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

We're taking a break from our normal Tot School curriculum to celebrate the holidays, but we'll still be incorporating some learning activities into our holiday fun!

This week, I changed over Nudgie's trays. Nudgie helped me empty her Thanksgiving sensory tub so that we could get ready for her Christmas sensory tub!

Helping pour Thanksgiving beans into the storage container

Our Christmas sensory bin

Our Christmas sensory bin is just as fun as the Thanksgiving! I filled it with white rice and white beans. Michael's had some glitter sand on sale and I had a coupon so I bought a bag of clear glitter sand and a bag of silver glitter sand. I added some jingle bells, glitter balls, a snowman ornament and a Santa rubber ducky which Nudgie really seems to have become attached too!

And she certainly didn't waste any time digging in!

I also changed out Nudgie's flower activity. I put away the fall flowers and pulled out some Christmas floral picks that have been sitting in our Christmas storage box forever! She went right to this activity too!

As an added bonus, I also created a little Christmas village that Nudgie can play with without worrying about being told, "No - don't touch!" I found the little houses at the Dollar Tree and scooped them up right away. My only regret is that I didn't buy more! I got the little people and trees at JoAnn's. Now I just need to get some pics of Nudgie & Nani playing with them (supervised, of course)!

Our trays for the holidays! The little red gift box holds painted wooden Christmas ornaments that I attached magnets too. Nudgie can play with them on the magnet board

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Hope everyone has a great week!

6 comments:

Monica December 5, 2010 at 5:45 PM: Oh, I especially like how you involve her in cleaning up the old sensory tub items to store them. Too often I do things like that on my own because it is easier than having the boys help me. But it is a great learning experience for them, in many ways!
Gator Mommy December 5, 2010 at 6:48 PM: Love the glitter sand! I will have to look for that, thanks for the tip.
Helene December 5, 2010 at 9:08 PM: You are such a fun mom!!! My kids would have a blast at your house!
MaryAnne December 6, 2010 at 6:29 AM: Those little houses are a GREAT find!
Christianne @ Little Page Turners December 7, 2010 at 10:10 AM: We snatched up those muffin trays too! Good idea using them with a sensory tub.
Tracey M. December 12, 2010 at 6:35 PM: I love your Christmas village! The sensory tub is wonderful too. The glitter sand is a great and fun idea.