random weekend thoughs

1. Getting out rollerblading a few days this week was a great treat for the boys and I

2. Trying to jump through the financial hoops to get something done is a PITA!

3. Watching my boys play and laugh together is a such a gift

4. Getting to the farmers market and enjoying breakfast there was a great Saturday treat

5. Having Richard bike with the boys to the farmers market meant that I got to drive my car by myself... why is that such a major treat??

6. Watching dogs perform in a Frisbee throwing contest was fun too

7. Having Colby wake up every night this week at least once is not fun... or should I specify that he didn't actually wake up, he just fussed and I woke up, and yes I went across the house to check on him each time

8. Finally getting Blake to nap IN his own room ON his bed had made days so much better

9. Having Richard get home in time to have dinner with the boys all week was a nice change from what we've been dealing with lately

10. If you didn't see the videos on Friday or the slide show this morning. I suggest you check them out. Also don't forget to vote in my poll too!

Hope you all have a great weekend

Saturday slide show!

I had a bunch of new pictures that I really like so I made you all a slide show... what do you think?

Menu planning (week 2)

Here we go...

Friday: fish or tuna sandwiches (depends on what we find at the store for fresh fish)
Saturday: mac & cheese with leftover taco meat mixed in (yes this is the mac & cheese we were going to make during the week)
Sunday: bar-b-que chicken pizza

day 1: pork chops
day 2: meatloaf muffins with garlic mashed potatoes
day 3: steak fajitas
day 4: chicken tenders salad

if I utilize any recipes, I'll post them on the revised menu on Thursday! What are you planning on eating this week?

Friday Video

Menu planning (week 1-revisited..lol)

Richard and I were planning our menu for next week and decided that I should have an adendum to my menu planning at the end of each week to tell you what we actually had for dinner each night. So here is what we planned...

Friday: Subs or Chicken from Publix
Sat.: Buffalo Chicken Chili --this is a new recipe for us to try
Sun.: homemade Stromboli (yep that's what Richard is making this week)

I plan 4 week day meals and the decide as the week goes on which we will have which day depending on how things are going at home
day 1: pretzel crusted chicken tenders
day 2: mac & cheese
day 3: pressed sandwiches
day 4: tacos

Friday: Chicken wings from Publix
Sat.: Buffalo Chicken Chili --this was rather good, but I Lorized it so I can't tell you if the exact recipe is good or not... lol!
Sun.: homemade Stromboli

Monday: pretzel crusted chicken tenders with corn from the farmer's market
Tuesday: steak and rice -- I went to the grocery store that day and Richard requested steak so we went with that
Wednesday: pressed sandwiches with tomato soup
Thursday: tacos

Hey we were close, only changing one meal is pretty good for us! Watch tomorrow for next week's meal plans!

Oh and there are some really good videos coming tomorrow too... lots again this week, but so worth watching including one of Colby walking with his walker!

observations

As a teacher, I realized that a big part of my job was sitting back and just watching. As I've said before, I always viewed myself as a facilitator of the learning process than the all knowing teacher. When you look at yourself in this light you learn that in order to help the children you have to step back and let them figure things out on their own, and step in when frustration ensues. You begin to step back and see where children are in order to truly know in which direction to lead them to next. If you don't know where the children are at, then you don't know where they need to go or what they need to do to get there. When you step back and watch, listen and observe, you can figure out what's next.

I find myself doing this a lot at home. I step back and watch. I watch the interactions between Colby and Blake. I watch them learning on their own. I like to watch them think, problem solve and play. There are times when I think I need to step in and help out, and yes... sometimes I do. But, there are also times where I think I need to help, but I don't and I watch... I watch my sons figure out how to solve things on their own.

If I didn't step back and watch Blake playing on the computer, I may never have figured out that he can identify the letters of the alphabet. If I didn't step back, I wouldn't have seen Colby crawl up and over the rungs of the chair (the bottom ones). I would never have seen Blake make puzzles on his own. I would never known that Colby can pick up the balls and put them onto the ramp of this crawl and cruise.

Sometimes we assume that children can or can't do something because of the level we expect them to learn at, but when you stop assuming what they can or can't do, and let them show you what they can do you may be amazed at what they already know. You may be shocked at how they think about things. You maybe impressed at the thought process that goes on in the minds of children.

