Ben's Daycare and Ehre's Preschool

They take cute pictures and post them around the classroom.
This is the cook, she makes 2 hot meals and 2 snacks for each class (9 classes) / DAY!
She is amazing!
This is Ehre's little cot, she was sleeping when I came to pick her up, she's sooo cute!
I had to sneak around to take these pics, but here is more of Ehre's room and the different activity stations located in it.
Everyone has a cubby. This is where they hold all their finished art work, coats, pillows, blankets, shoes etc... (yes that's Ehre' sleeping in the middle)
The kitchen is a favorite place for all the kids. It is from Pottery Barn, so nice but expensive!

This is the typical Ben, when I come to get him he's happily playing with all the other kids. But, as soon as he sees me he drops whatever he is playing with, starts of walking, and then running with this excited laugh and comes to give me a BIG hug. He likes to be held for at least 2 minutes before he'll let go of me! :)

Jeff and I have to trade, who picks up which kid. Ehre doesn't want to leave ever so its a negotiation session to convince her to go home. Ben on the other hand makes you feel like you were truly missed! So we trade back and forth!
Ben's Playground. (rubber padded play area)
Ehre's playground on the other side of the fence.
They decorate it very personally for the kids in each room.
Ben reading books in the reading corner.
(sorry its tipped)

The Day Care Center!
Front desk where we sign in and out each day.
Middle playground for the rainy, wet, cold days!

The wood structure is a ready hut, with lots of books.

Ben's room.
Information boards with info on food allergies etc....

The black little board is a heat sensitive board, when you put your hand on it it changes colors based on the heat intensity. Cool!

shhhh don't tell Ehre that she is in Daycare, she'll get mad! Ehre is a firm believer that she is in preschool and Ben is in Daycare!

Ehre's art projects...

.....ok there are a bunch ... honest truth: I don't keep these works of art, I take a picture and then secretly Jeff and I throw them away after she goes to bed. Then we put them on the computer where we can all look at them, and they don't take up any space. Keep in mind these are only a FEW of her projects...she comes home with 3-4 every day!

Ehre's art projects

.....ok there are a bunch ... honest truth: I don't keep these works of art, I take a picture and then secretly Jeff and I throw them away after she goes to bed. Then we put them on the computer where we can all look at them, and they don't take up any space. Keep in mind these are only a FEW of her projects...she comes home with 3-4 every day!

New post....

ok...just kidding I was going to add a few posts but then I went to get the pictures off of my jump drive and realized that I never copied the blog folder over from our home computer! Dumb me! Sorry you'll just have to wait a little bit longer to hear more about the Maas family adventures!

Love and miss you all!
Ann ( and the fam )

Banana Cream Pie

I know this post should probably go on the other website (frommyplatetoyours.blogspot.com) but I think that that site kind of died. :(

Jeff and I like this recipe, its easy and tastes good, and can be "whipped up" really fast.

2 pie crusts

2 boxes pudding 1 vanilla, 1 banana pudding

16 oz sour cream

2 cups milk

Some Banana's

Bake crust, or not if you are using Graham cracker crusts. Mix pudding, milk and sour cream till its not lumpy. Slice up your banana's and dip in lemon juice. Drain off lemon juice and then either line the crust with banana's or mix into the filling. Pour filling into the crusts, top with whip cream (optional) and set in the fridge for an hour to finish setting up. Then eat by yourself or find some friends to split the calories!

Enjoy!

Great Alphabet Printable Activities:

www.first-school.ws/theme/alphabetp1.htm

I really like this site it has some great activities, and even some online puzzles!

MY FRIEND WROTE THIS POST, BUT I LOVED IT SO MUCH THAT I ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO POST IT ON MY BLOG, BECAUSE I AGREE 100 %!

THANKS CHARLOTTE!

Here it comes! The first official political rant of 2008. There will probably be a few more before November.First off, I haven't decided who I'm voting for yet. Personally, I don't believe that either candidate was saying anything of consequence until they announced their running mates. So now that we know who they are, the discussions will get meatier and I'll be paying closer attention.Two things are getting my craw at the moment.1. All these celebrities (ahem Ben Affleck) who think that because they make a movie or sing a song that somehow makes them qualified political advisers. Really??? I'm so sick of celebrity endorsements. Kid Rock is my homeboy on this one.

He was recently quoted as saying: "I truly believe that people like myself, who are in a position of entertainers in the limelight, should keep their mouth shut on politics....because at the end of the day," he goes on to say, "I'm good at writing songs and singing. What I'm not educated in is the field of political science. And so for me to be sharing my views and influencing people of who I think they should be voting for ... I think would be very irresponsible on my part."

