Sentence of the Day- Tickle Monster

This morning, I woke up with a scratchy throat (germs are floating around!). When I told Katy that I had, "... a tickle in my throat," she insisted that I open my mouth. As she was peering into my mouth, she proclaimed, "The doctor can pull it out."

Good Cop, Bad Cop

Now that Katy is older and able to reason and use logic, we are in trouble (as if I didn't already know that!)!

Recently, she's been playing one parent against the other. For example, if I tell her, "No you cannot have a cookie right before bed," she replies, "But Daddy lets me!" Another example, if Ted tells her not to touch some fragile Christmas decorations, Katy will respond, "But my Mommy said it was okay!" The list could go on and on...!

Thankfully, Ted has had the sense to either say, "I don't think so," or, "I better check with Mommy, first!" ;-P

Wordless Wednesday-"It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas..."

Santa "NO" Clause

Lil' Miss won't be sitting for a picture with Santa, this year. As a continuation of her fear of dressed up characters (Easter Bunny, CFA Cow, etc.),  Katy is scared to death of of big dressed up animals, people and characters- including and especially Old St. Nick!

While watching a Holiday movie, this week, we were talking to Katy about Santa. We were trying to convince her that Santa's an okay guy- that he brings her gifts on Christmas. When she shook her head at this, we asked her, "Well, if Santa doesn't bring you gifts, then who does?"

Katy very matter-of-factly stated, "You bring me gifts (on Christmas)."

Ahh, a skeptic at the ripe old age of two and a half years old!! ;-)

Sentence of the Day- "Rock-a-bye Baby..."

Ever since we got home from Thanksgiving, Katy has been sick. Cough, cold, you know the drill. Anyway, this morning, in an effort to soothe her, I was rocking her and singing "Rock-a-bye Baby" to her. In the midst of her tears and general all-around-not-feeling-well funk, Katy sat up, looked me in the eye and exclaimed, "I not a baby! I your big kid!"

So, now, our version of the song goes like this, "Rock a bye big kid... on the treetop..."

Thanksgiving 2012 Recap

"This Thanksgiving, we drove to New Jersey to spend the holiday with the Jones side of the family."

"At the Virginia Welcome Center, there was a playground- perfect for getting the wiggles out!"

"Mommy and Daddy said that the car ride was only supposed to be nine hours. 

It wasn't. 

They lied- it was12 hours. 

12 very, very, very, VERY LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG hours in the car! 

Completely closed highways! Traffic! Potty Breaks every hour and a half! DC Rush Hour! 

When we saw a man riding a horse along the side of the road, Mommy said that it was a sign. She said that it was only the first horseman of the Apocalypse. I don't think she was joking- she was pretty grumpy.

Eventually, I fell asleep in the car... at five PM in the afternoon! So much for normal bedtime!"

"Happy Turkey Day! Gobble, Gobble!"

"PopPop turned on the Macy's Day Parade for me to watch on Thanksgiving. I liked it but I was enjoyed the National Dog Show that came on afterwards, better!" (No joke!)

"One big happy family!" ;-P

"I had a yummy turkey cupcake for dessert."

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!!

Grateful- Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

Our Little "Turkey" ;-P

"Gobble, Gobble!"

Happy Thanksgiving! As cliche as it sounds, I've got a lot to be grateful for and I'm glad that I get a day to stop and remember just how blessed I am.

I'm grateful for...

-A hard-working hubby that works like crazy so that I can stay home with Lil' Miss. Without his dedication, perseverance, patience, talent and strong work ethic, I would not have the opportunity to stay home with Katy. Thanks, Honey!

-A funny, smart, inquisitive daughter, Katy! She makes me laugh! She can make me cry. She keeps me on my toes! Every day with Katy is definitely an adventure and I love it! Watching her grow and learn and conquer her world is a joy to experience- I love being her mama (or, as she calls me, "Honey Pie." ;-P)!

-Cars that are paid off and get us to from point A to point B. I'm not much of a car person and I really don't like to drive, but I'm grateful that we have a mode of transportation to use on a daily basis and to allow us to visit family at the holidays. (And, I'm grateful for the ability to pay for repairs... as much as I don't like the sticker price).

