It's a Girl!!

So- this is old news to anyone who might read this blog, but it seems like something I should write anyway.:)
We just found out last Wednesday that the newest addition to the Uhner family is a GIRL!   She's due to join us in early March- March 10th to be exact.   
My sister, Laura, is also having another little girl, and she is due March 7th!   
Going to be lots of little girls at family gatherings.  Good thing we have Eli to protect them all!!:)

Time for School!

School has started here in the Uhner household.  We've been busy this last week getting into our new routine.

Grace is in 1st grade now.  It looks to be a fun and busy year.  Her class is memorizing the BOOK of James this school year!   I'm excited for her (and I'm going to memorize it too!).  I have a feeling it might be more challenging for mom than Grace!  

We aren't used to Grace being gone all day, and we've missed her!  We keep busy though, and the day really goes fast!!

Eli is doing preschool at home again this year.  My "philosophy" on preschool is that it is an "ongoing" process.  Not just learning letters and numbers for "x" amount of time a day.    For us, this means reading lots of books about all kinds of subjects, playing outside and collecting things from nature, helping in the kitchen, playing playdoh, talking about everything under the sun, coloring, listening to stories and music, and basically whatever other crazy ideas I come up with.:) 

 Sometimes those ideas work and sometimes they don't- but they're always exciting!!!

This year, in addition to our "living-classroom" environment - We are doing a "sit-down time" everyday to practice writing letters and numbers, cutting, and doing other fine-motor type activities.

We are planning on following an online curriculum found at http://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/.

It looks like it is going to be really good!  

Sarah will be sitting in on Eli's lessons.:)  And I use the term "sitting" very loosely. 

Sarah is very active and hands on.   I'm already challenged to find ways to keep those little hands and mind busy.    She's fun and a totally different child than our first two!!   It will be neat to see her grow and "bloom!" 

Here's some pic's from our last days of August.

I'm still here....painting away

It's been a slow blogging season in my life.  It's not that things have come to a standstill around here- no, no, no- busier and crazier than ever!!!   Here's a about an hour "window" into our life today. 
This past weekend, Victor painted around some of our outside windows and house trim.  Eli and Grace really wanted to "help" paint.  We didn't think that painting the actual house was a good idea, so I promised them they could paint their little table "sometime."  (It actually needed painting because someone wrote all over it with a permanent marker...)   Well, when you promise something to kids you have to remember- THEY DON"T FORGET!!
So, today was the day I was feeling "brave."   I wanted to wait until Sarah was napping- it didn't really work out as planned (which shouldn't surprise me- what really works out as planned, right?)  
Grace and Eli put on old t-shirts over their clothes, then we found old brushes and paint, moved the table and chair out to the side of the house ( not in the back because of Lucky, not on the concrete because of the mess, oh no- the grass itches their feet,  ...whew...this is getting complicated already!) 
I gave the instructions and got them started, then went to find a snack for Sarah and a chair for me.  It briefly crossed my mind to give Sarah a little brush to "help."  But, thankfully, I quickly regained my sanity and changed my mind.  

Sounds fun and simple, right!?  Ha!!  For about five minutes...First, Sarah decided she didn't want to sit and watch and had a  little (continuous) tantrum in the front yard.  Then, Eli and Grace decided (after getting paint all over their faces and hair) that painting "really isn't that fun, and the grass is itchy, and there's just too many bugs!!"
By then the table looked pitiful-- not a good place to stop painting.   I was tempted to just take over and finish the job, but what to do with the screaming toddler?  
With prompting, and (honestly a little bit of guilt-tripping) I got them to finish the table.  Eli spent the last half of the "painting" obsessed with picking the paint off of his hands and legs.   I did jump in toward the end to expedite the process.  After pacifying Sarah with Oreos, of course!!
I'm not even going to go into the clean-up process.  It was intense.  You can imagine.  
I'd like to say we had fun and learned a few lessons.   I don't know.  Everyday, I think that God must really, really think that I need to work on refining my "patience skills." 

