Earth Day and other spring projects

Monday

Nothing like a rainy Monday to provoke a sluggish start. We stayed in our PJs a little longer than normal and watched the rain soak the patio from their window seat. They were pretending to feed each other popcorn as if they were an old married couple at the movies. Once we got moving, we cleaned up our weekend messes and shook our sillies out. We brought out all of the dress up clothes and played with them for a little bit. Then we ate our special mini cupcake snack and started painting our birdhouses.

Tuesday

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood. While we waited for the sun to come out this morning, we painted our birdhouses and talked about what birds or animals might come eat there. Tristan is convinced a tiny goose with inhabit his. And I hope one does! We took a nice walk and then came home to play in the sandbox, with bubbles, and with chalk. Their new favorite thing to do outside is talk to ants and bugs. After we were tired out from outside, we headed in for some snack and to read our book of the week, Alphabet Trucks. It's become Tristan's favorite!

Wednesday

Happy Earth Day! We have been talking about flowers and how they grow, and painting bird houses to help the birds, so I tied this in with a mini Earth Day lesson. We talked about cleaning up after ourselves (inside and out) and how to recycle things that can be used again. We even walked some cans and bottles out to our new recycling bin. We also used pipe cleaners and cheerios to make some bird and squirrel feeders. We sat and waited sort of patiently for them, but shockingly no animals came near the window with two kids yelling for them! We took a nice long walk and pointed out the different types of flowers we saw, and then played in the sandbox until nap time.

Thursday

Sometimes Thursdays are the roughest! We started out okay but then had to

make a run to Giant which was slightly chaotic. They are usually pretty good 

listeners when it comes to getting dressed, putting on shoes, and picking up their toys but today it was like pulling teeth. Getting them to the car 

was pretty easy, as was getting them in and back out and into the cool car

shopping cart that I can never steer without knocking into something took a little work, but we made it to self checkout without an issue. Then I couldn’t find my bonus card, the woman was trying to give me a free disposable bag (?) for 

Earth Day as Lily was trying to climb out of the car and Tristan attached 

himself to the woman’s leg. Whew. We came back home and considered outside time but it’s pretty windy and chilly today. Once we were inside and settled, they managed to keep themselves entertained for a little bit while I did some chores. Once fighting started to happen, we moved to our seats and ate some 

snack and got ready to do project. Today we made some spring wreaths to 

hang on our doors. I had large foam flowers and foam stickers we glued and 

stuck to a circle I cut out of cardboard. They came out pretty cute!

Friday

Alas, Friday. Yesterday was a rough one. But we made it and now we are that 

much closer to the weekend. A three day weekend for us complete with 

Sesame Street Live tonight and then the cabin until Monday. It is very much 

needed! Today was a free play kind of day. We sang some songs and did our 

exercises after breakfast. We played with some toys we haven’t seen in a while. 

We even tried to watch a new TV show or two, just to switch things up. For our 

project, we began to paint clay flower pots for some cute Mother’s Day gifts we 

will be mass producing! Hopefully the rest of the day will go on pretty smoothly 

and we can get the weekend started!

Have a good one everybody! I am going to attempt to get a chunk of wedding related things situated and hopefully one of those things will include a blog update for all of you who are on the edge of your seats! :)

Spring Unit: Week One

Since we are done our letters, I am thinking of doing my 'lesson plans' in unit form. Not sure how long each unit will last just yet, but for now, we are working on a Spring Unit, which includes flowers, nature, and all things outdoors! Here is what we were up to this week!

Monday

Wow what a gorgeous day! We took full advantage of this wonderful warm spring weather and spent almost the entire day outside! We ate breakfast and then did some quick cleaning around the house. After we got dressed, we went for a nice long walk in the stroller and then played in the sandbox for an hour without any fights or issues. We came in for a quick snack, to use the potty, and to take a nap. After nap and lunch, we headed back outside to play with chalk, bubbles, and in the sandbox again. I have a feeling this is how most of our warmer weather days are going to be spent. I am will and ready to do all of our projects outside to enjoy the outdoors!

