tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15960058791030280922024-03-12T23:11:31.707-05:00Hurricane HouserUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-3922222238412850702015-06-08T09:51:00.002-05:002015-06-08T09:51:50.187-05:00Get your summer on! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had planned to go to the pool today....but it's an 80% chance of rain. Plan B....it has already been raining off and on today so I loaded up some fun activities we had around the house into a basket, handed the girls an umbrella and rubber boots, and sent them outside to play in their playhouse. The child missing from the picture is working on a 25 to life sentence for his attitude lately and arguing with me. The girls did ring for some snack service, but otherwise they are playing so happily. The downfall are all the stinkin' cicadas....the kids are terrified of them when they fly into the playhouse and scream (the cicadas and the girls). Ugh I am totally ready for that to be over!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-68247826526544254502015-02-10T21:27:00.003-06:002015-02-10T21:27:44.453-06:00My non-candy Valentines idea for kiddos<br />
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I hate giving my kids candy for things like Valentines, Easter, Christmas stockings - you name it. Candy means fights. Candy means begging. Candy means messes and junk and not eating actual food. I'm not crazy over sugar, chicken nuggets or junk in general. I just always feel bad giving them an amazing stock of candy just to tell them no constantly because they don't understand why they can't eat it all. It just doesn't feel fair to me. Also candy x3 kids means candy in my face ALL THE TIME. Temptation at it's finest. <br />
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Long ago when SK was still our only baby I decided instead of candy gifts I would get them something they could use. I am not talking about making these smaller-ish holidays rival Christmas by any means. When Matt and I talked, we decided to get them something they needed/could really use but that they would think was fun. <br />
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I came up with the idea of graphic tshirts. Seems simple but my kids love character and funny tshirts. I loved the idea of getting them something that they can wear and wear again. Yes buying tshirts is SLIGHTLY more expensive than candy or something else for each kid, however it isn't buying them junk and it's more useful. Old Navy has cute shirts that are not expensive at all. I had a $20 reward coupon from my Gap card so I literally didn't spend any money at all. .83 cents out of my pocket so that's easy! <br />
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When I got home I quickly made a cute little watercolor tag for each kid. I want them to see little special details so they know that I have thought of them and make them feel special. I also don't want to over do every single holiday - I wanted to do something small and simple and special. Holidays don't have to be a gigantic production to make our little ones feel special. I have to repeat that over and over in my head because I love to go big or go home. I am really working this year on simplifying and making things special but for less and with less. I am continuously reminded of a child's heart when my kids will love the simplest things and show me that they don't need big expensive things. My kids fought in the back of my van for an hour while we waited for SK to get out of art class today over a little book that came in a Chic Fil A kids meal. Literally something we got for free, they have kept up with it and had more than one fight over who owns the book.<br />
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I can't wait to see my kids faces this Valentines day. <br />
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A little on what I chose: SK - the bulldog shirt is because we are all RIDICULOUSLY obsessed with my mom's bulldog Maxine. Anything bulldog is a yes in our books. For H - a cat shirt. She LOVES cat shirts. I love cat shirts. Cats with a mustache, cats wearing glasses, grumpy cats, Hello kitty, anything cat. So a bunch of little confetti cats making a heart - yes please. And for W - Minions. We love them. Period. <br />
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Happy Tuesday!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The start of a new year brings inspiration, desire to change, and just a fresh breath of air to look at our lives and see what we can/need to work on. For Matt and I, as a couple, it was our budgeting or lack there of. For me personally, it was meal planning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Back what seems like forever ago....I meal planned like a champ. I even wrote about my <a href="http://fivehousers.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-month-of-meals.html">month of meals</a> here for anyone that's interested. I did this for a while and LOVED it. Like any good thing that is working fabulously for me, I fell out of the habit. When I fall out of a habit I fall directly into the drive thru line at Chic Fil A (I love them with my whole heart). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here is what my fridge looks like and a little explanation for all the magnetic clips and what that junk is for!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I knew I needed to get myself in gear. I have started meal planning a little different lately and so far it's been working better than ever. We are using a modified envelope budgeting based on Jordan's method at funcheaporfree.com. Instead of weekly budgeting as she does Matt and I broke our budget up into what we call "cycles." We get paid once a month so doing 10 day cycles was easier for us to keep up with. We simply divided our montly allotment for groceries by 3. That does create an odd amount but that doesn't bother me. One other thing.... doing 10 day cycles means that I don't just grocery shop on the weekend. Our cycles end at various times. The new upcoming cycle that I just planned for starts on Wed. That might stress some out but honestly it has worked well for me. It gives me a little added pressure during the week but I don't have to spend my weekend shopping and prepping etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That works out well for me because my kids go to Awana at my mother in laws church on Wed night so I'm free. I sit down with my recipe box. Sometimes when I see a recipe that seems easy, few ingredients that I want to try I'll jot it down on a card and drop it in my box. I sift through my box for whatever looks good and for inspiration. I ask Matt what days he has to supervise ballgames, and jot down any other events going on that would redirect supper whether it is our monthly supper club with friends, late meetings, ballgames, birthday parties, anything where I won't be cooking. I then write down the days on a white notebook with the dates including the schedule in a different color. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On nights that Matt works late I will make sure not to make his favorite thing that he will miss. If he thinks he will eat when he gets home I'll make something that reheats well or is simple (I won't make pancakes because that's not great leftover). I then ask Matt for any special requests and sit down and write out what I want to make. I will take into account anything needing to be used in my freezer or ingredients needed to be used in my fridge. After jotting down the menu I make my shopping list based on the recipes and what I will need. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here is a picture of my 10 day calendar sketched out. I quickly jot down what all we have. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">One random tip for meal planning is make it easy!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I buy ground beef I try and buy extra or in bulk. I then brown it when I'm cooking supper one night and then divide it into amounts used in most of my recipes and freeze in a freezer bag. This makes any meal that requires ground beef SUPER easy. After church this week I had planned on making taco salad. When we come in from church everyone is already starving so I didn't want to spend a ton of time prepping and cooking lunch. Before we left I took out a frozen bag of pre-browned ground beef, water and my packets of taco seasoning and put them in my croc pot. I keep my croc pot on my counter since I use it almost daily. I turned it on and by the time we got back from church my meat had thawed, was warm and had been simmering in the seasoning. All I had to do when we got home was cut up a tomato and get out the things we eat on our taco salad. Easy peasy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I shop at Aldi. My list is arranged based on how the store is laid out. Aldi is a little difficult when you initially start shopping there, but as soon as I learned what they had, and where it was in the store I was in love. You do have to bring a quarter for your cart and then bag your own groceries, however it's worth it. I can buy twice the groceries at Aldi than I can anywhere else. I don't feel like I am accepting sub par groceries either. I love all their stuff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Cereal for under $2 a box REGULAR price that tastes the EXACT same as name brand? Yes please. If you have seen the Houser's cereal stash you would understand that this alone is worth the Aldi trip for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I initially sit down and meal plan I will pull the recipe cards that I need for the week and clip them on my fridge. This keeps everything at my fingertips and helps me not to be digging through things later in the week when I'm trying to remember how to make something or what the exact measurements for something are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Back a while ago I ordered this cute magnetic shopping list. I originally intended to use it for meal planning but there just wasn't enough space for me to write what I need. Using the plain white notepad with no lines that I got at Walmart for SUPA CHEAP is my jam. I didn't want to waste this cutie though so I use it to record things that I am totally out of during the week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am absolutely notorious for getting ONLY what's on my shopping list. I will know full well that we are out of an absolute essential (read hazelnut creamer and K cups) and walk right past them because I am laser focused on the list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am also horrible about forgetting that we pack kid lunches every day. Not sure how I forget but I do. I will be so focused on supper stuff that I won't add bread, peanut butter, yogurt, etc. to the list and come home happy only to realize I have NOTHING to make a kid lunch with. So this helps me to record those things. When I sit down to draft my final list (and put it in store order) I will just quickly copy things from this list onto my actual full shopping list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am 100 percent certain there are more efficient ways to meal plan. This is just how I do things. I have utilized numerous different methods but I think this works best for me right now. I keep everything at my finger tips on the fridge which is right where I am cooking. If I need to add something to my list or refer to the recipe it's right there. I do keep a chalk board on my wall in the kitchen with a menu on it as well. It's mainly for looks and my kids read it to see what's for supper. If you want to stress them out - don't follow the menu and adjust for whatever reason. They can't deal. If it's written on the chalk board, buddy it better be on the table that night! Ha. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope this helps you like it has me! I will be also updating soon with a follow up post to this about freezer meals, what I love, what I hate and how to make it work without being a crazy person who spends their entire Saturday cooking freezer meals. (I might just name the post that!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Happy Monday y'all.</span></div>
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I have gotten TONS of questions regarding my laundry soap after I recently posted a picture on Instagram. I was making a new batch to gift at Christmas and decided to document my products and the process via pictures. I quickly took these on my phone with the help of some cute assistants. I will say a few things. I adore this laundry soap. It's my favorite. It's also so stinkin easy that it's ridiculous. I made this while my kids were eating supper at the table. It only takes 10 min to make an entire batch that will last for MONTHS! The longest part of my process was filling small jars and making the tags cute! That took 3x as long as making the soap! Anyway enough yammering on.....</div>
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I get my recipe from <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/make-a-years-worth-of-laundry-soap.html">http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/make-a-years-worth-of-laundry-soap.html</a></div>
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You can alter this in numerous ways. I use the Gain crystals. I have used Purex in the past but for me, it is simply, I like the smell of Gain the best. I have a friend who uses organic soap from the health food store and essential oils in place of the fabric crystals. You can also eliminate the fabric crystals all together for a more allergy free version but it has zero smell - which to me was always weird. Anyway the recipe is above - I keep a recipe card on hand so I can refer to it or take a picture of that to text people that ask me. </div>
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The ingredients are:</div>
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* 2 cups baking soda - this is the only thing you will have to measure.</div>
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* 2 fabric crystal bottles - you can also buy one large one - or use less if you wish. </div>
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* 1 regular tub or 2 small tubs of oxy clean</div>
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* 3 bars of fels naptha (some people also use zote)</div>
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* 1 box borax</div>
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* 1 box washing soda</div>
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Now to the method - </div>
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Start by cutting up your soap like this. My kids always comment it looks like cheese. I slice it into pieces like this and usually give it another rough chop to get square pieces. (side note - I have read a million methods for doing this part - I choose this because it's the easiest, quickest, and doesn't make a huge mess).</div>
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Once you have your soap cut up put it into a food processor. This food processor is a mini size. I have had it since SK was a tiny baby and I used it to make baby food. I have used it numerous times to make laundry detergent with no problem. If you hate to use your good food processor that you cook with, you could always get one at the thrift store for next to nothing. (Also there are other methods - this is just my favorite - I apparently don't have the arm strength and endurance to grate the soap on a cheese grater. It may also have to do with the fact that method took me forever, made a mess, and it still wasn't as fine of a powder as I thought I needed. There was also a method involving using the microwave which gave me visions of exploading soap and trying to scrape soap residue from the microwave - no thanks).</div>
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This is IMPORTANT - add a couple scoops of the oxy clean powder in with the soap in the food processor. The soap is sort of a waxy consistency. When you don't have the powder the soap just clumps together and doesn't make the fine powder that we are after. </div>
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My food processor has 2 buttons for chop and grind. It is rough (mainly because my food processor is so small) so I have to hold the lid on. I use both buttons because it makes the blade spin both ways. </div>
