Preschool Learning

For Preschool last week Matthew learned about farm animals on Tuesday. They even got to pretend like they were milking a cow. It was such a cute idea, Teacher Allison put milk in glove and had whole poked in the bottom of the fingers. When the kids squeezed the hand and fingers milk came out and they put it in a bucket. It was so fun for them. Then on Thursday for a field trip we went to the Washington County Fair to see many of the animals we had just talked about. It was lots of fun. In the petting zoo they had 2 piglets which were so cute, goats, kids, a calf, a deer, a camel, a donkey, a deer, walabees and chickens.

Then the kids got to play on big trackers which kept them entertained for quite awhile.
We also got to see big pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, turkeys, and bunnies.

Matthew's Preschool Class

Love My Kids

Sad News

This afternoon I received some sad news from my home town. The High School that I went to burnt down. I can't believe it and I am still completely in shock. Apparently a passerby saw the school on fire and called 9-1-1 at around 2am this morning. Since the community is so small the fire department is all made up of volunteers. Once the call was made the firemen and women still had to drive to the fire station to get a truck and then drive to the school. It didn't actually get put out until about 10am and then there were still hot spots inside. How devastating! The worse part about the whole story is that they believe it was started by arsons - 4 of them. I think about all that was in the building like student's and teacher's personal belongings, then I think of all the sports shoes and equipment that was in there, and then all the trophies, State Championship pictures (including my sister, Heather's and brother, Chad's) and awards and then I think about all the pictures of the alumni that were hung so proudly in the hall. There were a few trophies that were salvaged but I am just devastated. I have been graduated for 7 years now and living so far away but it hurts just the same. There were so many memories made there that I will never get to show my children where I played all my many basketball and volleyball games, where my locker was, the library, and the classrooms. I can't believe everything that is gone like, desks, computers, books in the library, science equipment, all the school books, all the office equipment, all the counselor's (Mr. Koenig) information on colleges, all the papers, everything that was in the home ec. room (sewing machines, washers, dryers, ovens, microwaves, and cooking utensils) there was nice concession stand in the building, all the P.E. equipment, all the pictures of my Volleyball coaches - teams and senior each year, all the equipment for any sports whether it be basketball, volleyball, football, and track and all the band equipment. It is just making me sick to think of everything that was lost and that it will never be the same again. I think one of the hardest things to see besides the high school in flames is seeing my old Volleyball coach - whom I still keep in contact with just balling. There were a couple pictures of her crying and it was hard to look at. I am sad to think of everything the students, teachers and staff have to go through to pull out of this and try to get things back to normal if that will ever be possible. The high school has about 230 enrolled so it is not huge but it affects the whole community and even the whole state as Huntley Project is well known for its excellence in sports and academics. 4 people were arrested in connection to this but only one was over 19 and will be tried. One 16 year old is going to juvenile detention and the other two got released into their parent's care. I can't believe stupid kids thought this would be a good idea. It has and will affect so many people it is amazing. This is the only school I ever went to so it is the only thing I know. Very sad for alumni and current students and staff.
Good Luck to the Huntley Project Red Devils!!!!!

Baby Allison

My friend Amy gave me this absolutely adorable dress and it even has shoes to go with it. I love the dress and I have been so excited to go to church today because I was planning on Allison wearing it for her grand entrance at church since we hadn't taken her yet. Since we had Hurricane Ike this weekend we have evacuees staying at our church so we only had Sacrament. Normally, I would be happy about that but I wanted to show off my little girl. She looked so pretty in her dress but I think she still needs to grow into it. I am sure I will have her wear it again soon since I don't have many dresses and then she will get to wear it all three hours. The shoes are 0-9 months shoes so they fell off a lot. This morning when I was getting her dressed, I felt like a little girl again playing dress-up with my dolls. It was kind of a nostalgic moment, only this "doll" was harder to put clothes on then the ones I played with when I was little. I also have actually take care of this one. Anyways, it was lots of fun to put her very cute dress on her and take her to church. Thanks so much, Amy!!

I have constantly had the phrase "Don't Blink" in my head and I have really been trying to enjoy everything about my kids. I have really enjoyed holding little Allison and kissing those chubby cheeks. I am afraid she gets those chubby cheeks from me and they probably won't ever go away. Though she is still a newborn, she seems so much older to me because she holds her head up and she is gaining so much weight. All the more of her for me to love:)

My mom's middle name is Kay so Allison got named after my mom who I absolutely love so much. When my mom writes her name she just uses the letter K. The other day, Allison got a package from her great-grandmother and it was addressed to Baby Allison K. Thomas. I got choked up realizing that Allison really is named after my wonderful mom. But to actually see Allison's name in front of the K. it just made me realize how special her name is.

