Our School Activities and M is for Monster

 

This is our fall sensory tub. It's filled with leaves, beans, (the white beans have black eyes colored on them to make them ghosts) =],  small pumpkins, orange beads, a small apple basket from our playmobile set, a silicone baking moon shape, and I have added fall beads (scarecrows, pumpkins etc) from Oriental Trading Co. All the other stuff was from Dollar Tree.

The boys really have a great time with this. It has provided lots of playtime, exploration, counting, sorting, and much more for all of them! If you haven't made one yet, I encourage you to try one out. 

 

Sum Swamp is one of our favorite math games. Tibby has learned to add and subtract because of it. He can now do most of it in his head, but I still provide counters just in case!

 

This is one of those Rub N Color sheets. You scratch the picture and the color comes through. Great for fine motor skill, as you can see the low muscle tone in J's hands. It also helps to get a character, animals, cars, etc that he likes....it helps with an unmotivated child ;) 

 

This is a sheet from prekinders. I put them in a page protector and they put the correct number of spots on the puppy. Even though this was intended for my preschooler and for Jaiden, Tibby got in on it too as you can see below. 

 

M is for MONSTER  

We got a lot of wonderful ideas from the fabulous KatherineMarie. She inspired me to work on themes as I can, and it has been a ton of fun!

 

These are our paint chip monsters. 

 

I printed the GIANT monster flash cards from somewhere online, and I can't find it anywhere. If you happen to know, feel free to let me know so I can give credit. 

 

We made these monsters out of gloves and sang "Five Little Monsters Jumping on 

the bed." They thought it was a hoot! 

We also ended the week with a Monster Cookie ice cream party, which I have no pictures of. 

 

Making a funny pumpkin face with stickers.

 

Working on those fine motor skills. 

 

Here the boys are playing with an activity kit that I purchased a while back for a few dollars at TJMaxx. It is filled with magnets, and fun worksheets. It is made by School Zone and this is the one we have minus the software.

 

We have been having so much fun lately! We are gearing up for the holidays, and will be doing lots of fun activities with pumpkins, Thanksgiving, apples, and more! I can't wait to share. 

We started last night's movie night by making pumpkin cake pops. I will do a whole post on it tomorrow, but for now, I'll leave you with a sneak peek. Happy weekend!! 

A Little Peek Into Our School Room

A while ago I transformed our playroom into our school room. I got rid of the junk toys, and kept trains, blocks, cars, puzzles, and games. I moved most of those toys into their closet, but left the trains in the school room, because that is the only place we have room for it right now.

Anyways, this is what the school room looks like currently. It will be getting a major change at the beginning of the year, so stay tuned!

 

Our favorite puzzle. Quite expensive, but the boys make great things with it, they use it for bridges for their cars, make mazes for their cars, and see how many ways they can balance them. SO much fun! 

 

Our small book shelf with books that aren't used daily. Oh and the red tool box hold chalk...easy for carting around. 

 

Old chippy green desk. Good for workers that need no distractions.

 

Our reading corner. Basket filled with books, and a nice comfy chair. 

 

 

Our Nature Table 

 

Train table, and a place to hang art.  (This picture taken in the Spring) 

 

Well there it is folks! Like I said before, we are more than likely going to be changing things around after the holidays, so I will update then. Now, gotta get back to school ;) 

Happy 6th Birthday My Sweet Tibby

What a Birthday you've had sweet little man!

 

You woke up to a donut cake this morning. 

 

I love the look on your face! 

 

I made my first cake...well one that I spent a whole lot of time decorating. I saw it in a magazine my grandma gave me, and just had to make it for you!

 

On Saturday, the 16th, we invited a few of your closest friends to decorate cupcakes with you in the front yard. We kept it very, very simple. I think we all had a fabulous time!

 

I know Jaiden liked it =] 

I  

And so did this birthday boy...his party was a few hours after yours, and man was it fun! I'll post pictures soon. 