At least the table got painted!!

August 2- A new birthday to celebrate!!

We had an exciting evening last night.  I was just going about my usual evening routine- it was about 8pm and I was trying to get the dog fed and the kids ready for bed.  I mentioned casually to Victor that I'd heard there was going to be a water baptismal service on Wednesday after church.  Right away, Eli and Grace wanted to know what's "water baptism"?  I just briefly mentioned it something you do after you ask Jesus into your heart.  Kind of just brushed it off- I was in a hurry.   I went out to feed the dog.  As I was taking care of Lucky, Eli stuck his head out the door, and said "but we've never asked Jesus into our heart!"  
Hmm...he's still thinking it about it?  I'd already moved on.
I came back in the house and assured him that he didn't have to do that until he was "ready."   I was thinking "he's only four- I don't want to push him into something he's not ready for."  
His response was excited and immediate- I want to do it now!!!  :)   
Really!!!  I could tell his heart was really "there."   We just had watched a movie on Friday called The Gospel of John.  The movie was 3 hrs long and it was the book of John word for word with actors making the gospel come "alive."  I was surprised that I actually really enjoyed the movie and the kids seemed to enjoy it, too.   It was a lot different from the exciting animated movies they usually watch, but the Word of God is alive, active, and powerful!!  
Eli and Grace had also been to VBS at our church this summer where the Kingdom of Heaven was the emphasis and the salvation message was presented to them.

We talked with Eli and Grace- to make sure they understood the basics of salvation.  Knowing you are a sinner in need of God's forgiveness,  believing Jesus died on the cross as payment for your sins, etc...they have heard all that before at home, church, and even on movies!!   They seemed to understand and agree.
Then we prayed with them, and it was so precious to "hear" them ask Jesus into their hearts in their "little" voices.
Grace assured us she had "done this before in her bed at night- more than once because she wasn't sure."
But, she prayed to, and asked Jesus into her heart to forgive her and be her Lord!

We have much to be thankful for!!  I'm excited to know that the Holy Spirit is active and working in my kids lives.   Actually, those kids are really HIS KIDS!   And now we have some new birthdays to celebrate every year-  Aug.2, 2010-  A Spiritual Birthday!!!

Never a dull moment!

I love being a mom for lots of reasons.  For one, I get to "act like a kid" and it looks like I'm just being a "good mom."   Another reason is that I have new experiences almost everyday.   Take today for instance...have you ever made a chocolate cream pie while holding a naked, wet toddler?   I never had until today.  Oh, I'm sure I've made it holding a dressed, dry toddler....but never the "other" kind.
  
Have you ever eaten red scrambled eggs?  Have you ever purposely tried to bait and lure ants using a poptart, crumpled paper towel, and tupperware dish?   Hmmm.... Sure can't complain about it being boring around here!

I wonder what we'll do this afternoon?!

Our backyard "red-neck" waterslide

This past month has just flown by in a rush of travelling and activities!!!    Not much time for blogging or the computer!!!  It's been fun! 
It's been HOT, though.  The kids and I have kind of become "house hermits."    We have ventured out in the late afternoons on some days to play in the water!   The backyard pool can get a little old by the end of the summer.   Here's what they came up with to "mix it up" a little.:) 

They had so much fun!!  Who needs fancy waterparks!:)

A Book Review- by my favorite up and coming author!

The book I am reviewing today is Moses, Miriam, and Moses's Mom by Grace Uhner. 

Grace did the work entirely on her own including the illustrations, editing and binding.    

In the first illustration you can see Miriam hiding in the bushes while the Princess sends her servant girl into the water to retrieve the baby Moses.

In the next picture, the Princess is holding the baby and talking to Miriam.

This is the last page of the book.  As you can see, Moses's mom is overcome with tears of joy as the Princess (on the right) gives the baby back to her.  Miriam, too,  is very pleased to have her baby brother back.

This book has limited availability at this time, but if you wish to read it or make a request from the author be sure to let us know!

