Fun with Frogs

Christian did so well with learning about the catepillars that turned into butterflies and the unit we did on that subject, so I figured we would attempt another topic that way.  It seems he does better learning when I throw a few letters and numbers for review in with whatever topic we are focusing on.  He is really interested in tadpoles and frogs, so that is how I came to the idea of 'fun with frogs.'  I found out too, that is so happened that was what Ava was learning about in school too.  She even brought home a book on tadpoles and frogs and so part of our unit was for her to sit and read her book to Christian.





I did some research on the internet and found some fun crafty templates that he could use green finger paint on and then once they dried, he could cut out the shapes, glue them together to make a frog.  I looked up some fun froggy facts to read to him while he was concentrating on painting and though he was distracted, he seemed to be able to remember later some of the things I had read to him.  :)  Guess his retention was better than I had anticipated.  We also put together a small diagram showing the stages of a frog from egg to mommy frog.  Then we worked on sequencing stories, which is something we are to be working on anyway in general.  He got confused sometimes cause he is like me and jumps ahead of himself in the stories he tells.  ( I do the same thing)  He did however, seem to enjoy our craft ideas and showed them to his pappy and daddy with much pride.  We also read another book on tadpoles and he then "pretended" to read the book back to me, remembering many of the details on each page from what I had just read to him.  Another fun thing we did was pretending we were tadpoles and squirmed on the floor and then we were jumping frogs.  He got lots of energy out on that one. :) We also looked up some you tube videos on tadpoles and frogs.   Below is his pictures of his final finished projects.

In the blurry picture, he was practicing jumping like a frog. :)



Ava's First Official Note from a Friend

Okay, so earlier this year, which is only a few months in already. :)  But anyway, Ava had this friend on the bus that must want her to come over for a sleepover.  She kept coming home after school all excited because this friend asked her to come over TONIGHT at 7:00 for a sleepover.  I told Ava that I didn't know where this girl lived, so the next day she said what the road was.  Then I told her I didn't know who she was so she came home and told me her name.  My excuses were not holding up. . .and then it happened.


Here is the letter that we received, and Ava was ALL smiles when she handed it to me. 

Dear ava's mom
I invidid your doter to a sleepover at 7:00 I will have a presint for Ava. from. Kayley

*** Silom rode

Ava was so so so excited and started packing right away.  We had to explain to her that even though this was a nice invitation, that we still needed to hear from the mom and dad.  She was crying because she was sure her friend was waiting at her house and would be really upset that Ava never came over to see her, since she was "invidid."  The night was emotional but we made it through.  She went to school the next day and gave her friend our phone number so her mom could call me and we could set up a real play date. :) I am posting a picture below of the adorable note. :)

Ava's Kindergarten Valentines Day Party

I loved Valentines Day as a kid and getting all the cards from friends at school.  I secretly loved the ones I got from boys because I would pretend they were TRUE valentines and that they liked me. :)  I know, but hey, now we know where my daughter gets it.  One thing I don't remember though is getting as much candy as my kids did this year as valentines, but maybe I don't remember it because I wasn't the parent dealing with the hyper activity that follows. :)  Anyway, so I decided a few weeks before valentines day, that we would do something homemade. 
We seem to have a TON of broken and mixed crayon pieces laying around our house so I have been collecting them and saving them.  The first step was to peel the broken pieces and set them aside in a heart shaped Tin.  The fun part for me was finding which colors would look good together. :)  I think this was the most fun for the kids too.  Ava did NOT like the peeling part so I got to do the majority of that, which takes a LONG time. :)

Once we enough crayon pieces in the tins, we would pop them in the oven for a few minutes to let them melt and mold together to form a perfect heart.  Then when they came out and after they cooled, we would wrap them in Saran wrap and Ava wrote the names of her classmates on them.  This was perfect for her and her handwriting.  She had so much fun since this was something SHE was doing for herself.

 

The finished Product. . . . Numerous hours invested and 22 heart shaped crayons later.  She was so very proud.  I was excited that I felt this idea would be a pretty original one.  I was wrong.  Ava has a really cool student teacher that Actually had the same idea and hers turned out so pretty.  Ava came home and said, "mom, look.  My teacher did these too."  :)  I thought it was funny.