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When you are finished if your soap looks like this STOP. This is WRONG and you want to fix it before going on. This is too clumpy. You need more powder. If you don't get the soap fine enough it doesn't totally dissolve in the wash, thus leaving you with clumps when you're done. No bueno. To fix this add another scoop or so of the oxy clean and go again.</div>
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This is what it should look like. It's a very fine powder. My food processor only holds 1 bar of soap at a time. I used 1 bar of soap to 3 scoops of oxy clean to get this. The measurment doesn't matter just get the powder fine. I did 3 rounds of this until all 3 of my bars were a fine powder. </div>
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When you are done enlist a cute helper and then pour ALL ingredients into a trash bag (or whatever). I use the double bag method - I have found this to be easiest. I would suggest using 2 bags. If you happen to get a small hole in the one actually holding the powder it won't spill out everywhere on the floor. (I may or may not have learned this the hard way). I just twirl the top of the bag closed and fold it over and flip and shake and roll it around until it's totally combined. I have also used a small rubbermaid container to mix but that involved stirring which I didn't like, it also made all the powder dust come up in my face which I also didn't like. If you put it into something to mix I find it's hard to dump it back out without making a mess everywhere. Just use the trash bag and thank me later. You can just toss the bag when you are done. :)</div>
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This batch I used for gifts for my kiddos teachers. I poured them into cute jars and made fun tags and voila. The silver scoops included are coffee scoops found at Walmart on the kitchen utensil aisle. I ALWAYS include the scoop when I gift these. It is also the exact scoop that I use to measure mine as well. The recipe calls for 2Tbsp per load. The coffee scoop is 2Tbsp. This seems TOTALLY CRAZY I know! Especially if you have been using the store bought kind where you use large scoops. Trust me. I rarely use more than 1 scoop. If I have a particularly stinky or dirty load I MIGHT use another half scoop. My clothes always come out clean and I haven't found this to be a problem.</div>
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This batch made the jars seen (6) and the other 1/2 of the batch is in a larger jar that I am gifting to someone else. Because you are making a decent amount, plus you only use 2Tbsp - this will last you forever. The last time I made some I snapped a picture and posted it so I could look back on how long it had been. It lasted me 6 months. That being said - there are 5 people in my family and we do A LOT of laundry....PLUS.....I gifted SEVERAL of the smaller jar sized amounts from my batch for wedding and shower gifts during that 6 months so it wasn't a true measure of how much we use. Without getting down to the exact time it will last your family - just trust me it lasts WAY longer than the box you buy at the store and it's WAY cheaper. </div>
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When I am not gifting these I pour my entire batch into my large jar I got at Walmart. It holds everything. I want to use this disclaimer to say - you make your own choice about what you use in your washing machine. But.... I have an HE washing machine and I use this. HE washers don't use as much water, thus requiring a low suds soap. This detergent is virtually no suds so I haven't found it to be a problem and I haven't worried because of that. </div>
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Happy Washing! And let me know what you think of it! </div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--zegL23Dn64/VJGxNSbomXI/AAAAAAAAAyo/n5Mi7qESPKQ/s1600/IMG_20141115_154046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--zegL23Dn64/VJGxNSbomXI/AAAAAAAAAyo/n5Mi7qESPKQ/s640/IMG_20141115_154046.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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I have been wanting to expand our chicken flock for a while. I have successfully convinced my hubby (he probably wasn't listening but he still said yes) and I ordered 10 tiny chicks. Waiting for their arrival I was SUPER anxious. I spoke to the post office every day and was thrilled when my chicks FINALLY arrived. On a side note I'm still super amazed you can just order these live little chicks on the internet! Crazy! </div>
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When they arrived we FLEW from school that day straight to the post office to pick up our peeping package. The lady at the post office had already fallen in love and kept our little package by her side all day. </div>
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We brought them home and opened the little box up and there were 10 precious fuzz balls inside. The kids faces when the box opened were priceless. I thought the box looked tiny for having 10 but when I opened it I realized they were all snuggled together anyway. </div>
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We put them in their new luxurious home for the next few weeks - the Lowes box! I immediately dipped each of their beaks in water to show them where it was. You may be curious about how they survive while being mailed. I thought this was so neat! When they hatch (our hatchery it's in the wee hours of Monday morning) they ingest the yolk sak in the egg. They are then mailed Monday afternoon. We had ours by Wednesday. They can live off that yolk sak and need no other nourishment for 72 hours. That's why hatcheries mail day old chicks instead of week old etc. </div>
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The kids were CRAZY about these chicks! When we picked them up they felt like you were holding a cotton ball they were so tiny. I was amazed how they immediately ran to the feeders and waterer and knew exactly what to do. </div>
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I had read that baby chicks will just fall over asleep and it's scary. So I noticed this one immediately seemed super tired. As I watched the others I noticed they would sleep and pop back up and sleep and pop back up again. This precious one seemed to only sleep. I would try and wake her and she would just lethargically sleep in my arms. I tried to hand feed her and dip her beak in water to give her strength. I began to worry something was wrong because she would flip onto her back and just wasn't acting like the others. Sadly she didn't make it. I cried and cried and felt like I had failed her as a chicken Mama and I immediately felt like I didn't know what I was doing. I have worried over the exact temperature of the box and Matt even joked that I looked like I was in the waiting room of the hospital because the night we brought them home I sat in a chair and watched them for hours. Matt kindly buried our peep in the backyard. The next day I worried as I was at work and rushed home. They all seemed fine but as the night went on another started to act the way that the first had. I noticed her only laying down and never getting up. We fed her sugar water and read online and tried everything. I was actually amazed at how long she survived because I was certain she was dying within moments numerous times. She didn't make it either. After speaking to the hatchery and watching our remaining 8 I have realized that some just are weak and that's life. It breaks my heart but it's also been an interesting lesson to SK mainly about life. A friend of me was telling me about her dad's comments when her sons fish died. He told her that it's sad but having pets die is a way that children learn about life and death and come to an understanding - especially because at some point in their life a person will die too. We have talked about this with SK and had prepared her ahead of time that some could possibly die on the trip or after. I felt she was prepared. I apparently hadn't prepared myself. </div>
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I am happy to say that almost a week after they have hatched that the remaining 8 chicks seem to be happy and healthy. I can tell a big difference in them and the ones who passed. They are growing, eating, fluffing their fuzzy feathers around too. <br />
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This is our pin worthy brooder box. I initially was going to set them up in our garage because it's very warm in there and chicks need to be kept very warm. I couldn't take the garage so I immediatley moved them inside. It's a large, completely in the way, area! My sweet husband hasn't complained a single time that the chicken brooder is overtaking our laundry area and where he keeps his treadmill. It allows me to keep an eye on them, and the kids to frequently check on them. My biggest worry about them inside was Oakley. I should have known she would be fine. She is the best dog! When they first came inside she looked at them and looked in the box and hasn't even given them a 2nd thought since. We do have the child gate around the box just in case though. </div>
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Here are some of our sweet friends. I can't tell all of them apart just yet but they are so precious! This little girl loved roosting on my finger. </div>
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This little one below is my most fiesty hen. She is adorable but flips out if we try and pick her up!</div>
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The one below is the only one who has been named. Matt named her Harriet and I love her. She was a surprise on hatch day. We had originally ordered 2 silver gray dorkings (the one pictured above). I got a call from the hatchery on hatch day that only 1 had hatched. I was given a choice of what was available. I was thrilled when a breed that wasn't available when I ordered was that day. Harriet is a silver laced wyandotte and I can't wait to see how beautiful she is when she grows up. </div>
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It is absolutely amazing to me how fast these chicks grow. In just a few short days I can already tell how much bigger they have gotten. One of the neatest things is that when they arrive they look like balls of fuzzle. They begin very quickly to get feathers in and actually look like chickens. This one has the most pronounced "real" feathers on her wings that you can see in this picture. Catching them at this stage is hilarious. Luckily they are in a small box so it isn't hard. You wouldn't think that at a week old they would be so fast but it would be similar to catching a mouse for how quick they are. They also can bob and weave and really try and avoid being caught. I look forward to them getting bigger so they can tolerate the temperature much better. We will be extensively handling our chicks so they are very friendly and of course easy to catch. We also have a friend who's father is hatching chicks in the next few days. We are anxiously awaiting their hatching as we will be purchasing a few from him as well. </div>
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I know many think we are crazy chicken people - and by many I mean my husband who doesn't even like birds! I can honestly say that keeping chickens has been so much fun for us and we are super excited for these to grow up and incorporate into our flock. We are also super excited for the day closer to winter time when they will begin laying eggs. <br />
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SK will be selling eggs once all these begin laying eggs. If you would like to regularly receive eggs from her please contact me and let me know. We will be selling a dozen for $4 and a 1/2 dozen for $2. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-27824840333270211502014-08-31T09:22:00.002-05:002014-12-16T19:00:19.666-06:00Turning 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-104315676322050952014-07-20T21:43:00.002-05:002014-07-20T21:44:47.284-05:00Skater the chicken keeper<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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So it's high time that I document one of the funnest (yeah I know that's not a word) adventures we have taken on recently. WE HAVE CHICKENS!!! So you might ask yourself....how does a farm girl - married suburbian - decide to keep backyard chickens? The answer - have yourself a Skater. When I was pregnant with SK my mom bought a tiny box of peeps. She started with quite a few. Several have died along the way but she still has 3. It's really neat that they are the same age as SK. SK has LOVED interacting with Nammy's chickens. All our kids are thrilled to collect eggs and think watching the chickens is so fun! </div>
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While browsing the aisles of a local store Matt and I passed a chicken coop. If you know my husband you will be shocked with the following.... so we passed the coop, I stopped and said OH MY GOSH this is so cool! He then starts looking, asking how much it is, and checking it out. I asked him what he thought about getting it for SK 6th birthday coming up. He thought it was a fun idea and wondered if my parents would be interested. I casually texted my mom and told her that SK would love it and nothing else was mentioned. </div>
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A month or so before SK birthday my dad called and asked if we were serious about keeping chickens. Matt and I talked and I told him yes. My parents bought her the coop, set it up at their house and my mom bought a box full of baby peeps. </div>
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SK spent the night at Nammys and discovered these sweet babies and was instantly in love! She didn't know they were hers and would carefully help Nammy take care of them and handle them so they would be gentle. </div>
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At Easter we handled chickens, painted their toenails and I got REALLY excited about when we would bring them home! <br>
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Skater and her new coop!<br>
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About a month before her birthday the chickens were getting ready and so we told SK they were hers and brought em home! She was THRILLED to say the least. We loaded up the coop and brought it home. My dad, Matt and I loaded up and went to Lowes and got all the supplies for building the chicken run. Matt worked hard at building an amazing chicken run. We added a swing and they LOVED it. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5vHDqevoCvM/U8x94i7s_II/AAAAAAAAAto/lS1F3wDhXaY/s640/blogger-image--1141803157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5vHDqevoCvM/U8x94i7s_II/AAAAAAAAAto/lS1F3wDhXaY/s640/blogger-image--1141803157.jpg"></a></div><br>
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Tilda swinging. Even our sweet Chelle who dislikes birds (okay lets not lie, I have seen her sprint at 9 months pregnant, screaming, away from my moms chickens- why oh why don't I have a photograph of that???) Anyway - even she was entertained by chickens swinging!!! </div>
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Skater and sweet Tilda. This chicken is more like a dog than a bird! She loves to creep up and sit beside us on the deck. I have to say that I have loved her from the start.</div>
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When the chicks were still in the box my mom said she thought she had a rooster. She could tell when he was tiny. Initially I said we just wanted hens because I feared the rooster crowing bothering our neighbors. When we were picking out which ones we wanted to bring home (mom got 10 - 5 for us, and 5 for her) Matt said he thought the rooster would be cool. We had done enough reading about chickens for us to know that it would be interesting to watch a rooster and so I agreed. SK named him The Mayor and he has been an absolute blast to watch. We love him and everyone was ecstatic when he started to crow! <br>
