Dos Flaming Avocadoes: February 2009

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Highlights from the Infant and Toddler Rooms: Today the children had fun camping out in the teepee with Caprice. Everyone had to take a break, though, when Gage got hungry! With self-feeding toddlers, sometimes it just makes sense to cut to the chase and have them eat without shirts (See Luke, spaghetti, meatballs). Orion loved tossing the soft soccer ball over the baby gate into the infant room and saying "ball". Vivian loved seeing big brother Noah outside on the playground today. Caprice ran the "Bumbo bus" out to the farm yard--three children in a wagon and carrying Emma in a sling. Can you say "strong and determined woman"? We had a good day!

Highlights from the Twos Room: The children enjoyed a walk to see the animals. Kai clucked with the roosters and oinked with Lucy. The children loved bubbles outside! Mason is trying to pedal a tricycle, and Gavin loves when PreK friends push him on a riding toy. Inside, the class read Goodnight Moon and worked with Legos. Catherine and Matt from the PreK class got to help the class go on a walk and eat lunch! Big kids are very exciting to these little guys. We hope our friend Waylon feels better soon!

Highlights from the PreK: Small groups of friends helped Leslie feed Queso, the cats, sheep, goats, Lily, and Abby this morning before snack. Noah, Cole, Austin, and Asa enjoyed learning how to hold their hands out flat with feed in them for the goats and sheep to munch. Today we enjoyed reading Michelle's son Allen's book called The Night Pirates. Thanks to a paper towel delivery, we had three big boxes and some paper towel tubes to use as pirate ships and scopes. Michelle cut out water for us to color blue at the writing table if we wanted to stop by. During inside time, friends liked play with the doll house and people figures, cooking in the play kitchen (bean bags, anyone?), and dressing up in silks. We loaded up supplies at the greenhouse for planting cantaloupe and tomato starts this afternoon. Wagon wheel pasta and meatballs was a hit for lunch. The children are really good at setting the table and cleaning up after mealtime. We tell them they can eat anywhere with anyone!

It's fun to play under the shady canopy of a big tree. The boys are playing a game called "cheetah".

Miles and Siler in their wings--fluttering over to help rock Jonie.

Cooper strikes a pose for the camera.

Loading up our supplies from the greenhouse. Asa organizes the wagon.

Soleil diligently carries her field journal on walks.

We all should be proud of this great group of kids--they set the table and are waiting to sing our lunch song before digging in!

AM Snack: homemade banana muffins, water

Lunch: wagon wheel pasta with marinara and homemade meatballs (turkey/beef), organic apple slices, organic milk

PM Snack: Under 3: yogurt covered raisins or yogurt, graham crackers, water. PreK: frozen yogurt stick, graham crackers, water

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

School Announcements: Today we were attacked by this band of pirates. They were rough and tough, raiding our pantry for snacks . . .

Highlights from the Infant Room: Gage and Ali are both sitting up so well! They like to pass toys back and forth. Ali is scooting around the classroom. Sometimes Emma Grace smiles so much that she can't take her bottle or suck on her pacifier--mostly, she loves to sleep at school!

Look at that pirate again, roughing Miss Caprice up.

Highlights from the Toddler Room:
Today the children enjoyed visiting the new rabbits and the other farm animals. Jack took a couple of steps today with very little assistance. It is good to see Maya and Vivian feeling better! Luke is saying more and more words, and loves to watch the kittens through the fence.

Highlights from the PreK: This morning several children helped make the cheddar corn muffins for lunch--we made those today instead of baking bread to take home. Ashley did a movement class with the children in small groups. New electrical lines are being installed along Crystal Falls Parkway, and the tree trimming truck and the bucket truck were very exciting to watch. In a Lifeways workshop that Janie and Leslie attended, the instructor said that "life" is the best early childhood curriculum--bucket trucks, tree trimming trucks, school buses are some of the things we have been noticing from the play yard.

The boys made a leaf carpet that is poisonous to intruders. . .

AM Snack: whole grain bagels with cream cheese and strawberry jam, water

Lunch: homemade vegetarian chili, cheddar corn muffins, grapes, organic milk

PM Snack: dried apricots, wholegrain Goldfish crackers, water

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

School Announcements:

Hope that you liked the new school sign!

We are accepting donations of seeds and other gardening materials at the greenhouse! Does anyone have a tiller? Does anyone want to till our garden in the next week if we rent a tiller?

AM Snack: strawberry cereal bar, water

Lunch: deli turkey or ham, multigrain crackers, cucumber slices with ranch dip, mandarin oranges, organic milk

PM Snack: string cheese, pretzels, water

Highlights from Twos Room: Today the class read Are You My Mother? and worked on wooden peg puzzles. We visited the animals and had fun see-sawing outside. Tina helped us play a game of "kickball". We had a good day!

Highlights from the PreK: Today was just too beautiful to miss! After morning snack, we headed back outside to drop off the compost to the roosters, and to watch Queso being fed. We got to feel some of Queso's hair--much rougher than ours! We planted and watered morning glory seeds by Jesse's office and on either side of the front gate. We talked about how morning glories open when its cool and shady in the morning, then go "to sleep" until the next morning. We had fun walking the labyrinth. Before heading inside for lunch, we sorted the school recycling and talked about how recycling helps keep trash out of the landfills! We especially liked crushing cans and bottles with our feet! This afternoon we will hear the story of Rumpelstiltskin while holding our beeswax. Beeswax crayons will be available for drawing at the writing table, and we'll enjoy some free choice time in the classroom.

Feeling some of Queso's hair . . .

Planting morning glory seeds by the front gate.

Preparing and sorting the recycling--Cole's crushing a can to the left!

Monday, February 23, 2009

School Announcements:

Check out our new sign that was installed this afternoon! We will be adding lighting, plants and stone to the signage in the near future.

Got Seeds? Soil? We will begin planting starts for our garden this week. Feel to drop off any seeds, soil, or other gardening items by the greenhouse!

Watch the blog for volunteer projects and a materials wish list!

Looking to make a permanent financial fix? Several parents have independently recommended The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness . It is amazing, and a great philolosphy to adopt in these uncertain times. Olivia can't believe she could be a millionaire several times over for less than $200 a month invested beginning when she is a teenager. We stress that the money isn't important so much as the freedom . . . My family is going to dig and give Dave's tips a try. http://www.daveramsey.com/

The next Evening of Indulgence is Friday, March 6 beginning at 6:30 PM. Join us for a relaxing night!

Thank you for your business and all the great client referrals!

Highlights from the PreK Room: Today we enjoyed wet on wet painting with yellow. There is something magical about waiting for your turn to paint, watching the teacher prepare your paper with rounded corners and brushing it wet, the watching the color spread with each stroke. In Community Time, we read Caps for Sale and Whose Footprint Is It?. We had fun identifying the prints of several animals at our school: cats, horses, and goats. We enjoyed hearing the tale of Rumpelstiltskin--we were intrigued by his ability to spend straw into gold. Before lunch, we visited Jesse who was making a new and improved rabbit cage (dog, raccoon proof??). We walked the labyrinth and enjoyed finding "crystal" stones. This afternoon we will finish painting, and enjoy lots of sunshine!

Wet on wet painting . . .