Outside the box

Very cool kid's site

Building

Eamon enjoys constructing and deconstructing things. He likes to grab his tools and head out to the backyard for some creating. He thought about being Bob the Builder for Halloween, but changed his mind to something more spooky.

Sitting Tall

Benton can now sit without assistance. He can not only sit unassisted, but he can get into a seated position by himself. When laid on the ground, he quickly maneuvers himself to sit. Amazing!

Children

As an American educator, I cannot help but be struck by certain paradoxes. In America we pride ourselves on being focused on children, and yet we do not pay sufficient attention to what they are actually expressing. We call for cooperative learning among children, and yet we rarely have sustained cooperation at the level of teacher and administrator. We call for artistic works, but we rarely fashion environments that can truly support and inspire them. We call for parental involvement, but are loathe to share ownership, responsibility, and credit with parents. We recognize the need for community, but we so often crystallize immediately into interest groups. We hail the discovery method, but we do not have the confidence to allow children to follow their own noses and hunches. We call for debate, but often spurn it; we call for listening, but we prefer to talk; we are affluent, but we do not safeguard those resources that can allow us to remain so and to foster the affluence of others. — Howard Gardner

Higher Education here they come

I finally made the plunge and started 529 plans for the kiddos. It has taken me 5.5 years! It seemed like such a daunting task. There are so many plans to consider. Luckily my state provides tax considerations regardless of the plan you choose. I decided after reading a few finance blogs and perusing Bankrate on the Ohio CollegeAdvantage plan. The biggest draw aside from low fees and solid investments was the fact that they are currently offering a $25 referral and sign-up bonus. The initial investment needed is only $25. E already has $75 from the start-up money and a referral from his sister. The same will be for A. B will have $50 just from the sign-up bonus. It seemed like an easy way to begin.

How to Earn Your Referral Bonus

1. Open a new 529 account with $25.
2. Enter the following referral code: 2429910.
3. You will receive a $25 credit to your account within 7-10 business days after your account is established. (And E will get $25 for referring you.)
4. You must establish an account on or before December 15, 2008 in order to be eligible to receive the referral bonus.
5. Let me know if you decide on this plan.

So now for holidays, birthdays or any special occasion, you can always just add money to their 529 plans.

Birding

We spent the morning birding with the Desert Rivers Audubon Society. They were leading groups at the Chandler Environmental Education Center. We borrowed binoculars and found 12 different bird species with the help of our guide - Turkey Vultures, Kildeer, Black-necked Stilts, Double Crested Cormorants, Say's Phoebe and many more . Eamon and Aine really enjoyed finding the birds and trying to focus on them with the binoculars. Benton hung out on mama's back and enjoyed the fresh air. The temperature was mild and our day was beautiful. We plan on going again next month as they lead the birding tours on the first Saturday of the month until April.

Dancing

Aine has begun a new session of Irish Dance. She is not joined by her brother, but that does not slow her down. She really enjoys the dancing and is happy to resume her class.

Loving Them

I finally got rid of my stinky Born Mary Jane shoes. They were so stinky I could smell them at my height of 5'10" while wearing them. I found a pair of Dansko Mary Janes online that are fantastic replacements. Don't you agree?