Goodbye November!~

It has been quite awhile since I have been able to sit down and work on the blog. I am hoping that things will get back on track for December.

As many of you know this has been a very emotionally challenging month for me.  It began with the decision to become a solo teacher again, which was not an easy one.

I was able to speak to many of you two weeks ago when my family was devastated by the loss of my eighteen year old cousin to suicide. Your support and flexibility were appreciated greatly. We were able to get through the grief long enough to spend Thanksgiving as a family together. We had an amazing day filled with laughter, smiles and family.  The day after Thanksgiving my cousin was laid to rest at his burial in the morning.  That evening my grandmother passed away suddenly from heart issues.  We are grateful that we had the one last day to enjoy with her and she was so happy.  I was surprised at my strength today, being back to preschool after such a roller coaster of a weekend. I was so thankful to just be back into a routine and here with the kids.

This week is a busy one. I will be out on Wednesday for my Nana's burial. Dana and "Aunt Steph" (my sister in law) will be here with the kids.  Thursday and Friday we will be saying farewell to Ethan and Kendall, who are both expecting siblings soon!

As soon as things get settled I will begin the next round of the snack rotations, as many of you have been asking.

Thanks again for all your support and understanding as I pick myself up by my bootstraps and keep marching.  Your children are lights in my life and I find comfort just being here with them!

Jessica

Pumpkin Soup

Yum mmmm.

An Apple a Day

Here are pictures of some of the activities we did this week. We also read a lot of apple books and sang some apple songs. We read a book today about Johnny Appleseed and how he planted beautiful apple trees all across the land!  Our favorite apple songs was:

Who ate the apple from the apple tree?

____________ at the apple from the apple tree.
Who me?
Yes You?
Couldn't Be.
Then Who?
(new kid)
Did that sound familiar? :) Lots of songs at preschool are just new versions of other songs.

The pictures are in a very random order and on Friday night I lack the attention span to fix them. Here they are!

Adding oats to the apple crisp

You know apples are ripe when you can cut them with a plastic knife

Mixing (don't worry we washed our hands before)

Stamping on Apple Trees

Every tree is a little different. 

Decorating Apples

All sorts of apples (and pears)

The serious business of baking

Its impossible to take a picture around here without someone wanting to smile for the camera!

Our October pattern is Apple Apple Pear, Apple Apple Pear

Have a great weekend. 

Using our OWN imaginations!

After a lot of debate and teacher discussion we have decided to create a new rule at Inch By Inch. We are now encouraging the children to use their own imaginations to come up with their own characters and play scenarios, instead of reinacting those that they have seen on television, movies or video games. This means no more of the recently popular Super Mario and Power Rangers, but also eliminates Care Bears and any other movie or show.  There has been a lot of play going on that involves weapons, hurting, but mostly leaving kids out (because they are bad guys).

We have explained to the children that these are somebody elses ideas and stories and they should create their own characters and stories.  I was a little nervous how they would react to this new rule.  Would they not know what to do with themselves? Would they get sneaky and only play these games when they thought we were not looking? 

I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  Suddenly the "bad guys" were all gone  from the playground. It was like someone zapped them away with super powers! The kids were all playing together, being friendly, using their imaginations. I had my preschoolers back! 

Stay tuned for next months superhero theme! They are very into superheroes right now!

Leaf Peeping

Last week we spent lots of time collecting and looking at leaves.  Also, singing and reading about them.  We also learned about Evergreens, which don't lose their leaves, because they stay "green for ever."

Our favorite Leaf Song:

(tune of wheels on the bus)

The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown, orange and brown, orange and brown
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown
All around the town.

The leaves on the trees come tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
The leaves on the trees come tumbling down all around the town!

More verses
The leaves on ground go swish swish swish

Helping Dana

Looks at this one

Red

Sorting and Classifying

Memory Match