Sandpaper Letters

This is the BEST way so far that I've found to teach letters and beginning phonetic sounds!  Eli has had much success learning his letters this past spring using SANDPAPER LETTERS!

                                                     
Sandpaper letters are easy to make (although it could be time- consuming), and fun to use!
Here's how it worked for us:

•  Downloaded a "sandpaper letter" template from the internet and printed it; 
• Traced the letters onto sandpaper and cut them out; 
• Glued each letter onto a square piece of cardstock (blue for constanants, red for vowels);
• Focused on 3 letters at a time until proficient (so I only made 3 letters at a time!)

I focused *only* on the basic letter sound and formation.  I didn't even teach the name of the letter.  You don't need to *know* the name of the letter to learn to read, right!! 

There are lots of ways to use these, but  I just put one letter in front of him at a time- we said the sound together and then I helped him trace the letter with his finger.   This process involved touch, hearing and seeing and really seemed to *cement* the letter into his head.
After going through all three letters, we might play a game with them or make up nonsense words.  Nothing big- and it only took 5-10 minutes for the whole thing!   I honestly didn't even do this everyday (maybe three times a week) and he was *able* to learn how to read a lot of c-v-c  words in just a couple of months. 

With my oldest, Grace, I focused on letter names, capital letters, etc... you know- the usual way! 
In my opinion (which doesn't really mean much!!!),  focusing on lowercase letters and sounds is a much more effective way to start the reading/writing process!

I'm curious to what others think!? 

Happy Father's Day to my Dad

Dad,
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!
Thanks for helping me learn to work hard.  Thanks for your love of learning and laughter, and great sense of humor!  Thanks for all the backyard races, basketball, and baseball games.  Thanks for all those hours you spent reading to me, and not being (too) irritated when you would doze off mid-sentence, and I'd poke you and demand "READ!"  Thanks for making time to play board games and take walks.  Thanks for taking me to church, and thanks for teaching me to praying.  Thanks for all the advice, and thanks for the discipline.  Thanks for the hugs, and thanks for telling me I was beautiful.  Thanks for the memory of you reading your Bible down at your desk early in the morning.  Thanks for loving mom, and thanks for being a fun grandpa.  Thanks for helping me with my homework, and thanks for teaching me Bible verses.  Thanks for loving me when I was selfish and made bad choices.  Thanks for all the prayers, and thanks for praying for my kids and husband.  Thanks for loving Jesus and teaching me to do the same! 

Happy Father's Day DAD! 

I LOVE YOU!!

The End of the Grassy Road

Dear friends and family,
 We are saddened to inform you that yesterday we laid to rest two members of our family;  Mary and Rosa Grasshead Uhner.  We will miss Mary and Rosa deeply.  They added so much to our home.   Our only regret is that we didn't have more time together.  Our condolences go out to the Grasshead that remains.

                    Grieving with you,
                                   Kathryn and the Kids

                    

It's always hardest on those left behind.

Elderly Grassheads.  The last 'family' pic.

My Compassionate (and Toothless) Girl

We caught a TON of lightning bugs the other night, and some of the more unfortunate bugs found themselves in a glass jar in the kids bedroom.  They were so excited to watch them light up in the dark!  
As I tucked them (the kids, not the bugs) into bed, I mentioned that maybe we should let them go- you know- outside.  (Who wants a jar full of dead lightning bugs to deal with in the morning?)
Grace and Eli were fairly resistant to the "let the bugs free idea."  So, I causually mentioned that maybe those poor little buggies had families out there somewhere.  Kinda of a *mean* card to play- I know...
Well, I didn't get much of a response from that either, but I knew I struck a nerve because this was part of Grace's bedtime prayer:  
"Please help the lightning bugs not to be afraid, and if they have older children at home, please help them to take care of the younger children" 

I LOVE her heart!!!
And I did let the lightning bugs go home to their kids.

Pride and the FALL!!

