by Sarah | Feb 1, 2013 | All About Kennedy, All About Learning
After the past few months with this one…
When the teacher calls…
First instinct is a cringe and suspicion.
But then they manage to blindside you again.
With good news instead of bad.
GREAT news instead of good.
PROUD news.
Her reading scores are off the charts.
So good that, thank to this new form of teaching the school is implementing (and we got into the sneak-peek-pilot-test of)…
Kennedy moves up a grade in her reading/language portion of class.
Every morning after the Pledge of Allegiance she will join a small group from her classroom and head into a 2nd grade classroom for an hour and a half.
Pushing her, challenging her.
To get even better in reading.
Because reading…is awesome.
by Sarah | Dec 11, 2012 | All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Me, All About Molly, Blogging Life, SITS Girls, Sponsored
[flickr id=”8263289615″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Oh, this box has garnered a lot of excitement in my house this week. It came from BabbaCo, and was so chock-full of good stuff we’re saving half of it until Christmas break when we can take our time and enjoy it.
I couldn’t keep the girls out of it for long, though. We eagerly dove in and took out the Constellation Frame.
[flickr id=”8263288763″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”]With 2 sheets of sun-sensitive paper and enough star stickers to overflow the papers, I had to exert some limits on how many stickers to use. Still, the girls had so much fun plotting out where to put them, and insisted on sharing the paper. All the time they were filled with questions and asking about the moon and the constellations – thanks to the coloring pages also provided.
Unfortunately winter hit just before we did this – and gray skies don’t help the paper turn dark so we’re still waiting on our finished product 🙁 To ease the girls disappointment, pulled out the crayons and colored the pages provided.
[flickr id=”8264354868″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I’ve never seen my girls so focused and quiet for any amount of time before. They wanted their pictures to be perfect. Tongues were bitten in concentration to stay in the lines and make things pretty. Molly decided to make the moon picture she was drawing red like sand, so I suggested that maybe she was coloring it as Mars instead of the moon – setting off a whole new slew of questions.
I used to think about home-schooling, but always worried I’d have no clue where to begin. I wish I’d known about the BabbaBox then. A monthly delivery, always with a theme and relevant projects? With help like this, I might have had more courage to try.
[flickr id=”8263286307″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”none”] [flickr id=”8264356200″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”none”] [flickr id=”8263290907″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”none”] [flickr id=”8264357138″ thumbnail=”smalll” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”none”]
BabbaBox is a theme-based box delivered to your door that allows you to enjoy a little convenience and inspiration! As any parent can attest, the most important thing you can give to your child is quality time. BabbaBox makes this possible by helping you to save time, money, & mindspace.
Just think! Fantastic monthly activities with ALL the materials for kids ages 3-6. Included in the box are 3 projects + 1 bestselling book + digital download + parent surprise gift!
The best part? Babbabox makes a GREAT unique gift during the holiday season.
Act now! Get 50% off your first month when you sign up for a monthly membership using the code, SWAY100. Offer expires December 31, 2012.
**This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BabbaBox. The opinions and text are all mine.**
by Sarah | Aug 29, 2012 | All About Kennedy, All About Learning, Anger Issues, Special Needs
[flickr id=”7665946732″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]The day before school started I got an email from Kennedy’s teacher.
After reading the excited, bouncing off the email, energetic note of welcome before school even started I took to twitter and commented that Kennedy had a “perky” teacher and that I might be a wee bit frightened.
The feeling continued when the first day of school came with another bouncy email and a mass of papers to fill out about Kennedy – her personality, strengths, weaknesses, etc. More than any of my kids have brought home from any teachers.
Of course I got to go to Kennedy’s “meet-the-teacher” night while Erik went to Molly’s – so I got to meet the bubbly teacher myself. She didn’t disappoint with her very friendly and enthusiastic intro into the world of 1st grade.
I think I became a little more frightened.
Then yesterday happened.
The first time Kennedy’s notorious temper reared its ugly head.
