We were excited to teach Preschool on Physical Fitness and Nutrition this week! These topics are some of our favorites around here! I had the older kids help me plan it all and help take care of little Joshua for me when needed, they also got to join in on the fun!
We read a shine the light human body book and talked about how important it is for us to take care of our bodies, because they are special gifts from Heavenly Father, and when we take care of them properly by eating right, practicing good hygiene, and staying active, we can show God how thankful we are for them and help keep them healthy and strong! We talked about all the ways we can be physically fit and painted our hands and feet talking about ways we can use them to keep our bodies healthy and strong!
We practiced cutting with knives to EAT A RAINBOW of healthy fruits and vegetables!
We got to do some fun physically fit outdoor stations, like hopskotch, basketball, bean-bag toss, a fitness test with push-ups and planks...they weren't big fans of this position on the crusty grass after we saw a cricket jumping around lol....but we raced from the cones to the fences, marked our times and did jump rope too! They all loved these...The races were a big fave, and trying to beat their own times....the girls like the hopskotch and the boys through the bean bag toss was a fun challenge too!
Tracing letter/number time!
Plopping down the stairs has become one of Joshy's newest favorite activities haha! He thinks it is hilarious! He is getting to confident and proud to face forward, instead of having to slide down on his tummy as he heads down!!
The next day of Presschool we focused on healthy nutrition and "eating a rainbow!" We read some cute books, including the The Hungry Caterpillar book, where he ate so much junk food, he got a tummy ache! It wasn't until he had his healthy greens and good food that he felt better again! Then we grew strong and turned into a beautiful butterfly!! We made hungry caterpillar books, did fruit and veggie painting, talked about how our teeth are happy when we eat healthy foods, and even got to go "grocery shopping" upstairs, getting to choose out the foods to glue into our own paper shopping carts! SO FUN! Their favorite was the shipping cart/gluing activity! SO many yummy choices and the caterpillar bean bag/healthy food toss was super fun for them too! Joshy liked copying all the kids and giving it a go too!
Even though preparing for and teaching Preschool can be rigorous, sometimes overwhelming and requires lots of prep-work, I truly enjoy learning and teaching these sweet little ones and am so thankful for this chance to share in this fun learning adventure with all my kiddos when we get to teach! I hope they will treasure these memories of us all learning together as much as I do! At least, now we can all remember these learning-full, hard work, but so unspeakably rewarding days!
This cute boy also decided to start giving himself his own little baths this week too! Oh man!!!! Talk about keeping us on our toes!!! We are just constantly trying to keep up with him! Even though he is so calm-natured and easy-going, he is such a little fearless explorer! He will CLIMB to the top of the table or counter-top within a moments notice, and once he figured out how to open the doors and get in the tub....he knew exactly where all the fun happens to be! SPLASHING and DUMPING WATER!!!!
CAUGHT YA!!!!
He knows it!
But still happy anyways! This reminds me of my little brother SAmuel, who when he was 3, went into the fridge and completely emptied out a whole jug of ketchup all across the kitchen floor. He thought it was THE funniest thing in the world, and I will never forget his PRICELESS smile of complete joy and satisfaction with his dumping efforts when the floor in my Dad and Fniau's house was smothered in red goop. He was just so proud and his matter-of-fact excitement at all the fun he just created was timeless. Just like this little cute Joshy boy!
UH OHHHH!! YEP, still got those clothes on.....Doesn't matter much when you are 16 months, I guess...lol.
Josh LOVES throwing any ball he can find, and especially being "OOUUUUTTSAAAAAAAH" = "outside." = Cutest thing ever, especially considering he is his father's son and my Dad's grandson. (Both talented bball players, it must just run in the family!!!)
SOOOO SOOO Proud of my helpers when it comes time for chore auction each week! These kids have really gained great skills in responsibly completing their chores and working hard to earn their Saturday jobs for quarters! So proud when they work hard and do their part to help our home stay clean! Go Nathan, go!
One of my FAVORITE things about the month of February is the increased measure of LOVE in our house!! After we hung out heart pockets over our chairs (our Valentiens tradition sicne California), the kids get right to work writing nice notes to each other! This is how I foudn the girls one morning when I came in to make breakfast, they had been diligently working on writing cards for each member of our family to put in the heart love pockets. What sweet girls, sure love LOVE and Valentines month to especially celebrate and look for all the ways we love each other.
Love this sweet season of our lives! Love teaching, learning, and growing together, and these hearts full of kindness too!
We had our first home-school co-op field trip of the year to the zoo! Hooray!! Miss June-bug insisted on riding her favorite, cheetah, and Josh was not the biggest fan of the up and down movement of the horse he was riding for the first time. I guess we gotta start somewhere! ;)
😳
😩 #thebigboot But I guess it's what I get when I tried to jump and reach super high to get miss K during an intense game of tag and came down wrong on my ankle. 
😝
😜Even though I did hear a loud snap, I am so thankful it turned out to only be a severe grade 5 (out of 5) ankle sprain instead of a break requiring surgery. On the bright side, at least now my kiddos will get to step up and help out some more while I am slightly debilitated for a bit and healing. I am so thankful Jon was home so he could come rescue me! Now we're just hoping for a speedy recovery!! Guess this is what happens when I pray for opportunities to grow and serve in our family. 
😉
☺️#notmyfavoritewaytoendtheday #butstillcountmyblessings!#sothankfulforallthehelp 
:) #thankfulforHistendermercies#thiswilljustmakeusstronger 
😊
😃
