The Snow/ Ice Week

Last week, we were out of school for 3 days due to snow and ice.  We didn't really get any snow this time, although everyone else did.  I think our neighborhood was the only area of Birmingham that did not. We were, however, stuck indoors most of the time.  At least we had Will with us.

We have been slowly working on home improvement projects.  We used this week to finish painting the kitchen.  We have officially painted the entire interior of our home with mostly grays and blues.  We love it!  As it warmed up this weekend, we also began working on sprucing up our porch.  It has always been rather hideous.  A dirty floor and caved in roof were the biggest eyesores.  Other than that, it is just threadbare.  We (Will) painted the floor gray and began repairing the roof.  I ordered some twinkle lights, a new rug, and purchased some hanging baskets.  I can't wait to fill the space with fresh flowers and whimsical accents. 

Helping Daddy clean the floor.

Preparing the roof.

It is overwhelming to think about all that needs to be done.  We have a long way to go to make this home on our own.  It takes time, but we are enjoying the process!

I did several Valentine's activities with the kiddos earlier in the week.  On Monday, we went to the library and made cards for Children's hospital, along with checking out a few Vday related books. Hudson helped me make a heart wreath for the kitchen and a heart banner for the mantle. For gifts, we made bracelets for Maw Maw and Ge.  We also made Valentine's scented playdoh and played with it using cookie cutter hearts.  On Friday, I made a special breakfast of heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes.  We also did an easy art craft by mixing colors and stamping hearts with a toilet paper roll.  We used the book "Mouse Paint" as a reference for color mixing.

"Mommy, I make you these hearts when I love you. Cause sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't, but sometimes I do."

Valentine's breakfast

Heart stamping and color mixing.

 

We gave Hudson a cash register.  He LOVED it.  Sissy got a cute cup with straw.  She was not forgotten!

Will and I celebrated Valentine's with a homemade dinner with some of our closest friends.  It was super yummy.  Then, Will, Brad, Stacey, and I rolled Nikki and Woody's yard.  This was because they left early and we knew they were in bed.  I am certain we started a prank war.  Bring it.

 Hudson likes movies now!  Never ever thought I would say that.  We watched The Croods and The Lorax.  He also is continuing to use more of his imagination.  At one point, his pretend time in his room transformed from dentist's office, doctor's office, tool time, school, house, and pirates in about 10 minutes.  It is a new world for both of us, and I am so thrilled.

Clara now eats at the table with us!  She is waking up at 5:30 most days.  She loves drawing and coloring.  She can make the sounds of a dog, cat, and sheep.  She can also navigate the ipad like a champ.

So happy to be with us at the table!

I tried to keep them busy with a few sensory activities.  Hudson helped me bake muffins and granola bars.  We all played with a sensory bin full of bird seed.

So, that is a hodge podge of our week!  Hoping for sunnier days this week.

Imagination

I shared a picture of Hudson using his imagination on Instagram the other day.  It was nothing profound- just a 3 year old pretending a doll and his snuggie had the stomach bug.  Yet, for this particular 3 year old boy, it was a huge milestone!  It has taken 3 and a half years for Hudson to use his imagination.  There have been glimpses here and there, but for the most part, his play has been very mechanical and repetitive.  He loved keys, doors, light switches, coins, medicine bottles, etc...  Toys have never really gotten his attention.

So, my heart was thrilled when I heard him telling his snuggie and Clara's doll to lay down, not get out of bed, and let him know when they felt the need to puke.  I listened as he comforted them, left the room, and then went back in to check on them.

I pray his imagination would continue to grow and develop and that he would create other worlds in our home and backyard.  Grateful for who he is and excited about who he will become.

Jesse Bear

Hudson and I have been loosely doing Before Five in a Row again.  I love the idea of reading a book for five days in a row, discussing it over and over, and adding a few activities in the mix.  My favorite part is that I can do as much or as little as I want.

This past week we read "Jesse Bear,What Will you Wear?"  This is a very simple book that introduces themes such as daily routines, times of day, and a clean room.

Homeschool Creations has tons of print outs that go along with BFIAR.  Hudson just isn't a fan of worksheets, so we skip those. I usually find tons of ideas on Pinterest.

Here are some things we did:

We played with our wooden dress up bears.  We discussed moods, seasons, and times of the day.

When Huds was tiny, I attended a busy bag swap.  One of the activities was felt clothes, a clothesline, and clothespins.  This was a perfect activity for this week!

We also had a Jesse Bear breakfast and lunch!

Carrots, peas, celery, apple, pear, and rice, and milk. All of Jesse Bear's lunch!

A pitiful bear pancake.

Jesse Bear plays outside in the morning and afternoon.  He plays in the sandbox, attempts to catch a butterfly, and swings.  We made sand out of cornstarch and water, made a butterfly for a craft, and played on our swing.  Easy peasy!

The cornstarch activity was Clara's favorite!

Other than that, we read the book over and over.  We did an easy bear plate craft, and we colored pictures of little bear in his red shirt and blue shorts.  We also counted and sorted with our counting bears. Along with Jesse Bear, we read other books about bears including  Mooncake, Little Bear, Corduroy, and Happy Birthday, Moon.  It was a very simple and rewarding week.