Skye told me the other day she wants to be a ‘cooker’ when she grows up. You know, like a cook or chef
Carter’s first wants to be was a car crusher. Think junk yard.
What was your kids first fantasy job?
I dropped a kitchen aid bowl on my foot. Then Skye drops her clankity doll on it too. Next a can of beans smashes my finger (it hurts to type!). I washed and dried a stick. We left a bag at Meijers, the most expensive bag we had, full of lunch meat and stuff. Luckily they are replacing it for free! I’m ready for bed.
You only turn 3 once We had a great couple of days!
Skye first woke to a room FULL of balloons with 3’s all over them.
She had a few presents and cards to open.
She choose breakfast and we sang to her. After some time to play with her new things, we found her a very pretty, very big purple dress to wear to church. On the way we listened to all the birthday songs we owned. Skye was so pleased with this At church her Kazoo Grandma’s where there waiting in surprise! There was even cake at church on her birthday!
Then off to the mall, where there were MORE presents and we had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Skye was a hot fudge ice cream for dessert.
Build a Bear was next. Skye choose a Hello Kitty and a few goodies to go with it.
After we said our goodbye’s to all the Grandma’s and Aunt Monique and Brain, we went home for some rest time. It was a great day!
You’d think the birthday celebrations would be over right? The next day we met her friends at Jungle Java, we played for a bit, then headed home for lunch and birthday cupcakes with our friends!
Happy birthday sweet girl! I hope the day was very special for you!!
“If a woman could see the sparks of light going forth from her fingertips when she is cooking, and the substance of light that goes into the food she handles, she would be amazed to see how much of herself she charges into the meals that she prepares for her family and friends. It is one of the most important and least understood activities of life, that the radiation and feeling that go into the preparation of food affect everyone who partakes of it. And this activity should be unhurried, peaceful, and happy because the substance of the lifestream performing the service flows into that food and is eaten, and actually becomes part of the energy of the receiver. It would be better that an individual did not eat at all than to eat food that has been prepared under a feeling of anger, apathy, resentment, depression, or any outward pressure.”
-Maha Chohan, Electrons-
I want to start by saying that this is the first year we’ve ever really done anything as a family for Valentines day. It was this blog that inspired it all! And I hope our day’s plans will inspire you!
We started the day with Heart Shaped Pancakes
We made Daddy’s some Valentines and watch a fun Hallmark card Nana had sent.
Then we went off to a LOVELY story time at Farmington Main. All about love and pancakes!
Lunch at home was homemade soup and grilled cheese.
Cleaning and planing for our BIG date in night.
Daddy came home from work and we made Heart Shaped Pizza. While the pizza’s cooked we did some fun Valentine finger plays.
We dined picnic style by candlelight. I read a lovely UU Valentine prayer and a poem about Love.
The kids enjoyed sparkling juice while Paul and I had some wine.
Then it was game time!
I wanted to play the conversation hearts game but I didn’t have any chopsticks. So we played a board game of the kids choice (Money! Money!) then the Catch the smile game from the blog above. It was a bunch of fun!
We finished the night with dessert.
While we ate I told a bit of the history of St. Valentine
It was a fun night and I think we make it an un-Hallmark holiday and hopefully added some new traditions for our family!
Also, this year we went to a homeschool party at Arts and Scraps, check the flickr pics to see the fun we had!!
(I’m pre-releasing this. Skye’s birthday is the 15th)
Looking back at the last year it amazes me just how much Skye has changed and also, how much she hasn’t. She still wears her shoes on the wrong feet, but has recently started to say that hurts. I think she’s figuring it out. Skye still hates her hair ’styled’. Well she likes getting it styled, but won’t keep it that way for long. I’m sure she is just like me. Not a tom-boy, but also not a girly-girl. She has started to seriously love her baby’s. She nurses them, let’s Grandma babysit (um, that’s me.), wheels them around in the stroller, rocks them in their bed, wearing them in a sling… she’s a wonderful mama!
