Work, Teach, Play...LOVE!

May 14th - The day that I learned ALOT about having to be a Mommy and a TEACHER in the same day!

All 3 of my little learners came to this curriculum class + 10 other kiddos, plus their MOMS =
a day that goes down in history!

Was it easy - NOPE!  Would I do it again...YEP! (call me crazy!)

Because THAT day I learned alot...

That day - I learned that my kids are readers!  And they love to share that passion with others...wonder where they get it?

I learned that it's awesome to stand back and see how kids learn differently!  And how cool it is to see their mothers teach them something differently than I would!  I learn so much from these moms that attend!  

I learned that kids are "all about the process and not the product" (Kathy H Lee quote!) and it's so true!  This sweet gal used paint as glue for her colored noodles.  

I learned that even girls were all about REAL worms!  And boys too!

I learned that today this proverb stood very true!  "It takes a village to raise a child."
Thanks for the Mom that offered to change MiniM's dirty diaper during the class!

Thanks to the Moms that overlooked the verbal punishment on my 4 year old when he was having a hard time following my directions.

Thanks to the Moms that said "I learned alot from you bringing all your kids today.  It was a real moment that I appreciated!"

Thanks to the Mom who emailed me that her son took a nap with his worm that he had gotten at the class.

And last...
Thank you God for my 3 little learners that are my driving force behind Mommys Little Learners.

Thank you God for days when you stretch and strengthen my teaching abilities and mothering skills.

Thank you God for this day, full of grace and full of love, full of laughter and learning!

Our rainy day fun

It's going to rain - ALL DAY LONG!  So we can either be fussy about this situation or seize the opportunity to get going on some learning!

And I bet you know what this homeschooling momma did today!  (and probably again tomorrow since the forecast is the same)

So you've peeked inside our day when all is good and all are happy.  

Here are a few oldie, but goodie posts on that: October 3, 2014 , May 4, 2015

You've peeked inside our day when it's a no-good, very bad day .

And now I'm going to let you peek inside our rainy day!

7:30am - J & N are up!

8am - Breakfast is served

8:30am - start our day with brushing teeth, making beds and morning routines

*Ni - calendar and his Daily Learning Notebook

*J- Khan Academy

*M- still asleep!

9am - M wakes up and eats breakfast; J&N join me in a Making Words

**When we can't go outside, I open up the blinds and use windows for our desks for the day**

9:10am - N built a few words, then I let him go off and play while J and I finished up the lesson.

9:15am - Karaoke on YouTube - you can create a playlist on YouTube of any songs.  I have titled one Karaoke.  Try it...go to YouTube.  Search for ANY song and attach "Karaoke" at the end.  You'll be amazed!

The boys sang/read/danced until I finished up some laundry and cleaned up dishes from breakfast.  They also free-played in the background. 

10am - Loaded up and headed to the Toybrary Austin for a karate class

10:15-11:15am - Played at the Toybrary and learned some kung-fu karate kicks

11:30am - Play while Mom fixes lunch; J offered to help

11:45am - I quiz J on our Making Words lesson and he CLEARLY didn't get it.  So I retaught it, he relearned it.

12pm - Lunch while watching http://artforkidshub.com/ video that we'll be using after rest time

12:30pm - clean up and free-play

12:45pm - Mommy and MiniM read; down for nap

1pm - start movie for N while J was forced to rest for 30 minutes alone!  We needed a break from each other:0)

1:30pm - J joins N for a movie and they draw also.

2:30pm - quick snack and set up for paint lesson before MiniM awakes.  I MADE sure to do this activity while he was napping.  My purpose for this art lesson was following directions (while learning some coloring mixing, shapes and art skills).  It's hard to do any of those when a 22 month old is running around.  

J's woodpecker is on the left, N's in the middle and mine on the right

Here's the specific link for this art project: http://artforkidshub.com/how-to-paint-a-woodpecker-for-young-artists/

3:00pm - start another movie (yes!  It's still raining); J earned some tablet time

3:30pm - MiniM is up and we all have a snack

4pm - Quick writing lesson with J.  He drew me a picture of Fix-It, which is a Transformer.  I told him I knew NOTHING about how cool this Transformer was.  So I had him write 3 cool facts/sentences about Fix-it.  

**This is my secret plan that will eventually lead to a Transformer book!**

4:30pm - Daddy home early; I start dinner

5pm - Dinner

5:30pm - Rain has stopped; family walk and boys bike through muddy puddles!  AND LOOK WHAT WE FOUND!!!

A 14 inch WORM!!!!  

6:30pm - Shower

7pm - Play

7:30pm - Read My Father's Dragon 

7:45pm- Brush teeth, prayers and goodnight kisses

8pm - I walked downstairs and saw this...

