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It became a tradition?!?!

Last year, I wanted the kids to be able to create something on Thanksgiving day... I needed them to have something to do... thus, apple turkey's appeared.

This year, I hadn't planned on making them again, but Baby Girl reminded me, so I bought the gum drops at the store (just in case). Sure enough, on Thanksgiving morning the kids asked to make apple turkey's. Luckily, we had three old apples in the refrigerator. The Tablescape by Baby Girl
(learned from Sandra Lee) Baby Girl decided to set the Thanksgiving table by herself this year. One of the things she and I enjoy together is watching cooking and decorating shows on early Sunday mornings. She has a keen eye and wicked sense... thus her table. (I forgot to take a final picture after she had added the apple turkey's.)

Place mats

Napkins tied with sparkly gold ribbon (the boys ended up with glitter in their eyes... too funny!)

Tall candles

REAL glasses!

Place cards for everyone -- She wrote their names on the front and inside wrote "Happy Thanksgiving love E_ _ _" If you've seen a six year write and run out of room, then you will get a chuckle out of this...

Replica of Daddy's card:

E_ _ _




(She started by writing thanks, but then ran out of room so continued the word above...)

They boys (without being prompted) wrote on the other side of their card what they are thankful for...

Pepe: The three f's -- food, football and family

Phinneous: My family
Will this be the next tradition?
2 of my 3 children do not like pie. It is a sad, but truthful fact. So, I decided to make sugar cookies, because they like those. I bought new cookie cutters while at IKEA (love that store) that are the shapes of forest animals... too cute. And I cheated a bit with the cookie dough... Baby Girl's daycare had a fundraiser and sold cookie dough... thus, I bought a tub to sugar cookie dough. Let me tell you... it was a great way to make cookies on a busy day! Tradition lives because young people come along who catch its romance

and add new glories to it.

(Michael Novak)

Posted by Mama Voss at 9:31 AM 2 comments: Links to this post Labels: Life with 3, Thanksgiving



Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving day.

I find myself thinking today about all of the people I've lost recently... I'm not sure why.

I'm so glad that I've had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful families through my education, teaching and my children. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful people surround me.

This is a day I give thanks to the many blessings that I have. My husband is an amazing man, my children make me proud every day, my friends stand by my side even when I don't have much to offer, I work with incredible ladies and I've had the opportunity to torture myself in graduate school... my life is full and I love it.
Posted by Mama Voss at 8:24 AM No comments: Links to this post Labels: life, thoughts


Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk!

just laugh!

How many times have I told my kids not to cry over trivial things, yet, then I turn around and get to frustrated with something so trivial... like spilled milk.

Well, today it was my turn. I had my favorite green St*rbucks coffee mug filled with coffee. (I received my green mug my first year teaching, from a student. It's been through classrooms, teacher lounges, car rides, etc... goodbye green mug. I will miss you.) I had taken one sip when baby girl asked me to help her with her breakfast. I set my cup down on the table, poured a gourmet bowl of cold cereal (trying to make myself sound like a better mama) and turned and picked up my cup... all of the sudden it just slipped out of my hand.... CRASH!

I looked down to see my cup destroyed and a HUGE puddle of coffee all over the hardwood floors. I looked up at Joe... who had watched the whole episode and just started laughing. What could I do... I dropped my cup, I made the huge mess and it was up to me to handle it responsibly. I cleaned up the mess, got down a new cup and poured another cup.

What a morning!
Posted by Mama Voss at 12:15 PM No comments: Links to this post Labels: life, teacher life, thoughts

 It was an interesting week last week... all three kids were sick; 2 with strep, 1 with ear infection and a high fever and then passed out... twice! They are all doing better, but will probably cough for the next month... yuck!

We have soap, we have hand sanitizer, we are getting sleep, we are exercising/getting fresh air, we are eating mostly healthy and yet now, Daddy is sick. Oh, boy...

I am good... I don't have time to go down. My class ends Nov. 30th and I am sooooo ready for a break. I was just telling my sister that most of my life has stayed intact, but there are areas that really need a hand... and then I found a check she wrote me in MARCH, yes MARCH. We laughed and laughed. I so appreciate all of my friends who have helped me to keep my perspective or have at least humored my moods and tantrums during my adventure in graduate school. I just registered for my next three classes for Spring semester (spring semester begins in Jan... weird). I am definitely on the down-hill slide with an uphill climb ahead of me.