-Family- immediate and extended (both sides! :-) I'm grateful for the love and support that both Ted and my family show to us.

-A roof over our heads. After our condo disaster, we may never choose to own a house of our own, but I'm grateful for a roof over our heads and a place to call home. Heat in the winter and AC in the summer is not something to take for granted!

-Friends. I'm grateful for old friends and new friends. Friends for myself, for Katy and for our family. Friends from childhood, college, Jacksonville, Concord/Charlotte. Kinetic Church Friends and Playgroup friends. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share life with friends near and far- to share the joys, the sorrows and everything in between. Life truly is much sweeter when you have friends to share it with!

-Food. I'm grateful for food on the table, every day. I love to cook and I love to eat. So, on this day of Thanksgiving and gluttony, I am definitely grateful for food! :-)

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Wordless Wednesday- Berenstain Bears

eReaderGirl

I love my Kindle! I love, love, love it! My parents gave it to me for my birthday (or, was it Christmas? I always get the two mixed up), way back when- when Kindles and e-readers were new-fangled contraptions. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've turned to my trusty Kindle! Nights of insomnia, car rides, plane rides, layovers and missed flights. Beach side, pool side, cruise side.

Most vividly, I remember spending HOURS using my Kindle when Katy was a baby. So many hours just spent holding her, just so that she'd sleep! I have no clue what I would have done without my Kindle on those sleepless nights...!

One of my favorite things about the Kindle is that there are so many free and/or discounted books to be read! In all the years that I've had it, I can probably count on one hand the number of books that I've actually spend money and purchased. Sure, not every free book that I've downloaded has been award-worthy, but I haven't lost a dime in the process and I've also had the pleasure of enjoying some really good literature, found some yummy recipes and learned a lot along the way.

With that being said, I'm pretty psyched about the launch of the new website, eReaderGirl! Brought to you by blogger, Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom fame, this site is dedicated to alerting readers to free and/or discounted ebooks. FUN! And Free! A perfect match! So, go ahead and check out eReaderGirl. Happy reading!

Sentence of the Day- Dot Seurat

Today, I had the opportunity to observe Lil' Miss in action at her new preschool. I had some food to contribute to their Thanksgiving party and I ended up staying for the last hour. (Side note, Katy is doing MUCH better at her new preschool and I like her new teachers MUCH better!)

Anyway, at the end of class, the children were coloring a Pilgrim picture. Katy started taking the tip of her crayon and dotting the page. I asked her if she was doing "pointillism" and she replied,

"Yep. I'm doing dot Seurat."

True story, folks- that's our girl!

Preschool Thanksgiving Party

"Since we are off from school on Wednesday and Friday, this week, we had a Thanksgiving party at school, today." 

"Here we are enjoying our "feast."

"Mommy made a turkey and cheese plate to share with my friends."

"Don't mind Lyla and I- we're just two little turkeys!" :-P

"These turkey cupcakes were gobbled right up- yummy!"

Sentence of the Day- Sock Monkey

Katy has this thing about her socks. It first started way back when, when she didn't like to wear them at all. Then, it evolved into only wearing lace-trimmed socks. Now, she puts up with socks (has to wear them for the playground at school), but she is very particular about the way they are cuffed. They have to be JUST so!

So, apparently, today, I didn't put her socks on correctly. After I had put on her socks and was just finishing putting on her sparkly green sneakers,

Katy says, "My socks are crazy! I showed you last week- I show you again!" She then proceeds to meticulously pull up her socks and cuff them.

Sassy little thing!

Treat Two Day Free Card Campaign 2012

Here's a fun freebie that I have the opportunity to share with the readers of All  Things Katy!, thanks to Treat.

"Create and send a totally personalized greeting card from Treat for FREE. Whether saying thanks for Thanksgiving, wishing a best friend a holiday birthday, or simply sharing the holiday cheer with a just because card, Treat lets you create a one-of-a-kind card that is sure to impress."

The Details:

One FREE Treat card good ONLY on Monday 11/19 & Tuesday 11/20. 

