See What I Mean?

Dear Rude People Previously Addressed in Another Post,

Reese threw up. Thanks for nothing.
She is acting "totally fine" now, but she will be staying home today.
'Cuz that's what you do when you throw up. You stay away from other people, so they don't get sick, too.

I told you so/my kids should be better at sports because they seem to be able to catch everything,
-Meg

Merry Christmas Friendly Frogs! (two weeks in one post)

My job rocks!

The end.

Ok, not really the end. But really yes, my job rocks. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to teach preschool. I love preschool. I love the kids. I love that the kids love preschool. And now that Christmas has come, I can finally post about the cute things the kids made for their parents.

In December, our preschool themes were the arrival of Winter, I Can Give, and Christmas.

Many of the images are out of order with this post, and I'm having difficulty fixing it, right now. Hopefully, the parents forgive me and will just enjoy a zillion pictures of their kids, and the fun things they learned in December.
A mitten ornament (made during our Welcome Winter week, when we read 3 books about mittens)

Share: bring something red and green

How awesome are these reindeer? They make me so happy, I wanted to keep them for myself!

Literature: The Gingerbread Man and Jan Brett's Gingerbread Friends.
I found this little puppet in a rummage sale box at my sister's over the summer. He came home with me, had Christmas buttons and puff painted added to him, and he is now the Young Learner's Gingerbread Baby. The children enjoyed being read to by Gingerbread Baby, and then followed him into the kitchen to make their own Gingerbread Babies.

When they came out of the oven, Baylee announced, "Hey everyone! Those are not Gingerbread BABIES, they are Gingerbread BAYLEEs!" The Gingerbread Baylees were eaten at snacktime, and each of the kids took a few home with them.

We made a list of C/K words, found items that were red and green, talked about giving, and worked with patterns a lot this month. (and what better way to learn about patterns than using colored/flavored marshmallow shapes? Yum!)

Fine motor: marshmallow and toothpick structures

There were crazy straws and red kool-aid,

and rainbow chip snowman cupcakes

Dramatic Play: Nativities

Literature: Christmas Books: The Polar Express, Santas Sled, The Night Before Christmas, The Friendly Beasts. The Bearnstien Bears and The Joy of Giving, The Gingerbread Baby, The Gingerbread Man

Language: What can you give to others?

In The Friendly Beasts, the animals in the stable creatively find things to share with the Baby Jesus. While we read this story, I paused and pointed out that when we serve others, it is a gift to Jesus. I then asked the children what service they could do for their loved ones as a gift to Jesus. Their answers were classic.

I'm looking forward to the new year with my Friendly Frogs.

Merry Christmas

Wishing all of you a very merry Christmas as we celebrate the miracle of our Savior's birth, and enjoy the blessings of His life.

Love and Warm Wishes,

Aaron, Meg, Reese, Quincy, and Corbin Willardson

Christmas Eve Dasher

My friend, Jocelyn put together a Christmas Eve morning run/walk at Lake Bella Vista.

There ended up being about 25 ladies there and Jocelyn had Santa hats and jingle bells for everyone to wear. It was a lot of fun.

I really love my running buddies. I don't feel safe running alone (watch Dateline much?), but I am blessed to know many girls to like to run and I'm surrounded with wonderful, inspiring personalities. We have a great time together, motivate and support each other, and keep each other entertained with stories while we run. We stopped today and posed for this picture after about 5 miles, I think.

Then we got going again, found our 2nd wind, and finished up 11 miles.

I'm starting to develop a love/hate relationship with my training schedule.

I made up these orange rolls and cinnamon rolls last night. This morning, I baked and iced them, and took a pan with me to the Dasher. Who doesn't love a hot, fresh orange roll after a nice long run? For my first ever attempt at cinnamon/orange rolls from scratch, I think they turned out pretty yummy. They were a big hit, and might have to become part of the tradition.

Because we all know that the best parts of running are friends and guilt free carb loading.

Home Alone With Reese

Aaron brought home takeout from Gusano's (yum).
Reese opened the pizza box, drew in a deep breath and said,
"Mmmm, Is that 'a lovely cheese pizza just for me?'"

