Hello Mommy School - Our First Day!

My sister told me about a blogger who created Mommy School and we have kinda ran with it - personalizing it to our boys.

We had our first day of "school" today - it was completely unstructured catching little bits of time here and there to do what I had on our schedule.  We had a play date for the first half of the day with one of Jayden's classmates.  There were twin baby girls and Toby wanted to take one home!

This week we are focusing on Food!

We started the day reading a book, Max Goes To The Grocery Store - a pick off the library's kindergarten reading list.  Toby and Jayden took turns reading the pages and then we discussed what the book was about.  I was very proud of Jayden - he sat at the table through the whole book and participated in "reading".  Then Toby rated the book and colored in his reading chart - green for a good book and red for a not so good book.  Jayden "colored" his chart too - he wants to do everything himself and would not let me help him write his name or do anything, Mr. Independent.

After our play date we had lunch and then did a science experiment like Sid the Science Kid.  We made ice cream from scratch!

I was very impressed with Toby - even though this took about 25 to 30 minutes he stuck in there and we talked about what was happening to the ice and the salt and how it was making the milk mixture freeze.  Toby was able to figure this out himself!  Jay had a bathroom incident in the middle of ice cream making, Toby continued with making the ice cream while Mommy helped clean up Jay - we didn't worry about a shirt for Jay when we had ice cream waiting for us!

After we enjoyed the ice cream we filled in our science journal. 

While Jay napped Toby did pages in his Summer Bridge Workbook.

After Daddy got home we had dinner and then headed out to the carnival.  It is so funny to see my two little guy's personalities.  Toby can be very shy at times.  I think strangers and crowds bring that out in him.  He was very content to hold our hands and walk around.  He only wanted to go on one ride and gave his tickets to Jayden who got on three rides.  Jay was super excited - not shy at all!  He would have ran from ride to ride if we let him.  He was happy to participate in the rides and the games. Toby liked the games too.

 

 

 Today was a great day!

Another great day was last Wednesday when my little Toby graduated from Preschool...he is now a Kindergartener!  I have a smart little cookie here who is ready and eager to learn - I am such a proud momma!

School Days...

Toby's preschool graduation is tomorrow and it is also Jayden's last day of mommy and me.

I took time tonight and did something that I enjoy - planned for our summer activities.

My goal is to have a bit of structured time each day I am home with the boys and hubby is at work (about 2-3 days a week).  I would also like to take a field trip each week.


Our rough summer schedule will be:

wake up time

read a book together

discuss book/pretend play

workbook time

outside play

lunch

science experiment - Sid the Science Kid style! OR craft

quiet time

normal afternoon/evening routine

I hope to accomplish two things: 1. Get Toby ready for Kindergarten - especially since he will most likely be the youngest in his class with a birthday two weeks before the cut-off and 2. Prevent Jayden from sliding backwards - he has made so much progress through the infants and toddlers program and his instructional teacher doesn't start up until his preschool begins in September.

I have been working on our summer schedule...but found some awesome back to school freebies online!

  from icanteachmychild.com - I plan on making these for an activity to travel to the beach - especially since our DVD player is broken!  If you subscribe to the website they also have a great e-book about diy kids science experiments.  I also have been working on a busy book for about 2 years I hope to finish pre-vacation for the ride down and I want to make a I Spy jar - where you fill it with sand and other objects and the kids try to find "hidden" objects.

 

printable lunch box notes for Kindergarten from Paper & Pomegranates

I want to check out the other stuff on this site...ran out of time tonight.

and prefilled lunch notes from honey jumble



 I have grown to love anythingbutperfect.com - I now use the monthly calendars on this site -  and found these cute school notes

A New Room!

Welcome to my new dining room!

My girl, D's family game us the dining room set and rug!  I have been collecting all of the accessories since we moved in the house.

check out the hutch - that is my grandma's china - I have been storing it for 8 years!

This wall needs a little more jazz - I have some really neat decorative mirrors but I keep forgetting the one at work...  I also have these really neat mercury looking hanging candle lanterns - Andy says they look like huge old Christmas tree ornaments!  I am hesitant to hang them because when we remodel the kitchen they may be in the fridge's way...as it may take up temporary residence in the corner of the dining room.

We also got 2 years 0% financing and bought the kitchen cabinets and countertop!  Andy wants to begin installation after the 4th of July.  Super excited but still freaking out a bit because we are pretty debt adverse.  I just can't take the rotting cabinets anymore!