Saturday

Sheesh, what a busy day!  We had fun playing outside this morning, and then you got to see Jarik for a little bit before he had to go home.  Then you had naptime, and while you were sleeping peacefully, I was busy doing homework as usual.  Then Grandma and Grandpa Hildreth came to stay, and they brought Haley and Emmalee!  You were SO excited to see them all!  We went to Pizza Pie Cafe with them all, and had SO MUCH FUN being goofy with the girls.  Making shadow figures, teasing each other, talking about nothing important :)  Then we came home and you watched Emmalee go crazy with over-excitement!  I tried to get you to go to bed at your bedtime...but here it is...10:11 pm, this is your second time up, and you are now eating crackers and drinking juice because watching your "Judy Moody's not so bummer Summer" didn't work!!!  I think that's what it's called!

Anyways, this has been a wonderful day.  Getting to see grandparents is always fun, and adding some cousins adds to the excitement!

Love you bunches girly!  Especially when you are goofy as I walk in to get you at 10:00 in the evening and your laughing, giggling, and saying "HIIIIII!"

You're my everything.

Mommy

Friday :)

Friday was a pretty fun day!  Mommy had school, and then after that she went out with our friend Janica while you got to hang out with Daddy!  After that, later in the evening, we went over to hang out with Mysha and her girls, and Brad, went with Garon and Jarik to go shooting!  That evening, the girls had a girls night watching movies, while, after shooting, the guys had a guys night watching War Horse!!!  It was so much fun :)  

I'm so glad we have such friends, and you LOVE spending time with "Neena!"  You are just so excited to see them all the time, and they love you too.

It was a wonderful Friday :)  It couldn't have been any better!

Love you bunches girly.

Mommy

Wednesday the 26th, and Today

Wednesday was such a busy day Grace!!!  I had school so early, so I got you up for school, and we all left at 7:30!  You guys dropped me off at my class, and then you and Daddy got to hang out until your class started at 8:20.  You got out at 10:40, but I couldn't see you because I have school until 2:45.  Then Daddy came to pick me up, and I didn't have much time at home to see you because I went visiting teaching at 4 which ended up lasting until 5!  Then we went to Walmart, which last till about 6:45, and then we came home and Kailyn made vegetarian stir fry while I made bacon stir fry, we ate, Daddy gave you a bubble bath, and into bed you went!  Shew!!!  Today will be better though (Thursday) because my professor canceled our class for today.  So once you get out of preschool, I'll get to see you, feed you, hurry you to bed so you can get up and be rested in time for therapy at 2-3:30, and while you're at therapy, I'm going to be observing a middle schools PE class for one of my college courses.  And then I go get you, we head to DI because Mommy needs some slacks for an elementary aide class I'm taking, and then we'll head home for dinner!!  I'm going to make chicken noodle soup today.  Sounds yummy, huh?  And then probably a bike ride, because you love bike rides!  We might go by where a lot of our church members live because they always are out playing, and invited us to come anytime :)

A full day for us girly!

Love, 

Mommy

BYU-I Preschool First Day

09/26/2012

I am so excited about Grace's first day of preschool!  Of course I didn't get to be the one to take her, or get to observe her during class, but I'm glad Daddy got to take her.  He took her in the truck, and that was a disaster!  For preschool, they do a dropoff vehicle line and the teachers pick them up outside...well the line was out the driveway and down the street when he got there!  So he rode the bike to pick her up.  It took about 9 minutes, which is about the same amount of time with a vehicle (because of traffic, so many lights, college students crossing the streets at EVERY intersection!).  He got a paper from them that shows EXACTLY what they did in preschool!!!!  And they hand it out weekly, which I'm so excited about!  Here was what they did...

Ideas to Emphasize:

There are many parts of an apply: skin, flesh, seeds, core, stem, leaves.

Self-Selected Activities: 8:20-9:55

Creative Art Center: Apple Stamping and Finger Paint Apple Art

Manipulative/Math Activity: Feed the Horse, Pig and Cow

Writing Center: Writing Name with paint Bags

Science Center: Magnets

Sensory Table: Water Marbles and Funnels

Block Area: Red Wagons and Plastic People

Dramatic Play: Gardening

Alternatives
Creative Art center: Stamps

2nd: Melting Crayons

Rotating Snack: 9:00-9:55

String Cheese, pretzels, and juice

Outside: 9:20-9:55

Gross Motor: Apple Findings

2nd: Stilts

Cleanup: 9:55-10:00

Clean up Song

Transition 10:00-:10-05

"5 Little Apples Hanging in a Tree"

Small Focus Groups: 10:05-10:20

Book: The Apple Pie Tree By Zoe Hall

Book: 10 Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Suess

Activity: Discovering Apple Parts

Gathering Time: 10:20-10:40

Attention Getter: What part of the apple is missing?

