Who am I?

I asked my son, "What's your name?"
Alex said, "Alex."
Then I asked, "What's your last name?"
His reply, "Xander."

(I think we will be working on that.)

Marie-Anne

August's Reading List

We read 181 books for Alex and 54 books for Sabrina this month.


Alex’s List:
Picture books:

Alice In Bibleland:
The Lord’s Prayer
The Story of Baby Jesus
The Story of Easter
The Story of Esther
The Story of Exodus
The Story of Isaac and Rebeckah
The Story of Joseph and His Rainbow Coat
The Story of Paul
The Story of the Loaves and Fishes
The Twenty-Third Psalm
Bible:
A Good Lunch
David And Goliath
In the Beginning
Jars of Joy
Jesus Helps
Joseph
Joseph the Dreamer
Love the Lost Son/Love Lana Learns About God’s Love
Moses and the Ten Commandments
Moses in the Bulrushes
Noah Builds the Ark
Pay Today
Pop to the Top
The Big Boss
The First Christmas
The Good Samaritan and Other Bible Stories
The Lost Penny
The Strength of Samson
Too Much Food
We Need Water
When Jesus Was Born
Biscuit:
Happy Birthday, Biscuit
Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit!
Blue’s Clues:
Blue is my Name
Magenta and Me
Meet My Family
My Favorite Letters
My Pet Turtle
Bob the Builder:
A Surprise for Wendy
Bob’s A to Z Word Book
Bob Saves the Porcupines
Bob’s Big Surprise
Bob’s Busy Saw
Bob’s Pizza
Bob’s Toolbox Mix-up
Bob’s Valentine Surprise
Can You Feel It?
Dizzy and Muck Work it Out
Go, Spud, Go!
Meet Scoop
Muck’s Map
Muck’s Muddy Day
Muck’s Sleepover
Ready, Set, Race!
Rock-and-Roll Bob
Run-Away Roley
Snowed Under: The Bobblesberg Winter Games
The Knights of Fix-A-Lot
Children’s Book About:
Being A Bad Sport
Being Bossy
Being Careless
Being Destructive
Being Forgetful
Being Mean
Being Rude
Being Wasteful
Breaking Promises
Cheating
Interrupting
Showing Off
Snooping
Stealing
Teasing
Clifford:
Cleo Cooperates
Clifford Makes a Friend
Corner Kids:
The Noodle Game
The Sidewalk Patrol
Curious George:
In the Snow
Disney:
The Fox and the Hound
Toy Story
Franklin:
Franklin and the Cookies
Franklin Has a Sleepover
Franklin Has the Hiccups
Franklin’s Music Lessons
Franklin’s Neighborhood
Jakers:
Piggley’s Treasure Hunt
Jay Jay the Jet Plane:
Fire Engine Evan
Jay Jay Earns His Wings
Jay Jay’s Big Book of Flight
Snuffy’s Favorite Color
Little Critter:
All by Myself
Country Fair
Going to the Firehouse
I’m Sorry
Just a Mess
Just Go to Bed
Just Grandma and Me
Just Grandpa and Me
Just Lost!
Just Me and My Dad
Just Me and My Little Brother
Just Me and My Mom
Just Me and My Puppy
Little Sister’s Birthday
My Trip to the Zoo
Our Friend Sam
Staying Overnight
The Bear Who Wouldn’t Share
The Day the Wind Stopped Blowing
The Grumpy Old Rabbit
The Lost Dinosaur Bone
This is My Friend
This is My House
This is My School
Little Quack:
Little Quack’s New Friend
Magic School Bus:
And the Science Fair Expedition
Butterfly and the Bog Beast
Explores the World of Animals
Explores the World of Bugs
In the Haunted Museum
Sleeps for the Winter
Spins a Web
Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures:
Ancient Egypt
Imperial China
Medieval Castle
Pound Puppies:
Lost and Found
Pick of the Litter
Rainbow Brite:
Starlite and Twink
Rescue Heroes:
Billy Blazes, Firefighter
Sesame Street:
Down on the Farm with Grover
Elmo’s First Babysitter
Grover’s Book of Cute Little Baby Animals
Grover’s Farm
I Can Do it Myself
I Want to be a Firefighter
Sesame Street Firehouse
Sesame Street Pet Shop
The City Worm and the Country Worm
There’s No Place Like Home
The Sesame Street Pet Show
Strawberry Shortcake:
And the Butterfly Garden
Berry Thankful!
Hello, Hola, Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake’s Show-and-Tell Surprise
The Berry Best Friends’ Picnic
The Berry Big Storm
Thomas the Tank Engine:
Edward and the Party
Happy Birthday Thomas
Percy Gets Stuck
Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady/ Old Faithful
Thomas-saurus Rex
Thomas the Really Useful Engine
Toby and the Stout Gentleman/Thomas in Trouble
You Wouldn’t Want to:
Live in a Wild West Town!
Other:
Big Frank’s Fire Truck
Blueberries For Sal
Dinosaur’s Day
Flea Bites
How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?
Kid Tea
Mouse Learns Her Manners
Never Mail an Elephant
Silent Kay and the Dragon
Sir Ryan’s Quest
Tea for Ruby
Ten Terrible Dinosaurs
The Baby BeeBee Bird
The Race
The Small One
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
What Do You Say When a Monkey Acts This Way
Other (NF):
A Drop of Blood
Emperor Penguins

