Zander's favorite historical person is Benjamin Franklin. We have a book about history for little kids and he loves to quote Ben Franklin sayings.
We got a chapter book on Ben Franklin to read aloud(I actually read it to Zander and Doug in 2 nights! I love when we all read together.) We finished the book tonight, it was 91 pages I think. When we got to the part about Ben Franklin's wife dying Zander cried. And then when the book was over and I told him good night I thought he was done. Then he started crying more. Poor kid. He's such a sensitive soul.
I actually learned a lot from the book, I don't really remember having much of an interest in history in school. I think I liked world history more than American history. Zander wants a book about George Washington next. He totally asked for it.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Zander, school and learning
This morning Zander's teacher told me "We're working on blends and it's so funny, Zander keeps saying 'Give me a hard one!' " haha :-)
They had community helper week at school. A police officer came to talk to the kids. Zan came home singing a chant they learned called "SAY NO! DON'T TOUCH! TELL AN ADULT!" for gun safety. And he got a coloring book on helmet safety. He was also wearing a little police hat they made at school, when I walked in I said "Don't arrest me Officer Morrison!"
Yesterday he was wearing a little doctor headband/reflector thingy and said he was a veterinarian because he wanted to take care of animals and went on and on explaining "Remember our cat Munky? He was Hex's brother, he died. So I'm going to be a veterinarian so I can take care of animals." awwww, he's so sweet.
The end of the school year is coming up :( and they do a water play party for the last day so they raise money for water bouncy and pizza with a change drive. Zander was excited to put about $2 in change in Monday morning. Tonight I got out a container of pennies and we lined them up in columns of 10 and counted by tens. He totally got it! Then we did counted by twos and wiped the pennies into the baggy and did math along the way like "We have 40 cents in the bag, how much is still here?" and he'd look down and count the columns and yell "60!". And so on. I have a ton of pennies so we'll keep working on this and counting by twos, fives and tens. So cute and easy way to work real math into our day. :-) (School is going to be so happy about all the pennies were donating! haa)
They had community helper week at school. A police officer came to talk to the kids. Zan came home singing a chant they learned called "SAY NO! DON'T TOUCH! TELL AN ADULT!" for gun safety. And he got a coloring book on helmet safety. He was also wearing a little police hat they made at school, when I walked in I said "Don't arrest me Officer Morrison!"
Yesterday he was wearing a little doctor headband/reflector thingy and said he was a veterinarian because he wanted to take care of animals and went on and on explaining "Remember our cat Munky? He was Hex's brother, he died. So I'm going to be a veterinarian so I can take care of animals." awwww, he's so sweet.
The end of the school year is coming up :( and they do a water play party for the last day so they raise money for water bouncy and pizza with a change drive. Zander was excited to put about $2 in change in Monday morning. Tonight I got out a container of pennies and we lined them up in columns of 10 and counted by tens. He totally got it! Then we did counted by twos and wiped the pennies into the baggy and did math along the way like "We have 40 cents in the bag, how much is still here?" and he'd look down and count the columns and yell "60!". And so on. I have a ton of pennies so we'll keep working on this and counting by twos, fives and tens. So cute and easy way to work real math into our day. :-) (School is going to be so happy about all the pennies were donating! haa)
Monday, April 20, 2009
Picture Update
April 4 - Madison had her 5th birthday party (her birthday is 3/31). It was High School Musical themed.
me and my awesome boy.
Zander, Marli and Madi
April 5 - our 12 year anniversary. We didn't do anything because my mom was in the hospital. We've been married for 12 years and together for 17. It gets kinda crazy to think you realize you have been with someone for longer than you were without them. :-) I wouldn't have it any other way.
We went to a playgroup birthday party at the Maricopa Steamers park, it's actually very close to my house and I've never been there before.
Cy, Zander and Chloe
Same kids and Stephanie.
We colored eggs and had an egg hunt at Becky's house.
Chase, Sophie and Zander
April 11 - Zander got "Student of the Month" (I think this is a terrible idea for preschoolers. None the less, he got it so we celebrated. He got a reading award the week before and was disappointed that we weren't there. So the teachers told us he was getting Student of the Month and Doug and I left work early to get there.)
Zander running back from getting his medal. Nice tongue! ha
He was SO excited!
I dropped Zander off at my sisters because she was taking the kids to my parents house.
Zander is getting TALL. He is 45 inches and around 47 pounds.
That night we had MVHS class of 93 mini reunion at O'Connors!
Jennifer, Becky and Me
Squishy faces
Jennifer, Becky, Me, Kerri
Me, Kathy, Tricia, Kerri, Jennifer
It was fun. Weird, but fun. We had about 40 people there.
My parents had Zander spend the night so we could go out. They had all the grandkids over for egg coloring.
awww, baby Claire is getting so big!
Zander takes egg coloring very serious and insisted on a paintbrush so my mom got the kids watercolors.
April 6 - Got Zander from my parents. He stayed in his jammies all day, his request. When we came home he colored even more Easter eggs! He loves painting.
The Easter Bunny brought a pail of goodies - no candy! Goodness they get enough candy at school (the had an egg hunt on Friday at school)
Hulk Underoos!, it rained so we did the egg hunt out front in the rocks.
April 9 - Zander had a kindergarten evaluation at charter school choice #3. I like that they do their evaluations in April rather than June like the other schools. Here's how it went:
She took him in the school library while I waited in the lobby, after they were done she showed me the packet she used.
-One page had upper and lower case letters out of order to identify
-She showed him numbers one through 10 to identify
-She had him draw a square, rectangle, triangle and circle, there was an example above where the space where he drew his.
-She had him cut on a straight line with scissors.
-She showed him a picture of some people at a campfire roasting marshmallows and asked him to make up a story about the scene.
