Category: Topher

Literacy.

Post author By Emily
Post date April 9, 2008
2 Comments on Literacy.

So lately I have been thinking a lot about literacy–how blessed I am to know how to read. How reading has changed my life, and opened so many avenues, allowed me to experience and learn in ways that I never new possible. I think this has been a life long love, it never came easy to me, but still as a child I loved the TV Show Reading Rainbow, in college I began my children’s book collection, and now? Well take a look at pieces of my life…

One place I love and feel so grateful for is our Local Library. We are there twice a week right now—once a week for music and movement, and once for wee read. We are blessed as a society to have a place where we can grow, and our library provides our children with free/low cost amazing classes like Tucker’s Music and Movement Class. Recently the Deseret News did an article and slideshow about it, they came to the class right before Tuckers, so he is not in any of the pictures, but you can get a taste of what they offer–The teachers are truely amazing!!!

This week was Tuckers last class and I took a few videos of him at class…I love to watch my children learn
(disclaimer: Like I said, I love watching my children learn, this may be boring to you, but it is fascinating to me! 🙂 ).
The song they sing at the beginning–Come on Everyone
comeoneveryone1.mov
Using Hand Motions to discover Rhythm–
words-adn-hands2.mov
Using the Sticks–Hickory Dickory Dock
hickorydickorydock3.mov
Using the Xylophone (Or Gloskenspiel as his teacher calls it)– to play the popcorn song
popcorn4.mov
Again with the Xylophone– to do the Zoom song
zoom5.mov
A few minutes later, back at the table, coloring to music
crayons6.mov
Using the bells to do Tuckers all time favorite right now–Banana Phones (taken with the digital camera, lower quality)
bananaphone.mov

Wee Read is another class, where children ages 18 months to 3 years old get to come and listen to Librarians read books, as well as do finger plays, and rhymes. Truman is currently enrolled, and loves his teachers, Mrs. Cindy and Mrs. D.W.
(of which I can’t find there picture for the life of me!! WHen I do, I will post it…)

Also, because of our overflowing small kids bookshelf, it was time to purchase another one. Previously the books were so crammed on our small shelf, that the kids could not even get them off by themselves–therefore they were not able to read them. In purchasing this new bookshelf and organizing the books I tried to make the books more accessible for my boys. Placing similar books in baskets, therefore encouraging independence for my boys…

How did we ever attempt at fitting these all on the small ones? And in case you were wondering, the big bookshelf is in the guest room closet. The boys love their new ‘reading cave’, and have spent more time in there with the doors closed ‘reading’ books, than in any other room lately. (Sometime this summer, I hope to sew a stuffed beanbag type thing for in there, but not until things slow down a little 🙂 )
But For now, I hope they continue to love reading, and therefore have the world opened up to them.
It’s a good day, how could I not be happy to have healthy active boys, who too share the love of reading!!!

Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

April Fools-ies

So, I am not a big fan of April Fools, but the boys and I decided it would be fun to ‘surprise’ dad with fun April Fools dinner that we saw in the Family Fun Magazine (I got a subscription for an awesome Christmas present from my awesome brother-in-law, Thanks Again, Brian!)…
So we told Toph we were having strawberry pie for dinner, which is partly true–we were having pie…

Shepherds Pie.
The boys enjoyed playing a trick on Toph, and Truman even got a little tricked himself–Even though he helped me and Tuck make it, he was a little sad when he realized we weren’t having pie. I guess it’s hard to understand everything when you’re three years old. 🙂

Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Look at those Mad Sk-zils…

Post author By Emily
Post date March 31, 2008
3 Comments on Look at those Mad Sk-zils…

Truman got a new swing for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa Phillips, and Truman wanted it up….after a trip to the hardware store, Toph was ready to hang it, little did I know how he was going to do that….Look at this:

And done…

Yeah, I am the luckiest woman alive….now I know where my children get there ‘part monkey’ genetics from….
Once it was hung, we had to try it out…
Truman of course was first, it was his birthday present after all…

Tucker couldn’t wait to get on it, but soon was swinging so high, and off he went,

Then Truman jumped on again….

