Preschool at Home

Oh, where do I start....I guess at the beginning. With registration for preschool upon us Chris and I had to make a decision about what to do for Ryan in the Fall. We both want him to get a good educational foundation but we also want to make sure we do what is best for him and our family. We looked into preschool at St. Peter and Paul's Catholic School and decided that with only one of us bring home an income and with prices of gas that sending him there would not work for our family.

So we decided that Mother's Day Out was a good option for us to try again. After talking with some friends we found a really nice one closer to us that divides the kids up by age groups and works with them based on what they should be learning at their age. After signing him up, I still kept debating back and forth in my head if this was what was right for our family and for Ryan.

While visiting Chris at work yesterday, we were discussing what we should do and also that we really need to start work with Ryan on his number and letter recognition. Ryan knows his ABC's and can count to 10, but if you ask him to point out a letter or number and tell you what it is he has a hard time with it.

So later that night after the kids went to bed, I started looking online into different ideas and things to do with a preschooler to help with this. I wanted it to be fun but yet educational. After looking at some different websites, I some how stumbled upon this blog Confessions of a Homeschooler. I was very impressed at what she does with her preschooler and how she sets things up. She also had put together and had for sale a Letter of the Week curriculum for preschoolers for $10. I felt like my prayers had been answered. This had everything you could possibly think of for learning each letter and it also came with a lesson plan to use as a guide line or you could follow it directly. I called Chris and told him about the site and he checked it out and said that we should go for it. So after purchasing it and downloading I was so excited and so was Ryan. I started printing out the different pages for Letter A and no sooner did I get it printed he was wanting to do them. This had me very excited about what was to come.

As for sending him to Mothers Day Out, we decided we still wanted him to go so he learn the socialization skills he needs and he has the chance to interact with other his own age. So instead of going 2 days a week he will go 1 and Zach will also attend now 1 day a week. Which will give me a couple of hours to myself every week to run errands or what every else I need to do.

Chris and I both feel like we now have found the right balance for our family for right now and can not wait to see what the future will hold.

A visit to Daddy's work

Yesterday, after nap time we went to see Daddy at work. The boys love going to see all the firetrucks and hanging out at the station. They had such a good time playing with the workout equipment and then checking out the back of the ambulance. Ryan loves to play doctor and as much as I try to limit his role playing in this area, I can't help but think that it will be his calling and should not discourage it as much. We had a good visit with Daddy and are so glad he is home today.

A busy week

This past week has been one crazy week for us. Chris' captin and all the other captins, plus Chiefs have been out at a conference, so Chris has been playing captin and then working overtime. He is currently working his second 48 this week. With him working so much it has us both warn out. Thankfully he will be coming home on Monday. The boys and I have been keeping busy while Daddy is away.

 Wednesday the boys and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby to get some Easter decorations for the house. After going there I remembered why I don't take the boys. Ryan loves to touch everything. Also on Wednesday my cousin Avery came to visit and stay the night. She had something to do in Austin on Thrusday, so she came up a day early to visit. We went out for sushi that night. I love to find any reason to eat sushi. It was so nice to see her.

Thrusday, Ryan had a check up for his teeth from his surgery. The dentist was very impressed with how they looked. She said, "He had the best teeth and gum recovering from surgery she has seen in a long time." That made me feel good. I have to say that since his surgery brushing teeth has gotten a lot easier. After our dentist appt. we headed to target to pick up a web cam. My dad has discovered Skype and wanted to Skype with the boys. It is really fun. Zach likes it the best. He gets really mad when we are done. He will stand at the computer desk asking for whoever he just got done talking to. After Target we headed over to the Gibbon's house to play for a while. We had lunch their and let the kids play before it was time to head home for a nap. On the way home we stopped by the Fire Station to see Daddy. Then headed home. That evening we ate dinner played a little and then the boys went to bed so Mommy could watch her shows and go to bed.

Friday, Daddy was home and had a Dr. appt. in San Antonio. So we decided to go with him. After his Dr. appt. we grabbed some Long John Silvers and headed to eat our lunch at the airport so the boys could watch the airplanes. The place where we watch the planes is also by the airport fire station. As we were leaving the firefighter were outsided, so we stopped and asked if the boys could see the trucks. The guys were super nice and the boys had fun checking out the big trucks. Mommy had fun actually being out closer to the tar mat watching the planes take off and land. As we were leaving the guys told us if we come back on a weekend they would take the boys out on the trucks and drive them around. So, that will definately have to be planned soon. Sorry I don't have any pics. It was spur of the moment thing and all I had was my iphone. After the airport we came home and mowed the yard and got ready to have the other Smith's over for some homemade sushi. It was great seeing them and catching up.

