The Toy Box Years: Tot School

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

(Nudgie is 27 months old) (To see what others are doing at Tot School, click on the "Tot School" above!)

Nani was on Fall Break from school this week. We really didn't plan any "formal" learning activities this week, but My Marine and I did make sure that Nani did do a couple of worksheets in the mornings after breakfast. And of course, whatever big sister does, Nani has to do too. So I printed up two of everything and Nudgie did her "homework" right along with Nani.

On Monday, we had planned on driving down to Colorado Springs to see the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The girls love getting to feed the giraffes. But unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating, so we quickly changed plans and headed to the Children's Museum downtown. The girls had a lot of fun in the bubble room - which turned out to be a favorite. The spent time in the art room painting and playing in the "forest"

The rest of the week we spent at home doing various arts and crafts, "homework" sheets, watching movies, and other fun things!

Doing "homework" like big sister!

Making paper dolls

Baking banana nut bread

Making pumpkin playdough

Painting

Books we read this week:

Next week, Nani goes back to school and we'll get back to our regularly scheduled activities!

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Happy Halloween and have a great week everyone!

3 comments:

MaryAnne November 1, 2010 at 8:20 AM: Aren't children's museums the best? I love those giant acorns. We need to make paper dolls again, thanks for the reminder!
Stefanie November 1, 2010 at 7:20 PM: What a fabulous week!
Molly November 2, 2010 at 9:15 PM: Sounds like a good week. That's cute that Nadia wants to do homework with Dani. Noah does the same thing. I have to get out worksheets for Noah to do when Owen sits down and does his school homework. I love how the little ones look up to the bigger kids! So sweet!