She loves real babies too, maybe too much….
She’s stubborn, which I’m sure she comes by via me. But I recently discovered though her stubborn behavior that you never get what you want when your stubborn
She just learned to wink. She can wink with her left eye. Her finger has to hold down the right eye. Another, just like mama.
She adores Carter and everything he can do. Including the stuff she can’t do….which is difficult but expected.
She’s slightly shy till she gets to know you. She loves her friends, which could be people her age or people my age.
She’s potty trained. Much earlier than Carter was. She does still wear a diaper at night, but most nights it’s dry.
She loves her church class. Most days there are hardly any other kids in there. So it’s almost one on one play time for her!
She’s a great little girl, who knows she’s not a baby, but not a big girl yet.
She’s a snuggler, a bed hog, and a joy to have around!!
Happy 3rd birthday Skye!!
Unmotivated to do any homeschooling. I think we are turning into unschoolers. It really feels like we are doing double when I plan something. Last week unplanned we did, science, math, phys ed, literature, and more. We truly are learning all the time. I guess I’m in a transition time. Trying to figure out just what we are doing….
Unmotivated to take pictures. I think my pictures look like crap. Seriously. I need a class or something.
Unmotivated to blog. Just feel like we are so busy, but nothing worth note worthy.
Plus, facebooks is eating my time and energy.
I put my flickr photos back public. I think my blog will be password free again soon.
Skye dresses herself one day. Leggings, dress and fluffly tutu
Carter set the dollhouse up by himself. Love the family bed and the unique way he thought about the space.
We had our first family meeting today. I hope to have more as we grow. A chance for us all to be heard. I had a specific agenda in mind. Chores.
We all talked about our responsibilities around the house. Then I asked the kids to re-consider what they do.
This is what we came up with
Carter 5.5 years old
Unload silverware from dishwasher
After dinner clean up
clear table
sweep
Put own laundry away
Help when mom and dad ask.
Carter does a wonderful job around the house. He’s always eager to help!
Skye, almost 3
Bring trash from bathroom and office to kitchen. Bring back cans after mom empties them.
Set the table before dinner.
Help mom and dad when asked. She really likes cleaning the bathroom!
Separate to and not related, we talked about allowance. Carter asked for a raise from $1 per week to $2. We compromised at $1.50 per week. He’s STILL saving for one of those ride in cars.
We agreed that Skye, while doesn’t NEED an allowance at this age, should get $.50 per week. Mostly to keep her happy.
We pay allowance for being a ‘productive member of the house’ and NOT related to the chores. I can only imagine the day when they say, ‘I don’t need any money now, I’m not doing…whatever’. Anyway. Our little update for today
Christmas is over, things are settling down and the ’should be doing more’ syndrome has come over me again. Right now Carter is doing VERY well with the self guided/unschooling we’ve been doing. I’m trying to fit more reading time in and one on one workbook time. Especially since he INSISTED on a Math 1-2 book and needs a bit of help on it.
But I can’t help but think of all we don’t do….maybe I should be helping him more with reading. Is there something I can buy/rent/borrow that could help him and his very strong desire to read? We visit the library often, talk about, spell, read together….
I’m sure he’s not getting enough sit down science. But is that important? Is the science he’s getting from everyday life enough? When won’t it be?
He’s clearly doing well. Better than if he’d gone to K. In my opinion of course.
Then I feel terrible I don’t have him signed up for more extracurricular stuff (like we do any curricular stuff…). No sports (we do Jungle Java weekly), no music. We do nature programs and get together with friends often. But is it enough?
Is this sort of like the newborn baby. He’s happy, he’s growing, he’s learning. Is it really that important to measure what I’m giving him?
Sorry, just feeling down about myself lately. UGH. Must.get.out.of.funk. and breathe.
At church her Kazoo Grandma’s where there waiting in surprise! There was even cake at church on her birthday!
