Luke's been coming to MOPS with me for four years now. The way a MOPS morning works, is that moms drop their kiddos off at MOPPETS, the childcare program that MOPS offers so moms can have a break for two hours during the MOPS meeting. So, all in all, Luke doesn't get much time with the MOPS moms except for before and after meetings when I'm setting up and cleaning up. Yesterday I got a taste of how Luke sees MOPS:
After his school bus class yesterday, I was asking him if the bus driver was a man or a woman. His response was "It was a big, strong lady like from MOPS." This took me off guard so I asked if the bus driver looked like someone he knows from MOPS. His response: "No, she was just big and strong like a lady from MOPS."
Little did I know that MOPS was teaching Luke women's lib;)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
All Aboard the Big Yellow School Bus!
Growing up in the Rochester School District, I'm pretty comfortable with the system and am glad to have the history Brent and I both have in Rochester as we approach the school years with Luke. He'll be a kindergartner at Gibbs Elementary beginning Fall 2011 and he's very excited!
Up until the past school year, when we started learning more about kindergarten for Luke, we have been engaged in the Rochester Public Schools through Community Education and PAIIR, Rochester's Early Childhood Family Education Program. Both of which offer great classes for kids and families.
Luke attended one of his final PAIIR classes yesterday called All Aboard the Big Yellow School Bus. I didn't know exactly what to expect from the class, but I was hoping that Luke would get some idea of the expectations of the kids riding the bus and get familiarized with a school bus. Well, he got both and much more! The kids stayed with a PAIIR educator while the parents had a session with the Transportation Manager for the Rochester Public Schools. We got to ask all of the questions we had about transportation while the kids learned the rules of the bus, practiced boarding the bus, rode around the block on the bus, and learned the emergency procedures. Apparently I had forgotten what sponges five year olds are when they are learning something they are excited about from an engaging teacher:) When the kids were reunited with their parents after about an hour, they were all rattling off the rules of the bus down to very minute details. I heard "We need to use the railing on the left side when we get on the bus" and "We need to be 10 feet away from the bus to be out of the danger zone". So cute:)
Anyway, it was a very good experience and I would recommend it to anyone in the area with a kindergartner. While we were at the class on Friday, KAAL news happened to be doing a story on bus safety. Check out this link for the written story and a link to the news clip from the Friday, May 27, 10pm news. You'll see Luke in his Twins jersey learning school bus safety:)
I have to say, I'm very grateful for classes like these that help ease the minds of first-time-school-ager moms like me!
Up until the past school year, when we started learning more about kindergarten for Luke, we have been engaged in the Rochester Public Schools through Community Education and PAIIR, Rochester's Early Childhood Family Education Program. Both of which offer great classes for kids and families.
Luke attended one of his final PAIIR classes yesterday called All Aboard the Big Yellow School Bus. I didn't know exactly what to expect from the class, but I was hoping that Luke would get some idea of the expectations of the kids riding the bus and get familiarized with a school bus. Well, he got both and much more! The kids stayed with a PAIIR educator while the parents had a session with the Transportation Manager for the Rochester Public Schools. We got to ask all of the questions we had about transportation while the kids learned the rules of the bus, practiced boarding the bus, rode around the block on the bus, and learned the emergency procedures. Apparently I had forgotten what sponges five year olds are when they are learning something they are excited about from an engaging teacher:) When the kids were reunited with their parents after about an hour, they were all rattling off the rules of the bus down to very minute details. I heard "We need to use the railing on the left side when we get on the bus" and "We need to be 10 feet away from the bus to be out of the danger zone". So cute:)
Anyway, it was a very good experience and I would recommend it to anyone in the area with a kindergartner. While we were at the class on Friday, KAAL news happened to be doing a story on bus safety. Check out this link for the written story and a link to the news clip from the Friday, May 27, 10pm news. You'll see Luke in his Twins jersey learning school bus safety:)
I have to say, I'm very grateful for classes like these that help ease the minds of first-time-school-ager moms like me!
Luke Lately
The name of Luke's game lately has been growing up before our very eyes!
