100 Days of School - Kinder Edition

When you were in school, did you celebrate the 100th day of school?  If we did, I don't remember it.  I can tell for certain, that my little won't ever forget it.

EmJ was given a task: Bring something to showcase 100 days of school!  um... okay..  When Boog was in Kinder, we did something with pennies.  But for my baby... my last little presh, that simply wouldn't do.

So- for Em's project, we did 100 faces of Emileigh :)

Gather your craft supplies.  Here is just a snippit of what we used:

* 100 photos.  (I printed 115, because you never know when you'll screw something up)

* 1 Project Display Board (you know, the kind you use for the science fair

* Sharpie Markers

* Glue

* Scrapbooking embellishment stickers 

* Scrapbooking paper for mats

-I chose the 100 pack from the Walmarts.  That way... I KNEW I wouldn't miss a photo :)

* Paper cutter

* TIME. LOTS OF TIME YA'LL lots of time.  

I measured out the board and then we used the maths to determine that I would have to cut my photos down to a 3 x 3 picture in order to mat it, and still have room for a title and larger photo.  

While I do own one of those handy scrapbook paper cutters, I realized super quick that it was going to take me FOR.EV.ER if I measured 100 photos... So, I made a guide:

Tear off the back of that photo mat stack.  I believe in using all of the supplies I purchase!!

Cut your mat the size you want your picture.  This is a 3 x 3 mat that worked PERFECTLY. :)  

*** Sorry- I forgot to add that you MUST have a beautiful made up helper.  This one is a MESS! Who seems to pull all of my creative juices out :)***

Take your guide and a silver sharpie and draw a box around each of the 100 photos you are going to want to use in your project.  

Again, you can use your cutter thingy, but it really is much quicker to do it this way... I mean, unless you have a BigShot.  In that case, use those dies and save yourself a ton of time!  We went the old fashion way.  

It doesn't have to be perfect (which is SUPER hard for me to understand) so allow the little person you have hanging around pitch in!  It is THEIR project, after all :)

After you cut out the little pictures, glue them on the mats.  yeah... I know -  more cutting ahead...  Its super worth it, ya'll!  Promise.

Isn't this picture precious?  LOVE.

We purchased white letters for the poster and then just colored them with Sharpies.  That worked so so good.  I'll show you a finished picture soon...

Daddies are GREAT helpers.  Ours cut the mats with a little helper.

  *notice a couple of things... (1) Em is now showered, THANK YOU JESUS (2) I prefer to drink out of a jar. Any jar will do... pickle jars are the best!*

Grease Live was on by this time... Em was more interested in that and was OVER this project... But isn't it looking ADORABLE?!?!?!?!

Here's the deal, ya'll.  You're probably going to mess up.  I did.  You might have to replace the stickers and move them around.  IT IS OKAY!  

Lay the photos down and get it all situated before you glue ANYTHING, though.  You have to do this step... do NOT skip it.  You'll be angry if you do.

The finished project.  

We added some scrapbook embellishments and washi tape. But other wise, the pictures tell the story alone.  

This was the most amazing, sweet, exhausting project we've tackled last minute.  However, it was so worth it!

Comment below if you have any questions... and if you attempt this, PLEASE leave me a picture.  If anyone will appreciate the hard work, I will !

**OUTTAKE - Em was not having fun about 24 minutes in...

Dear Blayne - 1st day

Dear Blayne -

Do you know how fast five years goes by?   I do.  Way to quickly.  I can remember when I was a little girl, it seemed like forever.  FIVE whole years?  I takes less time to get through high school!  Five years is such a long time when you are young, or when you are looking forward to something.  When you are a mom... it goes faster than I could ever imagine.

Five years ago, we we knew about you for exactly 7 days.  In my mind then, you were seven days old :)  Pre-K was so far away, I'm not sure I even thought about it until you were two.  I realized that I could fit your life in four sets of five years... Blayne, I only have 3/4 of my time left.  How did that happen?

This summer wasn't spent talking about going to school much.  We continued our schedule of chaos.  We went to bed when we were sleepy, we napped when we were sleepy, and we woke up to snuggle in our beds while watching cartoons.  Most days were spent in your underoos, rarely did I force outfits or outings.  We played, we colored, we snuggled.  You have the kindest heart.  Please protect it, son.

In April, we had our very first family vacation to Destin, Fl.  I'm fully confident that you would live there in a nanosecond.  You love the beach and the ocean.  While there, I started to realize that you were outgrowing the toddler age and you were becoming a little boy.  You changed so much this summer, Blayne.  It was such a joy to watch.

In May, Momma and Daddy decided that we wanted you and Emileigh to be Purple Pirates (like mommy) and decided to move to Bristow.  June 1st we moved into our "new-new" house.  You took the move in stride and we started to talk about school.  We started attending FBC mainly because I wanted to see how you would react in a classroom environment after being out for so long.  You THRIVED.  You loved the kids and all of the activities.