Go to http://www.treat.com/ , select a card and personalize.

Just enter the code "TREATBLOGR" at checkout. 

Just in time for Christmas...! Enjoy! :-)

Muffin Tin Monday- Sandwich

Red Grapes, Carrot Sticks, S'more Bar, Cheese Wheels, Veggie Straws and Roast Beef, Cheddar, Onion and Spinach Wrap.

I'm taking a bit of a risk with this lunch. Lil' Miss typically does better with lunches where she can "graze" her way through the meal, rather than have one big sandwich to eat. However, she had half of her sandwich left over from Whole Foods (love that place!), so I thought I'd take the chance. We'll see!

Preschool Switcheroo

So, back in October, we pulled Katy out of Forest Hill Christian Preschool and later enrolled her in St. James Lutheran Preschool.

Withdrawing Katy from FHCP mid-year was a tough decision to make. As a parent, I struggled with the fact that I was choosing to disrupt Katy's schedule. She had already started to make friends at FHCP (we didn't have a problem with the other students in the class- it was the teachers and their teaching style that bothered me). She was learning things in preschool. Yet, the reasons for taking her out boiled down to something very simple; We needed to get Katy out of a toxic environment.

A blog can be a very open way of expressing one's opinions, so it can be a bit touchy to publicly announce to the world WHY we did what we did. Maybe, in some small way, our experience can help others avoid our situation. If nothing else, it's a way for me to express my thoughts and vent.

Katy had a great start to preschool at FHCP. She was happy and never cried when I left- I thought everything was going great!

Then, slowly, little "incidents" started popping up that really made me, as her mother, uncomfortable. First, it was the fact that she wouldn't say the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, it was the fact that she wouldn't say "Here" at roll call, every morning. The icing on the cake, though, was the fact that Katy was caught hitting another little girl in her class. Yet, the teachers failed to further investigate the catalyst for Katy's behavior (Turns out, one of Katy's classmates knocked down her block tower- not right- but at least it proves that Katy didn't just maliciously hit another child for no reason).

Every time Katy's teachers would call me into the classroom to tell me yet another one of Katy's shortcomings, I kept telling myself to not be overly sensitive. I didn't want the teachers to think that I thought my daughter could do no wrong. Trust me, I know that she can have bad days- we all have bad days. Yet, a little voice inside of me kept telling me that something was wrong...

It was quickly becoming apparent to me that EVERY day there was some new negative report. Every school day was a struggle getting ready. Katy didn't want to go to school. She would dilly-dally eating breakfast and getting ready. When I would pick Katy up from preschool and ask her what she learned, she'd reply offhandedly, "I don't know." This happened every single day she had preschool.

Where were the GOOD reports? Why were the teachers only telling me about the negative things? Why did her teachers keep forcing her to do things (over and over and over again, I might add), that really don't matter in the long run? Katy hates to do hand print artwork-she doesn't like to get her hands messy. It's okay with me if her piece of paper is blank- it's not like she HAS to do it! Plus, why couldn't her teachers see her for the individual that she is and just trace her hand, instead? Why was it so important to them if she did or did not say the Pledge (she's only two, for goodness sake!)!

Structure in the classroom is a good thing. However, structure without flexibility (especially with a classroom full of two year olds!) is bad- very bad.In my opinion, this is what was going on in Katy's classroom. Katy wasn't towing the party line and she was being reprimanded for it- constantly. It's as if, one time, something happened and then after that, her teachers were constantly on the look-out for Katy's misdeeds. Her teachers wanted order in the classroom, at any cost- never mind that they were teaching a classroom of toddlers (where chaos and free play are the norm). Time-outs were doled out for any and every infraction. Katy once got a time out for showing her teacher her princess underwear. Now, anybody who has ever had a two year old, knows that Katy wasn't trying to be an exhibitionist. She was showing her teacher her underwear because she was PROUD of the fact that she was potty-trained- not every two year old is potty trained! Now, if Katy is showing off her underpants ten years from now, we'll talk.

Let's just say, I wasn't getting the warm fuzzies from her teachers.

