Valentines 2012

I was really excited to continue my second year of our Vday tradition. Now I had 3 boys to write special notes for for 14 days straight.
Caden had a blast emptying out the kleenux boxes!

 Then we cut out one inch squares on the black lines (total occupational therapy project!) Caden was loving his first multi-step cut and paste activity. Grayson and Triston were old pros!

 Each morning from Feb 1-14 I left a note for each kiddo and a sweetheart candy.
Triston:
I love your sweet laugh!
I love your smile!
You are super brave!
I love your goofiness!
You are an amazing big bro to 2 little bros!
Even when you are whining you are cute! (that was a rough one to write but he was such a brat that evening!)
I love your style!
I love that you love your vegetables
You have such a big heart! You know how to give to people around you!
I love you!
I love you down the track, thru the tunnel and back!
 That's not 14 notes so he must have placed them the rest in his special hiding spot. He still has his notes from last yr hidden away safe and special!

Grayson:
You are an awesome big bro!
You are so special and brave!
You give fantastic hugs!
I love that you love your vegetables!
Even when you are whining you are cute! (yeah he had that same bad day!)
I love your port!
I love your laugh!
I love your silliness!
I love you down the track through the tunnel and back!
Yeah, counting these he must have taken some of his notes and stashed them too!

Caden:
You are the best little brother!
You are a great hugger!
Even when you are whining you are cute! (same evening...I prob had my period)
I love your contagious laugh!
I love your crazy hair!
I love that you love your vegetables
You are brave in your own little way, too!
I love that smile of yours!
I love you down the track through the tunnel and back!
Yeah, so counting the notes I probably missed a few mornings. Not surprised!

 And on Vday I placed a book and chocolate kiss inside each one!

And for my gift from Triston I received a gift bag with a pretty note. Nothing inside the gift bag though. Kinda odd but still a pretty bag! "Dear Mom, you are the best. From your secret admirer"

Growing up...still!

I was changing Caden's diaper (can't wait to start potty training!) and glanced over at the art work he was blabbing about. I noticed it was still Grayson's artwork hanging in Caden's room. They were pics of G's first drawings and painting at a little over a yr old. It was time to get Caden's room personalized beyond his birth photos.

We sat down this am and he went to town. He had dabbled a bit during homework times but now it was just he and I with no distractions.

Good job baby boy!

We luv us some PIRATES!

Sept 19th
Talk Like a Pirate Day

Arrrrr Mateys! Here is our Pirate day afterschool activity! It was easy and cute. T entertained himself and G added his own scribbles to my artwork for him. We used pillow cases so that it didn't just become some flat art piece that ended up in a corner. I wanted it to have some use (without having the energy to put together a treasure hunt in the backyard!). Instead of fabric markers (bc I didn't really think this out or have energy -once again) I used permanent markers. I noticed the permanent markers on T's prek grad shirt that I made him have held the stormy seas (washing machine) so that solved that. We took care of homework, early dinnner and got to drawing. T wanted to use his Neverland magnet from the Peter Pan show as a guide. After a bit I encouraged him to use his OWN imagination and he did. It was a nice change of pace from the usual afterschool madness. And now they can keep them forever. Happy Pirate Day.

Spring Activities

When I actually have the energy and umph I can get creative. With a little jump start from the idea-licious internet and following Triston's interests as a guide I was able to pull off some ideas for his Easter party at school. Another mother (whom I REALLY like and could be my twin when it comes to mama morals and regs) and I signed up to host it in August since we knew we would be on springbreak at the time. We didn't get planning for it until we were out of school but it still turned out great.

We decided to do 3 stations (mom hosts are required to set up a snack, game and art activity) for the kids to rotate thru. She and I thought alike-we wanted them to be engaged the whole party, not just served their pre-made/cooked snack. We wanted them learn something and possibly go home and share their experience with other family members. And most of all-we wanted to avoid any downtime bc all we see the kids do at any class party during that time is run around be silly = injuries, so forget it!

