Last October 17 our DD1's school had a field trip at a pumpkin patch. It was a nice day although chilly but sunny. Since she is in a morning class, we also have to go to the farm at that early. Most of the people at the patch were from her school. They surely had a great time and our DD2 enjoyed it as well, especially when we started checking out the animals. She loves touching animals and every time she touch one she will give out a hearty laugh that is very contagious.
Daddy was not with us this time because he is in training. Last year we went to the same farm and our DD2 was still tiny one at that time. Now she can already enjoy the farm and also went along with older kids playing around. I just wish though that husband was with us so we experience it with the whole family.
2011 Pumpkin Patch
DD1's First Day at Pre-K
Our DD1 started to go back to school on September 7. She was very excited to see some of her preschool classmates as well as meeting new friends. She goes to a morning class. We are training her for Kindergarten that is why we put her in am class. She need to learn to wake up early and be in the groove early to go to school. So far she is doing well and still as enthusiastic as when the school started.
I too is adjusting to the new schedule. I am bringing her to school and back so I need to make sure everything is ready early in the morning to avoid the rush. I hope come winter time it will just be alright. I know it will be very cold and possible snowing but we don't live far from her school so it is not a long drive.
I can't just imagine how time flies so fast. Next year she will be going to school 5 times a day and it will be a different story. Kindergarten here is half-day every day. I am hoping that she will be used to waking up early by then and already know how to read. It is my goal to teach her to read while in Pre-K. I pray and hope we can reach that goal.
Writing 101
Our DD1 will start Pre-K next week. This will be her second year in school. Last year we enrolled her for a 2-day a week class and she loved it. Now that she is in Pre-K their class will be 3-day a week and she will go for the 9-11:30am class. I chose the morning session because I want her to be ready once she go to Kindergarten.
To prepare her for Pre-K I already start teaching her how to write. She can really write her name although it is not straight yet. She still need more practice. I am also teaching her how to read. She can very well recite her ABCs and she can even say the phonetics sound of it. I just wish that before she goes to Kindergarten she can already read simple words.
I am not pushing her too hard on the reading side. I don't want her to have any remorse on reading and studying. I am excited for her going back to school. She told me she is excited too and she can't wait to see her other classmates again.
School Update
Glad to have two weeks of school break. This means I will be relaxed every Tuesday and Thursday from dropping and picking up our preschooler. Hubby also is done with his fall quarter and thank God he passed all his classes. He got his grades early this morning. He was so excited he woke me up from my deep slumber. I am happy for him too because he work hard for it amidst his hectic schedule and watching our kiddos when I go to work. He is now going to take three classes for the winter quarter and God-willing, when everything work out good, he will be looking at graduating in fall next year.
As to my classes, I don't get a break. I have a continuous classes for a year that started in September. So I have until September to finish this certificate program. Right now I am kind of behind with my schedule. I need to double time and work hard in order for me to catch up and finish on time. Although online classes has it's own pace but if you are not aware of your time then you will be caught up. I have a hard time juggling with my lessons and kids when I'm at home. The little one is very demanding as of this time. She is so attached to me that when I am at home she won't leave my side. But I am very positive that I will be able to get through this program.
DD1's Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
Today was a fun day for our preschooler. Their school had their first field trip for the school year. They went to the pumpkin patch near our area. It was her first time and she was very excited even before this day arrived. It got me excited too since I haven't been to a patch before. There is one down the road from us but we only pass by it for two years.
The trip was around 1pm this afternoon. We met the rest of her class at the farm. We rode a tractor going to the actual patch and the kids had a blast pointing just any where. It was a good thing there were not much people that their class was the only people at the patch with few others on different patches.
The above picture was our DD1 picking up her pumpkin. She can't decide what she'll get since there's a lot to choose from. It was fun looking at the little kids holding hands picking up pumpkins enjoying the experience.
Sitting on a big pumpkinDD1 is Back to School
I am very glad that our DD1 is already well. She's back in school this afternoon and I can tell she was very excited. I told her early in the morning she'll go back to school and she can't wait. I really don't want her to be absent but we don't want her classmates to get cough and colds from her.
As we arrived at her school she immediately hung her backpack and jacket then she went inside her classroom after kissing me goodbye. She never cried at all. I think she already outgrown that separation anxiety. I hope it will not change.
When I picked her up they were ath their school playground. She did good with the swing and not as scared of it as before. She also became confident in climbing up at the wall. While inside the playground, I saw her picked wild flowers near the fence. When her teacher called her to go home she ran to me and handed me two small yellow flower. She said it's for me and her daddy. She is very sweet and thoughtful. I wish and pray she'll stay the same for always.