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Skater holding Granny. She is so proud of her chicks!<br>
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Our silly birds don't sleep in the coop. Tilda started flying first and jumped on the roof. Everyone must sleep together and so they all sleep on the roof of the coop. One night it was storming horribly and I went out and there they all were on top. They love it! </div>
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We have recently started letting them out to roam in the yard. Initially I was scared they would scatter in a million different directions and never be able to get em in the coop. They have the best time in the yard! We have LOVED watching them in the yard. And by we I mean me and the girls because they stress Matt out in the yard! We are having to constantly shoo them from the garden and the flowers. </div>
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The Mayor keeps the girls in line. He looks like he is pacing back and forth in this picture and I LOVE him. When he started crowing Matt elbowed me at about 5am and said HE IS CROWING - and of course I FLEW out of bed to peek out the window and watch him! </div>
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Skater has learned how to catch the chickens and she is constantly found packing them around. I have to remind her that not everyone likes birds (ahem - aunt chelle) and to remember to not bring them out and pack them like pets around everyone! haha. </div>
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Here is our whole gang. All 3 kids, 5 chickens and our kitten Rocky. Oakley is missing from the picture (because she is a bird dog and really would love to eat them!)</div>
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Tilda wanted to join us for breakfast. I made scrambled eggs. </div>
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And....drumroll please - after much anticipation - one of our hens has laid an egg! I have been waiting and knew it would be soon but was thinking a few more weeks. Back last week I had cleaned out their coop and put down a lot of bedding in their nesting boxes (where they are supposed to lay eggs). Usually when we are home we let everyone out at least once a day for a while if not more than that. Today after church we headed to moms to eat, I had a reception for a friend getting married, and my sweet nephews birthday party. Needless to say we weren't home. When I finally got out there today to water the garden and check on everyone it was starting to get dark. Chickens can't see in the dark and they start heading to their coop at that time and so it wasn't the time to let em out. I had to remind SK of this when she came out to watch me and said "MOOOOOMMMMM we haven't had em out all day!" I have been checking their nesting box expecting nothing and I lifted the lid and there it was. AN EGG!!!! I squealed and told sk who went FLYING into the house for her boots, followed by me for my camera. W was screaming and Matt came to look but was watching us like we were lunatics. SK immediately called her Nammy who couldn't even understand her because she was so excited. </div>
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Can you even believe how precious this is????<br>
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We came right in and fried up our precious egg. Everyone had a bite and it was the BEST egg I have ever had. I cannot believe how proud we are of our hens! </div>
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<br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-90207360808226638422014-07-17T12:21:00.001-05:002014-07-17T13:02:28.497-05:00Make your own playdoh! You will thank me later!<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-79pVydwbtdw/U8gPEKofUsI/AAAAAAAAApM/rn3CVpXkL0I/s640/blogger-image-2103529606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-79pVydwbtdw/U8gPEKofUsI/AAAAAAAAApM/rn3CVpXkL0I/s640/blogger-image-2103529606.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><br></div>I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">made 3 quick batches of playdoh this morning for a fun play activity. This is so easy I literally made the playdoh while I was talking on the phone to a friend! You have everything in your house probably and once you have tried homemade playdoh you will never go back to store bought. First things first- </span><div><div><br></div><div>- 1 cup flour</div><div>- 1/4 cup salt</div><div>- 1TBSP oil</div><div>- 1 TBSP cream of tartar</div><div>- food coloring or a packet of koolaid </div><div>- 3/4 cup boiling water (put a glass measuring cup in microwave for 2.5 min) </div><div><br></div><div>Mix all your dry ingredients and then add the boiling water. Give the mixture a couple turns to combine and then let it cool. I pop mine in the fridge because I'm super patient like that! Once it's mostly cool dump it on the counter and knead it for several min. Initially it's sticky - that works it's way out as you knead. </div><div><br></div><div>This is the awesome blog where I got this recipe and she has some great pictures and tips </div><div><br></div><div>http://mamapapabubba.com/2012/09/21/the-best-scented-no-cook-play-dough/</div><div><br></div><div>*here is a tip of mine or an admission of my failure whatever - I cannot make double batches. I have had great success making single batches. The second I double a batch it doesn't turn out so take that or leave that. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aaFfz9zCIFg/U8gPJshk9gI/AAAAAAAAAp0/EPf8YajWb_E/s640/blogger-image-1666597538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aaFfz9zCIFg/U8gPJshk9gI/AAAAAAAAAp0/EPf8YajWb_E/s640/blogger-image-1666597538.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Today we used koolaid and made grape, strawberry-kiwi, and very berry playdoh. </div><div><br></div><div>I put a ball of playdoh on placemats at the counter and initially only included these cool plastic picks that I found at (ahem- the liquor store). As they played I slowly put other loose parts in the middle for them to use. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cV-Fr7Q97Y0/U8gPGvbfuCI/AAAAAAAAApc/97PeXsQWfS8/s640/blogger-image-556487436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cV-Fr7Q97Y0/U8gPGvbfuCI/AAAAAAAAApc/97PeXsQWfS8/s640/blogger-image-556487436.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2a44pApZbDI/U8gPFPm6QFI/AAAAAAAAApU/L1rS_5L6oEI/s640/blogger-image-481296427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2a44pApZbDI/U8gPFPm6QFI/AAAAAAAAApU/L1rS_5L6oEI/s640/blogger-image-481296427.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7xpvtzWDrz8/U8gPTMrmocI/AAAAAAAAAqE/nvMex-D7Oyk/s640/blogger-image-572799957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7xpvtzWDrz8/U8gPTMrmocI/AAAAAAAAAqE/nvMex-D7Oyk/s640/blogger-image-572799957.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><div>H had been playing with the first batch while I made the others so she didn't last as long. She did have fun sticking things into the playdoh, patting it on the counter and attempting to eat it. W and SK got to work immediately creating. Sk made a very elaborate hermit crab habitat and family. If you look carefully her creations really do look like a hermit crab! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lyAGG-cUhy4/U8gPK4FZaGI/AAAAAAAAAp8/IWgSjhM7nts/s640/blogger-image-1889523107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lyAGG-cUhy4/U8gPK4FZaGI/AAAAAAAAAp8/IWgSjhM7nts/s640/blogger-image-1889523107.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The older two can spend an unlimited amount of time with loose parts and their imagination - I just love listening to them chatting away! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3xHlTOc-WiU/U8gPIiG4ZSI/AAAAAAAAAps/xLGRk59TrUk/s640/blogger-image--490882833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3xHlTOc-WiU/U8gPIiG4ZSI/AAAAAAAAAps/xLGRk59TrUk/s640/blogger-image--490882833.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-62dB6hUBb2c/U8gPHtmx4aI/AAAAAAAAApk/HliTTJumq2c/s640/blogger-image--29808235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-62dB6hUBb2c/U8gPHtmx4aI/AAAAAAAAApk/HliTTJumq2c/s640/blogger-image--29808235.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jWNemb6VoY4/U8gPUQF4BZI/AAAAAAAAAqM/XogwU_uZyHo/s640/blogger-image--1912610367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jWNemb6VoY4/U8gPUQF4BZI/AAAAAAAAAqM/XogwU_uZyHo/s640/blogger-image--1912610367.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hCFaV5Fjmoo/U8gPC75bP9I/AAAAAAAAApE/zAWrlZswoZg/s640/blogger-image-1910387600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hCFaV5Fjmoo/U8gPC75bP9I/AAAAAAAAApE/zAWrlZswoZg/s640/blogger-image-1910387600.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-86319651134757882532014-07-11T08:28:00.001-05:002014-07-11T08:39:56.006-05:00Dish washing station<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yMBm2oxyS0c/U7_oJqB6VlI/AAAAAAAAAoc/kNxjTATRu_4/s640/blogger-image-1014161219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yMBm2oxyS0c/U7_oJqB6VlI/AAAAAAAAAoc/kNxjTATRu_4/s640/blogger-image-1014161219.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Matt and I have been working in our yard! We started earlier this spring building a deck. After deck completion we added our chicken coop and run. After all this building and work we needed a break! <div><br></div><div>We are slowly but surely getting around to cleaning up around the deck and coop and making it look more finished. While we were working our kids played outside. They rode with us to get each load of rock. I don't know what it is about me wanting to load everyone up and go too but we always seem to do these trips as a family. </div><div><br></div><div>That being said we needed them to keep busy in the backyard. I needed happy kids, who were not crying, and could leave us alone to work for a bit. I had seen an idea for a dish washing station back a while ago and filed it away. We had an old clear bin laying in the yard and a lightbulb went off!!! </div><div><br></div><div> After we ate lunch I gathered some plastic dishes, sponges, scrub brushes and a drying tray. I put a little soap in a couple of old soap containers, filled them the rest of the way with water fot "soap." I put a lot of soap in the clear bin and filled it half way with soapy water. The trickiest part was carrying this heavy and awkwardly sloshy bin to the play area without getting drenched! I am happy to say I busted out beast mode and didn't get soaked! </div><div><br></div><div>The kids loved it and happily played throughout the afternoon! If you know W he hates getting wet so we did have to listen to his whining about getting soapy water on his clothes. Apparently logic and reason has left him because he stares at a bin of soapy water, accompanied by his sisters, sets out to play, and seriously thinks he won't get wet/soapy, or that his lovingly kind and considerate sisters won't at some point soak him to hear him scream. So here are the pictures! I love this activity because it takes something I have on hand, and with about 3 minutes of set up, presents it in an interesting and fun way. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8LdiRxwbh2A/U7_oItfR3jI/AAAAAAAAAoU/He_fkIndGJM/s640/blogger-image--959342677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8LdiRxwbh2A/U7_oItfR3jI/AAAAAAAAAoU/He_fkIndGJM/s640/blogger-image--959342677.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KeeyGUfTo_8/U7_oK_wn9pI/AAAAAAAAAok/BoLhQmO3V2c/s640/blogger-image--744475671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KeeyGUfTo_8/U7_oK_wn9pI/AAAAAAAAAok/BoLhQmO3V2c/s640/blogger-image--744475671.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UNIdueHSo9w/U7_oFcJRXhI/AAAAAAAAAoM/rM6OpJm57Ds/s640/blogger-image-1145089691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UNIdueHSo9w/U7_oFcJRXhI/AAAAAAAAAoM/rM6OpJm57Ds/s640/blogger-image-1145089691.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mpKmhRMgMOs/U7_oMIh-qeI/AAAAAAAAAos/TF2fq6owfbM/s640/blogger-image--122317347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mpKmhRMgMOs/U7_oMIh-qeI/AAAAAAAAAos/TF2fq6owfbM/s640/blogger-image--122317347.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AAUjXXLL0Ho/U7_oNoMvqKI/AAAAAAAAAo0/0sMmS1VvHts/s640/blogger-image-2025709051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AAUjXXLL0Ho/U7_oNoMvqKI/AAAAAAAAAo0/0sMmS1VvHts/s640/blogger-image-2025709051.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And we basically ended our day with this.... We are apparently all about safety here (especially since H fell out of a bar stool earlier this week- we thought her leg was broken- had it xrayed (it wasn't) but she had a severe limp all week. - Matt may or may not have called her Tiny Tim all week-). When I texted this picture to my mom she said one almost broken leg a week is enough! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Iam7x1oOZlA/U7_oEJRtyoI/AAAAAAAAAoE/rhC17zFDmwY/s640/blogger-image--1805090347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Iam7x1oOZlA/U7_oEJRtyoI/AAAAAAAAAoE/rhC17zFDmwY/s640/blogger-image--1805090347.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And a sneak peak of our yard! <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y3IpFhvurkg/U7_oDDsWCmI/AAAAAAAAAn8/d-IZRBQUzdA/s640/blogger-image-1969716280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y3IpFhvurkg/U7_oDDsWCmI/AAAAAAAAAn8/d-IZRBQUzdA/s640/blogger-image-1969716280.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-61542485233167258162014-07-02T23:09:00.000-05:002014-07-02T23:09:00.837-05:00A simple cutting tray<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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A cutting tray isn't what you think.... wait yes it is. It's a tray where you cut stuff. Voila'! I should end my post here! </div>
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This is the simplest idea ever and your kids will LOVE it! I went around the house collecting bits and pieces of random items that were scraps or could be cut. I assembled different things that would give different levels of resistance and sent them to cutting!!! </div>
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We have done this activity before and I was thrilled. SK is a very good scissor-er (new word)! W needs some practice and this is the perfect avenue! In the tray I had scrap card stock, filters, magazine pieces, string, playdoh, plastic lid, scrap paper, and scrap cardboard. </div>
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I lay everything in a tray and give each kiddo a pair of scissors. Of course I remind them to be careful and not cut fingers! With W I usually have to readjust how he is holding his scissors to practice. </div>
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The kids absolutely adore not having direction. They think it's fun to do whatever they want. This time I included a magazine that the zoo sends us and they thought that was extra fun. W tends to just cut things up into tiny pieces or shred them. SK usually makes something or has a "plan." This time she cut out pictures of the animals from the magazines. </div>
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I am constantly amazed at how little direction the kids really need/want. Almost anything I give them they will immediately jump in and create their own plan of action. Occasionally they will ask me what they are supposed to do but generally they know what they want to do which I love! I really want them to be creative and thinkers and I love these type of activities that promote that! </div>
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The very first time we did a cutting tray they asked what it was. I told them it's a tray and they can cut things however they want....enough said. They had no more questions and dove right in. </div>
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W was deep in concentration. I love how attentive he is to making sure not to cut his fingers. This is a great way to increase fine motor skills. Kids LOVE using scissors so they don't even realize they are working on a skill! The best part of this activity is there is no end product so it doesn't matter to me what they do! I'm not attempting to get them to do anything specific so for them there is no pressure!</div>
