Paige's Christmas List

I'm really behind on posting and I have a ton of drafts waiting to publish, but I had to put this one up.  This mom of a child with dyslexia is proud!  This is Paige's Christmas List that she wrote on her own tonight while I was giving Hailey her bath. 

I will type as she wrote it, parentheses are the actual words:

• I wont foor chrismis the blac and wit ponee (I want for Christmas the black and white pony.)
• I wont foor chrismis varee long gamees that are roodof red (I want for Christmas very long jammies that are Rudolf red)
• I wont foor chrismis bloow crox (I want for Christmas blue Crocs)
• I wont foor chrismis the brown carj that is sparkling (I want for Christmas the brown carriage that is sparkling.)

I'm so proud of her!  So phonetic in her spelling.  I wish our language was so.  Things would be much easier for all.  Plus all of her letters are facing the correct direction!  So, no stress about how she is writing or reading....however, the brown sparkling carriage is $275!  I don't think it or it's price tag will fit in Santa's sleigh.  The disappointment on her face when it does not arrive is stress enough for this mama.  Sigh.
 

Ballet class

To save money this year, I put the girls in a ballet class at the city.  I am so impressed with the teacher and all they are learning.  Positions, terminology and prepping for the splits.  It's absolutely worth it and I plan to enroll them again in the next session.  It's hard work and they say their legs hurt when they are done.  Yep!  Learning what they should.  :) 

School work

Paige's school had their Read-A-Thon.  Because we read atleast 20 mins a day, most days it's 30 mins she completed her goal really early.  The goal was 6.25 hours by Oct 17.  She got this medal, along with a tshirt and a sport bracelet band.  Paige is feeling so proud.

Hailey's skip counting at school.  She's doing to well.

I love how she spelled station.  They have a field trip to the fire station that is located next to the school on Monday next week.  They've been beefing up on fire safety and fire houses all week. 

Teacher appreciation

I'm on the PT Teacher Appreciation Committee at Paige's school.  We are doing a gift each month for the teachers.  I got October to be in charge of.  This is my contribution.  Extra Fancy Fuji Apples with the star story/poem and thank you label. I love the apple star story. 

1st pumpkin patch 2014

We went back to Mother Nature's Farm this year for their Fall Festival.  They do such a nice job there and it's clean.  Animals, bounce houses, pumpkin picking and decorating...it all makes for a really nice morning.  Alas, they are growing and this will probably be one of the last years we get to do this fun stuff.  I'll take it all in. 

Tea party

For our last day of Fall Break, we had a very formal tea party all decorated and arranged by the girls.  Fancy dresses, gloves, tiaras, table place settings, jewelry, REAL tea.  It was quite the production.  They even picked out a fancy dress and heels for me.  They also attempted to hold out their pinkies while drinking, I think their hands are still too little do it, but they tried!  Lovely. 

Fizzy, Foamy Science

Another fun thing we did over break was pull out a science kit I must have bought a while ago.  I found it in the back of the school/craft closet.  We did two experiments with citric acid and baking soda.  It was fun to create the fizz.  Plus it brought back all my chemistry fun in college.  I know they did not get the reasoning behind the reactions, but they had fun creating the fizz.  Maybe this early introduction will bring A grades to chemistry class???

Free Symphony

Our city symphony does free concerts throughout the year.  It's such a great way to introduce music and the way to behave at such venues to them.  They love to get dressed up to go and they both really do sit nicely for the concert.  Hailey likes the conductor and Paige is very curious as to why there is no piano. 

Jammies

For some reason they wanted the footie jammies out for the season.  It's still in the 100's here!  But goodness, seeing them in them made me remember how cute they were in them as infants and toddlers.  So sweet!!!

Halloween costumes

My mom is making the girl's Halloween Costumes this year.  I let them pick what they wanted to be this year...much to my dismay, they choose a lion and a cheetah.  But, they are both really happy.  I decided to be the Cat Tamer.  Should be a fun Halloween this year! 

Sand Box

My mom had bought sand for another possible storm a few weeks ago and didn't use it. Sooooo, I took it and filled the sandbox for break.  It's probably the last year they will fit in it to play.  They've had lots of fun so far. 

Day 2 Fall Break

Day two we of Fall Break comprised of tutoring for Paige and school for Hailey, then home early with puzzles and window clings. 

100 piece puzzle!

Window clings.  They arranged and rearranged these things for a good hour. 

Yes, yes, semi homemade, full of chemicals, But so yummy!

Bike riding

Because the weather is cooling down we are able to ride bikes again.  I had thought about them learning to ride their bikes on just two wheels for break, but I don't think it's gong to happen.  We've filled our days with other things.  But, sheesh, I know it needs to happen, SOON! 



Playground play

Park play

This was sweet, they were pretending the big tree lie was the dragon and they were using sticks to tame it. 

Dada

The girls LOVE Brain so much.  This is a sweet moment I caught after bath and ready for bed.  They are so lucky to have him; so am I. 

First day of a Fall Break 2014

After the Michalmas performance we came home to enjoy the day.  I went to Micahels over the weekend and bought a bunch of crafts to get us through the break.  They were excited to start some. 

Water color paints

Swimming, of course!

Quiet time

Candyland

Michaelmas 2014

The girls were excited to attend the Michaelmas performance at DMS this year.  It worked out the Fall Break fell during it, so Paige was able to attend too.  I think this year Paige is really beginning to understand to use her good to help others or make ugly situations better.  We all enjoyed the show and the day.  We even made Dragon Bread! 

Hailey's 1st Book

Hailey is just really smart. I think there is an article circulating right now about never telling your kids they are smart.  I haven't read it.  Because we tell our kids this all the time.  We are proud of them and want them to have self confidence.  But seriously, Hailey, is really smart.  She connects things really quick.  Today, she read her first entire book.  It's the short /a/ book.  The only words she did not know, which are site words, were, "are" and "for".  Now, on to the next...short /e/.  Yippee!

Charlotte

Paige's school does a huge fundraiser called a Read A Thon.  They raise over $30k and all of it is kept at the school.  To kick it off, they ask everyone to dress as their favorite fictional character.  Of course, Paige picked Charlotte, from Charlotte's Web.  I had to make it simple since she needed to wear it to school all day.  Her shirt used Garth Willliams' illustration of the web reading TERRIFIC.  She had a fun day. 

 

Bubble Bath

Brain worked late this night, so I got to give bath.  Of course, because I never do it, I had to make it a bubble bath.  Santa beards and soapy hair are super fun...STILL.