How to Make Sure You Decorate for Thanksgiving With Children

Recently, my sweet sister got me hooked on Once A Month Meals.  Basically, you sign up with them, and they help you plan menus with all the information (shopping list, prep list, cooking schedule, recipes, etc.) that you need to shop and cook for a month's worth of meals in a little over one day.  We usually break it down into at least two days: The shopping and prep day and the cooking and freezing day.  It's awesome.  Now, there's always a great meal ready to cook every day.  And it saves on the grocery bill as well.  (After setting it up to work out to food for two weeks instead of four, the average cost of groceries was about $160/2 weeks for our family of five.)

  I decided to apply this theory of having things prepared in advance to make a daily art adventure easier.  And to make sure that we have some Thanksgiving decorations to put up.:)

The countdown to Thanksgiving is on... And it's down to 4 days left.  And we still have our Halloween decor up.  So... Since I love doing crafty stuff with the mini's, and I don't feel like I do enough of it, I have decided to prep some projects out ahead of time, then just pull them out over the next few days.  Thanks to Pinterest (LOVE it!), here's what's on the agenda:

Thankful Turkey Book

Thanks to the blogger at b-inspiredmama.com, I found these adorable Thankful Turkey books.  Instead of using paper bags, I simply cut two sheets of  printer paper and a sheet of construction paper in half the long way, folded the printer paper and one half of the construction paper together, then stapled them.  They are tucked into a paper lunch bag, awaiting creation. My little man and baby doll will be able to write in their own books with  minimal help, and the super baby will be able to dictate.  Then they can draw away to illustrate all the things that they are thankful for at this point in their lives.  I'm excited to see what they come up with.

Lego Stamped Indian Corn

Crafty Morning inspired me to set this art project up for my kiddos.  We have a few (TONS!!) of Legos hanging out around here, so this should be an awesome art project for us to do.  No bag for this one, I just printed out the picture and basic directions so I wouldn't be scrambling for an idea.

Turkeys

I wish I knew who to give credit to for this adorable project... :(  Anyways, we have tons of TP rolls hanging out for art projects, and paper plates, so another bag is prepped with those two basic needs to create turkeys to set out to replace the pumpkins hanging out.

Rock Turkeys

Another Crafty Morning project... When we bought our house, one of the back flowerbeds was landscaped with rock.  Still is, though that is changing in the spring.  But, for now, there were just enough rocks not buried in snow for me to pick out three that are perfect for this craft.  As soon as they are dry, they will go into the next bag to motivate our creativity.

Coloring Sheets

Mommy Octopus gathered some awesome coloring sheets.  Little man has already colored in the turkey color by number and the Thanksgiving scene.  These should be some great fillers for the kiddos Thanksgiving day, so we will be printing off extras to share with the cousins (and aunts/ uncles/grandparents/friends) should they feel the desire to do some holiday coloring!

I'm so looking forward to doing some intentional projects with the kids.  There is so much to be gained from them- not the least of which will be the wonderful memories made of doing these things together.

(Huge thanks to all who shared inspiration for the crafts! Everyone I could find a link to give credit to is linked in the caption of the picture!)

Building a Sensory Garden

Last year, when we went on vacation, we went to the MN Children's Museum.  I would totally recommend it as one of the most awesome places to take your children.  Or borrow someone else's children and take them.  It is so cool and so much fun to watch kiddos explore and learn in all the exhibits that they have set up there...  And it is a lot of fun to check out as an adult too, I won't lie.  I think I have almost as much fun as my munchkins do.  :)

One of the things that I really noticed the last time we were there was that they had planted a sensory garden in their rooftop exhibit.  I loved that it combined gardening, the outdoors, and a total sensory experience for children.  As they had planted herbs, the plants had strong, individual odors, different shapes and colors, different textures, and were safe to allow children to taste.

Little Man exploring the sensory garden at MN Children's Museum

So, this summer I stole borrowed the idea of a "Summer Bucket List" from a fellow mom/child care teacher/ blogger, and we came up with a great list of fun things to do this summer.  Since I love the idea of a sensory garden, we added that. 

To set it up, I picked up a huge clay pot from Menards about a week ago.  I also picked up a couple smaller ones for something else, and used one of those to make a small sensory garden for my nephew to take home.  It was great fun that he got to join us!