NoBagelNoBagelNoBagelNoBagelNoBagel...

Happy Festivus, Everyone!
If you are not a Seinfeld fan, well...I'm sorry for your loss. You can go here to gain a full understanding of the beauty of this holday for the "rest of us".

Appropriately, Aaron served up bagels this morning.
And even more appropriately, the children protested.

And now the Airing of Grievances:

Dear Lawrence Blood,
I hate the cold sores. They are gross, unsightly, and even though they erupt on my bottom lip every single month, like a perfectly timed geyeser, I still have someone ask me if I got punched in the face at least once every four Sundays.

Let's find out who brought this awful curse upon our family and burn his or her name from the records of our family history books.

Cracked Lipped Monthy and Bitter About It,
Meg

Enjoy the made up holiday!
May your day be filled with Feats of Strength and your metal pole be extra tinsely. And remember,
"Festivus isn't over until you pin me, George"

{six}

Pieces turned 6 last week.
Six.

She's so grown up, all of a sudden.
I blame Kindergarten for that.

Six is a big birthday in the Willy house, because it is the age when you are allowed to chew gum.

Reese began her special day wearing pajamas to school for a field trip on the Polar Express. She was given a crown, sung to by her class, and her teacher let Reese sing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" into a microphone, and the kids joined in and sang along. She was impressed that Reese knew all the words.

When she got home, she opened her gift from Quincy: A big fat package of bubble gum.
AKA "the best birthday present I've ever had!"

She also received a Magna Doodle from Aaron and I, a Tangled polly pocket from Grandma Lynda and Grandpa Rob, a Snow Cone Maker from Grandma Lynn

and Grandpa Punkin, and a wrapped gift from a boy in her class.
presents. from a boy.
Listen up, "Tanner-from-school" I've got my eyes on you, buddy. Keep it friendly.


He had made Reese a darling little beaded necklace, and had it wrapped with a tiny bowling set. Above, is Reese's thank you card, which she sat down to write right away. She got stuck in the middle, and asked what else she should write. I offered the suggestion that when writing a thank you card, it helps to think about what you like best about the gift. You'll notice that Reese's favorite part of the gift was her own name.

What a little narcissist. I love her.



Reese has been planning her "Snow Party" birthday for about 11 months.
Mother Nature has yet to deliver the snow, this year, but a Snow Party we delivered!

As the kids arrived, they painted 2 blue button eyes and 3 black coal mouth pieces for a snowman kit. I added a carrot, a cork pipe, and fabric scarf to each of their party bags. When it does snow, they will be ready for some serious snowman building!

Lack of snow didn't stop us from having quite the snow party!

My parents and sister sent a package of InstaSnow for the party. For those who don't have access to real snow (and even those who do), this stuff is SO rad. The kids watched it "grow" from granules in the tubs, and had fun playing in the "snow".

(Alayna, Jackson, Madison, Addison, Reese and Quincy)

After snow play, the kids gathered back around the table for hot cocoa with snowman marshmallows and Snowman Bingo, using mini marshmallows as square markers. Each child got a snowman pencil when they got their first Bingo.

We sang happy birthday and Reese blew out candles on Snowman cupcakes (made with rainbow chip frosting...so they kind of looked like adolecent or chicken poxed snowmen, oh well!) I used chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth, candy corn for the carrot noses and gum drops on toothpicks for the pipes. They were a hit, and thanks to the rainbow chips, they were pretty yummy, too.

Reese had a great time playing and celebrating the fun of turning 6 with a few of her closest friends. I read a snowman book to them while they waited for parents to arrive.

Snow Party=Success!

That night, Aaron "pulled a surprise present from the closet", and gave Reese her very own microphone. She's been handing out orders and belting Christmas carols at top volume since she opened it.

Pieces,

I have so much love for you, I can't accurately put it into words. You are a very special girl, with a unique personality and gifted mind that will get you everything you want out of this life. I am lucky to be your mother. You bless our family daily, and I appreciate how much you help out around the house with chores and caring for your sister and brother. Six is going to be another great year for you.

I love you, Dolly. Happy Birthday!