I Heart Faces (black and white)

Well I haven't put a picture on I heart faces for a while now. But this week I loved this picture of Colby and figured it would look great in black and white (well actually sepia, but still).

Head over to I heart faces to check out the rest of the great pictures!!

Wordless Wednesday

Who needs toys?

on the move

Well Colby is officially a crawler now! See...


He is more fascinated with pulling himself up on anything and everything that is low enough for him to get his hands on. He has also begun to cruise a bit... not officially cruising yet, more like 2 steps and stop or 2 steps and fall, but trust me it is in his very near future!! Seems like just yesterday I was telling you that he was pulling himself up on his knees and now he's pulling himself up on furniture.







This is so exciting, but scary too... how am I ever going to keep up with the two of them going in opposite directions? I'm already dealing with the whole... he's touching me, he's taking my toy, he's sitting too close, he's looking at me... ok so neither one of them say any of those things, but trust me they are so thinking it!

Weekend update!

Here we are at Monday again lets see how was the weekend?? Not long enough!

Friday Richard came home early and we went to the grocery store. The boys went out on the bike for a bit too which they all love!

Saturday was family busy day. We took Blake to get his hair cut.. ok you already knew that but still, went to a farmers market, the boys went for a ride, Richard actually had time to get some work done on a project of his own and we went to church. Yes, we made the buffalo chicken chili and it was good... I will admit though that it was not an exact copy of Rachael Ray's recipe... hey she does say her recipes are methods and you don't have to follow them exactly! It was a nice change of pace from our usual chili... it was actually not as hot as I normally make chili, but it had a kick.

Sunday Richard went to work and then for a bike ride. So the boys and I had our typical day... well except Colby and I started the day at 5:30am and he was down for his morning nap at 8am and slept until 10:30... and yes this totally messed up afternoon naps! Richard got home around 1:30pm and let me have some escape time. Colby hung out with Richard and I in our bedroom and actually fell asleep on our bed where I was reading. After dinner I took the boys out in the bike trailer while I rollerbladed... this was a workout let me tell you!

We are testing something out with Blake's room to see if it will help with naptime issues... I'll fill you in on the details later. Don't want to jinx it... as that seems to be the norm for me and sleep issues!!

Hope you had a fun filled busy weekend with you family too!

Sunday Scrapbook page

big difference

It's amazing how much a hair cut changes someone's overall appearance. We finally got Blake's hair cut. It was not fun, but it is done. The lady did a great job dealing with him flailing all over. She wasn't totally happy with the cut (and yes it's not perfect), but let me tell you it is sooo much better than before! But, then again you can judge for yourself!

random weekend thoughs

1. Why is it that we as adults see how precious sleep is and get so little of it?

2. I think the saying should be when a toddler doesn't nap, no one is happy! Ok so the nap thing with Blake is a bit better ( I can't believe I said that I hope I totally don't jinx myself again!), but it is still a struggle to convince him he needs to take a nap. I wish I could figure out the button to push to convince him that sleep is a good thing.

3. Having Richard home all weekend last weekend was great and he is home again this weekend too

4. The bike trailer for the kids is a great investment... they love going for a ride with Daddy, and Daddy gets to go for a bike ride with less guilt... oh and mommy gets alone time. Everyone wins with this one! (I'm going to try to push it while rollerblading this weekend, I'll let you know how that goes... if it works it means I can rollerblade during the week!!)

5. Going out to lunch during the week is a rare and wonderful treat

6. Triple chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting (need I say more?)

7. Getting outside to play on a regular basis is great for the boys... oh and then the temperature dropped 20 degrees in one day (our low on Thursday was Friday's high) and the winds picked up sooooo

8. Watching the boys play is one of my biggest joys. The funny thing is right now they play better when I'm not in the room then when I am.. lol

9. Now that Colby is mobile he wants whatever toy Blake is playing with (typically)... the problem is Colby can't understand why he can't have it, and Blake can't tell him either... so I often have to step in and try to find something else to distract Colby. Blake is getting pretty good at trying to give Colby something else to play with, but that doesn't always work either. Oh the joys of teaching taking turns and sharing!

