A Great Day

We had group time yesterday.  It's something we skip during the summer if things are busy in the mornings.  Since we have had rain, we haven't been having afternoon story times outside.  This has led to us having lots of library books that we still haven't read, and they are almost due to be returned.  It was time to read some books!  The kids were happy to have story time.  It's funny when I take photos and they aren't smiling.  I think it's because they are so used to seeing me with the camera pointed at them that they just don't care to "ham it up" anymore.  Look at the guy second from the right.  Maybe he thinks if he just shows me his teeth I will stop taking the photo?  I don't know, but the face made me laugh this morning. 

We had a quick lesson about "criss cross applesauce" sitting.  This helps to avoid accidental kicking of the neighbor, kids playing with shoes or banging feet on the floor.  There can be so many distractions with story time.  The way a story is read makes a difference, too.  I get much more animated with the kids than I have ever been around adults.  It keeps the kids interested in the story.  If it's a spooky story, I act scared and the kids coax me to turn the page.  If there's a spaceship launching, I launch the book up into the air and make sound effects.  If it's a bed time book, I might pretend to fall asleep.  The kids love to "wake me up".  The looks on their faces let me know that they are imagining things.   Children's books are precious to me.

Something wonderful happened yesterday!  A parent came for a tour about the spot we recently advertised. When I feel ready to fill a spot, I give the whole thing over to God.  I don't always have all of our spots full.  Sometimes it feels comfortable with less than the max.  Having a parent tour the house can make me nervous because I'm basically advertising myself.  What I try to remember is that God is going to place who He feels needs to be here and I am not in charge.  This really helps to put me at ease.  I don't like to advertise unless I really feel ready for another child, and when that time comes, I just tell God that I think I'm ready.  Then I usually pray that there isn't an explosion or something crazy when the tour takes place.  The kids have caused havoc before.  There's something exciting about a visitor.  They all get an extra spring in their step, a need to be involved in the conversations, and more often than not-- they start breaking rules to see what I will do.   

(Insert eye roll HERE.)

ANYWAY, praise God that we have filled the vacant spot, and the timing is perfect! 

We cut our art time short due to the visit and created some beaded pipe cleaner necklaces.

Just a quick little project.  Making a necklace with pipe cleaners requires three pipe cleaners per child.  I let them bead one full pipe cleaner, and then attach the other two to lengthen it to fit around their heads.

I completely forgot to take photos of the finished products!!  It was a wonderful day.  We've had a really great week, rain and all.  I see the sunshine this morning!  I think we will have a free morning and get out in it.  I'm sure we've got some snap peas to harvest.

♥♥♥Happy Friday!♥♥♥