Enjoying the Chaos

So proud of Little J. He does find this program hard. I mean what adult can concentrate for 30 minutes in a row. He is such a trooper! (We are making a little trip to the store to buy him a treat later.) The program we are using is called "AmbPiNet". Their customer service has been amazing. There was one game - like ping-pong (think 4 sides at once) that Little J just couldn't cope with. It was too much for a 4 year old. I called them and they showed me how to remove it from his schedule in about two seconds. Hopefully our next visit to the doctor will be worth all this effort. 30 minutes five times a week is hard work for my little man but he is doing awesome (with just a little bribery).

Little J got himself dressed today. Not an unusual thing. However our weather is confusing his choices. Two days ago it was 76F and his choice today would have totally acceptable. The problem is that today is 27F (feels like 13F according to weather.com) and snowing. That's a drop of 50 degrees in two days - no wonder he's confused. The poor kid doesn't know what to wear.

Seventeen years ago I became a mother.  January 29 1996. I have just finished reading an essay that my niece wrote for school. Heather and my niece were eleven months apart and best friends. They were inseparable. My niece wrote about her memories of the event that changed all our lives forever. September 6th 1999 the day that Heather was taken from us. (If she gives me permission I may most it later.) It made us all cry.   Heather (littlest one) and her cousin These pictures are definitely my favorite of the cousins and best friends.   Every year on Heather's birthday we let balloons go as we remember her.   This year it was raining - quite hard but we still did it. In fact a lot of our family let off balloons even though we couldn't be together. My brother and his kids (My sister in law is camera women!) My brother in law and his girls. The two oldest are the cuties in the pictures

We had a quick nature study / science lesson today. It was completely unplanned. Don't you just love it when that happens. We have outside cats (they live outside only as I am allergic). Only Mojo our cockerpoo is allowed inside. We came out to play today and Little J noticed that the cats were all snuggled on our compost pile. He asked why they would sit there as it would be stinky. I explained that as the grass and other matter on the pile decompose it creates heat, so it was the warmest place for them to sit. He said, "Oh interesting". So quick and simple... Only Black Tiger stayed around for the photo op. Check out some other crew posts here .

Yesterday was the first day of Co-op the kids loved it. They all talked about how they loved their classes. It was nice for me to have some time to sit and chat with a friend during my free hour without feeling guilty that I should be doing something else. Boo had received a rock climbing chalk bag for Christmas from her Grandma and had brought it with her 'just in case' today. Our local (30 minutes away) University has a rock wall that is open to the public in the afternoon and evenings. Since this happens to be the same town we travel to for Co-op it made sense to stay and let them play! (Boo was quick to point out that it made sense - because it saved time AND gas) Boo did say, "Mom, does this count as PE for today?" I think we will be back there again next week. Boo at the top. You can see her little pink chalk bag. They even let Little J 'climb' Jam does pretty good too 

Yesterday Little J and I went for our weekly trip to the library for reading time. It's always his favorite outing. They sit together on a rug and listen to stories about a particular theme. Yesterday the theme was penguins. After the stories it was craft time (another favorite thing). Look at the concentration.  All done and he didn't want to stop cutting.

I finished making Little J's patch. He chose the fabric himself. He loved how it turned out. I have been crowned 'The Best Mommy In the World' because I saved him from those nasty sticky patches! Oh to be a hero! I will remind him he gave me that title when he's thirteen!

Our local library hosted a beginners crochet class today. Boo and I went to check it out. We had a blast. Boo was the only child there. She loved all the attention. She did really well. Her goal is to make a blanket for her American Girl Doll.

If you have read my previous post you will know how awkward the 'pirate' type patch is to wear for Little J. I came across this blog Kitschy Coo it has an awesome tutorial for making an eye patch. Go here to see the tutorial.   Watch this space...because I am going to try and make one. Since I am heading up to the Zoo today. I will make a list of the materials I don't have on hand so I can pick them up. Wish me luck!