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SK worked hard at cutting out the animal pictures on her magazine pages.</div>
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The straws provide a neat amount of resistance and W kept commenting on how they "jumped" when he cut them.</div>
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The pile of scraps is the result of about 30 min. of close to complete silence. I set this up for them while H was taking a nap. SK and W quietly whispered to each other about what they were doing and what they wanted to cut next. What I noted most was they so deeply concentrated on their cutting they were quiet for such a long time ----- which makes for a happy Mama!</div>
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Try setting this up for your kids and let me know what you think! Fine motor skills - check! Quiet activity for kids - check! Kindergarten skill practice - check! As a K teacher myself this is a big one! We really work on scissor skills in K so this is an awesome way to give them a jump start! </div>
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Happy Scissoring!!!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-74178922324522408572014-06-27T09:53:00.001-05:002014-06-27T10:16:21.226-05:00Housers on the road - traveling with kids<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wBx-iSWGzgc/U62JYCed0zI/AAAAAAAAAmc/gBvUfhPo1lU/s640/blogger-image-728125492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wBx-iSWGzgc/U62JYCed0zI/AAAAAAAAAmc/gBvUfhPo1lU/s640/blogger-image-728125492.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Being locked in a car with 3 kids for multiple hours can be a way to torture people - just saying! We have been on the recieving end of crying, screaming, I am bored, I need to pee, ugggggghhhhhh mom we are starving - etc! Last summer when we made the 13 hour drive to the beach I put together an "activity bag" and pulled out things when the kids were bored. They loved it! Now let me be honest...normally we bring the iPads and leap pads and let them watch movies when we make the 3 hour drive to the zoo and to visit great friends! <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7yddac-tTOI/U62JQ4q1oNI/AAAAAAAAAl0/oiHMggDoznw/s640/blogger-image-534684806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7yddac-tTOI/U62JQ4q1oNI/AAAAAAAAAl0/oiHMggDoznw/s640/blogger-image-534684806.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div> After putting together our on the go activity kit I already had one backpack stuffed with travel ready items. I decided to put together a backpack for the older kids with activities for the car. I spent 1 dollar on this. Literally one! I bought SK a word search book at the Dollar Tree and everything else we had on hand. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MVNX0VBFP8A/U62FUkJcLUI/AAAAAAAAAkw/eNlDREh4jwc/s640/blogger-image--1280416519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MVNX0VBFP8A/U62FUkJcLUI/AAAAAAAAAkw/eNlDREh4jwc/s640/blogger-image--1280416519.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some of the items in SK's backpack: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• word search</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• color wonder marker book</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• Where is Waldo travel book and magnifying glass</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• hidden picture book and colored pencils</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• Lego kit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• her digital camera </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9_kJFFcocsQ/U62JTjRM3RI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Fw869CLICJ0/s640/blogger-image--132293122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9_kJFFcocsQ/U62JTjRM3RI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Fw869CLICJ0/s640/blogger-image--132293122.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y5UOxor2l7w/U62JSPQJJHI/AAAAAAAAAl8/QNQ3roYtMJY/s640/blogger-image-1661224930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y5UOxor2l7w/U62JSPQJJHI/AAAAAAAAAl8/QNQ3roYtMJY/s640/blogger-image-1661224930.jpg"></a></div><br></div>(They had soooo much fun taking silly pictures of each other! The laughing/giggles coming from the backseat were priceless!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• her bird watching binoculars</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• little chalk mat and chalk </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rWCfDJDtR_g/U62FWqjqIMI/AAAAAAAAAk4/JV5jTDH7Dg0/s640/blogger-image--993792968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rWCfDJDtR_g/U62FWqjqIMI/AAAAAAAAAk4/JV5jTDH7Dg0/s640/blogger-image--993792968.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9gorzjcNm4/U62FgYEEccI/AAAAAAAAAlg/5pgrqBGssB0/s640/blogger-image-438806843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9gorzjcNm4/U62FgYEEccI/AAAAAAAAAlg/5pgrqBGssB0/s640/blogger-image-438806843.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pxiK8OjWov8/U62FaxLObPI/AAAAAAAAAlI/RE4U6FlhS-s/s640/blogger-image--1786534685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pxiK8OjWov8/U62FaxLObPI/AAAAAAAAAlI/RE4U6FlhS-s/s640/blogger-image--1786534685.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some of the things I included for W:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• Waldo travel books and magnifying glass</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• color wonder marker book</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• sticker sheet and his name </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• quick lacing cards ----</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Side note about these - I had read an idea on Pinterest about making lacing cards from family pictures etc. Since it was approximately 11:30 the night before when I was putting together backpacks for the trip I had to use what was on hand. I grabbed a couple boxes from our cardboard stash and cut out the front of some things they love like poptarts and popcorn. I punched holes and included some plastic string and had some quick ultra cheap lacing cards. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">• Lego kit </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FYJnu_mYoGQ/U62FO_eYopI/AAAAAAAAAkg/jaKbsybqjnY/s640/blogger-image-1299225153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FYJnu_mYoGQ/U62FO_eYopI/AAAAAAAAAkg/jaKbsybqjnY/s640/blogger-image-1299225153.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RGOeamcNal8/U62FSGN0D7I/AAAAAAAAAko/Dcv7h4W09-Y/s640/blogger-image--968244705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RGOeamcNal8/U62FSGN0D7I/AAAAAAAAAko/Dcv7h4W09-Y/s640/blogger-image--968244705.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dZkkTWVBsK8/U62FeXJy29I/AAAAAAAAAlY/_T-vENrpr5Q/s640/blogger-image--1068808091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dZkkTWVBsK8/U62FeXJy29I/AAAAAAAAAlY/_T-vENrpr5Q/s640/blogger-image--1068808091.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3HWsSiGUua0/U62FZctRlSI/AAAAAAAAAlA/XhgY3U206pU/s640/blogger-image-2006368636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3HWsSiGUua0/U62FZctRlSI/AAAAAAAAAlA/XhgY3U206pU/s640/blogger-image-2006368636.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LLGWpYhiCDc/U62Fc56ogtI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/pMWtEfxEYPI/s640/blogger-image-243554795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LLGWpYhiCDc/U62Fc56ogtI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/pMWtEfxEYPI/s640/blogger-image-243554795.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">W and SK were thrilled to see me stuffing their backpacks with little things for them to do. They loved carrying their own backpack and actually did a great job of putting things up when they were finished. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Anything that has loose parts I made sure had some container. The little marker book I put inside a ziplock bag to hold that and the markers, the lacing cards also were in ziplock bags. The Legos were contained in the metal lunch boxes. SKs colored pencils went into a pencil pouch. Having something to hold each individual thing really helps them keep it seperate and off the floor! What keeps your kids busy in the car? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I1L_cDY0aCU/U62JWRl09oI/AAAAAAAAAmU/q426nWvsN-0/s640/blogger-image--62491610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I1L_cDY0aCU/U62JWRl09oI/AAAAAAAAAmU/q426nWvsN-0/s640/blogger-image--62491610.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dAeZs_aS-ro/U62JU7LPciI/AAAAAAAAAmM/z0-f3aSCGlQ/s640/blogger-image--970898994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dAeZs_aS-ro/U62JU7LPciI/AAAAAAAAAmM/z0-f3aSCGlQ/s640/blogger-image--970898994.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-20952492972880216092014-06-24T08:28:00.001-05:002014-06-24T08:28:43.296-05:00Quick water play activity<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mtuBbE_rErk/U6l8-t0qWyI/AAAAAAAAAjc/sVgJunMVYLQ/s640/blogger-image-29959961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mtuBbE_rErk/U6l8-t0qWyI/AAAAAAAAAjc/sVgJunMVYLQ/s640/blogger-image-29959961.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The kids spent the night with Gigi the other night. Before I went to pick them up the following morning I filled up their water table with some fresh water and laid out some loose parts for them to play with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3DzpCwGLdIc/U6l9B169XBI/AAAAAAAAAjs/U0XvTrq50E0/s640/blogger-image-1931957335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3DzpCwGLdIc/U6l9B169XBI/AAAAAAAAAjs/U0XvTrq50E0/s640/blogger-image-1931957335.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pkhsPcqNuMU/U6l85uX5EwI/AAAAAAAAAjM/O7qNL_FG1Rs/s640/blogger-image-291346831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pkhsPcqNuMU/U6l85uX5EwI/AAAAAAAAAjM/O7qNL_FG1Rs/s640/blogger-image-291346831.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YXSPCyZMP8k/U6l876vvhgI/AAAAAAAAAjU/ioQlrryF1N8/s640/blogger-image--540085396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YXSPCyZMP8k/U6l876vvhgI/AAAAAAAAAjU/ioQlrryF1N8/s640/blogger-image--540085396.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fdolr0w5rvQ/U6l8_zBhCsI/AAAAAAAAAjk/kgoadO0a33I/s640/blogger-image--1120689259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fdolr0w5rvQ/U6l8_zBhCsI/AAAAAAAAAjk/kgoadO0a33I/s640/blogger-image--1120689259.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div>This activity stayed out for several days. They ended up dumping cup after cup of water onto the deck, then scrubbing the deck with a pool noodle like a sponge. They crack me up! A water table is a simple idea anyone can set up! Under the bed bins, dish tubs, even a big plastic mixing bowl makes a great container for water play! Just fill something up with some water and add some interesting things in to play with! I reccomend a strainer, measuring cups or anything they can pour. I also added some loose items that would both float and sink. I will admit I didn't expect the nuts to float. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy playing!!!! </div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-17199457648967328032014-06-23T13:33:00.001-05:002014-06-23T13:36:22.647-05:00This is REAL life!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I recently ran into a friend at the mall. She and I haven't seen each other in ages and she mentioned loving all the kids activities and said she has no idea how I do it all. She said "you are superwoman!" After I finished laughing I said well it's because I have probably 6 baskets of unfolded laundry for one thing. She said well you should post that so I feel better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So here it is- some of the un-pretty areas of my house. I promise you I didn't move a thing - I walked in and took pictures as is. Now- we have only lived in this house for 4 months so I will say there are some areas that I just can't get quite right. This area pictured below is one of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NfdEX-h6ZOg/U6hzDfPQrVI/AAAAAAAAAi0/Im3JNBTrUwM/s640/blogger-image--160741659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NfdEX-h6ZOg/U6hzDfPQrVI/AAAAAAAAAi0/Im3JNBTrUwM/s640/blogger-image--160741659.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This area houses my husbands treadmill, bags of animal food, our washing machine (which is just out of frame), bins that hold the kids activity stuff, and our dog crates. Basically it's awful. I have a piece of furniture in storage that is being moved in soon to house a lot of the kid activity/craft stuff. The dog crates and treadmill I can't do much about. Matt and I have been brainstorming the best pet food storage situation. One of the kids chores is feeding our dogs and cats so it has to be in a place they can get to it. We also have chickens so we have to house chicken food and wood bedding chips. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZYAAAfA2Ge0/U6hzEmUa72I/AAAAAAAAAi8/b9kO6IR1bWg/s640/blogger-image--633620706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZYAAAfA2Ge0/U6hzEmUa72I/AAAAAAAAAi8/b9kO6IR1bWg/s640/blogger-image--633620706.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is what it looks like. People, (including me apparently because those polka dot rain boots are mine, come in from outside and drop their dirty shoes into a fun pile by the door). I am working on a usable solution to keep our more outside-ish shoes like that but not in a big messy heap by the door! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tyJ9HRdKCQ8/U6hzBo0SgpI/AAAAAAAAAis/XBwfUkC-cJk/s640/blogger-image-1592768831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tyJ9HRdKCQ8/U6hzBo0SgpI/AAAAAAAAAis/XBwfUkC-cJk/s640/blogger-image-1592768831.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is the kids playroom, it is also the direct path to our back deck. This is why there is a pile of shoes by the door. Also this is our dining room area because this room and our kitchen are just one big open space. And if you can visualize behind where the picture is taken from is the laundry room - also open. So this room is a catch all and serves numerous purposes. This room has all tile floor so we do many of our activities and painting here too! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dqeVhLUciU0/U6hy_sv8GNI/AAAAAAAAAik/b9a7C2p6XUc/s640/blogger-image--253176869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dqeVhLUciU0/U6hy_sv8GNI/AAAAAAAAAik/b9a7C2p6XUc/s640/blogger-image--253176869.jpg"></a></div><br></div>And.... Just for you Dana- the laundry! Everything you see is CLEAN! What is wrong with me? I hate folding laundry with a passion - obviously! Okay fine - there is also a basket of my clean clothes piled up in my bedroom too! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So I just wanted to open myself up to show some of these areas because it's not all perfect and Pinterest will probably discontinue my account in shame. I'm probably opening myself up to some judgement but this is how our real life looks. If you come over it will be picked up of course and actually during the school year when we are at work/school all day vs at home it's much better! The summer provides us all day everyday to make messes and things to pile up! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy Monday! Now---- I should probably go fold some laundry! </div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-24149870026516880652014-06-22T15:21:00.001-05:002014-12-16T19:00:12.258-06:00Berry Pickin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-P4sUMnRuWzw/U6c5IC0tb_I/AAAAAAAAAhA/X7n9wWV9qw0/s640/blogger-image-1728982939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-P4sUMnRuWzw/U6c5IC0tb_I/AAAAAAAAAhA/X7n9wWV9qw0/s640/blogger-image-1728982939.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lmtOMj9MCmY/U6c6huJ5_hI/AAAAAAAAAhM/Bnp_f0gI3vE/s640/blogger-image--2044654205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lmtOMj9MCmY/U6c6huJ5_hI/AAAAAAAAAhM/Bnp_f0gI3vE/s640/blogger-image--2044654205.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XOQPuuDgVLI/U6c6qzCIalI/AAAAAAAAAh0/5twuNISP6Zk/s640/blogger-image--559362647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XOQPuuDgVLI/U6c6qzCIalI/AAAAAAAAAh0/5twuNISP6Zk/s640/blogger-image--559362647.