Pre-K

Can you believe it????  Zoe started Pre-K this week at the Rose Family Early Education Center.  She was so excited about going back to school that she asked everyday the week before.  These are a couple of pics before she headed out the door.

Because of Grant's napping schedule, Zoe is staying till 3:15 everyday but Friday.  They do a number of special projects with the kids that are focused on science, cooking, reading, and movement.  So far this week she has done really well with staying.  I do think she is a little confused about what time of the day it is when I pick her up!

All about Zoe

So like I mentioned, we started a marble jar for Zoe and it really has been a huge success.  The first couple of weeks I've been handing them out like candy, but will eventually phase them out for the real deal.  This last weekend we went to the zoo, and she decided to ride the carousal instead of walk all the way over to the elephants.  I think she really enjoyed it and earned a number of marbles while we were there.

Down to one nap

Grant will be 17 months old in 4 days!!!!  I can't believe that he is getting so old.  He has really grown into this fun little man that loves to play and love on everyone.  He has been such as easy kiddo compared to the Misses.  

Anyways, we decided since Zoe is about to be in school again, that maybe it was time for him to drop his morning nap.  I figured it would give he and me some time together and maybe we could get some stuff done that we typically do on the weekend.  To help him out, we have really tried to be out of the house in the morning so he can't start waving and taking himself upstairs.  Here we are at our park,

 and the good ole grocery store.

He has done really well, and is now taking a 3 hour nap instead of 2, hour and a half naps.  Can't complain about that.

Marble Jar

We took Zoe's pacifier's away and since have been battling with nap time.  I feel that she really still needs one, but she just doesn't.  So what we get in the end, is a little girl that at 530 is really cranky and a mommy who is at her wits end.  To solve this, I thought it would just take some time for her to adjust, and that we needed to reinforce her a lot when she was happy.  So reaching back to my first bachelors' degree, I came up with a reinforcing jar or a marble jar.  Every time she does something we ask or just does something out of the kindness of her heart, we give her a marble.  Once she hits the lower line of the jar, she gets a little something special, and once the jar is full, she gets something really big.

This first picture is of her reaching the first line and getting to go for a horse back rid at our local farm.

This next one is of her getting to go see the new Planes movie with one of her good friends because she filled the whole jar.

The jar really has been a success and has made the days a lot easier.  She now is doing lots of things without being asked and is going a long with the flow more easily.  She all in all is a happy kid, but loosing an hour and a half of sleep in the middle of the day just rocked her world.  This week she is working for an ice cream cone and a trip as a family to the Zoo!!!!

Honored

Morgan and Mark asked Todd and Me to be this little bundle of joy's God parents.  We couldn't have been more honored.  Chandler has proven to be a great little niece and we can't wait to influence her in a number of ways!!!
 

We traveled down to Arkansas to do the Baptism at our families church in Fayetteville.  This community has brought such love and support to all of our family, and I only hope that we can show this to Chandler.  

I really debated posting these just in case we don't get another great one before the holiday card needs to be done.  I thought, what if I don't get another one before then, but then I decided these two are too cute to withhold everyone of these pics.

Summer Camp

The last two summers we've sent Zoe to summer camp at her preschool.  It's not really an educational time as more time for her to develop some more social skills, and mommies break!!  Each session has different themes, and this last session was her favorite.  They learned about the Earth, and made this really cool, "jet pack!!"  She has had so much fun with it.

I thought it was a really cool and simple art idea to do with the kids.

Really