Excited for our Preschooler
I am one excited Mom because our dear toddler is going to school starting this September. I've been searching for preschool since last year and the one we decided to enroll our DD1 is a preschool run by the Methodist church not far from where we live.
Last week, the day after hubby came home, I told him we have to visit the preschool. We arrived there around afternoon time and by the looks of it hubby kind of not liking it. I told him it's okay we'll just check another school if you don't like it. So we turned around and was about to go back home. When we were at the corner hubby said let's check anyway coz we're already here. And so we go back and parked again.
There's only the preschool director inside. We inquired about their school and then she showed us around. Still hubby was not decided. Yesterday we attended the school open house/orientation. It was a fun one hour. Our DD1 enjoyed her soon to be classroom and got to meet her future classmates as well. This morning hubby went back to the school and registered our DD1. There will be ten preschoolers in their class and two teachers. The ratio is 1:5 and that is good balance.
Hubby told me earlier that he bet I will cry once I left DD1 in her school. I think so I will. Even now I still can't imagine she will be away from me for 2 hours and 30 minutes two days a week. And how time flies, I now have a student. I told hubby if only I can stay in their school the whole time I really will.
Online Tutoring
There will be three students in our house this coming September. My husband already enrolled two courses for the fall quarter. I myself will still have to register, hopefully tomorrow for an online classes on different program. Then our preschooler will start also in September. Last quarter hubby took Math and he made use of an online tutoring services for his Math Questions.
Having an online tutoring services can greatly help in any math problems. Like for example the tutornext.com, they help in a lot of Mathematical matters from K-12 and even college students. In my evaluation at a community college here, I was told I should provide my college Math syllabus in order for them to determine if I need to take Algebra without taking Pre-Algebra. I know I can count on online tutoring but I don't want to take and deal with Prime Numbers, Linear Equations or Algebra Equations again. It's just too much for me.
But for those who are taking this classes, check out Online Tutoring; for yourself or for your kids. They teach everything from how to divide, standard form and any college Math courses. It will be very helpful and you will experience the high quality tutoring. Hubby have another Math course this quarter and I know he will use online tutoring again.
Looking for Preschool
Our three year old is now ready for preschool. I have been looking for schools near our area even before I gave birth. I also went to some for open houses but until now we haven't decided which school we are going to enroll DD1.
My first choice before was the Catholic school not far from where we live but they easily get full. We're on waiting list on there though. Then there is one mini-skool so near our apartment complex but it is very expensive. Good thing with them though is we can also register our DD2 for day care. It will be very convenient for dropping and picking up the kids.
There is one school that a friend recommended but its far from where we live. This morning I called another preschool that my friends also referred. I inquired about their services and they are still enrolling. Their rate is by far the most inexpensive among the schools I inquired. My friends also told me that they have good programs and nice teachers. So when hubby gets here it will be one of our priorities, visiting the schools for classes is soon to start.
Textbooks Buy Back
Since I started going back to school here in the US, I accumulated a lot of textbooks already. For my science classes, such as Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Medical Laws, Ethics and Bioethics, and others, it comes with handbook aside from the textbook. I was thinking of selling it back since the school bookstore will buy back books. The only thing that I am concerned of is if I need it for future reference then I have to go to a library to research. Hubby did it before and he got a good amount when her textbooks were bought back by the school bookstore. For now I have all my textbooks pack in a big box. I may not sell it anymore and maybe I can send it to the Philippines and donate to school libraries for reference. It is all in good condition. Some are hardbound and some are soft bound but its CD is still available.
Fun and Educational Site
I am very excited because I was able to get an opportunity to enhance my writing skills through a very fun, interactive educational site, Brightstorm. As you all know that I am back in school right now trying to pursue another medical course. Along the way, I have subjects and courses that I find difficulty in, like writing and math. By joining with Brightstorm I will be able to select courses that will help me in my quest for education.
At first I thought this educational site is just the same with other sites I bumped into here in the net. But I am telling you, it is not. If you have kids in school, a college student, teacher by profession, and ordinary adult that is thirsty for learning, this is the best place to go to quench that thirst. They give true value of education by offering an extensive explanation of various courses different from classroom setting. Sign up for a free brightstorm acocunt and you will know what I am talking about here. The interactive format wherein great teachers are explaining each topic is fun and will give you different perspective about the subject matter.
As I have said I already signed up for an account and bought a course in Writing with Katie Aquino as my teacher. She is very fun and from the looks of it, I will have fun learning and honing my writing skills. I confess I am writing just about any topics every day through blogging, but honestly I am not confident about my writing format. Now that I have help through Brightstorm, I am confident that I will get to improve and do good in my class. Sign up for a free account now and experience a whole new world of fun and learning.