Tuesday

Rainy Tuesday. I am glad we spent all day yesterday outdoors because we were trapped inside this morning. Our new ‘toy’ is a piano Gpa was given. It’s our new motivator---if they eat all of their breakfast, then I set the timer for 10 minutes and let them play their songs. We had a lazy morning and took our time getting ready. After eating some snack, we read “Flower Garden” by Eve Bunting and talked about flowers. Our project for the day was first talking about the parts that make up a flower and gluing one together ourselves. I let them use the gluesticks themselves today and they did a fabulous job listening! I only used a little bit of guidance to show them what a flower looked like, and they did the rest on their own.

Wednesday

Ahh another beautiful day! We ate breakfast and played some tunes on the piano. It is slightly out of tune but once it’s fixed, maybe I will resurrect my knack to play things by ear (you don’t lose that, right?) and teach them a few easy numbers. They like to bang around on it and sing “Baby, you’re a firework” or twinkle twinkle. After we got dressed and I consumed my cup of coffee, we got shoes and coats on and took a nice long walk in the stroller. As promised, on our return, we played in the sandbox, with sidewalk chalk, and with bubbles. It was a little windy, but still nice enough to eat our goldfish and drink our juiceboxes outside at our little table. We came in to pee after they sucked down their juice, and then headed back out for some more outside time. We drew and labeled a big flower, and talked about how flowers need sun and water to grow. Once our piggies were quite chilly, we came inside and played a round of Cranium Hullabaloo, which is a fun game that works on listening skills. There are different colored and shaped pads you place on the floor that each have different pictures on them. The object of the game is to use your listening ears and follow what the speaker tells you to do. If you end up on the pad he guesses, you win. It’s fun to watch them think about where they want to go next. We are still working on the listening part! After we got tired of that, we did some threading with our wood sea animals and shoe strings. I found that set at the $1-3 bins at Target for three bucks and it saved me the trouble of making them on my own. Plus they are slightly more durable than cardboard. We read our books for the week and then took some nice very long naps.  After lunch we headed back outside to soak up some more rays.

Thursday

Nothing better than a gorgeous Thursday! Except of course a beautiful Friday but we’re almost there! We started out a little slow moving today. After we got dressed and ready to go, we got to play with a new manipulative I found in the $1-3 dollar bin at Target. I do not know how to pass by that thing without at least looking, and almost always buying something. Most of it has really come in handy to occupy their attention for some time! Anyway, I found these little circle/peg things that can stick together and make towers and bridges and all sorts of fun things! They spent some time with these until they remembered how nice out it was. We took a very long stroller walk today to get some fresh air for them and some exercise for me. We came home and played in our new outdoor haven. They were pretty good at listening so we ate our snack outdoors again today. Came inside to potty and to get ready for nap by reading our books, and they both fell asleep very fast. Ahh fresh air!

Friday

Well, it’s rainy and sort of gloomy, but we can get past that because it’s finally Friday! Yay! We had a very low key morning, which is sometimes needed. The kiddos stayed in their pajamas and played ever so nicely with each other, cramming into the tiny places between the TV stand and behind the chair. They were using “astroblasters” and “going on adventures” and “sitting on a train” and using their imaginations in so many other ways. I just sat back and watched them play. At one point, Tristan leaned over to Lily and said “Lily you are awesome.” And I may or may not have cried a little and she turned and hugged him. Oh these two buddies! After we danced out some energy and straightened up a little, we voted on playing with play doh. They sat for about 45 minutes building and cutting and rolling and making snakes and Pluto and frogs. Once again, their little imaginations were going full speed. I actually got some painting projects for our very DIY wedding which was a bonus! I think I might actually take advantage of this gray day and read while they finish up their naps!

Have a fun weekend! Hoping to get some more wedding stuff done this weekend and perhaps blog a little about that, but we're going to a food truck festival tomorrow so I sort of plan on being in a food coma for a bit!