The kids and I took turns digging up some black dirt from a small hill that I have in my back yard and filled those pots up.  I should mention that I set the pots in the kids' Radio Flyer wagon, as I didn't want to be hauling full pots of dirt across the yard.  Did I mention that one of them was huge?  Even with some plastic bottles filling up about half the space in the bottom of the large pot (for extra drainage, and to lessen the weight in the pot in the event that I do have to move it more than a few inches), it was still pretty heavy.

On Saturday morning, my munchkin crew and I hit up the farmer's market for several varieties of herbs- basil, lemon mint, rosemary, and opal basil in two varieties.  Kinda basil heavy, but they all look and smell different, which was the point.  :)  And really, you can put what ever plants you want in these...  Though I would recommend plants that are child safe, as one sense that children love to explore is taste.  :)  After we had the pots filled, we took turns making holes in the dirt, and setting our 'baby plants' into their new homes.  The kiddos all had fun patting the dirt around the root balls.

After we had our plants in, we talked about how to touch the plants gently, how we could smell them and notice the differences, and that we could pick off little pieces of leaves to taste.  

None of the kids were overly impressed with the tastes of any of the plants available, but they sure had a lot of fun making these!

I love gardens for children, and am looking forward to seeing these give my loves some interest and learning through the summer.

Girls vs. Boys

Yesterday, I noticed that one of the headlights on my truck was burned out. Not a big deal- nothing a quick trip to the auto parts store and a wrench couldn't fix. And I didn't even break a nail doing it! I may have chipped my nail polish, but it was coming off anyway, so I'm not sure how much of that was from digging around under the hood.

By the way, you read that right. I am one of those women who knows how to change a headlight on a vehicle. It may have taken me longer than it would have taken someone with more experience, but according to the directions I looked up (my truck manuel only covered the tail lights and license plate lights), it still took less than the hour estimated.

For myself, I never understood why that kind of thing should deserve so much recognition. While I was working on getting that bulb changed, I kept thinking how much easier it probably was for me to reach into the tiny space left to get at the bulb.  The Husband or my brothers would have had much more trouble- because their hand/ arm would not have fit into the space as easily.

But on to my point...  It makes me so sad to see such distinct lines between "boy toys" and "girl toys", and to see any child discouraged from playing with a toy because it is for the opposite gender. (Thanks, Mom and Dad, for teaching us that learning was more important than who a toy was intended for.)  To go to the stores and see girl aisles full of dolls, dishes, and phones. To see boy aisles filled with building sets, cars, and adventure toys.

I wonder what would happen if more boys were encouraged to interact with dolls and play house- by the marketing gurus who show a disproportionate number of girls vs. boys with those toys.  Would we end up with more boys who feel that contributing to house work and child care is appropriate and expected?  Probably.  (Not to suggest that there aren't already men who do this.)  And, likely, it wouldn't be such a surprise when it does.  One thing I dislike hearing is how a father is 'babysitting' his own child. As a former babysitter, I can tell you  it doesn't work like that when it is your child.  That is parenting. I know that no one calls it babysitting when it applies to me and my children- at least not to my face. :)

What would happen of the girl toys were LEGO sets and tools and cars? Wait, let me rephrase that... What if the girl Lego sets were adventure themed, instead of home, and bakery, and shopping?  What if we showed our girls that they can in fact competently use the same tools that boys use?  Maybe, just maybe, we would get women more confident in their own skills and abilities. More girls having the kinds of adventures that let them do what they dream. (Again, not to say that we don't already have these women in the world...)

We have come a long way in expressing the roles of men and women to our children. But when I only have to walk down a toy aisle to see how far we can still go... Well, I know we still have our work cut out for us.

For myself, I won't be surprised at all when my daughter fixes her car by herself.

Having a Personal Library

Building a personal library for my children has been a goal of mine for quite some time, and I feel that I am well on my way to accomplishing that for them.  We have so many books for the kiddos to look at and read.  :)  There is always something to catch their eye and attention.

When I was first thinking about having a collection of books for my kids, I thought it would be an expensive and difficult task.  Luckily, it turned out to be pretty easy- and very cost effective too.  Here are some of the things I learned...