To help with the learning process with the swing, it is like 2 inches from the ground, perfect for the little legs to get on, and closer to the ground when they fall! Can you tell by the huge smiles on their faces that they love it? Thanks again Grandma and Grandpa Phillips, Truman and Tucker will have HOURS of fun on the swing!

Topher Tucker

Art Work

Post author By Emily
Post date March 28, 2008
3 Comments on Art Work

Lately Tucker has been really into art again. He has his spurts where he enjoys doing different creative things, right now he is into drawing, and I LOVE these pictures from his notebooks…

(I love the little ‘robot tv’s’ that he draws in this one…and just the crazy world they live in, swooping lines, and happy thoughts)

(This is the first time I have seen him draw a volcano, and he drew a top secret door, which leads to a top secret lab in that one…creative little mind at work)

(I love the rocket with the robot snapping at the top of that one and all of the crazy stairs! Do you see that rainbow thing in the middle? That is actually a cave, with another top secret door…)
Funny thing is, Toph always talks about his notebooks, he used to love to do the same thing when he was younger. Genetics are a strong thing!

Topher Truman Tucker

Another First of the Season…

Post author By Emily
Post date March 28, 2008
3 Comments on Another First of the Season…

Warm enough to get a good tree climbing session in.

Toph was cleaning our car, it needed a good cleaning, I was inside still being sick. While Toph was working hard, the boys, and neighbor, Austin, climbed, and climbed and climbed.

I love this picture, even while he is climbing in trees his pants won’t stay on!

Cute head…

I think these boys might be part monkey…

Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Easter Traditions,

Toph took the boys to the Phillips Last weekend to participate in the Phillips Family Easter Celebrations, here are some of the wonderful pics he and my sis-in-law Em took.
Hanging out with the cousins

Dying the Easter Eggs
Trubee

Tuck Man

Everyone

Cutie Madalyn

Riding in the car up to throw the eggs down the hill

Have you seen a bigger smile?

Throwing the Eggs down the hill
(please note, I STILL don’t understand this tradition of throwing eggs, but the boys love it! )

Walking down the Hill

Easter Egg Hunt
Waiting to begin

Team Work

Truman

Tuck

Silly Tuck by his tree

The spoils

Grandma

Grandpa

Uncle Patrick and Paul

Madalyn–look at that sweet face…

Patrick

Trumans Last Birthday Party
Opening Presents

He got a new orange ball!

A new lightening shirt (that he wants to wear all the time! Ka-Chow!!)

Ava sleeping….

Bubbles

And another tradition…the hot dog roast…

And what is a holiday without traditions? Now this years traditions have been recorded.

Emily Topher Tucker

Back on my Feet…

Post author By Emily
Post date March 28, 2008

I still have not been feeling quite up to par, this was a bad cold for me, and today, I feel like I am finally getting my feet back under me.
It has been over a week now, and Tucker did something that made me laugh. A few days ago, He posted this sign next to our front door….

He used a couple of colors, although the pencil is hard to see, he has written the word ‘Mom’ on the bottom. I am not entirely sure the other letters are, but he told me it was to let everyone know I was sick.
Apparently he was marking our house as contaminated, which I don’t blame him, I haven’t gone out but twice since I’ve been sick, and the only reason I am in somewhat good shape today is because of my hubba (who took a day off of work) and my mom…

…And how is it that Moms know just what to do to make you feel better?
My mom arrived for three days this week, cleaned my house, made me chicken noodle, split pea soup, and ham and potato casserole. She brought me water while I lay in bed, made sure I took my medicine, let me nap, and watched my children, so I could do so!
There is great comfort in mothers. I am blessed to have one who cares so much about me and my family.
Thanks to her and my hubba

who ‘held the fort down’ which is no easy task with my two crazy boys, trust me, I know…I am one lucky woman.

Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Dinosaur Museum…

Last week we had another adventure, (and of course a wonderful time) at the Thanksgiving Pointe Dinosaur Museum.

