Say Hello to Nicholas!!

Meet Nicholas! He's 19 months old and mom and dad are Asam and Susan Michael.
He started full time in our program last week and he's doing really well.
I believe this is the first time ever in the 10 years that I've been doing daycare that I have more boys than girls. Poor Ellie and Suroya are outnumbered!! :)

Welcome Nicholas!!

The Island is calling to me!!! ;)

WHEW!!! I'm so excited that our mini break is now only 27 hours away, not that I'm counting!!

I still have to get through tomorrow... so here's how tomorrow is going to work.

You will drop off here at my house just like you do every morning. I will leave here about 7 am. to take to Ms. Becky's house. The kiddos will stay with her until I'm done with all my pre op stuff at Wilford Hall. I will return to Ms. Becky's and bring my babies home. I'm hoping to be there to get them by 12pm. (in my perfect world!)

Then the happy dance will commence!! ;) We will be pulling out of the driveway as soon as the last child is picked up, so note to self,,, please don't be late! ;) Ms. Kimberly is just too excited to see the beach.. I NEED sand in between the toes!!

On Friday, I've talked with you all and it looks like everyone is set and doesn't need care, so go and have a FABULOUS weekend!! I know that I will.. although, the Dr. said no alcohol 24 hours before surgery, so I have to cut it off at 12pm on Sunday afternoon!! But that's okay I have Friday and Saturday!!

On Monday, you will drop your child off at Ms. Becky's house. She opens at 7am. Her address is 423 Butternut Blvd. Her phone number is 384-9232. You will need to pick kiddos up by 5pm., please don't be late for her.

Tuesday morning, the 28th, we are back to normal.. well whatever normal is!! ;) Im sure that I'll be on happy pills, so Chris will be here to make sure that I don't burn the house down or anything....

Wednesday the 29th, DON"T FORGET shoebox parade!! So everyone has this weekend to work on them.. so NO excuses parents!! ;) Have fun with your babies and let creativity FLOW!!

On Sunday, May 3rd BIRTHDAY PARTY!!! WOO HOOO.. .Mr. B is turning 4 and Princess Akaiylyn is 3!! Party is at Kids Playtime on Potranco, everyone received invites, so please make sure to RSVP to either Susie or Nikia! And let me tell you, you best plan on being there, or Ms. Susie can sooo make you feel guilty! Just kidding!!

Then on Friday May 8th, I'm taking FINALS!!!! Thank goodness!! I just can't even begin to tell you how I'm looking forward to being done with school for the summer!! I'm thinking there will be some Major celebration that weekend!

Okay, so I think that's it. If I've forgotten anything, please call me and tell me so that I can update everyone... :)

Here's a few yummy pics of my babies today having cupcakes to celebrate Akaiylyn's birthday!!

Housekeeping Issues...

Hello All,

Thank you so much to everyone for coming to pick your children up yesterday! It was greatly appreciated!

I've just purchased backpacks from Oriental Trading, they should be here next week, once I receive them, we are going to do away with cubbies. Every child will receive a backpack and it's your responsibility to take the backpack home everynight and make sure the appropriate change of clothes return the following day. These bags will be hung on the hall tree in my entry way.

As you can all see by looking at the sign in sheets, I pretty much have everyone here with the exception of Ellie by 6:30am. I allow you to bring your child early so that you can get to work on time. However, please know I'm not 'open' at this time and the time that I've agreed on for you is NOT a opening time for me. If you are off for the day, under NO circumstances are you to drop off early. Again, I'm doing this as a courtesy and if I feel that I'm being taken advantage of, this will change and you will not be allowed to drop off early.
Also, when you drop off in the morning, if it's a gymnastics day, your child MUST be dressed; and please understand that if they are in pj's they will going on the school run in pj's as I don't have time to change them until after breakfast at 9am.

I'm still having some issues with people signing in and out. If you don't sign your child in and out, then there is a very good possibility that I WILL NOT get paid the subsidy amount. I can assure you if that happens, you will be paying the difference. I know noone wants to do that, so please take an extra 10 seconds in the morning to sign in and out your child.