10. It was cool to see a few of my loyal readers decide to start doing random weekend thoughts on their blogs too. I'm honored that you enjoy it so much you are doing it on your site!!

(thanks for the kuddos on the new layout... I was ready for a change!)

Menu planning (week 1)

It seems like a lot of people have jumped on the menu planning bandwagon. I've done this for years. I find it so much easier to go grocery shopping if I know what we are making during the week. It helps me focus on what I'm shopping for. Richard and I sit down and come up with a list of meals we want to have during the week and then I make the grocery list based on that. I do pick up some random things I see in the store that are on sale, but for the most part I get what we have on the list.

This is our menu for the coming week (we shop on Friday so I plan Friday through Thursday):

Friday: Subs or Chicken from Publix
Sat.: Buffalo Chicken Chili --this is a new recipe for us to try
Sun.: homemade Stromboli (yep that's what Richard is making this week)

I plan 4 week day meals and the decide as the week goes on which we will have which day depending on how things are going at home
day 1: pretzel crusted chicken tenders
day 2: mac & cheese
day 3: pressed sandwiches
day 4: tacos

We buy chicken and ground chicken at BJ's so we almost always have this in the freezer. Other than having to get some things for the chili and the pressed sandwich stuff we have the stuff to make all these meals at home already. That is the great thing with planning... we often have the stuff to make the meals already and then we have to just fill in some of the fresh items that are needed.

Friday Videos

It's all in how you look at it

Richard and I were having a conversation today about things that are going on at the house, with the boys and other things. I said something to the effect of thanks for letting me vent about all this now, don't worry it will all be fine. (I always tell him "don't worry about me... I'll be fine... I always am!") I know it is hard for Richard to deal with the stress of work and then come home and have to help deal with all the stuff here too. I know he wishes he could do more when things are tough, but I don't expect him to be able to solve the problems, and yes he knows that too. I often say to him sorry you get stress times two and he says to me... you are dealing with all this too. I often say... yep it's my job.

Richard and I had decided shortly after getting married that when we had children I would stay home and care for them. This was something that we both wanted and luckily we can do it with Richard's salary and a bit of scrimping. But, there is also the understanding that when Colby is in kindergarten I will go back to work.

I do look at staying home with the boys as my job. I believe that I am their first teacher on so many levels. That is why I consider myself a stay-at-home mom. I focus my energy on my boys and put housework in when I find time. My house is clean, not spotless... not perfect, it's lived in! I want my son's to grow up knowing how to clean up and see that a clean house is important, but I do not focus on cleaning. They see me do laundry, they see me sweep and vacuum and occasionally mop the floors. They help pick up their toys and put the clothes in the laundry.

I guess I look at cleaning the same way I did when I worked... And I guess I look at it that way because in some ways I still work, just at home.

Wordless Wednesday

Things I Have Done and Some Things That I Hope To Do Someday

This seems to be floating around quite a bit right now, so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon. I stole it from Jessica at Tell Me A Story. The interesting this is there are some things on here that although would be a great thing to do, I'm not sure I'd want to do them in my life, but you never know!

Let me know if you decide to do it on your blog too!

Everything in BOLD I have done...
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disney World.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea. (ok I was on the beach, but the storm was at sea)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables. (Well at least tried to *grin*!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someones life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

learning process

As a kindergarten teacher, I always viewed myself as a facilitator of learning more than a teacher. I felt that my job was to set up a positive environment for the children to learn. When I was allowed to teach my way, I would teach utilizing a theme based curriculum. This means I would teach the theme and the skills where developed through the activities based on the theme. I would choose one theme a month and incorporate the holidays and necessary skills into the theme I was teaching that month. This also allowed me to make modifications based on what was going on in the world (Olympics, elections and that kind of things) as well as the interests of the students in my classes.

I enjoy watching children learn in their own way in their own time. I know that a lot of parents set time aside each day to "teach" their children. They focus on specific skills that they expect their children to master within a given time frame. I do not do this with my boys, and doubt I will. Now don't get me wrong I do expose the boys to academic skills, but I do not go out of my way to teach them. I have already begun using holidays in our art projects and some of the stories that we read. I switch the books in Blake's room every month (or more frequently). It is through these stories that he has been exposed to alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes that kind of things.

