Why yes, this is a typical morning...

Lazy Tuesday Afternoon

Rubie and I were hanging out in the yard yesterday afternoon (notice that I am still working on the bws - any improvement?)...



I don't know if you can read the title of this book, but I swear to you, she chose it at the library earlier in the day, and then she chattered away as she read it to herself on the patio. It is so fitting...


I took these in Claremont on Saturday. Just throwing in a little bit of color for the haters.

3 year old cutie

Ock Obama

Lately, Rubie has been obsessed with "Ock Obama." She knows quite a bit about him, which surprises me (though we do watch a lot of CNN). She knows that he lives in the White House, and that he is the president. She also knows that he has 2 daughters, "Shasha" and "Balia." The other day, she told me that he was, "a good man."

Still in my black and white period. Do these have noses? I am trying to get better...

Zap

Before we talk about Zap, let's talk about the fact that it is 3ish in the afternoon, and Rubie's hair still looks like this...


Now, onto Zap. Zap is a game we play. It is a perfect game for a rainy afternoon. I thought I would write about it here to share it with all my friends with small children. I use it in my classroom all the time. Here is how you play - 1. write each letter on a tongue depressor, and put them in a cup. Thanks, Telemundo for the cup (you have cups like these when your husband is a soccer fan). Then on 5 more tongue depressors, write Zap.

Then, the first player (that's me, of course), pulls a stick out of the cup. If they can read the letter (turns out, I can), they get to keep it. If they can't read it, it goes back into the cup...

Now, it's Rubie's turn...

If you pull the Zap stick, you have to put all of your sticks back into the cup and start over (sniff). This game is never ending - which is good so that you can practice letters over and over.

Rubie really likes this game...

Apparently, she has been watching Saturday Night Live...

Because the game is never ending, our game usually ends when Rubie starts doing things like this...

Zap can be used with any concept- letters, sounds, sight words, math facts, etc.

I'm beginning to think that buying this shirt was a mistake - or at least false advertising...

Happy Valentine's Day

Odds and Ends

Rubie is now drawing actual pictures with faces. They are blob like creatures with no bodies - anyone that has taught kindergarten is familiar with these creatures...

For Rubie's birthday, she received a sock puppet making kit. We finally broke down and put a few together. I made the cow, and Ramon made the dinosaur (with Rubie's "help" of course)...





This picture is here to show just how spoiled our dog is. Not only does she sleep in bed, under the covers every night, she also has to stick her snoot out so that she is perfectly comfortable...

um...thanks, Rubie

please excuse the cell phone quality.

Shoes

Here is an interesting fact about Ramon: He has worn the same type of shoe since before I met him. He owns 2-3 pairs of the same shoe, and he has a system. The newest pair is for fancy occasions - going out, etc. The next cleanest pair is for everyday use, and the oldest pair is reserved for yard work, etc. It must be a family thing, his brother wears the same ones. Yesterday, Rubie got her first pair (Don't worry, she will wear other shoes as well)...

Happy 10th Birthday, Cousin Brandon

Black and White Strike Again

Rubie put on this hat today. She loves to play in hats. Miley and Irelyn are not fans of this hat, they cry and cry when I put it on them to take their picture. I thought I would try my luck with Rubie. Still working on the black and white. I don't have it quite right, yet.


You know how I know that it's not quite right? Look carefully at her nose. Wait, there isn't one - only nose holes, no nose...

Even Henry likes to get in on the black and white...

Gramma and Henry

Gramma and Henry came over to play the other day...




Here, I am attempting to get a picture of the three of them...

Please note Rubie's body language. Sharing is not one of her stengths...