-She had him draw a person.
It's funny, the teacher asked Zan for our phone number and he said "I don't have one." lol. But had she asked for my Doug's or my cell phone numbers he would have known both! He doesn't always remember our address but she didn't ask that. She did ask for his name, mom & dad's names, and his birthday and age. Which he knew then she showed me the form to verify.
I was surprised he didn't have to write his name or identifying colors. He got 100% and the "ready for kindergarten" stamp of approval. The front page of the packet had a check off list of things they suggest parents work on with kids that need it. She said "Well, I'll give you this but I can't suggest anything for you to work on with him. He's going to do great, he's the first child to get 100%!" Then she took him and introduced him to the principal because she was so impressed with him!
We more than likely won't end up at this school. The district we live in announced they will have free all day kindergarten so that means the charters won't get bombarded if they had it and the district didn't. He won't get evaluated until June for his school (where I want him to stay) but at least I know he will do well when he does. I actually met the registrar for Zan's school on Saturday at the spring carnival and she said it shouldn't be a problem getting him in. They hope to have enough kindergartners for 4 classes but he should be fine.
I've decided I should stop saying he's starting kindergarten early even though he may be by district standards. The charters have different cut offs because they allow for kids that are ready for kindergarten to start when they are ready, regardless of their age on August 31st(the districts cut offs). I know Zander is totally ready. His teachers say his ready and if he gets evaluated from the school and they say he's ready. HE'S READY. Not starting early, starting on time. I completely feel holding him out of kindergarten would be a waste of time. He would be totally unchallenged if he repeated pre-k.
April 14 - I went and saw Cold at the Clubhouse. It was good. I love that band.
me and my awesome boy.
Zander, Marli and Madi
April 5 - our 12 year anniversary. We didn't do anything because my mom was in the hospital. We've been married for 12 years and together for 17. It gets kinda crazy to think you realize you have been with someone for longer than you were without them. :-) I wouldn't have it any other way.
We went to a playgroup birthday party at the Maricopa Steamers park, it's actually very close to my house and I've never been there before.
Cy, Zander and Chloe
Same kids and Stephanie.
We colored eggs and had an egg hunt at Becky's house.
Chase, Sophie and Zander
April 11 - Zander got "Student of the Month" (I think this is a terrible idea for preschoolers. None the less, he got it so we celebrated. He got a reading award the week before and was disappointed that we weren't there. So the teachers told us he was getting Student of the Month and Doug and I left work early to get there.)
Zander running back from getting his medal. Nice tongue! ha
He was SO excited!
I dropped Zander off at my sisters because she was taking the kids to my parents house.
Zander is getting TALL. He is 45 inches and around 47 pounds.
That night we had MVHS class of 93 mini reunion at O'Connors!
Jennifer, Becky and Me
Squishy faces
Jennifer, Becky, Me, Kerri
Me, Kathy, Tricia, Kerri, Jennifer
It was fun. Weird, but fun. We had about 40 people there.
My parents had Zander spend the night so we could go out. They had all the grandkids over for egg coloring.
awww, baby Claire is getting so big!
Zander takes egg coloring very serious and insisted on a paintbrush so my mom got the kids watercolors.
April 6 - Got Zander from my parents. He stayed in his jammies all day, his request. When we came home he colored even more Easter eggs! He loves painting.
The Easter Bunny brought a pail of goodies - no candy! Goodness they get enough candy at school (the had an egg hunt on Friday at school)
Hulk Underoos!, it rained so we did the egg hunt out front in the rocks.
April 9 - Zander had a kindergarten evaluation at charter school choice #3. I like that they do their evaluations in April rather than June like the other schools. Here's how it went:
She took him in the school library while I waited in the lobby, after they were done she showed me the packet she used.
-One page had upper and lower case letters out of order to identify
-She showed him numbers one through 10 to identify
-She had him draw a square, rectangle, triangle and circle, there was an example above where the space where he drew his.
-She had him cut on a straight line with scissors.
-She showed him a picture of some people at a campfire roasting marshmallows and asked him to make up a story about the scene.
-She had him draw a person.
It's funny, the teacher asked Zan for our phone number and he said "I don't have one." lol. But had she asked for my Doug's or my cell phone numbers he would have known both! He doesn't always remember our address but she didn't ask that. She did ask for his name, mom & dad's names, and his birthday and age. Which he knew then she showed me the form to verify.
I was surprised he didn't have to write his name or identifying colors. He got 100% and the "ready for kindergarten" stamp of approval. The front page of the packet had a check off list of things they suggest parents work on with kids that need it. She said "Well, I'll give you this but I can't suggest anything for you to work on with him. He's going to do great, he's the first child to get 100%!" Then she took him and introduced him to the principal because she was so impressed with him!
We more than likely won't end up at this school. The district we live in announced they will have free all day kindergarten so that means the charters won't get bombarded if they had it and the district didn't. He won't get evaluated until June for his school (where I want him to stay) but at least I know he will do well when he does. I actually met the registrar for Zan's school on Saturday at the spring carnival and she said it shouldn't be a problem getting him in. They hope to have enough kindergartners for 4 classes but he should be fine.
I've decided I should stop saying he's starting kindergarten early even though he may be by district standards. The charters have different cut offs because they allow for kids that are ready for kindergarten to start when they are ready, regardless of their age on August 31st(the districts cut offs). I know Zander is totally ready. His teachers say his ready and if he gets evaluated from the school and they say he's ready. HE'S READY. Not starting early, starting on time. I completely feel holding him out of kindergarten would be a waste of time. He would be totally unchallenged if he repeated pre-k.
April 14 - I went and saw Cold at the Clubhouse. It was good. I love that band.
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