Magic School Bus

Alex’s latest obsession is the Magic School Bus. We checked out a couple of the DVD’s from the library and then I found some of the books at the thrift store. There are also Magic School Bus science kits. Oh I could go crazy with the lots of books on e-bay, but it’s not in the budget right now. For now Alex will have to settle for what the library has and the free episodes online.

Marie-Anne

I Want My Mommy!

Alex got in trouble with Frank and was crying, “I want my Mommy!” over and over again. Since Frank’s the one who Alex got in trouble with Frank was the one to handle him. After a while I snuck upstairs and whispered to Frank to ask Alex why he wanted me. “I want my Mommy! I want on the computer!”

Marie-Anne

Visitors from Florida

My in-laws visited us and we really enjoyed their visit. Sabrina loves the adorable pink stuffed dog they gave her. Alex got a book, James and the Giant Peach, but he was more interested in playing than in hearing the story. We went to the planetarium, which was a first for Alex and me. We also went to the Natural History Museum, (Alex’s favorite museum).

A few days after they left Alex told me he wants them to move to Las Vegas. I said they have jobs in Florida and he replied that they could get new jobs in Las Vegas!

Marie-Anne

Conference

This post is long over due:

We went to our annual Conference in Missouri and it was life changing, (more on that later). We were blessed to see many friends and meet some new ones. Alex is old enough to go to the services, but we decided he would be better off in the babysitting group. It was really good for him to be around boys his own age, (the girls in the group were younger). We came back refreshed and ready to get back to work.

Marie-Anne

Reading to Kids

I am a big believer in reading to your children from a very early age. I started reading to Alex when he was two weeks old and I didn’t wait that long to read to Sabrina. Alex has a huge vocabulary that I know he has developed as a result of us reading to him. We read lots of fiction and non-fiction.

Often we read books that are a little above his level. An example would be that we started reading Clifford books before he was two and at four we are reading chapter books along with picture books. We have at least a hundred children’s books, (most of which I got at thrift stores) and we go to the library weekly. There are numerous studies on the benefits of reading to children. As a mom who loves reading I see firsthand that the studies are true.

Marie-Anne

Trike Update

After we got back from Conference I saw Alex’s trike in the drainage ditch near our house. Well, I prayed to get his trike back, but I didn’t pray that it would be in one piece. The seat is missing the battery panel is ripped off, the headlights are smashed, one wheel is bent in, but Alex still rides it. (One would think he would be riding his bike that is in one piece, but he shows no interest in it.)

A few days ago I found a trike just like his smashed one for $3 at a thrift store. The only difference, (from before the neighborhood kids destroyed it) is the color. Alex is thrilled! We keep this one in the garage.

Marie-Anne

Science Rules!

Alex got two really cool science experiment kits. He got Elmer’s Totally Funky Science and Elmer’s My First Science Lab. I got them both at Wal-Mart on clearance for $5 each. They each have 10 simple experiments. Alex loves science so these were the perfect gifts for him, thanks Dad!

I also got my young scientist a pack of 3 magnifying glasses from the dollar store. That dollar was well spent. He’s been looking at everything through them since I gave them to him. He even had his friends at Conference using them. Eventually I want to get him a microscope and a telescope. (After I typed this up I found a cheap microscope and telescope set at the thrift store that is good for a first set. That is until Alex broke the microscope.)

Marie-Anne

The Read-Aloud Handbook

Elexa e-mailed me about the Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. I vaguely remember hearing the title so I checked it out from the library. I’m only on page 50, but it makes such a good case for reading aloud that I am going to devote even more time to reading to the kids. I started reading to Alex from beginner chapter books. Since we are studying bugs I will be reading to him from a great book my mom got called Fun With Nature Take-Along Guide, (This book will increase his vocabulary. These words are in the Introduction: metamorphosis, nymph, sleeker, larva, and chrysalis).

(I started reading the first Jigsaw Jones Mystery: The Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster {think Hardy Boys for 1st and 2nd graders} yesterday and Alex has had me five chapters in two days! Tomorrow we will start on page 35.)

Marie-Anne

All Aboard the Coupon Train

On my last shopping trip I paid $78 for $120 in groceries by combining sales and coupons. I just read an article about “coupon trains” where someone mails coupons they don’t use to someone who takes what they need and adds what they don’t want and mails to someone else. My mom mails me coupons she doesn’t use. If any one is interested in joining our Coupon train let me know and I’ll mail what I don’t use to you. You can mail your unused ones to my mom and we all can save money.

Marie-Anne