O Christmas Tree...

It has been an odd Christmas season for me this year. We put our tree up and got it decorated. And that is just about everything that I have done for Christmas. The kids were super excited for the tree though and it looks like the season in my front room. Which is all I need. It is going to be a nice, mellow holiday, I can just tell.

Big Too

Mr. Oliver has decided that he can play and wrestle with the big kids almost all the time these days. He grabs his blanket and curls up on the floor with anyone who is willing to let him be big. It is very cute and way too grown up for me!

Mac and Tab

Miss Gwen has been making huge strides in reading since this summer! I was quite concerned this summer when we worked and worked on letter recognition with Gwen and it just didn't seem to be sticking. She had a very hard time remembering letter names and often got them twisted around entirely. I thought she might have some version of dyslexia because it really did seem that she was struggling. I should have known that this determined little girl would not let anything stand in her way though. A month ago Gwen asked to try and read a book to me. I have a set of very early readers and the first book is called Mac and Tab. It is where I start with all my kiddos and a month ago she could 'tap out' the sounds in the words but not blend them together to actually get the word. Last night she asked to try and read it to me again though and, much to my happy surprise, she blazed right through it! I am so impressed with her determination and drive. She is going to be another reader I am quite sure. I am so ready to have a reader that loves the girly books like I do.

Cutie Patooties

Gwen really loves to have her hair done all cutie pie and I LOVE to do it for her!

And since I had the camera out, Ollie decided to ham it up and insist on his photo being taken too. He is such a flirt!