Beauty School
One of the many vocational skills that will earn you big money is to become a beauty expert or beauty consultant. I started learning cosmetology back in the Philippines even if I was already working. When I got here it is one of the options that I wanted to be trained on but flew out of the window when I started working.
A friend of mine back in Columbus, GA started her training but they also moved to Minnesota. She told me she will continue and is looking for a school that offers cosmetology education. I have read a web release about beauty schools in Minnesota, specifically the Regency Beauty Institute which is now expanding. If it is expanding this means it is a good school and produce competitive graduates. I also learned that they have a great placement result of graduates. I will let my friend know about this school and hopefully she can finish and have her own salon business one day.
Starfall.com
Raquel introduced to me starfall.com to teach our daughter to read. She is using it to her daughter to practice read and it is very effective. So I used it every night for our DD. Before she go to sleep. I am still introducing to her letters by letters. I am starting to let her familiarize from A-E first. It is very interactive. It is more phonics, i.e. giving the sound of the word and how it will be pronounced. She can already say 'ah' for Aa; 'ba' for Bb; 'ka' for Cc; and 'da' for Dd. When the picture of the bear, duck, dinosaur appears she can say it's sound. I know little by little she will be familiarized with it. As long as she is interested to learn I will be the happiest Mom. If you have a baby you can try starfall.com too. I am sure your baby or kids will love it.
Pre-School Benefits
I was listening to the news and accordingly research shows that kids who went to pre-school has the possibility of having to succeed in his/her education later in life than those who did not. It is one of many parents dilemma if they have to let their kids go to school that early. The fear is that they may be subject to the stress of being a student too early and when they reach grade school or high school they may not like school anymore. This is contradictory to the research. For us we are planning to enroll our DD in pre-school and we are hoping and praying that she will like school until she finishes college and have a degree. It is the only thing that we can give to her for her future. It may be a long way to go but preparing for her future cannot be too early.
About Islam
I am not new if you talk about Islam and our brothers and sisters Muslims because four years of my college life was spent in a university in a Muslim community. Before we graduate we have a class in History taking up about Islam. I learned a lot from that class and it really opened up my mind about the Muslim culture. We all know that talking about this subject is not really acceptable to some but I believe it is time that we all unite and take cognizance of the existence of our Muslim brothers and sisters and their great role in completing shaping the face of the earth. These roles include all aspects in human existence, history, economic, political, and religious and others. There is one website that talks about Kenya Islam and discussed about Islam as a whole. This website really gives comprehensive information about Islam and also gives its facts. If you are interested to learn and know more about Islam and Muslim culture you can check out unworthymuslim.com. At first I was intrigued by its name site. They have explanation about the site's name though. I know there are things that we need to understand to avoid conflict and their aim is to present the different facts in order to heal and bridge the gap between Muslims and Christians.
Finding a Perfect School
Education is very important to have a better life. After graduating high school you should not stop furthering your studies. Do not make financial difficulties as hindrance to success. There are colleges or universities that offers assistance so why not take advantage of it. You can use myUsearch to find a perfect school to pursue your education. At myUsearch.com you can find the school that matches your passion and personality. This is a free service that is dedicated to help users to succeed in life. They have questionnaire that will narrow down the possible matches to your school choices and makes your searching less stressful. So if you are looking for possible college or university, go to myUsearch.com.
Be a Sonographer
There are a lot of medical career that can be chosen from. Either you go for the in demand or highly paying medical careers. One example is becoming sonography technician. It is in demand for hospitals, diagnostic clinics, and also you can become an on-call sonography tech. There are sonography schools all over the US. You can check out at medical-career-training.com and see if there is one near you.
Becoming a CNA
When I came here in the US I was really thinking of working in health care. So I decided to start taking up cna courses. I looked for cna schools online near my place and glad I found one. My cna training took me almost two months. After I got my certificate I was able to work in a care and rehabilitation center. It was a very rewarding job and I don't mind going back to that job again.
X-Ray Technician
Another medical career that I am looking at is to become an x-ray technician. If I am going to enroll for Radiologic Technician I will only have less than two years to complete it as a full time student. After I finished it got my certificate I can work as an xray technician in a hospital or diagnostic clinics. It is really a doable plan and when hubby got back from deployment we can talk about its details and I may have to look over at medical-career-training.com to check out x ray technician school in our area.
Pharmacy Technician
If you are talking about medical career, there are so many medical career that you can pursue that will give you a good income. One of which is becoming a pharmacy technician. You can work in hospitals, drug stores, department stores or grocery stores that needs pharmacy tech. The working environment is good and there are also shifts you can look for since they work at the same time as pharmacists does. The pharmacy technician salary ranges from $9.69 to $12.32 depending on experience as well years of being pharmacy tech. There is also room to grow in continuing your studies to become a pharmacist later on.
