Kylie's Preschool Christmas Party

On December 13 we had Kylie's Preschool Christmas Party. We held the party during regular preschool hours so we didn't have the bigger siblings with us and could just focus on the preschoolers. They are so dang cute! We played Christmas bingo, made a ice skate craft, melted mint candies together to make a ornament, decorated snowflake ornaments, and frosted gingerbread cookies. I love my Ky Bug and I love watching her interact with her friends.

Kylie, Casen, Tre, Lilly, Graham, and Camree

Kylie's First Day of Preschool!

Our cute Kylie Bug had her first day of preschool on Tuesday. She was beyond excited! She has been waiting for her turn to go to school for a while now.
McKinley wanted in on the photo shoot of course! All morning Kylie would say, "It's my first day of preschool!" And McKinley would say "This is my 6th day of kindergarten!" And Kylie would get mad and say, "No, it's my first day of preschool!" She was not excited about McKinley trying to steal her big day!
We are doing a co-op preschool with five other kids. The mom's each teach two weeks from now until December. We have preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 pm. We have a great group of kids- Lily, Camree, Treagan, Kylie, Casen, and Graham! We will hopefully be keeping up a preschool blog if you ever want to check it out.
I am teaching the first two weeks and Kylie was a little disappointed that she had to stay home for preschool. She really wanted to go somewhere. She did great at her first day and I loved watching her personality come out more. It was fun to see her interacting, following directions, learning new things, and being silly. She called me teacher like the other kids but then would look at me and smile when she said it. I am excited for her to learn more and have fun in preschool.

Preschool Graduation

Last Tuesday I was able to go with McKinley to her parent teacher conference at preschool. We were given instructions and paper to take notes for nine different stations. McKinley was able to show off everything she has learned in the year of preschool. It was so fun to see all she has accomplished and I was surprised at how smart she is! She loves math! (This may cause problems in the future when I can't help her with her 3rd grade homework and we will have to wait for dad to get home!) She could name all the continents, she knew the concept of fractions, she could build words, I could read words to her and she could find them, she knew most of the letter and compound letter sounds, and was great at addition.

We visited with her teacher and she said McKinley is great at reading and math. She catches on to math concepts very easily; they just make sense to her. However, she gets shy and is too nervous and not confident enough to go first or answer questions, even though she is usually right. She is good at working with all different personalities and in big or small groups. She is great at working independently. She can be given instructions and gets right to work. Her teacher said she was so kind to the other students and was a joy to have in preschool.
Thursday was preschool graduation! We had a fun morning celebrating her preschool accomplishments! She was given the kindest student award and we couldn't be prouder! Her teacher said she is the first student to help others and is very kind and polite. She was very excited about her award and her gift from Mrs. Jenkins. We have already read the first book in the set many times.

Ellie and McKinley

Brinley and McKinley

We are so proud of our McKinley! We have loved having her in Mrs. Jenkin's preschool, she was a wonderful teacher! She has learned so much and we are so excited for her to start kindergarten. She has received her 4 required immunization shots and is all registered for kindergarten! We can't believe it!

McKinley's 1st day of preschool

McKinley started preschool with Mrs. Stacey on September 7. She attends school Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-11:30. Although its been a little tough to get her to want to go in the mornings, she loves it by the time I pick her up. She is glad she has one of her best friends Brinley in her class! They have learned lots about letters, numbers, the planets, and dinosaurs. She has some great crafts, projects, and homework. I love having her learn and explain the things she is learning to me and Joe later. We love this little girl and know she will be so smart!

(Kylie was sad that I didn't ask her to be in the two previous pictures. Every morning she asks if she can go to school with Coco.)

McKinley's Preschool Graduation

Thursday, April 15 was McKinley's preschool graduation. We held the graduation at a park where we all ate breakfast, played at the park, had a little graduation, Afton put together great graduation presents, and cute cupcakes for the treat. The kids were so cute and it was fun celebrating the kids and how much they have accomplished this past year. They all have learned so much and had so much fun! It was fun being involved in this co-op preschool and participating in McKinley's education.

Jackson, Carolyne, Brinley, McKinley, Kylie, and Mason (we missed Boston!)

McKinley was so excited about her graduation gift- she loved the princess pen!

My cute little graduate!

yummy, cute cupcakes!

Preschool Christmas Party

Last Thursday we had our preschool Christmas party. Dayna did a wonderful job of hosting the party and the crazy kids had a great time! She had reindeer hats for them, Colette planned a Bingo game, they made gingerbread man pops, decorated a small stocking, played a fill-the-stocking-with-candy relay game, played a song game with a song cube, watched a Christmas movie, and ate a yummy soup and rolls bread! Wow, what a party huh?!?

Preschool Thanksgiving Party

Tuesday morning we held our Preschool Thanksgiving Party at our home. Meghan and Becca did a wonderful job at planning the party and the kids had fun and learned about Thanksgiving. They started out with a Thanksgiving story and then each child showed a picture of someone they are thankful for. McKinley showed a picture of her and Uncle B, she is thankful he is on a mission. Then the kids made a turkey craft and a thankful tree. McKinley was thankful for treats, mom and dad, Kylie, Uncle B and Steve, Grandma and Poppa. Meghan read Arthur's Thanksgiving to them and then we went on a turkey hunt to find little turkeys.

We then had a Thanksgiving feast including all the kid's favorite foods. It was really fun and they ate yummy pizza, macaroni and cheese, pb&j sandwiches, popcorn, chocolate milk, popsicles, and cupcakes. They also had to all wear pilgrim hats during lunch. It was a fun party and it was neat to teach the kids about what being thankful means and what they are thankful for.

Preschool Halloween Party

Thursday morning we had our preschool Halloween party! Becca and Collette did a wonderful job with planning and carrying out the entire thing, thanks girls. This was a serious Halloween party with stories, singing time, pumpkin toss, pin the nose on the pumpkin, a scary matching game, homemade witches brew, touchy-feely bowls, a picture backdrop, Halloween lunch, and treats! I think the kids enjoyed themselves, even if it was a little chaotic!

Story and singing time with Collette

Kylie loved to be included as one of the big kids

two little mermaids

pumpkin toss

I love these three faces

McKinley's turn at the matching game

McKinley actually pinned the nose right on the pumpkin

Collette did such an amazing job making the witches brew (homemade root beer), her story was so cute

McKinley and Kylie participating in the touchy-feely bowls. They had to dig through monster eyeballs, witches fingers, and brains I think to find a treat

wrapping Jackie as a mummy

the yummy Halloween food, I made the mummy dogs

Kylie the cupcake, McKinley the mermaid, Brinley the angel, and Boston the dinosaur