Deep in the Heart...

...Of Texas!

When you live in Texas, your school needs to have a Western Week! A Week dedicated to talking about Cowboys and the Ole' West. Who can resist a little cowboy in chaps?

Well, Howdy M'am!

Let me tip my hat to you!

I am just going to have to eat him up!

Fridays are for Phonics

I love teaching! I love reading! and I love teaching reading! Over the past few months, I have been praying about what to pursue as my PhD dissertation creeps closer and closer. I feel like the Lord has truly answered my prayers in recent months as I have fallen in love with teaching reading to four-year-olds!

I thought that this blog would be a good outlet for me to share some of my teaching ideas for reading and explore some new ideas!

So, from now on, Fridays are for Phonics.

Here are some of my initial thoughts...

Every child needs a reading corner! A place where he or she can reach all the books and just snuggle down and read for awhile. We have a few reading corners in our house for Austin. The first one is in his bedroom (not pictured because I don't want to clean it today). The second reading corner is in our playroom.



I also have a basket in my bedroom (under my bed) full of books to read with Austin for those moments when we are curled up in bed and just need to read together.

What should my child be reading?
Here is a closeup of some of Austin's books from birth to two years.


Can a one or two year old really "read"?
Of course! Reading is so much more than words in long sentences. Reading is turning pages. Reading is exploring pictures, lifting flaps, moving things in the book. Reading is beginning to understand that some of the strange shapes they see actually make sounds and eventually words.

Quick story: On my first day of school this year. I asked my four year olds to choose a book and sit down and read. Several turned to me and said, "But Mrs. Q, we don't know how to read!" Oh, yes they do! Maybe not reading in the same sense, but children as young as one need to understand that they can sit in a corner and "read" books!

Would you recommend any books for two year olds?
More than I can put here... but I would definitely recommend alphabet books and textile books at this age for their independent reading time. For family reading time, I would suggest reading books that rhyme.

This John Deere book is still one of Austin's favorite books because he can feel the corn, the hay, turn wheels, etc.


I also love books that he can manipulate and change. At this age, you want two and three year olds to play with lots of playdough and build their small muscles in their hands. They will not be able to hold a pencil or crayon correctly until their muscles develop through these motions.

Here is an example of this type of book.


What about you? Do you love to read? Do you have any favorite books for you or your children?

Wordless Wednesday

Austin at 6 months old

Please Pick Me!!!

As many of you already know, my sister has been actively pursuing a writing career through magazine articles, research, and her blog! For Christmas, I decided that the perfect gift for Mom 2 Drew would be a Blog Makeover. After all, her beautiful words deserved a beautiful background!

I emailed Danielle at Blogs by Danielle and asked if she could make over my sister's blog as a Christmas gift. Little did I know... that very same day, my sister emailed Danielle and asked for a blog makeover herself! What are the chances?


So, today, as I was looking through blogland, I was thrilled to see this:


Danielle does beautiful work, and I really hope that I will win!!!

Birthday Parties

Have I told you yet about Austin's love for Birthday parties? In early December, we were invited to a Wiggles' Birthday Party at the Wiggles' Play Place. Oh, yes... "heaven," as James would say.

In fact, if your number is programmed into his phone, my sweet husband probably sent you a text during those two hours... "help me!" is probably what he wrote. Austin, however, loved the day.



Austin has one request of all birthday parties. They MUST have birthday hats. I don't know why, I don't know where this passion came from, but birthdays must have party hats. Trust me, if we go to a birthday without hats, it is the first thing he asks me about when we get in the car.

"Mom, wasn't that a birthday party?" He'll ask.
"Yes, sweetheart." I'll reply.
"Then where were the hats???" He'll ask.

So, just in case you invite us to your child's birthday party... please have hats. Then again, maybe I should just carry party hats in my purse. After all, shouldn't everyday be a birthday party!

Playing in the Ice Storm

I am just trying something new today while we are stuck inside due to the weather...



Yeah! It worked! I am trying to get my pictures to upload bigger and better on blogger!

Ice Storm

Today in Denton, our schools are closed as we get ready for an ice storm. This only happens in North Texas about once a year, so we look forward to a day when schools are closed and everyone stays off the roads due to ice. I am looking forward to a day with Austin and James - playing cars, watching movies, and eating whatever we can find in our kitchen pantry.

