Riley was very excited to crank the apple slicer/peeler/corer (best gadget ever) all by herself so we could make applesauce
Micaela liked to eat the apple slices as fast as Riley could add them to the pot
Hanging out, talking on the phone
Riley and her friend Luke had a fun playdate while his Mom volunteered to help in the preschool classroom (her twins are in Riley's class)
What's better than emptying the toy box and climbing inside?
What cuties!
Riley practicing the piano with Sammy the Snake, a special pet given to the preschool "Star of the Week"
The girls and I have mastered making and canning applesauce and have made great use of the 60 lbs of apples we picked throughout the fall. Riley likes to crank the apple slicer/peeler/corer while Micaela likes to eat the slices. Chad likes to fire up what he calls the "cajun blow torch," a propane-fueled burner that can boil a large quantity of water for canning really fast. The applesauce is delicious, I look forward to eating it all winter long.
Several of Riley's classmates have younger siblings around Micaela's age so the moms and I trade off babysitting so we can volunteer to help out in the preschool classroom. This week I watched Luke, a little boy just a few months older than Micaela. At first Micaela was a little possessive of her toys but Luke is so easy going, he just kept playing until she learned to share. They had the best time playing together, the 3 hours went so fast. Now Luke keeps trying to get into my car so he can come home and play with us again. Its such a great situation: the younger kids get friends to play with, the moms get to be more involved with our preschoolers in the classroom and the teachers get a little help.
A big event in our household that got lost while I've been behind on the blog is that we got a piano! Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Leon gave the girls a beautiful Yamaha electric keyboard for an early Christmas present. The keys are weighted and the sound is amazing, its really like a genuine piano. Riley started lessons in September. Its a parent-child group class geared for 4-5 year olds and involves ear training, rhythms and learning melodies. She really enjoys the lessons and practicing. Nowadays everyone that visits our house gets a concert. I enjoy experiencing this with her and what she has been able to learn in just 2 months is really impressive.
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A piano!! I keep seeing girls Selina and Riley's age taking piano lessons! I've been looking around to see where I can take Selina but can't find anything so far. They offer something in the rec guide but it's always mid week mid day!
ReplyDeletePS: Please post videos of Riley practicing!
ReplyDeleteWe're very excited about the piano. I know a lot of teachers won't take kids for piano lessons until they are older but the Yamaha method believes this is the best age to start. We do a lot of singing and movement during class too but I've been impressed with the little songs they have learned to play. Great idea, I will put up a video!
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