I knew about it pretty darn quick. The teacher emailed me withing an hour or so of it happening. We communicated through the day, and I was able to deal with it when Kennedy got home.
I was scared of the perky, bouncy teacher…until I realized that it could lead to a year of excellent communication and possibly a better way to deal with Kennedy’s anger issues.
Embrace the perky.
I know I will. 🙂
by Sarah | Aug 13, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Clever Girls, The Teenager
School starts tomorrow for my kids. We did the school supply lists provided by the teachers. Pencils, pens, notebooks & more. Spent hours in the store fighting the crowd of other parents and realizing that the store was sold out of quite a few needed items. In the end, headaches abounded and we headed home.
Of course, that only got us the necessities the SCHOOL declared necessary.
I still had three kids to make happy. What makes kids happy for school? Getting all the clothes considered ‘cool’. The most important requirement for a new school year.
Which I find hilarious considering at Christmas they all sneer at the ‘clothing box’ shaped presents. What is it about the new school year that makes buying clothes more than acceptable when any other time you dare to buy clothes you’re the devil?
Ah well, my favorite part about shopping for clothes that we don’t have to fight the stores. The teenager doesn’t want me to ‘help’ him shop for nothing, my girls are chaos in a store and I know their sizes.
Online I can find great deals, clothes on clearance that have been wiped out at the stores (believe me I’ve tried).
I can get ‘cool’ clothes for my kids that they pick out (like the “Awesome” shirt above – tailor made for the teens level of attitude and confidence…and the adorable dress over here -> that fits with my girls obsession with dresses, both at Old Navy).
So easy, convenient and doesn’t waste my gas driving into town for a stress filled afternoon of attempting to shop with a teen and two girls – one of whom gets over-stimulated in our backyard and is oh-so-fun when we get to crowded stores.
My kids are happy. I’m far less stressed, and saved a few bucks.
No wonder I’m addicted to the internets 😉
*~*~*
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
by Sarah | Aug 9, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Me, Cross Country, Friday Fragments, Random, The Teenager
[flickr id=”7665949676″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I’ve been having a good week…month…year. Whatevs, it’s all good. Okay, so there’s been ups and downs, but as I said recently I feel like I’ve hit my prime.
But for whatever reason my mind can’t wrap around a cohesive lengthy post today so you get the ever-marvelous bullet list of awesome.
- School starts in less than a week. Three kids. Gone all day. Makes me salivate at the thought of all that might get accomplished.
- Erik is doing a lot better. We’ve had a change in diagnosis & treatment plan, and things are looking up. Hopefully soon we’ll dive more into it – when he’s ready.
- In case you missed it – I’m being published. I so cannot wait until February to cross that sucker off my 45X45 list.
- The teen is entering high school. Honestly, not sure if this goes on a list of awesome b/c it sort of freaks me out – but it is happening. He’s in JV Cross Country practices now.
- We’re going to the State Fair on Monday. I’m actually pretty excited for this. Been a long time since I’ve done this.
- Erik & I have started walking together every night. It gives us added exercise & some time for just the two of us.
- I still have this 5k coming up but with the heat I have lapsed on training. Starting again real soon because time is running out (pardon the unintentional pun)
- Did I mention school starts soon? No? Well, it DOES.
- Oh, make sure you come by here tomorrow…I’m having a fun, flirty, sexy giveaway you do NOT want to miss.
by Sarah | May 23, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Me, All About Molly, Crap, Random
[flickr id=”6987996541″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]One week.
That week includes a three day weekend.
And the kids are out for summer.
10 weeks.
I’m both filled with dread and…
Um…joy? Fear?
Well whatever it is, I’m filled with it.
We have plans, quite a few of them. It will pass quickly.
It will probably pass even faster because I will most likely be employed again by the end of the month. Part time. VERY close to home (like walking distance) and w/ hours that will let me meet the kids at the bus and kiss them at night before bed. Also, once school starts again I’ll still have a few days a week home w/ no kids.
No kids.
All the school day long.
How many days until school starts again?
After the past few months with this one…