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2IAzEzDyhpU/U6c6u9gWhsI/AAAAAAAAAiE/FqDowsahDj0/s640/blogger-image--1293898079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2IAzEzDyhpU/U6c6u9gWhsI/AAAAAAAAAiE/FqDowsahDj0/s640/blogger-image--1293898079.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WiOs1OsFdf8/U6c6jb3OKuI/AAAAAAAAAhU/MUFy-KrPsfU/s640/blogger-image--1171889401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WiOs1OsFdf8/U6c6jb3OKuI/AAAAAAAAAhU/MUFy-KrPsfU/s640/blogger-image--1171889401.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qDEuhe5rSUU/U6c6tP87DnI/AAAAAAAAAh8/KVO5lzcZTCY/s640/blogger-image--1290213416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qDEuhe5rSUU/U6c6tP87DnI/AAAAAAAAAh8/KVO5lzcZTCY/s640/blogger-image--1290213416.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-70nkP6xbEAA/U6c6pNT-JpI/AAAAAAAAAhs/sMcvEgR33zA/s640/blogger-image-316498608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-70nkP6xbEAA/U6c6pNT-JpI/AAAAAAAAAhs/sMcvEgR33zA/s640/blogger-image-316498608.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B3EnMmkNlw8/U6c6k5P9GuI/AAAAAAAAAhc/RHzadMf04Gw/s640/blogger-image--309710353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B3EnMmkNlw8/U6c6k5P9GuI/AAAAAAAAAhc/RHzadMf04Gw/s640/blogger-image--309710353.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gIF7wBtu_3c/U6c6nFHR8yI/AAAAAAAAAhk/J_8tTPFO1F4/s640/blogger-image-1193383705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gIF7wBtu_3c/U6c6nFHR8yI/AAAAAAAAAhk/J_8tTPFO1F4/s640/blogger-image-1193383705.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-80102741893289133032014-06-22T14:40:00.001-05:002014-06-22T15:04:08.916-05:00On the go - quiet activity kit<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YMofI5uPlPQ/U6c2ouniWqI/AAAAAAAAAgs/LiE4pIMCvnc/s640/blogger-image-133952059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YMofI5uPlPQ/U6c2ouniWqI/AAAAAAAAAgs/LiE4pIMCvnc/s640/blogger-image-133952059.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G71bJF-Pneo/U6c2suHgMuI/AAAAAAAAAg0/4Ki3V7jIMSo/s640/blogger-image-643079615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G71bJF-Pneo/U6c2suHgMuI/AAAAAAAAAg0/4Ki3V7jIMSo/s640/blogger-image-643079615.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div>Back a few weeks ago I found a cute little container and as soon as I laid eyes on it I knew I wanted to put together an on the go activity kit. I adjusted what I first assembled for my most recent need. My hubby was leading worship at our church as a sub for the normal music minister. Since daddy was going to be singing a lot we wanted to older 2 to be in the service to watch him. When they have stayed in "big church" before they are usually bored and not super quiet (which translates to me not being able to listen). I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to try out the quiet activity kit. I decided to not only place engaging items, but quiet ones. Normally, play doh is a go to for us, but being that we would be in our church sanctuary we also needed things that wouldn't make a mess and would only take a moment to pick up at the end. Our little container has 3 levels and I decided to make each level a different activity vs just using the container as a toolbox of randomness of sorts. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3vhl_z825AE/U6c1bM16M6I/AAAAAAAAAgY/m4sN9F5yqWs/s640/blogger-image--1985830925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3vhl_z825AE/U6c1bM16M6I/AAAAAAAAAgY/m4sN9F5yqWs/s640/blogger-image--1985830925.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div><div>In the first level there is a built in divider so I gathered some loose parts and put something in each section. I included colored noodles, dinosaurs, colored gems, plastic tops, seashells, and clothespins. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NN8SHklnUXU/U6c1UdMYFGI/AAAAAAAAAgA/u_WYRQqUAD0/s640/blogger-image-552067200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NN8SHklnUXU/U6c1UdMYFGI/AAAAAAAAAgA/u_WYRQqUAD0/s640/blogger-image-552067200.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>In the middle section I wrote each of their names on a piece of thick paper and then included some leftover foam mosaic pieces for SK. These are smaller, requiring better fine motor skills to complete. For W I included a couple pages of yard sale stickers. I placed a couple stickers to start them along their name. (The purpose of the activity is for them to trace their name with the stickers). I also on this level included a small container of perler beads and some twine that I went ahead and put some tape on the end to make it easier to thread. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kfwPPQBjG-I/U6c1dZ5cAAI/AAAAAAAAAgg/Z73ra-dcdBo/s640/blogger-image-1634207441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kfwPPQBjG-I/U6c1dZ5cAAI/AAAAAAAAAgg/Z73ra-dcdBo/s640/blogger-image-1634207441.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>On the bottom level I included some pieces of folded paper and markers for W. For SK, in one of her birthday presents, she was gifted a new set of scribbler markers and a brand new small marker pad that I knew would be perfect for taking with us. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mSF2bAlJzrk/U6c1WaN6vZI/AAAAAAAAAgI/Vh-FB9E_gQM/s640/blogger-image--505733008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mSF2bAlJzrk/U6c1WaN6vZI/AAAAAAAAAgI/Vh-FB9E_gQM/s640/blogger-image--505733008.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>They did wonderfully. They drew pictures and very much enjoy using markers. I did worry about them getting marker on the chairs or the carpet so I brought along some laminated mats with their names on them that I have for playdoh. Sk used the loose parts and the beading materials and made this beauty of a necklace for her Aunt Michelle. Thank goodness I convinced her to bring it home and reuse the supplies or Aunt Chelle would have to find an outfit as amazing as this necklace to wear! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Zu_Cy3LLkv8/U6c1X5R1jJI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/8JaVWJQfKcE/s640/blogger-image--1892008676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Zu_Cy3LLkv8/U6c1X5R1jJI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/8JaVWJQfKcE/s640/blogger-image--1892008676.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Along with the activity kit SK brought a small backpack with a Waldo finding book, a hidden picture coloring book and some colored pencils, along with a little game where u move slides around until the picture is just right. </div><div><br></div><div>I know this is overkill but I wanted to make sure I had enough things if they didn't want to do one they could do another. I also didn't put this together just for today. The things that I pulled and included for the backpack are items we don't tend to play with unless we are on the go anyway. I plan on leaving these things inside as well as keeping the activity kit with that so I can quickly grab as I am walking out the door and I won't have to redo anything again. I intentionally designed this for multiple play times without having a lot of disposable one time play activities. In the kit all I need to get (I didn't have it on hand today) is a small little notebook for W instead of folded paper that way I am not switching anything at all. </div><div><br></div><div>If any of you have little on the go activities please share them with me!!!! </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-62212166285736290172014-06-18T14:45:00.000-05:002014-06-19T08:20:50.941-05:00Quiet time - shhhhhhLet me be real - I.need.a.break.from.children!!!! Let me tell you something else - they need a break from me too! This isn't just my children it's all children! We LOSE OUR MINDS at school in the dead of winter when we can't go outside for recess. We all just need a break from each other! THIS IS OKAY!!!! <br>
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Anyway....<br>
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I have started something new-ish at my house that we have done some on Saturdays but are now doing daily whenever we are home and it's possible this summer. QUIET TIME. <br>
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Here is how it works -<br>
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step 1 - you go to your room<br>
setp 2 - Mama sets a timer<br>
step 3 - you stay in said room<br>
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DONE. I usually set the timer for an hour. <br>
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Rules -<br>
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play, do whatever is legal in this house within the confines of your room (example - coloring on the wall will get you 25- life), and do it quietly. When the timer goes off I will come and tell you that you're allowed to come out. <br>
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During this time I don't care what they do in their rooms as long as it is quiet ish. Now obviously I don't store things like permanant markers and acrylic paint in their bedrooms where this will end badly for me. W is awesome at quiet time, except for the quiet part. There are times that whatever he is doing sort of sounds like he is adding an addition on to the house. Occasionally I'll holler in there to say chill out some, but if I can help it I don't go in their rooms. This is their quiet time. Usually someone needs to use the bathroom (of course because kids always have to use the bathroom when they are supposed to be confined to a space). <br>
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One thing that I love the most is that I normally find them at the end reading books, or at least I see books all over the floor in suspected reading. Today I went in to tell W that he was allowed to come out - after an HOUR and he is FOUR and he looked up at me from his chair and said "Mom, I'm reading books." So I slowly backed away, thanked my lucky stars, ran and got my iphone and took a picture naturally. I stuck my head in to check on SK and she is asleep. AHHHHH the beauty of quiet time. <br>
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Naturally the first few times we did this there was a lot of yelling though the wall "MOOOOOMMMMMM can we come out yet???? We have been in here FOREVERRRRRRR!" <br>
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The purpose of this - along with my sanity, is to help them learn how to self direct. I am not in there telling them what to do, suggesting play ideas, providing lots of things. While in their rooms they have to work with what they've got. In the girls room they have a big thing of books that are SK's and H's. The girls also have baby cradle, baby beds, and their dollhouse, along with a big basket of babies. That's it. SK did originally take our small dog in with her but Hazel wisely escaped promptly. In W's room he has a big thing of books that are his as well as a toy thing with pull our drawers with some guys, cars, trucks, etc. I have noticed however after quiet time that what W has out mostly (obviously after he has been working construction in there or whatever), is his books. <br>
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This would be all rainbows, unicorns, glitter and sunshine for me - and I would be laid up with a book, cuddled under a quilt with a blog, or a cup of coffee loving every second.....but there is H. I love her. Obviously. Bad news about her age is that she naps before lunch and quiet time is after lunch. So during quiet time she is awake. I have tried sending her in with SK and slowly she does spend more time in there but for her it's just about introduction. Usually she comes in the living room with me, sometimes plays a quiet activity, usually just wants me to rock her or something that includes her clinging to me. My hope is that she will see what quiet time is, come to expect it and slowly as she gets a little older be integrated in. <br>
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Anyway this has worked amazingly better for me than insisting that the older 2 take naps. For one SK is in school full time during the year now so there are no naps. I think it isn't a good idea to get her in the habit of a mid afternoon nap when she won't get one most of the year. (If you follow me on IG @akhouser you will see she gets her share of naps on the way home from school - especially Mondays.) W is a major night owl. When he naps he naps for keeps - like 3-4 hours. Yes it's amazing at the time, no it's not amazing when I'm still trying to get him to go to sleep at 11 and I can hear him kicking his wall awake in his bed. So this allows them some down time but doesn't REQUIRE that they sleep (which eliminates the tears that usually come with me forcing naps). How do you chill your kids out/rest them/etc? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-62915211802694946122014-06-17T22:32:00.002-05:002014-06-18T10:01:01.054-05:00Playing with loose partsLoose parts is basically playing with random loose items that you have around in whatever creative way your child wants to. After seeing several of these beautifully laid out play invitations I have been wanting to use this play with my 3. Today I ran around the house collecting items that would suit this type of play. I used small plastic bowls to display the items seperately for the kids.<div>
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I collected: </div>
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* colorful gems and glass stones</div>
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* melting beads</div>
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* cut up straws</div>
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* wine corks</div>
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* colored pasta</div>
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* wooden blocks</div>
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* cut up pool noodle</div>
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* cut up egg carton</div>
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* cut up toilet paper rolls</div>
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* clothes pins</div>
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* little cars and doll house people</div>
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I laid out a little grid on the train table using painters tape and even made a small road. I fully expected the kids to get the people and make a little city or something and use all the parts as pieces to complete their little community. WRONG. That's the beauty of loose parts, the kids use their own imagination and they didn't do anything close to what I imagined. I first had them wait in their bedrooms while I laid it all out, then called them to come and play. </div>
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SK immediately asked "how do we play this?" I told her however she wanted. They first grabbed a couple pieces of whatever looked interesting (read the wine corks) and rolled them around on the table. </div>
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Then they spotted the cut pool noodles and immediately divided the set in half so that each of the older 2 had some. W started using these as building blocks and SK immediately realized that the corks fit perfectly into the hole of the pool noodle and filled hers with corks. They then decided to play a game and see if W stood on the table and dropped colored gems through the pool noodle hole, could SK catch them in a bowl beneath. </div>
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H basically just mixed things together and handled handfuls of random materials. H got sleepy after a while and as I rocked her the older 2 began mixing materials and creating their own little imaginative play. </div>
