short break

I am taking a break until I get back for my vacation. I hope you all enjoy your holidays. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Starting Preschool Time

I will start in January having time with Girlygirl each morning learning different things. I will call it preschool time. We will do lost of fun stuff. Each month we will theme. Starting with E the first letter of her name then moving on from there. The first week will talk about E over all. Then the last three week we  will focus on one thing starting with that letter. I will post what I plan to do then what really happens. I think this will be fun but we will see. Girlygirl does do preschool like stuff with my sister and loves it.

Can I have an Affordable trip to Disney World?

Sweetdude and I and been talking about take Girlygirl to Disney before she was born. She will be three next year and we hope to go in December of 2009 or before if they have a good deal. We are trying to do it with only using cash. This will be new for us. All our vacations have been put on credited cards that we are just now paying off. So in hopes of making it without adding debt I have already started planning how we can make the trip affordable.

My first step was making a bank to save money in. To do this I cleaned out and old apple sauce. I placed the lid on and cut a hole that a quarter can fit though. I then hot glued the lip on. I put Disney stickers on the front to help Girlygirl understand as she helps save money. I put $25 a week in the jar and all my change. Girlygirl puts $0.25 a week in the jar too. I want her to help save so has something invested in the trip too.

My next plan is to go when they are have a good deal or better yet win a trip. I have found a great web site called mousesavers.com. On it they keep an up to date list of what deals Disney is having at both Disney World and Disney Land in California. I look there often. Right now the have a great deal and I almost did it but then I would have had to stop my debt free trip. In order to get the best deal we are trying to be flexible in looking for a good deal any time from the fall of 2009 to early 2010. By not having a set date we want to go we hope to be able to find the best deal. I saw that ABC new in Chicago was giving a trip away so I signed up to win one. I plan to look for more ways to win a trip but not getting my hopes up.

We are also staying flexible with how we get there. We are not sure if it will be cheaper to fly or drive so we are just waiting to see what the prices are when we know the date we will go. If do fly it will because we saved money doing so. I have found lots of other tips. Be posting them soon. I just have run out of time today. If you are going to Disney World too I hope you enjoy your trip. And come back soon for more tips.

100 Free Things to Do With Kids: 51-75

This is getting hard for me now the first 50 where not bad at all but these may get a little silly. This has been fun for me to think of. Here we go with the next 25 free things to do with your child.

1. teddy bear tea party- can be parten or make lunch into a tea praty
2. clean house
3. jump rope
4. roll down a hill
5. swing
6. write a play
7. act out a play
8. watch birds
9. play dress up- don't have dress up clothing? use your clothing
10. play house
11. catch butterflies
12. make sock puppet
13. feed birds- use old bread
14. play hide and seek
15. paint the sidewalk with water
16. kick a can
17. plan/take an imaginary trip
18. make mud pies
19. visit elderly person
20. tell jokes
21. trust walk
22. tell story three words at a time
23. play I spy
24. lunadery basket ride-until they can't fit in the basket kids love to be puled/pushed in a basket
25. play momory

Wow I made it to 75. When I come up with 25 more I will post the next one. I hope you got new ideas of things to do with your children or maybe just got an oh I should do that monet. Remember to have fun with your children offten. Here are 1-25 and 26-50

Back Yard Scavenger hunt

If you have read my 100 free things to do with kids post then you may have say that I said do  back yard/living room scavenger hunt. You do not need to have stuff to hide. Just make a list of this for your children to find. Maybe get them a bag to hold the stuff. For older kids you can have them draw and write about what  they find if you want. You can make it so the learn new stuff of just have fun. Here are some thought about what you can find.

• sticks-tell how many or how big
• flowers-name a color
• rocks
• toys you have
• water hose
• bird-tell the kind
• leafs-tell how many or what kind
• weeds
• animals-your pet or something that you see off ten in your backyard like a cat or bunny

That is all I can think of right now but you could add to the list if you have more ideas. This would be a great way to get your kids outside and moving. Here are a few great list that I found online.

• Earth day nature Hunt
• Camping Scavenger Hunt- Some will work for things in your back yard too

Happy hunting.

Fall Crafts: 5 Leaf Craft Projects

All this crafts are things you can do with all those leaves in your front and back yard during the fall months. Ours are just now really falling so I put this together kind of late in the fall but here are 5 leaf crafts I found or have done with the kids.

1. make a tree-picture on right of Girlgirl's (I did the glue)
2. Weave Leafs
3. paint them-can just paint or use as stamps
4. Leaf Match
5. make leaf people

I hope that you still have time to enjoy some of these this year but if not maybe next. We just did 1 and 3 this year but I really liked the others so hopefully I get a chance to do them next year. I hope you take the time to enjoy what God has made and talk to your kids about it.

100 Free Things to Do With Kids: 26-50

To keep it going here is 25 more free things to do with your children. Sorry I don't know how to change to numbers.

1. Go to play area at mall
2. go to book store or toy store with a play area
3. watch parade
4. make paper airplane
5. cut a pictures of wants from ads
6. roller skate
7. go to museum free day
8. rake leaves then jump in pile
9. camp in back yard
10. go for a drive in the county or hills
11. get big free box make it to something fun
12. snow ball fight
13. play baseball
14. play football
15. play kickball
16. make up stories
17. dance
18. watch fire works
19. Butterflield open gym-this year starts Jan on Tuesdays-Thursday 12-2
20. do yoga
21. learn new language
22. exercise
23. back yard/living room scavenger hunt
24. bear hunt
25. back yard relay

Remember your children love to play with you so don't let anything keep you from doing it at least from time to time. Enjoy your next fun day with you kids for free and come back to find out the next 50 things.

