We had an exciting end of the week. On Thursday, Madison graduated from preschool! They came in and said the Pledge of Allegiance and then sang God Bless America. They also sand the Graduation Song, Hokey Pokey, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rainbow Song, Bend and Stretch, Do Your Ears Hang Low?, Teddy Bear, The Turtle Song, He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands, and It’s a Small World. Yes, they really did sing that many songs. Granted, they all didn’t start and stop at the same time, but it was the effort that counted. It was super cute.

Now, these next two pictures are from when they called her name get her diploma. Yes, they gave them diplomas!

The teachers also kept a folder of all their work, so we could see how they progressed through the school year. We also got some photos that they had taken throughout the year too. Mommy and Daddy were extremely proud of her and picked her up a couple of things:

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This is probably only exciting to me, but Madison can write her own name without me spelling it for her! Obviously, this is something they have been working on at preschool, but I had no idea she could do it. We were working on some birthday cards and I told her to write her name. Normally, I have to spell it for her and help her with the letters she can’t remember how to make. She did it all by herself! I am super proud of her!

The other kind of cool thing that she did tonight was name her rock. I know that sounds funny, but she refuses to name anything. However, she painted a rock at school today to look like a turtle. Before she went to bed she told me his name was Tommy the Turtle. She also asked to sleep with it. Madison right now is sleeping with a rock in her bed.

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I apologize that I haven’t had a chance to read the submissions yet. I am in Miami working, and I don’t have the free time I thought I would. Plus, the wifi isn’t working. That being said, here you go: The best posts of the last year –

Skeet presents Secret cove posted at skeet’s stuff.

Lori presents Blogging Tools that Build a Better Blog posted at Blogging with Cents.

Lori presents Get Paid to Blog List posted at Blogging with Cents.

Lori presents How to Raise a Reader posted at A Cowboy’s Wife.

Lori presents GOT BALLS? posted at A Cowboy’s Wife.

Lori presents Cooking Tips Passed Down posted at My Wooden Spoon.

Holly presents Give the gift of a home this holiday posted at Everything and Anything.

Holly presents ABC’s of Fine Design » Blog Archive » Furniture Friday: Resolute Desk posted at ABC’s of Fine Design.

Tina Kubala presents Bathroom Habit posted at The Creative Nerd.

Corrin presents Its a nice day for a white wedding posted at Oh, hey.

Laura presents Laura’s Couponing and Refunding Hints posted at Laura Williams Musings.

Mrs. Mecomber presents Trenton Falls Barnevewld NY posted at New York Traveler.

Mrs. Mecomber presents Smashing Job posted at New York Renovator.

Chivalrybean presents New Education Game Causes Concern posted at The Space Turtle.

Michael@TSM presents Travel Writing Contest! Win $150 Cash Prize | Traveling Stories Magazine posted at Traveling Stories Magazine.

Evelyn Hunter presents But It’s Just a Cemetery, Right? posted at Homespun Honolulu.

Lisa presents A stand Against Bullying posted at My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings.

Hope you enjoy reading!!

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Children’s programming is not what it use to be. I remember being a child and your only choice was Sesame Street. Nowadays, you have stations like Noggin and Nick Jr. who are dedicated to children’s program. My daughter does not even really like Sesame Street. Some of Madison’s favorite shows include Upside Down Show and Wonder Pets. I actually TIVO these two shows for her, so we can watch them any time we want.

The Upside Down show has Shane and David, and we get to watch their daily adventures. We have been to the art museum, the movies, and the airport among several other places with them. The part Madison loves the most about this show is the imaginary remote. She often plays with her imaginary remote even when we are not watching the show. Honestly, I find the show pretty corny, but my husband giggles right along with Madison (not sure what that says). There are several learning goals with this show:

Imaginative Play

• boosts creativity by modeling pretend play
• fosters a humorous approach to problem-solving
• models a think-outside-the-box attitude

Language and Early Literacy Skills

• introduces new vocabulary in surprising and funny ways
• reinforces phonological awareness with use of alliteration, rhyming, and other kinds of language play

Cognitive Skills

• reinforces logical thinking skills such as making predictions and noticing connections
• models using abstract thinking and imagination to find new ways of looking at a problem
• demonstrates and explores relational concepts (high/low, inside/outside, light/dark)

Social and Emotional Development

• models cooperation and negotiation
• models accommodating and supporting the needs of others

At least she is learning when she is watching this. I do have to admit that my favorite imaginary remote button has to be the Irish dancing button.

The other show she enjoys is Wonder Pets. This show is about three classroom pets named Linny (he’s the guinea pig), Ming-Ming (the duck), and Tuck (the turtle). The show is about how these three animals turn into superhereos to save other animals in trouble. This is one of my favorite shows. It is cute and even holds my attention. The learning goals that are supported by this show are:

Cognitive Skills
Language and Early Literacy

• introduces new vocabulary
• reinforces phonological awareness with its use of sung dialogue, rhythms, alliteration, and songs

Music

• exposes viewers to a wide range of musical styles and formats
• helps make connections between musical styles and world cultures

Social and Emotional Development

• promotes appreciation of and orientation towards teamwork
• models cooperation with others
• reinforces the value of listening to others’ ideas
• models an attitude of helping

There are a few other show I like too, but these are Madison two main shows that we do not miss. These shows are not too annoying, and I like that she is learning something by watching them.

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