Outside Toy Review

Now that it is finally nice enough out to go outside and stay outside for a good period of time, I thought I would do a review of the basic items I use to keep Lily and Tristan entertained and occupied. Most of these things have been gifts or hand me downs and have gotten us through a few seasons of outdoor time. My goal this year is to bring out a new (to them) toy each week or so to keep them interested and active. I have a water table and a roller coaster waiting in the wings at my parent’s house that will be perfect for them to use this year.

Fubbles

These no-spill bad boys are by far the most amazing bubble wand holder I have ever encountered while working with toddlers. Even when knocked over, dragged around, and thrown in the car, it manages to not spill a drop. Of course, the top part collects bubbles and gunk that can potentially make a mess but nothing from the inside leaks out. We’ve taken this with us to picnics, parties, parks, and on wagon rides. I love that the kids can use this without me either holding the bottle of bubbles or worrying about spilling. The mess is minimal and blowing bubbles is actually a good exercise in young children relating to speech development!

Gazillion Bubbles

Going along with our bubble theme, these bubbles are amazing and the gazillion is no joke. The wand provided has tons of different size holes that can be blown or waved for a bubble overload. The wand is a thicker, sturdier plastic so I don’t feel like I am going to break it when I whip it around. The combo of the bubble recipe and the different want makes for a good amount of bubbles to start flowing. They are also non-toxic and non-staining which is also a huge plus for parents! 

Wagon

After stroller walks, a wagon is our second favorite way to get around. We actually have two different wagons. The Radio Flyer one was a hand me down that we have gotten good use out of in the cooler weather. Lily got a Step 2 one for her first birthday we also love to use when it gets warmer. The Step 2 wagon has a removable canopy for the top and even a drawer to put snacks or Mommy things. Neither one will fit in my trunk (sometimes I miss driving the mini van for transport purposes) but it’s fun for a local walk to the library or park. Or to practice pulling each other around.

 

Chalk

Ahh sidewalk chalk. I know the texture is an issue for some, but I love it. from now until the end of fall, I will have chalk on my shoes and pants. My favorite is Crayola’s box of awesomeness because of all the shades and colors, but honestly, the Dollar Store and A.C. Moore have little buckets of it for $1 that work just as well! I stocked up all winter long in preparation of being outside regularly and also doing some learning and teaching outside as well.

Sand box/Sand Table/Sand Pile

Kids + sand = HAPPY. Another thing that’s not for everyone, but I love it and so do the kids. The first day this year that we used it, both kids stayed in for an hour without any fuss or fighting. It was amazing. They get a chance to build and create while also getting in some major sensory play. We have a few stray beach toys that we've been using but plastic cups and spoons seem to be what they fight over the most! You don't have to spend a fortune on sand toys. I actually bought a few random plastic toys from the Dollar Store last fall and hid them beneath the sand for the kids to find. There is so much you can do with a sand box or table that can tie in to your daily lesson!

Water Table

Along the same lines as the sand table, these are not for the faint of heart. They will get wet. You will get wet. Just make sure to always have a towel and a change of clothes ready. It’s not quite warm enough for us to break ours out, but I can’t wait until we can. Lily can spend hours playing in the sink so this will be so much fun for her and Tristan. This pirate ship one she got for her first birthday has a ton of different features for them to play with, and they can take their Little People go for a swim! I like that they can stand or sit while they play and I can control how much water gets put in the table. They control how much gets out! :)

Kid Friendly Picnic Table

Being able to have snack and do projects at a kid-friendly table makes outside time that much better. I wouldn't do a meal out there just yet because they do like to wander when they are not strapped in, but a small table is perfect for munching on some goldfish, eating some FreezePops or grabbing a drink. I also like to use it to do projects on when I want to spend the whole day outside. The one we have is super simple and just the right size for the two of them. This is a good item to search for at yard sales! If it's beat up or faded, but still in good condition, there's nothing a good washing and a fresh coat of paint won't fix!