Chapter Books:

Magic School Bus:
# 4 Space Explorers
# 5 Twister Trouble
# 8 Penguin Puzzle
Magic Tree House:
# 12 Polar Bears Past Bedtime
# 18 Buffalo Before Breakfast
# 24 Earthquake in the Early Morning
Magic Tree House Research Guides:
Sea Monsters



Sabrina’s List:

Board books and simple Picture books:

Bible:
Blessing
Blessings Everywhere
God Loves Me Baby Bible
Jesus Heals the Blind Man
Pay Today
Praying
The Story of Easter
The Strength of Samson
Biscuit:
Happy Birthday, Biscuit
Happy Thanksgiving Biscuit
Bob the Builder:
A Surprise for Wendy
Bob’s Busy Saw
Bob’s Valentine Surprise
Can You Feel it?
Go, Spud, Go!
Meet Lofty
Meet Scoop
Ready, Set, Race!
Rock-and-Roll Bob
Clifford:
Cleo Cooperates
Clifford Makes a Friend
Corner Kids: Corner Kids:
School Rules
The Cool Coats
The Noodle Game
The Promise
The Sidewalk Patrol
The Sparkle Thing
Trash Trouble
Little Critter:
Country Fair
Going to the Firehouse
Just a Rainy Day
My Trip to the Zoo
Little Quack:
Little Quack’s New Friend
My Little Pony:
A Secret Gift
Rainbow Brite:
Starlite and Twink
Rescue Heroes:
Billy Blazes Firefighter
Sesame Street:
Grover’s Farm
Sesame Street Firehouse
Sesame Street Pet Shop
Spot:
Spot looks at Shapes
Strawberry Shortcake:
Hello, Hola, Strawberry Shortcake
Thomas:
Edward and the Party
Percy Gets Stuck
Winnie-The-Pooh:
Yellow and Yummy
Other:
Armadillo Rodeo
At the Construction Site
Firefighter
Kid Tea
Silent Kay and the Dragon
Tea for Ruby
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
This Little Chick
Witzy’s Colorful Garden
Other NF:
Flea Bites

Darth Who?

Alex was telling me about a Star Wars computer game he played, “I got to be Darth Molly!” (He meant Darth Maul.) Darth Molly, doesn’t that strike terror into your heart?

He also calls Darth Vader Star Vader.

Marie-Anne

Yet Another Reason to Homeschool

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,543203,00.html?test=latestnews

Are these people for real? They want to teach my 4 year old about masturbation. Why????

