Cheap Cheap!

Our family subscribes to "Family Fun" magazine and each month I enjoy getting ideas of things to do with the kids, either now or in the future.  This month a craft caught my eye...I had everything on hand!  I love a fun CHEAP craft.  

I decided to work it into Snug's homeschool, but Little M Man and Little Miss E (I still have Draycare...two kids right now) are also old enough for the project. 

 We have big rolls of what I believe is called butcher block paper.  We've used it for various things, but I like to take a section and tape it to our table to protect it when we paint.  Sometimes we paint the paper and then use it as gift wrap!

 When we paint, we wear paint shirts.  I bought these 2/$5 when I first started Draycare five years ago.  They also double as "park shirts".  When we all go to a park together they often have to wear these over their clothes so I can easily spot everyone on the equipment.  I also save veggie and meat trays (washed of course) for various projects.  Keeps the mess contained and easy clean up.

 We made little chicks out of egg cartons.  The kids painted, I inserted the wire (my gauge was too large...they don't bobble quite right) and then the kids, with my help, hot glued on feet, a beak, and some feathers.

 I took this picture so if I ever get my e-mail back up and running I think I"ll send it into the magazine.  They often show pictures of kids with completed projects.

I think each chic has its own personality  :o)  Cheep Cheep!

Blustery Day

Awhile back I said I needed to post "Boredom Busters" but haven't been too good at doing so.  This is a scheduled post as when it is published I'll be heading off to Florida to meet my new niece, hang out with my brother and SIL, see my parents, and soak up some rays!

Today's Boredom Buster is tent making.  It is a crazy crazy thing.  My kids go crazy crazy when we do it.  But they LOVE it.  

 After we (read: I) set up the tent, they make it their mission to fill it with as many blankets.pillows/stuffed animals possible.  Then they all "cuddle".  Then they fight.  Then they knock it over and I have to set it up again.

 Totally worth it!

The secret to my tent, which I didn't photograph fully apparently, is to tuck the blankets into the couch, then stretch them to dining room chair.  I then use my clothespins to fasten the blankets through the rungs on the back of our chairs.  Works for us!

Survival Of The Fittest Fattest

#1 had SWAT training this weekend which means we were in the "40 hours with no daddy" weekend that we have once a month or so.  This was going to be the toughest by far as I am not quick on my feet, feeling great, having tons of patience, or up to going out in public with the kids alone.

Friday afternoon as I was feeling sorry for my self and thinking of devouring a gallon of ice cream I decided I had better snap out of it.  It wasn't going to help anything.  Aside from falling down the stairs again (did that 2 weeks ago, baby and I are both fine) I wasn't going to be able to have #1 take any time off...they are at minimum manning almost every day.  So I decided to man up.  Or whatever.

I wrote down a list of things that sounded like very little effort on my part but fun for the kids to do.  Then I made a list of things that should get done.  Then I made a list of things that HAD to get done this weekend or we'd be living in a complete pig sty.

I put each item on a slip of paper and put them in a jar.  This morning when the kids got up it was so tempting to turn on the TV, lay on the couch, and then listen to them argue and whine all day.  But I didn't want that.  So I got out the jar and explained the "game" to the kids.  They were instantly hooked and very excited.

The boys got to take turns picking a slip out of the jar.  After the item was done, we picked out another one.  Meals and "quiet time" aka naps were at their normal times, not included in the jar.  I warned them some things would be jobs, but they were happy to do whatever knowing that the next slip of paper might be something fun.

We pulled "get dressed" out of the jar at 10:30, and then "take a bath" came out at 11:00.  So they got undressed, bathed, and re-dressed.  They thought that was funny.  Teeth were not brushed till 4pm, but I figured one day wouldn't kill us.

The slips of paper took us from 7:30am till 6:45pm.  I had no idea how long it would take, and actually took one out that wouldn't work after dark (run around the house 5 times) when I realized it hadn't happened yet at 6pm. Here are a few things we did.  Although I would HATE to run my daily life at random, this really worked for us this difficult weekend.

Fun:
Play-Doh
Make/Paint Thanksgiving napkin rings
Mommy reads a book to you (in the jar twice)
Take a bath alone (they took turns, they usually have to all go at the same time, this was a treat)
Play in basement
Play a round of "Sorry"
Play a Thanksgiving game Snug brought home from school
Run around the house 5 times (didn't use)
Skype with grandparents

Should Get Done:
Get dressed
Brush Teeth
Practice sight words
Phonics practice (Snug) letter ID practice (LMM)
Snug read to mommy
Clean up bedrooms
Get the mail

Had To Get Done:
Sweep and Vacuum
Empty Dishwasher
Load of laundry (in the jar two times)
Feed the pets
Stuff/fold/put away diapers

So that's what we did.  And even things like the laundry were fun because I got the kids involved.  I'm not supposed to be carrying laundry baskets up and down the stairs after my fun fall so the boys worked together and did it for me.  They were quite pleased.  I even let them "shoot" the laundry into the washer so the job was done quickly and without whining.  Things went well until bedtime when an over tired member of the family finally fell apart, but overall, we survived and now they are all sleeping.  I'm labeling this post as a boredom buster because, as you see, we were not bored!  We didn't even go anywhere...we didn't even watch TV!  

I have a cute Thanksgiving craft we made the other day to post, and pics of Little Monkey man's Thanksgiving program at school...I'll try later.

What To Do On A Rainy Day...