"At home is where we have fun, learn lots and always do our BEST!"

And it might just stay there for a LONG while as a great reminder!

Happy Rainy Day!  

Would love to hear about YOUR successful rainy day fun!  

May 7th Curriculum Class Photo Blog

So much fun with Moms and their Little Learners!  

Enjoy this photo Blog:

Flyer for the event

One of the stations was Feather Painting on Windows!

Thematic Study - Caterpillars - which include LOTS of my own kiddos work from that past few weeks.

Chalk and Q-tip writing - Just add water makes it MAGICAL!

Little Learner adding her name

Lady Bug Sticker Patterns!  J was THE BEST assistant any mom or teacher could ever ask for!

Feathers, a Fan and some Birdseed

Feather Painting Artists

"Head, Thorax, Abdomen" Song before our Show And Tell Session

BYOBugs

BIG voice, little learner

This little learner collected lighting bugs to share!

This little learner brought a great magazine about Butterflies to share!

And WE finished our morning with a special lunch date - just me and my J!  Love him and his GIANT heart!

9 years today...

**I asked Jer about a month ago, if I could write a blog about him.  

"Why would you want to do that?"  he said.  

"Because I think you are pretty awesome!" I said back.**

9 years today, I married one, amazing man!

This man has made my life complete and has made me happier than I could have ever imagined.

This man has helped me think deeper and love stronger.

This man has given me the life that every woman dreams of.

9 year ago, today, we made a commitment to continue our love, to grow old together and to grow as one!

9 years ago, I married the man that I call my best friend!  He completes me!  He has helped me strive to be the very best in everything that I try to do or have accomplished.  He has picked me up, when I have fallen or failed, and helped me try again...making things only bigger and better!

I would have NEVER thought 9 years ago, today, I would have married a man this loving...a man this gentle and a man that has turned out to be the most amazing father.  

Here's to love, laughter, memories and much more!
I love you, Jer!

A Peek inside our Day (from the other day)

Many of you enjoy seeing how we get things done around here with a 6, 4, and 21 month old!  So I try to document as much as I can to show you just that!

Keep in mind that everyday DOESN'T look this lovely!  Today was a great day - and tomorrow will look differently!  But I try to maintain a structured schedule almost everyday because my kids (and most kids that I've worked with) work, play and function best when they know what's going to happen next.

So here's a Peek inside our Day!


1:00 am - 6 year old wakes up Mommy because of the scary thunderstorm; Mommy tucks him back in his bed and gives him extra love to assure him that it's OK!

4:30 am - 4year old wakes up Mommy because of a wet bed; 4 year old snuggles up with Mommy and Daddy.

7am - Mommy's Alarm goes off - UGH! And I'm up, fixing coffee and enjoying my devotional and some quiet time.
**This is something that I started doing about 6 months ago; rather than my kids waking me up.  I NEED time to wake up.  I NEED to pray and ask God to bless our day.  I NEED a cup of coffee...in silence!**

7:30am - Walk up stairs to get MiniM out of bed; J was still sleeping; Nix emerges from our room since Daddy was up.

8am - Breakfast for all while they watch TV Breakfast Menu Post - MUST READ!

9am - Brush teeth, make beds

9:30am - Calendar with MiniM and N; J has a list of "Morning Must-Do's" for each day of the week.  For today, he needed to practice his keyboarding but asked if he could respond to his email instead.  And he also needed to do his online Khan Academy for Math.

What kiddo wouldn't want to learn in a superhero costume!?

10am - Mommy's turned to exercise!  Two in Stroller = great workout! while J rides his bike.  I run/he bikes to our nearby park...

10:30 - "Making Words" Lesson at the playground with J while N plays with MiniM - then they switch!  N reads with me, while J plays with MiniM.  

11:15am - Home for lunch outside.  Most of the time, I do a read-a-loud while they eat.

11:30am - FREE PLAY!

12:00pm - Mommy reads with MiniM while N & J enjoy books and some classical music.

12:30pm - REST TIME FOR ALL!  Mommy checks email, picks up and packs snacks for park

1:15pm - wake everyone and jump in the car

1:30 pm - Park playdate

3:30 pm Lego Lab at our Local Library

4:30 pm - Home for Dinner Prep/J plays outside/N plays games on the IPAD

5pm - Dinner

5:30pm - Family walk

6:00pm - Play 

7:00pm - Showers and watch Planet Earth/Caves on Netflix (which is AWESOME by the way!)

7:30 pm - Read with Mommy/brush teeth/prayers

8pm - GOOD NIGHT!  SLEEP TIGHT!

AHHHHHHHH!

And there you have it!  Not much "down time" for this Momma today - but I'll take a FUN busy day of learning and playing over a few Bon-Bon's on the couch while watching Oprah!