Finally, I had had enough. Enough is enough is enough. Enough tattletale comments. Enough negativity. Sometimes, a mama's got to do what a mama's go to do. I truly believe in a mother's instinct- don't squash it- just go with it- it's there for a reason. Something was wrong- Katy needed out. Preschool is supposed to be fun, not negative and/or stressful!

So, after some phone tag with the preschool director (another strike against Forest Hill Christian Preschool- lack of communication), Halloween was Katy's last day at Forest Hill Christian Preschool. We said our good-byes and we didn't look back.

Then, we decided to check out another preschool, St. James Lutheran Preschool. This preschool is right up the road from us- within even closer walking distance than FHCP. Katy already had a friend in the two-year old class. Best of all, the preschool director was prompt and accommodating in her emails and her time. We visited the class on the first Monday in November and she started attending the very next Wednesday- it was that good.

When we visited the new class, I was really able to observe the teacher's interactions with the students and vice-versa. The teachers were structured, yet flexible. They were authoritative, yet comforting. Most of all, they chose to treat the children as the individuals that they are on not some sort of military collective. At circle time, the kids were all well-behaved and participatory. Sure, they weren't all exactly sitting down- some were standing and some were laying down. However, they were all engaged, nobody was hurting another. The teachers didn't mind working with what the students had to offer, instead of demanding perfection (as was the case at the other preschool).

When I asked the new teachers about their approach to discipline, I was encouraged to hear them tell me that they let the child dictate the route in which they respond. For example, some children need to be ignored while throwing a tantrum. Others, just want to be hugged and told that everything is going to be okay. In other words, it wasn't a "one size fits all" solution to discipline. Hallelujah!

So, only time will tell about Katy's success at her new school. However, I have hope that St. James Lutheran Preschool will be a better fit for our child. For now, I'm just happy that Katy is happy to attend her new class and is excited to start her (school) days! Katy comes home eager to tell me about what she did at school. She talks about the other little kids in her class. One of her teachers (Ms. Amber) even told me that it was like Katy has always been a part of the class. Music to this Mama's ears!

Trains, Trolleys and Horse-drawn Carriages- Things That GO!

Bundled up and ready to go!

Coloring some paper ornaments.

The city of Concord always does their Christmas Tree Lighting before Thanksgiving and last night was the date of choice, this year. It's a tad bit early in the season, but we still enjoy attending. It helps get us into the holiday spirit.So, after Ted got home and we ate a quick dinner, we bundled up and walked downtown to join in the holiday festivities. 

First stop-horse-drawn carriages around town! Usually, this line is super long and we never like waiting that long. However, this time, we only had to wait one round and then we were fortunate enough to get on. We found out that the horses/wagon were from the Lazy-5 Ranch, so it felt just like when we rode them at a birthday party, a couple weeks ago (minus all the animals and feed, that is ;-P).

Next stop- Trolley Ride! This line was fairly short, as well, and we were able to sit up front. We listened to the historian talk about Concord history while riding around town. Katy was quite attentive throughout the history lesson/ride.

After the horse-drawn carriage and trolley ride, we walked over to Market street to do a little coloring and take part in the "kids activities." We bumped into several families that we knew. We've been attending the Christmas Tree Lighting for more than a few years, and I'd have to say that last night's attendance was quite low. I'm not really sure why since the weather was nice and clear and definitely not as chilly as years past. Oh well- more space for those that attended!

After Katy had had enough of the crowded kids area, she and I took a ride on the kiddie train together. The "conductor" was quite circuitous in his route and we ended up slip-sliding around in our seats (thank goodness I rode with her- the ride was quite curvy!). Of course, Katy had a blast and wanted to ride again! Wild child!

The night's activities culminated in the lighting of the tree and a nice fireworks display. Katy loved the fireworks and didn't even flinch at the loud noises. I thought for sure she'd be more sensitive to the noise, this year, but nope! She loved the fireworks!

After the fireworks, we walked home briskly and ended our night with cups of hot cocoa (with marshmallows, of course!) and a Charlie Brown Christmas. Fun, holiday times!