Marie-Anne

Hollywood Park

This morning I took the kids to a park right after I dropped Frank off at work. We went to Hollywood Park, which is at the recreation center that Alex was taking Tae Kwon Do lessons. It is only in the high 80’s so it was very very nice to be outside.



There were only two other families there so we even got to use the baby swings! I got some real nice pictures of the kids.



Alex made me a sand cake made of salt and sugar. It was the first time he made anything like that for me. He’s sweet.

Hollywood Park is a nice park with two play areas and swings. I thought it had a baby section that wasn’t in the sand, but I was wrong. Still it is a nice park.

Marie-Anne

Bank of America's Museums on Us

Bank of America has a program where you can go to certain museums for free on the first weekend of the month with your debit card. Check it out:

http://museums.bankofamerica.com/

Marie-Anne

Family Day at the Mall

Yesterday was family day so we packed up the stroller and headed for the mall. The mall has a kids’ play area and several areas of quarter rides. We walked for a little bit then stopped in the pet store. (I promised Alex we would the next time we went to the mall.) Right outside the pet store are the quarter machines.

Alex saved the galaxy while Sabrina drove the bus. It was her first time to actually play on these and she loved it. (I very rarely put quarters into these machines, but my kids have just as much fun, if not more using their imaginations.) The kids played for a while, and of course I had the camera, then we walked to the play area.

I was pleased that there was only one other family there and both of the kids were small. I could let Sabrina explore without fear of her being trampled. She absolutely loved the rolled up newspaper tunnel. She would crawl through turn around and go back the other way repeatedly. I got some good pictures of her, but Alex didn’t really want his picture taken so I tried to get some of him. I did get one really good one. When a family of excited older kids came it was time to walk some more.

We walked to the other quarter machines and Alex again saved the galaxy while Sabrina drove a race car.

It was a fun no expense, besides gas, family day.

Mega Blocks

Alex loves Legos. I’m not ready for him to have Legos. Sabrina would try to eat Legos. Alex does have a bag of mega blocks and recently I got him a bucket of about 80 mini mega blocks (Duplo size). He has been building with them every day. A few minutes ago I walked into his room and he had made a pretty complex space ship. I was amazed. I want to get him more for his b-day or Christmas.

Marie-Anne

Alex is A- Maze-ing

Alex did a School Zone preschool mazes workbook. He did the whole 32 pages in less than 20 minutes. He only made a few mistakes, but he corrected them himself.

Marie-Anne

Conversation with our 4 year old

Earlier today I told Alex I wanted to look at his teeth. He asked, “Do I have bacteria on my teeth?” I told him yes and to brush his teeth. This kid amazes me sometimes.

Marie-Anne

The makings of a home

Our apartment is starting to look like a home! There are only a few boxes left in the kitchen, living room, and kids’ room. (There are many boxes in our bedroom.)

I cleared out the kids’ walk-in closet and made it into a play area for Sabrina. Since the doorway is too small for the baby gate I use her play kitchen to block the doorway, yet she can still see into the bedroom. Now I can put her in there with her toys and not worry about her getting a hold of Alex’s smaller toys. Sometimes she plays in there for quite a while, but she also enjoys it when one of us goes in to play with her.

The living room has a lot of open space for the kids to play. Sabrina’s playpen is near the table. Across from there is the homeschool rack. I hope to start up homeschool again next week. The recessed dining area is completely set up, including the grape plates hanging above the window.

We’ve still got work to do in the bedrooms, kitchen, and bathrooms. We haven’t done anything with the patio yet. I think it looks pretty good for us only being here two weeks.

Marie-Anne

Peanut butter and Honey

Alex has a new favorite food, which is also an old favorite for me- peanut butter and honey. I haven’t had that since I was a kid. We read about Annie and Jack, from the Magic Tree House, having a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Since we had some I mixed it up for Alex and he’s been asking for it almost every day since.