So, we came up with Make a Bird's Nest snack, Jelly Bean Graphs and tissue paper eggs. E and I split up the duties and prep work. She has an organized mind like I so it was so easy to coordinate it all via emails. I searched the web for healthy recipes and came up slim. Anything I found needed cooking time and that was not gonna work. But at least the ideas I found sprouted this idea in my head:

Whenever I saw recipes using coconut shavings or chocolate I was reminded of this stuff my mom sent the boys last Easter:

It is made of potato starch and other cracker like ingredients. Then it is flavored with sour apple. It actually tastes good! I found it again this yr at Target.

I made up a board using visuals to illustrate each step of the recipe.

1. one half of a bagel

2. spread the cream cheese

3. sprinkle the grass

4. add the eggs (white jelly beans)

4. add the peep

That was about as healthy as I could get.

Then each kid rotated thru the other centers. Each station took 10-15 minutes and during downtime they were to look at books we brought in. Anything diff from the usual classroom stuff interested them. I had a blast. It was great to be there volunteering, working another mom (who happens to be a teacher herself), spending time with T and swapping ideas with his teacher.

I also found these goodies:

As T's Spring/Easter favor to his classmates we gave a packet of seeds instead of candy. We found them in the dollar bin. I asked him he wanted to pick out a bag of candy or help his friends start their own garden during spring break-he picked garden. Luv him! I had Charito make up the labels -""Thanks for growing with me! Happy Spring! Triston". He even requested the girls get flower seeds and the boys get fruits and vegetables. Sure, why not.

Then as a favor from us Party moms we gave a tiny sunflower pot with a label that said "Keep on Growing! Love your teachers."

You know I like anything productive as a treat for kids. I mean seriously-how many erasers, pencils, candy bags and playdohs can one receive!?

And like I said before, Triston is really into ANYTHING he learns at school so he really was excited for Earth day (yet, another holiday we paid no attention to in the past. I tell you, this school is teaching US things as a family and get us in motion. I follow T's lead and run with it-like recycling. Whoever thought I would be recycling?! I love it!)

I had to get creative (once again) for Earth Day. I came up with another snack. A not so healthy one this time but the concept and lesson behind were the best part. I thought about the earth, the soil and how it can make sense for the preschool mind. Even the 2 yr old mind. And again, it was T who made my wheels spin on this one. They made worm cups at school last week and he recalled when we made them 2 summers ago. He told me one day on the way home from school that he liked mine better. I kept that in the back of my head. Instead of dirt cups we made earth cups.

Crushed Oreo cookies (they bashed em in a ziploc baggie with their fists)= SOIL

Crushed golden Oreos = SEEDS

Vanilla pudding (or I guess I could have used yogurt) dyed blue=WATER

Sunlight=FIND IT AND "CATCH IT" THRU WINDOW OR OUTSIDE

and wallah =the GRASS will grow (edible grass again)

I brought the ingredients with us to visit my friend KT so we could keep the kids busy and try and avoid as many inuries w running around as possible. I think Addie liked it the best!

Auntie KT set up for us to color eggs together. It was sooo nice to be out. It was my first outing ALL of 2 weeks on my spring break (all mere days before it was over). But it was a healthy, clean house (she was actually on her hands and knees scrubbing her floors the morning of bc her mop broke once she began. Now that IS love). We had masks ready and everyone was actually cold-free for once!

Catching the sun!

Addie and her Earth Day snack

And I got to meet baby Samuel!! He is a cutie!

And as busy as we tried to keep them Grayson still got hurt. In the last 20 min of the stay no less. He bumped his head on a chair, bringing it all to a halt. Our cue to leave.

But we still had fun up until that point!

Caden and his first Easter card-thanks to godparents Najette n Dave. Yum!

