Friday, January 23, 2009
Fun in the Sun
*** Edited to add: Please click on the pix to get the whole picture! I need to work out some kinks that I'm having with blogger and the new camera... for some reason Noah got cut out of some his cute shots! No worries.. just click on the picture below to get the full view. I'll figure it out eventually. Thanks! ***
Strangely, the weather was mild and cozy yesterday! Ya gotta love 60 degree January days. There's still a small patch of ice on the driveway, but it's too warm out for heavy winter coats. The breeze requires winter hats (to cover those small ears), but the sun requires time enjoyed outdoors! We get cooped up in this house too much as it is...
Here are some great shots of yesterday's adventures in the wagon :) We walked around the whole block and then wagoned through the backyard to get to the swing set. Nobody tried to escape - everybody was pretty content with the ride!
(By the way, Julia was off at Preschool... that's why she's not in any of these shots. She was missed, but I LOVE my quality time with the tots when she's not around... shhh dont tell her I said that.)
Those pictures are courtesy of yesterday's awesome weather. Today, we ventured out to the play place at the mall! Pictures of that trip will come soon!
Strangely, the weather was mild and cozy yesterday! Ya gotta love 60 degree January days. There's still a small patch of ice on the driveway, but it's too warm out for heavy winter coats. The breeze requires winter hats (to cover those small ears), but the sun requires time enjoyed outdoors! We get cooped up in this house too much as it is...
Here are some great shots of yesterday's adventures in the wagon :) We walked around the whole block and then wagoned through the backyard to get to the swing set. Nobody tried to escape - everybody was pretty content with the ride!
(By the way, Julia was off at Preschool... that's why she's not in any of these shots. She was missed, but I LOVE my quality time with the tots when she's not around... shhh dont tell her I said that.)
Those pictures are courtesy of yesterday's awesome weather. Today, we ventured out to the play place at the mall! Pictures of that trip will come soon!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Good News! We finally got a new camera!
We have finally replaced our ancient camera with a nice, pretty, new Canon Elph - so you can expect to see pictures appearing here more regularly now! This is excellent news.
One of the things I strive for is help the kiddos' parents feel like they have been a part of the day here. I know how hard it is to leave your children in someone else's care... I did that myself for the first six months of my oldest daughter's life.
So, while I keep a daily journal, send home artwork frequently, and have wonderful conversations daily with parents, I now can keep including them in our days through photographs on the blog!
To celebrate, here are some of December's pictures that came off our old camera. :) Enjoy!
Noah wanted to make his mom a Happy Birthday card.
We had a pajama party here - all the kiddos came in their pj's for one day. :) It was fun! (I may be biased since I got to hang out in my pja's all day long, too!)
Noah surprised us with a gingerbread train for Christmas! We put this together on one of Savannah's last days. The kids really enjoyed it. Even Noah got to put some of the finishing touches on it.
One of the things I strive for is help the kiddos' parents feel like they have been a part of the day here. I know how hard it is to leave your children in someone else's care... I did that myself for the first six months of my oldest daughter's life.
So, while I keep a daily journal, send home artwork frequently, and have wonderful conversations daily with parents, I now can keep including them in our days through photographs on the blog!
To celebrate, here are some of December's pictures that came off our old camera. :) Enjoy!
Noah wanted to make his mom a Happy Birthday card.
We had a pajama party here - all the kiddos came in their pj's for one day. :) It was fun! (I may be biased since I got to hang out in my pja's all day long, too!)
Noah surprised us with a gingerbread train for Christmas! We put this together on one of Savannah's last days. The kids really enjoyed it. Even Noah got to put some of the finishing touches on it.Monday, January 12, 2009
Comment Love
So, today is Delurking Day. That means - if you read my blog, today's the day you decide to let go of your inhibitions and leave me a comment. I know I don't have a huge audience, but humor me, here. Even if you don't comment TODAY - if you read this tomorrow or next month or a few years after I die, I'll still love you for leaving me a comment. Just do it. It won't hurt, I promise.
... oh yes, the daycare lady did actually post an image of a man flashing through his trench coat. Love it, or leave it - but comment first!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
If I were a ....
As a person who LOVES surprises, you'd think I'd be better at keeping surprises to myself until the time for reveal. I, however, cannot keep a surprise for anything. I get overly excited about good ideas - especially when they relate to creative juices. So, I'm just gonna go right on ahead and blog about a gift the kids are making for their parents!
