Crisp air and long shadows – September and October are among our favorite months.

Hello, Soccer Season

This year our boy is playing soccer while we coach the group (six children plus a tag along: little sis got a pair of shin guards and a set of hot pink cleats, courtesy Gramma).

Last year, Momma B coached for the local YMCA team (co-ed, ages 3-4) and this year I recruited Momma A. To be honest, I practically begged for help after the first practice; she obliged by registering and completing the safety and coach training and officially getting a welcome letter from the registrar.

Thank you for coming on board, Coach A!

Our first game will be mid September, against the Sharks. Admittedly, our kids vied for a different name, but our local mechanic’s shop is generous for sponsoring us and we are grateful to be Team Collision.

I can appreciate that it takes everything in Coach A’s power to not get too jazzed up about winning and crushing the competition (she’s a huge sports enthusiast and college all star athlete, so the concept of playing for fun is…there, somewhere).

For now, we are dialing down on the two main rules of soccer for tots, which include: HAVE FUN and HAVE FUN. Simple drills can cause tears in an over-tired or uncertain child, and we are working with kids in a time of post-COVID lockdowns, which means some of these youngsters haven’t had much opportunity to socialize as perhaps they would have in years past.

For now, we are able to play un-masked; all practices and gatherings are outdoors in open air, with proper social distancing measures. Coaches must wear masks during huddles or during times of close proximity, but otherwise our team has shown up ready to play – and eager to run. It’s awesome to see how proud they get, and how ready they are for dinner when practice is done.

We’ve had easier meal times lately – it appears the potty training days are behind us, too.

Will I jinx myself if I go through with publishing this post? Wish me luck!

Construction Updates:

We’ve been sitting on lumber prices and land for the better part of a year – now things are finally moving, and we’re picking up steam!

Property has been graded, septic set, concrete poured, walls framed – they were even up there on a Saturday preparing for the week ahead; we should see the main trusses for the upstairs go up, next. Then we’ll really have something to look at and share with you besides a hole in the ground and a one dimensional blueprint.

Pinterest board, commence!

I will be documenting our construction highlights on our Hightower Digital Media Pinterest account.

This way, we are more effectively able to get some business for our local friends here in the Wenatchee Valley and surrounding areas. We have worked with some amazingly talented designers that we’d like to recommend. If you’re in the area, or you just like modern house construction updates, give us a follow.

If you’d like to follow us there, that will be where we post construction-related idea pins (those engaging clips on Pinterest that are similar to Instagram reels or YouTube shorts).

Until next time – stay positive and good things will come.

B

Game changer: Boom cards for digital classrooms!

Making my first set was pretty straightforward. I recommend this for anyone wanting to create custom games for their students. Great for Zoom learning and interactive tablets.

Here’s a 14 day link to try out my latest game!

Here’s a free 14 day pass to try it out:

https://wow.boomlearning.com/fastplay/sijj

Set includes:

Color-By-Number: Pizza Slice 

Use with markers or crayons in the following colors: green, black, red, blue, yellow, brown.

Color recognition, matching, fine motor, art

Pumpkin Playdough Cards: square, circle, oval, rectangle

Can your student roll out orange playdough to create shapes like on the 4 cards? Laminate for use over and over!

Shapes recognition and fine motor

Pumpkin Patch Alphabet Match

Color cut and paste the lowercase letters to match uppercase letters Aa-Ll 

Letter recognition, fine motor, art 

Shape Pizza 

Two ways: create a recipe and trade cards -or- create your masterpiece first and then count the ‘ingredients’ used. Use precut shapes from construction paper or draw and color a variety of: square, circle, triangle, rectangle, oval.

Shape recognition, counting, fine motor

Pepperoni Counting Wheel

Color cut and paste your pizza slices together, matching the pepperonis shown on each number card.

Counting 1-6, number recognition, fine motor, art

Pumpkin Pushing – Gross Motor Activity / Brainbreak

Pre-cut the anatomy cards OR number them 1-6 and roll dice for added fun! 

Child draws a card from the stack or rolls die, and moves a mini or foam pumpkin across the floor using *only* the body part shown on card.

(Black-and-white copy & color copy included)

Gross motor, counting, coloring, brainbreak 

Pumpkin Maze

Simple maze in a pumpkin shape. 

Early finishers: Color the moon and bat.

Pincer Grip Opportunity! Try using a new writing instrument, like a pencil.

Which is Big?

Find and circle which is larger between each pair of hand-drawn Fall-themed images

Early finishers: Color the page.

Reasoning/Logic, Pre-Math skills 

Suggested supplies:

Orange playdough or moldable clay

Crayons, markers, pencils

Glue stick 

Miniature or foam pumpkin(s)

Optional:

Scissors

Dice

Painters tape to mark Pumpkin Pushing start/finish lines.

Pre-cut construction shapes or other flat foam shapes, any colors, few of each: Circle, square, rectangle, oval, triangle

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