As if it hasn't been enough that we are getting mail about kindergarten almost weekly, making visits to Gibbs Elementary once for a tour and once for kindergarten screening, and taking a school bus safety class (I'll post more on this soon); Luke is simply growing into a little boy. He no longer has the stubby fingers and feet of a toddler/preschooler. His body is now stretching out into the a strong, lean, soon-to-be kindergarten. I know it's over stated, but time really does fly...especially when you're enjoying every moment like we are:)
One recent event that symbolized his growth very concretely for me was moving Luke from a convertible car seat to a backless booster seat. He's been using his convertible car seat as a booster since he turned four, but he has now outgrown the seat. His head sits higher than the back of the convertible seat, so we decided to make the change to the backless booster seat in both cars.
Luke thoroughly enjoyed the process of changing out the seats...
As if it hasn't been enough that we are getting mail about kindergarten almost weekly, making visits to Gibbs Elementary once for a tour and once for kindergarten screening, and taking a school bus safety class (I'll post more on this soon); Luke is simply growing into a little boy. He no longer has the stubby fingers and feet of a toddler/preschooler. His body is now stretching out into the a strong, lean, soon-to-be kindergarten. I know it's over stated, but time really does fly...especially when you're enjoying every moment like we are:)
One recent event that symbolized his growth very concretely for me was moving Luke from a convertible car seat to a backless booster seat. He's been using his convertible car seat as a booster since he turned four, but he has now outgrown the seat. His head sits higher than the back of the convertible seat, so we decided to make the change to the backless booster seat in both cars.
Luke thoroughly enjoyed the process of changing out the seats...
After I took the new booster seat out of the trunk to swap out the car seats, Luke asked if we could play in the trunk.
More posing in the trunk:)
Posing in his convertible car seat for me. This is the car seat he's graduating from.
Proud to be a big boy in his new backless booster seat!
I was very happy to share one of our retired convertible car seats with a fellow MOPS mom whose little guy will hopefully have many days ahead of riding in his new-to-him car seat:)
I know our boy is growing up fast, but this is all the "graduating" I can handle for now;) I have no doubt the school years will fly by too!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Backyard Progress
As I mentioned in my previous post, Brent has been VERY busy in our backyard this spring. Here are some pictures to prove it!
The Sod Removal for the Garden ~ May 15
We must first give credit where credit is due..this wonderful sod cutter made the day far more efficient!
Brent & Luke rolling sod after being cut by the sod cutter
Our eager helper digging in!
Child labor you say??? But he's so happy doing it:)
Looks like they are racing in this one:)
My hard working men!
Proud of one of his largest rolls!
And, no, I was not just taking pictures, I was raking the entire backyard after Brent mowed.
Birdseye view from our dining room upstairs
By May 15, the garden plot looked like this:
Birdseye view from our dining room upstairs
Beautiful work Brent!!!
Humble beginnings since last year when Brent built our first garden plot:
May 2009 ~ We grew a Luke!
Building our first garden box together.
This year's garden has been planted since last week and is hopefully growing well and not being washed out by all of the rain we've gotten!
Happy Growing Season!!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
I strive to be eco-friendly. I feel good when I use a more eco-friendly product and when I'm able to recycle what would have otherwise been trash. Our past couple weeks have worked out beautifully in the reuse and recycle department.
As I mentioned in my last post, we decided to remove the fence in our backyard recently. It was a wood fence that we purchased in panels and installed in the yard shortly after we moved in. I was feeling bad about being wasteful with the fence panels and posts the evening that Brent and I were hauling them to the 8 foot dumpster in our driveway. I felt bad, but I also didn't really have any ideas about how it could be reused or recycled. Well, coincidence worked out better than anything we could have planned. Two days after we filled the dumpster, a man pulled up to our house. He said that our neighbors up the street had seen that we were removing the fence, knew that he was installing a similar fence, so he thought it was worth asking. Absolutely! By the end of the day, he had nearly cleaned out the dumpster! Definitely reused!