Yesterday, we painted a butterfly and added pipe cleaner antennae. Today - we stamped a bird onto a foam tree. Each day, we're going to add another project to the collection, and all these projects will be nicely bound into a book with these song lyrics:
I love this activity because it gives us an art idea everyday, and has lots of fun repetition! Since my girls live here, they can't very well bring their finished book home to surprise their parents with, so I'm using their artwork as a reminder for the kiddos about which part of the song comes next. Their art is proudly displayed on the wall, while the kiddos in care have their art bound in a nice song book! We'll sing this song everyday and hopefully even the littlest ones will begin to learn the motions.
I can't wait to see the finished project!
Yesterday, we painted a butterfly and added pipe cleaner antennae. Today - we stamped a bird onto a foam tree. Each day, we're going to add another project to the collection, and all these projects will be nicely bound into a book with these song lyrics:
THE BUTTERFLY SONG
(If I Were a Butterfly)
Words and Music by Brian M. Howard If I were a butterfly
I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I'd thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me
CHORUS
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me
If I were an elephant
I'd thank you Lord by raising my trunk
If I were a kangaroo
You know I'd hop right up to you
If I were an octopus
I'd thank you Lord for my fine looks
But I just thank you Father for making me, me
If I were a wiggly worm
I'd thank you Lord that I could squirm
If I were a fuzzy, wuzzy bear
I'd thank you Lord for my fuzzy, wuzzy hair
If I were a crocodile
I'd thank you Lord for my great smile
But I just thank you Father for
making me, me
Copyright © 1974, 2002 Mission Hills Music
www.ButterflySong.com
All rights reserved. (BMI)
International copyright secured.
CCLI - 35445
I love this activity because it gives us an art idea everyday, and has lots of fun repetition! Since my girls live here, they can't very well bring their finished book home to surprise their parents with, so I'm using their artwork as a reminder for the kiddos about which part of the song comes next. Their art is proudly displayed on the wall, while the kiddos in care have their art bound in a nice song book! We'll sing this song everyday and hopefully even the littlest ones will begin to learn the motions.
I can't wait to see the finished project!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Being Sneaky
I'm just so excited about my recent discovery that I had to share.
If you know me very well, you know that paperwork and cooking are not my strongest points. The paperwork has become a new year's resolution for me, and the cooking is already improving!
Thanks to a little inspiration from the book Deceptively Delicious, which I got for Christmas - thanks Uncle Gary! - I played a little trick on our small friends today.
We had Kraft mac & cheese, green beans, and mixed fruit for lunch today.
I hate serving Kraft Mac & Cheese because I know it's full of preservatives and fake cheese and loads of calories. But, it's my Julia's favorite food in the whole world, and it is easy to make. All the kids eat it well, and with variations (like adding little smokies or extra cheese) it's credible by the food program.
Today, I substituted butternut squash (blended to a puree) for the 1/4 cup of margarine that the recipe calls for. The kids didn't even notice! Julia helped make lunch today - she loves to add ingredients together and stir the boiling noodles.... and when she saw the ziplock bag with the puree and asked what it was, I may have kinda fibbed, and told her it was "like butter." Teehee! Not only did they not seem to notice, but they all ate their food all gone! They ate so well, and now I get to enjoy a peaceful naptime. Thanks, Deceptively Delicious!
If you know me very well, you know that paperwork and cooking are not my strongest points. The paperwork has become a new year's resolution for me, and the cooking is already improving!
Thanks to a little inspiration from the book Deceptively Delicious, which I got for Christmas - thanks Uncle Gary! - I played a little trick on our small friends today.
We had Kraft mac & cheese, green beans, and mixed fruit for lunch today.
I hate serving Kraft Mac & Cheese because I know it's full of preservatives and fake cheese and loads of calories. But, it's my Julia's favorite food in the whole world, and it is easy to make. All the kids eat it well, and with variations (like adding little smokies or extra cheese) it's credible by the food program.
Today, I substituted butternut squash (blended to a puree) for the 1/4 cup of margarine that the recipe calls for. The kids didn't even notice! Julia helped make lunch today - she loves to add ingredients together and stir the boiling noodles.... and when she saw the ziplock bag with the puree and asked what it was, I may have kinda fibbed, and told her it was "like butter." Teehee! Not only did they not seem to notice, but they all ate their food all gone! They ate so well, and now I get to enjoy a peaceful naptime. Thanks, Deceptively Delicious!
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