Week 27- Letter W

Reading and Language Arts:

This week was W week.  Hannah and Ethan had different ideas about how they would like to color their letter page.  Ethan chose to double fist dot markers.  Hannah wanted to paint her page with green and red paint.

They also sorted spoons onto the alphabet.  Each clear spoon has a letter on it and they needed to match it to the letters on the strips of paper.

They both enjoy these kids of activities.  They raced to see who could match their spoons fastest.

Big Sarah's Little Boots was our book or the week.  It's a cute story about a girl who is growing out of her favorite yellow rain boots.

Hannah and Ethan both enjoyed it and took their first opportunity to do the same as Sarah in the book and go out in their boots and rain clothes.

Math:  

We played around with a homemade weight scale.  I rigged it with one of the kids rainbow pieces, two matching dishes, and a piece of wood.  The dishes are sticky tacked to the wood so that they don't fall off.  The wood piece sits onto of the rainbow piece.

Adding more bears to see if she can make her side the same as Ethan's.

We discovered that 2 balls that we thought would be the same were not.  I did "Zero" the balance before the balls were placed in cups.  We measured a few times and alternated cups.  One is just heavier than the other.

Watermelon seed counting.  This was from last year.  I pulled it out and they enjoyed it again.

Science: 

We made a color wheel using m&m's and water. (We followed the instructions here at Mama Jenn's)

Here they are right after adding the water.

Only the purple turned out a little weird and mostly that was from over mixing.

Gag, they just needed to drink it.

We also pulled out our cloud viewers to look at clouds.

Art: 

Wax Paper Resist

Hannah and Ethan both had a piece of paper with a piece of waxed paper taped over top.

 

Using a toothpick, they each drew lines and squiggles all over the page.

Finally, they painted over their sheet of paper with watercolors (wax paper removed) and the waxy lines showed through.

 Faith Formation: 

The purpose of our lesson this week was to learn to express our appreciation and happiness for God's love, friendship, gift of life, and natural gifts.  To help Hannah and Ethan see that they are created by God uniquely.

Week 26- Birthday Fun

We took it a little light on our activities this past week.  It worked out well because I was busy getting ready for Grandma and Grandpa visit as well as Hannah's birthday party.  They enjoyed the "special birthday" activities and I enjoyed the extra time to get things done.

Birthday Play dough.  

This is so easy I don't know why I don't pull it out more often.

Hannah and Ethan made cupcakes and added liners and candles.  The only downside was when Ethan thought he could eat it.  He puts everything in mouth.

They played a birthday Math Game.  

The needed to add candles to match the number that was flipped over.

(Musings of Me)

Hannah trying to count out candles to 15.

They decorated birthday sugar cookies. 

 I just cut out circles of leftover sugar cookie dough and they added m&m's for fun.

So excited to eat them.

Playing with their birthday cake set.

We ate a lot of birthday cake.

We did a science experiment with birthday candles.  I tried to get a video but it didn't happen.  As the candles melt they swing around in a circle.  It was neat but needed both my hands. (Steve Spangler Science)

Wordless Wednesday

Basket Pictures- Hannah 4

Hannah`s Birthday

This weekend we had a wonderful time celebrating Hannah`s 4th Birthday.  She had a WONDERFUL time with her friends and family.  Here are some of the pictures from the party:

Here is Hannah excitedly waiting for her party to start.  She is all ready in her birthday outfit.  Complete with butterflies stickers that she added.

Here is the back for her birthday outfit made my mommy.

Hannah's birthday cake.  She specifically asked for a chocolate heart cake.

Food getting set on the table.

Andrew was in charge of getting the hamburgers and hot dogs ready.

I asked Hannah what she wanted to eat at her party and she said right away that she wanted hot dogs and juice boxes.  

Blowing out the candles.

After lunch all the kids ran around outside and played Hide & Seek.  Thank You Auntie Jen.  This worked out well because all of the kids were getting a little crazy.

Group Hug!

Hannah had lots of help opening her presents.

Big thank you to everyone who joined us to make Hannah's day special!!

4 Years Ago

Dear Hannah Mary,

4 Years ago today I was in the middle of my labour with you. Daddy and I had already spent one night in the hospital and we hand another night to endure before you, my sweet baby, would make your appearance at just before 6 pm. I did the math once to calculate the number of hours I was awake before you, my precious girl, lay sleeping in the hospital bassinet beside me, only hours old. It was 55 hours from the moment my water broke until I slept again. (You know it is long when the nurses work their shift, go home and another set come on duty, they go home, and my original nurses are back on shift and Hannah was born just before they went home.)  But it was worth it. I said it then and I continue to say it now: Hannah you are more than worth it.

The words from Psalm 139 had never meant more than the moment I laid eyes on you:

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
- Psalm 139:13-16 ESV

You are a beautiful creation of God born in His image.  While you live in a world gone astray, with people who are broken and in desperate need, we know that God put you in our family and we delight in you.  You made me a mommy and I am so thankful for the daunting task of loving you and raising you.  I want so much for you to know that Daddy and Mommy love you with a love so unconditional that when you hurt we hurt.  That when you do something wrong and see you making choices that we know need correcting its out of such a love.  We are not content to leave you where you are now but want to help you grow.

We watched you as a baby; so determined and strong willed.  You knew what you wanted and what you didn't want from the get go.  That is still true today, only with more stubbornness than I thought possible. You daddy says often "you are so much like mommy" and it makes him smile.  I see how much you are like mommy and it often causes us to bristle with one another. When you are angry you do not want anyone to touch you or hug you.  You are quick to have feelings about everything.  I get that, I understand.  But just as I frustrate myself you frustrate me often too.  I love the quiet moments we share and the special things that are just between you and I.  

Hannah you love to dance and sing.  You twirl around the rooms of the house with abandon.  Just like lots of girls you seem to have a penchant for clothes.  You create so much laundry for mommy with you countless wardrobe changes. You make mommy and daddy smile when you bounce into the room in the morning shouting angrily that you have NO CLOTHES THAT YOU LIKE.  

I love watching you learn my love. You have a creative mind that enjoys being challenged. You learn with your eyes and your hands. You have a tendency to want things to look just so and when your hands fail you your temper does not. You have made me a better teacher. I have a such a passion to find and create so that you can also find and create with me.  

You are an amazing big sister.  But I know the truth; you need your brother as much as you think he needs you.  I see you grab hold of him when you are uncomfortable and scared.  You love your brother so much. People ask me every once in awhile what I did to make you guys so close.  But in truth I didn't do anything.  It is a gift from God.  It's a gift I hope you value as much as I do.  Your Gama Gama said often when mommy was a little girl that your sibling are your best friends.  She was often yelling it at us, so perhaps your a little like her.  But I think she was right.  

You have an infectious smile and laughter.  I love how you do something silly or crazy and then look up at me and ask "are you happy now mommy?".  You have no idea how much joy you bring to our family.  I feel so inept at times.  That the challenge of being your mommy is too great.  Nothing brings your flaws out like parenting.  When you have kids you will understand.  But for now know that as you grow I am growing also.  

I have a thousand things I could say.  But I will end with this: I love you daughter.  Happy Birthday.

Love  

Mommy