Comfy Outdoor Chair

Just kidding. We all know that as soon as we sit ourselves down in a comfortable spot to watch them play from afar, we immediately are needed to jump up to do some bubble in the eye sand in the pants chalk finger scrape catastrophe. Actually, I am more of a hands on mom when it comes to outside play because I find it soothing to channel my inner kid and get my hands dirty. Which is probably a good thing chasing two 2 year olds all day. Another plus to constantly moving is an even, yet still awkward, burn (or tan) line. But it’s nice to have something on those days were the universe is in my favor and I can sit back and enjoy the day from the comfort of my chair. This one is on my wishlist, in my size of course. 

Week 26 Recap

Monday

Today was Jordan/Daddy/Uncle Jordle’s birthday and he was off from work so we took a fun field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. We have a zoo pass, an aquarium pass, and a Six Flags pass this year so we are set for fun things to do! I did realize after yesterday there is no way I could handle bringing both of them to the zoo by myself just quite yet. The listening skills are not quite there when there are other groups of people around, but we’ll get there. Maybe a goal to reach by the fall before we become a party of 4 (Tristan’s getting a sibling, not Lily)! Anyway, we had a great day! The zoo was pretty empty so we were able to do a lot of the hands on stuff we sometimes miss during our warmer weather or weekend trips. They got to play around in the treehouse for a little bit, and we got to see the tigers on the catwalk above us. They walked around for most of the morning, so once we got into the car, they were out cold. We stopped at Dairy Queen for our free vanilla cones (Tristan slept through it) and then went home to regroup. After we all pottied and had a little drink, we jumped in the wagon and took a walk over to the library to get library cards! It was a fun and busy day and we ALL slept like rocks!

Tuesday

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! We ate some Lucky Charms for breakfast (I wasn’t sure if I made green pancakes if the kids would actually consume them). We did our calendar and got dressed, and got out some fun St. Paddy’s dress up accessories and took some silly pictures. Then we played Find the Shamrocks. I took the foam shamrocks we used for our backdrop and hid them throughout the different rooms. Then the kids counted to ten (or usually seventeen) and then came to look for them! Once they found them, I counted and they hid them. It was a simple game but they absolutely loved playing it. We put on some Celtic music, then our usual lineup of songs we dance to, and then we got our shoes on and went for a wagon walk with our goldfish snack. The playground across the street was empty when we walked by so we stopped to play for a little bit before taking turns pulling the wagon around the track, then heading home. We took naps, ate green Shamrock pancakes for lunch (I caved and they enjoyed them), and then glued a foam leprechaun together. We finished the day with another wagon walk and green sprinkled shamrock sugar cookies!

Wednesday

Whew made it to the middle of the week.  Today was a very laid back one. It’s back to being blustery and windy and cold, and that is no bueno. Just as we were getting a taste for the sun and outside time! We ate breakfast, got dressed, did our calendar then had a dance party. We dusted and wiped down the downstairs rooms and used our new measuring tape toys from Gpa to measure everything in sight. We had some snack and painted Xylophone X’s and watched a video of someone playing the xylophone. We had some free play and did some exercising, then we got ready for our naps. After lunch we headed upstairs to play with all the fun stuff in Lily’s room.

Thursday

Another slow start kind of day. We ate breakfast and did our calendar after we got dressed. Then we played with one of our new games---Cranium Hullabaloo! It is a fun game where you lay out different pads that each are different colors and shapes that have different drawings on them like food, animals, or instruments. There is a contraption with an on/off switch and a speaker that says what to stand on next and how to get there (crawl, jump, twist). It is a great game for working on shape and color recognition as well as listening skills and standing still. We played for a few rounds and then moved on to the next task. I set up the little table and we colored birthday cards for our cousin Dani who turned 5 today. Once we were done with that, we cleaned up and danced to some music on the music channel. We ate our healthy snack of apples and oranges, and then had some more free play time. I got out another new skill game to play (which I found at the $1-5 bins at Target) which are different oceans shapes on wood with holes and yarn to practice lacing in and out. Lily loves to string a bunch together while Tristan took his time lacing the string through each hole.  

