pizza party

 Ains is an expert in the kitchen - already!  She can crack an egg all by herself at age 2 and a half. Yessir.  On a cozy fall evening (pre-op) we decided to make homemade pizza... with goat cheese, so it's still dairy free.

 nothin' but concentration around here....

 yup, I think that's enough cheese, darlin'.

Our young chef was so tired, she took a bite or two and then asked for bed. :)  The next morning, she awoke saying "pizza? pizza?"

It looks like spilt milk...

Dress the baby

One of Ainsley's FAVORITE things ...

Nothing Like a Box

Momma's Birthday Party

After a trip to my FAVORITE Italian pasta place around the corner (with the freshest ingredients, a glass of Chianti, and yummy cannoli for dessert) - I changed into PJ's for a home-party.

 

That's Ainsley - wearing my new yoga bra & putting on my new sweater. :) Jake isn't going to miss any of the party either. 

Kindergarten - well under way

 

We are now nearly six weeks into our year, and the class is buzzing with activity!  It is no longer empty and waiting.  Check it out!

I'm trying out "work time" (aka 'academic choice') for 15 minutes following Morning Meeting.  It gets the kids up, around the room, and busy with their hands after being seated on the rug and attentive to each other.  They choose a work job related to math, science, letter work, writing or art (same specific options all week).  It also frees me to check in with individual students.

Opening Science lesson... what is a scientist?  This is the what the kids came up with at first... (Yes, that's Einstein on the 'no' side.  The kids laughed out loud when I pulled out that photo and said, "That's a Grandpa! Not a scientist!")

created by the kids (through a series of lessons)

Sort letters in different fonts, sizes, colors, textures.  What makes a 'b' a 'b'?

Kids put the alphabet in order during a lesson, and it's ready for words! (Beneath that... you see magnets of each child's name - we used them when learning names, now they are also our bathroom pass... you just stick it on the metal doorframe when you go to the bathroom.  No hall passes used here...)

Pep Talk as we settle on the bus for our first field trip!

A Crab Feast

Ah!  Finally.  The epitome of summer on the DC Coast.  Mommy's absolute favorite in the whole entire world.  Maryland Blue Crab - by the bucketful. On over-sized picnic tables covered with newspaper.  Cold beer. Melted butter. Old Bay seasoning like fire in the little cuts you get on your fingers from cracking open the crabs. Heavenly. Delicious. Crab Meat.

(Ains loved hammering the crabs w/ her mallet. She chowed on clam strips, clams and mussels.)