First Snow!

I love winter!! Why do I love winter?? One reason...snow!

We got our first snow of the year, along with pretty much the rest of the South! We really didn't get much at all, but it was enough to sled and have fun in. As soon as we heard the forecast of snow, we headed to Fagan's to get a sled. They were completely sold out of the traditional sleds and saucer sleds, but they did have one inner tube sled left. So we bought it. Last year we got a TON of snow and never got a sled. Not this year. We are prepared!!!

Most of Arkansas got snow on Sunday. We got some very light snow Sunday night. Kristin was thrilled and went out to catch flakes. This same picture I emailed to our news channel to see if they would show on the news with the weather pics. But they didn't. However, the next morning on KNWA Today (the really early news show), K's pic was the My Media Pic of the Day! And she missed it! Poor thing was still asleep in bed. But she was happy to know they showed it and believes that she is now "famous."



Monday afternoon/evening it began snowing enough for school to be cancelled the next day. Kristin and her two friends across the street were out playing till around 9. I had to drag her in and she was soaking wet, from head to toe!



After the snow the REALLY cold air moved it.

Today it was in the 40's...a heat wave!!!

Another reason I love winter....Jan Brett. She is my favorite children's author. When we teach our winter unit at school, I fill it up with Jan Brett books...The Mitten, The Hat, Annie and the Wild Animals, The Three Snow Bears. So many of her wonderful books are "winter" books. And I love them. She is awesome!!! Next week we are reading Annie and the Wild Animals as part of our "animal tracks/winter" study and will be making Annie's Corn Cakes. I can't wait!

And while I'm on the subject of school, I just have to say how well Kristin is doing. The one on one, Montessori learning has been the best thing for her. She is thriving and LOVES school. And I love having her there. It's not like the preschool days where she was "competing" for my attention with the other kids. She goes to her class, comes out to see me on occasion, and just does her own thing. Today she was going to the kitchen for something and stopped off in my room to give me a hug and tell me she loves me. LOVE IT! Anyway, her reading has improved tremendously, letter reversals aren't happening as often and one thing I really love...when she's finished with all her work for the morning, she's then allowed to help the younger kids with their work. The other day she was helping a little boy with his math work. It was precious and has been a real confidence booster for her. Ok, I will stop rambling now. I'm just blessed to have a job I love and to have my daughter with me, learning and having fun. And we're both happy I'm not her teacher ;-)

Kristin and I are happily planning our trip to Disneyland. I finally decided to stay at a cheaper hotel across from the park entrance, rather than a resort hotel. I'd rather spend the money doing things in the park than on a room that we'll just be sleeping in! Plus the hotel we are staying at is literally across the street for the park and is closer than the resort hotels! We are going March 13-17. We've figured which rides we want to ride, where we want to eat, and who we want to see. Kristin is on a mission to find Johnny Depp, aka Jack Sparrow. I've told her that Johnny Depp won't really be there, just someone dressed up as Jack, who looks a lot like Johnny Depp. Now that I've told her this and she has accepted it, I fully expect to see Johnny Depp walking around Disneyland! Or at least at LAX!! I was going to surprise Kristin was a visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to get her hair and makeup done, then lunch at Ariel's Grotto with the princesses, but really, how could I keep a secret like that???? Yeah, I told her. She's thrilled!! Money saved by staying at a cheaper hotel will go towards this little outing....and countless memories :)

Life is good.

This Is Halloween....

Well, Halloween has started off with a bang. What a week it's been!!! Monday I had a stomach bug that luckily was gone almost as quickly as it started. Then on Wednesday K went to the doctor for a check on her meds and we decided to go ahead and do her blood tests. Since Chris died of a sudden blood clot, the doctor highly suggested K be tested for genetic clotting disorders. The chances of her having one are rare, but so are the chances of a 34 year old dying of a blood clot without any prior surgery, long plane or car rides, etc. SO, I feel that it's worth doing. Plus the doctor is also concerned about her thyroid and possible diabetes. Anyway, after four needle sticks they were unable to find a vein. The next day we went to the medical center where they have a lab and people who do nothing but draw blood. One stick, but still not nearly enough blood. So Friday we went to the hospital, where we should've gone in the first place! It's almost a mixed blessing that they didn't get any blood before since she was supposed to be fasting for all those tests, which apparently, the doctor didn't know! This morning we went back to the hospital and got the blood without any problems. 14 tubes of blood!!!! Kristin thought it was way cool and I would've taken a picture, but I was put to work. As soon as I told the tech that my mom is a nurse and I'm not squemish about blood, she said "Good, I'll put you to work!" She had me take the full syringes and pop them on the tubes so they'd fill. It was pretty cool. Kristin has now added phlebotomist to her career list!