Are they entitled to their opinions? Yes, they are. I just find it arrogant for them to assume that because we like their movies or their albums that we will listen and follow them anywhere. I'll follow them into a movie theater or the iTunes store but unless you can prove your political chops, our trek together ends there, friend. America is smarter than this, right?

2. My Sisters of America, what is up???? I can't believe how many WOMEN I've heard slamming Sarah Palin about running for office when she has five children to care for.

WHAT????

Isn't a situation like Sarah Palin for VP the exact reason so many bras of yester-year were burned?

Seriously! I don't like digging on my fellow chicas, but give me a break. The feminist movement was about choices. She is proof that all those protests and continued stands we've made for our rights have come to fruition. What, did she pick the wrong political party for you? If that's the case, fine, own up to it. Don't disguise it as another weak argument. Sheesh.

The next woman I hear slam her for the Mommy-reason alone will be forced to hand over her feminist card, don pearls and heels and go vacuum my living room with a smile on her face thanking me the entire time for the opportunity. Geez Louise.

ALL DONE

I AM NOW ALL CAUGHT UP! ENJOY! WE MISS YOU ALL, BUT WE ARE STAYING BUSY SO THE TIME IS FLYING!

Heather

Its sooo much fun to see what ends up on your camera when you leave it in the primary room on sunday....

This is my good friend Heather, her sister is our Primary president and we love serving with her. Primary really does rock when you serve with awesome people!

Hadley Lake Bike Ride

Family Bike Ride to Hadley Lake, we've got to keep on going out and enjoying the nice weather before it gets cold!

Burn Care at home....

Laying around with my hurt arm. One Day after....
One week later...
We can make it feel better....
Look....all better!

Well its healing, and healing well, but Ben still isn't happy unless its wrapped up well. :)

Burn Care at home....

Well its healing, and healing well, but Ben still isn't happy unless its wrapped up well. :)

I made these books for the kids while they are at "Daycare/Preschool". These books are filled with pictures of all our family members and all the grandparents, as well with cards listing what we like to do with them. They turned out really cute!




So now when the kids are sad and missing mommy and daddy we are able to pull out the books, snuggle and think of everyone that loves them!

Benjamin and Nicholas

Well I got a little camera happy and wanted to take pictures of these two interacting together.... I just wasn't paying close enough attention to realize what was really going on.....

1. Ben playing with Ben

2. Ben's finger going into his mouth....

3. Oops yes he made him gag... SORRY Nicholas!

Heather

Its sooo much fun to see what ends up on your camera when you leave it in the primary room on Sunday....

This is my good friend Heather, her sister is our Primary president and we love serving with her. Primary really does rock when you serve with awesome people!

Sqweeeeeeky Shoes are sooo cool!

These shoes are from Grandma and Grandpa Maas, and by far they are Ben's favorite shoes... we only let him wear them around us, we're afraid that they may drive his day care teachers nutz!

Catching Up......

These pictures are from Jason and Marcella's trip to visit during Labor Day weekend. We had so much fun having them here and love getting together with them! When will we see them next?!

Hey buddy, don't you look nice for church!

And for some reason, this picture will only upload this way, so tilt your head and you can see Mommy and Ben ready for church.

This puzle took forever, I dropped out after and hour and then Jeff and Jason stayed up to finish it....late night!

Aren't they cute, I love it right before we go to church, every Sunday they look so nice!
Sophia is sooo pretty she really is a little "Sleeping Beauty" or "Cinderella"

Two Brothers having a great time with Nicholas!

Another ER Visit

Its been a year now, so of course we had to go in for Ben's annual ER Visit..... this one like all those in the past wasn't any fun.... go figure. (Recap: 1 week after he was born, 1 year later when we were in UT, and now another IN visit)



This morning was like all the other mornings, I get up and get ready for school, and then I am supposed to wake up the kids. Benjamin messed things up, he woke up BEFORE I was even 1/2 way ready ! So he came in and sat on the toilet while I fixed my hair. The next thing I knew, he was reaching for the brush and fell on my curling iron. I felt horrible, I rushed him downstairs yelling for Jeff to get ice, and put his arm under cold water. Benjamin was screaming, I'm sure it was hurting really bad. The burn was about 1 inch from his wrist, and a 2nd degree so we decided to have a Dr. look at it. (Ben was still screaming and holding on to the brush... like it was his safety line.) Jeff woke up Ehre and put her in the car, and just before we left I thought to put Burn Free on Ben's arm. Instantly he stoped screaming and let me put the ice on his arm, it was like a mini-miracle. (Burn Free is best when stored in the fridge, then its cold when ready to apply. http://www.burnfree.com/p_home.asp )



We drove to the ER, and the Dr had a look, its a bad burn, and will hurt allot over the next few days but should heal fine. A good dressing and some Motrin and we were sent home. I am so glad that he didn't burn his wrist, burns on the joints can cause a lot of problems. Jeff and Ehre immediately headed out to school, and I stayed home with Ben. Ben fell asleep and slept for a while giving me some homework time. Thank goodness my teachers were understanding, and sent me my new homework assignments. Jeff watched Ben this afternoon so I could attend a discussion group, and then we came back home.



