Must. Stop. Popping.

Go here to see what I mean. Ah ha! Now you’re hooked, too!!!

An Easy Sandbox

I really wanted Sam to have a sandbox. When I was little my dad built a HUGE one in our backyard for my sister and me. And we loved it. (Besides the neighborhood cats that used it as a litterbox!) Because we’re renters, however, this was out of the question. A sandbox is an excellent source for sensory learning for little kids.

When I went looking for one of those green turtle sandbox things I found out that they are $60+. So I made my own. I took an old gift wrap box and bought a bag of sand at the hardware store – it was $1.67. We play with cars, cups, pretend food, you name it. And when we go back inside we just put the cover on it. VOILA! Instant sandbox.

Rain Preschool Theme: May 3- 9

Sorry I missed this last week. I was fried from birthdays, etc. and Sam and I just played all week long, save for a few workbooks I found at the Dollar Store awhile back. Sure hope it RAINS this week – pretty sure I won’t have a problem with this. P.S. Next week will be “Rainbow Week” – there was just too much info/great ideas to group them into one.

Awesome books on rain: The Rain Came Down, The Napping House, Come on, Rain!  

Monday Math Day: Make a rain catcher to measure the amount of rain that falls – here’s a good example - we’ll monitor this all week and on Friday (or Saturday) we’ll measure the final result, and more of these because Sam LOVES them – just print them out, don’t try to sign up.

Tuesday Reading Day: Drippy the Raindrop - an excellent explanation that reads like a book about the water cycle, Sam’s Rainy Day Boots.

Wednesday Science Day: Activity #3 in this list (this sounds really fun).

Thursday Music Day: “If All the Raindrops” , “Rain, Rain Go Away!”, make a rainstick.

Friday Art Day: Online Noah’s Ark painting craft,  make a rain mobile: Take a paper plate and paint it blue or gray, cut to resemble a cloud. Paint 5-10 rain drops cut out of paper board, cardbaord, paper plates, etc. Punch a hole in each raindrop and attach string. Staple/tape the end of each string to the bottom of the cloud. Attach a string to the top of the cloud in the center and hang. (We’re gonna use glitter, too, but it’s not necessary if you don’t feel like having glitter everwhere for the next century!) Have no fear – we’ll post a pic of the finished product Thursday.

Snack: I am COMPLETELY out of ideas for this and can find NOTHING online. Got any ideas for me? Please?

Bible Verse: We’re going to go through his children’s Bible and talk about Noah’s Ark extensively (leaving out the whole wrath-of-God-thing)- next week we’ll talk more about the rainbow and what a promise means.

Field Trip: Our local museum is having a water exhibit for the next few weeks so we’ll plan to visit on one of my days off. We will also put on rainboots and a raincoat and go puddle stomping a couple of times. We love playing in the rain!

 Have you any more ideas for “Rain week” ? Please share them, I’d love some fresh takes! Be blessed this week and always.

Special Earth Day Online Activity

We visited Starfall today and found the best accompaniment to our activity for today. It’s just perfect – this is exactly what we’ll be doing. What a great way to prepare. Earth Day Starfall Activity

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Earth Day Preschool Theme: April 19-25

Happy Earth Week!!! Here’s what Sam and I will be doing this week.

Monday Math Day: Puzzles, Printable Matching Page, Maze

Tuesday Reading Day: Earth Day Make-a-Book, God Made Trees rhyme, “Trees” poem.

Wednesday Science Day (Earth Day): Special Project – Go on a hike and pick up litter around the area, explain Earth Day. I found a special mini potter and tree seed in the Target bargain aisle and we will plant that and explain how trees help our world be a healthy place.

Thursday Music Day: “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”, Recycled kazoo, Recycling Song and Litter Bugs

Friday Art Day:Make Nature Bracelets (idea found at Everything Preschool): Attach tape wrong side out around your child’s wrist and on a nature walk have them attach things like leaves, rocks, pine needles, etc. When they get home you have a nice “Nature Bracelet”; Coloring page of Earth.

Happy Earth Week, everyone! Hope you have a great week. Any great ideas you’d like to share?

Chapped Lips?