Activity: Guessing Game

Hurray!!!  I get to see what they do even though I can't be there :)  And I'm really hoping they send artwork home for me to hang up!  

Amanda

Burton Preschool

Today was Grace's third day at Burton preschool, and I stayed to volunteer today.  She did ok, but since I was there she was more clingy, and cried a bit during circle time, so I am going to not volunteer anymore just so that she can get everything she possibly can out of class.  But it was so fun :)  She played in the water table with rubber dinosaurs, there were puzzles, blocks with rubber people, Mr. Potato Heads, the reading "house" and the kitchen center.  She had a great time!  We went to the gymnasium to play with hula hoops, balls, and scooters.  She couldn't do the scooter on her bottom, but when I had her lay on her tummy, she did great!  She did an army crawl on it all over.  I loved watching her play with her friends!  There was more playtime in the class for a while, and then circle time :)  They have two children sit in baskets because they need the comfort of a confined space to calm them, so that was interesting to see.  Grace didn't listen very well at this point.  I think it was because I was there, and a kid took a book from her and so she had her feelings hurt.  I loved that she wanted me of course, but I would also like to see her be independent!  But I know she does great because I hear about it because her teacher tells me so. 

All in all, a wonderful morning in preschool.  After that, we had grilled cheese and banana for lunch, but I had to rush off to school for an hour class.  She was napping by the time I got home, then went on a bikeride with Daddy once she woke up so I could get some homework done, and then we got to go to a friends house for a lasagna dinner and truffles for dessert!!!  YUMMY!

Now we are home, I am watching the season finale of Masterchef, and Little Miss is in bed.

That's all for today :)

Amanda

Orientation Day at BYU-I Preschool

Today was orientation day at the three days a week preschool on campus.  Mommy didn't get to go, but Daddy did and he had so much fun!  I had told him to make sure she was dressed up, but I should have known better!  He texted me during class and said, "PAINT!"  Oops!  Anyways, he said she went on the climbing structure and back down all by herself, painted, played with some other toys, and just had a really great time.  I will be able to observe her in this preschool class every Friday, and on Tuesday and Thursdays I will get to volunteer in her public preschool :)  So even though I miss some days, I still get to see some so I'm not as sad about missing out!  Right now it's 4:18 pm but she was SO cranky at therapy that I put her to bed.  I can hear her in there making monkey noises, and jumping in her bed!!  It's super late for a nap, but seeing how tired she was after school and therapy...it was necessary!

Now mommy needs to go take a nap!  A full day of school on 6 hours of sleep!

Amanda

Our Girl Saturday

Dear Grace, 

We had such a good day today!  We played around in bed this morning because we had no real reason to get up.  Daddy is in Montana again helping Grandpa put in an engine in the truck, so it's just us :)  Around 10 am we had pancakes with peanut butter and syrup, and you had THREE pancakes!!  While we were eating, we watched Tooth Fairy 2, and you loved the movie so much.  It was after 12 before we got into our day clothes!  We went for a walk, and then you went to bed for sure!  I did some homework while watching Master chef, and when I woke you up at 3:30 pm, I had us all packed and ready to go on a bike ride to DI!  I needed to find some slacks, but all I found were size 14, so that ride was a bust.  Of course it got me working out, but I definitely felt like I was gonna just flop on the ground like a fish!  We played outside for a few minutes, and then you watched a bit of Sesame Street while I made pepperoni spaghetti.  After having a quiet dinner together, you took a bubble bath while I finished up homework!  And now, here I am...watching master chef, just finished more homework, and now I'm writing to you :)  I love you so much sweet girl.  You know what you've learned to do?  You've learned to open doors!  I had put you in your room with Scotty while I was doing homework so you could have alone time, and I heard the click of the handle, but I thought it was just you trying to open it.  And then I hear your little feet pattering down the rug and I see you pop out around the corner with a huge smile and sparkling eyes!!  My good girl!!!  I am so proud of you!!!

I love you bunches Grace.  I'm so glad you are here, I'm so glad I'm your mommy, and I'm so glad Daddy is your Daddy :)


Thank you for being mine.

Love, 

Mommy

Here it is...Grace's 3RD BIRTHDAY!!!

09/02/12

Gosh I can't believe it took me so long to post this!!! 

 I am so excited to be sharing Grace's Elmo birthday party!!!  See her beautiful cake?  Elmo's face was made by our very special family friend Mysha!  Thank you so much Mysha!

 The entire group of women that were in the cabin helped out with some aspect of Grace's birthday, and that's what made it so much more special :)  Here's the fun Grouch!!!