100 Free Things to Do With Kids: 1-25

After reading some old post on Mommy Savers a great site I just found that is all about great ways to live with the money you got. I am got a great idea for a blog. Here is my first 25 great free things to do with your kids.

1. Go to the Library
2. Read books
3. Rent movie-free from library
4. go to park
5. go on walk
6. make tent with blankets and table better eat lunch in it
7. ride bikes
8. Cosley Zoo
9. Lay in grass and talk nothing to say or kids to young look for pictures in the clouds
10. cook together-try to do it with stuff you have at home
11. play game
12. write letters/make picture for daddy
13. build snowman
14. run in sprinkler-hopefully not same day you build a snowman
15. call a friend to come over for play date
16. trade toys with a friend
17. play tag
18. do each others hair
19. play in the rain
20. play ball with the dog
21. snuggle on couch
22.  fill bag with toys to give away
23. story time
24. picnic at park
25. teach them something new

Come back tomorrow for more of the 100 things. Remember spending time with you kids is one of the best ways to use your time.

Not Playing Learning! Please don't yell!

Mr. Man may hate to learn in a class room but more than one time I was amazed at how much he knew. Or how long he'd work at something. On this day he was "doing the dishes" in his slow but get it done way. He can't stay with one thing very long. He started to play I am sure not know how much he was learning at the same time. Look at his face the joy that he did it and I did not get mad. When he grows up he will figure out away to make this crazy world work for him.

I need a Scedule

Over the summer I had my life planned out every minute of everyday I knew what I needed to do. When the Big Kids went home I thought I no longer need that. Well I guess I was wrong. I have been getting nothing done and just living in a funk. So I have learned I need a plan. Even if just a basic one to keep my life moving a long. To do this. I have done a few things. I made a list of jobs for each day Monday-Friday to keep up with the house work. I also got a pocket calender to keep in with me all times. I put sticky note paper in it so I can write done what I need to do. I will keep you updated on how this is working for me. Or if I don't know it is not going to good.

Time For Church

This is old picture but I have not blogged in a long time and love this picture. What could be cuter than two toddlers all dress this is the big kids sister and Girlygirl all dressed up and ready for their play church. Ah we are teaching them something right.

Cheep ways to get Toddler top 10 Favorite Playtimes

Girlygirl loves to play but lots of times is not sure what to do without being shown what to do. After lots of play time with me and all the kids I have cared for she is starting to pick her own favorites here is this weeks top 10 favorite things for Girlygirl to play:

1. dolls-we got most as gifts. A great way to get doll clothing that will last is to buy Preemie or newborn baby clothing.
2. dress up-we have lots again some where gifts but I did buy most of them. We go to garage sales all summer great place to get old clothing and really dress up clothing for cheep.
3. painting-not that cheep and I have not found a good get paint. Girlgirl loves to paint and we do it weekly.
4. trains-I got a wood track for Ikea. They are great and work with Tomas the trains but way cheaper.
5. cook-She has lots of play food and plates she loves to make food for everyone here. She also likes to help in the kitchen.
6. ride one toys-she has lots i think 5 for outside and 2 in. All the outside ones where found on trash day. The 2 inside where gifts.
7. books-we also asking for them as gifts. I so look for good deals every where we go. You never know where you will find a good book at a great deal.
8. color-She likes makers best but when I say no she will use crayons. We got ours at the back to school sales and at the Dollar Tree. We use both paper and coloring books.
9. bags-not sure why but having a bag full of stuff brings Girlgirl great joy.
10. going to park-free and great fun.

Remember to let your child do it themselves that is how the learn but play next time them. They will learn from what you do.

Dinner Time

Times have been hard for us right now as I am sure the same many others. While reading on ways to save I read that families throw away on average 50% of their food they buy. That mean we spend 50 times more than we need to. To cut back on wasted food have a leftover night, give less food on each plate,and do the same with drinks. I just was wowed by this thought I'd write it down.

Doll Bath

I have read about letting your toddler give their babies a bath. Today we did and Girlygirl loved it. I just filled a toy tube 1/4 wit water and soap. Gave Girlygirly a a doll to wash. It was easy and she did if for about 20 min. That is always good. When she got up I told she had to be done no coming back. We then cleaned up together. Here are some cute pictures of her playing

Potty Training: When they don't want to go.

For the first few weeks Girlygirl loved to go to the potty just wasn't sure when she needed to go. Now she knows when she needs to go most the time but she doesn't like to stop what she is doing to go. There are a few things I have done to help her.

1. As I have done from the beginning I keep stickers and a sticker book in the bath room. She doesn't even have to go to get it. If she sits on the potty then she can play with it while she tries to go.
2. I often go in the bathroom with her and read books with her.
3. I have notice that she doesn't want to miss her morning TV. So if after trying to get her to come to the potty she doesn't come I bring her little potty out in front of the TV. I know it maybe bad but it works for us.
4. I give her a choice of using the big potty or little potty.
5. Sometimes I need her to try and she doesn't want to go and crys but that is okay and most the time she still goes and is happy in the end.

You know your child best and if you have to just stop for a week or two and then come back that is fine too. Making potty training work for both you and your child is the only rule there is if you ask me.