Some of the other ways that I expose the boys to academic skills are the computer, art projects, the toys we have, the tv shows I choose to let them watch and that kind of things. We always have children's music playing in the background too. You would be shocked at how much children can pick up just hearing something over and over again in the background.

I watch my sons learn every day. It amazes me all the time how much they already know and the skills they not only are learning but also can use in their lives. I know my boys are learning through play, which in my opinion as a parent and as a teacher is the best way for young children to learn!

a toddler's obsession

I had been lucky for a while... Blake had been willing to watch pretty much any show that was on during the times he was allowed to watch tv. Oh he had his favorites (and so did/do I), but he wouldn't demand anything specific. It was more likely that he'd refuse to watch a specific show than demand one. Well that has all changed!

Blake has become obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine or "rain" as he calls it. He actually will pump his arm up and down and say toot toot when he wants to watch it more than saying "rain". Now we don't have PBS Sprout so we only have Thomas on demand (which means we only have 4 episodes). So one thing we made sure to pick up at Target was Thomas videos. Richard was trying to watch the Daytona 500 last night and Blake found the videos and kept pushing them at Richard until we gave in and put one on.

Today Disney and Nickelodeon are having marathons of shows Blake isn't crazy about so guess what we are watching!

Oh and a side note... I'm not getting into a debate on how much tv young children should watch. I do limit what Blake and Colby watch as far as time and shows.

busy weekend

Well we had a busy weekend this weekend... had to take advantage of Richard being home the whole weekend.

Friday the boys and I went the to grocery store and Richard went and bought sod for the front lawn. After dinner we went out and laid the sod down and played in the front yard.

Saturday we went out and dug up the old grass to correctly lay the sod. Then we piled into the truck and went to a bike store to buy a bike carrier for the boys to ride in behind Richard's bike. We stopped off and had lunch on the way home and then after naps we headed out to get Colby a helmet and a few other things at Target and ran to BJ's. Blake and Richard tried out the bike with kid carrier after dinner (pancakes and bacon... yummy!), but Colby wasn't interested in going for a ride.

Sunday we had a very lazy morning. Then the boys both rode with Richard to the park while I walked up with Abby. We then had lunch and naps. We all played outside in the sandbox for a bit and ordered out for pizza.

Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!

random weekend thoughs (the Valentine's Day version)

1. I believe that Valentine's day is a day that was created to remind people who are single that they are single... lol

2. From my freshman year in college up until I got married I always wore all black on Valentine's Day

3. Valentine's day is a fun day to spend with children because they get excited over all the little ways you show love

4. Richard and I don't exchange gifts on Valentine's day, but he got me a sweet card, what more could I ask for? (well maybe having him sign it would have been nice)

5. Blake and I made heart shaped sugar cookies earlier this week... he is eating the last one right now (guess we made them too early?)

6. I put the boys Valentine's shirts on them yesterday since we were running errands, but never took a picture of them... oops... guess I'll have to put them on another day

7. Having Richard home over the whole weekend is a great treat for us (he's been working the last few weekends)

8. Going to the grocery store yesterday was funny to see how many people were in just to buy Valentine gifts


Happy Valentine's Day!

Lori, Richard, Blake and Colby

Friday Videos (fixed)

(Hope you can see them now!!)

Ok there are a lot of them, but I think they are good enough to share them all. I hope you enjoy them and have a few laughs with my little guys. Let me know what you think?? Got a favorite? Too many or is less really more??

Winter in Florida

I know you all think I'm crazy when I talk about winter in Orlando. I know you all want to kill me when I complain about our "cold" snaps, but yes I'm posting another weather post.

I went onto Weather.com and pulled up the temperatures for every Thursday in 2009 (for some reason Thursdays seem to have been our extremes)

This is what it has looked like:

Jan 1st: high 67 low 53
Jan 8th: high 71 low 46
Jan 15th: high: 59 low 44
Jan 22nd: high 58 low 33
Jan 29th: high 82 low 62
Feb 5th: high 51 low 30
Today: high 80 low 57

got to love the yo-yo effect??

Wordless Wednesday

oh and on a side note... Colby pulled himself up on his crawl and cruise last night... see I knew this would go fast and I'd be in trouble!