Yesterday was the fall festival at Sunshine Montessori. The kids were bunnies this year. We had a lot of fun, as usual!

My class

After school K and I headed downtown to trick or treat. This is the first time we've been back since the nightmare of Downtown Trick or Treat when K was 2. It is neat, but involves a lot of standing and waiting, which is not good for a hyper two year old. It was so bad, it's taken 5 years for us to go back. I hated every minute of it, but never let K know! It's just too many people getting too close to my personal space bubble!!!!




Tonight was the Fall Festival at church. We had so much fun. K won a 2 liter Pepsi and a couple of smaller drinks on the ring toss. Then she won brownies doing the cake walk (she refused to leave until she won!) and I won the Ladies Gift Basket, which is full of just my kind of thing...magnets, cool paper clips (no Shawn, you can't have them!), a brag book, candle, etc. I was super excited!

Kristin and her friends Ruth and Chloe

The cakewalk...she was determined to win!

Tomorrow morning we're going to church, grabbing lunch, then getting back into costume for the festival at the Assembly of God church. Then we'll trunk or treat at Trinity and THEN do somedoor to door. Lots of drama. Lots of fun. Totally blessed. Wouldn't have it any other way!

Second Grade at Sunshine!

Bring it on!!!!

Wow! Summer has come to an end! Today Kristin started second grade! This year Sunshine Montessori is starting an elementary program. Shawn in teaching Pre-K-third grade. This year she did not market the program since we won't have the new building until winter. So, she has 7 pre-k kids, two Kindergarteners and Kristin. The two kindergarten kids were going to do Kindergarten at Sunshine regardless of us opening the elementary room, but this is something Shawn has been considering quite awhile and parents are so happy to hear that we are starting an elementary program, me being one of them! I don't even want to think about what we'll do for fourth grade! Anyway, I digress, so I will get back to Kristin and second grade! Needless to say, the one on one individualization and small class size will be wonderful for Kristin plus, Shawn has known K since she was one and knows everything about her...what makes her tick, how she thinks...everything. And Kristin really loves Shawn. I think Kristin is as excited as I am, though she'd never admit it!

Here she is ready to go!









Kristin and Ms. Shawn

Today and Friday Shawn is letting the kids help get the room ready, so technically they really won't start school in the academic sense until Monday. The new building will be completed by Christmas at the latest. But they said it most likely won't take that long, considering it's basically one room, with a bathroom. I, of course, will have pictures of the building when it's finished! Here is their schedule....makes me want to go back to elementary!!!

7:00-8:00 is for Full Day students only

7:00-7:45 School opens
7:45 Breakfast
8:00 Go to Elementary Building; Sign in, Get settled
8:15 Large group time
8:35 Work time (focus on language and math)
10:00 PE
10:15 Yoga
10:30 Work time (focus on language and math)
11:45 Lunch and outside
12:30 Story time (focus on character building)
1:00 Pre K nap
SA work time(focus on science, health, geography, social studies); Once a week visit library
2:30 Pre K children wake up

Special classes
Monday--science lab
Tuesday--music appreciation
Wednesday art appreciation
Thursday music activities
Friday art activities

3:00 Large group time
3:15 School dismissed

3:30 All school day children picked up; Pre K join preschool

3:30-6:00 is for Full Day children only
3:45 Snack
4:00 Outside
4:45 Inside for free choice, homework, etc

Kristin and I open the school at 7 and we leave at 4....love it!

While Shawn has the elementary kids, Cindy and I have the 2 1/2-4 year old kids. I'll have 8 of the older ones that I will be responsible for doing group time with and indvidual lessons. Cindy has 6 of the younger ones. I think we are going to have a really good group. And there are only two boys...that will be interesting! I'm almost finished with my room...still have some decluttering to take care of, but that seems to be constant throughout the year! I'll put up pics when I get my room done, which hopefully will be this weekend.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!