Marie-Anne

Imaginext Pirate Ship

At Savers I found the Imaginext Pirate Ship for only $4. It doesn’t have any of the pirates that come with it, but it was $4 instead of $34. Alex can save up and buy some of the extra pirates. He was surprised when I brought it home, and he’s been playing with it most of the afternoon and night.

I love the Imaginext toys. Alex can spend hours using his imagination with these toys. And now they have a girl castle set too. Alex keeps telling me I have to get the Precious Places for Sabrina and he needs two princesses to be his king’s daughter and wife.

Marie-Anne

When in Vegas…

Today I found out first hand that when in Vegas with temperatures over 100 degrees you do NOT want to touch metal that’s been in a hot car. I tossed my keys in the back dash while I strapped Sabrina into her car seat. When I reached for the keys my arm touched the metal buckle that anchors the car seat resulting in a second-degree burn. My skin instantly peeled back. It’s a small, but painful burn.

Marie-Anne

Roast and Mushrooms

Rump roast
2 cans of mushrooms
2 jars alfredo sauce

Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook until meat falls apart. Stir occasionally. Serve over rice.

Marie-Anne

Wild West Story time

On Saturday I took the kids to the library for the Wild West Story time. I was surprised that there weren’t many kids. The kids listened to cowboy books and danced. Then there were craft make a cowboy, decorate a pair of cowboys boot cutouts, and coloring pages.

Sabrina was in a denim dress. Alex wore a plaid shirt with a bandanna, and a hat. I took pictures.

Alex ran to make a cowboy. Then he ran to the stage where there was a jail and a cutout of a cowboy set up for pictures. Alex hogged the jail and did NOT want to share it. Finally I talked him into coming down and he colored a cowboy then made a cowgirl for Sabrina. Alex ran back to the stage. When I got him down this time he decorated the cowboy boots then went back to the stage. We were one of the last ones to leave.

Since we just moved and have a few boxes Frank made him a jail. Alex was very happy about being in jail, (Sabrina liked it too.)

Marie-Anne

July's Reading List

Alex’s List:
Picture books:

Alice in Bibleland:
The Story of David and Goliath
The Story of Jonah
The Story of Noah
The Story of the Lost Sheep
The Story of the Prodigal Son
The Story of Zacchaeus
Annie and Snowball:
And the Pink Surprise
And the Prettiest House
Arthur’s Birthday
Arthur’s Teacher Moves in
Arthur’s Teacher Trouble
Arthur’s TV Trouble
Arthur Writes a Story
Arthur’s Family Values:
1. Arthur’s Promise
Berenstain Bears:
And the Missing Watermelon Money
Down on the Farm
New Kitten
The Bears’ Picnic
The Bears’ Vacation
The Bike Lesson
Bible:
Go Fish
Jesus Blesses the Children
The First Noel
The Little Lost Sheep
The Story of Creation
Twelve Who Followed Jesus
Zaccheus Meets Jesus
Biscuit:
And the Baby
Biscuit’s Fourth of July
Takes a Walk
Children’s Book About:
Being Bullied
Being Greedy
Being Lazy
Being Messy
Being Selfish
Complaining
Disobeying
Gossiping
Tattling
Throwing Tantrums
DC Super Friends:
Flying High
Disney:
Bolt: My Hero
Eric Carle:
Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?
Fancy Nancy:
Explorer Extraordinaire!
Fancy Nancy
Favorite Fancy Words From Accessories to Zany
Franklin:
Franklin’s Soapbox Derby
Franklin the Detective
Henry and Mudge:
And the Tumbling Trip
The First Book
Lego:
Knight’s Kingdom
Little Critter:
A Very Special Critter
Bye-Bye, Mom and Dad
First Day of School
Good for Me and You
Happy Mother’s Day
It’s Earth Day
Just a Dump Truck
Just a Little Homework
Just a Rainy Day
Just a School Project
Just a Snowman
Just a Tugboat
Just Big Enough
Just Going to the Dentist
Just Me and My Dad
Just Me and My Mom
Just Not Invited
Just Shopping With Mom
Little Critter at Scout Camp
Me Too!
My Trip to the Hospital
Our Tree House
The Best Present
The Best Teacher Ever
The Fussy Princess
These are My Pets
When I Get Bigger
Magic School Bus:
Blows Its Top
Flies From the Nest
Gets Eaten
Lost in the Snow
Plants Seeds
Rides the Wind
Middle Ages (NF):
Knight
Puppy Mudge:
Finds a Friend
Has a Snack
Robin Hill School:
Dad Goes to School
Election Day
Fall Leaf Project
First-Grade Bunny
Snow Day
Sesame Street:
Hokey Pokey Elmo
Thomas:
Henry and the Elephant/ Fire Engine
Thomas and Bertie/ Bertie’s Chase
Thomas and the Big, Big, Bridge
Other:
At the Construction Site
Is Your Mama a Llama?
Jiggers
My Mommy and Me
The Bravest Knight
The Land of the Midnight Sun
The Three Wishes
Toad on the Road
What Daddies Do Best
What Mommies Do Best

