'll sit and watch a whole game if we let you. You love Larry Boy. You love your mamma, but you are your daddy's boy. All is right with the world when daddy is home. I've never seen you so happy as when daddy was home for vacation for three weeks over Christmas.

Opening his Super Hero Cape that I made him for his Birthday

Hot Chocolate Party

Today I told the boys that if we had a good day we would have a Hot Chocolate Party tonight. It worked out really well because Jerad had poker night so it was just me and the boys at home. We built a tent in the living room and had hot chocolate and brownies (that Mrs. Denise sent home with us from small group last night). We also read some books by the flashlight. It was sooooo much fun!

Ready for the party to get started

Inside the tent with hot chocolate and brownies

It was actually really dark in the tent, but with my flash on my camera you can't really tell

One of the books we read was Zen Shorts which included a tent, so it fit perfectly

Unplugged Project - Ball

The theme for this weeks Unplugged Project was Ball. So, I pulled out three different sized "balls" and we got busy with a little art project. We used marbles, golf balls, and mini-basketballs. First, we rolled the marbles in blue paint and then rolled them around the big sheet of paper, then we rolled the golf balls in red paint and rolled them around the paper and finally we rolled the basketballs in green paint and rolled them on the paper. The boys had so much fun rolling the balls and seeing the patterns that the golf balls and basketballs made on the paper. It was really messy, but well worth it.

Soccer has started

Winter Soccer season has officially started and the boys are having so much fun! Seth is on a team with his friend, Ty, and they are the Lions and Wyatt's team is the Rockstars (they came up with that on their own). Wyatt is #10 and Seth is #4.

Reece watching Seth's team

Seth running after the ball

Seth getting warmed up

Wyatt playing

Wyatt huddled with his coach

Wyatt coming through the tunnel after the game

Krispy Kreme Donuts

Jerad sent me an email on Tuesday saying that Krispy Kreme was giving away free donuts of your choice in honor of the Inauguration. So, the boys and I headed down to get some. Well, apparently our Krispy Kreme hadn't gotten the memo because they weren't participating. I already had the boys there so I couldn't leave. We ended up getting donuts anyway.

Seth got Chocolate with Sprinkles

Wyatt got Chocolate Glazed Custard Filled

Reece got a VERY messy Maple Glazed

Blog Header

Yes, I realize Christmas is over and I need a new blog header. I'm working on it, I just haven't come up with one yet : )

Fun with Frogs

We had a great time with this frog project the other day. Seth actually LOVED it, which is the first time I've gotten him to LOVE an art project. So, I thought I would share the step by step instructions for anyone looking for a good project to do with boys. I mean, what boy doesn't love frogs?

Supplies Needed:
Paper (We used butcher paper, but water color would also be good. I just wanted big pieces of paper so that we'd have lots of room for frogs)
Green Tempera paint
Potatoes, cut in half long ways and patted dry
Paint Brush
Sponge Brush (This is optional you could also just use a regular paint brush)
Black Permanent Marker
Paper Plate
Card Board for Legs
Bubble Wrap and Coregated Cardboard for designs on Frogs
Red Permanent Marker (Optional)

First, paint your piece of paper green using your sponge brushes (or regular brushes) with with very watered down green tempera paint. I told the boys were painting green slimy pond water for our frogs because frogs love to live in green slimy pond water. They really liked that idea.
Then using full strength green tempera paint coat the cut side of potato for the body of your frog and begin stamping your paper. You'll want to leave plenty of room between your frogs so that you have room for the legs.

Your paper should look something like this.
Now, frog bodies are not smooth, so we used bubble wrap and corregated cardboard to make marks on their bodies while they were still wet (the cardboard is just the inside of a Starbucks cozy).
Next you'll need two pieces of cardboard for the legs. One needs to be longer than the other and you'll bend them in half. The shorter one makes the front legs and the longer one makes the back legs.
Just dip them in your paint and then twist them on your paper like you see in the picture below.
After your legs are done you need frog toes! Use the end of your paint brush to make little dots. Just dip the end of it in your paint and make three little dots at the end of each leg.
Finally, when your paint is dry use a black permanent marker to draw eyes. You could also do red eye tree frogs and use a red marker.
Here are some pictures of the boys having fun making the Frog project.



Seth decided his frogs needed tongues!!

Are You Kidding Me?!!!

So, I've been reading tons of stuff on other blogs about how the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is going to affect handmade toys and clothes for my kids and I think it's completely horrible. A law that was supposed to stop lead poisoning from toys made in China is putting small U.S. home companies out of business. Well, yesterday there was an article on the news that says it ALSO applies to resale shops. So, now our local resale shops where I get some of my kids clothes and take their clothes that we can't use are going to be forced out of business because they can't afford to test for everything this new law calls for. This also applies to Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.
Seriously, this is the worst written law I've ever heard of. In today's economy wouldn't you think the people in Washington would want to keep American's in business rather than putting them out of business because of ridiculous standards!

Unplugged Project - Orange

The theme for this week's Unplug Your Kids Project was Orange. For Christmas the boys got The Very Hungry Caterpillar book, puppet, and board game. In the book the little caterpillar eats 5 oranges, so I decided that we could use that for our project. First we read the book and then we played the game. It's a really easy game (perfect for our boys ages), so I highly suggest it if your looking for games for your preschoolers.

Reece WON the game

The Story of Our Train Riders

Wyatt put together this little train set up and had a story to go with it. The first man is the train driver, then we have the Mommy and Daddy who work together, in the next two cars were 4 men that all worked together (although he didn't say where) and that's why they were sitting together. In the very last car you can see the man lying down. Wyatt said he worked all by himself in the forrest and he had to lie down because he was so tired.

Wyatt's telling Seth about the people in the train