Sunday, October 27, 2013

cookie monster


It has been a different deal for Jace since Big Sis has gone to school. We have a few days a week where it is just the two of us. Jace is not used to this attention since Big Sis has always been the one who demands more attention. Those firstborns! Jace is the kiddo that can entertain himself. So he has loved the attention and time with Mom. On the days that we are home (he goes to Ilene's two days a week)- he will ask in the morning, "I stay home with Mommy today?!" And when I say yes- he is always super excited. 


Something simple like making cookies- usually Big Sis is always the one up on the stool, adding in ingredients, wearing the apron- while Jace plays with his tractors on his own. So this little boy has LOVED to get to be the big helper- wearing an apron, mixing in ingredients, helping scoop the cookies, and of course- taste testing. 



Can you tell I just let him go for it? I decided it was a good sensory experience- hands in the dough! At this point, I knew the cookies would be a no go- my little helper dumped in WAY TOO MUCH baking soda. Oh well, it was fun no matter what!



kindergarten


I suppose- it is almost November, which means I should get a post done about the first day of kindergarten! Hard to believe my firstborn, my baby, started kindergarten this year. Everyone tells you how the years fly by and I definitely believe it. 


She was super excited for her first day of kindergarten- nervous but excited. She even fist pumped on the way to school, saying "I am going to school at Cedar Heights!" 



Her good buddy Austin started his first day of kindergarten also! They are in classrooms next door to each other. Can you tell he was all business on his first day? 



This sweet little line of kids is the usual routine for Addelyn's mornings. I drop her off and pick her up each day. Every morning, the kids can play on the playground first and line up when the whistle blows. I stick around each day to watch her go in (this little miss doesn't want me to leave til she is completely in the door- which I am fine with, I'll take these days while I can!) 

Notice her lunch bag. She is super excited about bringing cold lunch every day. I started out being the one to push cold lunch. Overall, I'd rather pack her lunch because it is nice to know what she is eating and knowing she is getting some healthy food in her belly. Mom Confessional- there are some crazy mornings where I recently have found myself trying to get her talked into how good "Bosco sticks" sound (so I can skip lunch making!) (Note:  Bosco sticks= not good.) She is set on cold lunch!


Addelyn has a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Beisner. She is super sweet and Addelyn really likes her. We are thankful for a great teacher to start off these school years. We are keeping Addelyn home on Wednesdays- it is a short day anyway- and this has been a great transition for her (and our family!) I don't necessarily home school on that day- it is really a day off for Addelyn. Most Wednesdays though she does do a little school work or an afternoon activity but in the big picture, I give her a free play day- her and Jace usually enjoy their time together- fighting, wrestling, playing babies, legos, etc. They really miss each other during the week!


After school, our good friend Aquayla came to visit after her big first day at CF High! We love Aquayla!


Last, I had to take a picture of her first ever library book checked out from the school library. This just makes me smile- okay, it makes me giggle. Wrestling! Gotta love it. Ohhh kindergarten. What a year so far! 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis


Forever Friday was a unique fiction love story. I enjoyed reading it as it was different than most books I will pick up. It switched back and forth between two stories. One story was about a couple that met in the 1920s and started a strong romance that lasted until the day of their death. The other story was set in today- about the man that was learning about the couple's romance before they died.

Gabe Alexander writes his wife a postcard with a poem every Friday throughout their whole marriage. Adam Colby finds these postcards after the Alexanders deaths. Adam is doing his job- sorting through the Alexander belongings after the estate sale. Adam doesn't know what to think about the postcards and their messages- as he himself has just gone through a recent divorce. He has a hard time believing in a marriage lasting, let alone having passion and love after many years.

The book takes you through the Alexanders stories and the postcards they shared. It also takes you through Adam Colby's story and the discoveries he makes. All and all, it was a pretty good book!

Overextended....and Loving Most of It! by Lisa Harper


The title of this book actually goes against the way of life I've been trying to help my family create- not living a hectic and crazy schedule. However, as you get to reading the book- it really is about a different story. It isn't advocating a living a hectic life- but the book is about using every moment to live abundantly.

Lisa Harper tells many stories of her own crazy life in this book. She has a unique and powerful story and I appreciated her gut-level honesty about the good, bad, and the ugly. She shares many of the ups and downs she walked through as she tried to adopt children and these stories touched my heart. At times her humor bordered on being a little cheesy for my tastes, but overall, I thought her book was great.

I love when she touched on walking through a broken heart- when the circumstances of life didn't turn out the way she hoped. She spoke about how to walk through those times and how to continue loving Jesus and others in those tough moments. I also loved her chapter about gratitude. I'm realizing how much these two are related- living in the tough times and gratitude. I would suggest picking up a copy of her book!