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I was pleased with how quiet and engaged they were. They were so excited to dive in and immediately had their own ideas of what they wanted to do. It was certainly nice to watch. We will certainly be incorporating this into our play more. I am currently hoarding the caps to milk jugs and bottles to use! (If you want to be my best friend save some for me too!) Happy playing. What random things do your kids like to play with?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-7520151968374874482014-06-17T17:06:00.000-05:002014-06-17T17:06:51.122-05:00FAQ from a friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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So my friend Ashley over at http://www.bosssanders.com/ and I have been texting back and forth about play activities for some time. I asked her to put together a little FAQ for me to answer and hopefully answer any questions y'all have as well. Now let's get to it:<br />
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Hey Amberly!</div>
So, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the activities I've seen you doing with your kids. They look SUPER fun, FUN enough that even *I* want to come over and play...</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">So far, which activity is YOUR favorite? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Hmmmm this is a hard one. I would say play doh is my absolute favorite. It's easy to make for one. The homemade version is waaaayyyy better than store bought. It's softer, squishier, cheaper (you probably have all the items in your house now), and I know what's in it if my 2 year old decides to taste test. Playdoh lends to so many types of play. You can make things, stamp things, squish things in it. I love to play with play doh if I'm being honest. When I make the kids a fresh batch I am usually standing there playing with bits of it myself as well. My favoirte thing to watch them play with is loose parts. Their creative sides really surface when playing with a collective bunch of random materials and I soooo enjoy watching what they come up with (and it's never what I thought they would do).</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">Which, would you say, are the kids' favorite(s)? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">The kids love play doh as well and request it often. My youngest asks to paint constantly and the older 2 really love everything. They LOVE water beads but I haven't found the best way to contain them without having my entire floor covered with water beads (the solution is probably playing with them while my 2 year old naps), they also love to play with loose parts. The older 2 generally don't request something specific they'll just ask if I will please set them up an "activity." </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">Now, be honest, does the mess not drive you bonkers? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">I get this question ALL the time. Honestly no it doesn't. When I set them up with something I give them a specific area to play in whether it's at the table, the bar, their small play table or the train table, wherever. I usually give them a blanket or something if it's on the floor to keep it on. This allows me to clean it up quickly when it's over. 99 percent of indoor activities are done over our tile floor so the materials can be quickly swept up if some has spilled over. When we paint we wear a smock and I try and contain the mess to a specific area. That being said I don't allow them to play something that can be messy and me go in the back room and read a book (wouldn't that be nice!). I usually am in the same room-ish and keep an eye. Also in regards to the mess kids make a mess whatever they do, in my case I love watching them learn and experiment and explore so it doesn't upset me. NOW.... if they are intentionally making a huge mess and not playing making a mess but just being completely ridiculous I DO NOT like that at all. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">What have you learned from this whole "creative play" experiment? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">I have learned to rage against the TV! Oh my goodness I didn't realize the effect it's been having on my kiddos. When I was growing up we didn't have all of this digital entertainment and we PLAYED. I noticed my kids didn't seem to know HOW to play and I decided I thought it's because they are entertained constantly with zero effort on their part. They don't have to THINK of something to play or IMAGINE they just sit and watch. When I cut the TV and other things super drastically they had to use their brains to play and entertain themselves. It did take some time but now that they have adjusted to not having digital entertainment all the time they are playing, REALLY playing and it makes me so happy. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">What do you think your kids have learned? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Goodness. I think they have learned as I mentioned above HOW to play. I think they're learning how to use their imagination, how to create, how to think. Some of the play activities are open ended entertainment but some specifically designed to teach. They work on colors, words, fine motor, counting, scooping, math, pouring, measuring and a million other things. I feel like they get something from this type of play and that makes me happy.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">Why not just send your kids outside and say, "Go forth and PLAY, children!" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Well I do that too. Sometimes we just say GO! That is what kids need too! Sometimes we take our play outside with water, ice, soap or whatever as well. I guess I think of it as I teach kindergarten. I spend all day every day teaching other peoples children, planning activities to help them learn and grow into respectable humans to function appropriately in the world so I need to be doing that at home as well. I also know that this season of my life having small children is so short. I want to enrich their lives as much as possible. Now I know there are many schools of thoughts on why are we trying to make everything magical and just let kids be kids etc. I want to clarify here that I'm not trying to make every second magical, we don't do activities all day every day (thought some days we do more than others). Sometimes we don't even do them daily. My kids are bored, they do watch tv some and roll around in the floor doing nothing. My husband and I say "go play something!!!' as well. I just think that I'm trying to set up small, simple things that I have around the house or can acquire easily to help foster their curiosity and allow them experiences in a fun way. By no means is what I do trying to be pinterest worthy and a mompeditor - we all play with our kids in different ways - this just seems to work for my kids. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">How often and for how long do you normally do these activities? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">I usually do a couple set activities a week. That being said some days when we do activities we may do more than one in a day and we may go days or a week without anything specific being set up. Our life is crazy sometimes and it just depends on how much we are home and what is going on. When the kids get irritable and need something or at times just need to calm down that is sometimes when I bust out something for them to do. I also go in spurts where I'll do more for a while and less for a while. My kids will do an "activity" for different periods of time. My 2 year old will paint for MAYBE 15 min. My 6 year old will paint until the end of time. I have set them up with things that they have played with for no time at all and they just don't love it. More often than not my older 2 will play consistently anywhere from 30 min to an hour sometimes longer depending on the activity and what other things are going on in the house that will divert their attention to something else. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">Do you have to watch them vigilantly with hawk-eyes so they don't eat things or re-design your sofa? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">This depends on what it is. When my 2 year old paints yes I watch her vigilantly! I usually set her up at the bar and I work in the kitchen doing dishes or whatever so I can see her and make sure she doesn't decide to paint the walls! I'm more hawk eyed on her just in general. She tends to put things in her mouth - specifically the colored pasta! What's fun about many of our play materials is they are simple and homemade so though I don't want her eating them they aren't going to hurt her. Anything with small parts when she is involved I watch much more vigilantly. The older 2 are ages 4 and 6 so I can usually set them up with something and explain where to keep the materials and sometimes a few "do not do this" type of thing and theyr'e great and will play and play. (The exception to this would be the water bead debacle of 2014. My older kids LOST THIER MINDS one day and had water beads EVERYWHERE - this may have lead to an angry mom who had to apologize and I may have thrown the water beads in the trash and we haven't done it again). But all things in stride just like anything we do I watch my 2 year old much more vigilantly to make sure she is being safe, not eating things etc. because she is the one who gets into things she isn't supposed to, doesn't ask permission and is just TWO!</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">Do you think you'll keep doing these activities when school starts back up? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Yes. Absolutely. We starting doing these more intentionally in the late winter/early spring this year during school. For me working full time, since I don't stay home it does change the way in which things go. I typically try and think of something ahead of time and set it up when we get home and they play while I get dinner ready. Funny enough I'm actually better at setting up things during the school year because I need them entertained while I cook supper, and I am much more regimented on a schedule than in the summer. Summer I am more child led when they need a break or ask for something I'll set it up and decide just whenever unless I have seen something I specifically want to try with them. In the summer we spend so much time outside, at the pool, etc. that activities are hit or miss so far but I do still try and do a few per week and this summer I've put together a portable activity kit for when we go to late night grill outs with friends and I worry about keeping them entertained at someone else's house etc. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">What is your biggest piece of advice for any parent just starting out with sensory play? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">My biggest piece of advice is to just do it. The dollar tree is your friend. It doesn't cost a fortune. Get some rice, some pasta, and make yourself some play doh and you're ready to roll. My youngest was gifted a water table for her birthday that we frequently use but you don't have to have something like that. Under the bed bins work great for containing things as well as big plastic mixing bowls and things like that. Keep the play contained with a table or a blanket or both and just go for it. So that's lots of advice but by all means do what YOU are comfortable with! One of my friends cannot stand glitter so in her case I wouldn't advise her to give her kids a bottle of glue and glitter and let em go because that's going to lead to her being frustrated. If you hate huge messes avoid things like cloud dough and finger paints - the things that are harder to clean up. A counter top with a stool or a kids plastic placemat go a long way to contain things and clorox wipes erase a multitude of messes. Start small and stay where you are comfortable and don't feel that you have to have a specific expectation. Things are not always Pinterest pretty and kids aren't always happy. They don't always love activities and stay engaged for long periods of time. Sometimes things flop and that's okay. Let yourself off the hook. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-60842526059869571132014-06-17T15:52:00.000-05:002014-06-17T15:52:51.414-05:00WHY I do what I do.Sooooo I changed the title of our blog. I feel like this one is more fitting "Hurricane Houser." My friend Katie with whom I teach calls me this. Our life is much like a hurricane - whirlwind of lots of things lots of the time. I get questions from time to time about how and why I do what I do with our kiddos. I thought I would dedicate my first post in a year (seriously I about forgot I even had a blog!) to WHY and WHAT FOR of our activities and things with the kids.<br />
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The number one reason that I've changed the way I interact with my kids, incorporated hands on, started sensory bins, used messy play or whatever on Earth you want to title it is the TELEVISION. Seriously that thing is the devil.<br />
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I found us (me and the kids) watching sooooo much TV. When I wanted to get things done at the house I would turn on a show for the kids, when I wanted them to be quiet and stop being loud, crazy or whatever I would turn on a show. It works, like a charm. I felt guilty. I felt like I was using the TV as a babysitter and I really didn't feel like my kids were learning or being engaged like they should. <br />
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The number two reason I've changed things up is that when my kids got their things to play with, or a toy or whatever even playing outside they didn't know HOW to play. I noticed the kids having TONS of things available and just wondering around not sure of what to do and seeming to be bored all of the time. <br />
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It was about this time that I started reading several blogs about sensory play, hands on play, messy play etc. After reading the theory behind this I decided that maybe my children needed less tv, and more of this type of play. So I started buying humungo bags of white rice and pasta at the store, making play doh, and collecting different bowls, cups, scoopers etc. at the dollar tree. <br />
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I began introducing the kids to rainbow rice. LET ME BE HONEST ---- the first time we did this the kids had no clue what to do, played for maybe 10 min, didn't seem engaged and really seemed to dislike the activity as a whole. It was on the yeah I guess this is alright but can we do something else spectrum. I kept trying despite messes (not just the normal mess but the I am just going to pour this entire thing into the floor and do something else mess), teaching and time. Though it took a while and several activities, as well as a lot of encouragement to the kids trying to spark their ideas and their minds to change its way of thinking, they now I can say play so much better. <br />
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Since introducing these activities I have noticed a few things in the kiddos:<br />
* they play longer with things<br />
* they are more creative and inventive in their play<br />
* they are more entertained and excited by simple play<br />
* they ask to watch TV significantly less<br />
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I feel like the kids play better than ever before, they are imagning and being creative, and thinking of things they can do on their own. They don't walk around seeming to have no clue what to do all the time anymore. I know that sometimes being bored is good and part of life but my frustration came that all hours we were home the kids seemed to have nothing to do or not know what to do with the toys they have all the time. <br />
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So anyway that's why. <br />
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And if you've read the blog before one of my goals for the rest of the year is to post much more frequently about what we do around here. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-62388095467169609352013-09-08T20:16:00.000-05:002013-09-08T20:16:25.291-05:00Y'all I am LOVING cooking at home!!!So how is it going? <br />
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Actually pretty well! I'm as shocked as anyone else! Let's recap the first week! <br />
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We've had....<br />
