Who I am...

Just more rambling from yet another homeschooling mom. I hope that I can honestly share my struggles and triumphs in this journey. I would love to inspire and encourage others, because if I can do it - so can you!!

WHAT TO EXPECT . . .

schooling, cooking, baking, studying, working, photographing, eating, writing, playing, learning, praying, loving, imagining, creating, crying, hugging, laughing, giggling, mess-making, sleeping

100 things to do before starting Kindergarten

This is for Miss Melody:

1. Go to the zoo—Yup, have had a membership a couple of times, and all three would love if we had one again

2. Visit a farm—yes, and a ranch :)

3. Go on a hike— of course, next up begin training to make it up Pike's Peak!

4. Play with kittens or puppies—as often as possible

5. Catch a frog—yup, thanks Nana and Papa

6. Make a gigantic mess—without a thought

7. Help clean up a gigantic mess— if tasked with specific objectives

8. Master the monkey-bars— working on it at the new park we found, but they are still awfully high up for her taste

9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves— not so hot at the pumping of the legs yet

10. Try ice-skating - even in our own back yard, and she LOVES it sometimes, hehe

11. Go sledding—again in our own back yard, haven't braved the really big hills yet

12. Make a snow-man—Yes

13. Blow bubbles—YES

14. Plant seeds and watch them grow—Watching them grow daily

15. Have a pillow fight—Yes with my poor pathetic couch pillows

16. Jump on a big bed—Yes.

17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house—Yes, again daily

18. Hang out in a tent—Yup. Even in a massive thunderstorm!

19. Spend days at the beach—Yes

20. Build sandcastles—Yes, ah, I miss CA sometimes

21. Go fishing—Yup, but did we catch anything, nope nope nope

22. Go out on a boat—Hmm, not sure about this one. Does Disneyland count?

23. Play with blocks and puzzles—Yes.

24. Read the classic picture books—Yes.

25. Read a classic chapter book—Yes. She has listened to Narnia and Alice through the Looking Glass, as well as all the stuff we read for school. Loves Mrs. Pigglewiggle

26. Check out library books with their own library card—Not yet.

27. Get a passport—Sadly, no.

28. Carve a pumpkin—Yes.

29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they’ve grown) - Yes

30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal—Yes, her babies are all special and her kitties.

31. Bake cookies and cakes—Of course!

32. Help plan their own birthday party— yup, her Alice in Wonderland party this year!

33. Go to the circus— supposed to go next week!

34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday—Yes

35. Play hide-and-seek— yes

36. Play a board game— Balloon Lagoon and Candy Land are the current favorites

37. Do nothing whatsoever all day— more often than not, lol

38. Try a sport— just at co-op

39. Watch a sporting event— been to several Minor League Baseball games

40. Learn to swim— mostly

41. Be tickled in hysterics— often!

42. Paint and draw as much as desired— yup

43. Have the use of scissors and glue— yup

44. Display artworks and other creations around the house— taped to many walls and the fridge

45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)— one day we took an entire roll of film and printed them out into their own albums, I love those! We also use the digital camera a lot, but haven't printed those pictures very often.

46. Play with clay—Yes.

47. Pick flowers—Often, and they usually end up behind her ear.

48. Climb a tree— The big one in the front yard!

49. Gaze at the moon and stars— Yes, especially while camping

50. Toast marshmallows—Of course!

51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone - Yup, too bad the photographic proof is mia currently!

52. Watch a sunset—Yes, over the lake while camping, aaaahhh, and at the ocean, and over the Peak . . .

53. Learn to write their own names— Yes, all over everything

54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers— yes

55. Learn their parents’ full names—Yes.

56. Set the table—Yes.

57. Clear the table—Yes.

58. Help wash the dishes—Yes.

59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes—Yes, usually

60. Watch fireworks—We even let her stay up til midnight to watch the fireworks off the peak

61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show— Yes, we saw Narnia on stage and she loved it

62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home—All the time

63. Face paint—Of course!!

64. Dress up in costumes at will—Frequently

65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart—Yup

66. Have a dance party—Yes, quite often

67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park—Yes, and I am so glad we have had co-op this year for building those friendships

68. Invite friends over to play—Yes.

69. Get to know grandparents—Yes.

70. Play with cousins—Second cousins, as they don't have any cousins yet (And we aren't in a hurry for that either! Get married first girls!)

71. Become attached to a wonderful preschool teacher and/or babysitter—She loves Miss Stephanie, Miss Jackie, Mr. Jason, and she has always loved her teachers at church

72. Learn the name of our president—Yup

73. Know the name of their town, state and country—Yup

74. Be familiar with a map of the world—We love the maps and globe around here!

75. Listen to music from many different ages and genres—Yes.

76. Hear and learn words from a different language— She listens to her sisters' French and watches Muzzy, plus we sing songs in Spanish

77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling— Working on it!

78. Grow their own vegetables—Not for lack of trying, but we are not super successful round these parts.

79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)— Yup, its two wheels all the way now!

80. Take a road trip—Yes, many, many road trips.

81. Draw a self-portrait—Yes.

82. Slurp alphabet soup—Yup, and spell her name with her soup

83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork—Yes

84. Pick apples—Not yet, though we have a trip to the orchard planned for the fall

85. Star in a home movie—Yes.

86. Learn a magic trick—Hmm, not that I know of, but we do say, Ta-Dah! alot

87. Try different hair-dos—All the time

88. Practice writing letters—Yes

89. Practice counting to 100—And beyond

90. Make up stories—Yup, funny ones too!

91. Send a letter—Not often enough

92. Receive a letter—Yes, thank you grandparents and cousins!

93. Ride on a merry-go-round—Even a double-decker one! And one at the beach, and Disneyland!

94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children—Yes

95. Learn the value of coins and bills—Knows most of them, not all though

96. Keep a piggy bank—Yes

97. Try a musical instrument—The violin and the piano, the glockenspiel, and the recorder, multiple percussion instruments too

98. Have a heartfelt wish granted—Maybe?

99. Have a heartfelt wish denied—Probably, but I can't think of something specifically

100. Receive a million (make that a billion) heartfelt kisses and hugs from their parents—Of course!