Unfortunately, our camera battery died, 🙁
Fortunately we accidentally started at the end of the museum, where there were more hands on exhibits were, and therefore more fun pictures….
Excavating some Dino Bones

Building a Dinosaur Habitat

Do you think these boys are brothers?

I had to post these pictures, because they make me laugh. I was trying to get the boys to look at me and the camera… First they look one way, and then the other, oh well!

The Dinosaur we Built–After I took this picture, I saw the big sign, “PARENTS DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN CLIMB ON THE DINOSAUR”. oops.

After the battery died, Toph came and we went to the 3-D Dinosaur Movie, and I *wish* I would have had my camera, so I could have taken video of Truman grabbing at the 3D Images that stuck out. He really thought that he should be able to get them, and continued time after time to keep grabbing them!

I love going to museums, and this was no exception. But one of the most awe inspiring things for me was standing underneath the brontosaurus bones, and looking up, at how huge and tall it was. Toph said it perfectly when he stated, “It gives me a new appreciation for our Creator, and the majesty of his creations.” True, true…

Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Celebrate Good Times,

and that we did!
We celebrated Trumans birthday in so many ways, and so many times, you only turn three once right?
The night before our family party and tradition. Doughnuts. We went to the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Factory (again 🙂 ) and Truman couldn’t have been happier.

They could spend hours watching the doughnuts being made…

Look at the smile on his face…

And this funny movie of him trying to figure out how old he is…
3-years-old.mov–Funny Boy
The next morning, Cat, Becca and Mom were here and we had a fun time opening presents, and having oatmeal (I had used all the eggs on the cake, so we didn’t have too many options!)
Opening his soccer net–

Tune–

Tune playing soccer–

That afternoon we celebrated with the Greene Family and Great grandparents for Lasagna and Cake and Ice-Cream. What fun.
Great Grandpa and Grandma Hunsaker made the trek from the cabin-

Waiting for the food to cook–

Here is the cake, as per Trumans request…Hercules–

Blowing out the candles

Dishing the cake and icecream–

Eating the good stuff–

Amy and Tru

The one thing that is great about having cousins, is how they all crowd when present time comes!

The planet heroes rocket he has been talking about since before Christmas, he was thrilled–

The boys and their ‘puters. They were all playing against each other some car game, I don’t know…

The next day (St. Patricks Day) , at playgroup (Friends from his nursery class), we had a little party, we had an easter egg hunt, decorated cupcakes, baloon soccer, and presents. The kids had a good time.
The guests in attendance were Asher in his St. Pattys day Garb, (and his sister Isabel, who I didn’t get a pic of)

Cameron

Ryan and Braxton

Now, we are looking forward to the party with the Phillips this weekend! Still celebrating, I’m almost all partied out, good thing he isn’t!

Emily Topher Truman Uncategorized

Truman is 3?!?!?

How time flies, and too quickly does it fly. My little boy, Truman, is one year older. I swear he was just born, but that can’t be, because babies don’t constantly request things by saying, “Mom, put me down, I want to walk, I’m not a baby!” or “I’m a big boy mom, I’m like a big brother, I’m not a baby.”

Things I love about Truman:
–Right now, he loves the story of Sampson and Delilah. He asks me to tell him about it often, especially when his hair is cut.
–At night time after I put him to bed, he will swing his feet off his bed, and read books sitting up, using the nightstand as a table.
–Truman has such a caring heart, is full of compassionate.
–He is constantly looking to his best friend and big brother Tucker.
–Truman is happy to be one year older, because that means he’s almost as old as Tucker.
–Loves his classes, which constist of a nursery, weekly playgroup, and library reading time.
–He loves Baby Einstein Movies, and at our weekly library reading time, always chooses one to check out to take home…
–For some reason, Truman thinks that he learns everything in nursery, and is always saying things like “I learned that at nursery class, or I sing that song at nursery class” Most of the time, it is things that he probably shouldn’t be learning or singing in nursery class! Silly Boy.
Happy Birthday Big Boy! We love you!