Archive for the ‘Learning & Educating’ Category
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Hand Crocheted Blessings
If you are expecting a baby or know someone who is,
please take a moment to check out
These hold a very special place in my heart.
as does their creator, Mat. Anna. -
Tomorrow is the Big Day for Punky
Punky has his first day of class at the Latin School tomorrow morning. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t already had homework. At Parent Orientation, his teacher sent us home with an “All About Me” poster for Punky to work on and then bring with him on the first day of school.
Here are a few sections of his poster:
Our Family
I’ve saved my favorite for last:
An Animal Doctor -
Wordless Wednesday: Getting Ready…
Punky needed a nap mat for pre-school at the Latin School. I searched etsy, and found this one. He loves it, and I love that it is gender-neutral, so all our kiddos will be able to use it when they go to the school. It even has our last name embroidered on the corner. It rolls up and has a strap to carry over your shoulder.
Less than a week…….
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Our New-To-Us Kitchen Table
I was looking for a small table for our classroom when I came across this amazing deal.
This oak (really solid) table is 66″ without the four one-foot leaves. It came with five chairs, three of which are captain’s chairs. Currently, we have one leaf in the table. If we put all three, it would almost go across the length of our kitchen.
Now our former kitchen table is up in the classroom, and it fits perfectly.
I kept two of the chairs downstairs, and brought three upstairs.And the grand total: $110!
I love Craigslist!
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New Beginnings
I just posted, and when I looked back at my blog, I realized that I haven’t really posted in weeks. In all honesty, I’ve been in a bit of a funk. Most of which relates to personal things that I am choosing not to share publicly. For several weeks I was struggling a lot, but I am starting to feel better. It is a process, as all things are in life.
In just a short while, Punky will begin Pre-School. This will change much in our home. We will no longer be able to “sleep in” in the mornings because I will need to be loading up all the kids into the car by 7:45am to get him to school on time. This also means that our Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be wide open from 8:00 until 3:00pm– and I will have two kids on my watch. I plan to use this time to focus on Spunky and Bunky. My goal is to prepare Spunky for pre-school. We will take the time while Punky is at school to have “school” of our own for a little while during those days.
Since the curricula for each class at the Latin School is accelerated by a year, Spunky will need to be ready for kindergarten-level work only a month after her fourth birthday. Whereas Punky is two months shy of his fifth birthday as he is about to begin school. I feel like he has been educationally prepared for pre-school for a long time now, but Spunky still has a lot to learn since she has just turned three years old. I am looking forward to spending that one on one time with her.
It is going to be nice to have a quiet home at least for a little while each week. Punky is certainly the noisiest and most energetic of our brood, but when Spunky joins him, she has no trouble keeping up with him, which adds to the choas. However, when Punky is not around, Spunky is much calmer and quiet. It will also be interesting to see Bunky’s personality begin to show through. So far, it is easy to tell that he is an intelligent, curious, stubborn kid (more to come in his one year post- can you believe he will be ONE on Sunday?!).
I am looking forward to seeing how school will shape Punky. I hope he is able to learn how to channel his energy into his work and into positive interaction with the children in his class. I am thankful for the opportunity to send our children to this school. It is going to be the catalyst for many big changes in our home, big changes we are all excited to see.
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Pest Quest Channel for Kids!
Parents and Homeschoolers:
Check out Pest Quest!
Each short episode of “Pest Quest” stars a group of children scientists who share fun bug and rodent factoids from a colorful science lab set. The show is perfect for kids who are looking for something fun to keep them entertained this summer or after school.
It is perfect for homeschooling parents who want to provide their children with safe, educational, not-for-profit online content.The National Pest Management Association is a non-profit organization committed
to the protection of public health, food and property.
It’s fun, educational content in a safe online environment for kids.And since it is a non-profit and educational site,
there are never any annoying pop-up ads to interrupt your visit.
Most of all, “Pest Quest” is about a topic that all kid’s love – bugs! -
When It Is Too Hot To Play Outside…
Spunky and Punky made several popsicle stick frames yesterday.
Punky was very creative and made his in square, triangle and diamond shapes.My children are starting become very tired of this terrible heat!
We set up their new bubbles (the no-spill type) and they went outside for a little while and
then came back in because it was “too warm” outside.The thermometer attached to my kitchen window keeps reading 100 degrees or higher.
It is in direct sunlight, but is a big factor, but, regardless, it is hot, hot, hot! -
Finding Time When You’re a Stay-at-Home-Mom
A friend recently linked to a column where a woman wrote in asking,
“Why don’t friends with kids have time?”
I think “time” is an word up for interpretation. Of course, moms have “time”. Like the time I am using right now to type this blog post. But these moments are usually short ones, constantly interrupted by the needs of children, legitimate or not, or these moments happen at the end of the day when all the littles one are in bed and Mama stays up until midnight just to get some “me time.”