I was so excited this morning when Sarah went *poop* on the potty!  I can tell when she is *ready* to go and I ran her to the bathroom and sat her on the toilet just in the nick of time. 
She was so excited to see what she had done!!!  She clapped and showed Grace......and I was feeling pretty proud  happy, too.  

       "My one year old is so smart and I must be a GREAT mom!:)"

I left her to play in the bathroom to go quickly grab a fresh diaper.  All was good. 

       "New diaper on;  Practically potty-trained one yr old;  Maybe I should start teaching her to read;"

OK.  So that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I was feeling rather proud happy!

THEN, Completely oblivious to what lay ahead, I headed out the bathroom toward my bedroom only to almost break my foot when I SLIPPED on a perfectly planted *poop* on the bathroom floor.

The FIRST thing that came to mind was "WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT!!"
The SECOND thing that came to mind was "PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL!!"

Isn't that great!!!   God really does have  a great sense of HUMOR!!

And, maybe I'll put off the reading lessons for now.  :)

It's great bein' a kid

It's great bein' a kid..........

......especially if you get to play in the mud!!!

 

Save the TOADS!!!

No, we haven't joined PETA!  BUT, we did rescue some toad tadpoles from a "pond" next to the tee ball field.  (Actually, it was a puddle- but bein' from SW Kansas- I can't help callin' it a pond!)

Well, we rescued 5 tiny tadpoles from the "pond,"  and sure enough the "pond"  dried up in the next couple of weeks.  Mommy and Daddy Toad must not have thought that one through!

Kids checkin' out the dried out "pond."
We couldn't save them all.  RIP bazillion tiny tadpoles.



Our tadpoles survived on boiled lettuce and egg yolk.  And just plain luck.

16 days after the rescue.  These babies have tripled in size and sprouted legs!

Unfortunately, the day after these pics were taken four of the five little taddy babies succumbed to the heat or maybe just the filthy water!   Can you see how *gross* that water is!?  Oops! :)

So, we rescued this little baby again!  He got "clean" pond water and a new lease on life.:)
Can you believe this picture is only 6 days after the one above it!!! 


The only problem is- What do you feed a 1/2 inch baby toad??? 
We've tried scooping up a whole anthill -complete with ants for him to munch on. (See it on the rock?)
We've tried "frog and turtle" food from Walmart.  Any other suggestions?

The kids and I have been listening to an old CD- Caedmon's Call- In the Company of Angels- A Call to Worship- off and on over the past few weeks. I just wanted to share the lyrics to one of my favorite songs from the CD.
Thy Mercy
Thy Mercy my God is the theme of my song
The Joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone from the first to the last
Hath won my affections and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here
Sin soon would reduce me to utter despair
But through Thy free goodness I fall to the ground
And weep to the praise of the mercy I've found

Great Father of mercies Thy goodness I own
And the Covenant love of Thy crucified Son
All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine!
Hallelujah!!!

This is the kind of song I can listen to all day long!

And- this is just a cute picture!

Elephant Trunks and Psalm 119:11

Grace had her last day of Kindergarten on Friday!  I am so excited to have her home all the time for the summer.:)   I can't even think about fall yet!  Who decided 6 yr olds should have to go to school for 7hrs/day anyway?  *sigh...*  :)

On the last day of school, Eli, Sarah, and I attended the school "award ceremony."   It was fun to see the kids all get different awards based on what they did well at during the year.  
There were awards for math, science, penmanship, music, athletics, spelling, etc..  Guess what award my Grace got?   
    The Elephant Trunk Award!!!   

What in the world is that you might ask?!!!    Well, the Elephant Trunk award is for Scripture Memory!

WOW!  That "award" brought a smile to my face and a tear (more than one!!) to my eye! 
Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing well in academics or sports, but-
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Matthew 16:26

Kind of puts all that other "stuff" in perspective, huh!!
                                                          

Grace with her Elephant's Trunk award for "faithfully memorizing all her verses on time," and her athletic award for track (3rd in 3-legged race).

 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Psalm  119:11

We LOVE to READ!!

