First Week of School Kinks

Good Morning, I am sitting here with my cup of coffee on this Friday morning and decided to make a quick post about Karli's first week of school. Other than my one freak-out on Monday it has been a very smooth week. There are only a couple of kinks I have to work out.


FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL


1.Her lunch, my daughter is a very picky eater and will not eat cafeteria food. I feed her before she leaves and send her a lunch but she never eats it and she comes home starving EVERYDAY!! She doesn't like sandwiches or lunchables. I've sent chocolate pudding, grapes, apples(she loves apples)and she didn't eat any of it. I need some ideas to what to send with her.

2. Also balancing my work and Karli's school schedule. School is from 12:15-3:15 and I usually work 10-4. I have to get somebody to drop off and pick her up.



I am super excited for Karli because she likes her school. I am sure it won't take long and I will have it all figured out :) BUT If anybody has any pre-school advice I need all the help I can get.
                                                                                             -Sarah

Our year so far...

We just finished our 3rd week of our new school year and I though I would share a few things with you all and tell you how we are doing with the curriculum we decided on this year. You can see my post on that here

Road Trip USA



me on the map idea found here

I have found out that this one we are not ready for just yet, I have looked it over and loved the idea of it but when we put it into action it just was not for us. There is a lot of writing that Olivia is just not ready for that yet and she really was not interested in the topics as well so we will save this one for later when she is a bit older.

When I decided to drop Road Trip USA I had to figure out what we would do for Social Studies and History this year.  While at the library I found a book called “What Your 1^st Grader Should Know and went over the Geography and History section and picked out the topics I though Olivia and I would enjoy and I am going to find some fun ways to teach each topic.  We had so much fun learning about maps last week I think that this is just what we needed.  It is going to be a lot more involved with me figuring out the lesson plan each week from scratch but it will also be a lot of fun.

Math Mammoth

This one I was a little scared of because it is math and while we have done really well teaching her numbers and counting and even started a little addition I though I was going to need a scripted program, I did not know how I was going to explain to Olivia the hows or whys for the concepts in math but so far it seems that Olivia learns just like I do so us working the teaching section together she picks it up pretty easy and I love the games that the author suggests. I know that it will get harder but for now we love the curriculum that we have.





Explode the Code



playing a game using flash cards

I love this workbook, it is hard enough that I feel like Olivia is learning something but not too hard that I have to sit over her the whole time she is working on it.

I also like that each lesson we have done so far has a little grammar work as well in the teachers book. This was something that I have not figured out what I am going to use to teach so I am glad that we are getting little work in each week for now until I find a grammar book.


I have also made flash cards and word games to go along with the lesson because even though Olivia loves to do the worksheets it “clicks” better when there is some fun thrown in there.

 

Elementary Life Science

This is another book that we are loving, we are slowly working through the book we started it last year.  Reading the text and answering the questions together. To be honest it has mostly been me reminding her about the answers. A super exciting thing that happened this week though Olivia got a lot of the answers correct with out any prompting from me.  whoohoo!! The experiments and activities in the book are super fun so we are enjoying learning science.

 

Other things

We also have done a couple of lesson in our just right mini lesson book this is one thing that I am so-so about but we are going to stick with it for now. 

Olivia still enjoys working through the you can read lessons so even though it is mostly too easy for her it is good to get the sight word practice in so  I let her work on that as she wants to.

Right now my main focus is on reading and math I know if she gets the basics of those two things down she will do well with what ever life or school throws at her. The other things while still very important in the long run are just an added bonus right now I am trying to make it fun and keep it pointed to things that she is interested in. 

This year is our first year to join a co-op and we had our first outing that was really fun thank you FFHSC for making us feel welcome. Another new thing going on this year Olivia has joined a soccer team and we have enjoyed meeting new friends through that as well

 

I am still looking for a good handwriting and grammar program so if anyone has any suggestions let me know in the comments down below.

