She Writes...

Staley can often be found reading or writing.  I love to find poems, stories, plays, and lists around that Staley has written (or started).  Here is a sampling of things I've found that make me smile.  (I tried to leave in the spelling and punctuation to keep this as authentic as possible.)

A Halloween poem that Staley wrote on our snowy Halloween:
"Halloween is fun even when it's just begun.
To trick or treating you can't say no.
even when theres lots of snow."

A poem using similes and metaphors that Staley wrote at school about Briggs:
"Briggs is my brother he's really really fun.
He is as fun as a game of apples to apples.
He is as playful as a kitten.
He's nice like my mom.
He's fast like flash.
He is as silly as my sister.
He's great like Christmas."

A paper that Staley wrote on her own as a Sunday School lesson for Briggs:
"Most people know god loves us and most people know he wants us to love Him.  But what els does he want us to do and what do we get in return?  if you have respect for the Lord you will be wise.  If you have trust in the LORD you will not be put to shame.  Proverbs 1:7  if you want to be wise you must begin by having respect for the LORD.  Psalms 25: 1-2  In the LORD my god I put my trust.  Matthew 15:28   woman you have great faith!  you will get what you are asking for.  Overall message:  Have faith, Respect, and trust in the LORD.  Every day messages for a 4 year old:  Jesus loves me; Jesus is always with me we are never alone; Jesus died for our sins; We should love god; Jesus created us."

I'm not sure if Staley just found those verses in her Bible or if she was using a Sunday School paper that she had brought home as a guide, but I love that she put together this whole lesson for Briggs based on biblical truths that she has learned.

A school paper about things that Staley can't imagine life without:
"I can't imagine life without my family, god, and NTA.  I can't imagine life without NTA because it is the gruop I do plays with and plays are my favorite activity.  I can't imagine life without my family because I love them.  I can't imagine life without god because without god there would be nothing."

A series of animal poems that Staley wrote over the summer:
"Far off in Africa lives the king of all cats he growls and roars his mane oh so hairy and is he big very"

"Racoon:  A black and white bandit a thif in the night he steels from the trash can and then he'll dash out of sight.  he's a sneaky guy so he won't be caght in the act in some of his midnight crime."

"A groovy blue footed booby ya there realy cool but I think they got too cold because it's feet are blue."

"The hummingbird:  He beats his wings so fast they hum and soon some day he will come here and when he does he won't cry one tear in fact he won't be at all sad he will be quite glad."

"deep in the jungle where animals play I saw a big ape just taking a rest I woke him by mistake and he ponnded his chest I ran away scared I just was not prepared to meet a gorilla that day"

Priceless!

Baking soda:  $.85
Vinegar:  $.89
Food coloring:  $3.49
Paper plate: $.09
2 Styrofoam cups:  $.14
1 sheet Aluminum foil:  $.02

2 kids entertaining themselves and their siblings with an afternoon of scientific fun:

Priceless!

They Say...

The other day Briggs asked me, "How do you spell doc?"  I responded, "Do you mean like a doctor or like a boat dock?"  He said, "I mean like doc com."
#dotcom

The other night before bed, Adelie asked, "Can you get me a toothpick?"  I responded, "Why do you need a toothpick?"  Adelie responded, "To get the ear wax out of my ear."
#ouch
#ithinkyoumeanqtip

Basketball

Both girls just finished their basketball seasons.  Adelie participated in the basketball clinic, which just met once a week for 6 weeks to work on fundamentals of basketball.

Adelie and the other clinic attendees

Adelie improved with her passing, dribbling, shooting, and defense skills throughout the clinic.  Last year she went through the whole clinic without ever making a basket.  This year she made a handful of the shots she took.  Progress!

Adelie enjoyed herself and progressed in her basketball skills throughout the clinic.  At this age, those are the signs of a successful athletic season.

Staley also just finished up her basketball season.  After completing the clinic for the past 2 years, she moved up to playing on the 2nd/3rd grade basketball team.

Staley's team

Staley also improved throughout the season.  Although Staley wasn't the most aggressive player, her defensive skills improved throughout the season and she grabbed the ball for a few jump balls towards the end of the season.  She didn't shoot often, but made 2 shots (of the 5 or 6 she took) throughout the season.  And most importantly, she really had a good time and enjoyed playing.

Staley's team got 2nd place (of the 3 teams in the league) so she was pleased with that as well.  When the season was over, she told me that basketball is now her favorite sport.  If the measure of a successful season is having fun, then we have achieved success.  The trophy is just the icing on the cake.

Things to Remember

There are so many little things about my family at any given time that I know are passing phases.  I love to look back and remember all these little things that make my kids who they are at each phase of life and how they define our family life.