Sentence of the Day- Baby Jeasus

The Jones house is ready for Christmas! Minus the Christmas tree and outside lights, we are decorated and festive!

One of the last things I put up was our Precious Moment Nativity scene. This is one of my favorite gifts that Ted gave to me BK (before Katy). Usually, we set it up on the mantle, but because of my designer's prerogative  the nativity is now sitting on the sofa table in the living room.

Today, before getting ready to go to Preschool, I caught Katy playing with the Nativity. Upset that she might break it, I told her to step back and stop touching.

To which she replied, "Mommy- I just pinching baby Jesus' cheeks! He's so cute!"

Nuby Mommy Blogger- Bedlite Buddies™

Nuby Bedlite Buddies™

Meet "Gumble," Katy's favorite nighttime pal and lovey. 

As many of you know, we struggle daily, nightly with Katy and her sleeping habits. It's no secret- Lil' Miss is a terrible sleeper and in turn, her sleepless nights equal sleepless nights for us, her parents. It's been two and a half (almost three!) years and we have yet to experience the sleep-filled *bliss* that so many of my friends on FB love to brag about with their own children...!

However, once we introduced the Nuby Bedlite Buddies™  into the nighttime routine- or, as Katy likes to call him, "Gumble" (as in "Gumble Bee."), we've seen a mere sliver of hope. While our nights are not completely restful and uninterrupted, the number of times that we've had to go into her room in the middle of the night has lessened. The time that we have to go into her room has moved back from midnight to three or four in the morning. This may not sound like a big deal to anybody else, but to us, it's HUGE!!

So, what exactly is the Nuby Bedlite Buddies™? This glowworm-like stuffed toy lights up and sings four, or five soothing songs when it's tummy is pressed. More than once, we've heard lullabies coming from the baby monitor in the middle of the night. Katy has learned to press "Gumble's" tummy for comfort when she gets scared or lonely in the middle of the night.

"Gumble" is by far our favorite Nuby product!!! Katy gets a friend and comforter in the middle of the night and we get a little more shut-eye. It's win-win all around!!

“I did not receive any compensation for this post, although as part of this program I may receive items to sample or review.”

Wordless Wednesday- Just add SPARKLE!

Sentence of the Day- Dum Dum

Katy is still working off her Halloween stash. Her choices are pretty limited- smarties or dum dums, mostly. If she is being particularly well-behaved, I let her pick out a piece of candy.

Today, she chose a roll of smarties.

As she was eating them, she said, "I eating dum dums."
Correcting her, I said, "No- you are eating smarties."
To which, Katy replied, "Nope- they dum dums. 'Cause I ate them- not too smart."

Oh, Katy- what logic you have!!

Muffin Tin Monday- Little Bites

Green Grapes, Cheese Wheels, Oyster Crackers, Pumpkin Muffin, Carrot Sticks and Pepperoni.

This little MTM is made up of a little of this and a little of that. Katy prefers to "nibble" her way through a meal, so this is just perfect for her!

Kinetic Kids Sing

Kinetic Kids sang in the service, today! While Katy didn't exactly participate in the singing, she didn't cry and she didn't try to run out into the audience to find us. So, I guess that was a good thing :-). 

Mostly, Katy and her little friend, Jael, watched the other children singing and doing the hand motions that went along with the song. At one point, Katy covered her ears because the music was a little to loud for her liking- it was cute- trust me!

House Party- Barista Prima Coffeehouse Party

Yay! Coffee!

The "coffeehouse" ;-P

Favors for guests.

Decor

We won another house party from House Party! This time, the product was Barista Prima K-cups coffee for Keurig machines. So, we invited our friends and decided to do brunch (along with the coffee). It was nice to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee while we chatted and caught up with our friends.

**I received a free Party Pack to try and share. All opinions and statements are my own.**

Nuby Mommy Blogger- Nursery Rhymers™ Singing Plush

Nursery Rhymers™ Singing Plush

Katy tried out the Nursery Rhymers™ Singing Plush recently and here's what we think of it:

Pros:

-Cute, cuddly design that is just right for cuddling.