The Attack of the Brain

Yesterday, Christian came wondering out from his bedroom to find me.  He had just woken up so his voice was a bit crackly.  He was holding his right ear and I asked what was wrong.  He had a sad face and said, "mommy my ear is bumping and hurting. . . my brains are bumping into my inside ear!!!"  I wanted so badly to be a caring mommy but I couldn't help myself.  The brains part struck me funny and I got the giggles.  Luckily, he stood there and laughed with me, even as he was holding his BRAIN BUMPING EAR.  :) Love that boy.  Never a dull moment.

Bumbaugh Donut Day - 2012

The tradition continues.  We met at my in laws house to make fresh yummy donuts.  This was a fun year as it was the first time our nieces and nephews started bringing their dating friends. :)  We of course usually start out the day with the rising donuts and then frying them.  Then we glaze them or powder them or cover them with peanut butter icing or chocolate coatings.  I think we all eat so much that our guts hang out an inch further than usual.  The older cousins help keep the younger cousins occupied, because their attention span is not very long and they eat enough to fill their bellies and then run away to play. Uncle Troy brought Ty too and he and the kiddos played on the trampoline for most of the day.  

I always really enjoy the tradition and look forward to it each year.  They plan it when the kids are off school so they can all experience it too. . . and then we all take donuts home to our family and friends.  Ava was excited to take some to her teacher this year, but what she brought home was gone before the next day for school.  Wonder where they all went?  It happens to be a pretty nifty set up we have going and it works each year.  This year, we covered the floors with paper, so the glaze wouldn't get all over the wood flooring and the linoleum.  This was an awesome idea and made clean up so much easier. 

Kindly Canine Reading

Ava Beaner LOVES Dogs.  She loves them and wants one so badly.  However, she knows she has a mommy and a brother that have pretty serious animal allergies and her daddy doesn't even like dogs, so this is not a small issue for her convince her mommy and daddy of.  She thinks she MUST have one and prays all the time that she can get one.  She does love Simba, her pappy and grandma's dog, and she does a fabulous job with him when she is there and helping to take care of him. :) 

The other week, I noticed on the library calendar, that they were having Canine Reading.  I called her cousin Kelsey and her mom signed her up while I signed Beaner up.  She was a little nervous on the way in to the library.  She asked me, "what if I mess up while I am reading to the dog?"  I assured her she wouldn't mess up and even if she did, the dog would be watching her pretty face and not realize she messed up.  She thought that worked.   It was a little busy and they had numerous dogs.  Some of the dogs' parents had cards they handed out with the dogs names on them.  I wasn't sure what she would think but in fact she LOVED it.  Her cousin helped her with words she couldn't figure out, and Ava was not ready to leave when the time to leave came.  I was very impressed with out the dogs did. 



This little Doggie was named Matthew.  He was the first one she read to and she read two books to him.  He was quite attentive.




The doggie in this one was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and her name was Lexus.

She read to a few other dogs within the hour and then when it was time to go, she ran over to hug this dog named Moonpie.  Moonpie was a Lab Mix, who she had not had the chance to read to yet. :)  She really was in her Glory. :)

Tranformers + Christian = Quiet Afternoon :)

So, Christian loves Transformers.  I got a call from a friend the other week asking if I wanted some of her boys transformers.  She was getting rid of them and wanted to know if I thought Christian would like to have them.  I knew he would, so she said she would get them to me at Church that following Sunday.  I told him I had a surprise for him, but he had to come home from church, put his Church clothes away, get in his P.J.s and eat lunch before he could get the gift.  He was really hurrying through my list of "Have Tos" so he could get his surprise.  Finally it was time for quiet time in their rooms and he had in fact accomplished all of the above.  I told him to climb up on his bed and then I dumped the bag.  You would have thought he just won the lottery.  He was so excited.  He played QUIETLY for a long time and finally I heard no more clinking and clattering, I peeked into his room and this is what I saw.  Priceless!!!