Vacation is Over!

Between the holidays, Juan being on vacation, and other life events that have recently taken place, I took a break from blogging. Jayden did a lot of work on Time4Learning. And most of all, they played.

One of their Christmas gifts was a 2 month swim class. They just started last week. Jayden is doing fabulous! He is almost ready to swim with no float!

 

Yes, even Caitlin! We spent the entire last year telling her she can go back to swimming when she feels ready. We explained that she could not scream in the pool and that we would never let anything happen to her. Finally, after many months of practice runs in the bathtub, we felt she was ready. And she has been doing great!

Both of them are being taught by the best teacher there. But for Caitlin's first class Miss Scarlett had the flu so she was taught by another great teacher named Bennett.The best part is she is the only student in her class so she gets one on one time.

 

When Miss Scarlett returned Caitlin complained about how hard she was being worked and Miss Scarlett told her she complained like a little old lady!

Diving in

 I will be back soon with lots more pictures since I got an AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING new camera for my birthday!!!!!!!!

Grinch!

Juan and I decided that every year we will get the kids a stuffed doll from Build-A-Bear as a Christmas gift from us. This year the Grinch came out. We conned the kids into thinking we were just going "window shopping" and we'd quickly peek in Build-A-Bear so they could look around. They were surprised and thrilled when they found out the truth!

Building their Grinch dolls

 "Washing" him

This Grinch doll is adorable! His heart "grows" three sizes. We also added a part of the Grinch song into each doll.

Can you tell they are happy?

:)

Solar System

Our last co-op we learned about the solar system. 

Annmarie read a story called There's No Place Like Space while the kids listened.

 The kids crowded around a model solar system that Annmarie made.

 Then Larissa explained how the world spins, creating day and night. She also read a story (forget to check the name of it!).

The kids then stood up and acted like planets (rotated) while Larissa held the flashlight (representing the sun) and demonstrated nigh/day.

Larissa also explained constellations

 The kids made little planets with their worksheets and play doh.

And finally, they made a solar system with construction paper. They never got to finish this so we will be making another one.

Our tree!

I love all holidays. I love to celebrate anything I can. October-March is my favorite time of the year. We have Halloween, Cait's bday, our anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, my birthday, Valentine's day, Juan's birthday, and Jayden's birthday all back to back. I get all corny, sentimental, and ridiculous during this time. So I'm warning you, there is some pretty cheesy stuff here!

We recently put up our Christmas tree. My house smells like pine! I love it! It really gives us that "Christmas" feeling.

Getting our tree

Pre-decoration

 Time to decorate!

All done

Playing music by our "fireplace" (see the screen on my desktop? LOL)
We blasted Christmas music and drank hot cocoa.

Hanging out by the tree

Rudolph the Red Nose "Reindoor" (Note my clever word play! LOL)

Isn't this a-door-able? I know, corny!

Frosty the Fridgeman

I tried to convince everyone to go caroling with me in the hallway but for some reason no one wanted to join me! Perhaps next year! LOL!