Toddler and Discipline

I tell everyone who says that Girlygirl is too good "It is because I am a mean mom." I say it jokingly but it is kind of true in today world. I don't think that Girlygirl should always be happy. I have thought that a child should listen to what I say at every age. The number one way to do this is to make them no matter what. If Girlygirl crys because she doesn't want to pick up what she just threw I make here by taking her hand and help her do it. If she takes her hair bow out I put back it in. If she crys in the car I i stop and have her sit until she is done. I sometime take her out off the car others i get out. Both work. She has learned that I mean what I say. It is not the easy way today but it will pay off big time later.

A family needs team work

Well, we may not really be a family but after having 5 kids all summer I learn a few things. Mom can't do it all. We all have to work together as a team. The silly thing is I knew that but by the end of the Big Kids 6 weeks here I was trying to do it all. Let me tell you I was not very happy nor was I very nice. At the time I didn't see why but now looking at pictures from the first weeks I remember why. A family needs team work. Those first weeks where great this kids work together and got a long. The less I started to expect from them the worse all 5 got. A family needs team work.

Preschool: Learning Colors

I have been trying to teach Girlygirl her colors. I don't homeschool with her yet but we work on learning. Today I have been teaching the color purple. I never sat her down and said let's learn about purple. I just made it purple day. When she painted this morning she used purple paint; also she made purple with red and blue. I have these bath fizzy things. They change the color of the water. We had a purple bath. With lunch we had purple cabbage and grape juice. Girlygirl wear purple clothing. We looked for everything we could find that was purple. I look forward to sharing all our color days with you.

Top 5 Bath Toys for Toddlers

Girlygirl's favorite bath toys are not all really bath toys. Here is our top five favorite bath toys.

1. a used sprinkle jar
2. a sand bucket
3. cups the more the better
4. bubbles
5. bath crayons

If you have not yet tried these with your little one you may want to add them to your next bath time. What are your child's favorite bath time toys? update: We have add one more toy to our bath a doll.

A Block Can be anything

With a little imagination a block can become anything you want it to be. From simple rolling on the ground and saying vrom vrom it has become a car. With the same block it your can make a train "Choo Choo!" Stand to blocks up and make them talk to each other "Hi Sally how are you?" says the first. "Good thank you!" says the second. As your child child is ready for more add other toys to make block time more fun. We have lots of animals which are great with the blocks to make a farm or zoo. Blocks make great fences and trees. Your little one love his cars add blocks to the make a town with roads and all. Do you have little people your child doesn't touch add them with the blocks and teach your child to make a home, a store or what ever they can think of. The possibility are endless. Remember your child may need to been shown that a block can be more than a block. Once they see they will think of more things than you and I.

Potty Training

We have went to underwater with Girlygirl. We have been using the potty when she wanted for about year now. I like to start let them try when the are young. She wanted to use underwear about 6 months ago but she wasn't ready. Now I say it is time. We will see how it goes. Here are a few potty training tips:

• Start by just letting the get use to the potty. (I do this at 9-12 months) Nothing big just sit on the potty when you do or before the bath. Do this until you ready to train.
• I like to go right to underwear when out. Use rubber pants and bring extra clothing. It is life go with it. I don't like Training Pants because kids know they are diapers. There are time you may want to use them
• I can't stay home all the time so we do go on like normal. Like I said i just bring a change of clothing for when we are out. Make sure to go potty at every stop and more than one time for long stops.
• If you are like me you will forget to bring your child potty when you are home. I use the kitchen timer. We don't always use the the same time. In the morning Girlygirl can go for over 30 min. but after nap it may be every 10 min. Just go with what you think your child needs.
• Find something that makes your child like it. For Girlygirl most the time I can just sing the potty song. "Pee pee in the potty. Pee pee in the potty. Who went pee pee in the potty? Girlygirl went pee pee in the potty. Yepee!!!"
• When she doesn't want to sit we read, sing or she plays with stickers.
• Remember to make it your own. You know your child best and you too. Do what works best for both of you.

Homeschool Preschool links

I will just update this as I find stuff. I hope that you can use them as well as I. This is a great blog about montasory preschool. There is not much there but I like what she has

Learning ABC in the Tub!!

Because learning is the must fun when you don't know you are learning. We use the foam bath letters in the tub to help Girlygirl learn her letter and there sounds. I will also write the letter with tub carayons on the tub. Girlygirl will now act like she is writing letters and she the names to letters. It works great with kids who can't sit still. You may not see if for a long time but one day it will hit and all the work will pay off.

Play to Learn: blocks

From the time Girlygirl was first a toddler I gave her blocks to play with. I remember my mom talking about a workshop she went to (she is a preschool teacher). It was all about blocks she told me how great blocks where at teaching. I have now found the info she told me and I want to share some with you. They have so much to teach.

imagination and creativity

self-confidence by allowing a child to be in control and having a feeling of accomplishment

provide opportunities for dramatic play, sharing and cooperative efforts

responsibility for block care and clean-up

involves math and science pre-number skills ie. size, shape, matching and classification, problem solving is inherent in block play

visual discrimination, a pre-reading skill

insight into concepts of inside/outside, open/closed

development of language and vocabulary through discussion and description

mapping skills

color recognition, patterning

develop gross motor skills through lifting, carrying and stacking

develop fine motor skills with smaller blocks

refine eye/hand coordination

Remember the next your child picks up a block to play that they learning. So you can say you are homeschooling. Your child is learning a lot.

