Month: December 2019

That will be fun! We will deliver these to St. Vincents with the clothes and toys.

She feels like Santa delivering toys and games to the kids! Always good to give back.

You see, it’s what we do. Right when we get home from school or whatever we have after school, we get right to it.

How do you incentivize a child to HOP TO IT? Ideally, I’m creating a habit: WORK FIRST then PLAY. So, I have to make it F.U.N.

Today, she had 100 problems to complete. At the end of each row, I had a little treat waiting. I mean, wouldn’t you do math in exchange for marshmallows and M and M’s?

Go TOT! Sometimes, she’d finish a row and SAVE the marshmallow to combine it with the M and M for a more delightful combo.

Almost finished, Mommy!
TADA!

Ok, one more activity.

Tatum’s writing has been slowly getting better. It’s still not her best academic quality, but I see so much improvement since the summer!

She received a score today from her Christmas paragraph. I remember her doing this, and I did notice the challenge of words running together.

I even shared that when I type, it is completely subconscious to hit the Spacebar after each word. It is a habit now, but it wasn’t always. So, let’s build that habit!
I made a little rocket spacer.

This will make it fun to put a space after each word. Simply place the rocket after said word.

Now you try, Bumby.

And it works.

All these little tricks and tips make homework not only fun but we’re creating habits. This way, she is empowered for when I’m not with her. I mean, isn’t parenting about working ourselves out of a job?? 😞 But alas, in the meantime, I’ll be her biggest cheerleader, her hugest idea-giver, and her helpingest sidekick.

I LOVE YOU, TATIES!

We love giving to them because they do so much around the globe to help families.
Tonight, instead of Bibles, Tatum wanted to donate a ……

goat. This provides income for family, and she saw this as more useful to help a family in a time of need.

We send prayers to them in hopes for provision.

She is determined today!

Ed’s exact words.

Every morning, Cooper is AAAHHHHed by Daddy. He is truly riveted with the tasks Daddy has to do.

Case in point:
Ironing.

I know! It’s like a spectator sport! I think it’s how cute he looks in his white T-shirt, but Cooper hasn’t told me what makes him so enthralled.

It must be the hypnotic back and forth; back and forth.

Tatum also is thrilled by Daddy. One reason is because he gives her love notes. Here is the latest:

And she notices it !

She added to her gratitude card.

We love you so much honey! XXOO

We did not go to church today because Tatum needed to recover from her back pain (from Friday) and from her ear infection (from Saturday). We would just stay home and relax, well she would relax at least. (Ha!)

Hay Happens, our meeting, is tonight, so we would combine this activity with our meeting.

We would write out things we are grateful for among each other.

I filled out a card for Tatum and Daddy (as they filled out their respective cards)

We then read what we wrote. We have all week to add to them. The key is that we keep an eye out for those little things that we take for granted. Let’s celebrate all of those little things and make sure we say, “I NOTICED.”

I love you, family.

Day 1 was a bit sketchy because Tatum had a fall, and then came home from school. She carried over giving compliments even though she did not feel so hot. We also had Day 2 and Winter Wonder at SBC in store for the day.

Barely awake, she checked out the task for the day:

OOOOH! Draw a picture? Right up my alley, mom!

After a few errands, where she did give a few, “I like your shirt,” and “You look nice today,” we got to work. First, I wanted her to make Christmas tags for the bags of cookies for her teachers.

THEN,…. she picked a figure skater to draw.

Cooper of course watched, as usual, feeling ignored.

And VOILA! Mrs. Finnman, Tatum just adores you.

Cute!
Well, we headed to SBC’s show, and….

the Tot started to hurt. Her back…her ears. Oh no. I think she might be getting that ear infection.

Alas, she had a temperature when we got home, but how cool is GOD? That Monday, we had gone to urgent care, and they had filled an Rx already, so we already had antibiotics waiting for us.

Day 2 was another “off” day, but we made the best of it. Day 3, what will you be?