I'm kind of a nut, and I love to "teach" my kids and learn with them!  We've done lots of crazy things
together- I'm always looking for an adventure or new experience.:)  

I've found in the past few years that the best way for a kid to learn is when they don't know they are learning!  We go through books around here like crazy!  My kids have learned so much from just being read to-  it's so easy and I LIKE IT TOO!!!   I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I haven't read a book from the "adult" section for a long time- but I get as excited as they do about NEW LIBRARY BOOKS!!
One of our newest learning adventures has been with Five In A Row-   we are on our 6th book.    FIAR is a  unit study curriculum that we basically just use for fun!  Actually, since Grace goes half-day to school and Eli learns at home it does fill a purpose!

There are several volumes to the Five in a Row series. We have Vol. 1 (bought used from Ebay) and there are 19 units which take one week each to complete.  Each unit is centered around a good children's book.
I think I should be able to find most of the books at our library or through interlibrary loan.  If I can't, I'll just skip that book. 

The premise of the book is super easy! You and your children sit down and read the same book five days in a row (We LOVE to read!).  After  reading the book,  there are activities that correspond with history, vocabulary, geography, science, math, writing, and really whatever you want to add!!  I make up half of it.:)

Also, with each new unit/book/week we stick a new "story disk" to our world map that shows where the story took place.  The ones that are make-believe go to the "land of make-believe" around the outside  border of the map.

Here are examples from two books:

The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese- Located China on world map, found Yangtze river and read about it on Internet(it's huge), checked out books on ducks and China from library, read about Cormorant fishing birds,  ate Chinese food, fed the ducks at the park, learned how oil on the ducks feathers helps them float,  experimented with mixing oil and water, learned about different art mediums, practiced drawing water and reflections with colored pencils, learned what a "classic" story is, made a timeline,  found "repetition" in the story, counted the ducks in the book, added up all of Ping's family members, reenacted the story with props, drew a Chinese flag, tried to learn the Chinese word for "duck" using ehow, "wrote" a Chinese word

Lentil by Robert McCloskey- practiced drawing with charcoal pencils, found and colored Ohio on a USA map, colored a USA flag, played harmonicas, checked out books about different musical instruments from library, played a real trombone, tasted lemons, made real lemonade, discussed how everyone has different God-given talents, looked at and drew music notes, learned about taste buds, intro to fractions-half/whole 

Our map with story disks from Lentil, Madeline, and Ping

                                  

Reenacting Ping with the Wise-eyed boat and the master of the boat

                   Learning about the digestive system (and appendix) with Madeline

If we have a busy week or it just doesn't work out- we don't do a FIAR book that week.  In 9wks we have read 6 FIAR units.   We do read every day- after lunch and before bed.  Reading together has become a regular and precious part of our daily routine. 

I know that years from now when I reminisce over how quickly the kids grew up, I won't regret for a minute the time I spent with them and the time I spent reading to them!!

Mother's Day Weekend

We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  It started on Friday with Grace's kindergarten graduation and spring program.  Her class recited Psalm 100- the whole thing!!  It was awesome!  Made me realize how I need to be working harder to hide God's Word in my heart- and not taking for granted how much my kids can learn of his Word!! 

My parents, in-laws, and niece, Addi, were able to come to the program.  We celebrated afterwards with chocolate cake, visiting and laughter!  

We got to spend the rest of the weekend with my mom and dad.   They are the best parents I could have ever wished for-  I am SO thankful to be their daughter!  

On Sunday after church, I had a "date" with each of the older children (while Sarah napped).   Eli and I went to McDonald's for a happy meal.  When he was planning where we would go he said, "we're buddies, right mom!"  :) 
Grace wanted to go "shopping."  So, we went to Penney's and Family Dollar.   That's shopping when you live in Chanute!!!  
I even had a chance to spend sometime alone with my sweet mom on Mother's Day!
What a great weekend with my hubby, kids and parents!!!  Love you all!

