Lots to Post

Wow! It has been a long time since I've posted and my apologies to you. I haven't been able to even read the blogs that I follow and keep up with them. We are nearing the end of the school year and the kids have so many different things going on with school and their activities. Plus in less than 10 days Anthony will be six, so I am working on what to do for him. [Anthony and Champ's birthdays are 10 days apart so I usually combine their birthdays into one get-together, but Champ wanted something separate this year.]

There are awards at the middle school, there is the end of the year bash, Anthony was in the talent show at the elementary school and he has Kindergarten graduation coming up, there have been school trips to the park (for both schools) and to the zoo for the elementary, Lee is in Boy Scouts and Champ is in Cub Scouts, Frank has been in hay (yes, it's hay season here), plus we just had our last MOPS meeting of the year and it is usually our biggest and we want to make it our best, we still have our MOPS annual picnic coming up and our Summer Steering Team Retreat that I have to get ready for and there is just one of me. (I feel a little stretched.)

Some things I just wasn't able to do because they happened at the same time. I feel really bad that I had to let someone down. I usually did the activity that I knew about first and that way I didn't feel as if I was showing one favoritism over the other. (I hope they didn't feel like I did either.)

I have been extremely tired. So tired that I feel I am having trouble functioning and have considered going to the doctor. Frank said that if I would just quit volunteering at the schools so much, it would probably fix my problem. He may be right, but to me - that's one of the joys of and reasons for being a SAHM. So I am able to do all these things for and with my children.

Lee & Champ are both in middle school and ask me to come participate with them, I'm so afraid that will be coming to an end very soon. They grow up too fast and are usually all too ready to get away from their parents. I don't know when it will come to an end, but I sure would have hated to have missed out on this year and then next year they didn't want me around. So I will cherish every moment that I have with them for as long as they will let me. I can rest when they get married.

I have been crafting in my spare time and trying to take a few pictures, then there are pictures that I still need to take (of completed projects) and then I forgot to take some pictures of things that I made for gifts and I've already given them away. Oh, well - that's life I guess (or at least that's me - I am so forgetful).

Here is one of the projects that I did like a month ago (maybe longer) for a friend's son's third birthday.



I purchased the pattern here at YouCanMakeThis (I love this site).

My kids loved the chair so much that I had to make Anthony and Rance one (those are completed projects without pix - hopefully coming soon). Lee & Champ wanted one too, but it is designed for up to 50 lbs. and they are quite a bit more than that. They keep asking me just to make it bigger (but that would make it weaker I think). I have caught Lee & Champ sitting in Anthony's and Rance's chairs and they haven't fallen apart or broken yet. (It's a pretty tight squeeze though.) ;o)

This is the last week of school (Friday is the last day). I hope that means that I will have time to post more, but having all four of them home may mean that there is less time to post. Just don't give up on me. I'll post when I can and think about you daily.

There really are no words for this

We have a rule at our house when it comes to supper. You have to TRY it. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it - but you do have to try it.

This is the way Rance feels about trying a piece of chicken (it was not breaded, home cooked real chicken nuggets - I guess it doesn't look enough like McDonald's). Frank even put some ketchup on it to try to get him to try it.

Is this considered torture? (Don't ask Rance.) Surely this would not come under the heading of cruel and unusual punishment would it? (Don't ask Rance.)

This really is a case of a picture is worth a thousand words.



Can you just imagine in 12 years or so, when he brings his girlfriend home?

Me: "Hi! It is so nice to meet you. Rance has told us so much about you. Would you like to see some of his baby pictures?"

(O.k. that might be torture, but it's allowed right?)

An Apron for Lee

Lee wants to be a chef when he grows up so he helps me in the kitchen a lot. He has been ruining his pants by wiping his hands on them so I made him an apron.

It is made out of red duck canvas (should be very durable) and it is adjustable (will allow for some growth). The pattern is McCall's M5551. I embroidered his initials on the bib part of the apron (at his request). It called for 2 other pockets, but I left them out. I didn't feel it needed it - it still has 3 pockets (plus one was supposed to be on the bib part of the apron and I wouldn't have been able to embroider on it).

Now I expect lots of goodies from him and the kitchen.

What happened?

This is what happens when your kids get the camera without you knowing about it.

Father's Day Printables for Kids

Father's Day is a little over a week away. Here are some printables that kids can make for Father's Day.

This one is for coupons and it is in color...Family Fun

This one is all sorts of things to print (look for the coupons), you can print them in color or in black and white so the kids can color them...DLTK-Cards

This is an assortment of crafts to make for Father's Day...All Kids Network

More Homemade Coupons from Love to Know

Here are cards to make for Father's Day...Associated Content

Do you have crafts that you and the kids make for Father's Day? Do you get your DH a gift for Father's Day? What do you get him/What are you getting him this year?

