Ella has been working so hard in school. I am so glad that she loves school so much and that it is such a positive experience for her. She loves her school and her teachers. Both of her teachers are very dedicated and wonderful.
I saw Ella's Spanish teacher on Wednesday after school when I was picking the girls up. She told me that Ella is doing very well in Spanish. She said she'd just tested her in Spanish and she passed a level 18, which is an end of first grade level. She said that she's a better reader in Spanish than some of the native Spanish speakers.
Not only that but she is gaining confidence. Her Spanish teacher has the students do an oral presentation each month. Ella always practices at home and she's done fairly well, but she is kind of a shy girl, so her teacher has told me that she speaks quietly and doesn't always look very confident. On Friday, families were invited in the evening to see the children do this month's oral presentation. Each child had to memorize a poem. They began by welcoming the families and friends and saying they would present their poems while also showing some type of visual. When it was Ella's turn, she walked to the front and spoke loudly and clearly in Spanish. I'm so grateful to Miss Mary Lou for organizing this event on a Friday evening when she could have been home with her own family. I'm grateful that she and Miss Finerfrock work so hard to make school educational, fun, meaningful and motivating. I'm so thrilled to see Ella gaining confidence as well as skills.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A good example
Michelle has 2 best friends at school, Shayla and Liliana.
On Sunday evening, Michelle and I were talking. She asked if she could tell me something and did I promise I wouldn't get mad. (Not a great way to start a conversation!) Michelle explained that a few days ago, Shayla's mom had remarked to Shayla, "I hate Mormons!" Shayla responded, "Well, then, Mom, you hate Michelle!" Shayla's mom immediately apologized and said that of course she didn't hate Michelle and that she didn't really hate all Mormons either. I'm glad that Michelle has been a good example to her friend and has had a positive influence on her friend's family.
She is growing up so quickly and is hardly a little girl anymore. She isn't perfect, but she is such a good child. Both Ella and Michelle remind me to hold Family Home Evening each week. They both really love it. They are eager to go to church and they really try hard to do what is right.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Progress
I am so pleased. Ella has made real progress in the past couple of months. She is having fewer and fewer meltdowns...and generally when she does have one, it lasts a shorter time and is less intense than previously. I think it has been a combination of things that are working. First, I've learned better how to handle the meltdowns, and I've tried to teach her some strategies to calm down and not escalate the meltdown. She is getting bigger and gaining more control over her own emotions. Also, back in December, I told her that when she'd had 10 days (but not necessarily consecutive days) with NO meltdowns that I'd take her for a mommy-daughter date, just the two of us. That really motivated her. We went to a movie and had popcorn and soda. So then we did it again in February... going for ice cream at Baskin Robbins. January didn't work out to get to have a one on one time but I took all 3 girls to Arctic Circle. Having that one on one time to look forward and work toward has been really motivating for her. I'm so grateful that we've finally found some strategies that are helping.... it makes all of us happier and calmer.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Imaginary Friend
Gabby now has an imaginary friend, and she really seems to believe in this friend. Now it is not the kind of imaginary friend that has a real presence in our home...she has never been to our house, she doesn't eat dinner with us, etc. But Gabby talks about Crystal a lot. She told me this morning that I should mix vitamins into some orange juice. I told her that I didn't think that would taste very good, and she responded, "Crystal's mom puts vitamins in her orange juice." She has told me several stories about playing at Crystal's house. She also tells me about how Crystal is in her dance class (but Gabby isn't in a dance class! Her best friend Sofie is though.) Cute, sweet girl. She definitely has a good imagination and she is a great storyteller.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Increasing Veggies and Fruits
As I've mentioned, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to increase my fruit and veggie intake. For the most part, I've been quite successful. I've always loved fruits and eaten a fair amount of fruits, and a fairly wide selection of fruits. I'm not quite as good about vegetables, but I'm getting better.
Here are a few of the things I'm doing that are working for me.