1.  Utilize your local library.  Seriously, I think our library is one of our favorite sources for books.  Not just the ones you can check out and return, but we have gotten so many books that we can keep and return to for pennies!  One time, I went in and our Friends of the Library group was having a book sale.  Everything I could fit into a grocery bag for $2.  We had brought in a reusable shopping bag (LOVE those- they hold so much more than the plastic or paper ones), and we were able to fill it almost overstuffed- for $2.  We probably had 50 books in there, and only went through one table of books that were available.

But, using your local library for the books you check out and return is a great way to continuously provide fresh reading material for your family, with little to no cost to yourself.  Check them out!  Many have a section dedicated to children, and have exploration areas for them to experience while you are there.

2.  Garage sales.  Gently used children's books are another great way to pick up stock for your library.  Many times, they are in great shape, and you can get them for 5-50 cents.  Super cheap!

3.  Friends whose children have outgrown books that are at the level(s) your child(ren) need.  Host a book swap with friends, or let your friends with children know that you are interested in books that their children are finished with and need a new home.  Then, share the gift by passing them along when your children outgrow them.  :)

4.  Book vendors (like Scholastic and Usborne Books).  Between school and daycare, my kids get about 6-10 book order forms each month.  I love getting these!  I know that the books available from some vendors can be less sturdy than ones that you can buy from the store, but they are still a great way to build up the materials you have on hand.  And the sturdier ones are always a great investment, as those are the ones that can be saved and passed on.

5.  Let your friends and family know that books are always an appropriate gift for your child- as well as the reading level and topics that interest your child.  I know that there are many baby showers and birthday parties that are requesting books for the child as opposed to a card or other gift.  While this is a great way to build up a collection of family favorites, it is easy to end up with lots of duplicates.  Finding a way to share a list of books that would interest and challenge your child is one way to help minimize this.

There are so many great reasons to read with your child.  (Find a few of them here!)  But my favorite is the time that I get to spend with my babies, snuggled up, and (now) hearing them read to me.  There are times when I was just so tired, and didn't want to take the time.  But making the effort regularly is just so worth it.  These become moments that are cherished, by all of you.  Don't wait- start the habit of reading and enjoying time together with books today.

Enjoying the Outdoors

It's been a while since I've written...  There has been so much going on! But, I am here now.  :)

So the snow has been taking a hiatus and we have been getting some nicer (and by that, I mean warmer) weather.  I know that there are lots of people who like the cold and snow, and that there are some great activities to be done with my little family when there is snow on the ground.  But I personally, have a preference for the weather we get in the spring and fall.  Most of the summer is nice here, but sometimes it gets so darn hot and humid, we just don't want to do anything but sit inside and not over heat.

But, spring is here now, and we are finding it much easier to get outside and spend a lot more time enjoying the world around us... Except when it rains, which it is doing now.  But, what do you do?  :)  (Actually, I've always liked the idea of having a rain coat and pair of rain boots on hand to go jump around in the puddles, but my budget so far has not allowed for this.  Sad momma.  But we find lots to do inside when the day is just not what we need for outside play.)

Today, we got outside for probably 45 minutes so the older two could practice with their bikes.  We took little man's training wheels off last weekend, and baby doll wanted her's off too.  So, off they came.  They both are working hard on take offs, heading down the road, and stopping without crashing or tipping over.  So far, there is some progress, and the rest will come with practice.  And all the while, the super baby is loving zooming up and down on his trike, with a smile on his face.  :)

I didn't get any pictures of it, because I am working on not bringing my tablet and/or phone out with me when I am spending time with the kids, but yesterday we played in the backyard on the swing set and with our boccie ball set.  I just found \out how much my kids like boccie... yesterday.  Never would have guessed, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.  A game with the objective of throwing a ball?  For sure a kid favorite.

My kids are lucky (and I am lucky) to know their uncle Dave.  Dave is a great hiker, and blogs at Hiker Adventures.  One of my all time favorite blog posts that he has written was about his other nieces and nephew from Florida, and the things he discovered about getting them interested in going on hikes with him.  As a professional teacher of young children, I love that he (an awesome teacher, though not someone who had chosen to make teaching children his life's work) discovered so seemingly easily how to motivate these children to want to hike.  And his tips are so right.  :)  

Uncle Dave

Finding the key to interest and excite a child to a new activity- it doesn't have to be about the hike, but about finding something that interests the child.  Mud, wildlife, bugs, plants, photo opportunities.  Anything to make them realize that they have an opportunity to explore what interests them, and even better, that you want to make it happen for them.  

