On-line Kidergarten Readiness test

I took an on-line kindergarten readiness test for Alex. A raw score of 58 is the goal for reading readiness. Alex’s score was a 72 and he’s only 3! What do parents teach their kids?

• 65 - up Begin now! Capitalize on your child's superior motivation and readiness.

• 58 - 64 Congratulations! You are ready for Covenant Home's Kindergarten!

• 48 - 57 Proceed with Covenant Home's Kindergarten, adjusting the pace to accommodate student's maturation, OR

• 47 - below Proceed with Covenant Home's Pre-School curriculum.


http://www.covenanthome.com/kready.htm

Marie-Anne

Lowes

Today Frank, Alex and I went on an exciting field trip; actually we stopped at Lowes for an outdoor trash can. Alex was soooo very excited! It was the first time that he remembers being in Lowes. Frank showed him the power tools and explained what they do. Alex ran from one thing to the next. He loved the door display and kept inviting us to come in with him. I let him get a couple of samples and that made his day. Alex can hardly wait until we go back.

Marie-Anne

Baby update

Sabrina Marie has been Very active for about the past week. Alex laid his head on my belly and said, “She’s kicking me.” I replied, “oh, really?” Alex said, “But its okay.” He’s getting excited about becoming a big brother. Of course he thinks our baby won’t cry and will be able to play with him from day one. He’ll soon learn.

Marie-Anne

Alex the Builder...

Alex loves Bob the Builder very very much. He will watch Bob the Builder DVD’s all day if we let him. Alex also has a lot of the Bob the Builder toys and books. Right now Alex is upstairs singing the Bob the Builder theme song while he helps Frank put together a book shelf.

Marie-Anne

My dad, Jimmy and sister, Courtney's visit

We went to the Natural History Museum, (one of Alex’s favorite places). Alex suggested it. He’s been there 3 times. I am planning on getting a membership. Alex insisted that Courtney and I get in the submarine in the kids section with him and showed off being a paleontologist. And he gave Papaw Jimmy a tour.

On Independence Day we moved into a 2 story 3 bedroom house. Jimmy and Courtney went sightseeing that day. That night Alex and I watched fireworks from his bedroom window. We really enjoyed that and Alex pretended to eat the fireworks.

We went to the Mini Grand Prix, go-karts and an arcade. Alex had a blast riding with Papa in a go-kart, with Papa and Papaw Jimmy on the roller coaster, and riding in the airplane ride and on the giant slide with Aunt Courtney. It was soooo funny when Alex drove the kiddie go-kart. His feet barely reached the pedals and he didn’t even try to steer! After about the 5th time of getting Alex back on the track the attendant finally got on the side of the go-kart and helped Alex. Alex played Mommy at air hockey and skeeball. Alex also got to play different games in the arcade. He got 60 tickets, (with some help) and got a blue Kazoo and 45 toy soldiers.

On Sunday we had a potluck and a children’s award ceremony at church. We had 29 people there! That is the most we’ve had for a service. Alex got awards for attendance, participation, learning the memory verse, and giving in the offering.

Monday we went to see them off. Alex was sad and kept asking why they had to go back home to Louisiana. It was a good visit and I’m glad I got to know Courtney and that Alex was able to get to know them both.

Marie-Anne

The Good Shepherd

Our Sunday School class on the Good Shepherd worked out really well. It could also be used for the Lost Sheep. For our game I hid a sheep puppet in the room while the kids had eyes closed and heads down. Since our room is small I made a lot of noise all over the room. After I hid it a few times the kid who found it got to hide it. We had ages 3-10 so every few times I had the older kids let the younger ones find the sheep.

I found a coloring page of a sheep without a lot of detail. I copied and pasted it to a word document so I could have two to a page with the memory verse on the back. The kids were very creative with washable markers. They all created masterpieces then covered it up with cotton balls.

We only have Sunday School on Sunday mornings, but I had left the supplies out and that night the same kids made the craft again on their own.

Marie-Anne

Comments please!

I appreciate your comments! I don't even know who's reading this.

Marie-Anne

Father's Day

On Father’s Day we gave Frank a huge pink with orange polka dots clown tie. He wore it for the congregation. Since Sunday is our busiest day we celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday and Monday. I baked cookies, made a cute picture frame that says I love Dad with a picture of Frank teaching Alex to ride his bike, gave him a foot massage, and we let Frank relax (sorta).

Here’s the link to the picture frame: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/dad/mdadframe.html I used two sheets of colored paper. Frank liked it so much he left it hanging on the front door.

Marie-Anne

In Stride Cycle

We got an In Stride Cycle which is like a bike’s pedals. I can sit on the couch and “ride a bike” while I read a book. Frank and I both love it. Even Alex uses it. It can also be used for arms, but I haven’t tried that yet. We got it because it doesn’t take up much space at all and we still get a workout. It was less than $25 at Wal-Mart.

Marie-Anne

Happy Flag Day!

Don’t know much about Flag Day? Neither did I until I checked out some kids books on Flag Day for Alex. I also checked several web-sites. Here’s what I found out:

The Flag Act of (June 14) 1777 created a national flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes, but the law did not state how the stars were to be arranged. Many historians believe that Congressman Francis Hopkinson designed the first flag. There is debate on whether or not Betsy Ross sewed the first flag. The Second Flag Act of 1794 added two stripes and two stars. The Third Flag Act of 1818 changed the flag to 13 stripes and added a star for each new state. In 1949 President Harry Truman declared June 14th National Flag Day.

Now you know.

Marie-Anne

Yoga-who me?

