dksquared: February 2014

Degen's 5th Birthday Party

These were the bags the kids got when they arrived and included tokens, a token coupon and a reward for tickets.

This was Degen's third birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese! That boy loves this place, and I think that they do a great job at (easy) parties! This party had a sports theme, and each of the kids got a 'lanyard' along with their tokens and other goodies. We had the party on a Monday afternoon and mostly avoided the crowds, though the place filled up a bit more as it got later. The kids rushed off to play while the adults sat and talked. Then we ate and watched the birthday show! This was a low-key party with our good friends, and I think it went wonderfully. I loved seeing all the kids with their friends having so much fun and enjoyed visiting with the parents, too. We have a great Chuck E. Cheese, and this was a great party! Thanks to all our fantastic friends who came out to celebrate!

Our little rock star!

Degen asked Kyrie to help him in the Ticket Blaster! They got lots of tickets!

Degen was most excited that Darren would be at CEC with him. My two boys had a great time together!

Our little partiers boogied with Chuck E. and got lots of free tickets!

Jersey Cake

The theme for Degen's birthday party this year was sports. I had bought a t-shirt cake pan on clearance years ago and put it away to use. This was the perfect opportunity! I used 2 cake mixes (could have used one) and made the cake plus 14 cupcakes. Since the cake pan already had the shape, all I really had to do was decorate. I asked Degen the colors he wanted to use and piped on his name and a number 5 (for his fifth birthday). I added a few stripes and the cake was done- super-easy! The above photo shows a bit of my cake board. If I can, I like to add a little thematic flair to my cake boards. Using wrapping paper is always easy, and for this I just printed off some sports images and covered it all with waxed paper. We sent the cupcakes to German school for Degen to share with the other kids. Using the icing I already had in piping bags, I made a simple blue ribbon with a number 5. They turned out pretty cute for just a little effort! Unfortunately, during clean-up, 3 of my piping tips fell into the disposal and were smashed nearly beyond recognition- ugh!

This was the cake at the party with these cute candles that I found!

Girl Scout: Daddy-Daughter Valentine's Dance

The weekend before Valentine's Day, Kyrie & Darren got all dressed up for the Daddy-Daughter Valentine's Dance! This was a great opportunity for them to spend some extra-special time together. Kyrie was excited to dress up and asked Darren to wear a suit (she really wanted him to wear a tux!). Before the dance, they went to dinner. They had a nice evening!

Homeschool: Health & Safety

The kids really enjoy our health & safety unit. During this unit we learn about the human body, personal safety (including fire safety), teeth & dental care and healthy habits. This year, I added a book called "I Said No!" to our reading list. It is specifically aimed at preventing sexual abuse. The kids were very interested in this book, and we spent a lot of time discussing the subject matter.

Kyrie working on our dirty mouth! This was another Pinterest find, which later one of our cats destroyed. I think I will use this concept next year, but have Kyrie create the mouth.

Kyrie did a great job with her folder!

Degen glued parts where they went on his folder.

Homeschool: Polar Regions

This year, I added a new unit on the Polar Regions. I have about a thousand goals when I am planning for the year ahead and world geography is one of those goals. This unit focused on the animals, habitats and climate of the Arctic and Antarctic. This was a great first run, and I look forward to adding more books and activities to this unit next year.

The kids enjoy making collages to decorate their unit folders.

This was a project that I found on Pinterest, which I need to be better at checking before each unit. The kids thought these were fun to put together!

This is something that I started doing with Degen last year. He knows his numbers and is starting with addition/subtraction skills, but we haven't covered how to write all the numbers yet. I have sheets of these sticker dots, and I will write all the numbers he will need (mixed-up) and he has to choose the right stickers to complete the worksheet. I have found this to be a great way for him to practice the number skills he is ready for even when he doesn't have the writing skills required.

Snow Much Fun!

BRRR! It has been one cold & snowy winter! The kids love the chance to bundle up and get outside to play, especially with the other kids in the neighborhood. Sledding has been a lot more popular with the kids this year, and they have enjoyed being out more now that they are older and can handle the cold better. I got a few pics of them outside playing in the snow.

Lilah loves to be outside, but the cold has kept her in for much of the past few months. She surprised us by going out to play with the kids! She was super-cute running & digging in the snow!

We have a very kind neighbor who sometimes uses his plow on our driveway! The kids enjoyed the little sledding hill that the plow left behind!

How about a snowball fight?!? Loved watching the kiddos play!

Girl Scout Night with the Columbus Blue Jackets 2014

We were excited to participate in the Columbus Blue Jackets Night with the Girl Scouts. The format was a little different this year, and we enjoyed the changes. We went to the Arena in the early afternoon for an on-ice hockey clinic and came back that evening for the game. The Blue Jackets were on an 8-game winning streak, so there was a big crowd and lots of excitement!

Last year, we ice skated after the game and everyone was allowed on the ice for a free-skate. This year, only the kids were allowed on the ice and they participated in different stations that helped them skate and learn about hockey. We were a bit nervous at first, especially about Degen, but he had help from one of the NHL Ice Girls who stuck with him the whole time, and both kids ended up having a lot of fun! Though we were skeptical at first, we really liked the change in format.

We went home for the rest of the afternoon and ate an early dinner before heading back for the game. The kids were excited to see the NHL Ice Girl who had helped them on the ice that afternoon all dolled-up for the game. She was super-sweet and stopped so I could get a picture of her with the kids!

Though our seats were up high again this year, we still had a great view of the ice (and lots more leg room than the seats in the lower bowl). The Blue Jackets didn't win, but we had a lot of fun cheering and munching on Arena fare! As always, I can't wait to go back!