-Becca

Easiest dessert ever made

One of my all time favorite desserts my mom always made for get-togethers was her fruit salad. It's easy and something about it is addicting. I am actually making it right now for a small BBQ I am having at my house. The only ingredients you need for a basic fruit salad is fruit cocktail and whipped cream(which is what I eat it at home alone for a quick sugar high)!!!You can add more things like cherries, nuts, apples or pineapples for extra yumminess.
I do something different every time but for today's I am mixing
 fruit cocktail (make sure you drain the syrup first!!!), cherries (cut in half) 1 chopped up apple and whipped cream. I then put an extra layer of whipped cream on top (just for looks). A layer of crushed pineapples. Decorated with nuts cherries and chocolate syrup it took 10 min and I was done!!!
I hope Ya'll enjoy this easy fruit salad. Let me know what your go-to quick dessert is.
                                                                                                   -Sarah

Finished Results!!!

 

Ingredients used

 (I didn't think to take a pic till I was almost done.Sorry about the empty containers TYPICAL ME)    :) :) :)

Journey to a more organized life

Yesterday Charmaine talked about chaos and organization here this is something that I have a lot of issues with.  Not as much in my home but in my mind *don’t get me wrong my home is a mess but it is not as distracting to me as my thoughts*

I have so many ideas of things that I want to do or try, it just gets jumbled up and I end up not getting anything done. Even while sitting here trying to write this post my mind is racing about all the other things that I could write about or could be doing. It gets so bad that I can not get to sleep at night. I just can’t get my mind to slow down.

So my thoughts are where I am going to start my journey to a better organized life. Now I just have to figure out how to slow down my overexcited mind.

After a few days of research I have found a few ideas of what I can do to try and slow this mind down. The first thing I am going try is every evening after my kiddos go to bed I will write down everything that I am thinking about, or worrying about and write down one thing that will help me stop thinking about it. I will try to write down a solution to the problem, or one thing that will get my thinking into an action.

I guess we will see how it goes. If you have any ideas about what I could try please leave a comment below this tired mama is willing to try anything.

-Becca

Adios Chaos

 

Chaos - a total lack of organization or order

Wow! Don’t we all have a little bit of CHAOS in our homes? From a whole room full of it, to just a closet. There is a feeling of “ughhhh” every time you see it, and the overwhelming thought of “I just can’t get organized”.

I am here to tell you that YOU can do it! One of the easiest things for me to do is throw stuff away. I have no hesitation or second thoughts. I actually enjoy throwing things away. I do a happy dance and everything. lol But I realize that there are a lot of people that just can’t let go of things.

If you have a desire to get organized, I have a few personal tips that you can use. In a few steps you can be well on your way to having a chaos-free home.

1. Get rid of extras

De-clutter before you organize. Start with a BIG trash bag and lots of patience. I admit it can feel overwhelming at first, but just take a deep breath; then take your time. If it helps, do a little bit everyday. No need to try to tackle it all at once.

Ask yourself these two questions to determine if you should keep an item.

1. Do I really, really LOVE this?

2. Do I really NEED this?

If your answer is no, or maybe, then get rid of it! Take it to Goodwill, have a yard sale or just throw it away.

We tend to keep all kinds of stuff thinking that “one day” we are going to use it or need it, and we end up with piles of unused clutter. At the end of the day, we can’t find anything. Months or years go by and we don’t even know what we have. So, I say if you didn’t even remember you had it, and you lived fine without it, then let it go. Of course, there are sentimental items that don‘t fit any criteria, such as pictures, special memories, your kids’ school art, cards, etc. If it’s very special to you, then it should stay.

2. Organize and Store

Everything must have a place. Start by separating your things and categorizing them, then decide how and where to store them in a place which is practical for you. You can use things that you already have at home, such as plastic containers, drawers, a flower pot , tin cans, mason jars or shoe boxes! Use labels to help you remember where everything goes. Utilize your shed, attic or garage for the long-term storage items that do not need to be kept handy.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be flawless; just make it your personal preference. The only right way to organize is how you want it. Different people have different styles and needs. Do what works for you!!

3. Maintain/Prevent

When you are finished, look around. Enjoy the “Oh, it’s finally done, and I am feeling so good about myself” moment. Cherish it, and don’t forget it.

