First Week of school 2012

This has been a big year in our house this school year. Both kids are in school full time! D started kindergarten and L started first grade. I was both excited and sad by this change. It is the first time in 6 years that I have been able to spend time during the day for myself. Yes, I miss they during the day at times, and yes the time goes even quicker now. But I have also been able to start working out again, meet my friends for coffee or lunch, and watch a movie during the day. I still go to the library at least once a week, and I still come home with a stack of kid's books. I am cherishing my quiet time, but also loving all that the kids are learning.

Highlights from this past week:
There are 5 red heads in D's class
Both kids were excited about the teachers they got
L got new glasses with stronger lenses in them
D wore dresses that her Grammy made for her the first two days of school
They both LOVE school so far, and have even proclaimed it the best year ever
L's reading has suddenly sky rocketed!
Neither wants to leave the school after school gets out
I have already helped with painting in D's class
D is decked out in Hello Kitty everything
L is decked out in Super Hero everything




The day before school started we woke up to find a giant pencil sitting in front of the door. The kids were amazed and curious. Does it open? Where did it come from? They opened it up to find small balloons filled with candy and a note. A member from the moms group made these up for all the kids going into school this year, and dropped them off early in the morning. It was such a sweet gesture, that I know most of the moms cried.

D had orientation on the first day of school, which meant that she only went from 9-10 that day. But we treated it as if it were her first day as well. 

 L was very nervous about starting first grade. He thought he wouldn't know many in his class, and generally didn't like school. When I picked him up that day he had made a new best friend, and loved school. Amazing what one day can do!

This was D's official first day of school

Check out last year's first week! 2011

Back to School party

I hosted a fun back to school party this year especially since both my kids will be going to school. I put together a fun little gift for each kid going back. I folded a piece of lined paper into a pouch, and stuck a mini notebook, pencil, erasers, bookmark, and stamper in each one. We read some fun storied, and made school buses! I even made a crayon cake that I found on Pinterest.

Supplies needed for school bus craft:
blue, yellow, black, and white paper
scissors
markers
glue stick

I drew out a bus shape and cut it out of the yellow paper for the kids. Have them glue the bus shape down. Cut circles out of the black and white paper. Glue the black circles for wheels, and the while circles for people faces in the windows. Then let the kids decorate the people, bus, and background with the markers.

Check out our party from a past year! 2010

Pictures from our very busy summer-2012

I know that I have been MIA for most of the summer, and I am sorry for that. We have just been so crazy busy all summer, that we barely had time to breath. Here are some pictures from just a few things we have done!

I did my first two yarn bombs this year for our local Art Beat festival. A local group here was contacted to help cover all the trees in a 2 block stretch. So much fun!!

 While at Art Beat, the kids both got to paint small canvas' to hang in an installation in our downtown library.

 One weekend, while my brother-in-law and his girlfriend were in town, we headed down to Conner Prairie. What a wonderful fun time we all had!!!

 Throwing axes

 Over the summer I bought a hand crank pasta machine on a local garage sale. So Adam and the kids made homemade pasta.

 And of course we had to go see our local baseball team. The kids even got to run the bases.

 L and D went on their first horse ride at our local zoo. They both LOVED it!

 After a long day at a water playground, we stopped for the kids to try sno-cones for the first time.

 I taught D how to finger knit.

 And lastly this weekend we headed down to the Plymouth Blueberry Festival. We checked out the parade, rides, and all had blueberry shakes!

Watermelon Play date

Every summer, I host a watermelon play date for the moms group. I always try to come up with a different craft then we did in years past. This year I went with simple.

Supplies needed:
red, green, black, and white construction paper
scissors
hole punch
glue stick

I first cut the red into a large circle and then cut that in half. You know have 2 watermelon slices! Next up, cut a section of white that goes along the bottom half. I made it longer than it needed to be since the green stripe would cover it. Then cut the green. You can have the child glue those sections together, and then using the hole punch, punch out seeds for their watermelon slices!

The cookies that I made for a snack to bring with!

Ladybug Picnic

Earlier this summer we hosted a ladybug picnic at a local park. We of course read tons of fun stories. Our ladybug craft was a super simple one!

Supplies needed:
small paper dessert plate
red circle same size as plate
black crayon or marker
brads
scissors
googly eyes

Have the child cut the red circle in half. Help them push the brad through both pieces of the red circle and the paper plate just past the ridge on the top of the plate. Let the child color in the face of the bug, and put spots on the circle. Lastly glue the eyes on.