As for back up care for the appointments I have coming up, Ms. Becky has agreed to help you.

On 23rd, Am. You will drop off here, You need to be here by 6:50am., as I then have to take your child to her and then be at Wilford Hall by 7:30am. I will return to Becky's and pick the children up. I should be there by 12pm., after all my pre-op appts are done for the day.

The 24th, Becky will take Alex and Akaiylyn. You will not be able to drop off early. You may drop off at her home at 7am. and you have to pick up by 5pm. Please do not be late.

27th - Again, Becky will take everyone for us. 7-5pm.

May 8th - My final day. Please drop off at my house, we will leave here at 7am. as I have to drop them off at Becky's, take her son to school and then be at the base for finals by 8am.

As for vacation time, Becky can do all for the 2nd week, (June 6- 10) she's not sure about the first week as of yet. I'll keep you updated as time gets closer.

Okay, so we're good on all that!

As parents of toddlers/preschool children you know how the boundaries are tested everyday. Now, I'd like for you to imagine that you are now the parent of 6 children all under the age of 3! With all the personalities, coughs, runny nose, melt downs, pooping and peeing, MINE!, tears, cups, and clothes and socks EVERYWHERE! ;)
Okay, now really think about that for a minute!!! Yeah... let it sink in!!!! ;0)

You all know that I love every child here and I accept that I do things differently here in MY home then you do in yours. There is a reason why I choose to go places with the kiddos,,, if I had to stay in the house for 10 hours a day, day in and day out, I'd surely be in the looney bin!

In my home, we have rules and the children are well aware, for instance,

- Shoes off
- we use walking feet
- we treat each other with respect (and show respect)
- we use patience
- we respect others things, and don't touch or play with things that are not ours. (Nothing off tables or counters)
- we treat our books with nice touches and place them in the book box.
- We climb and use our outside voices, outside. (We don't climb on furniture)
-When riding in the truck with Ms. Kimberly, we use inside voices.


When you come and pick your child up or are dropping off, please be firm in addressing these with your child. That time is the most frustrating for the children, as they know the rules here but when parents come in they will try to go beyond those boundaries to see what reaction they will get from both you and I. We need to have a united front. I would great appreciate it if you would back me up when they are stretching those boundaries.

For your reference:

Breakfast is at 9am.

Lunch is at 12pm.

PM Snack is at 3pm.

I give milk in the am., about 7ish, so that they have something in their bellies until breakfast.

Oh, we didn't go to gymnastics today as Coach Jay wasn't feeling well, and I told her we could make it up during the month. ;)

Have a GREAT Thursday!!! If you stand on tip toes, you can see it on the horizon!! It's the weekend!! ;)

This weekend I'm working a double shift on Saturday at the Crisis hotline, so I'll be gone from 3pm. Sat until 7am. Sun, so I'm hoping to come home to a COMPLETED deck!! ;) Wish me luck!!

Say hello to Alex!

As you all know Alexander started with us on Monday, and I'm pleased thus far with how the transition is going. Of course adding to our crazy chaos takes time but I'm sure that he'll fit right in. On Monday, Akaiylyn and Ellie were fighting as to who was going to sit with him at the table and while we were cleaning up from lunch they fought over who was going to bring his plate to the dishwasher, so mom's be prepared to what is to come... boycrazy! ;)

Alexs' mom is Kristen Steele and she's in the Navy, so now Richard is not all by himself! We promise not to hold the Navy against you guys ;) Kristen works over on the Medina side of Lackland and she's in a high security area, I really have no idea what she does, and if I did and told you, she would probably have to kill me! So, we'll just leave it at that! Currently they live in the Culebra/410 area, however they are going to renting a home in our area! yeah!!

