Two Firsts

This afternoon we had a first for each of the kids.

Today I had an inservice at my new little pre-school job on Handwriting Without Tears. It's a really great curriculum on teaching children to write. I'll spare you all that I learned, but something I found really interesting was the developmental progression for children. Around three years children start by drawing a vertical line, then a horizontal line, then a circle, then a cross, then a square, and finally a triangle.

When Aidan and I were in the playroom before Allison made it home I asked him to draw with me. He was able to do the first three just fine. He then drew a T for a cross. He said, "I don't do that. I draw circles." After drawing many circles I became curious if he could draw himself. (The progression in how children draw people was something else we discussed.) He drew his very first self-portrait for me, and he was SO proud. Here is how Aidan draws Aidan today.

I was pretty impressed! I went over the face in green again because he decided to draw all over it afterwards. The large downward pointed thing to the right of the mouth and between the eyes is his nose. He said the mouth was open and smiling. He told me what he was drawing as he drew it. So cute.

On to Allison...

Yesterday while I was volunteering in the library removing barcodes from old books I noticed so many Junie B. Jones books. I started to flip through a few, and they looked like they were on Allison's reading level. I talked to the librarian about them for a while and decided I would try to read one with Allison at night. She could read a page, I could read a page.

Aidan and I went and bought Junie B, First Grader (at last!) today, and tonight we started. Allison was very tired and a little reluctant to read her pages at first. She really whined through the first two. Then, as she started to get into the story she was all about it. She didn't want to stop after the first chapter. Allison has officially started reading her first chapter book! I'm so proud of her.

I'm a First Grader!

We heard these words many times this morning. When she woke up, while she was brushing her teeth, while I was fixing her hair, in the car on the way to school... She was very excited this morning. She picked out her outfit last night and was ready to go.

In the kitchen before breakfast

Just before entering her classroom

At her desk ready to work

Already busy as I left

The McAfee Family Wins Big

Last night we went to bingo at the club again. Last time we did not win a single game. This time we took Christina with us, and boy was she our lucky charm! Poor Christina didn't win any prizes, so we'll have to take her again.

When we first walked in Allison and Aidan headed over to the prize table and picked out the toys they wanted to try to win. Aidan went nuts for an RC helicopter, and Allison had her eye on a Barbie guitar and friendship bracelet kit. I bought them each two extra cards for those games.

The serious bingo playing began after dinner. These two are just ridiculous. So serious and competitive. It's bingo people.

The first winner of the night was Aidan. He won on a round where the prizes were a light up game thing for the kids and a one hour golf lesson with the pro for the adults. When you win a game, you get both prizes. Unless, as in Aidan's case, there are two winners. The sweet twelve year old girl that won with him said she would take the golf lesson so that Aidan could have the toy. Well, Tyler wanted the golf lesson. So, we talked Aidan into letting Tyler have the golf lesson if Daddy bought him a toy the next day. Next thing we knew that sweet girl was back at the prize table trading in her golf lesson for the light up thing.

The friendship bracelet game came up, and none of us won. Allison was a little bummed, but she was ready for her Barbie guitar round. When it came up, once again we didn't win. She was really strong about it, but I could see tears forming in her eyes. Just a few, only I could see them. As I was talking to her about bingo and how it's completely by chance, another sweet girl (the one Aidan took a million pictures of our first time at bingo) came over and asked Allison if she would like the guitar. Allison was thrilled. That sweet girl went on to win two more times! Karma in action.

Allison and Christina after the big Barbie guitar moment.

Every few games they call out door prize numbers. Each family is given two door prize tickets. Immediately following the Barbie guitar gift our door prize number is called. The prize - a golf lesson with the pro. Tyler now had two!

The RC helicopter round was third to last. Aidan was so excited, and the three adults were just wishing and hoping it would work out since his Daddy made him trade in his first ever win for a golf lesson. Allison had the luck this time, and when that last number was called we all screamed. I'm sure we looked like complete idiots. She took Aidan up there with her and let him take the helicopter. The adult prize was some sort of surround sound stereo thing you can hang on your wall for your TV. We haven't quite figured it out, but it looks cool.