Stopping before they are bored with the activity can be a tricky balance, but it is good to keep in mind.  If a child gets bored with an activity before they (or you) move away from it, it holds less appeal the next time it is suggested.  They will remember those feelings of boredom, or overdoing, and associate them with not having as much fun.  If you are able to leave the activity while they are still interested and not over tired, that keeps them thinking about it, and wanting to do more.  They associate hiking or biking or boccie with fun times.  :)  Dave also made a great point about ending on a high note.  Ending with the memory of not having fun and enjoying the activity promotes the likelihood of resisting a return to the activity.

Celebrating the activity, and the accomplishments found, is a great wrap-up to any outdoor activity.  Had a great hiking trip?  Go for ice cream.  Mastering biking techniques (without the training wheels)?  It can be as simple as stickers and a high five.  Or, take pictures and/or video of them, and send them later to remind children of the fun times you had together, and all they have learned.  Let them know that you are proud of them and what they are learning to do.  Children (and adults) crave the attention that you notice what they are doing, and the reinforcement that they are doing it right.

All of these tips are great for any activity, but especially for getting children motivated to spend time outdoors.  Teaching children to love the outdoors, and all the movement and learning opportunities presented is a gift that cannot be replaced.  Get up, get moving, and find what motivates your child (and you!) to spend some time in one of the greatest classrooms of all.

Earth Day

I love Earth Day.  Not that I don't give thought to how the choices I make and encourage in my family and friends affect the planet every day, but I love that there is a day dedicated to thinking about how we affect this planet we live on.

Now, I am not insistent that each and every choice be the most green/least environmentally unfriendly choice available.  But I am glad that we do make the efforts that we do to use the resources we need with as little waste as we are able.

Some things we do:

1.  Composting...  I know it's not for everyone, and it took me a lot of thought to make the jump.  But now, it's almost without thought that compostables go into a bucket to be taken out to our compost barrel.  We are coming up on a nice batch of awesome compost to be tilled into the gardens to help our veggies grow.

2.  Gardening and farmer's markets.  This allows me to get as much produce as I can for my dollar, without having a lot of packaging to dispose of with it.  Sure, there is one farmer's market that I go to that will put bushels of beans or tomatoes into garbage bags for me to transport them home.. But I need garbage bags anyway, so they are reused for that.  Otherwise, they are sent for recycling.

3.  Recycling.  Helping keep recyclable trash out of landfills helps prevent piles of un-biodegradable trash from just sitting there, year after year.  It also helps me to not need to purchase or use so many garbage bags, because we are able to use a single sort recycling cart.

4.  Opting out of non-reusable trash where possible.  If I don't bring extra trash home, I don't have to recycle it or throw it away. Both of which save room for the things I do need to dispose of, and makes our overall use less.

5.  Getting the kids outside and using non-battery toys.  I love being outside with my children. I will admit that there are days where my idea of being outside with them is me sitting in a lawn chair watching them play,  but those days are balanced by the days that I go play with them in the sandbox or on the swings, or when we go for a walk or bike ride.  Many of the toys we have don't use batteries, and several of the ones that do do not have working batteries in them-  and my kids don't care!  It's great that they will still use the toy as if it has batteries, but use their own imaginations for what the toy is saying or doing.  :)  Not relying on battery operated (or plug-in) toys decreases our need to dispose of used batteries, or having to buy rechargeable.  I know that you may save with them in the long run, but I personally feel that rechargeable batteries need some tweaking and improvement before I really want to invest in them for the battery operated toys we keep working.

Getting outside and getting your hands dirty with caring for the Earth is a great way to teach children about so many things.  Picking up trash along the road on your block invites the opportunity to talk about littering and the whys (besides the legal fine you could get) on properly disposing of your trash.  Planting a tree can be a way to teach children about growing things, and the cycle of reliance between living things and plants (like the birds who will use the tree to support their nests, and the fruit or nuts you may be able to harvest).  Planting a garden teaches children to appreciate where their food comes from, and allows them a part in getting it from seed to table.

