We had homemade cheesy bread and chia-seed fruit smoothies.
They each had a washcloth in a bowl for greasy fingers too. We had a great night and both movies were wonderful!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Movie Night
This past weekend Nick was out of town, so the kids and I had a movie night. Well, it ended up being a movie afternoon and night. We first watched Ice Age: Continental Drift, then had a picnic in the living room while watching Wreck It Ralph.
We had homemade cheesy bread and chia-seed fruit smoothies.
We had homemade cheesy bread and chia-seed fruit smoothies.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Burnin' Some Energy
During the winter months, we can't always get outside to play so one of our favorite things to do is bounce, kick, and throw balls in a racquetball court at our local fitness center.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Mackenzie Graduated!!!!!
Well, kind of - but we've been praying for this since the day she was diagnosed with a speech delay!!!
Start with this post if you want to re-read about her journey. I still can't read that one without crying like a baby - re-living all those emotions and now tears of joy when I think of how far she's come!
Then go here to read about her first day of preschool as a 3 year old.
Then go here to see her first day of preschool this year.
I will forever be grateful for and indebted to Mackenzie's preschool teachers she has had these past two years. They are the most caring and loving group of women I've ever met and I know they truly love Mackenzie as much as I do (well, almost - it's pretty hard to match a Momma's love). Their dedication to Mackenzie and all her classmates is unparalleled. They are gentle, patient, loving, encouraging, hard-working, and just plain amazing! I'm not sure if Mackenzie would be where she is without all their attention and devotion.
When we started preschool, I didn't know what would happen in 2 years and where Mackenzie would be at the end of it all. She entered preschool saying fewer than 20 words, most of which were pronounced incorrectly and she primarily communicated by pointing and using a "tst, tst, tst" sound.
As of February 13, 2013 she was dismissed from all services because all her skills are at age level now! If you know Mackenzie you know she talks non-stop and now only has trouble with the 'r' sound (which is normal for many 4 year olds). At that meeting on the 13th, I was holding back the tears, so excited and proud of my girl! She did it! It really did take a lot of work and Mackenzie has done hours and hours of practice - she has always been determined to say things correctly and was always so proud of herself when she got it!
Sometimes I'm frustrated with Mackenzie's headstrong, determined, stubborn attitude, but I know why God made her that way now. She never would have gotten this far without that confidence and charm and I can't wait to see what else He has in store for her. We have to work on the bossy-pants attitude, but sister has some leadership skills that I know will serve her well!
So, kindergarten you ask? Mackenzie would make the age cut-off by a month and be able to start kindergarten next year, but my gut says she's not quite ready yet. So we're excitedly looking for the right preschool for her for next year. She's excited about something new and so are we.
Oh, and for the rest of this year - she's able to stay at her current preschool as a peer (child with no special needs to be a role model)!!! It's going to be a hard day saying goodbye to her current teachers, so I'm glad we don't have to do that yet. And we would hate to break up the 3 musketeers at school - those 3 are thick as thieves. Below is not the best picture of them - it was at their little Christmas program so they were all trying to sing songs while being surrounded and photographed/videotaped by the parent paparazzi - not an every day occurrence.
Start with this post if you want to re-read about her journey. I still can't read that one without crying like a baby - re-living all those emotions and now tears of joy when I think of how far she's come!
Then go here to see her first day of preschool this year.
I will forever be grateful for and indebted to Mackenzie's preschool teachers she has had these past two years. They are the most caring and loving group of women I've ever met and I know they truly love Mackenzie as much as I do (well, almost - it's pretty hard to match a Momma's love). Their dedication to Mackenzie and all her classmates is unparalleled. They are gentle, patient, loving, encouraging, hard-working, and just plain amazing! I'm not sure if Mackenzie would be where she is without all their attention and devotion.
When we started preschool, I didn't know what would happen in 2 years and where Mackenzie would be at the end of it all. She entered preschool saying fewer than 20 words, most of which were pronounced incorrectly and she primarily communicated by pointing and using a "tst, tst, tst" sound.
As of February 13, 2013 she was dismissed from all services because all her skills are at age level now! If you know Mackenzie you know she talks non-stop and now only has trouble with the 'r' sound (which is normal for many 4 year olds). At that meeting on the 13th, I was holding back the tears, so excited and proud of my girl! She did it! It really did take a lot of work and Mackenzie has done hours and hours of practice - she has always been determined to say things correctly and was always so proud of herself when she got it!
Sometimes I'm frustrated with Mackenzie's headstrong, determined, stubborn attitude, but I know why God made her that way now. She never would have gotten this far without that confidence and charm and I can't wait to see what else He has in store for her. We have to work on the bossy-pants attitude, but sister has some leadership skills that I know will serve her well!
So, kindergarten you ask? Mackenzie would make the age cut-off by a month and be able to start kindergarten next year, but my gut says she's not quite ready yet. So we're excitedly looking for the right preschool for her for next year. She's excited about something new and so are we.
Her future is bright and God is good!
Oh, and for the rest of this year - she's able to stay at her current preschool as a peer (child with no special needs to be a role model)!!! It's going to be a hard day saying goodbye to her current teachers, so I'm glad we don't have to do that yet. And we would hate to break up the 3 musketeers at school - those 3 are thick as thieves. Below is not the best picture of them - it was at their little Christmas program so they were all trying to sing songs while being surrounded and photographed/videotaped by the parent paparazzi - not an every day occurrence.