I got Heather Seiniger’s Yoga Pregnancy from the library. I tried it today and I like it. I was only able to do about 10 minutes, then it got harder than I can do right now, so I did the first 10 minutes three times today.

With Alex I gained about 50 pounds, but this time I am not gaining too much. In fact I talked to my doctor because I wasn’t gaining, but she said it’s nothing to worry about and I am to gain 22 pounds. I am a lot more active than when I was pregnant with Alex and I’m eating more fruit. After Sabrina is born I am going to exercise and change my eating habits so that I get back down to what I was when Frank married me.

Marie-Anne

It's a....baby!

We had an ultrasound earlier this week and Alex isn’t too disappointed that he’s getting a sister. That’s right folks, Sabrina Marie is scheduled to make her debut in November right about the time Alex turns 4. My sister already mailed some things that Amelia (her 1 year old) has outgrown. I got them today and I love the bunny slippers and the cute bibs. Elexa and a friend from church are planning on making baby blankets.

Marie-Anne

In God We Still Trust

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLwsDvaURY&feature=related

I love this song!

Marie-Anne

Marie Day

My wonderful husband proclaimed today “Marie Day.” He got me a giant Hershey with almonds bar, a romantic card, three scented candles, bubble bath, and a bath scrubbie. I am so blessed!

We saw a comedian who got his wife a card with double loopy hearts, but didn’t read it. When his wife read it she burst out laughing because it said to my husband. So Frank got me one like that on purpose.

We went to the library and for a walk. Then we enjoyed Alex going to sleep super early for him. Frank and I had pizza bread and watched a documentary. All in all “Marie Day’ has been a wonderful day spent with my wonderful husband and best friend. It’s easy to appreciate Frank.

Marie-Anne

Gilcrease Wildlife Sanctuary

Alex and I took some friends to Gilcrease Wildlife Sanctuary. Alex and I had been there before when Cassandra was here, but Josie and her kids had never been. This time they had little bags of carrots for a quarter a piece so I bought some for the kids to feed the animals. Serena and London were scared of the animals, but not Alex. At least Alex wasn’t until he saw them acting scared, even then he wasn’t afraid to feed the goats, cows, llamas, and donkeys. The kids had a lot of fun. They LOVED the baby pigs- I had never seen pigs so tiny!

After that we went to Cityview Park and had a picnic. Josie’s tuna sandwiches were awesome! I’m going to have to find out what she put in them. The kids played on the playground for a while then we fed the ducks. To me that was a little scary because they went on a dock with no railing. Alex kept getting near the edge. After the second time I just held his hand- of course he didn’t like that, but I was taking no chances of him falling into that water. We were all tired when we left and I am amazed that Alex didn’t take a nap, but he’s still going. He’ll probably sleep through Bible Study tonight.

Marie-Anne

A girl with a Jeep

Monday we went to a nice park about 20 minutes away. After we walked the path twice Alex got to play at the playground. A girl with a Barbie power wheels jeep came. Alex was in love- with the jeep. He almost immediately abandoned the little girl he was playing with to follow the girl with a car. She let him ride with her for a while then he took turns with some other kids.

As we left Alex said that her jeep was something to drive around on a farm and that he and the girl were farmers. He said that when he gets older he’ll get a tractor and she’ll drive him around the farm in her farm thing.

Marie-Anne

Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm

On Memorial Day we went to St. George Utah to see Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. Thousands of dinosaur tracks were found on the farm. We drove about 2 hours to see fossils of dinosaur tracks. I thought there would be more to it than that, but we were disappointed. Most of the fossils we couldn’t make out what they were even with signs saying things like “tail drag” and “mud cracks.” The highlights were the 8 minute video, gift shop, and the sandbox outside.

Alex loved the sand box and did not want to leave. He wanted Frank and me to be paleontologists with him. The sand box was an Eagle Scout project and under the sand were dinosaur tracks for the kids to discover. It also had shovels, pails, shifts, and brushes.

The drive was nice. We really enjoyed being together. Alex also enjoyed a couple of new dinosaur toys. Despite our disappointment with the Dinosaur Discovery it was a real nice day.

Marie-Anne

Who is God?

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty. Not just holy or some shadow of perfection, but he is pure, pure and pure, without spot or blemish or smudge. The Bible never says God is merciful, merciful, merciful or loving, loving, loving, but holy, holy, holy.
Nothing unholy, nothing that is imperfect, nothing that is marred can enter His presence. He is perfect. The Bible says that heavens and earth will flee from His awesome presence. The heaven is His throne and the earth His foot stool.
And us? Who are we, compared to His power and majesty? He is God.

Memorial Day

We decorated for Memorial Day today. I hung a banner that says “United we Stand,” and hung up some American flag cutouts. Alex told Frank where he wanted the patriotic bows. I also got some American flag picture frames that I will put pictures of the family members who served in the military.

Frank and I are both veterans. His sister Cassandra is in the Army. My brother Paul is in the Army, my brother Michael is in the Navy, and my brother-in-law Barron is in the Army National Guard. Frank’s Aunt Jeannette was in the Army(?). We both have grandparents who served in the military also.

We want to make Memorial Day (and other Patriotic holidays) more than just a time for BBQ for our family. Yes, we will use Memorial Day for a family day, but we will also teach our children about the sacrifices of the military and the true meaning of the holiday.

Marie-Anne

Bob the Builder Workbook

Today Alex completed the entire Bob the Builder workbook Colors and Shapes. I was surprised that he did all 31 pages in a very short time. The only problem he had was tracing the shapes. We added the certificate to his picture book and Alex had fun adding some Bob the Builder stickers to it. He was quite pleased with himself as he showed off his work to Papa.

Marie-Anne