Spring B's Preschool - Week Nine

Primary Book: Pooh and the Bees

Enrichment Book: Busy, Buzzy, Bees

Activity: Sign Language

Field Trip: Visit a Beekeeper

Art: Edward Hopper

Poem: The Caterpillar

FF: Vetch

The "Bee" books were fun, we will have more to read next week. Another book that we happened upon was How To Be A Nature Detective. A very fun way to introduce tracking with animal foot prints and other clues. Not related to bees but fun and educational anyway.

We didn't visit a beekeeper. I called around and the one place that seemed willing to do tours wouldn't be ready until June. So, sounds like we will be re-visiting the subject of bees in about a month!

We started a Sing N Sprout music class that just happens to be down the street from us. It's an eight week class that is similar to Kindermusik. It is biblical based and a third of the price. Can't beat that!

This week was the last week for story time for a little while. We will still visit the library often but hopefully some nicer weather is on the way for more outdoor play and nature studies.

They were playing very nicely with their animals here. 

An impromptu painting session at the easel. Matilda and her work.

Tavin and his work.

Matilda can't resist getting her hands into the paint.

Tavin joined in on the hand print fun.

Messy hands!

Beehive sticker craft from Oriental Trading. We have about eight more of these. 

They wanted to help make the grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum. I like my grilled cheese with avocado. Delicious!

Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Sandy got a new kitty, Lily. We went to visit them. Tavin and Matilda were able to get Lily to finally play! She just needed some little kids to remind her how to have fun.

Tavin and Matilda are still enamored with their little brother Abraham. They like to be near him and always want to "see his pretty eyes." 

Tavin has been particularly helpful or wanting to be helpful anyway...well, when it's convenient. Both kids took it upon themselves to work together on starting a load of laundry the other day. I stepped in to make sure they didn't put in too much soap and to show them the correct settings. I was proud and happy.

Abraham Meets Great Grandma Elaine

Dressed up and playing quietly while Great Grandma meets Abraham.

Great Grandma was very excited to meet Abraham!

Alert Abraham.

Abraham, our little duckie. I took some similar photos of Tavin when he was about this age too. So sweet!

Spring B's Preschool - Week Eight

Primary Book: Peter Rabbit

Enrichment Book: DK Eye Know Plant

Activity: Decorate a Flower Pot

Art: New York Waterfront

Poem: Mary, Mary 

Decorating flower pots with silly faces. 

Our first full week home with Abraham and without Ted. We went to the mall one day to play and have lunch at Applebees. Our server commented how well behaved Tavin and Matilda were. 

They do have their moments! 

Stamp fun. They still enjoy the stamps from Nana!

Kiwi Crate leaf stamp activity. Matilda had fun with the clay too.

Simple dot stickers are fun for them too.

Fun with Melissa and Doug Water Wow!

This week was a bit of a blur. We are still adjusting to having a new adorable family member. I do remember a trip to the library for story time. ;-) We had friends bring us meals which was an immense help. Grandma Sandy baked us cookies too! 

Easter Surprise!

We celebrated Easter at Falls Park. It was a beautiful day for a picnic and running and climbing around on the rocks. The day started out pretty low key. We went to church and then to the park for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, strawberries, cheese sticks and veggie straws...

Their Easter Baskets!

Playing with their key cars.

Tavin being his natural, handsome self.

...but then the contractions started...

...nearly 24 hours later...

...introducing...

Abraham Daniel Lewis!

5 lbs 9 oz

19 in

Tavin and Matilda weren't quite sure what to think of Abraham at first...

but they warmed up to him rather quickly!

Isn't he the sweetest big brother ever?!?!

Photo courtesy of Grandma Sandy

Just one day home and we decided to take advantage of the nice, warm weather.

Matilda says, "He's so cute!"

Matilda finally holds her little brother.

They both adore Abraham!

Time for a chocolate pudding treat.

Spring B's Preschool - Week Seven

Primary Book: Jack and the Beanstalk

Enrichment Book: From Seed to Plant

Activity: Bean Mosaic

Field Trip: Visit a Children's Garden

Art: Day and Night

Poem: Mary, Mary

FF: Iris

Not as many pictures this week. There was a lot of nakedness due to learning about using the potty. It got to be a bit much. The full moon had an affect on us all I think. I have been having a fair amount of contractions (2 cm dilated and 80% effaced at my last appointment!) Ted is traveling for work and I just don't see the point in stressing myself out over Matilda learning to use the potty right before baby arrives. She's pretty strong willed, I see her just up and deciding to do it one day.

Monday morning I had my appointment and Ted got on a plane to Idaho. The kids and I went to the mall to play on the indoor play equipment. We went home for lunch, Tavin had a reading lesson and we took it easy the rest of the day. 

Tuesday was library day and story time. We did more reading, played with magnets and made our bean mosaics among other playing of course.

Wednesday we baked cookies, painted, played with salt dough and more beans.

Thursday we had a play date at a friend's house, played outside, more reading and had supper at the Gillen's. The kids played outside with the Gillen Girls and Tavin showed his cousins that he could write his own name.

Friday was another play date at another friend's house and more reading. Sometimes I just follow the kids around and read aloud to them while they play. Sometimes they sit still for long periods of time and keep handing me books to read. Whatever works. Tavin isn't always thrilled about his reading lessons but he is definitely learning something. He will also take books, sit down with Matilda, point to words and have her repeat what he says. It's pretty cute.

Bean Mosaics

Tavin was very careful with using his Q-tips in the glue whereas Matilda dipped her hands in the glue, smeared her hands on the paper and dropped beans on the glue. 

Two very different techniques. 

Imagnets imagination. They were creating their own pictures and narrating stories.

Salt dough and beans. Another bean mosaic in the works!

 We had a somewhat nice, sunny day! The kids walked around playing with rocks and sticks for awhile and then came to play in the sand and playground equipment. Matilda discovered a seed stuck to her pants just like a part in the book From Seed to Plant!

The kiddos playing with some transformer T-Rex toy at one of our play dates. We don't have one of these AND THAT'S OKAY! We can "enjoy" it at another house.

Coloring little wooden bird houses.

Family Fun!

We had a fun, family day! Ted has been traveling quite a bit and has many more travel plans in the future...and with a baby arriving in a couple of weeks we thought we should have a planned outing. The Children's Museum seemed like a great start. It was a beautiful day for a picnic at a park too.

Here they are in the post office making a phone call. There are phones in a few of the rooms for the kids to call each other.

Matilda dropping off some mail.

Picking flowers.

Pulling up some corn that other kids planted.

Those little wheel barrels are so cute!

Shopping in the produce isle.

Scanning their vegetables.

Changing a tire.

Cowboys!

Fun with a manual conveyor belt.

I was surprised she left the over-sized hat on as long as she did.

Tavin at the earthquake station.

Climbing high! Matilda kept up with Tavin pretty well, she usually does.

Teddy in a tree stump!

Our picnic! We went to the McCrory Gardens for a picnic and nature fun. This place is quite beautiful once flowers are in bloom. We brought along our nature study items; magnifying glasses, binoculars, bug catchers, bug houses and bug viewers. They played with those things for a little while but once they found some sticks they didn't care about much else.