Thursday, January 29, 2009
Madie's new words
Just thought I would let everyone know Madie is really starting to talk. She has always done the sign language, more, please, bite, all gone. But now she says the word more but in a really drawn out way. She also is saying uh huh and uh un....yes and no but in their short u vowel sounding way. We are trying to get her to say yes and no, but she's just not quite there yet. It's great though because she is really communication with us. She woke up this morning and when I took her into the bed room to get my glasses she said "Daddy" But he had already gone to work. Then once we were in the kitchen she said "more" and went to the fridge. I opened it and she pointed to the container of yogurt, her favorite, I asked her if she wanted yogurt and she say "uh huh" It's so nice to be able to understand what she wants or needs. Though she still runs away when I ask if she has stinky pants!
Other words she can say are Sissy or an interesting form of Elizabeth, Caleb, brother, mom, dad, more, al la al la(German for all gone, thanks Oma!) she sometimes says bite as well. We also have been teaching her animal sounds. She knows what a cow, dog, kitty, pig, horse, duck, rooster and monkey says. My personal favorite is the duck, she really gets loud and in a low key for that one! She is still attached to the yellow blanket, and her baby dolls. As I type she is glued to the TV watching her favorite, Curious George. Running a close second behind is Animal Planet. Amazing how fast they grow.
Other words she can say are Sissy or an interesting form of Elizabeth, Caleb, brother, mom, dad, more, al la al la(German for all gone, thanks Oma!) she sometimes says bite as well. We also have been teaching her animal sounds. She knows what a cow, dog, kitty, pig, horse, duck, rooster and monkey says. My personal favorite is the duck, she really gets loud and in a low key for that one! She is still attached to the yellow blanket, and her baby dolls. As I type she is glued to the TV watching her favorite, Curious George. Running a close second behind is Animal Planet. Amazing how fast they grow.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sickness at the Gant household
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Friday, January 23, 2009
For your imformation
Just a list of things to update you on the happens in the Gant household....
1. I broke the coffee pot again. Guess it isn't "dishwasher" safe.
2. Madeleine's new word is "u uh" she doesn't say no no, she just says this over, and over again. With such feeling a force, it's quite scary! We are working on getting her to say "u huh" or yes, but haven't gotten very far.
3. Caleb is reading, short vowel A and E words. Here's a sample: "Ken pet the wet cat", or "The cat sat at the mat." (I hope to get video of this soon and post) We've made up a line too- "t, h, e, that spells the" to help with that tough little sight word
4. Next weekend we are off from dancing, excited about that.
5. We saw snow for about an hour on Monday. The kids played in it though it didn't stick.
6. My new office area is working well, making me much more productive then before so this is good.
7. Caleb and Madie are in love with taking baths. I think they have taken one every day this week. All it takes is me singing the "splish splash I was taking a bath" song and Madie is heading towards the tub.
8. Elizabeth wrote a whole report on Georgia, and is learning all the states and capitals.
9. Elizabeth has already conquered memorizing the Gettysburg Address.
10. Both David and I are super glad it is Friday!
1. I broke the coffee pot again. Guess it isn't "dishwasher" safe.
2. Madeleine's new word is "u uh" she doesn't say no no, she just says this over, and over again. With such feeling a force, it's quite scary! We are working on getting her to say "u huh" or yes, but haven't gotten very far.
3. Caleb is reading, short vowel A and E words. Here's a sample: "Ken pet the wet cat", or "The cat sat at the mat." (I hope to get video of this soon and post) We've made up a line too- "t, h, e, that spells the" to help with that tough little sight word
4. Next weekend we are off from dancing, excited about that.
5. We saw snow for about an hour on Monday. The kids played in it though it didn't stick.
6. My new office area is working well, making me much more productive then before so this is good.
7. Caleb and Madie are in love with taking baths. I think they have taken one every day this week. All it takes is me singing the "splish splash I was taking a bath" song and Madie is heading towards the tub.
8. Elizabeth wrote a whole report on Georgia, and is learning all the states and capitals.
9. Elizabeth has already conquered memorizing the Gettysburg Address.
10. Both David and I are super glad it is Friday!
Monday, January 19, 2009
What did I get done on my day off?
1. Snuggle time and devotion time before the sun came up
2. Shopped for groceries and a new desk.
3. School for both children
4. Started the laundry and finish by 9pm with help from husband
5. Hunted and I mean hunted down a non damaged storage cabinet and desk.
6. Taught a contemporary class 50 miles away
7. saw my sisters wedding dress (thanks mom for the picture)
8. Ran an hour rehearsal for jewels, a section in the ballet sleeping beauty
9. Watched the kids play in the snow
10. Assembled above mentioned storage shelf and watched David assembled the desk
11. Relocated my computer, printer and monitor to my new office area..... In the kitchen!!! My new command center is up and running!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Madeleine's 1st ponytail
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My First Piano Lesson
Mrs. Katie, my guitar teacher, said that I should start piano to help me with my dynamics for guitar. The day arrived. I sat down to start and Mrs.Katie told me what to do and how to play. Once I started to play, I noticed that this would be very fun. And it was! When I got home I wanted to keep playing. So, that night I practiced a little. Ok fine, maybe a little more than a little, I practiced 30 minutes.And I was good,NO, I Was Grrreat! I like piano because piano makes me exited and its just very fun to play.
