Day 21/365 is Perfection

Julie & several other friends of mine have asked "What do you do with Caleigh while you're teaching/helping the boys during the day?" Or..."What are you working on with Caleigh at this age?" Well, this post is for you! Anything that has shapes, pieces to fit into spaces, etc. are a hit with C. She pulled out the boys' Perfection Game today and went to town. Funny thing is, she doesn't like to be helped with much; she prefers to do it "by myself". Good for me so I can take pictures!!! She gets each little piece in her hand & looks at it by twisting it all around, then looks on the board for the matching spot & places it in. Sometimes she misses, but for the most part she gets it on the first try. She works until she's done & then she wants me to help her turn on the timer (I realize this is backwards, but don't tell Caleigh!). So, if you're out & about and find a good buy on a Perfection Game, your toddler might like it too! She also likes: Playdough, puzzles, crayons, washable markers, the toys with the keys that unlock different locks; color coordinated...she loves those! She got an Animal Hospital by Parents for Christmas & she locks and unlocks those cages a hundred times some days! She also LOVES to help me cook & I let her measure & pour, stir....lots of things for coordination. She sits & listens during story-time & just this week has started bringing me books to read to her & she will plop up in my lap & listen to the whole thing....I'll try to post her favorites soon...yes, she has 3 that I read OVER & OVER! :) Have anything that your 2 year old loves? I'd love to know! I'm always looking for new things to fill days! (Especially the rainy ones!)

I Made It To Day 20!!

Our little wren calling his mate this morning....I just love them; they have lived here year round for years.

My left-handed Blake. I am so proud of him. He has really started to take pride in his writing skills....they have improved SO much!

My right-handed Bryce. I just love little kid hands. I'll be so sad when they look like grown-up hands....:(

Doesn't everyone learn the theory of multiplication with Sweet-N-Low packets as their manipulative? LOL! It was the closest thing I could grab!

She still likes her warm milk in her NUBY in the morning & at night....so shoot me.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Can't get enough of the boots & jeans!

She would totally eat Ramen Noodles every day if I let her! Do they have any nutritional value at all????!!!!

Bryce & Caleigh Grace getting ready to go to the pet store.

Our new snail....Blake named him Blake since his fish (named Blake too) died.
Get it? Got it? Good!

This is Bryce's fish....named Bryce...but, of course!!! He's actually survived from the beginning! I'm amazed! I think I caught a pretty good image of him & his reflection (totally by accident of course!)

Day 18/365

Thankful for a day without rain! Still a little windy & had to cover up little C's ears, but the boys were back in bare feet on the trampoline!

I need to remember to take my camera with me when we go out....I promise we are not home all the time! I have a good little point & shoot, but I rarely use it. My camera I use at home is just a little bulky to be hauling into the restaurant or shopping adventures! Once C is off my hip full time, maybe I'll starting hauling it more!

Day 17/365

Chores....we should have done it much sooner, but one of my New Year's Resolutions was to assign chores for each boy for the week & follow through. You know what's funny??? They LIKE it! I NEVER have to remind them & they think it's cool they "get to use the windex & pledge"!! It has been a big help to me too. We make out the chores & write them on sticky notes then turn them face down & the boys cover their eyes & choose 3 each...then they stick them on their door "chore list" so they don't forget! So far, so good! Got any good chore ideas for 9 year olds??? I'd like to change them up every couple of weeks so they can learn different things around the house.

Day 16/365

Caleigh LOVES B & B's old Richard Scarry Movies....today was Counting Day!

The TV/VCR is in Blake's Room...She'll get all cozy on his bed & watch...so cute!

We had another cloudy, rainy day here....the birds were the only sign of life around here....everyone else must have had a movie day too!

In need of a peanut butter/seed re-fill! The wrens love it!

Today's view from my porch looking up....C.L.O.U.D.S.

January 15, 2010

Blake wants to live here.....Oh I would SO go visit him! OFTEN!

Bryce wants to live here....are there even people here??? I feel a research project coming on!!!

Our Maps have arrived & the places of residence have been chosen! I don't think they realize how very far apart they would be from one another! They wrapped up their day with a voyage across the ocean in a submarine. Ya gotta love the imagination....