Mine are fine, thank you. It’s the Little Dude’s that I’m worried about. Constantly, CONSTANTLY we’re battling chapped lips. Why is this? We don’t live in the desert or anything. I used to struggle with this when I was a kid and lived in California, but we live in the Mid-West. How is this possible? I’ve read that he could be a “lip licker” and he may also be dehydrated. I suppose he does sometimes lick his lips, but he is NOT dehydrated! No matter, I’ll keep Chapstick on him and keep pouring down the juice-water (1 Tbsp. juice and one cup water).

Do you have a good solution for chapped lips? Please share and help a momma out.

Toddler Yoga Positions… In Reality

Ever Heard of Ladybug Magazine? Sam started his magazine life with Babybug and has since graduated to Ladybug. I love them BOTH! In fact, I kinda miss “Kim and Carrots”, but absolutely LOVE the silly pictures, fun stories, and great pre-school ideas in Ladybug. Go here to see an example magazine. In the last issue we came across “Yoga in the Garden” – enough with the toddler yoga, I know! But since I had discussed an interactive video I thought it would be fun to share Sam’s session with you. He’s a shy little man, though, so we settled with pictures. Here was OUR extremely quick session. Since we don’t have a scanner, here’s the only pic I could find of the example – thanks Beetles and Bees! (Psst. Please, oh PLEASE ignore the stains on the carpet – we’re renters, remember? And haven’t necessarily made every stain…)

***And remember “breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth…” – kids LOVE it.***

Spider scurries up and down its web

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Squatting position, clasp hands together using your elbows to push out your knees (this was the hardest one, by the way) so your legs look like spiders. (Bug week, anyone?)

2. Bring your hands down behind your feet, lean forward, and move like a spider.

Butterfly sails above the flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Hold your big toes, balance on your bottom, and gently lift your feet.

2. Straighten your legs as much as you can (as you can see I held on to Sam here) and make butterfly wings.

Snake lifts its head to see the path

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 1. Lie facedown and rest your forehead on the ground, bend elbows and place hands on the floor on the side of your head. Hide like a snake in the garden.

2. Breathe in as you slide forward onto your tummy and lift your head and chest slowly. Beathing out, come back down to the floor, hissing like a snake.

Garden mouse curls up inside its cozy hole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 1. Sit on your heels (can you tell he’s done at this point?), knees together, hands on your thighs.

2. Bring forehead to floor, relax your arms by your sides. Ahhh.

Giraffe eats a leaf (Um, made this one up – obviously.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…and ssstttrreeeeaaaatttcchhhh…..

Now. GO RUN AROUND THE ROOM AND GO CRAZY! AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! (Toddler talk…)

I hope that you can forgive the format of the pictures/text. No matter how I try I just *can’t* get them to line up. Whateva. Blessings.

Bugs Preschool Theme: April 12-18

This week’s theme is BUGS!!! Yeah, I took a few weeks off because I just couldn’t stand the structure anymore. We’re back from our “Spring Break” (ha ha) and are celebrating with creepy crawlies!

 

Monday Math Day: The Beehive Rhyme and Caterpillar Craft part 1 and part 2 - Sam loves cutting and gluing, not so much the coloring…

Tuesday Reading Day: Little Miss Muffett Rhyme, Itsy Bitsy Spider Felt Board Story (I’m making this tonight – any suggestions!!!)

Wednesday Science Day: Learn About Bugs website for kids

Thursday Music Day: Baby Bumblebee Song, “The Bug Song“

Friday Art Day: Butterfly coloring page, Spider Windsock - here are the instructions.

Outside time: Searching for bugs and worms (not really bugs, but whatever), outside big scavenger hunt

Friday Night Activity: A Bug’s Life movie and snack

Snack: Ants on a log (you know, raisins stuck in peanut butter on a stalk of celery – do kids actually really like this? I never did. But I’ll try it for the sake of science!)

Wow, that was super easy! (Why did I stop??) Got any more bug ideas?

Because I DO sometimes fear the terror of the night…

Psalm 91

 ¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ^[a]

 ² I will say ^[b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
       my God, in whom I trust.”

 ³ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
       and from the deadly pestilence.

 ⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
       and under his wings you will find refuge;
       his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

 ⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
       nor the arrow that flies by day,

 ⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
       nor the plague that destroys at midday.

 ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
       ten thousand at your right hand,
       but it will not come near you.

 ⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
       and see the punishment of the wicked.

 ⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
       even the LORD, who is my refuge-

 ¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
       no disaster will come near your tent.

 ¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
       to guard you in all your ways;

 ¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

 ¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
       you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

 ¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

 ¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
       I will be with him in trouble,
       I will deliver him and honor him.

 ¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
       and show him my salvation.”

Pamper Party Recipes

While in high school I learned the beauty of an hour long bath dedicated to pampering my skin and soul. Now, as a mom, I need it more than ever. I used to be able to spend loads of cash on beauty products. I’d throw in oil, bath beads, eveb tea bags specially made for your bath. I’d slather on face masks, face scrubs, body scrubs, foot scrubs, hair masks, and hand masks. Geez! What a bunch of stuff! After I was done I would emerge a new soul – ready to take on the world – and my bed! It was so relaxing and made me feel so beautiful I never thought I would feel the need to give it up! But I did.

Once I stopped working full-time and became a mom we had very little to spend on beauty, let alone beauty rituals! How frivolous! If anything I’d soak my hair extra long in the bath tub and use a new razor! That’s all I had the money for. After a while I missed that alone time at home and found ways to get around the high cost and artificial ingredients on my skin. Here are a few recipes that I use now from ingredients straight from my kitchen.

Note: I don’t have any particular allergies, so I’m not sure how it works if you’re allergic to honey, etc. Test a small spot and wait overnight to see if you’re allergic to any ingredients. I wouldn’t want you rushed to the hospital on my account!

Pamper Party Recipes

Face Scrub: 1 part honey, 1 part regular coffee grounds- Mix well in the palm of your hands and scrub gently around face, neck, chest – wherever you experience acne or blemishes. The honey will cleanse your skin (really! It’s FANTASTIC!) and the coffee will slough off the rough areas. Let it sit for awhile if you’d like, then rinse. Don’t worry about the coffee in the bathtub it will rinse right down – but it is gritty against your butt!

Face Mask: 1 part honey, 1 part oatmeal – First grind/blend the oatmeal so that it is powder fine – this makes it easier for the oats to go down the drain later on. Mix oats and honey in the palm of your hand and slather on your face. The honey will be sticky at first but will soon melt and glide on easily. Close your moth tightly. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes, rinse.

Foot “Soak”: Kiwi/Pineapple skin - I read recently that the skin of kiwi and pineapple fruits contain bromide, a meat tenderizer. Theoretically, this is supposed to soften the heals of your feet. I’ve tried this and LOVE it. I say theoretically because I can never tell what specific thing I’m doing is helping my nasty feet, but something’s working and I’m not going to stop doing this – especially since we always have kiwis! Just rub the skin on your feet, let it sit for just awhile and hop into the tub.

Body/Hand Scrub: 1 part sea salt (regular table salt works just fine, too), 1 part soap/body wash – Scrub, scrub, scrub, rinse. Pretty easy. See this post for a more intense recipe.

Moisturizing Body/Hand Scrub: 1 part sea salt, 1 part coconut oil warmed in your hand or stove (I’d say microwave, but I feel very strongly about not using one). Scrub, rinse.

Face Scrub: Face wash, Cane Sugar or Sea Salt – be careful with this and scrub gently, as you can cut your skin with these products which in turn can smear around bacteria creating more nastiness.

Eye Treatment: Of course there’s always cucumbers, but my son really loves these and I hate stealing them for stupid vain purposes like the gross bags under my eyes. You can also try my favorite, used black or grean tea bags. Wet the already used bags, squeeze, let sit on eyes for 10-15 minutes.

Bath Oil: Add to your bath any essential oil – my favorite is lavender!

Bath Soak: Use that same ground up oatmeal and sprinkle 1/3 cup under running water. You can use baking soda as well. This works especially well with itchy, dry, or rashy skin.

I have loads of other recipes – do you have any specific concerns you’d like to address? These are the easiest of my recipes – things I use weekly. I hope you like them and you enjoy your own special PAMPER PARTY!!!