Keeping Kids Busy Part 2

One mom suggested (and this is great in good weather) a nature scavenger hunt. With her and her daughter's finds, they glue them on construction paper and make a personal card for friends and family.

Another mom had their version of "The Food Network" and their show was titled 'Cooking with Cereal.' She said they made rice crispy treats, and other recipes then they shared them with the neighbors.

One mom had the same problem I have trying to change sheets (her kids want to get in the middle of the bed and/or sheets - making it impossible to change sheets) so she plays 'Puffy Sheets' with her kids. They wait patiently until she has the sheets on the bed, then she shakes a king size sheet up in the air and when it falls to the ground it makes a "bubble" and the kids take turns jumping on it. Sometimes they lay in the floor and she puts the "bubble" on top of them. She said her kids love it. I will deffinitely have to try it (I think my kids would love this).

Another mom (she was an elementary school teacher before she became a SAHM) suggested getting an egg carton and a bag of pom poms. Fill one side with all large pom poms of different colors, fill the other side with small pom poms the same colors as the larger ones. Have kids match colors (they put a small one with a big one). To make it more challenging (if the child is able), use tongs for them to pick up the pom poms.

The same mom suggested stringing colored beads onto a shoelace. Counting them as they went and counting them as they put them back into the storage container (making sure they had them all). She also talked about the colors of the beads.

Can't remember which mom(s) suggested letting kids play with shaving cream (putting some on a cookie sheet and letting the kids 'finger paint' with it). You can also add food coloring to the shaving cream. Someone also suggested putting some small objects in a bowl and filling it with shaving cream and have the kids find the objects.

One mom made the suggestion to make sure that you have enough for everyhand. She has 2 toddlers and an infant and she lets her kids play with plastic spoons and spatulas with a pot and lid while she cooks. Each toddler gets 2 spoons/spatulas (one for each hand) otherwise they would be trying to take one away from brother. Great idea!

Another mom who was also a former elem. teacher took a piece of paper (typing paper, computer paper, notebook paper, whatever) and made a box on the top half of the paper (taking up almost the whole top half) and then drew lines below it (you understand why in a minute). Inside the box she would place 1 sticker and the child was to draw a picture around and including the sticker. If they are old enough, they can write the story below the box on the lines. If they can't write, they can dictate to you their story. She suggested making this a 'Never Ending Story' every day or every week, add a page to your story.

The same mom suggested taking picture of your child and/or family members and putting them on magnetic paper (found at most office supply stores) then making a puzzle out of the picture (depending on the child you choose the difficulty level of the puzzle). Great for the fridge.

I hope you enjoyed reading these as much as I enjoyed listing to them. If you have any good ideas I am open. I have 4 boys (2 of which are toddlers) and rainy/snowy day activities sometime escape me. I guess I should have an 'Inclement Weather' or 'Mommy Needs Just a Minute' folder with all these ideas in them (and any more that I might run across). Hey, I think I'll go do that.

Have fun and let me know what works for you.

~Jena

Keeping Kids Busy

Yesterday at our MOPS group several moms gave ideas of how they keep their kids busy. This was one of (if not my very) favorite meeting of all. I mean if you are a mom, who couldn't use this? We all need times to keep kids busy (while we are fixing supper, trying to take a shower/bath, ________(fill in the blank)_______). So here are some of the great ideas I heard yesterday.

Printable 'Bingo' cards (like for restaurants, cars, etc.) at Real Simple.com. You can print several and use the store-bought bingo daubers, you can laminate them, cover them with clear contact paper or put them inside of clear page protectors and use dry/wet erase markers. It would be easy if they are in page protectors to keep them in a 3-ring binder. You can also purchase an inexpensive cookie sheet (from the dollar store) to keep in the car and use magnets for bingo pieces.

There are also activities that you can do with a bag. Check out the website here. In order to get everything, you must purchase the books, but they do have a few ideas for free posted on their website.

They talked about homemade playdough also. It is something that is safer to make at home than to buy (in case it is eaten by a child), it is fun for the child if they are old enough to include in this, it also lasts longer than purchased play dough and is usually softer. I have been wanting to try this recipe ever since I found it (making play dough in a crock pot). It can be found at A Year of CrockPotting (in her archives - do alphabetical listing).

You can also go to Publix.com and sign up for Preschool Pals newsletter.

I will try to post some more ideas a little later. Have fun with your kids.

~Jena

Kids in the Kitchen

Great Dinner Time Activities

Check out Stouffers Web site for some great dinner time activities. There are 'Food Finds' (word searches), 'Story Starters' (conversation starters), and 'Word Bites' (word puzzles). After printing them off, you can laminate these, sandwich these between 2 pieces of clear contact paper, or put them in page protectors and use wet erase or dry erase markers (that way your kids can use them again and again). You can also make placemats for your table.

~Jena