FYI - Allison turned 4 weeks old yesterday

Cute Kids

These are our ever so cute kids!!
Matthew is 28 Months Old
Allison is 4 Weeks Old

Don't Blink

Last week a friend of mine that moved away sent me the address to her blog and I got to catch up with their family reading it. The title of their blog is Don't Blink. She is such a great writer but the thing that stuck out to me the most on her blog is how much she tries to enjoy every minute with her children and watching them grow up and snapping lots of pictures of them. Of course every mom has their hard times but even when she has her really hard days with her children she looks back on the day and through all the "no's" and "don't do thats" and "stop thats" she remembers the cute things they did do that day and reflects on them. I have been trying to enjoy the moments with me children more since reading her blog. Rebecca, you are inspiring!!! So I am going to try to enjoy the moments more, good and bad, and try to not be so negative about my children. However, my loyal readers will know that will be a VERY daunting task for me.
As I have been trying to remember not to blink, I remember a couple days ago Matthew was playing with his Lightning McQueen car on the coffee table. McQueen fell off and so he started giving McQueen lots of kisses all over so it wouldn't be hurt anymore. I thought it was cute.
Two nights ago Matthew woke up three times, which is extremely unusual for him and when I went in there he didn't want the train to get him. I don't know why he thinks a train is going to get him because he loves trains. Poor little guy. Too bad I don't know exactly what his dreams were. I love him just the same though. He is so cute.
Allison was so sleepy when Chris fed her and just let her body dangle, but when the red light came on before the flash her little eyes open. Chris thinks I am the meanest mom to want to get so many pictures when she is sleeping because I have to use the flash to get it to focus. I just keep telling him that she may not like it much now but she will thank me later in life when she has a cute scrapbook with lots of pictures in it.

I just had to get a picture of her in this cute outfit.

Matthew loves to look at his little sister. He does this a lot whether she is on the floor, in her swing or in her bassinet.

My friend told me to remember to get pictures of me and the kids instead of always just with Chris and the kids, which is easier said then done. For one, I love pictures and I want lots and look for picture opportunities, but I have to convince Chris to take a picture of me if I want one taken of me. The second reason is because he hates taking pictures of Allison when she is sleeping because of the flash so he thinks it is cruel punishment for the little girl. I have to really talk him into it.
However, here are some of my kids and I!!

Sidenote: Allison is growing. I said last Tuesday she weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. This Tuesday she got weighed again and she now weighs 9 lbs 4 oz. However, she isn't growing up at all just out. She is still 21 in. long. I thought that she was about 9 lbs now and I was right.

Preschool

Matthew's Preschool Class

I don't think it is possible to get a picture with all the kids looking but this was the best picture of Matthew so it won for my blog.

Matthew started preschool! Can you believe it? Yeah, me neither. Four of my friends and I decided to start a little preschool for our 2-3 year olds. I thought it was a great idea at first but then the closer it got to "school" starting I decided that Matthew wasn't old enough to go and not be a bother. However, with all his friends going and things have worked out better with my recovery from the c-section I decided that I would take him and see how he did. I was surprised how well all the kids did. I think I am an over-baring parent and I want Matthew to do everything exactly right at the age of two. He did need reminders to sit down and wait his turn but over all I think he did ok. I was impressed with everything they did. They got to make necklaces with fruit loops and little people and they got to trace their bodies on paper and they also made popsicle stick picture frames, along with calendar time, which included weather, numbers, days of the week and much more. Chris was impressed with everything that he did there. I think it will be good for Matthew to go and learn, have fun and be with his friends a couple times a week.

Sorry, this picture is a little fuzzy. I didn't realize it until I posted it. I wish I got a better picture but I didn't. I will have to take another picture with him wearing his backpack later.

Wearing his necklace he made and holding the picture frame he made.

Allison's 2 Week Measurements

I took Allison in for her 2 week check-up and I got her measurements. As of September 2, 2008 she weighs 8 pounds 3 ounces and is 21 inches long.
At two weeks they are suppose to get back to their birth weight. She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces when she was born and was 21 inches long, but when we brought her home from the hospital she was 6 pounds 15 ounces. When we took her in for her 2 day check-up from getting released from the hospital she weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce.
She is growing healthy and strong but she is also reminding us how difficult and time consuming newborns are. We are definitely realizing that we are not designed to be parents of many children. She is a sweet little girl but she does still cry and doesn't sleep which makes for long days and nights. We are still trying to adjust to dealing with two children at the same time. Luckily Chris has been home a lot more then he normally is during a semester and is able to take one while I take the other.

I love that she was just laying on her daddy. However, she doesn't have him wrapped around his finger yet.

This is the only way Chris can get her to burp. I think it is so cute because she is so little. However, she holds her head up quite well for being so young and sometimes it drives Chris crazy because she won't just relax and it makes me just laugh.
Chris always did this with Matthew also when he was trying to get him to burp but I unfortunately never got a picture so I wanted to make sure I got a picture with this one.