Party and Preschool

This past week we did A LOT of homework on houses (especially one) and then decided to buy one.  We made an offer on Wednesday.  On Thursday we were waiting to hear back, then Friday the seller said she received and accepted another offer.  We were not excited to start over and not sure how we felt about that.  We reconsidered other houses we had seen.  We found more houses to go see.  Friday we saw a house for the 4th time and did some serious number crunching on the updates it needed.  Then on Saturday we were just about to see our first of 4 new houses when our Realtor texted us saying that the seller of the house we made an offer on said the buyers backed out.  We saw the 4 homes and decided our offer still stands, and now we are under contract.  So as long as things go through, this will be our house...

Here is Anika sporting Nathaniel's belt.

I have tried to continue some sort of preschool with Anika in our hotel for a lot of reasons.  We review the pledge, alphabet and counting.  I have been following along with the preschool I was doing with neighbors, so we work on a specific letter and number (or two), learn the same nursery rhyme her preschool friends are learning, and then do some variety of random things I feel up to or that relate to the unit theme.  We have colored a lot of pictures, done puzzles and dot-to-dots.  We made jello.  We made bandaids out of felt to go in her doctor kit and also to use to practice prepositions. We have even had show-and-tell.

Making felt bandaids to practice prepositions

We went to the Belnap's house for Sunday dinner on the 12th.  Michelle invited me to her ward's playgroup. She also invited me and the kids to come play at her house one morning.  This is the family that Nathaniel stayed with while he was in Georgia working before we officially moved here.  Her husband is our Orem bishop's brother, and their daughter is in our Orem ward.  They have been a great connection to have here, and amazingly helpful.

Jello.  So fun to make, but just not healthy :(

We attended storytime at two different libraries this week.  Sadly it made me miss the Orem and Provo Libraries more :(  It was good to get out of the hotel though.

We tried to surprise Anika and take her to a bounce house play place for her birthday.  We braved the terrible Georgia traffic and made the 10 minute drive in 30 minutes only to find out that Monkey Joe's closed at 6pm; minutes before we had arrived.  But we went back Saturday morning which probably gave us more time anyway.  Anika has been asking to go to a bounce house play place for awhile... since early last August.  We went to one in St. George during our Hardman Family Reunion and she has been wanting to go back ever since.

We have been looking for fun and active things to do to get out of the hotel, so that was another reason we went.  We also started Kindness Cup (or should I say Kup?) that gets filled up with pom poms to earn a fun family activity.  Anika filled her cup and technically also earned her "birthday party."  So for three reasons we went :)  

Right now she earns pom poms specifically for happily listening when we ask her to do things.  It really works!  It has helped her a lot which has been really good for me :)  I hope it really helps her learn, too, and want to act this way without bribes.  It is sooooo much better to hear, "Sure, Mom."  Sometimes it seems to get her sweetness on a roll and then she does all sorts of nice things.  I feel like that is the real sweet girl I know.

Monkey Joe's was fun for me too.  I love watching my kids have fun, and it was so nice to NOT be in the hotel.  The kids were happy and pleasant and had room to move and run instead of whining, fighting, yelling, making messes and watching TV.  It has been cold outside and there is nothing to do nearby.  But we do have a nice view of our closed outdoor pool here at the hotel.

Sethy swimming with Mr. Crab.

Happy Birthday, Anika!