BY, ELIZABETH
BY, ELIZABETH
A first
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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
I must love houses!
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Sunday, January 11, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Why I do the Things I do
So I wanted to explore the reason behind somethings I do as a person, mom and teacher that were shaped by the different loved ones in my life....
1. Coffee. Even as I sit here typing this I am drink a cup of joe. Growing up my family didn't even own a coffee maker. So how is it that every morning my day starts in the kitchen brewing a pot of coffee? 1 word, Mimi. I was teaching last night and one of my 9 year old students asked if that was coffee in the green mug I had. Of course it was and she said she loves decaffeinated coffee with lots of cream and sugar. I was instantly 8 years old again and back in my Mimi's kitchen where I too would enjoy the same treat. Mimi had this hot water faucet in her sink that she would use to brew a cup of decaff coffee every night in a single cone filter. She would sometimes make me a cup if I asked. Filling it full of milk and sugar from her blue and white china canister. I felt so grown up. Then we would stay up late and watch old black and white movies till way past my bedtime. She owned a coffee shop before Starbuck's even existed. She also had a case of Godiva chocolate at her store too.....if I was good when I was helping her at the store that was my treat, any piece I wanted. My all time favorite as the shield, a milk chocolate shield full of runny caramel.
As I grew older I wanted coffee on my own so I got a single cone filter just like hers and brewed myself one cup in the morning. When David and I married he didn't drink coffee. So I still made just one up for myself every morning. Somewhere along the way he started drinking it with me in the morning. So now we own a coffee maker and every morning I brew us a pot of 8 o'clock coffee with a little dash of cinnamon in the grounds.
2. Sewing. I can sew. I've never taken a class and really hate following patterns, but I can sew. Which comes in very handy seeing that I direct a dance company and costumes are cheaper to make then buy. So where did this love or hate, depends on when you ask me, come from? My mom and grandmother. Every holiday, be it Easter, Christmas, or just summertime, I would have a new dress, a new smocked dress to celebrate the occasion. My mom and grandmother even made a dress for me just like Samantha's (my American Girl doll) A red taffetta one complete with a white lace collar. Throughout my dance training my mother was always making some sort of costume for our shows as well. She's made mice, bodices, monsters, skirts, angels and dresses. Usually without a pattern and with random yards of fabric. I learned from her to use cheap scraps to make a "mock up" and how to take another finished garment and make a pattern from that. She taught me how to thread a bobbin, sew and hem. the basics. So two Christmases ago when I bought a new sewing machine it was all over. Now I have no excuse not to sew. So far just for our company alone I have made 3 shirts, 10 skirts, 6 vests and 6 dresses. I followed some sort of pattern for some of it, others I just made my own.
Only thing I can't do is smock.....and Madie would be so cute in a smocked dress!
3. Household projects. With my husband. While he is away. Just because I need change. I love working on our house. I can't nail down one particular person to blame for this crazy passion of mine. It's really just a collection of experiences I've had along the way.
Working with David on laying tile, refinishing the cabinets, laying a hardwood floor, or staining a dresser are such a delight to me. I love working on a project together. I think it goes back to me "helping" my dad with all the various household projects he did over the many years we lived on Wheaton Cove. My helping was really just handing him the tools he needed. "Hand me a flat head screw driver" or " hold these nails while I level this" that sort of thing. When David and I laid the hardwood floor, David taught me how to use the miter saw. My very first time to use a power saw. It was great. I called my dad to tell all about it.
Painting while David is out of town. This a can truly say is something I do just like my mother. Dad would go hunting and come back to a newly painted room. David went to Francisco in November and came back to a new hallway color (He expected that much) and a halfway redone hall bathroom. I didn't plan on this, I just sorta kept painting and things just took wild turn halfway though. But my darn hands weren't big enough to grip to wrench to change out the faucet. He had to help finish that project unfortunately once he got home. And we still haven't found a bathroom mirror to compete the redo.
Last but not least, decorating and rearranging. My friends Keith and Noelle have hung out at our house often these past 3 years we've been in Atlanta. Every time they come to visit something in our house has changed. The floors, the kitchen, which kid is sleeping in which room, I bet they have seen at least 10 different living room configurations! My Mimi is like this, always decorating, changing something, I've learned from the best. Some people say rearranging house hold items is a sign of discontentment. I don't agree. I think it is a sign of passion, a deep pride in your house and a desire to make it a place someone wants to come home to.