   
                              

The REAL Reason Pantyhose Exist

To make Grassheads, of course! 
I love Grassheads.  I got the idea from a magazine a couple of years ago, and how I love a "kid-friendly" project!
Just in case someone has pantyhose they can't figure out what to do with ;) (Wear it? Nah...)- here is how we made ours:

Materials Needed

• Empty yogurt cup (we like the tapered Yoplait cups)
• Potting soil  (we used Miracle-Gro)
• Grass seed  (we used dense shade seed- works well inside)
• Cardstock, scrapbooking paper, colored paper, etc..
• Pantyhose
• Googly eyes
• Waterproof glue (we used super-glue)
• Waterproof permanent marker

1. Decorate the yogurt cup in a paper "outfit."  Anything goes here- paper, felt, ribbon- use your imagination.   
2. Cut the hose off at the foot (about 6").  Cut 'em both and make two.  You only live once!  Throw the rest of the hose away! 

3. Fill the bottom of the hose with about a tablespoon of grass seed. 

4. Add enough soil to make a "head" that will fit on top of your yogurt cup.  Tie the end in a knot.  There should be a "tail" left.  Try to keep grass seed in places you want hair!


5. Glue on googly eyes and add a mouth, ears and nose with a waterproof marker.
6. Add water to cup- the tail should hang down into the water.
7. Wait for water to "creep" up tail into soil and eventually to top of head.  It took about a week for us to see grass 'hair' growing.  Make sure to keep cup filled with water.
8. When hair gets long- cut it!  Kids LOVE this!

   

                                                             Aren't they great!?

Lost Tooth and Lost Sleep

Grace lost her first tooth last night!   Like most changes in life, there were a few tears and some blood.:)  Needless to say, it was a big event for both of us!
 She is so proud of her "tooth space."  She took her tiny tooth to school in a tupperware dish to show her teacher! Someday that tupperware will be filled with tiny teeth!:)
Eli has been wiggling his teeth today- looking for a "wobbly" one.  He thinks he found one.;)  Smart guy.  Grace got a quarter under her pillow!

Speaking of *losing* things, I have been trying to lose a little sleep (ON PURPOSE!) by getting up about an hour before the kids.
Most of this school year....ok- maybe longer than that...;),  I've slept in as long as possible.  Which basically means I don't get up until a kid gets up and wakes me up.  
Sounds good in theory, but doesn't work so good in practice.  At least not for me!
I've found that having some time to "get myself together" before the onslaught of demands begins (LOL!) is a LIFESAVER!  Honestly, the hardest part is just getting out bed....then I am raring to go.. ( the 4 cups of coffee probably don't hurt)!

The best part is that I've been able to use most of that *extra* hour in my day to pray and read the Bible.   My efforts in that area have been somewhat lacking lately ( a few minutes at bedtime before I lapse into a sleep coma)!
 I want to follow the command to "Love the LORD your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.(Deut.6:5). 
AND- I want to teach my children to do the same!   

I sure find the time to do things that are important to me...And there is nothing more important than that!!

Meet my newest friends!!!    Check back in a few weeks for  "grassheads with hair!"

Workin' and Playin'

It's been a fun and busy weekend!  On Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, everyone pitched in to help, and we got our fence finished and a LOT of gravel spread out over the drive and along the yard. 

It may not LOOK like a lot of gravel, but try shoveling it all over your driveway!!!

Eli killed the weeds.  He loved it.   I think he might have a future in weed removal. 

Grace shoveled gravel.  She didn't love it.  I don't think she has a future in gravel shoveling.

Victor and I did do some of the work!!  Honestly...We just have no pictures to prove it!!

Here is Lucky in her new fence. Poor Lucky!  No more quarter mile chases down the alley in our socks!  TOO BAD!  

Thank you Victor!!!!

Then we went.....

FISHING!!!

  I didn't fish, but I did put worms on  hooks (yuck), kept Sarah from jumping in the lake, AND  took my first fish off a hook (double yuck).

Now, off to start a new week!!  Looking forward to more adventures!

Kathryn