This Week . . .

We have enjoyed the beautiful weather this week at school! In PreK, we having been enjoying rhymes and a special story about turtles. We planted mammoth sunflowers in the garden (thanks to Colton's grandfather, Chuck, for all his tilling!), and our beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, peas, and squash are doing well. We have a lot more to plant, though! We have a beautiful new doll that Wacy's mom Sarah made for us, as well as a really awesome pizza for our pretend area. Wet on wet painting is a favorite every week as is bread baking. Lately we have been enjoying our warm bread at school on Wednesdays with soup. Everyone has loved yummy cantaloupe and watermelon this season--we hope we'll have some of our own in a couple of months. The roosters have been fun to watch roaming the fenced animal yard, and Lucy has loved her daily mud puddle! Beautiful dark purple morning glories that we planted a couple of months ago have greeted us by the front gate and beside the garage. All of the children have enjoyed watching the road construction--a good reminder that what seemed like an inconvenience is actually an exciting on-going project right in our front yard for the children to experience.

Driving Miss Vivian? Vivian gets a loving ride from Gavin. Big brother Noah eventually came to help, too.

It's so important for our older children to develop empathy for our youngest friends. Everyone loves to give Emma a ride in her stroller.

Miles enjoyed building a tent with the parachute several times this week.

Peachy and Aurora are our cats--they receive extensive training here at the school. Mostly, they are incredibly patient. Which one is this?

Cole strikes a pose for Iris (behind the camera).

Soleil works with the felt board. She loves to tell a story while she works.

Our new baby doll. The children loved taking care of her. They can tell when they are in the presence of something special.

The road project is very exciting. On Thursday, we were able to see some of the equipment change attachments!

Many, many thanks are due! Thank you, Vicki and Soleil, for clearing out our garden bed a couple of weeks ago. Thank you Allison for the small scoop, bamboo spoons, and the "squirty things" that the kids will love to fill/decorate muffins and cupcakes. Thank you Shana and Cooper for the felt boards, figures, and puppets--they are beautiful. Thank you Stacy for helping and believing in all of our ventures and for your help marketing. Thank you Anissa and Dana for coming to the yoga class. Thank you Jennifer D. for the client referrals. Thank you Christina and West for finding Christin. Thank you Christin for your patience and love of the Twos. Thank you Ellen and Caprice for loving the infants and toddlers. Thank you Leslie and Mason for the veggies for the animals. Thank you Allison S. for volunteering to help the kids sew this summer. Thank you Wacy and Sarah for feeding the animals on Sundays and for baking cookies for the market. Thanks everyone for your business!

Children busy at work.....

Kai playing with the hose connection.

Emma Grace relaxing in the rocking chair.

Gage sharing his smiles....

Leo with rosy cheeks after playing outside.

Children having fun exploring a tree that has fallen on the property.

Planting peas with Leslie.


Taking a break after helping plant peas--Iris, Isaac, Kai, Jonie, Colton, Cameron and Catherine

Waiting for a turn planting--Keith, Siler, Cole and Caeden

Pre-K helping to prepare lunch--Soleil, Colton, Jonie, Cameron, Cole, Noah, Keith, Siler and Lena

Lena adjusting her silk "skirt" during free play

Siler arranging artifacts at the nature center

Iris stops to pose for the camera.....

Soleil working hard during free play

Cole and Noah with their capes


Colton and Siler peeking out from behind the puppet stage.....


Jonie sorting color tablets...

Nina and Iris stand ready to mix the bread dough

Isaac and Mattvey work on table activities while they wait for their turn to make bread

Colton with his wings

Isaac runs laps around the play yard as one of the farm kittens follows close behind

Mattvey and Isaac racing

Chevy the goat, Abby the donkey and Lily Belle the minature horse are close friends



Our mom, Nancy [aka Grandma], helping Iris and Asa plant potatoes

Asa attempts to put a stake in the ground at the potato patch

Cole and Luke playing in the kiddie corral

Mattvey loves to climb

Mattvey, Cole and Noah

Saxon

Jack showing us his serious side

Cole

Gavin and Luke

Jonie

Catherine

Vivian and her ba [blanket]

We've been busy....