A typical day for me goes something like this:
I hear the baby crying in his crib around 6:30 or 7am. I get out of bed, pick up baby and nurse him. Suddenly, realize that I hear something downstairs. I peak over the railing with baby still nursing, and discover that Spunky is having another sneaky morning. She may be eating something in the kitchen that she shouldn’t be or maybe she is going through my purse. I scold her from the top of the staircase and tell her to come upstairs. This usually wakes up Punky. I put on PBSkids while I finish feeding Bunky, changing diapers, getting all three kids dressed, and then getting dressed/showered myself. Then I wake up my hubby. On a good day, we will all go downstairs at a decent hour, have breakfast and do our prayers together. This isn’t always the case, but that is my favorite way to start the morning. Some mornings, the kids and I are downstairs up to two hours before my hubby wakes up- those are the long days.
The big kids usually get along well first thing in the morning, so they play together or color/do a craft at the kitchen table. When it is nice outside, that is where the remain for a while. This gives me a chance to feed the baby his breakfast, clean up the kitchen from the night before, and start a load of laundry. Pretty soon, the big kids are inside asking for a snack. If is Punky, he is probably on snack #2 by 10:30am- the boy never stops eating! During the morning, I’ll break up a bunch of fights, kiss boo-boos, put on bandaids, hand out lots of drinks and snacks, change diapers, take Spunky to the potty, feed the dog and let him out, attempt to go to the bathroom by myself (that rarely happens), and talk to my Mama on the phone (I love her!).
In the mornings, I like to read to the kids and do crafts. Sometimes we bake something together. If we need to go anywhere, I do that in the morning when they are all happy. We go grocery shopping or make trips to the library, pharmacy, park, or a doctor’s appointment. Once in a while, we entertain some Mommy-friends and their kiddos (on those days, I wake up extra-early to make sure the how is spic and span before the kids wake up). Bunky then takes his late morning nap. I try to take a little bit of time at this point to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up on the computer, which I’ll check randomly throughout the day, especially whenever Bunky is nursing.
Once I start homeschooling in the fall, I’ll have to use the time when Bunky is napping to homeschool Punky. The following year, when Spunky has joined Punky, I’ll have even more planning to do (especially as far as time is concerned).
Then it is lunch time. I typically let each child choose what he or she wants to eat. After lunch, we do a bit of the same things that we did in the morning, and then it is time for “resting time”. Spunky takes a nap on most days. Bunky usually wakes up right at the beginning of “resting time”, which means I will not have a break from children until nighttime, when they are all asleep. Punky used to enjoy “resting time” more than he does now. Usually, he is asking for it to end about thirty minutes after it has started, so I’ve been letting him come downstairs and help me with chores, laundry, feed Bunky his lunch or we will do a project together. Some days, I’ll ask him to play with Bunky just so I can get some laundry folded (you know how great I am at that).
When Spunky wakes up from a nap, a lot of days she asks to watch a movie and have a snack. I don’t like the kids to watch movies all the time, but after a hard morning, I’ll permit that just so that I can get some things done around the house. Rainy days are usually movie and big craft days for us.
(My kids are all young still, but soon enough I’ll be taking them to lessons and sports practices or games. There will also be afternoon play dates, recitals and school ceremonies.)
Dinnertime is the hardest time of day for me. Bunky is usually getting cranky at that point, Punky is “starving”, and Spunky just wants some Mommy-time. I try to let them help me out in the kitchen if they can or I’ll let them switch the laundry from the washer to dryer. Other days, they will play outside or sit at the kitchen table working on something together: playdoh, coloring, practicing writing, painting, etc. They also like to play the piano and dance together. My hubby comes downstairs from work around 6 or 6:30. We all eat dinner together. One church nights, we eat a bit earlier and then all leave for church together. After church the kids go straight to bed.
Our kids go to bed around 8:30 during the summer (7:30 when it gets darker earlier), and they love to play outside after dinner. This means they will need a bath as soon as they come inside. While they are outside, I’ll clean up the kitchen, start the dishwasher and soak the pots and pans, which I’ll tend to in the morning. Then right around eight, I’ll take Bunky upstairs and get him ready for bed. After that, it is bath time. Prayers, stories and lots of bedtime whining follows the bath, but, eventually, the big kids are in bed. Many nights, Bunky wakes up around 9:30 crying. If he can’t get himself back to sleep, I’ll have to go to him and put him back to sleep. Spunky and Punky both fight bedtime many nights, Spunky fights the hardest. Some nights we will have to tell her ten times to stay in bed.