I still feel bad that I had my iron where Ben could reach it, but it seems like Ben has forgiven me or forgotten, since he spent 75% of the day cuddling with me. I learned a lesson, and like usual the hard way. So, let this be a reminder to all of you, keep you irons out of "falls" way. :(



Other than that well we had a great Labor Day weekend, Jason and his family came to visit. We found a fun new place, Indiana Beach (30 minutes away) Ehre and Sofia loved it!



Thats about it...anyone else have a good weekend or an ER visit to tell about? (hopefully not an ER visit!)

Mother Theresa

I just finished a wonderful address given by Mother Theresa when she received the Nobel Peace Prize, and wanted to share some highlights...though I would strongly recommend reading the whole piece.

There were a lot of points that I agreed strongly with, an associated with the need for Visiting Teaching and sisterly love:
A Few points-
1.
She starts out with a simple story of these old people living in a VERY nice retirement home. They sit every day staring at the door, no smiles. She asked, " How is that? How is it that the people have everything here, why are they all looking towards the door, why are they not smiling? ..." The response," This is nearly every day, they are expecting, they are hoping that a son or daughter will come to visit them. They are hurt because they are forgotten, and see- this is where love comes from." That poverty comes right there in our own home, even neglect to love. Maybe in our own family we have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried, and these are difficult days for everybody. Are we there, are we there to receive them, is the mother there to receive the child?"

2. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live?

3.( We've heard this one before) You too try to bring that presence of God in your family, for the family that prays together stays together.

4. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.

5. (concerning family planing within marriage) You people who have evolved chastity you are the best people to teach us family planning. Because it is nothing more than self-control out of love for each other.......

6. ( Concerning abortion) Because if a mother can kill her own child-what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me...there is nothing between. I wish that no child will be unwanted, and also that we meet each other always with a smile, especially when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family. Smile at each other.

7. If we could only remember that God loves me, and I have an opportunity to love others as he loves me, not in big things, but in small things with great love.

Our Day

Have you wondered lately what we're up to.... I wonder the same thing.

Here is the daily run:

6 am Jeff and Ann Wake up/ Get dressed / Jeff makes breakfast and Lunches
6:15 Wake up kids/ breakfast/ Ann finishes getting ready
6:25 Ann eats breakfast with Jeff and kids get dressed
6:30 Gather everything up and get ready to go
6:40 Leave the house to catch a bus coming in 7 minutes.
7:05 A SUPER SWEET bus driver volunteered to pick us up... off rout and take us to her starting point (the daycare) Giving us 5-8 minutes to drop of the kids and catch her route heading to campus.
7:30 Jeff and Ann on campus....cracking out the books.
.
.
12-noon Jeff and I meet for Lunch
.
.
.
4:30 Jeff and I regroup and head back towards the daycare. Ehre hates leaving and Ben is more than happy to leave...so our hands are full, "dragging" Ehre out, and Ben "hugging tight", refusing to be set down. :)
5:20 we catch the bus home from school....JAMMED PACKED with students, who like us refuse to pay high gas/parking prices.
6:00 Dinner/ Play time/ Music Time
7:30 Kids bedtime
10:30 Parents go to sleep.


So that's what we do, we study, sleep, and go to class and with all the extra time we make the most with our kid time. Yeah busing takes longer, but we do it as a family making it a lot of fun...it would be better if they would allocate a few more buses for student use, since sitting with 60 students on a small buss isn't very comfortable, but hey why am I complaining, its a free ride. :)

Stop Complaining, its not going to get any better....

Ok some of you have mentioned that my blogging efforts have drastically changed.....
1. We lost our camera (but since then a camera has been donated, so we are starting to take more pictures.... that problem is solved) (Thanks again to the wonderful doners!!!)
2. Jeff and I started school this week....
3. Kids started daycare.

Unfortunately this means that Jeff and I are super busy, (I'd be happy to post my homework and you all can edit it) and the kids are busy so when we do take pictures, they stay on the camera...for a while. I'll try and keep up to my Sunday emails and hopefully load pictures at the same time, and put in a post or two. :) So please bear with us as we venture into the next year or so, we'll try our best to keep everyone posted.