T's Rescue Bots Birthday

***This post is quite late but I made a point to get it on here before Sept was over.  Plus my mother-in-law kept asking where the post was.  HAHA!!!  She keeps me on task!  THANKS!

I can't believe this guy is 6!!  There's something about turning 6.  I imagine it's like when a child turns 10.  I mean at 6 they are really a kid - there's no kindergarten about them anymore.  They are a kid.

We started the day with a nice donut birthday cake.  Breakfast of champions right there.  T's favorite!

This year T wanted a Rescue Bots birthday.  It's like transformers but on more of a preschool level (love it!)  Optimus Prime and Bumblebee star in this show.  The rest of the bots are rescue vehicles turned autobots.  Anyway, there's nothing for that theme so we made up stuff.  I went low-key this year.  We had a few friends over and just had a big playdate.  I have decided simple IS better.  There was no worry of how things looked or played out.  AND best of all - T had a BLAST!

Here's the crew (including little sister of one friend):

 The two grandmas thought alike this year ---- they bought the same exact card!

 The cake:  I bought a simple round cake at sams and embellished it with the little toy figures found at Target and gumballs around the outside.

 I think it pleased this guy

 Present time!!  T was so careful to read every card that came with each gift.  Most kids throw those to the side.  Love this picture with his little friend helping him out.

 "This was on my list!!!"  He must have said that 10 times while opening our gift.

 Blowing out some candles.  He savored the moment and blew them out one by one.  HA!

Happy Birthday T!  You have grown to be such a selfLESS, smart, funny kid.  We may have our "moments" together but you will always be a big piece of my heart!

Mommy Preschool

You are probably wondering since school started what me and lil' bit have been up to.  Even if you haven't, you're about to find out.  The first week - we played.  We went to a few parks and just enjoyed the time away from the brothers.

 The second week after Labor Day, we decided to start our "Mommy Preschool".  I decided earlier this summer we were not sending C to preschool this year.  THere are several reasons.  He's an older kid for his class having an Oct bday so he still has two years before started Kindergarten.  I haven't found a great preschool here in the affordable range either.  So, the decision was made that we would try preschool at home with me and I have affectionately termed it "mommy preschool".  Poor C - the morning I took this photo I think he thought he was going to real school.  He insisted to wear his backpack to take the brothers to school.

 C really surprised me last week.  He loved the one on one attention with preschool.  AND to my amazement - he loved the crafts!  (he's never been my craft kid - gasp!)  Our first lesson was on the letter L and it centered on Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine.
I am using material from 1+1+1=1 and from Confessions of a Homeschooler and from my friend at 2Mommies Teaching.  Here's C working on writing.

 Our light craft:

 Our Ladybug craft:

 And here he is working on some counting.  I have presented everything to be like a game because he LOVES games.  He has really had fun and I gotta admit - so have I.  I just hope I can keep it up.

I wish blogger would let me upload a video of C singing our song for the week - This Little Light of Mine.  He was such a ham for the camera and it cracked me up.  You'll just have to trust me on this one - he's having fun.

Gifts of Sunshine

You know how I love to appreciate my teachers.  Well, to get year started, I gave our teachers a "happy" the Friday of the first week of school.  Just a token to say "whew, we made it through the first week".  I found this idea on Pinterest and loved it.  However, I will be honest, in person it looked extremely homemade and I wasn't thrilled with the results.  Wish I would have used a brighter yellow.  But oh well, it's the thought that counts right??  The tag reads "Cannot wait to have a BALL with you this year in class"  Get it - ball canning jars....  

 Then, the second week, we found out T's teacher had a birthday on Labor Day.  So a friend of mine (who's son is in T's class) and I decided to give her a box of sunshine.  We filled it with all things yellow and I must say - it turned out so cute!

 I spent probably a total of $12 and she did the same.  I found a lot of my things for $1.  Michael's randomly had a yellow wooden R and a yellow giant cloths pin in their $1 aisle.  Love it!  Now go out and give your teacher a happy!