1. Coffee. Even as I sit here typing this I am drink a cup of joe. Growing up my family didn't even own a coffee maker. So how is it that every morning my day starts in the kitchen brewing a pot of coffee? 1 word, Mimi. I was teaching last night and one of my 9 year old students asked if that was coffee in the green mug I had. Of course it was and she said she loves decaffeinated coffee with lots of cream and sugar. I was instantly 8 years old again and back in my Mimi's kitchen where I too would enjoy the same treat. Mimi had this hot water faucet in her sink that she would use to brew a cup of decaff coffee every night in a single cone filter. She would sometimes make me a cup if I asked. Filling it full of milk and sugar from her blue and white china canister. I felt so grown up. Then we would stay up late and watch old black and white movies till way past my bedtime. She owned a coffee shop before Starbuck's even existed. She also had a case of Godiva chocolate at her store too.....if I was good when I was helping her at the store that was my treat, any piece I wanted. My all time favorite as the shield, a milk chocolate shield full of runny caramel.
As I grew older I wanted coffee on my own so I got a single cone filter just like hers and brewed myself one cup in the morning. When David and I married he didn't drink coffee. So I still made just one up for myself every morning. Somewhere along the way he started drinking it with me in the morning. So now we own a coffee maker and every morning I brew us a pot of 8 o'clock coffee with a little dash of cinnamon in the grounds.2. Sewing. I can sew. I've never taken a class and really hate following patterns, but I can sew. Which comes in very handy seeing that I direct a dance company and costumes are cheaper to make then buy. So where did this love or hate, depends on when you ask me, come from? My mom and grandmother. Every holiday, be it Easter, Christmas, or just summertime, I would have a new dress, a new smocked dress to celebrate the occasion. My mom and grandmother even made a dress for me just like Samantha's (my American Girl doll) A red taffetta one complete with a white lace collar. Throughout my dance training my mother was always making some sort of costume for our shows as well. She's made mice, bodices, monsters, skirts, angels and dresses. Usually without a pattern and with random yards of fabric. I learned from her to use cheap scraps to make a "mock up" and how to take another finished garment and make a pattern from that. She taught me how to thread a bobbin, sew and hem. the basics. So two Christmases ago when I bought a new sewing machine it was all over. Now I have no excuse not to sew. So far just for our company alone I have made 3 shirts, 10 skirts, 6 vests and 6 dresses. I followed some sort of pattern for some of it, others I just made my own.
Only thing I can't do is smock.....and Madie would be so cute in a smocked dress!3. Household projects. With my husband. While he is away. Just because I need change. I love working on our house. I can't nail down one particular person to blame for this crazy passion of mine. It's really just a collection of experiences I've had along the way.
Working with David on laying tile, refinishing the cabinets, laying a hardwood floor, or staining a dresser are such a delight to me. I love working on a project together. I think it goes back to me "helping" my dad with all the various household projects he did over the many years we lived on Wheaton Cove. My helping was really just handing him the tools he needed. "Hand me a flat head screw driver" or " hold these nails while I level this" that sort of thing. When David and I laid the hardwood floor, David taught me how to use the miter saw. My very first time to use a power saw. It was great. I called my dad to tell all about it.
Painting while David is out of town. This a can truly say is something I do just like my mother. Dad would go hunting and come back to a newly painted room. David went to Francisco in November and came back to a new hallway color (He expected that much) and a halfway redone hall bathroom. I didn't plan on this, I just sorta kept painting and things just took wild turn halfway though. But my darn hands weren't big enough to grip to wrench to change out the faucet. He had to help finish that project unfortunately once he got home. And we still haven't found a bathroom mirror to compete the redo.
Last but not least, decorating and rearranging. My friends Keith and Noelle have hung out at our house often these past 3 years we've been in Atlanta. Every time they come to visit something in our house has changed. The floors, the kitchen, which kid is sleeping in which room, I bet they have seen at least 10 different living room configurations! My Mimi is like this, always decorating, changing something, I've learned from the best. Some people say rearranging house hold items is a sign of discontentment. I don't agree. I think it is a sign of passion, a deep pride in your house and a desire to make it a place someone wants to come home to.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Monday
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Friday, January 2, 2009
New Year's fun
We had a great New Years this year with the kids and lots of friends. Here's Caleb waking Madie up from her only nap of the day (we're still not back into our regular schedule after the holiday traveling) She's trying to give Caleb a kiss. Too sweet!
Our friend Jen came over and hung out with us. She tried to snuggle with Caleb but he had a very bad case of the wiggles! And Madie had a bad case of jealousy. Any time Caleb would get in Jen's lap, Madie would want to. Caleb would then come sit in my lap and low and behold Madie would want up in mine instead....
We played games the whole night...here's David and Katie (Jen's roomie) playing boogle. Keith and Noelle and Eric come later that night...playing Cranium after midnight was the best!
I had a coupon for sparkling grape juice so I got some at the store two days ago for the kids to enjoy....thought I would never hear the end of it..."can we have our sparkling grape juice..." was all Caleb could ask me once we got it. Best part was the fact his "sp" sounded like a "b" so it come out sounding like "broccoli" juice instead. Too cute!
Their pre-midnight cheers to ring in the new year.
Good ole broccoli juice, can't beat it!!
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