Again, in my last post, I mentioned that we removed an area of sod from our backyard to expand our garden. Brent rented a sod cutter so the sod came up in nice sections/rolls. We had no use for the sod, but it was good sod and I knew it can be expensive to purchase. I put a note on Facebook saying it was free if someone was able to haul it. I was starting to lose hope that our sod would go to waste after a couple days without any takers. But, to my surprise, three days later I got a note from a co-worker who was interested in the sod. Her husband came today and filled the bed of his truck with the sod he intended to use their yard. Perfect solution and good timing before the sod dried up and was no longer good!
I certainly understand the truth in the old saying: "One man's trash is another man's treasure":)
As I mentioned in my last post, we decided to remove the fence in our backyard recently. It was a wood fence that we purchased in panels and installed in the yard shortly after we moved in. I was feeling bad about being wasteful with the fence panels and posts the evening that Brent and I were hauling them to the 8 foot dumpster in our driveway. I felt bad, but I also didn't really have any ideas about how it could be reused or recycled. Well, coincidence worked out better than anything we could have planned. Two days after we filled the dumpster, a man pulled up to our house. He said that our neighbors up the street had seen that we were removing the fence, knew that he was installing a similar fence, so he thought it was worth asking. Absolutely! By the end of the day, he had nearly cleaned out the dumpster! Definitely reused!
Again, in my last post, I mentioned that we removed an area of sod from our backyard to expand our garden. Brent rented a sod cutter so the sod came up in nice sections/rolls. We had no use for the sod, but it was good sod and I knew it can be expensive to purchase. I put a note on Facebook saying it was free if someone was able to haul it. I was starting to lose hope that our sod would go to waste after a couple days without any takers. But, to my surprise, three days later I got a note from a co-worker who was interested in the sod. Her husband came today and filled the bed of his truck with the sod he intended to use their yard. Perfect solution and good timing before the sod dried up and was no longer good!
I certainly understand the truth in the old saying: "One man's trash is another man's treasure":)
Round Here
Things feel like they're taking shape around here. This spring has been filled with many projects and lots of "transition" in the midst of it (read: messy house, yard, garage). I've already posted about our painting ventures and I'm happy to report that the stairwell was conquered last Saturday:)
We've also been busy outside...actually I should clarify, Brent has been busy outside...
We've still got details to take care of in the garage and the garden, but it's been nice to see the fruit of our labor coming together:)
We've also been busy outside...actually I should clarify, Brent has been busy outside...
- Shelving installed in garage --> Check
- Fence removed from backyard --> Check
- Fence post holes filled with dirt --> Check
- Sod removed from expanded garden space --> Check
- New garden boxes built --> Check
- MANY wheelbarrows full of dirt filled and pushed from the driveway to the expanded garden space --> Check
- MANY bags of River Cobble hauled to the backyard to surround the expanded garden space --> Check
We've still got details to take care of in the garage and the garden, but it's been nice to see the fruit of our labor coming together:)
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
My Favorites
Is so blessed to come home to my favorites, who apparently fell asleep together watching baseball tonight:)
Now the question is: Do I wake them to move to bed???
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Post Painting
We're almost done! We only have a the stairwell left to paint, which will require Brent and I to actually have a full day at home together:) Maybe this weekend???
Anyway, here are some updated pictures since my last painting related post.
Anyway, here are some updated pictures since my last painting related post.
Luke jumping on the couch to check out the new mirror above the couch (on the freshly painted wall).
New paint color in living room: Indian Tears
Another shot in the living room with a fun new lamp
Love the new paint with the dishes above the cabinets. We're still planning on adding cabinet hardware too.
New color in the kitchen: Vigilant
Living room and kitchen walls converging in dining area
All three new colors coming together: living room, kitchen, and hallway.
New hallway color: Sultry Castle (just a shade lighter than the kitchen and hard to decipher in the pic)
I really like the new kitchen color with our counter tops!
So, that's all she wrote...so far:)
Like I said, we still have the stairwell to paint, the insides of our steel doors, and other finishing touches like a gallery wall of pics, etc.
Hope you can see the changes in person soon!
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