Somehow, despite being mostly mute for his evaluation to confirm he was "typically-abled", Timmy earned a spot in the new integrated pre-school program at our elementary school this year. Katie started in this program as a 3yo for speech delay and I was eager to get Tim into such a well-structured program. When we found out they would allow kids without delays or special needs to enroll this year, I was ecstatic.
It sounds like he's already making a name for himself. Although, I had to laugh when the head teacher (like an assistant principal) told me a few weeks into school, that yes, she knew my youngest had started in pre-k this year. She knew Katie as a preschooler and has been extremely helpful to our family over the years. She told me, "Oh, I saw him get off the bus the first day and instantly recognized that face. I knew he must be a Bouf."
But that face is where the similarities end. Timmy is the opposite of Katie in so many ways. He's naturally athletic (with speed and coordination). He's also naturally shy and quiet in new situations. He takes a while to warm up to new people, but once he does he's loyal and loves to play with his friends. He's quiet about what he knows, often just telling us, "Ahh, I don't know". Even though he does. He carries a tune well and loves to parrot back every commercial and one-liner he hears on tv, but refuses to perform on command. All of a sudden he turns into Mr. Bashful.
But he's been loving school. And lately when I ask him what sound a letter makes, instead of getting the canned "I don't know" response, I get the exaggerated sound, complete with body animation. So today, I just so happened to have written an e-mail to his teacher. I told her how amazed I am with how much he has learned in just one month of school and how excited he is to share things with us. (I also had to ask if Thor's hammer would be considered a "weapon" per the Halloween parade no weapon ban. And yes it is; so is Wolverine's costume.)
Maybe she enjoyed the e-mail and told Timmy to give his mom a break tonight and just sing the alligator song for her. Because, not only did he sing the alligator song he's been talking about since the beginning of September...but he was enthusiastic about me recording it. I'll get him there...he's already telling me he'd rather go to NYC to see Wicked (since I told him we can't see Jack in Newsies AGAIN) instead of his much requested Disney vacation. He belts out Defying Gravity, Just One Day, King of New York or Santa Fe, depending on the CD playing at the moment, on almost every car ride. Good luck getting him to sing them for you. But for one show only...here's the alligator song!!!
Imagine the excitement when MomSelect and Mega Bloks sent us a big box full of the Mega Bloks Barbie building sets to get our Mommy Party on.
Not only was 7yo Katie as excited as Christmas morning, but all of our friends got excited for our party, too - because, I'll be honest, we are a fun family. Um, or maybe because we were going to get a chance to play with the Mega Bloks Barbie Build 'N Style Luxury Mansion and Pool Party plus some cool accessories.
Bright colors, Mega Bloks, girls, Barbie themed: Excitement!
I was thrilled for the opportunity to watch Katie play with these sets. Many building sets with themes she would be interested in are geared to slightly older kids like 6-10 or 8-12, and even at those ages they've been a challenge for Katie's fine motor skill set. Mega Bloks Barbie toys are suggested for 5-8 year old girls. I went online right away to try to get an idea of how it was geared to a younger set and noticed that in the mansion, the block pieces seemed to be more accessories than actual building pieces. Since Katie has to-date passed on her building toys to spend ENDLESS hours playing with Polly Pocket, Pet Shop, and Squinky toys, I knew these would be perfect for her: lots of ability to play creatively, but beginning to incorporate the building, following instructions, and fine motor skills that I wanted to challenge her with.
As the date of our party approached, the evil ugly flu reared it's
head and our invited party guests dropped like flies, but we had a great group come out
and tons of fun. As soon as Maddie and Mackenzie arrived, the girls ran over to the
toys to start planning. After I had opened all of the boxes and inner
bags, we quickly realized that while there are TONS of awesome
accessories for playing - there were also a lot of pieces to build.
So, we started with our snacks and dinner so that we could clear out the kitchen for some serious building time.
I was fortunate to have a few of my most clever and crafty friends with me and while the girls were eating we decided to sort all of the mansion pieces. Each room of the mansion has its own set of instructions complete with number of each piece needed and which stickers to attach. We ripped the instruction manual pages apart and created building baggies for each room of the mansion that included the instructions and just the pieces needed for that room.
The girls got busy and did a great job. It was their first time following such detailed instructions and even our 7 and 8 yo needed a lot of adult help, but the fact that they could do some of it by themselves made them really proud. They were definitely eager to learn and understand what they needed to do. Katie got easily frustrated a few times. Our almost 5yo gave up very quickly and went to play with the boys.