I want to remember:

1.  How, when talking about past events, Briggs will say, "A long, long day ago."
2.  How Staley calls Briggs "Boo" and is always so sweet with him.  And Briggs always calls Staley "Sissy."
3.  How Adelie was SO excited about moving up to the top reading group in her class and now is way more willing to read to us or on her own without prompting.
4.  How my kids (especially Briggs and Adelie) like to go into the playroom and listen to "The Pond" series on CD while crafting and playing.  They've heard all the stories SO many times, but it is what they always want to listen to.  In the future when they complain about hearing loss, it may help to remember that they listen to it at super loud volumes and I always have to tell them to turn it down.
5.  How we are working diligently with Briggs to learn his upper case letters and he is down to only about 6-8 that he still has trouble with.
6.  How Staley was selected to be part of a special group of 3rd graders who get to participate in weekly STEM activities at school and because of this, now Monday is her favorite day of the week.
7.  How Adelie has changed up her repertoire of ways to get her movement needs met around the house.  Now she doesn't just hang upside down off the couch all the time.  Because of tumbling, she also does lots of back bends, kick overs, cartwheels, and splits. She also spends lots of time climbing up the doorframe between the kitchen and dining room.
8.  How Briggs has gotten braver about watching movies at home with the family now.  He has now watched Aladdin, Frozen, and Tangled without freaking out.  Progress!
9.  How Staley still walks Adelie to her classroom to hang up her backpack each morning and how Adelie waits in her classroom for Staley to pick her up after school so they can walk out together.
10.  How when I ask for volunteers to pray at the opening or closing time at Wednesday night Kids Connection at church, both my girls always raise their hands.
11.  How Staley sets her alarm for 7:00 on school days and then comes in to my room and snuggles with me for 10-15 minutes before we have to get up for the day.
12.  How Briggs is transitioning to listening to the chapter books we read to the girls before bed as opposed to reading picture books separately.  And how he follows along with the plot and the story pretty well.
13.  How at church now both my girls sit with friends or have friends sit with us during the service.
14.  How all 3 kids will now wash themselves up in the shower and brush their own teeth.  Getting ready for bed is way easier for us now since they can do all the steps on their own.
15.  How family game time is a lot more fun as there are more strategic games that the kids are old enough to play now.

I love the ages my kids are at right now.  They are all getting much more independent and helpful.  They are building friendships and doing well in school, but still love to play together and spend time as a family at home.  We are in the nice stage where the constant needs and supervision of toddlers and young children are less but we haven't yet entered the moods and drama of the pre-teen years.  I have loved my little family at every phase, but this one is especially wonderful.

My loves!

Halloween

 Although the cold and snow put a damper on outdoor Halloween activities, it didn't ruin our Halloween fun.

Briggs had decided that he was wanted to be Olaf for Halloween and I had found an easy plan for a DIY Olaf costume.  But then I came across this scarecrow costume in a bin in the basement that Briggs had worn (all pinned up) 2 years ago.  I took out the pins, talked him into being a scarecrow, saved myself some crafting time, and had the cutest little scarecrow in the county.

Adelie was Ariel.  No one was surprised.  She was adorable.

Staley had initially wanted to be sloth, but I could not find a cute and easy way to make a sloth costume.  After I told her that might not work, she decided on Mary Poppins.  A few borrowed clothing items, a black umbrella, and the perfect Mary Poppins hat from Aunt Sandi was all it took to make Staley's costume practically perfect in every way.

We started off our Halloween festivities a couple weeks ago at the Boo Bash at the girls' school.  There was music, dancing, decorations, snacks, a photo booth, and a costume contest.  The kids enjoyed the evening of fun with their friends, and Staley even came home with 3rd prize in the costume contest.

We generally go as a family to the pumpkin farm to pick out pumpkins and then carve them for Halloween.  A cold, rainy day on our one open pumpkin farm day derailed our plan.  Luckily, Briggs and Grandpa took a quick trip to the pumpkin farm 2 days before Halloween and got some carving pumpkins so that we could carry on our tradition.

Briggs just told out how he wanted his pumpkin carved (one big circle and two eyes) and Adelie drew on her mermaid face and crown for us to carve out for her.

Staley did all her own carving this year.

Since Halloween did not end up on one of Briggs's preschool days, he had his party at school the day before Halloween.  He enjoyed the snacks, craft, and games with his friends, and I enjoyed getting to spend that time with him.

Briggs' pre-school friends did a little trick or treating with the parents and grandparents to start off their day at school.  Thanks to Uma for being there!

On Halloween, Briggs and I spent a couple hours at the grade school as we attended both Staley and Adelie's classroom parties as well.

All the kids in both the girls' classes were very sweet to Briggs and he ended up enjoying his fair share of treats.

Briggs was SO good for both the parties.  He just watched all the activities, helped out when asked, and enjoyed the treats only when they were offered to him.  He didn't whine, complain, ask for anything, or get fussy about how long we were there.  I was so proud of my little scarecrow!

Both girls enjoyed having both of us at their parties.  I love being a part of these activities and getting to see my kids with their friends.

So much Halloween fun!!

We ended our Halloween fun with a little trick or treating.  Because of the cold, we drove to some aunts and grandparents houses and then went to just 3 or 4 other houses in the cul-de-sac by Grammie and Grandpa's house before heading for the warmth of home.  The joy of trick or treating to family means we visited inside warm houses and then left with lots of candy, stickers, homemade jelly, homemade cookies, borrowed books, and toys.  Happy Halloween to us!!