Toddler: Starting Table time

Table time is something I learned to do long before I became a mom. I have been a nanny for 3 years and my last Mom/boss had me do it with her girls. The oldest was easy like Girlygirl. I started when she was two and she would sit for over an hour doing whatever you told her to. The younger did not like it much. She started when she was a little over one. I would put her in her high chair with a few toys well I cleaned lunch. It took me 10 min top. For over a month she would cry before the time was up and all the toys would be on the be on the ground. By the age of 2 she could still not do table time for more than 25 min. Just go with your kid and start small and move to more time when you can. Remember you are the boss not your child.

Top 5 Activities For Toddlers

Top 5 Activities For Toddlers

1. Bag things up-it doesn't have to be a bag Girlygirl likes a her toy shopping cart and rolling bag best.
2. Ride in the Laundry Basket-just put them in push or pule them around. Be a bus, a car, or a train to make it even more fun.
3. A big box-to hide in, color, make a house or whatever they can do.
4. Glue-now this one is messy but they love it. You just need per-cut paper and glue. To help Girlygirl but paper in the right place I tell her to hide the glue.
5. Bubbles-no more needs to be said

Homeschool Preschool: The Jar part 2

Here are some pictures of Girlygirl playing with the jar.  She loves the stuff and it make her have to use her imagination.

Homeschool Preschool: Sticker Table time

When I posted last time I said that Grilygirl needs to help with the sticker so I took of the back ground well she no long needs help with it. She has learned to do the stickers all by herself. This is one of Girlygirl's favorite table time active. I give her a notebook or paper stickers and markers or crayons. She will do this for the whole 30 min. It is great when I am hurrying to make dinner.

Homeschool Preschool: The Jar

The Jar is just full of stuff found around my house that I thought Girlygirl could play with.  I got the idea from Guilt Free Homeschooling. Carolyn uses it as a math tool for children to do sorting. Look at her blog for ideas.  Right now Girlygirl really just plays with it at table time. I am sure it will later change as more of a teaching tool. I found a dog treat jar at the Dollar Store.

I filled it with all kinds of fun stuff. Look at the pictures and list for ideas. You  don't need to buy any thing.

In The Jar:

• fake followers
• old caps
• foam letters
• clothes pins
• pompoms
• paper clips
• an few old game pieces
• army men
• baby spoons
• small meal toys
• broken wand top

When making your jar just add things you have in the house if you don't have much to start that is fine things will show up later. I plan to add more and change ours as time goes on.

Mommy Time!

I have to been taking care of 5 kids all summer long. Let me tell you on the days I don't give me time to do what I want no one is happy. So a few times a day I have the kids do something that I can have me time. Here is what the kids do that gives me my time:

• tv-In the morning right after we get to work all the kids can watch tv. They do not always do it but they know for that hour I get a break. 
• quite time-most my kids are too big for a nap. We all do quite time in the afternoon. For an hour and half after lunch. The first 30 min I am getting Girlygirl down for a nap and cleaning up lunch.
• early bed time-When Mr. Man and Tomboy first got here I thought it would be good to let them stay up until 9 or 10. I soon saw I need that time for me.

There is nothing wrong with taking time for you. Sometimes I clean sometimes I read sometimes I blog. It is good for me.

Homeschool preschool: Table time!

Table time is something that I have start to bring into Girlgirl's day. I do it most the time when I am helping the big kids do work. We are all at the table then and she enjoys being with us. I give her a quite thing to play with. She will sit at the table for 30 min. She does two different things at table time things everyday. I don't just put something in front of her and walk away. I help her get started and show her what I would do. I then for the most part let her do her thing. There is no right or wrong way to play. Here is a list of things she does:

• bean & rice bucket-I just got a small plastic bin from the Dollar Store and filled it half way  dried beans and rice. I put a few little cups, old caps (like from the milk) and a few brushes.  Some times I do add small toys in it too.
• letter and number magnets- Again I got a small cookie sheet from the Dollar Store. I got a hug bag of letter and number magnets from a garage sale. With this one I often ask a big kid to sit with her and tell Girlygirl the letter and the sound. (this has helped Five learn her letter sounds)
• other magnets- when at a toy store on our last vacation I found some old ball magnets Grilygirl loved them. I have add more to them now. I give her the container (a small cream cheese container) and the cookie sheet and let her play.
• puzzles- We have gotten them as gifts, and passed down to us from friends with older kids. Girlygirl loves them. I give her one at a time and try to change them before she gets bored with it. When we do puzzles it is for the whole 30 min. but she gets about 5 different puzzles. (if you need to just go between a few it works good too.)
• the jar-I will do a post  about what the jar is soon. But is a cookie jar filled with stuff I found around my house. No toys.
• color-I sometimes just give her one pen and one paper and let her fill it up. Other times I give her a coloring book and her box of crayons. When she is really lucky I give her makers. (be ready for a mess with them)
• books-I just give her two or three books to look at and play with. Hey maybe she will teach herself to read. (lol)
• play dough-I use a place mate and try to get her to keep it on the mate. 
• stickers-I don't do this much because of the cost buy Grilygirl loves it. I give her a few sheets of stickers and let her put them in her note book. Girlygirl is still young and can't get the stickers off if the background paper is still on. I take the background paper off all but one sheet. That way I can see when she doesn't need me to do this any more.
• cards-I use a few different Sesame Street cards we have as well as a real deck of cards. It is fun for her. I am not sure why. We keep cards in her pack back too for when we are out.
• beads-I bought a some big beads (made for kids) she can string them. Girlygirl is not really ready for this. If she does something for a long time I will bring them out for a few min (5 max). She gets mad because she can't do it.
• lacing cards-we have truck ones that where given to us. I have not used them yet. I will let you know how it goes when we do.

