Success!

We all survived! Our first day of playschool went well, without major incident. I was so tired at the end of the day. I never drink caffeine, but stole one of Mike's Diet Mt Dews for the day but I was still beat!
There are a total of 4 little girls ages 21 months to 3yrs. We rotate houses and take turns teaching btwn the 4 of us. I only have to do it 3 more times between now and Christmas but have 12 Thursdays free! And Rebecca will get practice going to 3 great babysitters which will make all the dr appts and new baby stuff a lot easier.
They all came, dumped out all the toys in the living room and played for about an hour. We read 2 books, talked about the color red, found all the circles in the caterpillar book, made a circle with ourselves and sang ring around the rosie about 10 times.
Then we made a circle caterpillar picture with crayons and glue, played with playdough and cookie cutters (I made it the night before with koolaid, had one girl insist on eating it), had a snack of round crackers and red plums and water. No spills!
Then we went outside for about 40 minutes, we used the neighbor's fun backyard playset and she brought her granddaughter out to join us. Then we returned inside, washed hands, dumped the sand out of their shoes, and I made them clean up the toy tornado. While we waited for moms we strung cheerios (more circles) onto red pipecleaners to make round bracelets.
Then everyone left and Becca and I took a nap. I only had one try to run away but after her mom arrived so it technically wasn't my fault! And one who snuck and ate a whole banana while I was running the bathroom but I guess she was just hungry! No one cried, hit, or had a tantrum!
It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it. I get to play teacher for a while without having to commit to a job, can handpick my students, and get free preschool for Becca.
Next week I am dropping her off and spending the morning at the kids' school. Should be fun!

If I never blog again

If you never hear from me again, know that I or my home have not survived my latest experiment- a toddler play school hosted in my living room.

Tomorrow is our first official day. We are learning about the color red and circles, reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar and making circle caterpillars with our name letters, and playing with red play dough and round cookie cutters. And the other 2 1/2 hrs of the 3 hr block are mine to entertain them with free time and snacks. That is where it will get tricky.

How shall I teach them to share the toys, use the potty when they need to, listen to the rules, put the toys back when they are finished, not to get food on the floor, to stay in the yard when we go outside, to not hit or bite or kick or scratch or scream when some else has something you want, to sit for story time and wiggle at song time, to not whine, not eat the play dough, not to put glue on themselves or the floor, not to chase or be mean to the cat, and to have lots of fun while doing all of that? Wish me luck. Maybe by the end of the year? Tomorrow I will settle for "Don't run away." Anything else I can handle. I hope.

My Daddy is smarter than your Daddy

And he has better cheer leaders!

Congratulations, Mike, we are proud of you.

After 4 wonderful years of night school, Mike graduated with Bachelor's degree in accounting. He won't tell you but he made the Dean's List his last semester. All without ever cracking a book (or so he says).

He actually graduated in December, but went to the ceremony in May. Then he missed going to school, so he re-enrolled in the Masters program and started classes again in August. No worries, that means we get to eat cake again after that graduation. Hooray!

Turtle

I had a tiny turtle
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim. . . .

Our backyard is a treasure trove of odd creatures.

One morning before school, we woke up to this little guy. We heroically saved him from the cat who wanted him for breakfast. Then tortured him by taking him to preschool for show and tell. We are diabolical like that. Don't worry, we let him go right after and he disappeared into the bushes, safe and sound.

Becca was the bravest and first to touch our little friend. And first to step in the turtle poop, which is surprisingly smelly.

Andrew would only touch it for the picture, and then with just one finger.

Good bye Mr Turtle, see you next spring!

My Crafty to-do List

Now that the kids are in school and Rebecca is able to entertain herself for a little while and I can stay up past 8PM, I am starting on my project list. It has been a while since I "made" anything and have enjoyed it so far. I made a list of what I wanted to make each child for their birthday and Christmas. I also made a time line of what to get done each week in between now and then so that everything gets done without the Christmas Eve all-nighter. So here is my to-do list. I got a few ideas from on-line, so I put in the links for reference. Things I have to make are red and links are underlined.

Birthdays:
Andy: hooded towel, guitar, tool set
Becca: quiet book, kitchen, play food and dishes
Lenna: hooded towel, bike, message board

Hooded towel idea and pattern came from some I saw at Tim and Steph's years ago and have been carrying around in my head ever since. Was amazed at how fast they went, I should have been making them for years.
I made my own quiet book pattern from ideas I saw here. Kitchen recycled from Lenna's that is in storage now with new pots and pans.
Will use this tutorial to make Lenna's memo board for her room.

Christmas:
Andy: marshmallow guns, drum set, pirate map, wall stickies, race track
Becca: doll house, calico critters, baby doll stroller, big girl bed set, bath toys
Lenna: ribbon barrette craft kit, roller skates, American Girl doll clothes, blank books, room makeover-mobile, wall stickies, curtains
All: pajamas, surprise balls, activity advent calendar, nativity puzzle blocks, Elf on the Shelf

Mike gets to make the marshmallow blow guns (2 of course so he can battle) found here. Pirate map found here.
I was going to make this last year for Lenna, but she told me she was too old, so I saved the idea for when Becca was big enough.
Lenna loves hair clips but I don't want to pay $4 each for hot glued ribbon. And maybe if she makes it herself, she will be less likely to pull it out and lose it? She love books and stories, so I thought I'd give her something fun to put out a finished project. She wants a real decorated room, so I am giving her the supplies. I thought this mobile in her favorite colors would be cool.
I have bags of flannel and pj patterns to use. I love the surprise balls found here, though mine never turn out quite so finished looking. And the activity advent is just more to-do than to make. I make mine up from ideas found here but keep it as simple as possible.

Here is my time line. Two weeks in- so far, so good.
1. hooded towels (done)
2. 4 pages of quiet book (done)
3. 4 pages (cut out and ready to sew)
4. 4 pages (cut out and ready to sew)
5. last 3 pages and binding for book (cut out and ready to sew)
6. shop for supplies
7. memo board
8. mobile
9. cut out pjs
10. 1 pj
11. map and barrette kit
12. 2 pj
13. 3 pj
14. books
15. doll house
16. advent, shop
17. Christmas cards and grandparent gifts
18. mail all pkgs, surprise balls
19. wrap and hide
20. vacation starts- I should be done and ready to just play with my kids this week!

Hello August

Hello second trimester
Hello energy
Hello appetite
Hello motivation
Hello tiny baby bump
Hello school bus
Hello bagged lunches
Hello Christmas projects
Hello quiet nap times
Hello grad school night classes
Hello potty training
Hello sneakers and backpacks
Hello dance class and basketball practice

Goodbye morning sickness
Goodbye favorite jeans
Goodbye swimming suit with tummy panel
Goodbye summer vacation
Goodbye nightmare trips to store with three kids
Goodbye pool picnics
Goodbye husband for dinner each night
Goodbye flip flops and beach towels

August is always a mixed bag of good and bad. This time, the good outweigh the bad. I finally feel well enough to be productive again. I am ready to start summer day camp! Oh wait, school started this week. Oh well, I guess there is always next year.
Time to get ready for the fall crazies- school routines, basketball season, dance classes,  4 birthdays with cake, parties, and presents, beach weekends, Halloween, Thanksgiving vacation, our wedding anniversary, and Christmas. Mike starts grad school next week two nights a week and Saturdays. Oh yeah, and a new little person for the new year.