1. I nearly always eat a fruit or veggie or both with breakfast. We often have fresh fruit along with our breakfast...berries, cantaloupe, bananas (for everyone but me...I'm not a big fan, although I do add them to smoothies.) I make a smoothie along with breakfast at least 1-3 times per week now. Usually, I make them with a bit of yogurt, some frozen fruit (peaches, berries, etc.), a banana, some oatmeal and/or wheat germ and/or flax seed, 1/2 cup or more fresh spinach, and a bit of milk (sometimes almond milk because Alfredo is on a diet now and that is what he's supposed to have). Often in the evenings, if I'm having a sugar craving, a fruit smoothie will curb the craving.
2. Another way I've increased veggies in the morning is to make frittatas or potato latkes for breakfast. I included a potato latke recipe on my blog a month or so ago. For frittatas, I mix 6- 8 eggs (to make these healthier, you can do egg whites or egg beaters) and about 1/2 cup milk. Mix well. Then I chop up whatever veggies I have on hand... we like tomatoes, cilantro, red/yellow/green/orange peppers, spinach if chopped fine, onions (green, yellow or red), and I've even chopped up zuchini or squash really small and added it. Then I add a bit of shredded cheese and some crumbled bacon and/or some seasonings. Stir it all up and pour into pans. I use 2 pie tins. Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes until set. I serve it with whole wheat toast and it is a yummy, veggie filled breakfast.
3. I always take a fresh fruit or vegetable to eat with my lunch and/or to eat as an afternoon snack when school ends.
4. We eat salads at least 2 x per week, and sometimes more often. Usually these are a side dish and not the main course, but I do have a couple of main dish salads that we love and eat from time to time.
5. I'm trying to be conscientious about putting out fresh fruits and veggies for us to snack on while I'm preparing dinner...especially if dinner is going to take a while.And if we get hungry between meals, I try to reach for fruits or veggies as snacks most of the time.
6. As often as possible, I incorporate vegetables into whatever I'm cooking for dinner. For example, instead of just making chicken noodle soup with carrots, celery and onions, I will throw in brocolli, squash, corn, potatoes, peppers, beans (such as great northern beans), etc.
7. I'm also trying to be conscientious for myself (and to a lesser degree for my kids) about using whole grains rather than white breads. We still eat sugary cereal on ocassion and we still love cinnamon rolls from time to time. My kids would still prefer white bread and they sometimes get white bread. But our pancakes and waffles are all whole wheat (and usually with wheat germ and flax seed added in.) I'm trying to get them to eat wheat bread more often. I eat a 9 grain hot cereal pretty regularly but no one else will eat it. I often buy whole wheat pasta (but not exclusively...some types of pasta don't seem to come in whole wheat...at least not where I shop). I often buy whole wheat tortillas.
What I've loved is that we are eating healthier, but I haven't had to make major changes to what I'm cooking. The changes have been small and steady but still allow us to enjoy our favorite foods.
I love the website Skinny Taste because she has great, healthy and delicious meals. Nearly everything I've tried from her site we have enjoyed. Also, for Christmas, I bought myself the small little cookbook "Completely Breakfast" by Carlene Duda. There are lots of great recipes... including Savory Fried Potatoes, Bacon Cheddar Frittata (which I modified to get my frittata above), Granola Waffles. I love, love, love her Creamy Raspberry Waffles (although they weren't a hit with the rest of my family...so I sometimes make them just for myself...and eat them for a couple of days while everyone else has plain pancakes or waffles).
Here are a few of the things I'm doing that are working for me.
1. I nearly always eat a fruit or veggie or both with breakfast. We often have fresh fruit along with our breakfast...berries, cantaloupe, bananas (for everyone but me...I'm not a big fan, although I do add them to smoothies.) I make a smoothie along with breakfast at least 1-3 times per week now. Usually, I make them with a bit of yogurt, some frozen fruit (peaches, berries, etc.), a banana, some oatmeal and/or wheat germ and/or flax seed, 1/2 cup or more fresh spinach, and a bit of milk (sometimes almond milk because Alfredo is on a diet now and that is what he's supposed to have). Often in the evenings, if I'm having a sugar craving, a fruit smoothie will curb the craving.
