We Heart Homework

Okay...when I was in school, I liked homework for the fact that I am one of those kids who has to have something in multiple formats in order for it to stick. I had to hear it in class & do the practice at home & when I got older, rewrite my notes or chapters from the book {true story, ask my Mom}. Prior to getting my job as a cashier at the grocery store, I would do my homework the minute I got home from school so I would have the rest of the evening to play or spend time with Mom & Dad or go to whatever practice I had to get to. Once I got my job & when I was in college, I would stay up later to make sure that I truly got what I needed to learn.

 

No one understands how truly blessed I feel for Kayla that things come so easily for her {she definitely gets that from her Dad}. I understand that we are only in preschool, but if you've spent any amount of time with Kayla, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, trust me, academically, school will come super easy for her. Again, as someone who worked hard to maintain good grades, I thank God for this, often!

 

Kayla has been very excited when homework has come home from preschool! Her 1st type of homework:

tracing her name. It didn't take her long to get bored with this one though....she's been writing her name on her own for a few years now. But I reminded her that this was to help her in writing her name more neatly {cause she can get sloppy with it AND her letters aren't always the same size}.

 

On January 14, a couple of things happened: the girls got sent home early from school because of frozen stuff coming from the sky & Kayla got homework sent home. They had been discussing Night Time Routines & working on time. We didn't do it that night as they were out of school for a bit due to the frozen stuff & MLK Day.

 

But when we did work on it, she was ALL into it: 

Happy Happy Happy to be doing homework!

The instructions per the sheet & her teacher said we could write and/or draw our night time activities & put the times if we wanted to...of course Kayla wanted to do it all. I had written out what she wanted to put on her paper on another piece of paper, & she wrote it on her homework herself. Since we are in preschool, this took us a bit. She told me to draw the pictures for her that night & she would color them the next day, so I drew them the best to my ability (I'm no artist).

 

But when she got up the next day, she decided she wanted me to draw them on another piece of paper & she would draw/color them herself. 

And this is how she did!

 

The next day (January 23), this is the text I got (I just LOVE getting text messages with pictures of the girls): 

 

with these pictures: 

Kayla showing her Night Time Routine Homework to her teacher & classmates.

 

Yaye Kayla! Great job!!!!

The Morning Before the Flu

So, Saturday afternoon, Kayla came down with the flu....but before her 103 fever hit, she felt GREAT & went to cheer at the basketball game with her friends.

 

We LOVE our cheer friends!

 

Stretching: 

My Monkey practicing her cheers like the big girls

Pre-game Cheer Prayer

 

Cheering: 

(we got to cheer for the girls' game)

Watching these big girls is tiring work...laying in Mommy's lap

Go.....

...Warren!

 

Halftime Cheering: 

Loving on my Monkey!

Cheering like the big girls!

A little coloring time

 

Cheering: 

Checking out what The Captain is saying

Watching the big girls cheer

Cheer Parents

Monkey wanted to be on my head

Love that Monkey Girl!

Such a good looking squad!

Running around after the game

Running around is hard work...taking a break

Nothing but net

We love our Coach Nicki!

I Want THAT!

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

Lysa has discovered that everything (including her awesome career with Proverbs 31 Ministries) all pales in comparison to the relationship with God she's gained along the way. As long as she daily makes the choice to be guided by His truth, He replaces her hollowness with a wholeness of love that has no gaps. And with that fullness from God, she can put away that heart-shaped cup she used during all those needy years. Instead of always looking to get fulfillment from her loved ones & the other blessings in her life, she can simply enjoy them for what they are.

Oh WOW, that is exactly what I am seeking!!!! I want my fulfillment from God & God alone! I want to truly enjoy each & every moment that I have in life no matter who is there or what the circumstances around me are. I want to soak in every moment. I want to fill more & more full.....to be fulfilled & content. Living in the moment with God, defined by His truth, & with no unrealistic expectations for others or things to fill me up. Not reaching back for what was lost in my yesterdays. And not reaching for what I hope will be in my tomorrow. But living fully with what is right in front of me. And truly seeing the gift of this moment.

I still need to have goals & hopes for my future, but need to no longer let them send me into a frenzy. I must continue to pursue truth that keeps me grounded & God's love that keeps me filled. Then my desperate hollowness is replaced by a desire for holiness.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

I'm a Big Girl Now

Yes, the old Pull-Ups commercial "I'm a Big Kid now" just ran through my head as I typed that title (what can I say, all songs --even commerical jingles-- stick in my head)!

 

Anywho!

 

Do you see that sweet girl right there?

Yea, that one right there!

 

Even though when she's asked "Jamie, whatcha doin" she says cute little toddler things like "nuppin", she is becoming SUCH a big girl! ESPECIALLY here lately!

 

Jamie has become my royalty....

....of potty training. As I've mentioned before, Kayla was not the easiest child to train. That is TOTALLY my fault for trying to start her so early (like the very minute she expressed any interest at all). So with Jamie, we took the she will potty train whenever she is ready. And she took no time at all. We did little incentives for her (M&Ms & Skittles), but she didn't even want them every time (& this girl LOVES some candy). I can't tell you the last time she had an accident.

 

As those of you who follow me consistently know, we've been working with her on her colors. She knows them, but is either too distracted or being too silly (I can say this cause she laughs about it) to say the right color at times. When she can consistently get them, she gets to go on a Daddy/Daughter Date: dinner & a movie or special activity with just him & her.

 

We'll last night she added another step toward becoming a big girl..... 

....she threw away her paci AND was EXCITED about doing it (dancing all the way). We had talked to her about throwing it away on her 3rd birthday & she was talking that up & ready for it. But if you look really close at that picture, you can see she has a little red bump on her chin. It appeared there about a week-and-a-half ago. It is not a pretty little bump, at all. We've been putting stuff on it but it just won't clear up get any better.

 

So we tacked on you aren't completely a Big Girl who can go on a Daddy/Daughter Date until you stop sucking your paci. And just like that, she went to her room, got her paci, & threw it away after she had gotten into her jammies.

 

Her solution: I'll just suck my thumb. I realize she's still sucking on something, but she'll quit that too in her time. Kayla quit sucking her thumb (she would never take a paci) when she wanted to start getting her fingernails painted.