Several of you have asked me about the potty training issue. I'm going to refer to my contract on this one and let you know that I will help with the potty training here at my home, once you have been successful at home. I know several of you have looked into the 3 day potty training process and I was just on the website and while I know nothing about it, so the link if you are interested in potty training in 3 days is ... http://www.3daypottytraining.com/ should you decide to use this method, please send me the ebook so that I can educate myself on how best to be of use for your child.

I hope to have the Childrens' Museum pictures up during the weekend. Apparently, my darling husband sent them all to our Smug Mug account and I don't want to give you access to that site as it's all our families pictures as well. So, I have to figure out how to now transfer them to Shutterfly. As soon I as get them done, I'll shoot you all an email to let you know.

This weekend, I will be rearranging the cubbies. As of now I have a cubby for everyone, however I don't like how it's arranged in the closet, so be looking for your child's name on Monday in the closet and you will find the new cubby.

I'm on the lookout for things to add to our dramatic play materials...

baby doll clothes

small diapers

small bottles

purses

lab coats

medical supplies

masks (surgical)

cars, not the small ones (hot wheels) , but rather the bigger ones..

Art materials

dry erase markers

feathers

sheets of foam

Again, anything you want to donate will be greatly appreciated. ;)

For Easter, I have baskets that Braylen and Suroyas' grandma donated and so I'll be using those as their baskets... we will dye eggs, and I will be teaching the children the Easter story, we will make the resurrection cookies, we will make them during the week, however it means more when you do it the night before Easter and then you have them on Easter morning...

http://www.easyfunschool.com/article2099.html

Dates for your calendar....

On April 1st, It's Chris' graduation from the Academy, so I'd like to see if all children can be picked up by 4pm. (It takes time to get beautiful, you know!)

April 23rd - I have to go to Wilford Hall for pre-op.. I will ask Becky to see if she can do some back up for me... let me know if you want me to do so for your child.

April 24th - CLOSED!! I'll be Padre getting my toes in some sand!!

April 27th - CLOSED!! I be having surgery to have screws removed

April 28th - reopen.. Mr. Chris will be taking several days off to remain home with me until we see how Im doing.

May 8th - Finals!! I will be closed during the am.

June 29-July 10 - CLOSED for vacation!! :) Let me know if I need to help with back up care!!

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!

Have a Happy Rainy day!!

Ms. Kimberly

Screws are still there!! ;(

Okay,
so yesterday I took a half day off thinking that I was going to get the screws out of my right knee. After getting to the Ortho. Dept. they took xrays and Dr. Keeney came in and let me know that my bone has grown OVER the bolt... Lovely!! ;) So, in order to remove them I have to have surgery yet again! He could do it next week, however he wouldn't want me in the ocean for 6 - 8 weeks and we all know that I'm SOOO lookin forward to having toes in the sand during our trip to South Padre on April 23rd. So, I've scheduled the surgery for the 27th of April.
As you all know I'm already off on Friday, April 24th now I'll also be off on the 27th. I know several of you also have plan for Fiesta on this weekend, so just let me know what your care needs are and I'll start looking for care for you! ;)
I did talk with Ms. Becky today and she will offer care for those that need it on the 27th of April.

Thanks,

Ms. Kimberly

We are a piece of silver!!

Good Afternoon,

I can't even begin to put into words what this term at school has done to me. This semester has by far been one of the most challenging that I've experienced since going back to school.
I have a tendancy to have self doubt and not rely heavily on my own opinions, unless of course I KNOW I'm right! :) So, this morning before heading out to take finals, I opened my email box and I found a very appropriate email from one of my sister in laws.
It touched me so, that I definately cried. But I know that I'm not alone in this journey and neither are any of you!
On my way home from picking Akaiylyn and Ellie up from Ms. Becky's, I was looking in the rearview mirror at the girls grinning from ear to ear listening to the Barney CD, and I started reflecting upon converstations that I've had with you all the last 2 weeks, and well just know that you are not alone!

We are all a piece of silver!

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Bless you all and Have a Great Weekend!! :)

WOO HOO!!! Finals are OVER!! ;)