2. Another way I've increased veggies in the morning is to make frittatas or potato latkes for breakfast. I included a potato latke recipe on my blog a month or so ago. For frittatas, I mix 6- 8 eggs (to make these healthier, you can do egg whites or egg beaters) and about 1/2 cup milk. Mix well. Then I chop up whatever veggies I have on hand... we like tomatoes, cilantro, red/yellow/green/orange peppers, spinach if chopped fine, onions (green, yellow or red), and I've even chopped up zuchini or squash really small and added it. Then I add a bit of shredded cheese and some crumbled bacon and/or some seasonings. Stir it all up and pour into pans. I use 2 pie tins. Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes until set. I serve it with whole wheat toast and it is a yummy, veggie filled breakfast.
3. I always take a fresh fruit or vegetable to eat with my lunch and/or to eat as an afternoon snack when school ends.
4. We eat salads at least 2 x per week, and sometimes more often. Usually these are a side dish and not the main course, but I do have a couple of main dish salads that we love and eat from time to time.
5. I'm trying to be conscientious about putting out fresh fruits and veggies for us to snack on while I'm preparing dinner...especially if dinner is going to take a while.And if we get hungry between meals, I try to reach for fruits or veggies as snacks most of the time.
6. As often as possible, I incorporate vegetables into whatever I'm cooking for dinner. For example, instead of just making chicken noodle soup with carrots, celery and onions, I will throw in brocolli, squash, corn, potatoes, peppers, beans (such as great northern beans), etc.
7. I'm also trying to be conscientious for myself (and to a lesser degree for my kids) about using whole grains rather than white breads. We still eat sugary cereal on ocassion and we still love cinnamon rolls from time to time. My kids would still prefer white bread and they sometimes get white bread. But our pancakes and waffles are all whole wheat (and usually with wheat germ and flax seed added in.) I'm trying to get them to eat wheat bread more often. I eat a 9 grain hot cereal pretty regularly but no one else will eat it. I often buy whole wheat pasta (but not exclusively...some types of pasta don't seem to come in whole wheat...at least not where I shop). I often buy whole wheat tortillas.
What I've loved is that we are eating healthier, but I haven't had to make major changes to what I'm cooking. The changes have been small and steady but still allow us to enjoy our favorite foods.
I love the website Skinny Taste because she has great, healthy and delicious meals. Nearly everything I've tried from her site we have enjoyed. Also, for Christmas, I bought myself the small little cookbook "Completely Breakfast" by Carlene Duda. There are lots of great recipes... including Savory Fried Potatoes, Bacon Cheddar Frittata (which I modified to get my frittata above), Granola Waffles. I love, love, love her Creamy Raspberry Waffles (although they weren't a hit with the rest of my family...so I sometimes make them just for myself...and eat them for a couple of days while everyone else has plain pancakes or waffles).
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Pizza and Pasta at Party Planet
On Presidents Day, the girls and I went with my friend Brenda and her daughter Aelora to the Party Planet in Draper. The girls all had so much fun playing the games, and we all ate and ate. The girls ate pizza, pasta, ice cream, cookies, more pizza, and more treats. They played for a bit; then we ate. Then they played for a long time and then we ate again. Then we played for just a bit longer. We got there about noon and stayed until after 4. Around 3, Gabby got tired and fell asleep in my arms and slept for almost an hour. It was a very fun day.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Birthday Bash
My birthday was a couple of weeks ago. I had parent teacher conferences on my birthday. Long day. But the weekend before my birthday, we had some friends over for dinner. We get together pretty regularly, taking turns at each other's homes. Well, it was Stacie's birthday at the end of January, a week before mine. So when they showed up at our house, Leo and Annette had brought a Baskin Robbins cake to have a combined celebration of Stacie's birthday and my birthday. Stacie and Jeremy had also brought me flowers. It was so nice of Alfredo to plan it and to spend time with such great friends. We had a delicious dinner, made by Alfredo. Then the kids ran downstairs and played while we adults played a card game called Split. It was a great night.
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