We love you so much Mackenzie and we're beyond proud of you and all you've accomplished so far!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Snow Much Fun!
We've been having fun with our recent snowfall - digging tunnels and caves in the snow.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Travel Tips
Here are my travel tips that worked (or will work next time) best for our family.
Rylan and Mackenzie were allowed to take what they wanted in their backpacks. Well, I did veto one item in Rylan's bag because I was afraid it was going to pop the seams, but other than that, they packed their own stuff. Any toys or loveys had to fit in their bags. We also put their iPads in their bags so we would be able to get at them easily on the plane.
Everyone was dressed in tennis shoes and comfy layers. It was probably an 80 degree difference from take-off to arrival so taking one layer off was the best option.
We packed iPads for the kids loaded with movies, cartoon episodes and games to keep them busy on the plane. We picked up a couple pairs of headphones for $20 each at Target before we left so they wouldn't bother anyone else on the plane. I don't know much about headphones, but apparently you get what you pay for. By the time we got their, only one side of Mackenzie's was working, and by the time we got home, both of their headphones had broken. Thankfully Target took them back, but next time, I'll make sure we get a good set for each of them.
Next time, I will pack more snacks. I hadn't really thought about how long our flight was and that we would probably get hungry. We bought a snack on the plane and it was fine, but I would pack our own next time.
I did have an extra quart-sized zip-loc bag in my backpack and it was perfect for trash on the airplane. The flight attendants come around to gather trash, but never when you need it, so it was perfect to keep our trash in the zip-loc bag until they came around.
I always carry baby wipes, and they were especially necessary on the plane after eating a cheesy snack mix. I'm good at licking my fingers off, but Mackenzie is not.
I had packed fruit snacks and gum for the kids to chew on during take-off and landing, but their ears never bothered them, so I was thankful for that.
Next time we go to Mexico, I will be packing long-sleeved rash guards and longer shorts or a skort for Mackenzie. Obviously the sun is much more powerful there and I will do anything to protect that baby soft pale skin on my kiddos. As you read in my previous post, both kids got minor sunburns and I hope that's all they ever have. I will also make sure we have hats with ear and neck flaps, like these from Hanna Andersson.
While waiting in the airport for our departures, we walked around and looked at things as much as we could. Knowing we had 4 hours of sitting in the airplane, we kept the kids (and ourselves) up and moving as long as possible. It worked because the kids sat perfectly on the plane!
That's all for my tips - nothing ground-breaking I know, but it will be helpful for me look back on this post in the future to prepare for our next trip.
Rylan and Mackenzie were allowed to take what they wanted in their backpacks. Well, I did veto one item in Rylan's bag because I was afraid it was going to pop the seams, but other than that, they packed their own stuff. Any toys or loveys had to fit in their bags. We also put their iPads in their bags so we would be able to get at them easily on the plane.
Everyone was dressed in tennis shoes and comfy layers. It was probably an 80 degree difference from take-off to arrival so taking one layer off was the best option.
We packed iPads for the kids loaded with movies, cartoon episodes and games to keep them busy on the plane. We picked up a couple pairs of headphones for $20 each at Target before we left so they wouldn't bother anyone else on the plane. I don't know much about headphones, but apparently you get what you pay for. By the time we got their, only one side of Mackenzie's was working, and by the time we got home, both of their headphones had broken. Thankfully Target took them back, but next time, I'll make sure we get a good set for each of them.
Next time, I will pack more snacks. I hadn't really thought about how long our flight was and that we would probably get hungry. We bought a snack on the plane and it was fine, but I would pack our own next time.
I did have an extra quart-sized zip-loc bag in my backpack and it was perfect for trash on the airplane. The flight attendants come around to gather trash, but never when you need it, so it was perfect to keep our trash in the zip-loc bag until they came around.
I always carry baby wipes, and they were especially necessary on the plane after eating a cheesy snack mix. I'm good at licking my fingers off, but Mackenzie is not.
I had packed fruit snacks and gum for the kids to chew on during take-off and landing, but their ears never bothered them, so I was thankful for that.
Next time we go to Mexico, I will be packing long-sleeved rash guards and longer shorts or a skort for Mackenzie. Obviously the sun is much more powerful there and I will do anything to protect that baby soft pale skin on my kiddos. As you read in my previous post, both kids got minor sunburns and I hope that's all they ever have. I will also make sure we have hats with ear and neck flaps, like these from Hanna Andersson.
While waiting in the airport for our departures, we walked around and looked at things as much as we could. Knowing we had 4 hours of sitting in the airplane, we kept the kids (and ourselves) up and moving as long as possible. It worked because the kids sat perfectly on the plane!
That's all for my tips - nothing ground-breaking I know, but it will be helpful for me look back on this post in the future to prepare for our next trip.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Paradise - Part 4
Cheetos and milk is healthy snack right? But seriously, the spicy Cheetos in Mexico are WAY better than the spicy Cheetos here - and the Coke is better there too.
Goofy girls!
One of the big iguanas we saw.
At a restaurant on the beach, we brought the iPads with and the kids made new friends, Charlie and Rocket.
Even with a language barrier, these two had a great time! Mackenzie wants to learn more Spanish so that next time she can talk to Jennifer.
Rylan cuddling with Tochi.
Grandma knew of a spot down the beach where there were lots of sand dollars and starfish. We didn't see any live sand dollars, but we found some live starfish!
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