Friday

Seriously snow? Ugh. Happy first official day of spring. We started off with our usual routine of breakfast, getting dressed, and updating our calendar. Then we had some free play time while I straightened some things around the house up. Should have known that Fridays are the days we need slightly more structure because they are just about as done as I am with the week. We had a few moments and some time outs in complete silence, but then we all managed to pull ourselves together and play a matching game. We built some towers with little books and then with blocks. We kept tabs on how the weather looked outside, all while chanting NO MORE SNOW, NO MORE SNOW! We also had a very intense dance competition where they would each do a move and then I would have to copy it. We were all sweating and out of breath by the end. We ate some snack and used watercolors to paint a Yo-Yo Y and a Zebra Z. Finally our alphabet is done! We watched some Sesame Street and read a few books before nap. Thank goodness it is Friday! Hopefully everyone gets some good naps in and we are fresh and ready to do something fun after lunch. I am thinking play dough or something along those lines.

Have a fun weekend everyone! 

Week 25 Recap

Monday

If I kept up with doing a letter a week, we would be just about done the alphabet. I slacked over the holiday season a little since we were doing other projects, and we forgot last week because we were deep into Dr. Seuss and all things related. So this week, we are a few letters at once---U, V, W. Then we’ll conclude our alphabet and finally finish our book next week with the X,Y,Z and a possible trip to the ZOO! We painted Umbrella U’s today after we did our usual morning routine. Monday’s are the best calendar days because they each getting a turn putting numbers up. We had some free play, danced to our faves, and listened and followed some new songs by Patty Shukla. Her YouTube videos are catchy, easy to dance along to, and the kids love following along. The weather is getting warmer finally but the snow is still there and now everything is a muddy swamp. Hopefully by next week we can get some outside time in during the day. I contemplated a stroller walk, but the double stroller is a beast to get around any sort of obstacle. We took a walk with Lily when Jordan got home though, and it did wonders for everyone’s moods. Bring it spring!!

Tuesday

Another day in the nuthouse! The kids were pleasant again today. We ate breakfast and got dressed, then showed Gma how we do our calendar. We had some free play time (Lily was up before Tristan got here this morning which always makes the morning seem longer than it is). The kids helped me measure water and rice to prep some dinner stuff. And as usual on Tuesdays, they both are huge helpers while I do laundry. They enjoy matching socks, dragging the basket from the kitchen to the living room, and throwing my underwear around the room. We ate some snack and then painted our Violin V’s. We usually listen to music during project time (mainly Elvis Pandora) but today Tristan requested some Annie, so we rocked out to that for a little bit. I set up their high chairs like a tunnel and the took turns rolling different balls back and forth to each other. 

Wednesday

The day I have been waiting for since November has finally arrived. WE WENT OUTSIDE TODAY! It was only for a wagon ride because everything is extra muddy, snowy, and soggy but it was glorious! We started the day with some breakfast, followed by getting dressed and doing the calendar. We cleaned up our space and vacuumed, then we danced around for a little bit. The sun was shining majestically at us through the window so while the kids were distracted, I scurried out to the garage to dig out a wagon. I wish I had videoed the reaction to me asking if they wanted to go for a wagon ride. It was pure joy, followed by the fastest clean up I have ever seen, then jumping up and down and screeching. We did a few loops around the block and breathed the fresh air, pointing out Easter bunny decorations and big puddles and loud trucks. They did not even start to fight over foot space until we were almost home. Sigh. I am well beyond ready for you, Spring. It was awesome to have 6,000 steps on my Fitbit before nap that were from a real walk and not just running up and down the stairs on laundry day or going on a bear hunt for the 57^th time indoors. We ate some snack and painted our Watch W’s, and then we used new roller brushes to paint some Shamrocks green, all while basking in the warmth of the sun’s rays. We might go for another quick walk after nap and lunch if the weather permits.

