Dr. Seus makes a Kindergarten visit!

I posted a blog awhile back when Brian was the Mystery Reader for Christian’s kindergarten class. Each student has two people during the year to come and read to the class. The second reader was during the month of February and I knew with Lucy due that month...I could not do it. My dad absolutely loves kids and he jumped at the chance to participate in this fun activity. So, I signed him up and kept mum about who the other mystery reader was going to be. It is supposed to be a surprise to the kids anyway.

In February the movie “Lorax” by Dr. Seuss came out and it was actually the Friday we were supposed to be Mystery Reader. It also happened to be National Reading Day and Dr. Seuss’s Birthday. The stars could not have aligned more perfectly to choose this book! My dad chose the “Lorax” to read to the class. Now, when the mystery reader comes to class they usually give out some kind of treat. It can be candy, a toy or anything else to the reader’s choosing. My Dad went all out and had a lot of fun preparing for this activity.

My Mom and him went and bought the book for Christian to keep when it was all over. They also bought an assortment of goodies to give to the kids. When you read the book there were specific trees called Truffala trees and they look like cotton candy so the kids got cotton candy. They also got dot candy that symbolized the fruit from the Truffala tree in the book. The “Lorax” is a long book so they were only able to read through one of the two he brought. The other was “Green Eggs and Ham”. The kids also got green bubble gum for the eggs.:)










It was really cute to watch the interaction with the kids. I think they were most excited about their goody bags! However, they have to go straight in their backpacks for later. Thanks to my Dad for being such a great sport and even dressing up as Dr. Seuss!!!

Not sure if I should be embarrassed?

Oh No..my friends liked it!

She slept right through it! :)

A little closer...

Henley is not a huge fan of Santa Claus this year. In fact, I would venture to say, she is petrified of him. This week was her last week of school and they had Santa coming for a visit. When I told her he might be stopping by school she went into panic mode. She started crying and telling me I do not want to sit on Santa’s lap. I told her that nobody was going to make her do anything she did not want to do. There was a long pause and a sigh of relief. Then about 10 minutes later she came up to me and said, “ momma will you tell my teacher Mrs. Blackburn that I do not have to sit on Santa’s lap?” It was so very cute and of course I told her I would. In about the course of an hour I think she told me the same thing at least five times. I repeatedly reassured her that she would not have to sit on Santa’s lap.

When we got to school I instructed her teacher that she did not want to sit on Santa’s lap. She was more than willing to go into the same room with him, but that was about it. Needless to say, I was very surprised when I received these pictures of her that afternoon. I think that the scariness of Santa might start to be dissipating??? A little shy, but getting closer.

Early Visit from Santa!

For the past three years we have some friends that throw a Holiday Party. The kids are all invited too because Santa makes a surprise visit every year! I think this is by far my favorite festivity that we do every Christmas. There is nothing more fun than watching thirty plus kids run like crazy to see Santa Claus, who has just arrived to visit!

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to visit with my friends but, the excitement that comes to the house when the bells start jingling is just indescribable! Santa is magical and for the kids it is just too much fun and excitement. They can barely contain themselves! They are running into each other, screaming and bouncing off the walls! Mass hysteria!

Oh the Excitement!

Once they calm down, Santa talks to them all for a few minutes. Then one by one they are called to sit on Santa’s lap, get a gift and tell him what they are dreaming about for Christmas this year! You can not help but, have a permanent smile on your face watching each and every one of them sit on his lap...waiting so patiently for their turn to come around.

I want...

There was one child who adamantly refuses to sit on Santa’s lap! In fact, freaked out when he called her name! Yes! The one and only Henley! She is absolutely, unbelievably and incredibly scared to sit on Santa’s lap! She likes him from a distance and definitely wants him to know her Christmas wishes but, no way, no how is she sitting in his lap! I have pictures of her standing in the chair trying to back further away from the bearded stranger calling her name! When Christian was her age he was already fine with Santa Claus, so I am not so sure what the hold up is with her? Oh well, we will see about next year!

Thinking About it....

NO WAY!!!

Got a gift any way!

