Books for the whole family

I really do like to read. I don't do it as often as I would like to - and what frustrates me it's the fact I just don't read because of pure laziness...
But we got into the book subject because the boys got $10/ each from grandma on a Valentines Day Card, we totally forgot about that money until Saturday when we went out to Sam's club. While we were looking for socks the boys saw these really cool activity books. We have got a ton of them, I get them at Walmart, the dollar store and other places. Usually there material is really crap. Newspaper like paper and most of activities are "Coloring". So anyways, the boys saw there books and they wanted them so bad. We talked a little and they decided to use their Valentines Day money to buy them - they are about $11/each on sale. Original price was closer to 20 bucks.
Anyways.... long story short - these were the best $10 ever spent! The kids (more Benjamin, for sure) have being into these books like crazy. They are so interested on these activities and I'm excited myself!
We were about to start our own activities since I just realized that Benjamin is 6-7 mos away from Kindergarten.
The school registration is in 2 weeks and I got a list of "things your child should know before kindergarten". So that got me thinking about how ready is he/and how I really should spend more time working with him.

So we have being spending all kinds of time in the books. While the kids do activities I will seat and ready something myself. They need help at first, explaining the instructions on the activities but that will by me hours of peace and quiet and to top it off the best way possible it's not on video-games! Is on LEARNING!
on Books!!! =))) And of course that gets me excited and into reading as well!
These have instigated such a love for learning on the boys that it amazes me. They have curiosity, their eyes are always "on" paying attention into everything that is happening around them! It's incredible!

So - yes I highly recomend these books. Good quality, easy to work with and very interested with the kids! We got the Pre-K for Noah and the Kindergarten for Benji and I'm sure we'll be buying new ones as they get finished.

Benji and his kite! - a Pro!

It was adorable! HE did so well... got his kite waaaay up in the sky, you could barely see it!
He's got it!

I took pictures when my camera didn't have the flash card - so now they are in the cameras memory and I'm not sure how I'm gonna get them in the computer!!! =oP

Before we left home...

I was downloading the pictures from the wedding and found a few pictures from before we left home. So, a little catch up:

Here is a couple pics of our x-mas card we made to Benji's classmates! I did the first one for the teachers, Noah's MRDD teachers and any other person we don't have a mailing address for. The one in the bottom Benji helped me - he did such a good job, I was impressed! He stamped over 10 of those x-mas trees (this was the nicest looking one) and helped me color them. We had a great time together while Noah was napping.

If you didn't get one of those - please don't feel like we ignored you. I actually got picture x-mas cards ordered before I left for Brasil but for some reason we won't get them until December 21st. Dan has the address and I hope he has time to send them out - if not, by the end of February you should be getting one! =D

Our "cooking group" get together a few times of year and try out brand new recipes, last year, our "teacher" Cindy gave us a cookie press, so this year of course we just had to have a cookie day! Cindy decided she wanted us to bring the kids too, so it worked out perfect to have our "secret santa" between the kids. Even thou Tati is not really into the cooking class she came that day, the kids had fun decorating cookie and I LOVED seing how the cookie press works! It's awesome how many shapes we can do, so perfect and so quickly! I'm totally doing it again when I get back home!

* Noah & Thomas exchanging gifts & hanging out together.

* Benji & Isaac (Benji can't get his eyes out of the cookies) - they had a blast decorating and eating the cookies!

Halloween

I don’t really care for this holiday, but this year I had fun!

Past Saturday our neigborhood had the 4th Annual Kids & Pets Halloween Parade, the Lebanon Fire Department lead the kids walking behind the truck from the park in the lake all the way down to the playground down on Lake shore. Getting better every year, this time we had music,snacks for the kids and even a balloon making clown (You were awesome Shelly!)

Today we weren’t gonna go out to trick or treat - we sat in our driveway and handed candy - Benji had a lot of fun, but man when he saw Isabella he just wanted to follow her so we ended up going to the houses in our street only! He *REALLY* losen it up byt the 3rd or 4th house…
My boy got his first crush!!! Awwww

This is the flash light we got to hand to thekids along with Candy: The kids enjoyed the flashlight way more then I expected! =)  Cool!!!

Updated 11/04 - Pictures
Noah on his Batman Pjs
 
Benji  & Isabella
  
And a puppie named Blue we found! Noah also has a PABLO from Backyardigans custome,but I don’t have any pictures in this computer to post (coming soon)