I am sure there are many more things you can do. I will be adding to the list later in latter post if you add more things.  I will also be adding picture of Girlygirl at table time in the next few weeks. Keep you eye out for them.

Discipline from the Bible

Proverbs 23:13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. Ah, how is it when you need to hear something you find it. God is a great God. I have been wondering if I am to hard on the kids. I have been letting Girlygirl get way with more and thinking it is making my life harder. Then I read this. I need to remember that I need not hold back on discipline her. Then, today the big kids (Tomboy & Mr. Man) would not listen to Sweet dude. When I got home I went crazy on them. I took the Tv away for the week and yelled like no tomorrow. I felt bad and like I was to hard on them. Ah, but God then knew what I needed to hear and brought it to my. So remember this verse when you feel like what your doing is not right.

Car Games

In two short weeks I will be driving Tomboy and Mr Man home. I can't believe it. It will be hard to say goodbye to these guys and send them back home. With driving them home I will be in the car from Chicago to Dertio. That is a drive with a boy who has ADHD. I am sure we will do lots of the things from that I wrote about in the claiming your car back post but I fear I will need more. So today I have been looking for idea. I like to write them here to keep them safe when I need them again.

• Games

1. Buried Your Cows-You slept the care in the midle long ways. Esch side counts all the cows one their side.  However if the other side see a cemetery on their side they call "Bury your cows", then you lose all your cows. The team with the most cows when you get home wins.
2. Copy Me-Each player takes turns making a gesture. You must repeat all the gestures that have been made and then add your own. Eg. player one squeezes their nose. Then player two squeeze their nose and pats their head. The third player squeeze their nose, pat their head and add something new. Keep going until a person messes up.
3. Find 100-everyone needs to look for 100 of pick anything. Trees, trucks, cows, buses, ect. Work as a team to find 100 of whatever you pick.
4. The Queen's Cat- This sounds like a great game. Each person takes turn descripeing the Queen's Cat. It must go in alpabetical order.  
5. Three Words only- tell a story with each person only saying three words at a time. For instance, person one word say "I knew a" person two would add "tiger that could" person three could say "only walk like" and then go on until all are done with the story
6. Related words-take turns saying a work that is related to the last word said. For example words could be hot, cold, ice, tea, sweet, girl, ect going on until all are ready to stop.

Girls night In

Play with you kids. I may mean that your house is a mess but playing with you kids i a great thing you can do. When playing a game try to let the little ones join. Girlygirl doesn't realy play but we let her roll the dice and move her own guy. She come and goes thought the game. We had a girls game night with Mr Man and Sweetdude gone. We ate dinner and played a few games.

Adoption: Different thoughts

We have always planned to have two kids and adopt two kids when our two where about 8 years old. Things have changed for me. I think that the time is now. I don't even know if I want to have another kid. I don't like being pregnant and I hated the c-section. Even the thought of going though 9 months of all that make me want to sleep. (know weired but true) I feel that for some reason I need to adopt a kid now. Like start calling people today. Sweetdude is scared about adopting and thinks we should stay with our plan. So for now I wait and we try to have another baby like planned as I pray God changes Sweetdude's mind.

Friday Store

When Mr. Man and Tomboy came to stay with me I need away to teach them to listen with out yelling or punishments because of their home life. So I came up with the Friday Store. Each Friday this summer I open the Friday Store. To get things from the store they get Friday Bucks for acting good, helping out, ect. They love it and are good to get this or that that they wanted. From the day I got the idea I looked for cheep stuff I thought the kids would like. I didn't pay more than $5 for anything. Some came from the Dollar Tree but most came from the clearance bins. I will add picture after this Friday.

Claiming You Car Back

I don't know about you but my car and get crazy at time. Girlygirl crying while the big ones fight over who looked at who first. I have found that car boredom leads to all kinds of crazy things. The best way to bring the peace back to your car is have a plan to beat he boredom. I have learned a few great things.

• books on tape (if your car is new than my cds)- We just have picture books and each child has a turn holding the book. So we listen to each book up to 5 times. Most the time it works out good if they know when their turn will come. They have all enjoyed listening to the book even when they don't hold it. I do give Girlygirl a book to hold all the time.
• puppets- They do shows for each other or have them talk to each other. It can get loud at times but they do stay happy.
• play "I spy"- by saying "I spy with my little eye something..." then say a color, letter, number, shape ect. The bonus to this game is the little one will work on what the need to.
• play punch bug- We changed it and we all play together that way fights don't break out. On who saw it first. For those of you don't know it is a game that counts how many VW Beatles you see.
• I keep a bag of fast food toys under my sit. Then when I need something for the kids to do it is handy. For some reason kids love these and are small and good for the car.
• flash cards- Right now Mr. Man and Tomboy are working on multiplication so we do flash cards well in the card. They take turns keeping the cards they get right. At the end who ever has the most gets a "Friday Buck" (more about them tomorrow.)
• Bingo- (We have not done this yet because my printer is not working.) Make pictures/words of things find while driving red car, school bus, trees, cow, walking people, ect. on a bingo like board then give one to each kid and a pen. As a child see something on their list they call it our and mark it off.
• kids camera- (again I don't do this my old boss did. If i had them I would.) They are great you can DL pictures to your computer if you want or just delete them and let the kids go again. It will keep the busy for a long time. 
• magnify glass-you will be amazed at how fun they are. Keep one for each child or be ready for its not fair. Let the kids look at the world with them.
• coloring & activity books/pages- you can get them cheep at most stores the Dollar Tree has hundreds. With them you will need pencils, crayons, ect.
• Talk to them- If they are older talking to them about something you know they like. If you have kids in the car join in the talking. For little ones talk about what you see around you use colors of thing , reading signs whatever you can think of.
• King's Silence- You just have to teach them when you say 1...2....3...king silence that it is time to be quite. Remember it is good to talk to your kids in the car so don't over use this one.

