Pre-K

Can you believe it????  Zoe started Pre-K this week at the Rose Family Early Education Center.  She was so excited about going back to school that she asked everyday the week before.  These are a couple of pics before she headed out the door.

Because of Grant's napping schedule, Zoe is staying till 3:15 everyday but Friday.  They do a number of special projects with the kids that are focused on science, cooking, reading, and movement.  So far this week she has done really well with staying.  I do think she is a little confused about what time of the day it is when I pick her up!

All about Zoe

So like I mentioned, we started a marble jar for Zoe and it really has been a huge success.  The first couple of weeks I've been handing them out like candy, but will eventually phase them out for the real deal.  This last weekend we went to the zoo, and she decided to ride the carousal instead of walk all the way over to the elephants.  I think she really enjoyed it and earned a number of marbles while we were there.

Down to one nap

Grant will be 17 months old in 4 days!!!!  I can't believe that he is getting so old.  He has really grown into this fun little man that loves to play and love on everyone.  He has been such as easy kiddo compared to the Misses.  

Anyways, we decided since Zoe is about to be in school again, that maybe it was time for him to drop his morning nap.  I figured it would give he and me some time together and maybe we could get some stuff done that we typically do on the weekend.  To help him out, we have really tried to be out of the house in the morning so he can't start waving and taking himself upstairs.  Here we are at our park,

 and the good ole grocery store.

He has done really well, and is now taking a 3 hour nap instead of 2, hour and a half naps.  Can't complain about that.

Marble Jar

We took Zoe's pacifier's away and since have been battling with nap time.  I feel that she really still needs one, but she just doesn't.  So what we get in the end, is a little girl that at 530 is really cranky and a mommy who is at her wits end.  To solve this, I thought it would just take some time for her to adjust, and that we needed to reinforce her a lot when she was happy.  So reaching back to my first bachelors' degree, I came up with a reinforcing jar or a marble jar.  Every time she does something we ask or just does something out of the kindness of her heart, we give her a marble.  Once she hits the lower line of the jar, she gets a little something special, and once the jar is full, she gets something really big.

This first picture is of her reaching the first line and getting to go for a horse back rid at our local farm.

This next one is of her getting to go see the new Planes movie with one of her good friends because she filled the whole jar.

The jar really has been a success and has made the days a lot easier.  She now is doing lots of things without being asked and is going a long with the flow more easily.  She all in all is a happy kid, but loosing an hour and a half of sleep in the middle of the day just rocked her world.  This week she is working for an ice cream cone and a trip as a family to the Zoo!!!!

Honored

Morgan and Mark asked Todd and Me to be this little bundle of joy's God parents.  We couldn't have been more honored.  Chandler has proven to be a great little niece and we can't wait to influence her in a number of ways!!!
 

We traveled down to Arkansas to do the Baptism at our families church in Fayetteville.  This community has brought such love and support to all of our family, and I only hope that we can show this to Chandler.  

I really debated posting these just in case we don't get another great one before the holiday card needs to be done.  I thought, what if I don't get another one before then, but then I decided these two are too cute to withhold everyone of these pics.

Summer Camp

The last two summers we've sent Zoe to summer camp at her preschool.  It's not really an educational time as more time for her to develop some more social skills, and mommies break!!  Each session has different themes, and this last session was her favorite.  They learned about the Earth, and made this really cool, "jet pack!!"  She has had so much fun with it.

I thought it was a really cool and simple art idea to do with the kids.

Really

4th of July

Zoe's school holds a parade every year for the fourth of July.  Thinking back, we didn't do this last year, but I think it had to do with what days she was attending camp last summer.  This year, we went all out.  She and I went to the store and picked out some fun red, white, and blue things to decorate her bike.

She made this shirt with her favorite teacher, Ms. Jessica.

It really was a lot of fun to see all the kids get such joy out of something so simple.

Maine

Maine was a much needed vacation for this family. We have had a very busy year, and to get two weeks away felt like a dream. We didn't do a whole lot because we decided to just lay low this year.  These first couple of pics are of us just hanging on the shore by the house.

Morning love!!

This is the famous rock at the house that probably every visiting child has taken the plunge from.

Todd wanted to head into the Bar Harbor art fair, so we all got in the car and made a great afternoon of it.  Zoe and Frances had a great time playing in the fountain and then made their way over to the green.

After play time we did a little birthday celebration for Zoe so Frances and Chandler could give her their present.  We had some yummy pizza and then some ever more yummy ice cream!!  If you can't tell, Grant didn't like it at all......

This kid loves to give kisses

The next day, we went for a nice walk to Witch pond.  The girls did a good bit of running and playing with sticks.

Chandler just hung out!

After the Hayward/Upton crew left, Todd took Zoe to go and see Diver Ed.  He is a little interesting looking, but Zoe had a blast.  What it is, is a crew of folks take a boat out and describe the marine life and then he dives down and brings some up.

While he is under, he wears a camera so the kids can see what he is doing.  Todd said Zoe kept saying get that, get that.  She thought it was great, and learned a lot.

So we choose to do Cadillac Mountain on day that was a little foggy!!  Not the best pics, but the kids had a lot of fun for about 20 minutes.

Last but certainly not last, Jordan's Pond.  This was Grants first visit that he really got to enjoy.  Last year he was only 11 weeks old, so this year he dove right in....

popover....

and lucky for him, Zoe got hot chocolate

The last couple of days were pretty rainy so we gave in and let them watch a movie.  I think they watched Sleeping Beauty for the first time and Zoe didn't get scared.