So, here we are last night with our loot. We added it up, and it totals around $500. Sorry for the long story, but it was a little unbelievable. They might not let us go back to bingo.

Last night Allison and Aidan took turns playing the guitar and dancing.

Then someone else got in on the action.

First thing this morning Aidan was up and holding his helicopter. This is a serious toy meant for ages 14 and up. He'll have to wait for Daddy to fly it. I don't know much about operating RC vehicles.

We'll have to have some serious discussions about how this bingo night was not normal before heading back, and I mean with the kids and Tyler. Haha! We did have blast. I think it is such a fun thing to do as a family regardless of the winning. I had so much fun the first time also.

Meet the Teacher Night

Tonight we headed to Pattison for Meet the Teacher. We have known for a while that we were getting Mrs. Tang. Allison is thrilled, I am thrilled, and Mrs. Tang is thrilled. We know her already as a parent. Her daughter, Allyson, was in KYF cheer with our Allison the first year. They are also in gymnastics and the Challenge program together.

On top of that, talk to any parent at Pattison, and they love Mrs. Tang. She has been a Kindergarten teacher for nine years there, and is now moving to first. She is highly educated, kind but firm, and an overall wonderful person. As soon as Allison found out she was in Mrs. Tang's class she screamed and ran around the house with pure joy. Just look at that smile! I think this is going to be an amazing year.

Finding a Happy Place

We have had quite a bit of arguing and fussing between Allison and Aidan lately. I think all of this togetherness is wearing on them. So, this morning when I asked Allison if she wanted to go to the pool, and she said she'd rather go to the Children's Museum, I was all for it. They love this place, and it had definitely been a while since we had visited. My membership expired in late June, but it was my lucky day. $15 off renewals plus free parking! Woo hoo! We spent three hours investigating, solving problems, building, and learning. This is a ton of pictures and I took them all on my phone. Sorry.

Allison spinning the probability wheel and learning to increase her chances of winning.

Aidan identifying and lighting up shapes.

Aidan building a Lego tool.

This was so cool! Allison took the PVC pieces on magnets and arranged them to make a ball run. It took her around ten minutes to get it just right, and she was so proud when she was successful.

Aidan taking the patient's blood pressure in the ambulance.

Aidan checking out his cake in the grocery store.

Allison making a picture out of shapes.

Of course he found the train-like table.

Allison checking the patient's heartbeat.

Allison building a boat to run through flow works.

Aidan hoarding the boats to run through flow works.

Allison adjusting a pipe system in flow works.

Aidan making waves.

One Last Trip Before School

This weekend we went to Concan for a quick trip before Allison starts school in a week. We did have some hectic moments, but overall everyone had fun.

Heading out of the driveway on Friday morning

Allison's fish she caught

Aidan playing in the river

Daddy and Allison rafting

Aidan making a great dominos move

Daddy and the kids after the river

On a different note, I am now 35. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I guess happy? 

Allison's on a Roll

Yesterday Allison moved up a level in tumbling also! She is so proud, and so are we!

Olympic Event #2 - Gymnastics

I know, I know. I put a ton of gymnastics pictures on here. It's only appropriate though since we spend so much of our time at Westwood.

Today was evaluations results day. At the end of class the kids get their evaluation sheets and walk on a make-shift podium out of gym mats. They all love it. This happens three times a year. I didn't realize they did it in the summer also, so we lucked out by starting back to gymnastics a month earlier than I had planned. My two really know how to beg.

Aidan's class is from 5:20 - 6:20, and Allison's is from 5:25 - 6:35. I'll start with Aidan since he had his podium moment first tonight.

Aidan showing off his paper on the podium

Aidan did not move up a level tonight. He hasn't moved up since he started actually. He's just now realizing this is a possibility. He said on the way home he is going try "real hard" to move up colors next time. I could care less. He loves going to gymnastics and has such a great time there. This first picture gives you a true look at Aidan while in gymnastics.

Making monkey sounds at a girl in class

Vaulting - He always starts his running off like this.

