Three months already

So much has happened in the past few months and I cannot believe it is going so quickly!

My babies with me on Christmas Day!

Eliza had her first holiday season and Nicholas had his first "magical" Christmas. It was amazing seeing him light up on Christmas morning after Santa had arrived.

After that it was on to New Years and the excitement that I get to spend my 2015 getting to know little Ellie and spend more time with my Nicky.

I am looking forward to what is coming in my future. I am starting to do course-work in the schools starting this semester. As one of my instructors put it, "this is where the nursing students would put on their scrubs." Now I just have to keep going and moving toward my graduation next fall and with any luck I will be a teacher in about two years.

At Eliza's 2 month appointment in January she was 11lbs 4 oz, rounding her off as gaining 4 pounds (and 3.5 inches) since her birth in November. My big girl is 75% for height and weight.

Recently I also was able to participate in my first 5k since Eliza was born and next week I will do another. Fortunately I also have been doing great with my exercising and getting my body after baby back. I have to be ready for my sister's wedding in May (congratulations Maggie!)

Welcome Eliza!

On Sunday I went into labor and at 11:20 at night Eliza was born.

At 7lbs 4 oz and 18 inches long she was definitely a chunky thing compared to what her brother was! He really enjoyed meeting her; he was also very interested in looking out the window as well :/ gotta love the attention span of 3 year olds.

When he came with my dad to pick us up from the hospital, he started to cry and tell my dad "No Gru, we can't leave Liza!" He did not realize they were just going to get the car for us. When we got home he just wanted to watch her sleep and give her kisses.

He also made sure to show her all of his toy and even shared several with her (even though it was just laying them down on her feet).

Jack-o-lanterns - Art Craft

I read the "Pumpkin Patch Parable" by Liz Curtis Higgs to the kids. Afterwards, they made their own pumpkins and added in the faces.

Link to photo source: Amazon

We took a plain paper plate and the kids drew faces on them. Afterwards they helped me to staple a brown rectangle and a green leaf to the top. Once again, they were more than happy to show their parents what they made.

The pumpkins they made.

Witcty Witches - Art Craft

To get ready for Halloween, we read a book at work. The K4 students loved "Room on the Broom"  by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler. After we read, we made ours witches.

Link to photo source: Amazon

I handed out paper plates on which they drew witch faces. Once they finished that, they told me what color hair they wanted. They received 4 strips of that, a black triangle, and a black thin rectangle. This made the witch's hair and hat.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed doing this project. 

A visit to the fire station

It was recently Fire Prevention Week. To celebrate a local volunteer fire station was throwing an open house. My son, being the typical little boy, loves any vehicle that moves, so we took him to this event.

He had a blast. There was a bounce house, an obstacle course, a variety of large vehicles, a hay ride, and there was a helicopter that landed during the event. I think the helicopter was his favorite part. When it was coming down he was so excited, and when it landed he looked at my mom and said, "woah! Gigi, it came from the sky!"

My beautiful mother and son in a truck.

My son sitting in the back of the ambulance.

My mother and son by the sheriff's air boat.

Me, my mom, and Nicky investigating the fire engine.

My mother helping Nick through the obstacle course.

Nicholas wearing his prize for completing the course.

Me, my mom, and Nick looking at the helicopter.

Me, my mom, and Nick by another fire engine.

Although it was a little warm, we all had a blast.

Welcoming Fall - Art Craft

At work the kids and I made sure to welcome the fantastic fall weather we were having. In order to do so, we did an art craft.

These are our leaves.

With jumbo craft sticks, paper, leaves, and crayons we made this project.
It is just a pressure rubbing of a leaf with colored craft sticks glued to the paper to make a frame.
The kids loved this and that they got to put it all together. I just had to make sure to remind them not to push down too hard on the crayons.

Our Dots - Art Craft

International Dot Day for Peter Reynold's "The Dot" was September 15.
The children at work and I made sure to celebrate this day. I started off by reading the book to them, then we made our dots. Being that they are in K4, I handed out paper plates to make their dots. From there I set up stations: a stamping station, a cutting (or "punching" out shapes) and gluing station, and a color station.
The kids loved this craft!

Most of our finished dots for International Dot Day.