The moms stepped in to help apply stickers, keep the girls on task, and help attach difficult pieces (or more commonly unattach pieces that were put in the wrong place and then were too hard for the girls to unattach). I also helped to finish customizing the outside of the mansion, with windows, trim, and flower boxes.
Once we got our system down, we finished pretty quickly with only two girls actively participating. By then, they were ready for a break.
After a bit of energy release, our friend Olivia joined us to help build Barbie's dream pool. And really, this pool is built to amaze.
I really like the sets because they leave you with something to actually play with once you're done building. There are tons of fun accessories including food, utensils, and pretty much anything Barbie could ever hope to have. The downside, there are so many fun things to play with and you have to be very careful so that the building pieces don't break apart.
They empowered our girls to try something they hadn't done before and they loved it. See for yourself:
From our experience, I would caution parents that 5-8 year old girls will likely not be able to decipher the instructions completely on their own, but they can do it with help and they will have a blast playing with the completed project. Like Playdoh, this is higher on the parent involvement scale, but I definitely enjoyed our time building together. When tackling the mansion on your own (as opposed to having tons of hands to help at one time), it is set up perfectly to be completed as multi-day mini-projects, one room at a time.
I received free products in exchange for hosting this party as apart of a promotional program with MomSelect. All opinions are my own.
I realize the Catholic Church has made many changes over the
last year, but I didn’t see this one coming. First, our mass and hymns were
retranslated. Recently, a new precedent was set, morally freeing future popes
from serving until their death if they feel that they can’t properly lead due
to age or health issues.
But changing our Easter celebration to Valentine’s Day???
Katie recently attended a Valentine’s Day party at gymnastics.
While other kids were crafting, she was busy writing a report about how special
Valentine’s Day is.
And in the spirit of translating our most holy works, I have
translated and edited as follows:
"Happy Valentine’s Day. It is a special day, the day Jesus
suffered his life and died and rose up again. It is one of Jesus’s and God’s days.
Our holiday today is Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t on the date, but they made it this
day." (because the party was not actually ON Valentine’s Day.)
It has been suggested that I request a refund for her CCD
classes.
Instead, we had a little talk. I revealed the mystery of
Easter. Called “Easter”.Which led us
back to, “So what the heck is Valentine’s Day?”
It doesn't really seem possible. It seems like just yesterday that I was squealing in excitement about the opportunity to give away tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba! I thought to myself, eh I don't need tickets myself this year for the Tower Theater- my kids have seen it. Yeah, Timmy still LOVES to watch his pals on tv (and took off to find it on Netflix as soon as he saw these pictures over my shoulder) but it wasn't that long ago that we got to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! at the Mann Music Center.
And then I scrolled through my picture archives to get some clips and OH MY GOSH!!! It was 2 1/2 years ago. Timmy was a BABY!!!
Whether your kids have loved Yo Gabba Gabba! for over 2 1/2 years, or are new on the scene, you are in luck because they are back in town, performing at the Tower Theater THIS month!! And not only do you still have a chance to purchase tickets, but you can win a family 4-pack right here.
And it's not just a Party in Your Tummy, it's an all out party!
Win 4 TIX to YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! Jan 25th
YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! GET THE SILLIES OUT! Tour in Upper Darby for 2 Performances
The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans in Cincinnati to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! tour will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013.Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors' edition.
Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will have two performances at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, PA on Friday, Jan. 25th (3pm and 6pm). CLICK HEREfor ticket information for the shows. Tickets start at $26.00.VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to "Get the Sillies Out" in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang (costumed characters) and more. Children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent's lap.
For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. The television show, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr.
Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! marks the third tour for the successful Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! concert series. The first tour, Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: There’s a Party in My City!, launched with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a performance at the White House in 2010.Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! 2010 tour played to sold out venues in 60 cities. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: It’s Time to Dance! enjoyed repeat success in 2011, energizing audiences across North America at over 120 shows.
Enter for a chance to win 4 FREE tickets to the 1/25
6pm Tower Theater performance (This is a Friday night):
*Simply leave me a comment to let me know who you would love to bring to the show.
*Feel free to tweet this giveaway as much as you'd like for extra entries.
Tweet must include @JulieBouf and a link to this post.
If you have a non-reply google account or don't have a google account - include some way for me to contact you in your comment (e-mail address, twitter handle, etc...if I don't already know you personally). Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Somehow, despite being mostly mute for his evaluation to confirm he was "typically-abled", Timmy earned a spot in the new integrated pre-school program at our elementary school this year. Katie started in this program as a 3yo for speech delay and I was eager to get Tim into such a well-structured program. When we found out they would allow kids without delays or special needs to enroll this year, I was ecstatic.