Hi, everyone! We apologize for our absence from the blog. The past two weeks or so have been very busy at school. Here's a rundown on what we've been up to around the farm.

• We recently spent a weekend closing in part of the playyard for the toddlers. The "kiddie corral" is great as it allows us better visibility of the little ones while we're all outside. Believe it or not, the Pre-K kiddos love the corral as well and ask to play in the new area all the time. We're hoping to have mulch down in the entire playyard in the upcoming weeks.

• We are working on sorting wood from the recycled barn that Leslie's husband Jesse tore down to use to build a new shelter for the animals as well as individual areas for each animal as part of the petting farm that we hope to have up and running this summer!

• The children have been busy working with Leslie to get the garden ready for planting. Thanks to Colton's grandfather, Chuck, for tilling the garden for us! We have corn sprouting and have planted tomatoes, peas and potatoes. Leslie and Janie's mom, better known as "Grandma" helped Iris and Asa get the potatoes in the ground last week.

• We've been on a lot of nature walks the past two weeks and the children are enjoying the interaction with the animals as well as picking flowers to dry for an upcoming craft project.

• The infants--Alex, Ali, Gage, Emma Grace and Lorelai are all growing so fast! Alex is walking--small steps but getting around on his own. Ali is pulling up and taking small steps...she'll be walking before we know it! Gage is babbling non-stop and always has a big smile for anyone who ventures into the classroom. Emma Grace is close to sitting up on her own, babbling and enjoying all the sights and sounds on the farm. Lorelai is laughing and smiling and enjoying floor time with her friends.

• The toddlers--Leo, Luke, Orion, Vivan, Jack and Maya are all starting to talk more and use each other's names. They enjoy community time at the table eating snack and love going on farm walks.

• The twos--Kaleb, Maksim, Kai, Gavin, Waylon, Mason and Gabrielle have welcomed a new friend, Hutson, to the class. The children have been learning about colors and enjoy identifing the color of objects both in the classroom and around the farm! We're discovering that water play is one of their favorite activities and will add more of this to their daily routine as we enter into the heat of the summer.

• The Pre-K are enjoying cooking throughout the week along with baking bread. Wet-on-wet painting is a favorite and we have some beautiful paintings hanging in the classrooms. Much time is spent outside completing farm chores and going on farm walks. The children take their jobs very seriously! Recycling has become a very important task at school and the children are eager to recycle just about everything they can.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the school. Please watch for volunteer opportunities that will be posted very soon.

Happy Mother's Day to all our moms. We hope you feel as blessed as we do. Thank you for sharing your children with us!

~Janie

Menu 5/4 - 5/8

*subject to change

Monday, 5/4
AM Snack: Raisin bran, water bottles
Lunch: deli turkey, multigrain crackers, cucumber slices with ranch dip, organic milk
PM Snack: Bananas, water bottles

Tuesday, 5/5
AM Snack: Yogurt sticks, water bottles
Lunch: Black bean and cheese burritos, organic steamed corn, organic milk
PM Snack: apple wedges, cinnamon grahams, water bottles

Wednesday, 5/6
AM Snack: Bagels with cream cheese, water bottles
Lunch: Roasted chicken and brown rice, organic broccoli, organic milk
PM Snack: Peanut butter crackers, water bottles

Thursday, May 7
AM Snack: Whole grain cereal bars, water bottles
Lunch: Mini quiche Florentine, buttered whole wheat bread, organic milk
PM Snack: Trail mix, water bottles

Friday, 5/8
AM Snack: Rice cakes with fruit preserves
Lunch: Homemade mac & cheese, organic mixed veggies, applesauce, water bottles
PM Snack: Granola bars, water bottles

Garden Girl: Urban Sustainable Living

Check out this site--how did we not know about Patti Moreno, "Garden Girl"?

http://www.gardengirltv.com/