-Musical element that could be fun for a younger child (than Lil' Miss).

Cons:

-The stuffed animal only sings ONE song! "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" can get really old, really fast when it's played over and over and over again...!

So, while this stuffed ducky might be fun for a younger child (the label says it's for "3+ months"), our Lil' Miss didn't get too much sustained enjoyment from it (but doesn't she look cute posing with the Nursery Rhymers™ Singing Plush?! :-)

“I did not receive any compensation for this post, although as part of this program I may receive items to sample or review.”

Sentence of the Day- Breakfast for Dinner

Last night, we had breakfast for dinner. Typically, Ted is in charge if pancakes and the such, but last night, he wasn't home, yet and we were starting to get hungry. So, I thought that I'd give it a whirl. Bad idea.

Later, Katy watches me scraping a mangled mess of goo off of the waffle iron and says,

"You want Daddy to show you how? He no make a mess."

Thanks, kid- thanks alot...

Sentence of the Day- Old Lady

We were driving in the car, yesterday, talking about upcoming birthdays. I asked Katy how old she thought I'd be on my next birthday. Our conversation went something like this:

Me, "Katy how old is Mommy going to be on her next birthday?"
Katy, "Four."
Me, "No... I'll be a bit older than that, dear."
Katy, "You be an old lady?"

Then, turning to Elizabeth (who was riding in the car with us), Katy said, "Mommy be an old lady! Let's laugh, Yaya (Katy's nickname for Elizabeth)!!"

I think I'd much rather be "four" than an "old lady...." ;-P

Wordless Wednesday- First Red Cup of the Season

Sentence of the Day- Song bird

This morning, I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom and Katy was playing quietly in the art room. All of a sudden, I hear a loud screeching noise! Alarmed, I ran into the art room expecting to see blood or something else equally horrific. Instead, Katy wascsitting quietly, reading a book. When I asked Katy what the noise was (seriously, it sound like a dying bird), Katy replied,

"I just singing lullabies to my babies."

Oops! Bad Mommy! I guess we know what Katy's future profession WON'T be- a singer. ;P

Muffin Tin Monday- Pretzel Dogs

Green Grapes, Pretzel Dogs, Ants on a Log and Babybel Cheese Wheels

Lil' Miss is a good eater, but two of her favorite foods in the whole wide world (behind onions and steak- crazy, I know!), are pretzels and hot dogs. Put them together in a Pretzel Dog and Katy is in seventh heaven!  In the frozen section of the grocery store, I can find these mini pretzel dogs that Katy loves. So, I decided to change things up in her Preschool lunch and pack her a couple for lunch. I really should have taken an "after" picture of this lunch because literally, the only thing left was a stick and a half of celery (with the raisins eaten off of them!). I believe it's safe to assume that Lil' Miss loved her Pretzel Dog lunch!

Happy Birthday, Macy!

Customize your own digital slideshow

Today, we had the opportunity to go to the Lazy 5 Ranch to help celebrate Katy's friend, Macy's 2nd birthday! We had so much fun riding on the wagon, seeing and feeding the animals, eating yummy (Katy-approved!) food and playing on the playground! Thanks so much for having us, Macy- we hope you had a happy birthday!

Nuby Mommy Blogger- Insulated No-Spill™ Soft Sipper™

Insulated No-Spill™ Soft Sipper™

We tested out Insulated No-Spill™ Soft Sipper™, this past weekend.

Pros:
-Flip-top cap covers the spout and helps keep the cup sanitary. Cap is attached and nestles into the molded cap for easy storage (no lost caps!).
-The valve can either be fast flow or slow flow- depending on which way you insert the valve.

Cons:
-The directions say "hand wash." I don't know about you, but if it can't go in the dishwasher, then it's not suitable for our house! We go through way too many dishes in a day to fool around with a bunch of items that need to be hand washed.

Other than the hand washing aspect, the Insulated No-Spill™ Soft Sipper™ is just your typical sippy cup- nothing to make it stand out, but not a poor performer, either.

“I did not receive any compensation for this post, although as part of this program I may receive items to sample or review.”