Kids N Motion

Last Wednesday, Wesley and Lydia didn't have school so we headed down to Kids N Motion.

We had to go at the 12 and under time since Wesley is now too old for the 6 and under time slot.  It was not crowded at all since most schools had classes that morning.

Josiah is now able to climb up the "rock walls" by himself.  I was surprised how many time he did this.

All three kids had a great time.  I made Wesley wear his sports glasses because I didn't want his regular glasses to get broken and I was afraid he would get a headache if he went without his glasses.

Josiah loved the train.

He was even able to do the big obstacle course with Wesley helping him a little.  He climbed the large "rock wall" by himself several times.

He enjoyed the balance bean in the toddler room.

There goes Lydia down the big slide.

Josiah did the obstacle course with Lydia also.

"Why Can't We Keep Them?"

Last week, Wesley went for a walk with my dad and came back with these.

He caught these little fish using a bug net.  My dad carried them home in the bug container.  Wesley gave them a piece of bread to eat.  He was so excited to show me the fish he had caught.  He put them in his room beside the hermit crabs.  (The hermit crabs need their own blog post.) He wanted to keep them and was surprised that I made him take them back to the creek and let them go.  I really don't think they would have survived in that bug bucket.  And we were going to add them to our fish tank.

This is the second time Wesley has caught fish without a fish a net.

Happy Thanksgiving

I tried a new turkey recipe this year and I loved the way it turned out.  It looked beautiful and it was flavorful and moist.

 

Instead of traditional stuffing, I made Ina Garten's Mushroom and Leek Bread Pudding.  I loved it, but it wasn't Chris' favorite.  I also made her Green Bean Gremolata using silvered almonds instead of pine nuts.  I could have eaten all of the green beans by myself.  I also made my mom's sweet potato dish which is always delicious.  I didn't make bread this year except for cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

We are thankful to have my parents here.

Wesley immediately tied his napkin around his neck.

Wesley is not a picky eater but he hates green beans and hates sweet potatoes even more.  He is usually a great eater and will eat almost anything for dinner so we let me eat what he wanted today.  He wanted a turkey leg.

Lydia ate a turkey leg and some sweet potatoes.

Josiah had a little bit of everything.

For dessert we had Ina Garten's Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream.  I thought it was great but I might be the only one in my family who loved it.

Trees of Thanks

This week I did Thanksgiving Trees with the kids.  I'm pleased that I remembered them and took the time to do them since I totally skipped it last year.

I asked each kid separately what they were most thankful for.
Here is Lydia's list.  She actually named Jesus first which my heart very happy.
Jesus
the Bible
my family
my school
my teachers
my friends
my house
toys

 Wesley was most thankful for hermit crabs.  Here is his list.
hermit crabs
milk
pasta
teacher
friends
"Josiah but not Lydia."  I asked, "Why not Lydia?"  He answered, "She sometimes annoys me. Well, I like her sometimes but not all the time."  I said, "That would hurt her feelings."  He then said, "Okay, my family.  I'm thankful for my family."
books
plants
snails
He is our nature lover.

 Josiah immediately said, "My mommy!"
my daddy.  Then he said, "My daddy's head."
my Lydia
my Wesley.  My Wesley's head.
me
bananas (they were right by him)
trains and toys
blue blanket

I didn't do a tree but here is my list.
Jesus, my Lord and Savior
Chris. who is the best husband
my children who are such blessings and call me to a deeper relationship with Jesus
my parents
my in-laws
Chris' job
my job
our schools.  I'm so thankful for Wesley and Lydia's school, their teachers, and the other families there.  Josiah is at a wonderful preschool and has teachers who love him.
my Bible study.  I love those girls and I'm so thankful for them.
I could go on and on.

So, what are you thankful for this year?

Thanksgiving Program

Tonight, Wesley and Lydia had their school's Thanksgiving program. Lydia's class recited "If I were a Butterfly" by Brian M. Howard.  The picture quality is horrible on this video.  I didn't realize I was out of memory space but that's why the video is so short.

Here is the video of Wesley's class reciting "God and the Soul" by John Lancaster Spalding.

Scissors and Two Year Olds

When I assess infants and toddlers for the early intervention program, I have to test their gross motor, fine motor, and self-help skills.  For two-years-olds, I have to see if they can cut paper with scissors. A young two-year-old should be able to snip paper with scissors IF they have been exposed to using scissors. Most of the time, the moms all say, "S/He has never used scissors before." My standard response is, "I understand. Most people don't give their two year old scissors."  

If parents want to teach their two year old how to use scissors, I suggest using play-doh and the scissors that come in the play-doh kits.  Josiah loves play-doh and he loves using the scissors to cut it.

Well, I didn't give regular scissors to Josiah but Lydia leaves them out often enough, that he has had multiple opportunities to try them. Here is a picture from September. This is when he first figured out how to snip the paper.

He found another pair last night before dinner.

He makes one snip in the paper and then rips it the rest of the way.

This kept him busy for a long time.

I am sure he will cut things he shouldn't. His seven-year-old brother recently cut recently cut a tablecloth. 

Carousel Ride

Sunday was a beautiful day here and we were able to enjoy some time on the National Mall.

We rarely go into DC and this was our first opportunity to get food from a food truck.  We got homemade ice cream.

This was also our first time riding the carousel.

 I rode the horse beside of Josiah but once we were moving, I realized that maybe I should have just stood beside him.

Lydia wanted to ride a dragon but the first kid in line got it.  I offered to wait until the ride so she could be the first kid but she said that she didn't want to wait.  She rode the horse next to the dragon.

As soon as the ride stopped, she jumped down from her horse and got on the dragon for a quick picture.  

Here is a funny picture with me and the kids.

Everyone wanted to hold Josiah's hand.

My three little sweeties.

A little sibling love.

We met up with Grandma and Grandpa at the Natural History Museum.