It’s really easy to let things get out of hand, again. So stick with it, maintain the order, try your best to put those scissors back in the drawer, and promise yourself to try not to keep every empty box, sale paper, etc.

Strive to make it your routine to always put things back where they belong. And remember… you don’t need to keep EVERYTHING!

I hope these tips can help you. If you have any tips that you can share, feel free to comment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Olivia's first day of first grade

All summer I have been planning an exciting back to school day for Olivia, usually we just start school but this year since we are going into first grade I wanted back to school to be a celebration.  We talked about it all week and we were both super excited when the day finally arrived.

 

 

 We started back to school last week and it was a hit.  I think that we are going to have our best homeschool year yet.  We started off our morning with a very short photo session Olivia was not to into it so she only let me snap a few pictures. Then we put her daily calendar activities into the binder that she got to pick out.   Then we decorated her math binder *stickers really are all we need to have a good day*

Olivia’s favorite thing of the day was making an abacus. It really was a lot of fun, and super easy all we used was beads kabob sticks and big popsicle sticks.

We also had our first trip to the library her eyes lit up when she saw all the books everywhere. I showed her how to pull out the books where she would know where to put them back if she looked at it and decided she did not want to take it home. We went over the library etiquette and Olivia was able to get her very own library card. 

            There was one more activity sheet that I created and intended to do, it was a first day of school questionnaire, but my computer got a virus and I could not get it printed out so I guess I will turn it into a “whoohoo I am 6 questionnaire”.

 

Since we practically do school year round I think that celebrating the first day of a new school year is a good way to start fresh, and I can not wait to keep this tradition going and growing. 

Edward enjoys doing school with us as well

What kind of things do you do to make going back to school fun for you and your kids?

Planning a Mickey Mouse Birthday

First Birthday Idea

 

Kullen is turning 1 in a couple of months  and I am planning him  a Mickey Mouse birthday. There are so many birthdays in my family I really don't want a big cake. (except his smash cake of course) So  I decided to have a Buffet of Mickey Mouse snacks. I found fairly cheap mickey mouse cookie cutters from amazon and I want to cut out tons of snacks in the shape of  Mickey Mouse....Here are a few other ideas I found.

I love the look of these cake pops from pops.emmaslunch.com

(To learn how I made some yummy cake pops click HERE)

 

I'm planning on making party hats for lots of pictures. I love these from the wallace family blog

 Grill Cheese Mickey Mouse will be awesome snacks. I am also thinking Mickey Mouse peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will be a great alternative and that could be made the day before.














 This Cute DIY project I found from pinterest would be good for decoration and a cute treat box.

Isn't this the cutest idea ever from catchmyparty.com!!!!















Wish me luck and I'll let everybody know how its going when it gets closer  to October
                                                                                                                                       -Sarah

 

Birthdays

I had such a good time planning my kiddos birthday parties this year I though that I would share a little of it with you.

Olivia’s birthday is in January she turned 5 this year and we had a wonderful tea party complete with pretty frilly tutus and jewelry. 

This was a fun party to plan we found fun shaped clear plastic plates and little clear plastic cups and decorated them with beautiful scrapbooking paper add in coordinating paper fans in the shape of a tea pot and mini spoons and forks .

Her cake was petit fours covered in green and pink candy melts. We had a good time playing dress up and letting the girls do makeovers. The day was sunny and perfect

 

We just got finished with Edwards birthday in July, for him we had a race car party, we had a pit stop table that included hot dogs, Oreos for spare tires, dipsticks made from pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate and our nuts and bolts consisted of a peanut butter trail mix. I made a photo booth completr with a homemade car cut out for the kids to drive. (Big thanks to Grace for that) l could not find a race car theme plates and cups so I also made his from clear plastic and added decorations myself. Even though it rained from the time the party started to when it finished we still had a good time and it helped with the heat.

 

 

 

Do you plan big partied for your kids birthdays?

 

 

 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Original Recipe found online

I have looked at so many different places not sure where I found this the first or who made it but thank you!