 Cookie Monster!!!  I am so excited!  He is so darn cute and decorated by the little nieces as well as Mysha's daughter, Kenna!

 Here's the whole table!  Grace in her birthday shirt, Mysha and Kenna!  So exciting!!

 These are pizza casseroles!  And even though Elmo is the one that likes pizza, he was on the cake as well as the fruit tray, so I couldn't put him on the pizza too!  These were AWESOME!  And we had another this big too!

 There's a close up of cookie monster!

 The Grouch's eyes are ranch dip.

 And here's our really good friends Donna and Lane!  They are family, and I'm so glad that they were able to be there with us.  Grace loves playing with him, and they get along so well.

 She did so great blowing out the candle!!  We've been working on blowing by blowig out candles, and it obviously paid off!

 Everyone cheered for our wonderful Grace, and then she was so excited...

 

That she cheered too!

 And now it's presents time!!!!!  The drum was so much fun!

 And of course an awesome Elmo counting book!  Now I'll just keep quiet so you can see the wonderfulness of her birthday!

Doesn't this face just show the fun?  See that dirty face?  That is happiness for sure!!

It was a wonderful birthday.  I was so blessed and happy to be able to share it with the family, and to see all the happiness in her eyes.  She loved that the attention was on her, and I could tell that it was a success!  It was such a special day for me, seeing my little girl growing up with so many loving family members all around her.

I love you all my awesome family!!

Amanda

Another Present in the Mail!

09/04/12

We got another present in the mail!!  How fun!!  This is from another very special friend of ours :)  We miss these friends so much, but think about them often.  And we like to send special things in the mail to one another too!  Like this!

 I had to pretty much drag Grace away from her drum set that was given to her by Aunt Lisa and Uncle Brian at her family birthday :)  That will definitely be coming in a post soon, don't worry!

 She did really well playing with it!

 I had a picture of her holding the package, but then I realized that our address was on it, and so I had to keep the picture out of the post.  But of course, it was decorated beautifully!  She was so excited to see that packages all ready for her to tear open!

 Oh, how cute!!!  She LOVED the fabric, and it definitely caught her attention.

 So cute!! Pajama bottoms that were home made!

 Here's another one!

 Oh wow!  They are super cute purses!  She is so into grabbing her purse or backpack and saying "bye" as she heads for the door, blowing kisses and running back for hugs and kisses!

 And then..what Mommy and Grace like to be doing together...books!!!!!

 She was already so excited that she started reading right then!  I'm so glad I have a girly that loves to read :)

 WOW!!  Look at how many books she got!  Awesome!

 There was also a package of stick on earrings and a few rings that were all Cinderella!  She those things on the bottom?  Next to her feet?  Those are crayon rings!!!

 And then here is a super beautiful, home decorated apron!  We will be using this so much!!!

And there are some small pajamas for her dolls!!!  This was such a wonderful gift box!!  Thank you so much Keri and Jonathan!  We love you guys so much!

Amanda

A Package From a Special Friend

09/12/12

We were so surprised to see a package in the mail for Grace's birthday!!!  It's always fun getting packages, but now that she knows how to unwrap, it's so much more fun for her!!

We were so surprised to see the package on the front step :)  Grace saw it and said, "birtday?" and got SO excited!

She was checking out who it came from, and she especially liked the balloons drawn on the package :)

Look how cute her name was written!  Isn't that just adorable?

WOW!!  This is what was inside!  She was so excited to see that it was something that she was able to tear into, since she's figured out that she gets something fun beneath the wrapping!

She gets to start at last!  I had to, of course, take so many pictures that she was being impatient!



WOW!!  So beautiful.  When she saw her present at this point, she lightly touched the sweater, pulled her hand over the tutu, and said...."soft...soft..."

"So pitty!"  She thought it was supposed to go on her arms.  Isn't that cute?

Here is the whole outfit!  I can't wait for her to wear this to church, as well as out and about.  "Grandma" Chapman really knows how to pick a cute tutu for sure!

And here is another awesome toy that she plays with all the time.

"Hello?  Hello?  Otay, bye!"

Checking out her perfect face.  She absolutely loves mirrors!

Cute decorations on the envelope!

And a secret message on the back.

ELMO!!!!!  I can't believe we she found a card like this!

Happy birthday with a special message :)

And wow!!!  Grace got $20 for her IPad fundraiser!

Thank you so much for all of the fun presents that Grace got for her birthday.  Though we are so far away from one another, and we don't get to see each other much, we think about you all the time, and hope you are doing well.  And to see a special gift in the mail from you lets us know you think about us too!

We love you and thank you for Grace's birthday present!


Amanda