Chapter Books:

Magic Tree House:
# 5 Night of the Ninjas
# 6 Afternoon on the Amazon
# 7 Sunset of the Sabertooth
# 8 Midnight on the Moon
# 9 Dolphins at Daybreak
# 10 Ghost Town at Sundown
# 11 Lions at Lunchtime
# 13 Vacation Under the Volcano
# 14 Day of the Dragon King
# 15 Viking Ships at Sunrise
# 16 Hour of the Olympics
# 21 Civil War on Sunday
# 22 Revolutionary War on Wednesday
# 23 Twister on Tuesday
Magic School Bus:
# 6 The Giant Germ
#10 Expedition Down Under
# 11 Insect Invaders
# 12 Amazing Magnetism


Sabrina List:

Board books and simple Picture books:

Animal Babies:
In Seas
In Towns and Cities
Baby eye Like:
Baby Animals
Black & White
Blue
Circle
How Many?
I Love You
Red
Square
Triangle
Yellow
Bible:
A Good Lunch
Bible Songs
Friendship Prayers
Jars of Joy
My Favorite Bible Storybook for Toddlers
Noah Builds the Ark
Pop to the Top
The Big Boss
The Lost Penny
Too Many Men
Biscuit:
Biscuit And the Baby
Biscuit and the Cat
Biscuit and the Hen
Biscuit Takes a Walk
Biscuit’s Fourth of July
Biscuit’s Tub Fun
This is Biscuit
Bob the Builder:
A Surprise for Wendy
Calico:
Friends for Calico!
Jay Jay the Jet Plane:
Count With Jay-Jay
Tracy’s Colors
Little Critter:
Just a Dump Truck
Just a Snowman
Just a Tugboat
Olivia:
Olivia Counts
Olivia’s Opposites
Puppy Mudge:
Finds a Friend
Has a Snack
Sandra Boynton:
Snuggle Puppy!
Sesame Street:
Baby Love
Elmo’s World: Love
Hokey Pokey Elmo
Skippyjon Jones:
Color Crazy
Spot:
Spot Loves His Grandpa
Strawberry Shortcake:
And the Butterfly Garden
Berry Thankful!
Dance With Me!
My Berry First Friends
The Berry Best Friends’ Picnic
Winnie-The-Pooh:
Colors
Other:
Little Quack’s Hide and Seek
Lilly’s Chocolate Heart
Look at Baby!
Mouse Learns Her Manners
My Mommy and Me
Saying I Love You
Say Please!
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Marie-Anne

Sweet Big Brother

I over heard Alex talking to Sabrina while he was on the Legos website and she was standing beside him. “Sabrina, you can’t have Legos.” Then he reached over and gently patted her and continued, “I’m sorry.”

Marie-Anne