Thursday

One day closer to the weekend and warmer weather! It was a little bit chillier today than yesterday so as much as I wanted to take the kiddos for a walk after breakfast, we held out for a little bit. We did our calendar, danced to some music, and played with our musical instruments. I found little toy acoustic guitars at The Dollar Tree that they got a kick out of. I put on some Lumineers and they rocked out. They even let me play the tambourine for a bit before downgrading me to a leftover drumstick and a maraca. After snack, we decorated the shamrocks we painted yesterday with St. Patrick’s Day stickers. Then we bundled up and made a break for the outdoors. It was a short wagon walk today, just a loop around the parking lot and the church driveway, but it was worth it to get some fresh air for a few minutes. We acquired some booboos right before and during the walk so after band aids were applied and kisses were given, we watched some Sesaame Street, set up Tristan’s bed and got ready for nap by reading a story.

Friday

Another week in the books! This week felt like it went by very fast! We were a little busy which always helps and we got to experience fresh air and wagon walks! Can’t beat that! We did our usual routine mixed in with some new dancing songs and free play. We checked on our bird feeder outside (I think it needs more peanut butter and birdseed). We built a fort out of our parachute and practiced our jumping and our camping inside of it. We made Daddy/Uncle Jordan some birthday cards and crafts. Then we took a fast wagon walk since it’s a little chilly today. After nap, we might venture back out. The shining sun is too welcoming to stay cooped up inside! We got a taste of outside freedom and we're gonna enjoy it before the rain tomorrow!

Dr. Seuss Week & a Photoshoot Friday!

Monday:

Today we started our celebrations for Dr. Seuss’s birthday! We watched some Cat in the Hat YouTube videos that read the book to us. I know we have a copy somewhere but I couldn’t find it this morning. After we talked about all the things the Cat did and how he was not being a good listener when Fish asked him to help clean up and leave. I set up an impromptu photo shoot using a white backdrop and some props on the floor to resemble the scene where Cat tries to balance too many things while on top of a ball. The kids got a kick out of pretending to be the cat and then dramatically ‘falling’ (aka flailing) off when I got a good shot. We did our calendar (I cannot believe it is March already) and then did some of our songs. After snack, we painted our own sort of striped hats and read Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s which has always been one of their favorites.

Tuesday:

We got off to a rough start this morning. Lily woke up a little earlier than usual which threw off her game which made her super sensitive to just about everything. The good news was once she calmed herself down, Tristan took his turn to have a meltdown. We had some YouTube/Chromecast video time for everyone to take a minute and calm down. All of this occurred, with breakfast shoved in between crying and whining, and it was only 8:30 am. Whew. But once we were back on track, we got dressed and did the calendar. Then we did our actual songs and dances and our exercises. We had some free play time and watched parts of The Lorax to continue our Dr. Seuss themed week. Once they grew bored of the old school cartoon version, we had some snack and made our own Loraxes out of paper plates, construction paper mustaches and eyebrows, and orange paint. We finished the morning with reading some books on our own, then reading Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s together.

Wednesday

Is there a full moon coming? Is the weather pressure whacky? Do we need a day outside very badly? What a Wednesday. It started off sort of shaky—Lily was up before she usually does and said her teeth hurt. Not sure if that’s because we’ve been asking her or if they really are bothering her. She’s getting her last huge molar so I don’t doubt that she is having some discomfort. After breakfast and only some minor fighting, we moved on to get dressed and do our calendar. I was browsing the On Demand channel yesterday and found some exercise programs I personally wanted to try. They were being nuts so I thought maybe some guided stretching would help. We did some Bollywood Belly Dancing and they actually participated for the first 4 minutes, but once I planked, they were all over me. I struggled through until I hip checked them both and we all fell down giggling. We had some free play time (closely supervised while I project prepped) and ate some snack. We glued tissue paper on our Thing 1 and Thing 2 to continue our Dr. Seuss week. Tristan chose to use the tissue paper as is, and Lily crumpled and rolled each piece into a little ball. I love how they do things so differently sometimes. After project, we made some GOOP and made a big mess of our trays and the floor. They were cracking up as the goop changed from a solid to a liquid right in front of their eyes and in their hands! When we had enough, they were let down to free play while I cleaned up, and all hell broke loose. Good thing it was just about nap time and Gpa stopped in for a minute to distract them and read them a story.