Good luck in the car if you are driving near or far may it be in peace.

Learning with ADHD

I need a new plan for when Mr. Man comes back from boyscout camp. He will be gone all week that gives the girls a break and me time to think. I have been reading stuff on line and will be writing down what I needed to do to help him have a better time. Mr. Man is just staying with me for 2 weeks after camp before going back home. I thing I wish would never happen but that is a story for another time. Mr. Man's mom doesn't like the meds so he has none. He needs them. My goal is to give him a fun summer and teach him how to act. It has been harder than I thought. Now on to the planning:

• have a clear plan each day
• keep him near me most the time
• have him look at me when I talk
• have him say what I said back
• break up big task into smaller ones
• each morning have him write a to do list
• in same book have him write 5 good things he did each day
• allow him to do something as I talk *
• put up blockers when need: he doesn't need to hear or see what others are doing
• remember the good
• find was he doesn't have to write+
• break up the sitting time 15 min working 15 min playing
• keep work with one thing at time writing spelling math are not one thing and try not to make them.

*He may have a hard time just listening and be able to hear and understand what is going on better if he can do something else. Have silly putty, Lego's, block, make art, anything to keep his hands and moving so his ears can listen still have him respond to things from time to time. I know one thing I said is have him look at me this may work too. I am just trying this out here +Don't make him write down his answers with pen and paper use a white broad, stamps, chalk board, letter magnets, ect.

Be a kid too!!

One thing that kids love about me is I will take the time to be a kid too. Sometimes it is great fun other it is just fun to see their joy. Go for a bike ride with your kids but don't be the mom race them home. Sit down and do the craft with your kids. Play dough is still one of my favorite thing to do with kids. I can distress this way. Get in a water fight or maybe start a mud fight. Laugh when your child plays a joke on you.

Trash to Treasure

Here are the big kids making my trash treasure. They had great fun. I just brought the stuff and they made stuff without help. They made stuff for over two hours. Tomboy made a tiger poster. She plan to take it to the zoo. They have a program that she can get free stuff. I don't know what we have not gone.

Big Sis made member card for the work out room. It is a game the girls play

Five worked with Mr Man to make a I don't know what But is was great to see and hear them work.

Saving your trash for kids to do art work is a good cheep way to have art time. You can give them ideas like building a train, car, bug, drum, doll or any other thing your child may like they can make. As you can in some of the pictures I did add other stuff whatever you have bring it out it is a let them go at it kind of thing. Be ready for a mess make sure they help you clean it.

What is Notebooking?

I have been reading a lot about notebooking. I believe it is what ever you want it to be. Notebooking is a great way to keep track of what you are learning without it feeling too much like work. You and your child can pick what you want it to be.

• To get started you will need a few basic things:

1. Binder-the kind with a clear pocket front will let you make your own cover page
2. Paper-there are lot of kinds out there use what you like best any paper can be used. A great idea is to use tracing paper to copy maps or others things hard to copy by site
3. Scissors- decorative and straight edged
4. Page protectors or three hole punch-you need a way to put all the pages you make into your notebook
5. Something to write with-crayons, makers, color pencil, pens (any kind gel, ball point etc..), oil pastels, and whatever else you think may get you child to want to write/draw in the notebook
6. Glue/tape- whatever you want to add the stuff to your pages

• To add some flair:

1. old magazines/newspapers-use picture and/or articles
2. clip art
3. stickers
4. stamps
5. fabric
6. ribbon
7. buttons
8. stencils
9. hole punches-they have many driftnets shapes and sizes
10. pictures-of trips and/or projects
11. pressed flowers
12. quotes
13. bible verse-those which match what you are notebooking
14. booklets-about the topic and/or from where you went

• Things to notebook:

1. Field trips
2. Writing-copy work, essays, short stories, etc.
3. Work book pages
4. Timeline
5. Poems
6. Songs
7. Alphabet-for the little ones
8. The world of learning is your limit. No matter what you are learning I am sure you can find a way to notebook it.

Keep coming back to see how notebooking works for me this summer. I will be caring for a 12 year-old and 9 year-old who are coming to stay with me. I will also have my Girlygirl as well as the two girls I nanny Five and Big Sis. I am look forward to it. I hope to have time to blog it all.

Teaching Sign Language

As you may know my husband is deaf. I have been trying to think of a way to teach the girls nanny and for other people to teach their children sign. Today when clean Girlygirl's room it hit me. When I saw Sesame Street learning cards I knew how to teach sign. I can use the cards to to teach the signs for the words. They are great because they are things you do everyday. So not only working with the cards but when you do everyday things you can sign to your child. Girlygril is only 23 months and has more signs than I can count. If you are worried about using sign because your child will talk late (although true for Girlygirl) that is not true. Girlygirl now can say as much as my friends kids but she signs different words too. So able to tell me much more. If you don't know sign I found a great site more for kids but the best I have found yet. The best of luck to you. Sign is a great way to "talk" with you young child.