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Monday - Spaghetti Pie<br />
Tuesday - Omlettes<br />
Wednesday - Cheeseburger Pie, Green beans and carrots<br />
Thursday - Poppyseed chicken and salad (minus the salad)<br />
Friday - FOOTBALL! We ate at Chic Fil A<br />
Saturday - Steak and mashed potato (we switched next Sat and this Saturday because we didn't have kids that night)<br />
Sunday - Pot Pie<br />
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As I'm typing this all out I realize I must have a thing for "pie" in all forms. I have tried to plan my meals based on how crazy my afternoons will be. Mondays normally we are all home so I can cook something that may take more prep etc. Tuesday the kids both had soccer practice at 5 and 6. Matt and I didn't get home with the kids to even start dinner on Tuesday until after 7. Matt threw the kids in the tub for a quick scrub down while I quickly made omlettes. I love the versatility here because they are super quick to make and can be customized super easy to kids who don't like meat or cheese or whatever. (Tip - bake an entire package of bacon in the oven one day when you have some extra time and fry an entire tube (yuck that sounds gross to write) of sausage like ground beef on the stove top. Put these in seperate freezer bags and throw them in the freezer. I use this for pizza toppings and omlette stuff when needed or breakfast casserole when I need it quick. Wednesday is a day I usually have more time too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Croc pot sitting out and ready for tomorrow to throw in chicken to cook all day for chicken spaghetti</td></tr>
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My quick trick for anything that involves chicken in a casserole (ex. poppyseed on Thursday) - in the morning I throw approx 4 frozen chicken breast into the croc pot before I leave in the morning with nothing else. I turn it on low and when I come home at the end of the day I have chicken that shreds itself when I try and pull it out of the croc pot. I dump it from the croc pot into a casserole dish and mix the other ingredients and top the chicken and my supper prep is 5-7 minutes depending on children interference. <br />
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Friday nights are usually football games! Woo hoo glad we got the W this week! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leftovers packed and ready for Matt's lunch</td></tr>
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* I feel fantastic knowing that I've cooked 6 out of 7 nights for my family this week. <br />
* I absolutely LOVE having stuff for basically an entire month in my fridge and freezer so it allows me to switch and make adjustments as needed and I already have all ingredients on hand. <br />
* Matt is loving the leftovers for lunch - which is great because he has typically never taken leftovers, and never brought back his containers to re-use. He has done both this week! Bonus he even sent me sweet texts telling me how good his leftover lunches were! Yay!<br />
* Having the gigantic menu calendar in my kitchen helps keep me on track, remember what I planned and helps keep me focused when I could easily say EHHHHH let's eat out. I look up there and remember the plan! <br />
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So far so good - we'll see how week 2 goes! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My personal dog swiffer ready to clean up any crumbs or enjoy any unused leftovers!</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-53836779798950118352013-09-01T13:18:00.000-05:002013-09-01T13:18:01.651-05:00A month of mealsSo I've been cooking at home 100 percent more than I did over the summer! Yikes we ate more drive thru and chicken nuggets than I would like to admit! <br />
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Since school has started I've been making weekly menus and pretty well sticking to them - HOORAY! I feel like I should get a gold glittery star for this alone....apparently I'm the only one who thinks this because I have no gold glittery stars :(<br />
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The problemo- is money. Matt and I were talking and felt like my weekly grocery runs weren't saving us money as compared to eating out as we felt they should. So I started thinking and decided that instead of making a weekly menu I would make a monthly one. I meticulously plotted out what to make each day (except for the few Friday night football games where we'll eat out or at the "construction" stand as my kids say). I tried to think of what could be easily made or things I could make once and then reuse as a vegetable or a part of my meal later in the week. Another thing is I didn't want to get bored and feel like we were having the same things. My final portion is that since I've been cooking more (and I usually tend to get into a rut where I get bored and feel like I only know how to make 3 things yada yada yada and for the life of me don't know what to cook...) that lead to me deciding that once a week I was going to try a new recipe. So I've been pinning on pinterest and only trying to pin things that have a few ingredients, look simple and things we would like. <br />
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So after making my menu (on a blank calendar I printed off) I had to make my grocery list. To avoid just going recipe by recipe and writing down all the ingredients I started with meats and went through and counted how many recipes I used ground beef and wrote that number beside ground beef on the list, how many used chicken, etc. So my list instead of how many items was how many meals I needed to get out of it because everything I make uses approximately 1.5 lb of ground beef or a couple chicken breasts etc. This helped me keep from having a 17 page grocery list. I tried to meticulously go through and make sure that I didn't forget anything because I am very likely to get in there with big dreams and get distracted, forget half of what I need and have stuff sitting in the fridge or pantry I don't end up using because I don't have the right stuff. <br />
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Final step ALDI! If you haven't been there you should! It's sooooo much cheaper than anything else. It's different than a traditional grocery store: you pay a quarter for your buggy and get it back when you put it up, things aren't arranged just like a regular grocery, they don't have every single unique item, no deli, no extra stuff like clothes etc, they only take cash/debit - no credit, and you have to bag your own groceries. The idea behind it is less overhead and the savings carry over to you. I absolutely love it. My mom on the other hand is horrified and almost broke out into hives in there - you be your own judge. <br />
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2 fully loaded carts, several questions of exactly how many children I had, and a receipt half my body length later I had spent $330 dollars on a month of meals. Now let me clarify this is a lot for me to spend at once, however I had been spending around $150 for each week. This time however I didn't stray from the list at all, buy random stuff, or buy any toilet paper, cleaning supplies etc. that type of stuff. <br />
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It took me FOREVER to put it all away. I should also say if I didn't have an extra fridge in my garage and 2 deep freezers out there this would not work because there is no way I could store it all. I reorganized and streamlined my disaster of a pantry yesterday too. <br />
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Matt thinks I've lost my mind, when heading out to the garage to grab a kid a juice (it's been our beverage fridge) he asked me if I would like anything like a sour cream, or a bag of shredded cheese etc. (because it's jam packed with supplies). Funny man.<br />
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So I plan to keep record of how it's going, what I cook and don't and I've written down my shopping list again so that next month I can tweak it if I change things and no recreate it because our menu is filled with family favorites we want each month and hopefully it will not change a ton yet provide us with a lot of variety in our family suppers. We'll see. I am keeping my fingers crossed I didn't just waste a ton of money on a dream that's going down in flames! We'll see!!! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-10290933948002078592012-06-20T16:11:00.000-05:002012-06-20T16:12:20.800-05:004, 2, and new<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Baby Hadley! She really is as sweet as she looks!</td></tr>
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Gosh it's been a while since I've posted. Well I've had a baby! Table for 5! Well despite my pre-baby mommy of 3 anxieties I can say that things have been going fabulously! My little Hadley is the world's most precious baby. I hesitate to brag on her too much for fear I might "jinx" our wonderful luck but....she has beeen sleeping through the night since 2 weeks, happy as a clam all day, and just a sweet happy little squishy bundle that is chunking up more and more every day. I love to squeeze those little legs! Big sister SK is fantastic though she may at some point require a restraining order. If I say "leave the baby alone! Don't poke her! Don't (insert anything that would wake happy baby or you shouldn't do) one time I say it a million times. Will however has been an excellent student in the art of baby harrassing and he is keeping up his end of the bargain by trying to pick her up if I leave her unattende for a second. So we call Haldey the "lap dog." We are always holding her - always! Well except when she is soundly sleeping in her carseat without big sis/bro bothering her. She likes to be packed around (i'm sure she fears for her safety) and we are happy to oblidge. Now for all of you who wanna tell me I'm gonna spoil her....oh well. She'll be big and grown before I realize it so I'm gonna have to just enjoy my rotten little lap dog baby for a while. I've learned a few things in these last 6 weeks....</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they love her - poor Hadley! </td></tr>
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#1 - I make massive amounts of breastmilk and should probably consider hiring out at some sort of milk production company and get paid for my talent - ha. </div>
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#2- I need (or needed) a minivan. I made it a few weeks with my SUV that I loved and gave in and traded it. Now that everyone can't touch each other there is far less screaming and fighting everywhere we go. <br />
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#3 - it is imperative when having more children than you have hands, to strategically place them in the car and buckle/unbuckle everyone in a specific order. You get this wrong you've got the wrong person loose and they're running in the parking lot while you frantically try and grab them and not veer too far from the car so you can unbuckle the rest who are left behind.</div>
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#4 - it takes FOREVER to get ready and go anywhere (this time is not effected by whether or not my husband is "helping" because I'm conviced it actually takes longer with his "help" - though I appreciate the effort) (ex. the other day we were going swimming at a friends who lives in our town....I started getting us ready to leave at 9:30 - we left at 11:30) </div>
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- Matt said what the heck? What takes so long? dress em and put em in the car! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here's how we find ourselves many mornings!</td></tr>
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Well....maybe he is right??? (prob not) but I seriously have to get a more efficient routine. I am super blessed that big bro/sis sleep anywhere 7-830 each morning (W even slept till 915 today). Baby H wakes up at 5ish to eat and then when I get up (730-830) usually ready for a "top off." By the time I then fix Sk's breakfast and get H settled I start pumping (refer to lesson #1 on milk - this takes a while when I've not pumped all night) - during this process W wakes up. I have to get him breakfast and finish pumping while he is secure in the highchair (aka can't poke baby and make her cry while I am hooked to the "milk factory" as sk calls it). He finishes eating and is covered (each and every day) head to toe in whatever he is eating "myself." W clean up, highchair clean up, SK's breakfast cleanup, pack baby back anf forth where I am going for her safety, bag and freeze milk, attempt to eat breakfast (look at clock and realize how late it is), pack baby back to bathroom and put her in bouncy in floor, combat children who want to "watch you" and try and fix own hair and put on mediocre makeup, dress kids 1,2 and 3, make sure bags have dipaers, wipes, anything needed and head out the door (at this point someone usually poops and requires a diaper change and possible clothing change before leaving) - get out the door only to realize this routine has taken 2 hours and you never ate breakfast and are starving (as are the children who just ate) and everyone is screaming for a snack. </div>
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haha seriously though...I love it.</div>
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#5- I will spend the rest of my life counting to 3. Not 1,2,3 you're getting a spanking 3 (though I do that too) but where are my children 1,2,3 who am I missing? It's a constant counting of where are they, what are they doing. Sadly H is still immobile and I have no idea how crazy I'll be when she starts running in the other direction of the 2 seperate ones her brother/sister have chosen as well.</div>
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I love my baby and my new life. It's a fun journey and I am getting the hang of it more and more every day. I've made it in/out of grocery and Wal-Mart with everyone several times. i've also learned that older women love the expression "you've sure got your hands full" - from some I'm sure this is code for "good grief use birth control" - oh well! We are blessed and happy and thankful. I still plan on posting my actual birth story (mainly for me to remember it as much as anything) but my mom has pictures she wanted me to include from the waiting room so I'll try and get to that soon. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-56161972810832118112012-04-22T22:53:00.000-05:002012-04-22T22:53:02.078-05:009 months today...Is there really a baby in there?So today I'm officially 9 months pregnant. In waddly woman speak that means I can see the finish line. With the end in sight I'm so - I don't even know the word - baffled I guess. Let's review my last 5.5 years......<br />
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December 9, 2006 married my best friend (awww I know - too gushy - but for real he's legit my BFF (we've got the necklaces and everything hahaha - joke)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At our rehersal dinner</td></tr>
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October 2007 - found out we were expecting Skater. Every last second of that pregnancy I swear I watched as if you were watching the clock ticking off the seconds. It CRAWLED by. I busied myself worrying about everything, reading everything, becoming a "expert" who had never had a baby on everything, and organizing and rearranging her nursery. I had never been to the "womans" clinic places but a couple times before I got pregnant with SK. No clue on what to do about a baby doctor we decided to start our journey with a well respected doctor who had been a kind Christian adult role model in Matts life. Matt had even lived in his families guest house in college. Problemo here was that he had moved to Nashville. I love to shop and since Nashville was only 2 hours away and you don't go that much in the beginning we chose him. It worked great for a while because every month was like a nice little get a way for Matt and I to eat somewhere cool, go to Target etc. Around the time 30 weeks rolled around (and I started having a few pregnant friends deliver etc.) I began to realize that when I had our baby I wanted to be surrounded with family and friends so we switched (after much asking around) to the most amazing doctor on the planet Dr. Owens (literally I can't say enough about this guy and if you don't wanna know please don't ask me because I tend to gush about him....so does Matt actually we love him that much!) <br />