1 bar Fels-Naptha soap ($1 per bar)

1 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda ($3.00? for 55 oz)

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax ($ 3.38 for 76 oz)

All of these things can be found at Wal-Mart or any store like it in the laundry isle and beside the soap each box will do several batches of soap

The recipe says to grate up the soap as small as possible (We used food processor but you can use a cheese grater) then stir in the other two ingredients and use 1-2 tablespoons per load.

We have been using this soap for about a year now with no problems it cleans the clothes really well and does not leave any scent. I have also read online that since it does not make a lot of suds it is ok for HE washers (not a professional so could not say for sure, but it has not messed up ours) 

I also put about ¼ cup of vinegar in the fabric softer dispenser of my washer to soften and deodorize clothes. 

Today mom and I made some more of this detergent up and decided to tweak it a bit so here is what we used.

 

6 cups Arm & hammer Washing Soda  

6 cups 20 mule team Borax

1 bar Zote pink

6 bar Fels-Naptha soap

¾ ml Tea tree oil in ½ of batch

Lotus blossom and vanilla fragrance oil in ½ of batch

6 cups Epsom salt

Measuring cup

Knife

Food processor 

 

What we did

1. cut up bars of soap so that they will fit into food processor 
2. Put in 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap and 1/6 bar of Zote. turn on processor and grate until all the pieces are small
3. add in washing soda and borax and mix until well blended (he had to do one batch at a time because that is what would fit into my processor)
4. I also added ¼ ml of tea tree oil to each of the first 3 batches. 
5. After all 3 batches were made we put in 3 cups of Epsom salt and mixed in really well.

The 2^nd half of the soap we did not put in tea tree oil but added 9 drops of vanilla and 21 drops of lotus blossom

      After mixing everything in it still did not have a very good scent of the vanilla and lotus blossom so I took 4 cups of detergent out and added in 14 more drops of lotus blossom and 9 more drops of the vanilla

I hope that this is not to confusing we have decided to just add the scent drops after we fill up our containers so we could add what scent we like and how much we want.  

I also will not be using the vinegar this time because we added in Epsom salt. We have not used our tweaked recipe yet but I will share a review post when we have used it a while.   

What each ingredient does for the soap

Washing soda is a detergent booster

Borax is also a detergent booster, it fights stains, softens hard water, and gets rid of any odor. 

Zote brightens clothes,

Fels-Naptha is a stain fighter

Epsom salt is a fabric softener.  

If you try out our recipe or have you own tell us about it in the comments below.

 

-Becca & Debra

A soapers review...

After being able to use both batches of our soap for about a week now I can say that I love it! It turned out fantastic.

The first batch (see here) is a beautiful yellow color and is tea tree and vitamin E oil.  This batch we used cold process and had to let it sit in a closet for 3 weeks (boy was that a long hard wait) the soap turned out so good it is hard and has lots of creamy lather. It also cleans really well and rinses off clean (it does not leave any soapy residue like some soaps can).  

The second batch (see here) is a very natural looking brown color the lilac and lotus blossom gives it a very soft sent that is very soothing.  This bar we let cure for 1 week it is a little softer than the first batch but hopefully the longer it sits the harder it will be. This one also produced a very rich lather and rinses clean.  I have also enjoyed using the oatmeal honey almond soap it is a very good exfoliating bar. I do think that we will have to grind up our oatmeal a little bit more next time the pieces are kind of big.

I have also tried to use it as hand soap and at first it dried out my hands when I used it too often but now that I have used this soap exclusively for a couple of weeks I don’t notice any dry skin.   

I still don’t know if hot process or cold process is better some things that I noticed about each, cold process looks smoother like a bar of soap from the store looks and our hot process looked rawer, not perfectly smooth it had bumps and dips (this could just be our soap though?) The Hot process soap got done a whole 2 weeks faster than the cold process although not quiet as hard (yet).

I also learned that saponification is the chemical reaction that happens between the lye and the oils that turns the oils into soap. (whoohoo)

Anyway I am by no means an expert at soap making but I do know that it is fun and if you are looking for a more natural soap then this could be your solution.