In August, we went to your school for open house/meet the teacher night.  Blayne, you cried when we left because you didn't want to come home.  melt.my.heart.

There were some talk among some that you would have trouble in school because you spent so much time home with Mommy and Emileigh.  The fear that you would have major separation anxiety was voiced to me more than once.  I knew you would be fine, buddy.  You were ready.

On August 16th, 2012- you started school.

You went to bed the night before like a champ.  At 7:00, I woke you up, you ate your breakfast, got dressed, and we went outside to start pictures.  You were so dang excited... I was just completely happy.
On the way to school, we called Daddy, Papa, and Doodah.  They all told you good luck and you said THANKS!

We walked straight to your classroom, you put your backpack on the hook and picked out a puzzle.  Officially a student.  

I walked out with a smile on my face.  Proud doesn't come close to the feeling I felt, but there aren't words available to adequately describe the feelings.

Right now, you are a happy 4 year old who loves school.  You love your friends and love making friends.  You play on the playground with "buzz-girl" who apparently is known as Olivia to non-superheros.  You have had your first run-ins with Big Jackson, and chose to protect "little Jackson" because your heart is so sweet.  Day 2 you tested Miss Keli, she won... you've been amazing every day since.

You come home and sing a new song every day.  You are excited about your shapes and all that comes with learning.  You are allowing yourself to soak up everything that is happening right now, I LOVE THAT.

I pray that I can keep this excitement about learning going throughout high school.  I'm so proud of you already Little Man.  So very proud.

Love Momma.

ABC...123...

Growing up, I wanted to be a Mommy.  I wanted to be a wife and mother more than anything in the world.  When I was in Kindergarden, we had a play.  I believe it was about different occupations A-Z.  I was a Librarian, I really wanted to be the Kite Flier.  (That was Tara Smith and she had the biggest, most beautiful balloon that she used.) Librarian?  Okay- I went from Kindergarden to second grade wanting to be a Librarian.  When I was in Middle School, I wanted to be a basketball coach.  Not because I enjoyed the game, but because I despised every middle school coach I ever had and just knew I could be better.

High School came and I decided that I wanted to be a teacher.  Senior Year: I wanted to be Mrs. Alcorn.

I didn't go to college at the same time my graduating class did.  I entered in 2001, a couple of years later.  I felt out of place.  Young enough to fit the sterotype of "typical college student" but older than the rest of the freshmen class.  I bailed shortly after the attack on September 11th.  It is just a coincidence, or I thought it was. 

I attempted NSU again in 2003.  I was not a MARRIED college student. Surely, I would fit in much better now, right?  Umm NO.  

I bailed again and went to work at LinkAmerica. 

The next 7 years were spend with my head deep in the transportation industry.  I was like a sponge, soaking up every term, account, formula, and driver history.  It was my life for a long time, putting in many, many, many weeks of 70+ hours.  I was always accessable by cell phone during all hours of the day and night, and was issued a laptop to be able to access the system, oh and email.  I literally worked 23 hours a day.  Kevin learned a lot by just listening to me sleep.  I could do my best dispatching while sleeping. :)

Although I moved up the ladder fairly quickly, I would always face the fact that I was a woman in a man's world.  YES that still exists and actually thrives in this industry.

When Emileigh was born, we made the decision that I would stay at home with the kiddos.  I will never, ever, ever regret that decision. 

About six months ago, I got the itch.  I want to jump back into the work force, but I wanted to do something that would stick with me the rest of my working life.  I have thought a million times about going back to transportation, even looking into the program at the University of Arkansas.

I just didn't want to get back into the industry.  That chapter is closed... that Book is closed.

I am opening a new chapter in a new book.  This week I started back to college, to pursue a degree in Nursing.  My hope is to work with either Labor/Delivery, or the NICU.

Yesterday was my first class back.  I am taking a Winter Intersession (minimester) class at Connors.  Psychology. 

I LOVE IT.

Stay tuned.. this could change at any minute.

School?!

Today, Blayne and Emileigh started school. 

Technically, they started Kids Day Out at St. Paul United Methodist Church, here in Muskogee.  Last Friday, we visited the church to meet the classroom teachers and get an understanding about how they conduct the day.  Blayne fell in love immediately.  Emileigh just loved all of the toys! We had to drag him out, kicking and screaming to stay and play.

Today was the official day #1.  We woke up early, took showers, packed his backpack, and grabbed lunches.  Off to school we went.

Sadly, neither one of them cried when we left. (Kevin met and rode into town with me, yay)

It was nice to have five hours to get some things accomplished without having little feet running under mine.  I felt like I could focus my complete attention on them when they came home today.  I think it will be a fantastic journey.

We picked them up at 2:00. (They attend MWF from 9:00 - 2:00)

Blayne asked if he could go back morrow?

 I'll have to take pictures this Wednesday.