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Saturday, August 29, 2009

LÜK

I have discovered something really awesome. i want to share with you guys. I doubt any of you are familiar with this but it is the LÜK system (it may also be spelled LUEK). This system is wonderful. The idea is that you a workbook filled with fun problems and using the answers tiles you child works through the problems and can check them himself at the end. It perfect for car rides or quiet time!
A few years ago we recieved this set for Desi for his 2nd birthday. My german was not very good so i had a very hard time figuring out what to do with this thing. I eventually gave up and tossed it on a self in his room thinking one day Desi might figure it out.

Well shortly after my abitur, Desi (now 4) asked me what that was and how to use it. I finally sat down figuring that if i could and abitur i could certainly figure out something ment for two year olds. I worked on it for about two hours. then i finally understood. Now our collection has grown.

We have: a coganative thinking for two year old, matching for 3-5 year olds, beginners addition and subtraction for 4-6 year olds and beginners reading for 4-6 year olds. These however belong with the baby version of the set. only up to 6 years old. These are really nice introductions for kids to learn the system and build confidence. Desi really love the Math set. The only problem for me is that it is all in German. I am trying to find a way to order some from England, but they do not like shipping outside the UK...hehe.

This is the math book. The problems at the top each have a corrosponding picture and the tile with that picture is layed over the answer. in the end the child closes the case and truns it over. on the back is a pattern that needs to match the one on the page. if it matches then then all the answers are right. if not then the child has to go back and figure out which one is wrong.


The baby (bambino) line is very new and only has a few workbooks. so we sprung for the Mini set which is the next step up and has books to help him up till the 5th grade. The books are really not very expensive 5.70Euro. it is the the case with the tiles that kills ya. Desi is really happy with his new set:


He has and ABC book, two learning to read books, and math book, and a picture story book. These are obviously a bit harder as they have more problems, but Desi jumped right into when he got home from kindergarten. I really see this as being a big help through out his school time and reccommend it to all other parents (not just to help the kids i had fun with too!)
lots of love,
amy

Imaginarium

A couple of days ago i went shopping. it was the first time in about two months that i had gone any shopping except grocery shopping. I was beyond excited. Not just about getting some new things, but about what i was going to get. I finally decided that i was going to buy Desi some new sand toys. I debated for weeks because as Desi and i are going to be in the USA for 3 months we don't need to take unneccesary things with us. I ended up deciding that as he is only 5 years old and will be alone at a beach house (school is back in and my sister or cousins don't have time to come visit) getting some cool beach toys would the best i could do.

We recently got one of these in our downtown department store:

This is actually a picture of the store in barcelona (from the internet). Ours has a cool entrance like that though. This store is awsome. they have learning based toys and really are not too expensive. My sister-in-law refuses to by any toys made of plastic or that are colorful in any way for her children (no i do not understand why either), but even she own several toys from here. I know i had to give it a try.

So i went hoping to get one of the really really awsome sand sets i saw earlier this summer, but most everything was sold out. on the bright side though what was left was marked way down.

Desi now has:

A brick making set to build a sand wall (it is a german beach thing to build a sand wall, but really really fun). I am really wondering how well this will work.

A stamper to make his bricks look pretty. (sorry about the shadows.)

And last the Acropolis. Why? well because it looks really cool! it was only one they had left, earlier this summer they had four or five different famous landmarks you make out of sand.
I had a lot of fun choosing these and i can't wait to see what desi does with them at the beach (his mouth dropped open when he saw them! hehe)
lots of love,
amy

Monday, August 24, 2009

Counting down

yes my dear friends i am counting down. I love my home, my life, my family and being able to be at the center of it and take care of it, but i am truly ready for a break. I am counting down my friends in 17 days, i will be on Amelia Island in Florida.

In 17 days...

I will see this face, a happy little boy playing in the sand and jumping in the waves:I will be able to walk down this path for less than 60 seconds and have sand between my toes and the ocean in front of me. (No sadly my family will not be there :( )


I will see a different side of my husband. I will see a man who likes to boogie bored with me and carries me when my feet don't touch the bottom and teases me because he can still touch (yes my hubby is convinced i am short, but if he carries me and cares then i will let him tease away! hehe)
I will see many oppertunities to take pictures with my new camera, a chance to put cares away and make memories with my family.
In 17 days.


lots of love,
amy

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Sick and thinking of books.

yes that is what i am. I am so very sick. i have been in bed for 2 days now. i have no idea what i have, but my energy is nil. i am even too tited to shower (i am going to though as soon as Hook is over hehe). I wanted to post some more pictures, but i can't from the laptop.

Anyway. i wanted to share an idea with you all. When i was baby my mom bought me a copy of her favorite book. she even wrote me a message in the front. The book is Little Women. Though i have never read it (i fully intend to, but it is really really long), the though behind it means the world to me. My mom instilled a love of reading in me that has lasted to this day. I love to read beyond anything else. I love all genres and lengths. I have even caved and begun reading a 400 page book in German (Die Stadt der traumenden Bücher by Walter Moers).

This act of love, coupled with the fact that my 5 year old will beg and then sit still every night as i read him a chapter of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has inspired me to do the same. I have chosen the book Peter Pan and Wendy by J. M. Barrie. I am determed to find him a beautiful copy and and instill in him the same love of reading. I chose this book because he is really into pirates and peter pan, as well as the story being one of the greatest classics ever. I just have to find a suitable copy, which i predict will take years. I really want a used copy in fairly good, but loved condition. I would kill for a first edition and am actually thinking of setting up a savings for this. I really love the idea of him having an heirloom like that...hmmm i really have to think about this...i was also wondering if any of you guys out their in bloggyland have something like this for your children? any reoccuring theme or collections you plan to pass on?

lots of love,
amy

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Beginnings

Yes it is that time of year again. The last 6 weeks seem to have just flown by. A few highlights are:

*Desi turned five!
*My brother Brian came to visit for 4 weeks.
*We spent several days in Duhnen (our summer house).
*We spent a week on a lovely island called Amrum.
*We went to Legoland in Denmark (and our license plates were stolen).
*We went to Heidepark.

Even with all that exciting fun summer has come to an end. At least for now hehe we are leaving for Florida on september 10. :)

Kindergarten has now started. German kindergarten that is. It is more like preschool in the US. Desi is now in his last year! He is Pate this year which means a younger child who is new this year is paired up with an older child and the older child shows them around and introduces them to other older kids. Desi is so excited to be helping out a younger child.

Desi on his first day:

Also i wanted to insert a little update on our language issues. I mentioned a while back (May i think it was) that all the 4 and 1/2 year olds were tested (on computers) to asses there language abilities. The results were not available to parents. A letter would only be sent if the child needed special classes. Everyone was sure Desi would recive a letter. So we spent the summer (in the back of our minds) waiting for this letter. Well i am proud and pleased to say that Desi did not recive a letter. A sign was posted in the Kindergarten saying the money for the classes was due. I think can safely say that our little bilingual boy is progressing just as well as his monolingual peers!

lots of love,
amy