Now, on the other hand loves Santa Claus! He will take every opportunity to sit on his lap and tell him exactly what he wants for Christmas! I am not sure if he thought it was Christmas day or what, but when he opened his gift this is what he said, “ This is not what I wanted”! He was so disappointed and at first I scolded him and told him he was being a spoiled brat. Then when he looked as if he was going to cry, I felt bad for him. I then had to explain that it was not Christmas and he had no idea what he was getting from Santa. This was just a nice gesture of kindness that Santa stopped by to visit and give them a little something special. He did go and tell Santa Thank You! I never thought it would be so difficult...

Henley on the other hand got her present from daddy who got it from Santa himself. It was...you guessed it, a baby doll! She loved it and it is now her favorite baby of the moment...until she gets another one!:)

The night was a blast and I look forward to this evening every year! I have to thank our friends The Hill’s for always making it very special for the kids!

Christmas Activities...never ending

This week has been absolutely crazy! From Christmas festivities to birthday parties, parades, dinners, plays and Santa everywhere...oh my!

These were a few things we did this week and then everyone got sick...I figured we needed to slow down and breathe! It never ceases to amaze me how many more activities there are once you get a child in kindergarten! Every corner you turn there is something happening in or out of school and someone asking you for your TIME!

It all started with the Holiday Village at school. Christian along with every other kid in the school got to go shopping for their family members at a Holiday Winter Wonderland. The PTO puts this on every year. They buy some 3000 gifts and wrap them, with help from all mothers who can participate! Then with the help of these same parents, we all work shifts to help the children pick just the right gift for their family members.

I gave Christian enough money to buy for Brian, Hen and me. The gifts ranged in price from $1.00-$12.00. He was so excited to get shopping that morning. I was actually there because of the mystery reader. I helped him shop for Brian and Hen, than I left him to buy my gift on his own. He has tried to give us our presents almost everyday and wants us to open them now. He has already given his sister hers and she opened it! She loved it too. If I could find it, I would put a picture of it on this post. It is a purple mirror with sparkles all over it. He did a great job and took his time picking out the gifts. Going around to each table and examining the gifts until he found the right one. I must say, Brian is the only one clueless to what his gift is because He told me what mine was after he picked it out! I laughed and told him he was not supposed to do that. I can act surprised though because he has already forgotten that he told me what the gift was...

You better watch out...

Every year a letter arrives from the North Pole to the kids. Christian has been getting
them for a few years and now Henley is receiving them too. They come in these big shiny satin envelopes with a stamp from the North Pole. The kids get so excited to see them.























The fun thigs about these letters is that they are personalized to each child. The kids love hearing Santa talk about his communications with Frosty, their elf and what they both wish to get on Christmas. The letters also talk about the good things they have been doing and of course the bad behavior too. I love the expressions on their faces to realize that Frosty has been really watching and reporting back to Santa. Christian really gets into it and to watch him carry on about the letter and say, “ How did he know that”? Well, these things are priceless to me

Mystery Reader!

I love Christian being in Kindergarten! There are so many fun things they get to do and the parents get to participate in almost all of it. All year long every Friday, a parent is chosen to be the mystery reader to the class. The parent gets to pick a book and come to class and read to them all. Many parents just read their book, but some go all out. There have been pirates, toys that are given away and yummy treats that always come home. The kids get so excited because they never know who will show up to their class!

I thought it would be fun for Brian to be mystery reader for our first turn. We chose the month of December and I thought we could do something festive for the kids! Since I could not get him to dress up, I had to think hard. The Polar Express comes to mind when I think of the Holidays, so that was the book! Now, what fun things could we do for the kids. The thought of bells ringing all day in class was out, I don't know any elves or reindeer and Santa was not available.









I knew what to do...what kid does not like hot coco? I made a big batch of hot chocolate and took it to class...add marshmallows and happiness to all!

The big thing about mystery reader is just that...it is a mystery. I took Christian to school that morning and he was oblivious at first. He wanted to know why I was going into school too. Then it clicked...he smiled at me and said, "you are the mystery reader today"! I just smiled because he had no idea his daddy was going to walk in the room! I loved watching his eyes light up as Brian walked in the room. He had to introduce him to the class and go around and introduce all his classmates.

Then they pull out a big rocking chair for the reader to sit in and the story telling begins! I poured all the kids their hot coco and they loved hearing the Polar Express! It is so sweet to watch them all get excited about Christmas and Santa! They ask questions about the story and talk about the train ride her in town if they went on it. It was adorable!

I think Brian really enjoyed his time with the kids. He hears so much about the kids in Christian's class and now he can put faces with names.

Here are some pictures!