Random-ness

Ok... so, again. Some of this pictures are old(er). But I do like to go back and share at some point. So here ya go! Let me lump them all into one post together. :P

I talk a lot about Brooke's reading. But Brenna is reading too! She is further behind than Brooke was at her age, but not b/c of her own fault. Remember her preschool teacher retired??? Yea. Kinda left her hanging. But we still go see her once a week for some private 'lessons'. Brenna LOVES going to see her and her dog. And she loves seeing Brenna. :) And Brenna is doing great working with her! She is starting to read "big words" , "trick words" and more. She is well beyond her three letter words, on to four and more. She's learned about how different letters together make different sounds (like the 'ee' in 'sleep' makes a different sound than just an 'e' by itself...that kinda stuff).

If you can't tell from the below picture, Brooke enjoys reading mysteries most. She's even started her own. :)

Mrs Happ?!?! Oh no! She's the principal!!! :O LOL

Also, we got her rating sheet back from the Solo Festival she was in a couple of weeks ago. Superior ratings across the board! On both her pieces of music. She was soooo nervous the morning of and actually froze up on one of them before we left the house. Literally could. not. play. it. But it was time to go, we went and she played them beautifully for the judge. Yay Brooke!

Now, on to Guild for her! Where she has to have SEVEN!!! pieces of music memorized (well) and play for a judge, along with ALL the scales and she has to transpose a piece of music. Solo Festival was just the warm-up! :o

Last week, Friday, was the famous Dr Seuss's birthday! Brooke's school 'celebrated' some by doing some fun activities during the day. We celebrated by having green eggs and ham for breakfast (this was one of the days Brenna was sick, so she passed on breakfast ;).....

Also, the week leading up to Dr Seuss's birthday, Brooke's teacher had pulled out Dr Seuss books at school, so Brooke did the same at home. Of course, most she reads through very quickly, but it warmed my heart to see her reading every one to her sister. :)

While the girls and dads were sick around here, I got busy crafting it up for the coming up birthdays. Every year I 'make' them the numbers (to get their picture taken with). I buy the numbers at Hobby Lobby (they are cheap cardboard...not wood), then paint them solid white. Then use wood letters, paint them (pink and purple respectively), and glue them onto the numbers. After the pictures, they stay up in their room for the remainder of the year. I wonder when they will be too old (read: too cool) for this. :/

I also try to have some cute sort of matching (but not exactly the same matching) outfits made for them to wear on their birthdays and to have pictures made in. This year instead of paying someone to do it, I did it myself. The pics are kinda hard to read (it was taken with my cell phone and the flash is awful), but it has their ages (4 and 7) and then their names under the appropriate number.

While I was in Hobby Lobby, I found this iron-on on clearance for 49 cents! So I snagged it and bought a third blank shirt to use for it (and coincidentally the shirts were 3 for __ something. I can't remember. But you had to buy 3). Kinda cute for my budding softball player (more on that later) huh? For super cheap too!