Guess what I am!

Guess What I Am! I saw this game advertised today and I love it. I went to the website:

http://www.guesswhatiamgame.com/

I am planning on buying this for my children and also for my brother’s kids. This is a game that I will enjoy playing with Alex and Sabrina, (when she’s old enough). It’s silly fun and think of the great scrapbook page you can make using the faces! This will make for a great family night!

Marie-Anne

Tuna Casserole

Here’s a twist on my grandma’s tuna casserole. Even Alex asks for seconds.

Regular potato chips
2 cans tuna
1 can sweet peas
2-3 cans mushroom soup
2 cans mushrooms

Crush chips in bottom of casserole dish. Drain and pour sweet peas, tuna, and mushrooms spreading them out. Cover with mushroom soup making sure to completely cover. Cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Marie-Anne

Hooked on Phonics works for Alex!

Alex is starting to read using Hooked on Phonics for kindergarten. In one day he was reading the words of that lesson. He is about to start the third lesson and already has read the two short stories that go with the lessons. After the next lesson Alex will read his first book! I have not been using the CD, just the workbook. We have used letter magnets and I just got two packs of letter foam tiles, (88 cents at Wal-Mart) to make it more interesting. Today we handed Alex the letters of the first lesson and told him what words to spell and he got them all right, until he started being silly.

Teaching Alex to read was one of my main concerns when we started homeschool, but using Hooked on Phonics has made it so easy. I do recommend Hooked on Phonics. It is available at our library and may be at yours if you want to try it. I bought the complete set kindergarten to second grade for $40 at Big Lots.

Marie-Anne

Children's museum with mom

Today is Alex’s b-day, but that’s not why we went to the Children’s Museum. We went so my mom could enjoy spending time with her grandson that she doesn’t get to see that often. This was Alex’s third time to go there, but mom’s first. Sabrina slept the whole time until right before we left. We took lots of pictures to go into his scrapbook and she videoed him playing.

Alex looks through his scrapbook over and over and relives the events and memories of the time spent with people. It’s a way of helping him stay close to family members who live far away.

After Frank got off work we went out to eat at Famous Dave’s (YUM!) and we had them sing happy b-day to Alex.

Marie-Anne

Small Changes for a healthier me

~ No eating after 9 pm

~ Drink water after 9 pm

~ When doing errands pack a water and fruit for me

~ Walk around the neighborhood a couple times a day

~ Wear ankle weights

~ Instead of going to McDonalds on shopping days pack a lunch and go to the park

~ Spend 10 minutes a day walking up and down the stairs

~ Snack on fruit rather than junk food (most of the time)

~ Cook and eat at home more often

~ Use hand weights daily

Marie-Anne

Life with a new baby

Life sure is different around here. That’s an understatement. We are adjusting to having a baby around. Alex loves his little sister, but sometimes resents the time we spend with her. We are going from having one child who can do a lot of things for himself to having someone who depends on us for everything and having to meet Alex’s needs also. Sabrina is so cute, but I think she’s much cuter during the day than at 3 am. I am thankful that my mom is here- she’s a great help. We are blessed.

Marie-Anne

Happy 4th b-day Alex!

We celebrated Alex’s b-day today. Mom, Alex, Sabrina, and I went to Toys R Us and she got him almost the rest of the imaginext city toys plus the helicopter. I got him the police horse. Tonight we (Alex, Sabrina, Frank, mom, and I) went to Peter Piper Pizza. Alex had a blast! He almost forgot he had more gifts. Alex also got a couple of shirts, a pair of pants, a Thomas book, a mirror, and a model solar system from Frank’s parents. He got a talking fire fighter helmet from Jennifer. From us he got a construction magnet set, a drill, and some Bob the Builder toys and books.

Marie-Anne

Fisher Price Imaginext

Alex got a gift card for being in the Toys R Us b-day club. He chose the imaginext fire fighters. Alex loves fire fighters- he is one after all. We later went back and got him the fire station set for a becoming a big brother gift. My mom bought him almost the rest of the city set for his b-day. I love these toys almost as much as Alex does. We will probably get him the last few in this set for Christmas. Of course he also wants all the other sets, but he can’t have everything he wants.

Marie-Anne

Shots hurt

Shots hurt- no duh, right? When it is your child they don’t just hurt the one getting them. Alex got his 4-year-old shots today. He got 5 shots and had blood taken from his finger. He was already scared before we got there. When the nurse pricked his finger he sobbed, “God, heal me!” I had to hold him down and even then he came off the table twice. Alex was so upset that several times on the way home he would burst into tears and tell me how mean the doctor was to him. I’m glad he doesn’t have to get them that often.

Marie-Anne

It's a Girl!

Sabrina Marie Rendla was born at 5:06PM Wednesday, November 5th 2008. She was a whopping 9lb 10oz of healthy baby. Mother and child are doing fine.