Final day with out cousins Tally, Stockton, and Preston

We did a group shot in front of the bougainvillea in the front yard. When asked about playing with their cousins

CALEN: it was super fine and nice. I liked all of it. I liked hide and seek the best and my second favorite was hammock games.
BRYCE: it was really fun. I liked all of it.

Some of the games they played were also flashlight tag, rocky harbor (a hammock game that Stephanie did not like) , fishing swimming, snorkeling, the zoo, the sea aquarium, and the monkey jungle among many others I probably didn't see.

And they sang together the whole trip. Stockton taught us a song from his play that the boys loved.

Alligator farm in the everglades

Bryce said "it is super fun to ride an airboat" and "I like holding the baby alligators"

Calen says "its fun. The airboat ride and getting to hold the snake and baby alligator was the best."

What did they learn? Never hold an alligator without tape on its mouth and never feed an alligator because it will associate humans with food.

Funny how they remember and like the activities and forgot mostly about the shows

Having lunch at the Bass Pro shop in Islamorada

Islamorada Bayside marina shark tank

We went to the restaurant here behind the bass pro shop last time and liked the outdoor seating, the large open tank with large sharks and tarpen, and the fresh seafood. The photo is the boys mesmerized by the giant fish swimming by.

Monkey jungle 2012

Pictures from today’s trip with Stockton Thalia and Preston

A day at the train park and at the Miami Metro Zoo

 Thanks to Aunt Caroline for taking all the Cousins to the train park and the Metro Zoo.  They had a blast!

Christmas pajamas picture

Of course, when you are at mami's house for Christmas in Miami and everyone has matching PJ then you must pose for a photo. Preston, Thalia, Stockton, Calen, and Bryce.

Heading to Miami for Christmas

Taxi, bus, airport, two airplanes, and a pick up will get us to Miami today. Kids have packed their own bags and are ready to entertain and feed themselves for most of the day.
Picture is of us at SFO waiting at the gate.

Below is the final letter from Ms Sarah for Christmas.  I'm adding this late if you are getting this post again.

Dear Yellow Rose Famiies,

THANK YOU. Thank you and thank you again for your generous birthday gift. Although I've taken a little break from my comedy writing and improv classes for the season, I will get back to it with your generous help over the break. The real birthday gift for me, this year, is this ridiculously warm, funny, kind, harmonious, smart, helpful, artistic, loving class. They are ultimate joy and I am as grateful as can be. Thank you again.

Those kind Yellow Roses have been busily crafting little surprises for you and are looking forward to giving them to you at our HOLIDAY CLOSING CIRCLE next Thursday Dec. 20 @ drop off time (No Farm). Next Thursday is our last day before the Holiday Break. Our little celebration will last under an hour. The children will sing to you, share Sun Cake with you and give you gifts to either take home to save or open right away, up to them generally.

Tuesdays are 'surprise' days for lunch and this week we had Latkes, apple sauce and cream. Your children were so appreciative, and helpful with the preparation, and of course the eating.We held a Hanukkah celebration, lighting our Menorah and singing together. The children sat quiet and reverent when they heard the (very) adapted story of the miracle of Hanukkah. Here is a short version of the story I prepared for the children. This can be an example of how to take a "Too Much For This Age Group story, and make it digestible and nourishing for a young child.

Long ago their lived a people who always kept, in their beautiful temple, a light burning to show their love of God and goodness. The people in this land were Jewish. (hands fly up among the children, "I know them, Im Jewish too!" This is a joyful moment that I wait for every year so I can smile and say, "Yes, this is a true story and we are lucky to have some of those same people here in our kindergarten village. This is one of their stories.)

They kept their temples so beautiful and filled with loving light that whoever entered or saw them would feel the Angels standing close. One day it came to pass that their temple was nearly ruined by terrible deeds. All the oil that was used to light the lamps and show love for God had been lost. It happened though, that even without oil to burn, a most beautiful light remained aflame in the temple. For 8 whole days. This little lamp, with no earthly fuel, burned bright with the loving light from the thoughts and deeds of love that the people carried in their hearts. The temple was made right and beautiful once more and if things have not changed, that same little lamp burns bright this very day.

There are a few more nights of Hanukkah. Feel free to share this tale with your child as we heard this story only once and the children love to hear tales again and again. Yesterday and today we heard the story of a little Fir Tree who thought she had no gifts to share. The frost and sparkling stars taught her otherwise. Stories for Kwanzaa and Solstice are also perfect at this time.

Light your lights sweet families. Let nature be your guide. The frosty weather is telling us to snuggle close and share stories of the burning flames of love within.

With love and thanks, Ms. Sarah

Life on Cider Springs road

This photo says it all :-)

Bryce Santa Claus visit.

We went to see santa Claus at the codington mall in santa Rosa. Only bryce wanted to go. The line was at least an hour long and all he really wanted was to give santa his updated list so we walked to the front and the big man was taking a short break and bryce got to say hi and give him the letter! Then lunch and to the play area where we took these photos. Now we are off to look at remote control cars.

Bryce picked out his hat this morning. He loves all things santa:-)

Recent artwork from calen and bryce

Here are some drawing that calen and bryce have made recently. I think that most are Calen's actually. Below each are what they said about each one.

This is a village and there is a circus in town for the people to see

Calen calls this "Nothing, a weird little thing of what they were learning in school.

Calen drew this one.  It is a person walking from one house to another.

Calen and Bryce drew this together.  This is some flowers.

Calen's it is a car speeding on the road.  I love the smoke going out the back.

Two castles with a shooting star coming down between them.

Calen's:  A scene of the ocean. That is a ginormous mante ray.

Bryce: Drew this in Art of Mentoring.  Mountain with cows and the sky over it.

Calen:  Frindship ship. On the ship they are having a birthday and they are all holding hands.

This is a grape and apple selling sign.  one day thay made over $80 selling our grapes.

Calen: Person standing next to a house.

Calen: Rainbow and a bunch of people and a Guinea Pig "Tuttie"

Gigantic Pine tree with a tree house in it.

A really really really jacked up moving truck.  The arrows are bouncing up and down.

Calen: a knight on a hourse

Finger cracker at the dentist

Bryce can be such a ham sometimes. Here he is waiting at the dentist pretending that he is cracking his fingers in a Christmas style nut cracker. It took us 4 or 5 pictures to get him faking a grimis because he would laugh every time.