Today, Chris start another 48 so it was just the boys and I for the weekend. So that morning we made another quick trip to Hobby Lobby for some paint so I could finish up the shelves in the boys room. While at Hobby Lobby, I also picked up a little wooden bunny for Ryan to color so he worked on that while I painted the shelves. Then this, evening Grandma and Pawpaw came over, with some pizza, to see the boys room. It was nice to have them over and play with the boys. It made our evening go by faster with out Daddy home. Here are some pics from throughout the week: Trying to ride Ryan tricycle.

Zach has stated saying, "potty" and will run to the potty. So we brought down the little potty. This is him sitting on it and clapping. He was so proud. I am glad he is interested in it. But I am not quite ready to start potty training just yet. But it is just to cute right now.

Ryan working on his bunny

I know I have been posting way more pics of Zach, but Ryan just is not liking the camera these days. I have to catch him off guard a lot of the time.

We have furniture!

This past weekend while in Sugar Land we picked up the boys new bunk beds from my Aunt and Uncle's house. These use to be my cousins and we were lucky enough that they had not gotten rid of them. The boys love them so much and it gives them so much more room to play. As you can tell from the picks we had to do a little rigging on the bottom bunk for Zach. He kept getting out. So Chris made this extra railing and it is working out prefect.

The room is not completly done yet. All we have to do is put up the crown molding.

Congrats Emily and Justin!

This past Friday, we went to Sugar Land to my cousin Emily's wedding. We had such a blast seeing all of our family and dancing. She made such a beautiful Bride. We are so happy to have Justin in the family. The boys behaved well, for having late naps and being way off schedule. The Newlyweds! All the cousins minus Travis. (It is tax season and he could not get off work.)

Zach dancing. He was hilarious.

Chris and Me. It is a rare thing to get a pic of us.

This was the best family pic we got that night. It was late and the boys did not want to cooperate.

The boys with Bride and Groom.

Happy St. Patty's Day

It was such a beautiful day the other day. We went over to visit with The Wence's. The kids had a lot of fun playing outside in the cul-di-sac, while us grown-ups worked on cleaning out our cars. For a snack, I had made some Green Velvet Cupcakes. It went perfect with our green day and the kids really enjoyed them.

Just a few Pics!

Here are just a few random pics of the boys to brighten your day! Have a awesome day!

Yay for Carpet!!

I am so excited to finally have carpet permentantly in the boys room. A while back we had bought some carpet for their room, but had just layed it in there not really knowing what we wanted to do with the room. So when we decided to redo their room, I told Chris I would really like the carpet to be permanent in the boys room. The other day Mr. Mike, who works with daddy, came over to install the carpet for us. I am so grateful for him for doing this for us and he did such an awesome job. Here are pics of the room before a carpet and then once it was installed.

Ryan's Surgery

Friday, Ryan had his surgery to get his teeth capped. When we took him to his first dentist appt. last year he was diagnosed with congenital soft enamel. But because not all his teeth had completely come in and some issue with insurance we had to wait to fix them. He was schedule for surgery at 7:00 in the morning so we had to be at the hospital by 5:30. Since Aunt E was going to watching Zach for us, we decided to stay at there house Thursday night, plus it meant we did not have to wake up so early since they live closer to the hospital. On our way to the hospital Friday morning, I realized that I had left my wallet in the diaper bag. So Chris dropped us off and then headed back to pick it up. Thankfully he made it back just in time for the doctors to come by, before Ryan went back. After the Dr.'s came by, they brought Ryan a cocktail. (No, not an alcoholic drink.) A cocktail of medicine to make him relaxed. After it took affect, they took him back to the operating room. His surgery took about 2 hours. After they were done we got to go back and see him. He did very well coming out of the anesthesia. He had some apple juice and said that his teeth hurt, so they gave him some morphine for the pain. Which cause use to hang out in recovery a little while longer, but we did not mind at all. By the time we were ready to go, he was fully awake and talking. I am so proud of him. He was such a big boy that on the way home we stopped at Academy at got him the Bow and Arrow, he had been asking for. He was so excited. Here are pics before and after surgery.

Makeover cont.

Yesterday, we put up the chair rail and the curtains. Chris did such a good job with the chair rails. I must say I am having a lot of fun working on this project with him. It was been a while since we have done a project together as a team. It reminds me, what a good team we make. I know we are a team and work together all the time when it comes to the boys. But this was a different kind of team work and it feels really good. Had to add this pic of Zach enjoying some popcorn. This is how I found Zach when I checked on him at nap time. He feel a sleep sitting up.

Next step. Install the carpet.

A Sleepover with Jacob

Saturday night we had the privilege of watching my nephew Jacob for the night. It was extra special cause this was the first time for Jacob to spend the night some where without his mommy. The boys had such a great time. Zach loves Jacob so much. All he want to do was give him hugs. It was so cute. Zach and Jacob are only 5 weeks apart and Zach is older. But you could never tell this by looking at them. It was really cool to see just the boys together. I can only imagine what kind of trouble these three will get into when they get bigger.