Thursday

Thursday we had a snow day! I got to spend some quality one on one time with just Lily. We cleaned her room, played play dough, read some stories, drew some pictures, and once Daddy was done working from home, we headed out to play in the snow!

Friday

It was slightly rough waking up today after lounging about yesterday morning. But we made it! We ate our breakfast and then while the kiddos ran around, I put the finishing touches on our space ship! They put on their awesome space suits and counted backwards from five to blast off! They have been playing inside the space while I have been building it so they were very pumped to be able to use the door and peek out the windows and wear their cool costumes. They changed into 'real' clothes and continued to bring their books and blankets and toys into the space fort! After we played for a little bit, we cleaned up and had some snack. We did a few of our dances and watched a few of our videos before nap. I think a laid back Friday is in the cards today! We didn't do a craft for the letter U yet so we might paint after nap or bring some snow inside to play with (it's a little too cold for us to head outside).

T Week!

Monday

We had a very pleasant Monday. The kiddos helped me dust and clean after we did our usual morning routine. I love how helpful they are. And also how OCD they can be. Every speck of dust that was in their eyesight was removed. And handed to me. We painted our Train T’s and played with our ‘snow dough’. After sitting over the weekend, it’s slightly messier, but I already had the broom out anyway! After nap, the kids played with the magnets on the fridge. They have become a new favorite toy, and they moved them from the fridge to the floor today to make a train for the letter T.

Tuesday

This morning was slightly rough. One, if not both, of them are getting some new molars so we’ve all been a little moody. We did our morning routine minus our songs. Instead, I put the Hit List music channel on and we had a dance party to dance our crazies out. It worked temporarily. We ate some snack and sang Mahna Mahna a few hundred times, all while cracking up. Today’s project was inspired by T week and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I painted their forearms brown and their hands green and we made our very own coconut trees. I need to get some letter stickers for us to stick around the tree, so a Dollar Store trip might be in the cards for this evening.

Wednesday

Today was a laid back kind of day. I found some lower case letter alphabet letters while sorting through my supplies (which is something I need to do a little more often). They had so much fun lining them up along with their other magnets on the fridge. We tried spelling our names and recognizing how some lower case letters look different than their upper case counterparts. We painted some paper plates green and glued turtle legs and heads to them. They ran around like crazy people with those things once they were dry, making them swim and skate and fly!

Thursday

We forgot to do our calendar yesterday, so we doubled up on our dates today, and got back into our usual morning routine with some exercising and some freestyle dancing. I like to use the sound bar or the Music Choice channel to play music for them because most music videos are not kid appropriate OR Tristan and Lily start freaking out and yelling at the people in the videos for climbing on tables, jumping on couches, or hitting cars. It’s hilarious and cute but I’d rather just put the music on and let them dance. We did some fine motor tuning by building very tall towers out of blocks. We also worked on sharing, taking turns, and asking before we knocked someone else’s tower down. Sometimes that is a little tricky to understand, but we’re getting there! We played some more with our new magnets and practiced sharing yet again. 

Friday

Finally, Friday. Actually, this week wasn’t so bad. I feel like I started a lot of projects that I need to complete, but they’ll get there. I retrieved my Barbie collection from my parent’s house last night so we spent some time this morning playing with Luke (Skywalker AND Perry), MC Hammer, the kids from the Babysitters Club series, and Joey Lawrence. Tristan enjoyed setting up the furniture on the existing furniture in our house (ie the chair on the chair, the couch on the couch, etc). After we did our ‘songs’ and the calendar, we ate some snack and stripped down to our smocks. I find just wearing a smock is the safest way to paint with a toddler. Also a giant drop cloth (or old sheet in our case) also does the trick. We painted the top of our spaceship today! I cannot wait to complete this cardboard creation. We have been working on painting it for a few weeks now. I have to get some more glue sticks and add some fun details to it, but it’s about 78% complete and on its way to take off. Hopefully in time for a Photoshoot Friday next week!