Day 14/365 :Friend Day

Blake talking to his friend Spencer on my phone....

Bryce talking to his friend Ethan on the phone (He looks so old to me in this picture) :(

Caleigh going "to see my friend" : Headed out the back door.

Her reaction when I told her it was raining & her friend wouldn't be outside today.

HMPH! Now what am I supposed to do????

We had a good day despite the icky weather. The boys got haircuts & actually wanted two different kinds; Bryce wanted ultra short, so now it should be easier to tell them apart. I'm hosting a Scentsy Basket Party/Catalog Party until the end of January. It's double hostess points, so if you would like to order anything, please do so! You can call me & come by to try out all the scents or if you know what you like you can order under my name on Jaime's web-site: www.scentsy.com/jaime Then click on: Heather Murphy's Party
You'll love it! I'm totally addicted!

Day 13/365 Wednesday, January 13, 2010

When You Run Away

So...when you run away, where do you go??? My confession: I am a thrift store junkie! If I could & if they were cleaner, I'd haul my kids treasure hunting every day! As it is, I sneak away on a quiet Sunday afternoon if C is napping & James is glued to a game on TV & I head out. I only need a couple of hours to get my fix. It's cheap. And I love it! Sometimes I come home with nothing. Sometimes I come home with a 'treasure'. Now, a treasure to me may not seem like a treasure to you. However, I grew up with auction going, antique selling, treasure hunting, flea~market scouting parents, so it's in my blood. Here are my two favorite 'finds' from the last few weeks.

Day 12/365

We got our delivery today! Buying stuff for homeschooling is SO MUCH FUN!!! I told my friend it's kinda like Christmas in a box from the UPS Man! Everyone gets in on checking out the new stuff...Caleigh is brushing up on her phonics with our cool new phonics tiles! This is after her nap....a nice long 2 hour nap.

Talking to my brothers! She wanted them to come & play! They were watching their TV show tonight.

Warming up by the fire this morning.

Ok, I doubt I will have time to post later...so, here I am while C is napping :) New prayer request please: I took her for an ear re-check this morning & both ears are AOK! Hooray! However, I was concerned about a bump that came up on her bottom area on Sunday & started looking feverish yesterday. The dr. took a look at it & YIKES!!! Staff infection! He numbed the area & with a lot of pressure & a nick on her skin was able to extract (I'll say it nicely for you...) most of the infection. She's on antibiotics for 7 days & Is to soak in a warm Epsom Salt bath twice a day. So....no blood draw today; he felt like she went through enough trauma for one morning....um...yep! You know what he told me? One more day of it going unchecked & he would have checked her into the hospital on IV antibiotics & done a "procedure" there! OMG! People, it just looked like a small bump & was a little bit red. He said it was deep. OH MY GOODNESS!! I just about had a heart attack!!! So, there's my drama for today & I am hoping the rest of the week is drama free!!! Hope you have a wonderful day! If I happen to get any pictures taken, I'll post them later on....

Day 11/365

Bath~time is still her favorite time of day. She would stay in there for an hour if she could...as it is, we push it 'til the water gets cool.

Please say a little prayer for us tomorrow around 11:30; she is getting her ears re-checked to make sure all of her infection has cleared from last month & she is also getting blood drawn. (fingers crossed they can do it & in one stick would be awesome; we've had so much trouble trying to get a blood draw in the past.)

Sunday, January 10, 2010 DAY 10/365

Beautiful Boy....I just don't think I can ever live without a doberman...they're so sweet.

Catching Some Air

They were super happy the sun was out & it hit 41 degrees today; they played outside for a good hour....they really needed it!

I got out my camera today & Caleigh headed to her room; she wanted me to take her pictures with all of her things today...so cute!

"This is MY bed!" I'm grateful she still loves her crib; she's never tried to climb out. Ever. She calls me after her nap & in the morning "Mommy...me ready get out. Me 'wake" Sweet girl!

Giggles Deep In Thought...not really...she was done looking at the camera! She informed me this Little People House was her purse today!

I was just telling James that it was 2 years ago this month that we accepted the referral of little Anh Thuy ....now our sweet Caleigh Grace. Wow! 2 years! She's been home exactly 1 1/2 years. She'll always be my baby; I can't believe she's 27 months old!