You can do it

Tonight I was watching a movie about a fat girl who got voted prom queen. At one point in the movie the mom of the fat girl said to her daughter "You didn't need me to protect you; you just need me to support you." Now that is something to think about for any parent to think of. No matter what your child needs you to be there to say you can do it and how can I help. Your little one learning to walk, talk and play. Doesn't need you to say don't do that it is not safe but here let me help you learn how to do it safe. If you child wants to slide help him learn how to clam up. Don't do it for him just help him learn to do it. You may think it is too hard for your little one but don't stop them be there to pick them up when they fall. As you child grows the support moves to things like school and friends. You will not be able to keep them from being hurt or having a hard times. You can be there to help them with what they are trying to do and teach them what they want to learn. Your child may want read a book that is too hard but don't stop them be there to help with the words they don't know. Or maybe they need to learn something that is hard for them don't just not teach it help them push through it. No matter what our job as parents are to teach our children what they need when they grow up. Remember they need to fall to know they are okay when they get up. Hey you maybe shocked how well they do.

Illinois Museum

Today I  have been looking for more stuff to do. I found this great web site that list Museum all over the state of Illinois. I just wanted to save it. 

Back

Sorry for the long break. I have had a crazy life. My basement flooded and we have not been able to stay at our house. I am back now and hope if there are any readers out there they haven't left.

Why I want to adopt

I guess you could say I have always wanted to adopt a child from the states. I young child waiting for a family.  I know that there are so many children here waiting for a family. I want to be able to do that.  I remember telling Sweetdude that if he didn't think you could ever adopt then we maybe shouldn't get married. He was shocked by my words but knew it must mean something to me.  I am not sure why now I feel is the time to start looking for the child God has planned for me to have from day one but I do. I haven't yet talk to Sweetdude about the timing in which it will happen but I know it is not too far off until we start everything. If that mean it is a month or a year so something else I am not sure. I know it is in God's hands and he know what will happen next. I can't wait to see the next step.

Letter B

Yesterday and today we work on some letter b stuff. Five is loving making the book.  We having been doing most of the stuff while Girlygirl is napping. She does join us for some of it.  Yesterday Five made a butterfly and did her B work sheet. Today I don't have pictures to add.  Five made a Bobby B because she likes to make the letter people. Both girls glued buttons on to a B shape. I wrote on them B is for buttons. They also both made a Big Bird. I flattened them to add to the notebooks. I don't have my camera with me but I will add pictures soon.

Wanting More Kids

I really want more children. I can have more but I am going to start looking into foster care. I have always had a heart for it and I can't wait to start. I am going to start reading more about what I have to do. So because this blog is about what I am learning I will be sharing it here with all of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Letter A

Today we worked on the letter A to add to our notebooks. We made four things. The first was this Angie the letter a person Five's is above on the left at the bottom. I just printed to pattern and let the girls color them while I got ready the stuff to paint with apples. To get ready I put paint on paper plates and cut an apple in half. (I cut it in the mild not from top to bottom then I could show Five and Girlygirl the star in an apple) They then painting with the apples. Five made two and Girlygirl did on with my help.  Five also glued apple seeds to a cut out of the letter A and did a letter a work sheet. I was planning to do it all week but both girls wanted to do more. We will see how the next letters go.

(Child's Name) Hunt Game

Tonight I was baby sitting again. I offten baby sit on nights and weekends to get extar money. Anyways back to my story. The kids where both preschool age and had just learned The Bear Hunt song. They loved it. They wanted to play a new game. So I came up with (Child's Name) Hunt ie: Franki Hunt. I had them take turns hiding in their rooms (so we knew where to go.) While signing The bear hunt song replacing the word bear with the child's name we started in the kitchen and went around the house making up what thing where and how we get around it. The hall was a river we had to swing a cross. A rug was mud. The table was a road we had to go under. I let the kids come up with stuff and they didn't follow the song. When we got to the room/cave we would run back to the kitchen the same way we came trying not to get taged my the kid who was the bear. We had great fun and you may too.

Homeschool Preschool: Alphabet Crafts

Today I went to library to find some books for our alphabet notebooks. I found two great books with art for each letter. They are both by Kathy Ross. One is call Letter Shapes. In it the take the shape of each letter and make into something that starts with that letter. In the other called Letter Sounds has one smiple craft for each letter of the alphabet. We will be starting with the letter a next week. I can't wait. I will show you what we do.

Letter Hunt

Here is another great alphabet game called Letter Hunt. Use your Abc's in a Bag bag for this game or make one. Have the child(ren) pick out one letter tell each child to find something in the house that starts with that letter. You can have the child tell you what the found, draw it, and/or bring it to.

Our Own Alphabet Notebook Part One

Today I need to find something for Five to do to keep her out of   sitting in front of the TV. So we went to Walmart  to get stuff to make our own Alphabet notebooks. I got enough stuff for both Five and Girlygirl to make one. Here is a list of what we got. 

• 2 binders
• a lot of alphabet sticker
• 2 packs of sheet protectors 60 in each
• glue
• and some stuff for the letters. I will blog about them as we do each letter

When we got home I printed of letters I only got to "S" before we ran out of paper. Five sat down and colors them to add to her notebook well Girlygirl took her nap.  Both girls add stickers to the front of their binders and I but their names on the side.