But, usually, by 10:00pm the house is completely quiet, and I have some time to myself or time to spend with my husband. I wash my cloth diapers at the end of the day, which forces me to stay up late because the load takes almost two hours to wash (pre-soak, pre-wash, wash, rinse, spin) and then I have to hang them all up and dry the liners. Once that is done, around midnight, I can go to bed. We like to watch movies or shows we’ve DVRed at night. I like to spend time on my computer, reading blogs, blogging, checking on Facebook, etc. Some nights, we will have friends over. They’ll show up around the kids’ bedtime and then we will all just sit around talking over dessert or we’ll watch a movie.
Most nights, I am asleep around midnight…. and then about six or so hours later, I am up to start it all again. And most nights I don’t get to sleep through the night. Between Bunky waking up to nurse (thankfully he is finally weaning himself of this), Spunky sneaking into our room to sleep in our “big chair,” and Punky being afraid of the dark or having a bad dream, most nights I get a couple of hours in a row before someone wakes me up. Since Bunky was born, more then ten months ago, I’ve slept eight hours in a row once, seven hours once, and six and a half another time.
So, for those who wonder why mothers with kids don’t have time, just take a look at my day. When I finally do have a moment, I need some time to myself so that I can recharge. I’ve always believed that being a SAHM is one of the hardest jobs out there, and now that I am living it every day, I am able to truly appreciate the gift that it is. I am able to stay home with my amazing children every single day. Sure, I’m exhausted and sleep-deprived. Yes, it is draining to rarely have a moment to myself, even to use the bathroom. BUT it is completely worth it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
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Daybook for June 24, 2010
FOR TODAY
Outside my window… Sunny, humid and HOT.
I am thinking… that I just saved 65% of my grocery bill! YEAH for coupons!
I am thankful for… my wonderful husband! We discovered a week or so ago that in order to be able to send Punky to the Latin School, we need to seriously tighten our budget. However, it seemed that it would be too tight for us to be able to put money into savings. This is not a situation that we want to be in, so we temporarily withdrew him from the school. BUT we found out today that my hubby got a raise! Now, Punky will be able to go to the Latin School and our savings won’t be affected. Yea!
From the learning rooms… the children discovered the educational toys in the closet and had fun playing with lacing dolls. Not much else going on in there… summer is here and the kids are outside a lot.
From the kitchen… we made low gl cornmeal muffins with fresh strawberries this week. Spunky is on a PB&J kick and Punky is eating a lot of cheese. I’ve always discovered, through experimentation that Bunky is NOT allergic to dairy like his big sis. So, now he is enjoying lots of cheese and yogurt. That kiddos loves to eat… well, they all do!
I am wearing… a purple v-neck with a sage tank top peeking through, khaki cargo capris, no shoes and I French braided my hair today- it feels so nice and cool this way.
I am creating… piles of laundry… that need to be put away. I hoping to get that done today, but right now I am taking a break after a very stressful morning.
I am going… to the dentist tomorrow. Apparently, all of the morning sickness from my pregnancies has “eroded” the enamel on my back teeth (I hadn’t been to the dentist in a few years- yes, I know, I’m a bad girl). So I will be spending two hours in the dentist’s chair tomorrow having my enamel fixed and a few small cavities filled. I am not looking forward to it.
I am reading… still….”Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer” (a book I found on a homeschooling blog and it is really helping me better understand my eldest). Reading has been at a minimum for me this week. At the end of the day, all I want to do is go to bed (or watch some tv). It has been a rough week!
I am hoping… for a decent night’s sleep… less than five hours is not enough for this mama.
I am hearing… the sound of the water in the tea kettle about to boil. Punky is all about tea today. This is his second cup.
Around the house… a vacuum cleaner is waiting to be used in the living room, dishes need to be put away and then others put into the dishwasher, and, of course, there’s laundry.
One of my favorite things… watching Bunky pull up on everything. He works so hard and has such satisfaction when he is able to do it.
A few plans for the rest of the week: take the kids to see Toy Story 3 as a celebration for Daddy’s accomplishment at work, some alone time for ME on Saturday, church, and possibly the county fair.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Bunky’s first drawing (age 9 months)
The Simple Woman’s Daybook was started here.
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The Naked Chef & Lacing Dolls
Punky told me this is a chef.
If you ask me, he’s not dressed very appropriately for the kitchen.
The kids had fun going through some things in our classroom.
You can tell by the photo that the room is still very empty.
I am keeping a lookout for either a bigger desks or a table.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to find something this summer.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Prayer for Children
O God, our heavenly Father, who loves mankind and are a most merciful and compassionate God, have mercy upon Your servants for whom I humbly pray to You to care for and protect. O God, be their guide and guardian in all their endeavors, lead them in the path of Your truth, and draw them nearer to You, so that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Your love as they do Your will in all things. Give them Your grace, and mercy so that they may be patient, hard working, tireless, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all temptation and corruption, and direct them in the way of Salvation, through the goodness of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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