Reading Builds Dreams - Poster Contest

It is time for the annual March Reading Month Poster Contest.  This year's theme is "Reading Builds Dreams"

Elephant

Alligator

All Done!

Animal Ear Flap Hats

I had made Emily a Princess Leia "bun hair" hat and had/have plans to make Star Wars themed hats for the other kids (R2D2, Yoda...) but haven't gotten to them.  Sarah asked if I could make her a monkey hat.  She wanted it to have ear flaps and strings.  So I set out to design one.  After making hers, the other kids gave me their "orders" for the animal hat they wanted.  I had Sarah's made before Christmas, but then I had other things I had to work on, so I didn't get to the other 3 hats until last week.  I finished Will's on the 12th, Andy's on the 14th, and Emily's on the 15th.

Monkey

Bunny

Frog

Puppy

All of them together

And because I mentioned it, Emily's Princess Leia bun hair hat

Andrew's Big Boy Bed - Finally!

About a year ago, I really  wanted to redecorate the boys room!  My mom pointed out that it would be about the time I would be decorating a nursery if we had kept the same time frame of having kids (every 20 months).  I decided that I would redecorate and give Andy his big boy bed at the same time.  I started working on switching the room before Andy's 2nd birthday in August.  I was really hopeful to have him switched to his big boy bed by October, but I realized that the bed didn't have the bolts that went with it!  So I started looking for something that would work (when I remembered), but what I found didn't work so I enlisted the help of my dad, who found some bolts that would work in his stash. (Thanks, Dad!!).  But I still didn't have the time or energy to get to putting the bed together!  Well, I brought all the pieces up today and wrangled it together.  (I had to have Sarah pull down on one leg of the foot board to get the holes to even out enough to screw the bolt in!)  When Andy woke up from his nap, I told him there was something for him in the living room.  He ran in, saw his bed, turned around, ran back to me and gave me a big hug!   Payment enough! ☺

So anyway, here are the pictures:

Loving his big boy bed

All tucked in for bed

Here are some pictures of the new room decor:

I scaned the fabric I used for the curtains and printed up some pictures for the walls

New drawer knobs

Plaques above William's bed

I didn't get any full room shots as their room was rather "untidy".  Maybe I'll post some later!

Valentine's Day Parties

I got to help out in the girls' classes again for their Valentine's Day parties.  Emily's was first thing in the morning and they had pancakes and fruit.  Sarah's was the last thing of the day.

pink heart shaped pancakes ☺

yumm!

mailboxes ready for cards

Emily's mailbox, made out of cereal boxes!

Mailing Valentines

Sarah checking out her cards

Bingo

Sarah made her mailbox into an elephant

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Exactly 1 year ago today was the "Blizzard of 2011" !  Yet today, we have almost no snow and it is 45° out!  Here is my post about the blizzard with pictures of the snow.

Here are pictures from today:

Front yard looking left

Front yard looking right

Back yard