591. safety (& mostly cooperative children) driving 600 miles there and 600 miles back for Christmas with my side
592. time with both sides of our family
593. a morning alone for the children and I to decompress after t-e-n solid days of family festivities
594. a roof over our head and heat (and insulation) during these bitterly cold days!
595. generous family members and fun new gifts for the children
596. seeing their contentment this morning playing with their "old" toys that they haven't seen in 10 days :) [Perhaps the new toys will be doled out one a month?]
597. reflecting on the year past and God's sustaining grace
598. enjoying photos, updates, and greetings from so many friends and family
599. looking ahead with hope to another year of God's faithfulness
600. two weeks' break from Little Guy's school
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Reading, part 2
I was 3 when my older sister came home from kindergarten and taught me how to read. (Oops! I already told that story here.)
Little Guy's pre-literacy has taken a different route due to lack of sound discrimination. But he's on a good trajectory!
Recently, he's into saying the letters on items he sees. C-A-N-A-D-A-D-R-Y, for example.
The other day, as we pulled into a parking spot at Dollar General, he piped up, "There's a Dollar General truck."
I acted nonchalant. "Oh, is there?" and asked him how he knew that. And, sitting in the van while pointing at the truck, he acted as if he were running his index finger under the words on the side of the truck, and said, "Because it says, 'Dollar General.'"
Yes, it does, Little Guy. Yes, it does.
It may have had nothing to do with the letters, and everything to do with matching the sign on the front of the store. But, he's taking steps! One day, he will read, Lord willing!
Little Guy's pre-literacy has taken a different route due to lack of sound discrimination. But he's on a good trajectory!
Recently, he's into saying the letters on items he sees. C-A-N-A-D-A-D-R-Y, for example.
The other day, as we pulled into a parking spot at Dollar General, he piped up, "There's a Dollar General truck."
I acted nonchalant. "Oh, is there?" and asked him how he knew that. And, sitting in the van while pointing at the truck, he acted as if he were running his index finger under the words on the side of the truck, and said, "Because it says, 'Dollar General.'"
Yes, it does, Little Guy. Yes, it does.
It may have had nothing to do with the letters, and everything to do with matching the sign on the front of the store. But, he's taking steps! One day, he will read, Lord willing!
Monday, December 11, 2017
Monster Trucks
I'm a fan of Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree Christmas gifts, whereby you can give a gift (of $25 maximum) to a local child whose parent is incarcerated. Your gift is given as if from the parent, and in the name of Jesus!
This year we chose a 2 year old boy. The dad wanted him to get a car or truck and books. That is right up our alley!!
Little Guy and I looked through his books to get ideas, and found a couple vehicle ones, as well as Found by Sally Lloyd-Jones, a Psalm 23 adaptation. One page says, "Even when I walk through the dark, scary, lonely places ... I won't be afraid. Because my Shepherd knows where I am. He is here with me."
Into our Amazon cart went three books. (Have I mentioned I haven't been inside a store in months, it seems?!) Then we had to choose a car or truck. What a hard choice!! A quick Amazon search led us to these:
This year we chose a 2 year old boy. The dad wanted him to get a car or truck and books. That is right up our alley!!
Little Guy and I looked through his books to get ideas, and found a couple vehicle ones, as well as Found by Sally Lloyd-Jones, a Psalm 23 adaptation. One page says, "Even when I walk through the dark, scary, lonely places ... I won't be afraid. Because my Shepherd knows where I am. He is here with me."
Into our Amazon cart went three books. (Have I mentioned I haven't been inside a store in months, it seems?!) Then we had to choose a car or truck. What a hard choice!! A quick Amazon search led us to these:
We have some toys by Battat, and they're good quality, so I purchased them sight unseen. When they came, Little Guy wanted to keep them, so I think that's a winner!
As we were carrying our wrapped gifts into church, he saw one of his Sunday School teachers, and told her, "We have monster trucks for a little boy!" His only disappointment (besides not keeping the monster trucks for himself!) was that he didn't get to see the little boy. Maybe one year we can help with distribution.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
New Recipes
I made this for the first time this week. Yum!