Teaching children about reducing the waste they accumulate and reusing where they are able allows them to learn about really seeing what they have, as well as possibly encouraging them to share what they may not use with someone who has less.

Earth Day- and EVERY day- is a great opportunity to teach your child about caring for our environment, which in turn teaches them about caring for each other.  There really is no learning about one without seeing the other in action.

Make every day Earth Day.  Make every day count.

"My child is a baby... I don't need a conference..."

Or do you?

So, it's that time again at the center.... Conferences.  One of those dreaded times like hard teething and blowout poopy diapers.  (Just kidding... I don't mind conferences.  It's just a lot of extra preparation that I never think I will have the time for, but somehow manage to squeeze in around everything else.)  :)

There is so much that we get to do with the littles, and so many ways that they learn and grow- especially in that first year.  They go from a helpless newborn to a walking, talking diva in a few short months.  It is insane how much they learn in those months.  It is amazing, and I have so much fun being a part of it.

But, back to conferences.  As a center, part of our requirement is that we provide the opportunity for conferences twice each year. I say 'provide the opportunity' because so many people fail to take advantage of this awesome time to spend with your child's teacher.  Is it extra work for us?  Absolutely.  Is it extra effort on your part?  Probably.  But, trust me when I say that it is great for all of us.

Conferences are more than just your child's teacher giving you a rundown of all the things your child can do (although, there is some of that).  Conferences are a time for a conversation about your child.  What they can do is important in the context of where they are and where they need to go.  What the teacher wants for them- all the ways that we can impact their learning and development.  What the parents want for them- knowing that your child is on the right track, or knowing where to turn and having a plan to get the most out of these crucial early years is so important.  Creating a plan for the child- together.  Communication is such a huge key in creating success for each child, and having that conference gives you a window of time where no one is thinking about the traffic on the way to work, or the other children in the room and what needs to be done for the day.  You get to focus on everyone's favorite topic:  the child!

Early learning experiences are the foundational building blocks for future learning and growth in children.  Having conferences, even for infants, ensures that all the efforts that teachers go through with planning, teaching, and observing children is helping them to grow into the best little people that they can.  It allows for parent concerns to be addressed and allows for parents to find out about resources that they may not have otherwise known about.

Infants (and really, all children) grow and learn so much.  Conferences allow you to hear just what your child's accomplishments mean for future growth and learning.  Don't think that conferences for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are less important than the ones for your kindergartner, middle schooler, or high schooler.  They are just differently important.

Take advantage of your child's teacher's expertise.  They went into the field they are in because they love children, and are interested in helping them grow to their fullest potential.

P.S.  Wondering where your child is?  Here is one great look at child development...

A Lifetime of Learning... It's Not Over Yet!

I am so unbelievably grateful for all the opportunities for learning that I have had in my lifetime.  I was lucky enough to have several early teachers who were able to encourage my interest in learning, as well as the natural classroom of the farm where I grew up. College brought some more awesome professors, who continued to encourage my love of learning something new, especially when it was on the topic of children and families- my chosen area for my professional training.  I have also been blessed enough to have several 'unofficial' teachers along the way in the form of family, friends, co-workers, and classmates.  I truly believe that everyone comes into your life to teach you something, be it something you want to learn more about or something you know you need to avoid.

Having all these opportunities for learning has allowed me to change my perspective and thinking on a lot of things, and hopefully they are moving toward the better for me and the people I interact with on a regular basis.  :)  Here are some of my most important lessons...

1.  There is always time for doing good.  Even if you are in a hurry, there is time to do something that will make someone else feel special, or just noticed.  Doing the family shopping, it takes no time at all to give someone a smile, to thank someone for offering to help, to offer your help to someone who can't find or can't reach an item on the shelf.  Paying it forward at a restaurant or drive through only takes a moment, and can let another person know you understand or care, even if only from a distance.  A phone call to a friend, just to talk for the moment, or to plan something more.  Volunteering your home for a family get together.  Taking time to play Lego's with the children...  All of these only need a little of your time, but can mean so much to the recipient.