Heart Day 2011

Almost all of Vday this year was a typical Chemo Monday. The only reason it was a bit more special was bc I made a point of carrying out all those love notes for the February weeks leading up to the big day. A new tradition for the Carpers! I enjoyed doing it. It forced me to take the time (even when I wasn't feeling up to par) to find one thing each evening to share with my boys. One reason each to day show them I love them.
I loved their reactions each and every morning when they got to peek into their Valentine boxes. T would read G's for him the first few times. But at some point early in the game G remembered one of the early notes and would "read" those words on each note thereafter. It was precious. He would pull out that note each morning (or afterschool depending on our hectic am) and come and find me. Then he would say, "Ready, mommy?", look down at his note and repeat, "I wuv so much. Wuv mommy"
Another evening T discovered me writing on the same post-its used in the boxes. I was at the kitchen counter writing out some notes for G's menu the next day. He glanced at me, turned around and started to head out of the kitchen. Then there was this abrupt pause in his body, he froze and sped around, "Waaiiittt a minute! You are the one writing the notes?! I thought it was the cupid!" It was hilarious!

Love Notes:

To T-

I love your smile!

I am so happy you are a reader!

I love your crazy hair! But I think you need a haircut! ( he was scheduled for one that night!)

I love your funny jokes!

I love the way you talk about traveling!

I love your cool dance moves!

I think you are handsome!

I am so proud of how you get ready for school all by yourself everyday!

I am proud of you when you try new things (the morning after Awanas upset)

You make me feel like the best mommy in the whole world!

You are my amazingly intelligent boy!

I love you everyday!

To G:

I love your crazy hair!

I love your silly laugh!

I love your port!

I love your crazy giggles!

I love your trains!

I love your dance moves!

I think you are sweet! (following the night he called me princess)

I am so proud of you and your tubies! (following the night I took it out the needle)

You make me smile!

You are my favorite clown!

You are my wonderful boy!

I love you everyday!

Even cuter-Triston saved all his and G's notes in a little compartment inside one of his trains displayed on a shelf in their room. He told me he wants to keep them forever.

I tried my best to put healthy treats in the boxes but it was way tooooo easy to drop an M&M, gumdrop, chocolate kiss, cookie and other goodies. It was Halloween all over again. Watching their faces each time was so worth it!

The big day revealed a big present. I had grand ideas but the latest events in our lives and drained energy left me at a loss at Target Sunday morning. I bought them Crayola Color Fillz that use Model Magic to create a scene. Even though they are not allowed to watch Spongebob they know who he is and that was the only item I could find two of the same of. I caved. T loved them and G was much more into the candy filled heart tin-some of their favs like chewey fruit snacks and gummy bears. All the things our dentist tells us to stay away from! I couldn't help it! I was weak.

When T arrived home from school Monday we got busy decorating daddy's pic frame. The boys painted it together while Caden watched. They chose turquoise and purple. Then T asked me to make a heart shape from a pipe cleaner he found in the art bucket. We added that too. I have the perfect pic of the 3 of them I will add to it once we get ink for the printer. T was so excited to share his Spongebob creation and picture frame masterpiece when daddy got home. Charito did not get home til after 8. He stopped by his mom's to visit her before coming home. That left little time for us to have any Vday together BUT we more than make up for the other 364. I insisted he buy me nothing and requested one thing-an it's gonna be okay hug. I got my wish and then we made time to eat dessert together-I made him a brownie layer sundae (thanks to Nicole's recipe). We caught up on How I Met Your Mother and stuffed our bellies. Shortly after I could not keep my eyes open and needed to crash. The day flew by but in the end I knew who I loved, why and how much-just like always! Just another Monday in my new book of life.

Family Time

Whether we are on lockdown or not we still have fun...and plenty of lazy days. I miss our grand adventures out on the town but I'll take what we can get. Luckily my kids find enjoyment in the simplest of things. I have learned to find the grandeur in the simplest things. And sometime it finds me.

To me that IS family time. Being together.Lovin his exersaucer!

And someone uses this as his recliner!

Triston's drawing-mommy as a snowman

Gingerbread fun

Choices, choices, choices

"These marshmallows on top are the saints looking down on us"-Triston

The kid has more religious beliefs in him than I did at his age! I appreciate that about him.

Chilling

Trains galore

Pirate Antics

Solo time

Expeditions

I think they've been watching too much Gold Rush!

It's Chia Time