Homeschooling Preschool

So the school year has started again, daddy is back at work and me and the kids are having fun at home!  Since I am not working we had no money to send Kailyn to preschool so we are trying some homeschooling.  Yes, it is as difficult as I thought to teach my own child.  Today we were talking about the letter B, I thought it would be fun to find things in the house that started with B.  Kailyn thought scooting around on the floor would be more fun.  I gave up on the activity but not to longer later I walk into Braeden’s room and she has a pile of things she found in his room that starts with the letter B.  She did a great job on her own.  I guess she is teaching me a lot too; I have to adjust my teaching to fit her!  She loved finding all those things on her own! 

Sidewalk chalk shapes, letters, and numbers game

I have not written a post in awhile but know that I have no job and no school, I am finding some more time to do these things.  I was thinking the other day I wanted to blog about educational activites I am doing with my daughter and how I like them.  This are all ideas I get from Pinterest but never know if they go over as well as they say.  This has been a winner of an activity at our house.  We have played it twice in the past two weeks.  I made a circle using letters,shapes, or numbers.  I call out a shape and she jumps to it, we do this for awhile and switch places.  She loves calling them out to me and sometimes I mess up to keep her on her toes.  She has even added her own twist by using it like hopscotch and tossing a pebble to a spot and that is where I have to go. She also likes to help write out the letters and shapes.  Make it your own and have fun!  Below is a picture of latest game. Look for some more posts coming soon with other great ideas!  

Fun on the Farm!

Kailyn and I went to Page Farms today!  I like going to this farm because it is close to our house and not as busy as some others.  They grow pumpkins on the farm and you get to pick them out of the field.  Kaiyn loved swinging on these neat tire swings.  She also went down a slide, saw animals, went through a corn maze, and took a hayride.  

 Kailyn enjoyed the bumpy slide and climbing on the hay bales. 

 Kailyn leading the way through the corn maze!

This is from last week when we picked out some pumpkins.

 We visited our family in Richmond last weekend.  Here is Brad, his brother Eric, Kailyn and her cousin Alex at Maymont Park! 

 Kailyn and Braeden by the big pumpkin!

 Alex and Kailyn walking along the path.

 Kailyn on the hayride today at the farm!



Busy Summer

It has been awhile since I updated our family blog.  I have been taking classes, working toward my teaching license and then on June 24th we welcomed a new famiy member.  Here are some pictures to see what we have been up to this summer!

 Here is the proud big sister loving on her new baby brother.

 Mommy and Braeden just after being born.  He is such a precious gift to our family!

 Pawpaw, Kailyn, and Braeden hanging out together. 

 Fun trip with mommy and daddy to Pullen Park and riding the train!

 Family vacation to Surf City, NC.  Kailyn had a great time playing on the beach! 

A big smile after a great week on vacation despite having an ear infection!

I am going to be more active in updating the blog over the next few months.

January 2012

2012 has started with its ups and downs. Though we are looking forward as a family to what God has in store for us this year! Brad and Kailyn got to start off the year with a date night to a hockey game. Kailyn's first question was if there was going to be popcorn there and then graciously agreed to go to the Hokie game with daddy.

Kailyn munching on her popcorn!
What else might a daughter and daddy do at a hockey game but take sweet pictures!

Kailyn is copying Brad's expression, too cute!

Of course our greatest joy to start out the year is looking forward to a new addition to our family. Somewhere around July 19th, we will be looking to welcoming a new little one in our family!!!

Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze

A few weekends we took a family trip to the pumpkin patch and corn maze at Page Farms near our house. Kailyn had a great time leading us through the corn maze. We were able to pick out pumpkins right out of the field. There was only one other family there at the time we went so we had the run of the place. It was nice not to be too crowded and Kailyn could be a bit freer.

Kailyn picking out her pumpkin!

The family before entering the corn maze!

Kailyn put all of our pumpkins on the porch just so!

This is a random picture of Brad and Kailyn at the Panther Creek Homecoming Football game. We have had lots of fun attending games this year and it is a great free outing for us!

More of Kailyn looking for that just right pumpkin!

Cape Charles, VA

Brad's cousin came to the east coast this summer to visit us. We decided to do a short trip to Cape Charles on the Eastern shore of VA. It is a quaint town on the Chesapeake Bay. We had a great time and look forward to going back sometime.

This is the house we rented. It may look run down on the outside but it was updated on the inside and meet our needs of sleep and eating!

Kailyn loved playing in the sand making sand cakes. Yummy!

The evenings were great for sunsets and splashing in the water! We made this a nightly tradition!

Kailyn loved the sand, she was overed head to toe everyday!

Another beautiful sunset!