I've added a new "label" to my sidebar (see bottom left side of blog) called "Boredom Busters".  If you live in a large area of our country, the next few months are sure to bring many inside days with little people.  My ideas are (usually) not new or unique to me, but I try to share some things that work for us!  

Welcome to anyone visiting from Jenilee's "Just Because Blog Hop"!  Glad you're here!  I"m Jenney, mom to three (almost 4) kiddos, and I run a home daycare.  My husband is a police officer, and I blog about that occasionally too.  Mostly though, about family life.  

Today's activity was one I had done with my remedial kindergarten class WAY back.  I was reminded of it though as my boys were vegged out watching Sid the Science Kid on Monday.  While I was laid up with my lovely bug, they watched as much TV as they would normally in two weeks.  All in the name of survival, I assure you!

SLIME!!!!

 What you'll need:
Mixing bowl (I used a large measuring cup)
Cornstarch
Water
Measuring cups
Food coloring (optional)

 The recipe technically calls for equal parts water and cornstarch, but I really think it depends somewhat on the temperature you're working at.  Today we needed a tad more cornstarch.  Snug enjoyed using a 1/4 c. because we've been talking in homeschool about four quarters equaling a whole.  For those of you who didn't realize, yes I homeschool Snug as well as send him to the local public kindergarten.  His district only offers kindergarten two, sometimes three days a week, so we homeschool the days he doesn't attend.  It really has been the best of both worlds.

 Little Monkey Man was in charge of water.  We ended up using 1/2 c. water and nearly 3/4 c. of cornstarch.

Next the boys got busy mixing.  I should have put the food coloring in at this point, because by the time we did our slime was pretty stiff when mixed quickly (when mixed slowly it oozes nicely).  

Yep, it was messy.  Our table (and a little of my camera) had cornstarch all over it.  However, it cleans up VERY easy.  Just water and a washcloth.  We talked about how to make purple, as Little Monkey Man has been doing lots with colors in his preschool.  We used one drop of blue and two drops of red and it made a lovely purple color.  

I had the boys use the trays we use for grilling out (clean, of course) to play on.  Little Monkey Man lasted...about three minutes.  His sensory issues did NOT enjoy the slime.  Although he is sensory seeking, he likes to be able to control what input he gets.  This slime is so unpredictable he ended up shaking his hands and screaming.  It was still good for him to have the experience.  I washed his hands and he played in the beans and trucks instead.

You seriously have to try this some yucky day and let me know how it goes!  Check out the other "Boredom Busters" and try them too!  *It may take me a little while to find them all and label them...just sayin'.

What To Do On A Rainy Day...

The book we read to go along with this activity is "The Button Box" by Margarette S. Reid  This is a must-read if you have a box full of fun buttons to look through!

Try and Tell

I know, two posts in one day after I had been very bad about posting and very very bad about posting pictures (finally cleared a camera card...got inspired by Our Family Circus). If you want to read the other post I did today with lots of pictures of "Mono"...scroll down or click here.

So my friend Cop Mama has done a couple of Try and Tell postings, and I thought today I had something to share. Mom Tried It hosts this meme and explains it as grown up "show and tell". I kinda like that...isn't that what blogging is all about?

First off I'd like to say that I did NOT NOT NOT think or make this idea up...I saw it in a magazine, as did The Mommy Diaries. I was at a doctor's office...not sure where to cite this project, but NOT ME. I just tried it and it worked great. So I give to you....

Rainbow Ice/Sun Catcher Project

This is a picture of the one Snug made...at dusk. It is really much prettier in the sunlight, but I wanted an up close shot, and here it is.

Now Little M (during preschool) will demonstrate how to make it! He poured water into an ice cube tray. We found that 7 colored cubes was enough, so both boys got to make a sun catcher. We have been talking in preschool about colors, so this was a great project. He put red food coloring in the first one, made orange for the second, did yellow in the third, created green for the fourth, did blue for the fifth, created purple for the sixth, and then I let him put whatever in the seventh...kinda turned a weird purple in the end.

When the cubes are frozen (we let it sit overnight, but morning till after nap would have worked) pop them out and put them in a round *COLD* water filled dish. All I have here at the rental house was a pie plate, but I think a round cake pan would have been better (deeper). I also placed a small cup/dish with water in the bottom so that a hole would not freeze and we could hang it up.

The water must be *COLD* because the cubes will start to melt right away. Our dish is not completely full of water, but 1/2 full is easier to get into the freezer. After it is mostly frozen you can add more and then freeze again.

Here is what it looked like right before I added more water to his. We've gotten quite a bit of snow (nothing compared to All Things Family, but still a good amount) so my Draycare kids were not here today...he hasn't seen his done yet.

But this is what Snug's looks like (pre-snowstorm) done and in the sunlight. That hole is from where the cup was. If it gets a little water under the cup and doesn't quite have a hole, use a medicine dropper filled with hot water to melt enough to get a ribbon through. Hang up and enjoy!

Click here to see what other moms have discovered!

Just Another Tuesday? Never.

Oh wow, life just gets busier and busier. I really want to do a carseat post that has been on my heart, but feel I need to have some specifics lined up first. It just hasn't happened yet. One of these days I will have extra time on my hands.

But for today I...
...put snow in the bathtub so the kids could play in it without having to get everyone all bundled up.

...enjoyed Little Monkey Man wearing pink sunglasses he stole from Little Miss E. It was so funny. #1 said he looked like that one super hero costume designer from The Incredibles. We couldn't remember her name.

...packed lots and lots more boxes. It really doesn't look like I've done much around here except trash the house. Oh well!