Winter reminds me of one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55:9-11 (New International Version)

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

So, I pray that today would be a day full of God's word in our hearts and coming out of our mouths to Austin. Just as the snow comes down and makes the earth bud and flourish, I pray that our times with Austin on these icy days will also accomplish the purposes that the Lord has for us as a family!

In Honor

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

We Love our Lovies!

When I was a little girl, I had a lovie (a blanket that I absolutely loved). It was soft on one side and silky on the other. I would rub it between my fingers and carried it with me everywhere I went. I especially needed my blankie at night to go to sleep.

There was something so comforting about having my blankie. My blankie was rather large, however, so as I started to attend preschool, my mom would cut a tiny square off of blankie everyday and sew it up. I would take the small square with me to preschool and every day at nap time, I would pull out my little blankie squre to comfort me.

When Austin was born, I received a beautiful lamb lovie for him with his name embroidered on the soft white fabric. Austin loved "Lambert" and carried him everywhere we went. Unfortunately, on a mission trip when he was six months old, we dropped Lambert in Mexico slum.
We never found him.

I called my mom crying, "Mom, I lost Lambert!"
(Yes, mothers are much more attached to their childrens' blankies at this age than the child, but I was a first time mom!)

Immediately my mom ran to the store, but no more lambs were in stock. She bought an alternate... a small, yellow duck and overnighted it to our apartment in Denton.

And so, "Quack Quack" was born.

Austin meeting "quack quack" for the first time.

Austin sleeping with "quack quack"

Austin with a lovie on his first day of school.

Perhaps it is because I had my own special blankie as a child. Perhaps I understand how intimidating the world can be at times. Perhaps I still want to rub silk through my fingers at moments for the calming effect. Despite my reasons, Austin can keep his "Quack Quack" as long as he wants.
This Christmas, however, I accidentally left this precious friend in Gainesville when we went back to my parents.
"Where is quack quack?" Austin asked about an hour into our drive.
"Oh, sweetheart," I explained, "I left him at Granny's house. We will get him in a couple of days."
Tears welled up in my son's eyes.
"I just want quack quack," he cried.

A few days later when we reconnected with Granny, I left Quack Quack on Austin's car seat for him to find.
"Oh, Quack Quack," he said, "There you are! I have missed you so much."

Oh, Comfort!

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you. Isaiah 66:13

Lord, I pray that as Austin grows he will find the comfort that comes only from you. Comfort in your arms. Comfort in the shadow of your wings.

Christmas in Florida!

Some of my favorite Christmas moments this year...


This first picture is right before Austin started decorating his gingerbread house. I don't know if he was trying to concentrate...
"Okay, how can I make this the best gingerbread house ever?"
or if he was praying...
"Lord, thank you for the candy I see before me. Bless it to our bodies."
or if he was pleading with the Lord...
"Please let mom let me eat this candy. Please hide her eyes to what I am about to shove in my mouth.

Despite Austin's silent prayers, we had a wonderful time decorating gingerbread houses with my new sister in law, Sharon. The extended time at home allowed me to get to know this precious woman so much better. Sharon has such a passion for teaching and children. Austin is so blessed to have such great aunts and uncles!

Aunt Sharon and Andrew (3) working on his gingerbread house.

Our sweet neighbor next door made a sweater for Austin to wear on Christmas day. What 2 year old doesn't look absolutely adorable in a red Christmas sweater???

On Christmas Eve, we attended the worship service at Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville, FL. Westside holds such precious memories to us: we met at this church, James was my Sunday school teacher here (ladies, one of the benefits of attending SS), we were married here, and James was ordained by this church body. We love this church family!

and the weather was absolutely beautiful!

Five WEEKS!!! REALLY?

Has it really been five weeks since I last wrote? These have been the shortest and longest five weeks. I have not given up on you, my precious blogspot. I have not retreated to my diary to record my days... no instead, I have fallen into bed exhausted at 8:00 pm most evenings.

Shortly after my last post, I received word that my grandma, my "mama" had a stroke. I quickly found tickets for Austin and I to travel to Florida to say our goodbyes. What was expected to be a short hospital stay for mama, turned into a three week Hospice watch at my parents' home. The three weeks included precious family time, celebrations of Christmas, and even a car accident (everyone is fine); but the most tender moments were simply sitting by my mama's side.

We said goodbye to Mama on January 2nd in the early hours of the morning. Her funeral in South Carolina was a beautiful tribute to her life. I am honored to be her granddaughter.

And so, I hope that I am back... but then again, it might be another 5 weeks.