January was a hard month for me.  Naomi wasn't sleeping, Mia was feeling very threatened by her sister, and my husband was busy with school.

 I felt like I was failing at my job.

 Almost trapped with nowhere to go. Actually, overwhelmed but mostly guilty for feeling that way.

I am so ready for Joe to be done with school.  Having an unavailable husband is hard.  

 But, the end is near.  The babysitter is booked for his graduation!

 I am so ready to be a 'normal' family again.

 I really do love staying home.  I have AMAZING friends and get to show my girls so many exciting things.

 I just had a bad month, but I'm ready for February.

 A new month, a new attitude.

 Being a mom is hard,

 but also joyful.

 It really is an honor to shape their minds,

 show them the world,

 and teach them to love.

 Thanks for reading.

 I just don't want you to think I have it all together and every day is perfect.

 Because, I don't.

 But, I do LOVE these two more than I can describe and am SO thankful to have a husband that works so hard for our family.

Even though some months are hard, I know that I am truly blessed.

This week Mia and I started, Letter of the Week!  Mia has been asking for more activities lately and craving some one on one attention.  Since she is really interested in letters and I really like planning thematic units, I thought we would both enjoy learning a new letter each week.  Since Mia is not ready to write the letters, we are just working on recognition.  My original plan was to study the letters in chronological order but have since decided to jump around to coordinate with activities that we already have planned. I've been searching the web for ideas and have gathered my favorite two year old appropriate activities.

Aa books about apples, apple pie, alligators and airplanes.  Mia's favorites were My "a" Sound Box, Snip Snap! What's That! and A Plane Goes Ka-ZOOM!  We never finished Alligator Wedding because she lost interest; it would be more appropriate for older kids.

A is for apple.

Link to apple prints printable

A is for Aquarium.

Mia's first airbrushed tattoos. 

She made her own aquarium with blue watercolors and fish stickers on the letters Aa.

Link to Aa sheet

 A is for alligator.

Link to alligator craft

A is for apple pie.

Link to recipe

 A is for apple tree.

Link to hand and fingerprint apple tree

A is for airplane

We read the airplane book and tried to make paper airplanes, but it turns out that I'm not very good at making them.  Mia lost interest while I was searching the web for instructions. Oh well!

Next week we will be working on the letter Gg...

As you know, Naomi was born with a full head of hair, and I don't think it has stopped growing since she has been born!  Here are some pictures to show you exactly how long her hair is...

First pigtails-January 23, 2013

It has been beautiful the last couple of days!  Today we were at the zoo and it was 60 degrees and sunny!!  These pictures are from the park yesterday.

Naomi's first time swinging!

Mia's first time on the "big girl's" swing!

                       

I'm sorry that I have neglected you.  We have been busy over here at the Jones house.  Good busy.  I really should be studying right now but I figured that I was overdue for a post.  Studying?  Yes, I have to take a test to get my teaching license up to date in Colorado.  A long story that I don't feel like writing. Anyway, I have to try and remember everything I learned throughout school in the subjects of math, language arts, social studies and science.  It is not going to be fun and it's really not going to be fun if Naomi has a hard time sleeping the night before.  Back to my post.

 We got some great memberships for Christmas this year.

 The Aquarium being one of them.

 Naomi loves looking at all the fish.

 And, I love having fun places to go as a family.

 We also got a membership to the Children's Museum, which is always a good time.

 Mia gets to work on her culinary skills,

find her inner cowgirl,

 and act like a two year old.

Naomi is happy that she gets to play too and doesn't have to sit in the stroller the whole time.

Mia has come to love her tie dye shirt from Grandpa

 and thinks it's hilarious to make a funny face for the camera.

 Naomi is just so stinkin cute I can't even take it.

Before nap (above) and after nap (below).

 

 Gosh, I love these two.  Especially when they play nicely together.

 Do you see the bottom teeth?!