2.  Children truly are only little for a little while.  They grow so super fast!  It seems like yesterday that my little man was just a newborn, but now he can really read and do math and is such a sweet, independent boy. My dolly is such a sweet caretaker, and is learning and growing so much every day.  And the super baby really isn't a baby anymore- he is very firmly almost a preschooler.  While our lives are busy and sometimes hectic, I have never been one to schedule us for this, that, and the other thing every day, and so I have been able to spend a good amount of time with them every day.  (This was definitely helped by my career choice and the awesome employers who made it easy for me to bring the munchkins to work with me!)  However, there are times that a part of me wants to feel bad for taking time for doing things for myself (like sitting around with my nose in a book... Or my Kindle, which my husband insists is not a book...)  But I do know that it is good for me to take some time for myself too.  It is good to know the balance.

3.  It is ok to change your mind, your perspective, and how you see the world.  As you learn and grow, you have to incorporate the new information into what you already have.  Sometimes, you will learn things that can contradict what you know or previously thought best.  It can be so difficult sometimes to let go of being right in favor of learning to do what might be better in the situation for everyone.  Trust me, I know.

4.  People will move in and out of your life, and there isn't always anything you can do to stop them.  There have been friends I thought I would never be without, who are no longer a part of my day to day life.  I mourned when our friendships changed from what they were, but with time have learned that things worked out the way they were supposed to.  I have wonderful people in my life now, people who challenge me to try new things, who are there to support me as a wife, a parent, a co-worker, an employee, a sibling, a child to my parents.  I treasure them, and will for every day that I get to keep them.

5.  There is always something new to learn.  I work with children, and the research and knowledge is always changing and growing.  All I have to do is look at how things have changed just since my little man was born to know how fast things can change.  There are so many different things we know now than we did just a few short years ago, and that will change more.  I am learning about food, nutrition, and diet, and the information available now is so different from what it was... and what it probably will be in just a few more years.

Learning and growing, to me, is one of the best gifts of my life.  I love to learn new things- new crafts to do, new foods to make for my family and friends, new ways to improve my home and gardens, new ways to be the best mom and teacher that I can be.  And all I have to do is ask the question.

It's that easy for you, too...  :)

The Sweetness of Children

On Thursday, I became an auntie to another sweet boy.  My younger sis and her husband had their second little man, and he is a little cutie.  Congrats to them!

Since I wasn't feeling the greatest on Thursday, I had to wait until Friday to make sure I was well enough to go meet the new little man.  It was hard, as I wanted to rush right over to see my sweet sister and her babe, but I resisted as I didn't want to get them sick.  It was sure worth the wait.

Friday afternoon, after picking up little man from school, we stopped at home quickly for a backpack drop off, and headed over to the hospital.  After parking, we made the necessary chain of hand holding to make sure no one got lost or distracted, and marched our way to the maternity floor.  After checking in and finding the right room, we got settled for a nice visit.  It was amazing and so rewarding to me to see my own sweet babies so excited to meet their new cousin, and their gentleness with him when it was their turn to hold him.  Even the super baby was calm and careful (at least as far as a 2 1/2 year old can be) while taking his turn.  And seeing my dolly rocking and shushing as the babe fussed and she watched the cartoon that her uncle had started for them so they didn't get too antsy...  Almost brought a tear to the eye.  It was wonderful.  :)

Today, most of the rest of the family came over at our invitation for a potluck lunch and hangout.  These are my favorite type of get together with my family.  I am not the most fanatical of housekeepers, so some mess isn't going to get me too worked up to clean my house before my family (or really, any one else) comes over.  As long as the cat box and diaper bin aren't smelling up the place, we are pretty good.  It was a nice and relaxing day, with a few tossed grapes to keep things interesting.  :)  And I got the benefit of seeing my babies in action again, this time with my just past 6 month old niece.  She is such a smiley girl!  Little man got to help her with her bottle, and seeing my brother helping him learn about supporting her head up enough, and holding the bottle so she wasn't getting air was another pretty cool moment.  And watching my baby doll and super baby playing peek a boo with her... . That's something that will never get old either.

These are the memories I will cherish.  Time with my family, and seeing my children develop these memories and closeness with their cousins.  Time to spend with my siblings, my parents, the family we have gathered together.  These moments are the best.

My momma tells me that there are people who wish they had these moments too...  Don't wait for them to happen.  Make them happen!  You don't want to look back on a lot of "I wish I would have's".  Go for the "I'm glad I did's".  You'll like them better!