The celebration started on Saturday, and is still going strong today! I am so very proud of you, am so happy to celebrate with you on your special day my little race car fan.

I love you, and Happy Birthday Tibby!

Fall Pictures from Last Year

 

Ollie dog...I can't believe he was so little. He is not little anymore. At all. 

 

love the colors 

 

Psalms 147:7 [The Message]

Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,

play music on your instruments to God,

Who fills the sky with clouds,

preparing the rain for the earth,

Then turning the mountains green with grass,

feeding both cattle and crows. 

Rejuvination

God is so faithful to us. He hears my cries and honors His word. I am so thankful to serve an AWESOME God.

Tired from the last few weeks of really hard days, I woke Sunday morning in a not-so worshiping mood. My sweet husband ignored my efforts to just sleep and told me he'd get breakfast ready while I got ready for church. Arriving at church (which I should really call home) I was humbled as God sent so many that morning who were there willing to hug, comfort, and just help in any way they could.

I was greeted by a sweet friend who has offered to come sit and play with Jaiden on Friday, then our children's minister offered to take him on a "date" Thursday (which was today). We went to pick the boys up from Sunday school I ran into a friend who gave me the number of her friend who had just retired from an autism unit that would love to help us.

Can you see how much satan was trying to discourage me?! Telling me God was not helping me? When all along our faithful Father was working all sorts of ways to help us out! Can you imagine if I had gotten my pouty way and just stayed home?! He wouldn't have been able to give us these blessings!

Monday a friend of Dan's took us all out to lunch to a local Japanese Steak House. The boys thought that was the best place ever! They loved watching the chef cook right in front of us.

Tuesday, we went to visit our cousins and let the boys play a bit after we finished school. Wednesday, my mother in law took and worked with Jaiden for the whole morning while I worked with Tibby on his reading, writing, and nature studies. And today, our children's minister came by and took Jaiden to the park to feed the ducks and to the local science center. On their way home they picked us some lunch up from my favorite deli and the boys and I enjoyed a picnic in the front yard! Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to having a friend come over to hang with us and help me with Jaiden.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate those willing to let God use them to bless us just when we need them most. Every single one of them has touched my life in such a way that I only hope to pay it forward to others when they need help. It is so hard to ask for help, as I feel everyone may be too busy, but God has shown me HIS people may seem busy, but they are willing! I am beyond blessed, and am just in awe of how He takes care of every need. I am SO very thankful!

Pushing Though With Thanks

I woke up this morning filled with content and hope for this upcoming week like I've never felt before. I savored His word and lingered a bit longer than usual.

Filled with confidence, my feet hit the floor. We did our morning chores, ate breakfast, and started our Bible story and scripture. We then started our school work, and this was when it was evident that autism was still with us. He remembered nothing we had learned last week. We were again starting over. We pushed through, but it felt like we were accomplishing nothing. Then his behaviors started up again. I lost it. I yelled and cried.

I hate days like this more than anything I've ever been through. Confidence left much faster than it ever came and I sat face in hands feeling helpless and hopeless.

Then the lies. The prince of darkness swept over me like a wave on the hot sand. "You can't do this, you are a horrible mom. Does God even care about you to make you go though this? Where is He now? I heard you ask for His help this morning, but I don't see Him here now. Turn away. Go back to the life you know doesn't have to feel. Take him back to school. You tried to be obedient, but He is not helping you and you can NOT do it. You can't."

It's very hard for me not to believe that. It really is. But something inside me told me to get up. To push through. To eat, to exercise, to keep breathing, to give thanks. So that's where I am now. Giving thanks.

217.I am able to move, to see, to feel, to hear
218. I have a family to take care of
219.My husband who works hard
220.Giggles coming from the playroom
221.Healthy food to  serve
222.Water to keep clean
223.How much our 5 year old loves soccer
224.Weekends
225.Potty trained kids. NO diapers...1st time in almost 9 years!
226.Rain. the most calming, relaxing, and comfortable thing to me.
227.Knowing everything will be okay.
228.The power in being thankful