Forward roll 

Allison had a spectacular evaluation this time. I could tell over the last two weeks as they were going through the process she was really trying and seemed to be hitting all of the skills. I had told Tyler I thought she might move up to Comets, but I didn't want to say too much to her in case she didn't. Sure enough, she moved up. She has made it to the top level for her age group, which is Kinder and 1st grade together. And, she hasn't even started first grade! We are so proud of her!

Allison showing off her paper on the podium

Starting a hand stand

Springboard to Straddle Jump

A Little Motivation

(Side note - Aidan woke up this morning feeling great. I think he had a 24-hour bug. Fortunately he seems completely back to normal.)

One of the things I have come across more than once in my obsessive Disney planning is the idea of having your kids earn "Disney Bucks" leading up to the trip. This gives them their own spending money for the treasures we don't want to buy, and it will help my sanity out a little in the mean time.

When I started to try to figure out what would earn a buck I knew it needed to be small, obtainable, and fit within our budget. I had two separate lists at first, one for Allison and one for Aidan. As I was writing out the lists I realized many of my ideas matched for them. They can both help with dishes and laundry, even if the level of help will not be the same. It also gives them a feeling of team and solidarity. When they saw the chart they both became so excited and begged to help with the dishes. (Yes, I realize this is the newness factor at play.)

The deal is this: They have one week to complete each item on the chart once. On Sundays I will check the chart. They each receive one dollar for each smiley face to put in their piggy banks for the trip. We have sixteen weeks until our trip, so they could each potentially earn $80. They both have over $20 in their piggy banks now. The idea of $100 of her own spending money in Disney has Allison going crazy! I really hope she gets there.

Our Disney Bucks Chart

Putting Away Laundry

Receiving Smiley Faces for Laundry

I said, "Give me a thumbs up!"

As I was typing this Allison just called me up to her room to check it. That room has been a costume and Barbie disaster for three days. It is now quite beautiful. Aidan's is already clean because he prefers to destroy the play room. We all three already clean the play room together, so I'll just leave that alone. My main goal here is not that they do the chores, but that they play nicely together. They are pretty good about it, but we have definitely had some fighting and anger this summer. Too much togetherness I'm sure. Disney has this household excited, so hopefully the Disney Bucks system will be a winner. 

Unfortunate Interruption of Fun

So much for starting off our three weeks with a bang. Aidan has a fever and feels very lethargic.

He won't really eat, but he is drinking water. Hopefully this is short-lived.

Since we're stuck around the house Allison decided to make a calendar for the school year. She loves calendars and organization, just like Mommy. We put important school dates, birthdays, holidays, and of course the Disney trip on it. She is now coloring each page. Here she is working on September with Ariel on it in her mermaid costume. :)

Three More Weeks. What to Do?

We have three weeks left before Allison goes back to school and I start inservices at MDO. After much begging from both kids, we are back at gymnastics a month early plus tumbling for Allison. Along with her piano lessons, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings are booked. I'm sure we'll spend plenty of days at the pool, but I want to come up with some fun activities that are new or unusual for us.

This has been by far the best summer with the kids. I think it's mostly due to the fact that Aidan is now old enough to not need a stroller, diapers, etc. He and Allison play well together, and for the most part enjoy each others' company. Don't get me wrong, we've certainly had our share of arguing and hurt feelings. Fortunately it hasn't been all day every day. They will play Barbies, trains, watch movies, play outside, build with legos or blocks, play on the computer, etc.

I think we'll try to make it back to the beach one more time, and we are really trying to get to Concan in a couple of weeks. In the middle of all of this we are refinancing our house, which takes time on the phone, scanner, and email. Hopefully that will be complete later this week. It's just time-consuming.

Three More Weeks. Must come up with some fun things!

Stewart Beach

We could not go the entire summer without going to beach, so this morning Christina and I took the kids to Stewart Beach in Galveston. They had a great time building sand castles, boogie boarding, jumping waves, and chasing sea gulls. We really need to try to do this again before school starts.

Allison and Christina starting their sand castle.

Aidan adding feathers to his sand piles.

The first tower.

Aidan finding shells in the wet sand.