Reading

I was trying to clean up before my mom/boss (the mom of the girl I take care of) got home. Girlygirl was having a hard time and  I need to be help. I asked Big Sis to read to her. Girlygirl stay there for the whole book. What did this teach me. Just ask for help. When asking kids to help don't just say help me but tell them how they can help you. Big Sis loved it because she was watching Girlygirl. Remember this next time you need help.

preschool notebook

I found this great way to do a notebook for preschoolers. I have seen may different things about notebooking and this is a great way to bring it to the preschoolers. 

Great Blog

I found a blog today with great idea on it. I really like how Shelly show us what she does so we can copy it. I love the chart she use each week. I can't wait to copy the ideas at Our Preschool Homeschool Blog. Enjoy!

ABC Games

The other day I was baby sitting for a friend and they had some good game to help their 3 year old learn her abc's. Here is their games and other ways to help them too.

Abc's in a Bag

what you need: a brown lunch bag, index card, maker. To Make: They let the girl color the bag while mom put one letter on each index card. How to play: have you child dump all the cards on the ground. Then they need to look for the letters the know and came tell you. If they are right the card goes in to the bag if not you tell them the name and put it in the pill to find again. (side note for their older daughter they but words on the card for her to find)

Alphabet I Spy

nothing is needed for this game but the world around you. How to play: look around and find something ie: a fan then say I spy something that starts with "f ". If the child does not say fan first but four say "good that starts with f but I found something esle that also starts with f". Don't say wrong if it the letter is right. I spy can be played with colors and letter sounds too.

Letter of the Day

What you need: pen and paper. How to play: pick a letter then whenever someone see something that starts with the choicen letter you write the letter on the paper. (ie: if the letter is f when someone see the fan you write one f on the paper.) At the end of the day/game see how many words you found that start with that letter. If you play everyday you can keep track of how many of each letter you find. Then see what was the most and the least making it also a math leason.

ABC Memory

What you need: Metal juice can lids, alphabet stickers (can be upper and/or lower case.) Before you play: put sticker on lids make sure there is two of each letter. How to play: mix the lids up. Then lay then face down having the kids find the matching letters. You can do this with other stickers too.

Now for a list of toys I think that may be wroth buying with the alphabet to help the learning: magnets, puzzels, coloring books, books and movies.

Great place to find games and more is at this web site:

http://www.dltk-teach.com/alphabuddies/index.html

Finding Friends

In my last post I talked about doing the Fire Station with the play group. I knew Girlygirl and Five need to get out and play with other kids so I went looking for a playgroup. I found my on meet up http://www.meetup.com. I have really gotten to know the other moms and mad great friends. Each group on there is different but I found lost close to me and maybe you can too. I like being to have the girls get out and do fun stuff with other kids. After join the group we started going out 2 to 3 times a week and both girls are so much happier. Now that it is winter we do lots of inside stuff but they get to run and play. Even when they don't get to run and play just getting out of the house is wroth it. They both love the days we go out and the days we stay home now.

Day Tirp with the Kido

The other day I was reading a book and it list all kind of things to do with the kids when they are at home with you. I am going to copy the list so you and I have it when we are looking for things to do.

• Fire Station-we just did this with our play group although girlygirl is too young. Five (one girl I baby sit). Had tons of fun so did the other preschooler.
• Artist Studio
• big building down town
• auto body shop
• bridal shop
• dairy
• farm
• hospital-see the babies
• Library-I let each kid pick out two books and I get one to read Five when are waiting to pick Big Sis (other girl I baby sit) from school. Would be great to do before bed with older preschoolers. Five loves it.
• movies-find the cheep ones near you
• museum-find the children one. we have one not too far from here and all three girls love it.
• newspaper
• nursing home- bring gifts, go more than once get to know the people
• park- have a picnic, go weekly or daily
• pet store-one with pets are fun ask if you can pet the dog or cat
• plays-I see many for young ones but haven't tried it yet
• police station
• restaurant-try to set up seeing the back in a less busy time
• work-visit daddy's or a friend's
• zoo

links and what I think

www.dltk-kids.comThis link has little of everything. It has great letter, number, shapes and writing acttivities. As well as Bible, Charactors and much more. For me this looks like an everything site for preschool at home. One of my favorite things about it is that it looks easy to do with just one kid although it could be done with more. It starts with stuff for kids as young as two to do. I like that lots. I know that lots of sites I have found are good for older ones. great site take a look. www.makinglearningfun.com This site has some great themes to use. From looking at the site I would say it is not the best but again most the stuff can be done with just one child. They have great printables too. It would be helpfull but not the only site you could use. I love the idea of getting girlygirl to do thing with her favorit book or other thing at the time to bring learning alive.

more for me

I think I don't really know what to write about that people want to read. Plus I am not a writer and become over whelmed with the thought of writing for others. So for now I will just write the things I am learning about. I know to some it may seem odd but I love to look around for great new things to learn. I was never good at school and I still don't like school much but now that I am big (25). I like to find new things to learn and spend lots of time on that one thing. Right now that I home schooling. Because girllygirl is so young right now I spend lots of time trying to figure what to do in her preschool years. So to keep track of all my thoughts I will be putting them here. If  you found me this may help you too. If not thanks for looking and I am sure there will be lots of other stuff. But again this is going to be kind of like my file place at least for now.