So, we are doing more hanging out around here. Enjoying each other and trying not to cough or breath on one another.

Posted by Mama Voss at 10:28 AM 1 comment: Links to this post Labels: life, Life with 3, thoughts


Strawberry Shortcake

Anyone else love Strawberry Shortcake as a kid? I went through a phase. Baby Girl isn't really into it, but she does have the card game... the characters are so cute! We found a cute site with pictures to print and color.

So, on this very rain and cold day (with no school for baby girl) we will be coloring and playing cards... Strawberry Shortcake style!
Posted by Mama Voss at 9:42 AM 1 comment: Links to this post 

Self Portraits

During nutrition week (where we talk about good food for our bodies as well as how we feel about ourselves), we made self portraits. I wanted something hands-on and reusable. I'm sure I saw this idea somewhere on the www and I loved it. The kids did too! I put out many different shapes of pasta for the kids to use to create themselves. They loved using the egg noodles for curly hair and long spaghetti for long hair. Easy to prep and fun to do!
Posted by Mama Voss at 7:17 AM 1 comment: Links to this post Labels: teacher life


Tie Dying with PreK kids

For the second year, to celebrate Rainbow week, I have tie dyed shirts with my preK kids. It is a lot of fun and makes the parents nervous every year. They kind of give me a funny look -- tie dye... with kids?!?!??!

Funny enough, the process doesn't stress me out. I like to be in control (stop laughing), so I keep the process simple.

1. All children bring a cotton shirt from home (new or used, doesn't matter). Make sure everyone's shirt is labeled with their name in permanent ink.

2. The night before we tie dye, I bring all of the shirts home and twist and rubberband them (note... next year I should do this the day before in class with the kids. I think they can handle it.)

3. The morning of tie dyeing mix up all tie dye. I mix up three colors: red, yellow and blue. I like to use the die in squeeze bottles. Fill up tub to soak shirts.

4. Students come to the tie dye table one at a time. They wear an apron! They place their shirt on their tray and we talk about getting color all over their shirt. (Shirts should be in a ball, so that the ink can run through them, but so that the dye soaks into the shirt. I don't like the die running all of the tray... it makes a mess and is wasteful.)

I love to watch their faces when the see the colors mix together to make orange, green and purple. It is a real aha moment! 5. Place each child's shirt in a ziploc bag and seal. Let them sit.

6. When I finally get home (it always seems like I pick the busiest day to do this project. This year we had soccer practice, soccer party and the church carnival) I rinse out each shirt individually. I then run them through my washing machine on a quick cycle -- no soap -- and dry them. It is like opening a gift with each shirt I rinse. I love to lay them out and see all of the different designs. 7. I like to give my students their shirts the next day... they are so excited to receive them. We have a Noah's Ark party (instead of Halloween party) and I give them their shirts at the end of our reenactment of the story of Noah. Many children choose to put their shirts on and some give their away to their sister. All scenarios are acceptable. It is so much fun to see them wear their shirts to school throughout the year.

I can't find the pictures of the final shirts... I know I have them... I think I have to get on my other computer... They'll be here soon...
Posted by Mama Voss at 9:41 AM 1 comment: Links to this post 

shhhh :: Don't Tell

It's Friday morning and my Friday's are always planned for me. I am either
a) in Baby' Girls Kindergarten class (they meet every-other Friday) or
b) I'm in my own classroom prepping for the upcoming weeks.

Today was suppose to be a Kindergarten day, however, Pepe is home with an ear infection. He's been on meds for over 24 hours, but is still experiencing pain. (Or he's doing a really good job pulling one over on me.)

So, now I've canceled the Kindergarten morning and I'm just at home. I feel like I'm hiding... sneaking from someone or something. I'm going to "pretend" like I am in Kindergarten and work on my action research proposal. I've not had a chance to work on it all week and I need to have the rough draft finished NOW. (I've found that I am so exhausted in the evenings, that I'm no prodcutive in this class at all. I have to save my work for day-time hours -- which I don't have many of.)

So, between my proposal and laundry (thought I'd go ahead and get a weekend jump on it), I will be busy for the next few hours.

Posted by Mama Voss at 9:09 AM No comments: Links to this post Labels: life, living simply I check these blogs regularly...