Wedge Salad Dip
And I'm waiting til I remember to buy the right ingredients to make this. Yum!
Spinach Artichoke Soup with Chicken & Parmesan
or this version
Wedge Salad Dip
And I'm waiting til I remember to buy the right ingredients to make this. Yum!
Spinach Artichoke Soup with Chicken & Parmesan
or this version
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
1000 Gifts, Vol. 5, #59
581. Thanksgiving
582. our Thanksgiving tree on which we added leaves of gratitude every day (or so!)
583. Thanksgiving feast at LG's school
584. Thanksgiving day with family
585. both mine & LG's sickness coinciding (mostly) with the 6 days he had off of school
586. some warm days before winter came in full force
587. having the bright idea to clean out the van on the last warm day!
588. beginning to receive Christmas cards from friends and family :)
589. a little girl who naps really, really well
590. parenting hacks exchanged in the 2-3 brief moments at carpool drop off and pickup :)
582. our Thanksgiving tree on which we added leaves of gratitude every day (or so!)
583. Thanksgiving feast at LG's school
584. Thanksgiving day with family
585. both mine & LG's sickness coinciding (mostly) with the 6 days he had off of school
586. some warm days before winter came in full force
587. having the bright idea to clean out the van on the last warm day!
588. beginning to receive Christmas cards from friends and family :)
589. a little girl who naps really, really well
590. parenting hacks exchanged in the 2-3 brief moments at carpool drop off and pickup :)
Friday, December 1, 2017
Countdown to Christmas
Some mom friends and I have shared at least six ideas for Advent / Christmas countdown ideas for the preschool set. Then a Facebook group I'm in had a whole string of suggestions. The options are overwhelming. And some are expensive. And some are just extensive, in terms of prep or crafting ability.
But this afternoon while Little Miss napped, Little Guy and I took the absolute simplest suggestion, printed off 25 strips onto white paper, glued them onto colored card stock (I'd do it differently next time, but it's good enough!), stapled them together into a paper chain and hung it up!
Tonight just before bedtime routine, when Jim called saying he'd be at least an hour late, Little Guy "had a conversation" with him. I gave various prompts, including, "Tell Daddy what we made."
"Oh, Daddy, when you get home you are going to be SOOOO excited!! We made a I don't know what it's called, but it's hanging on the door." :)
It just so happened that since Jim was on the phone, and since Little Guy was into it, that I asked him to tear off the first link, and I read it. Tonight's said, "Alpha & Omega. Rev. 22.13" I read the verse and suggested Little Guy ask Daddy what it meant.
So, day 1 is off to a good start! :)
(Printout found here: http://www.hsprintables.com/files/NOJAdventChain.pdf)
Other ideas included:
But this afternoon while Little Miss napped, Little Guy and I took the absolute simplest suggestion, printed off 25 strips onto white paper, glued them onto colored card stock (I'd do it differently next time, but it's good enough!), stapled them together into a paper chain and hung it up!
Tonight just before bedtime routine, when Jim called saying he'd be at least an hour late, Little Guy "had a conversation" with him. I gave various prompts, including, "Tell Daddy what we made."
"Oh, Daddy, when you get home you are going to be SOOOO excited!! We made a I don't know what it's called, but it's hanging on the door." :)
It just so happened that since Jim was on the phone, and since Little Guy was into it, that I asked him to tear off the first link, and I read it. Tonight's said, "Alpha & Omega. Rev. 22.13" I read the verse and suggested Little Guy ask Daddy what it meant.
So, day 1 is off to a good start! :)
(Printout found here: http://www.hsprintables.com/files/NOJAdventChain.pdf)
Other ideas included:
- Little People nativity set,
- birthday cake for Jesus,
- The Shepherd's Treasure,
- the free advent story cards and ornaments from Jesus Storybook Bible,
- The Wonder of the Greatest Gift pop-up Jesse Tree,
- 25 books of Christmas,
- "A Meaningful Christmas,"
- advent cards from Crew & Co to go along with the Jesus Storybook Bible, &
- Shepherd on the Search.
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