Take me out to the ball game.....

Where we live, there is a baseball team that are the "farm team" for the Philadelphia Phillies. There are many players on this team that will go on to play for the Phillies or other major league baseball teams. These games are amazing and are perfect for anyone who wants to have a great time with friends and family and wants to make memories with their young children.

Every year, my union rents the party deck and we are served an endless buffet of food ranging from tradition hotdogs and hamburgers to bbq chicken and steak!! To drink you may get alc. beverages or an unlimited amount of 2L bottles of soda and water :-) and the price.....amazingly affordable thanks to the union, who Im sure pays for some of the ticket cost :-)

This was the start of Riley's second Season of going to baseball games and of course Paige's first season.......I have no idea who loved it more, but I do know, this is another great adventure for our family of four and so we had to make sure we took a picture to document the journey together :-)

It's as easy as ABC!

With teaching, if you present information in a fun creative way, chances are children will put the new information into their working memory. When I brag about how much Riley knows I share with people what Riley knows I often get, "well of course he can do that, his mother is a teacher". Well, no, he can't do things because his mother is a teacher, he can do things because he has two advantages, he LOVES to learn and material is presented to him in a fun, creative way. Let me share a few things you can do for your little ones in your home.

 while we go up or down the stairs with Riley, we ask him what the letter is, what sound it makes, and what is something that starts with that letter (of course he can't say what the picture is on the card).

 Yes, even my son misbehaves sometimes and has a "time out step" why not put something he can read while he's also thinking about what he did wrong (this is on the landing in front of his time out step).

When Riley goes and gets his shoes and coat out of the closet, he can practice saying the numbers, tracing over the numbers to make it, and learn what the numbers mean by counting the stickers on each card.

 While eating or waiting to be excused from the dinner table, again the letters are there to see and review. Lower case letters are written in a bright color for Riley to see that their are two ways to write the letters (and the bright color is because it is said bight colors stand out in your brain and help you to remember them......and since most letters are in the lower case form I make it a point he learns them well).

 Leap Frog=AMAZING

 We all need reading material when "nature call"

 All our doors are labeled with our name and title.

Things are also labeled to add some site words into the mix of learning to read :-)

Some days I feel like I eat, sleep, and breath being a teacher. Then again, we are all teachers when we have children, we are their first teachers, so why not be the most energetic, encouraging, well versed teacher we can be to our greatest investments we will ever have.........our children :-)

"Thank You" doesn't seem like enough......

A New Lullaby

When I my brother and sisters and I were little, my mother and grandmother would sing us to sleep. We grew up with a lot of music in our house and I can remember more songs and words to "oldies" music then any one who grew up in the same "era" of the song. sometimes I am sure friends of mine wonder how I know the Beach Boys, Beetles, and other greats so well. This is all thanks to my mother for singing at the top of her lungs dancing with us around in our living room.......wouldn't the world be an amazing place if more mommy's and daddy's did the same thing. I knew the entire "Sound of Music" soundtrack before I ever knew what a musical was....why...because while getting a bath, playing, taking a nap or going to bed, my mother sang to us. Because of this, I sing to my children. Both Riley and Paige have two night night songs that I sing to them (Riley not so much anymore because he says, "mommy, Im not a baby any more").

Here are the lyrics to  Paige's songs that she just loves: by Celine Dion

My precious one, my tiny one, lay down your pretty head.
My dearest one my sleepy one, its time to go to bed

My precious one, my darling one; don't let your lashes weep.
My cherished one, my weary one; it's time to go to sleep.

Just bow your head and give your cares to me.
Just close your eyes and fall into the sweetest dream, cause in my loving arms.
You're safe as you will ever be so hush my dear and sleep.

And in your dreams you'll ride on angels' wings.
Dance with the stars and touch the face of god
And if you should awake...

I'll kiss your little cheek
And underneath the smiling moon
I'll send you back to sleep.


The other: By Taylor Swift


Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
No, no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off
At 14, there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember that she's getting older, too
And don't lose the way that you dance around
In your PJs getting ready for school

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

No one's ever burned you
Nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to
Just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs

I just realized everything I have
Is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder than I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up

Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little
Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
And even through to you want to
Please try to never grow up

Don't you ever grow up
(Never grow up)
Just never grow up








Maybe my children wont remember these songs, but I will, and I will hopefully have to honor of singing their night night songs to their children :-)

A smile or much more......

Today at work, a coworker/friend of mine asked me why I was smiling.....I said, "Why shouldn't I? I have a wonderful, loving husband and 2 amazing kids god sent to me.....that's why I am smiling". I think although he was shocked at what my answer was, he was, at the same time pleased with what my answer was. Sometimes a smile is just a smile......but on so many occasions I smile because I truly am thankful for what I have and sometimes think to myself, "I am one of the luckiest people I know".

The Beatles said it best.....

Matt and I are unique..........we have been together (11 years)  through every laugh, every giggle, every happy moment......and...some very sad moments.......we have gained and lost friends due to the fact that we have children and our night available is......... we can't. So here is our perfect song for our wonderful life that "We Love more" :-)

There are places I remember

all my life, though some have changed

some forever not for better

some have gone and some remain

all these places had their moments

with lovers and friends 

I still can recall

some are dead and some are living

in my life I'Ve loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers 

there is no one compares with you

and these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

for people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

(But) in my life.....................

I love you Them^ more :-)

Photo by Shannon Beth Photography

St. Patrick's Day 2012