Memorial Day Parade

Our small town has a Memorial Day Parade.  This year was our first time that we went.  It was good to talk to the kids about why we celebrate Memorial Day.

 The Veterans. 

(More were in cars and a retirement home's van.)

 This sight made the kids happy, as did the flags they were waving.

This little girl was given a lollipop during the parade.  She proceeded to open it all by herself.  She knew exactly what to do with it.  It was her first lollipop!

An Artist

Cute, huh?

 Did you notice this?  Not so cute!!

She found Meghan's homework pencil and found a place to draw out of mom's sight.  I was surprised that it would not erase off the wall easily the way it did from the wooden toy box and soap and water wasn't effective.  The Magic Eraser did remove it.

Mother's Tea at Preschool

The three year old children hosted a Mother's Tea at Preschool today.  The invitation came home several weeks ago, and it even told us that the Tea was to be formal.  It was lovely.  

Upon my arrival, Evan took me by the hand and showed me to my seat.  He sat beside me.

I opened my lovely gifts and then we drank tea and juice.  We enjoyed the cookies provided, too.

 Eventually the children sang three or four songs to us.  Previously, Evan's class has sung to us, but he didn't really participate in the singing.  I honestly believe that his illness/absences prior to the singing had a great deal to do with this since he sings a lot at home (including the songs they shared today).

 At home, our neighbor (who had been babysitting) took this cute picture of us.  However, his hands are in my hair making it look a bit wild.

Cropped:

This preschool is awesome!

Esther at 18 Months

Words: about 10+, plus more sounds that we know how to interpret the meaning, though not true word approximations

Understands just about everything we say and follows directions well.

Does everything in her own power to keep up with her brother and sister.  Thankfully, Meghan and Evan adore Esther.

Loves hats.  Especially winter hats that belong to bigger people.  She wore the hat below (Derek's) all the way to church.

 Might be left-handed like her big sister.

 Really likes animals.  She was excited when the cows were behind our house.

When we are outside, she likes to go off on her own.  The other day, I thought Esther was with Derek out front...he thought she was with me.  I had gone inside to fill the watering jug and went to water the blueberry bushes in the back yard when I found her out back trying to turn on the water spigot.

Doesn't eat as well as she used to, but still eats better than her siblings did at this age.

Esther is into everyone's business.  It is really hard to get much done in the kitchen because she is constantly wanting to help or eat when I am there.  It's hard!!

She has initiated emptying the dryer on her own a couple of times.  She does this by finding an empty laundry basket (usually when I am folding laundry).  She carries it to the dryer and asks for "help."  I open the door, and she proceeds to empty it...or most of the way.

Puts on shoes herself!  She has two pairs of sneakers with velcro.  One is a regular pair, and the other is a pair of "Mary Jane" sneakers.  She puts them on and sometimes buckles them herself.

After a recent grocery trip, I was putting away groceries, and Esther was helping.  Of course.  She found a jar of peanut butter and actually carried it to the correct cupboard and placed it right beside the old peanut butter!  I was completely impressed.

And best of all, ESTHER IS TRYING TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!  She does not every night, but a diaper change and handing her a sippy cup of water in the crib make her happy.

Meghan's Life, by Meghan

A homework project for Meghan's enrichment class was to complete this poster, front and back.  Each quarter (you can see the folds) is the size of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper.  It's large and Meghan loved doing it.  I thought she had completed all of the spelling herself...and she did, but in a clever way.  She looked at her shirt to spell North Carolina.  She looked at the book to spell 101 Dalmatians.  So, though she is a good speller, she isn't THAT good!  I believe I also helped her spell Barbie.

This page has three illustrations.  Meghan grown up, her favorite place: the beach, and where she wants to visit (again): North Carolina.  (She also talks of going to Africa, China, Japan...and Antarctic!)

 This is the list of Meghan's favorite things.
Food: Cake/Muffins                              Song: God You Are All Mighty (Actual Name: Mighty to Save)
Color: All the colors in the rainbow        Movie: Tangled
Book: 101 Dalmatians (Lengthy Disney book, not the chapter book...YET.)
TV Show: Doc McStuffins                     Person: God
Place: Beach                                          Animal: Cat Dog
                                                              Toy: Barbie

The book and toy choice were surprises for me, but that's okay.  :)

 This is the back side of the poster.

After she completed this, I had to figure out what song she was saying was her favorite song.  When I asked her about it, she explained to me it was a hymn (must be any song about God that we sing at church, according to Meghan).  She sang a bit of it.  Google helped me to find it.  You can hear Mighty to Save, the actual title by clicking the link.  A few artists have made this song, but I like Hillsong's the best and hope to get her this CD for her.  She really enjoys music, but we haven't really explored too many musicians/bands with her, though she's ready for it.

For your amusement, I will tell you what she said about me as she was drawing our family.  She explained she was going to make me look young.  When I asked her how I looked old, she matter-of-fact-ly told me that the gray in my hair made me look old.  (Yes, it is getting noticeable.)  She also wanted to make me look tall.

I written a few other things over at This Simple Home that are more about our family that you may be interested in reading.  The first link may amuse you.  The other two are more informative with book lists that I recommend.

You Know Your Daughter Reads Classics When...

20+ Chapter Books we have read aloud or listened to on audio together (Meghan and Evan)

and How we introduced chapter books to the kids.