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Around the time I switched with SK my blood pressure was a little high. I was a new patient so for a while they monitored it. Almost immediately they started talking "take it easy" etc. With SK I was ENORMOUS but what I didn't realize being a 1st time mom is that I was swelling like crazy. Normal right???? ummm no not in this case. I was put on blood pressure meds to lower it and eventually around 35 weeks sent to bed rest. The bed rest was a way for a new mom (i.e. no kids to chase in the house to occupy my days) to sit and watch baby shows and search the internet tirelessly. I had to go to the doctor 2x a week to monitor my BP and at any given time they would take her if it got out of control. I remember very close to the end crying when we would leave and have to come back a few more days later. I was happy my BP was okay but so done. I was huge, miserable, sick and ready to meet my baby. When the day finally came it was overwhelming to say the least and I had no idea what to expect.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night before I delivered SK</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new addition</td></tr>
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Fast forward to March of 2010 - I was 9 months pregnant with Will. I'd had basically an uneventful pregnancy and the blood pressure issues that had plagued me with SK weren't there with him thank goodness. What was there were constant contractions. When you get online and google and read babycenter etc. they say if you're having more than 4 contractions in an hour call the doc. I was having like 10- a zillion. With SK I had never had braxton hicks really that I noticed so I wasn't sure what the deal was. I had a scheduled induction (by choice for school spring break scheduling - very modern of us) for April 2. In the weeks leading up to April 2 I was in Labor and Delivery for monitoring 5 or 6 miserable times. One time we went I got a shot to calm the uterus down. I felt like an idiot each time they said I could go home - still pregnant. It wasn't that I wasn't having contractions...I was they were showing on the monitor - they just weren't changing my cervix. I got to the point at the end that I was scared to go anywhere myself (because I had a not even 2 year old) because they had told me at any point my false labor could turn to real labor that could start things. My mom was with me everywhere. I sat up the night before the induction - my last night with SK all by herself - and cried and cried as I rocked her to sleep. I was convinced that us deciding we wanted another so close was going to ruin her life and what was I thinking and she wasn't going to be the baby anymore....and so on. When it was time to go to the hospital to be induced I was cool calm and collected. I felt that I had traveled this road before, knew what to expect and it went great. Labor was much easier with Will (my cervix was way more favorable with him than when I had SK) and I knew what I wanted and needed and it all went very smoothly. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night before I had Wilty</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby makes 4</td></tr>
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Now fast forward to now April 2012 - I'm 9 months pregnant with Hadley. I'm not scared that I'm ruining my others lives anymore like I was before...I have seen the beautiful friendship of SK and Will and how he was such a gift in her life and playmate that I can't imagine her living without. I know they'll make amazing big sister/big brother. SK was amazing when I had Will and she is amazing with our new niece Gentry. So loving and careful and helpful. Will as well loves our niece, is obsessed with babies and isn't the least bit jealous - he just wants to be involved and hold and help too. They both beg me to get Hadley out of my belly so they can hold her. I'm not really nervous about labor - it's not a been there done that as much as I feel confident about the process. I know that anything can happen and it's not always predictable or like planned but I also feel more educated than ever before about a zillion different options and what things mean etc. I don't sit around and wonder about if I've forgotten to buy something at Babies R Us and that if I don't have it now I'll be lost forever. With SK it's like I didn't realize if I've forgotten or end up needing something that I can easily go or have someone get it for me. I'm not even as scared about handling 3. Some of you with 3 are probably laughing at me. I have heard that 3 is the hardest transition but I'm confident in us. I'm more confident in my ability as a mom than ever (at least most of the time) and I feel ready. <br />
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So what's the problem????<br />
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I look down at this big ole belly that looks like there is an alien that is trying to crawl out and I think .... for real there's a baby in there? When I took the pregnancy test with Hadley it was like NO WAY (we planned all 3 so you'd think I'd see this coming) but I still couldn't believe it was positive. I thought it would take a while for it to sink in. 9 months and it's not totally sunk. Matt actually told me a couple weeks ago that even though 3 was always in the plan and never a "if" for us but a "when" we would try he said it's almost like he felt like we really wouldn't. He laughs at me because I use the term "legit adult" all the time when I do certain things. I told him that after we had Will I felt like a legit adult because we had TWO kids and it was like WHOA that's like a family of four. I don't know why to me it felt so much more real or whatever when we had 2. I know this baby is coming. I know she can come basically any day now (realistically probably at least 2 more weeks) but still I'm at the end. Not only do I not feel at the end I cannot even fathom that in 2 weeks I'll be where I was having my other 2. Which would be one more weekend baby free from now. CRAZY! I mean I can hardly grasp this. <br />
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Also it's weird because with the others we knew induction was the plan. We're on the fence now. We're gonna have her size measured soon again to see if she is still tipping the scales at 98th percentile and move forward from there. There are a million factors some good and bad to waiting vs inducing early vs letting us go whenever. I just don't know what to expect. Plus #3 is the wildcard. With your first people expect you to go overdue. I wouldn't have been induced if it wasn't for my health at 38 weeks it was time to get her out before I got any worse. With Will it just worked out that way. With your 2nd people still expect you to get close to your due date if you go into spontaneous labor maybe a tad early. #3 - wildcard. You've done this 2 other times - and in my case within the last 4 years - so my body knows what to do. Lots of statistics support dialating earlier, laboring earlier and faster etc. Not having ever gone into labor on my own I don't even know what my body does. So as I near the end I just wonder....when's she coming? What's gonna happen. I guess we'll see. <br />
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I loved our life with SK and Will just added so much that we couldn't even imagine. I can't wait for the new journey ahead. I can't imagine it, it doesn't seem real at all, and I know I'm gonna look back and say do you remember when we just had 2? No? Me either and it becomes all you know...I can't wait and I'm just so excited to meet this sweet baby girl. A part of me is a sad knowing this is probably the last time I'll be pregnant and I'm enjoying it (no I don't want to be like way overdue - my doctor won't even allow it) but I'm not as I'M DONE get em out anxious as I was before. I'm ready and excited. Hard to explain how I feel but just praying for a smooth journey and a healthy baby. When I'm on the other side I'll let ya know if I am as cool calm and collected as I feel now! haha.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-64278486149067336352012-04-22T16:10:00.000-05:002012-04-22T16:10:59.104-05:00The kitchen....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ymTzhHPPMxM/T5RuO2EoJSI/AAAAAAAAAK0/9zXNQ5rwkwY/s1600/kitchen+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ymTzhHPPMxM/T5RuO2EoJSI/AAAAAAAAAK0/9zXNQ5rwkwY/s320/kitchen+before.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen before.....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEfAkd3mdOE/T5RuKVqc6gI/AAAAAAAAAKk/HdiGikERMwM/s1600/kitchen+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEfAkd3mdOE/T5RuKVqc6gI/AAAAAAAAAKk/HdiGikERMwM/s320/kitchen+after.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen after!</td></tr>
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The kitchen is often called the heart of the home. I guess it's because meals are lovingly prepared in there and you spend tons of time in there period. It's not super inviting when the walls are blah, and everything else is just blah too. Like I referenced before my old house was great....just not me. The kitchen in that house was fairly big which I really liked. The only problem - EVERYTHING there was white. Appliances, cabinets and countertops. We had long talked about switching out things but again we had spent our money in house and just never got to it before we left. One thing I'd always thought about doing was painting the cabinets. When I saw the blank canvas kitchen in this house I knew that's exactly what I was going to do. <br />
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When I say that Matt and I had some major freakout, unsure, panic attacks the kitchen cabinets are one of the biggest. I decided before tackling the project I would do a sample door. I painted and sanded and stained exactly like I wanted. The sample door came out perfectly, didn't take a ton of time and we loved it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TLrTk8ePUJw/T5RuEgFEkFI/AAAAAAAAAKU/8vr7aM5rEII/s1600/dad+sanding+cabinets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TLrTk8ePUJw/T5RuEgFEkFI/AAAAAAAAAKU/8vr7aM5rEII/s320/dad+sanding+cabinets.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thank goodness my dad helped me - bending over a zillion doors and drawers was killing me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Crz5Fjb_234/T5RuCpmNGpI/AAAAAAAAAKM/DPM01Wnbbn4/s1600/cabinet+in+process+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Crz5Fjb_234/T5RuCpmNGpI/AAAAAAAAAKM/DPM01Wnbbn4/s320/cabinet+in+process+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in progress drawers</td></tr>
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So.....I started in on the cabinets. The sanding took forever (thanks to my dad for helping me), the staining of the edges is a quick process - painting took forever because there were a million to spread out and paint fronts, backs, sides etc. Then to poly coat the fronts, backs, sides etc. I will confess I do think there is an exact fingerprint mark of my stained fingers on the inside of one door if anyone ever needs it. <br />
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The hardest part however - rubbing stain on the top of the paint and wiping it to give it the weathered look I wanted. It was impossible for me to get them all looking similar. The more I worked at it the more weathered they looked. The more bewildered Matt looked as I went from a light weathering (something he came on board with hesitantly anyway) to much much more. <br />
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Finally we were ready to hang the doors. We had an AMAZING find. The super special, super old and custom hinges that are hidden on the doors (came with the kitchen and are cut out of the door so have to be used) suddenly didn't fit and allow the door to close with hopes of ever opening it again. Matt had to carefully dremel each and every door on the edges to get it perfect. <br />
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Time to put on the hardware. I had trudged through every store, online, lowes, home depot - everything to find hardware that I not only loved but was affordable. I got it on the doors and HATED it. Not just a little but a lot. This is awesome when you've drilled holes in every door for this! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZEE0FB832w/T5Rt_yCWLFI/AAAAAAAAAKE/nqsVoCP_rN4/s1600/cabinet+door+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZEE0FB832w/T5Rt_yCWLFI/AAAAAAAAAKE/nqsVoCP_rN4/s320/cabinet+door+before.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the basic cabinet doors before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IISj9TFNYT4/T5RuHdE39VI/AAAAAAAAAKc/UNwUyviXGh8/s1600/glass+cabinet+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IISj9TFNYT4/T5RuHdE39VI/AAAAAAAAAKc/UNwUyviXGh8/s320/glass+cabinet+after.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is our glass cabinets after! </td></tr>
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At this point I had a complete meltdown. Matt was looking at the cabinets like I had mod-podged leaves or something and I was hysterical. I hated it. I had a screwdriver in my hand and he said he was ready to run because he thought I was gonna throw it! I didn't (though it did cross my mind...) <br />
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We left for the night deciding we would start repainting in the morning - something that after a solid 2 weeks of nothing but cabinet work I was pumped about!...NOT. When I returned however I didn't HATE them but wasn't sure. I took to the stores, found new hardware that we LOVED and attached that. We decided to put repainting on the back burner and went on with other projects. One of which was we had 2 of the cabinet doors cut out for class pieces. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g_MqhW46D84/T5RuMfBc9BI/AAAAAAAAAKs/_IvkCyZFSMQ/s1600/kitchen+cab+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g_MqhW46D84/T5RuMfBc9BI/AAAAAAAAAKs/_IvkCyZFSMQ/s320/kitchen+cab+after.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower cabinets after</td></tr>
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Here's a money saving tip for you.....plain jane glass is cheap. Glass with any sort of bubble or detail is NOT. So we had plain glass cut for the cabinets. I made a trip to lowes and for $18 dollars picked up a roll of the bubbly rain stuff you see them apply to glass on HGTV. Matt was convinced this was awesome - I thought it was gonna look like cheap crap. I can honestly say that I was completely wrong. It was WAY (shockingly so) easy to install and has the exact look that we were going for and at about 1/4 of the price of getting glass cut like this. <br />
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Once we had everything in place, glass doors, hardware (and countertops installed) we looked back and LOVED the cabinets. I guess it was something that has to grow on you. It's for sure a specific style (which wasn't my intention at first but just sorta went in that direction) but I've received numerous compliments from people so I assume that they don't look mod podgy anymore and I'm proud to say I did them myself! Matt has even come back lately and said how much he loves them and is so glad that we stuck it out because of the look. <br />
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I also painted the crown molding thats around the top of cabinets only (i.e. not the rest of room or window) the same color as the cabinets to make them look more custom like they had an extra finishing detail and were more grand.<br />
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Some other custom money saving tips were in the other finished we chose. When it came to picking countertops we knew ours needed replacing but didn't want to spend a ton. We went to Lowes and looked and the mid-grade color we liked was MORE EXPENSIVE than the basic color granite that we also liked. Lowes was running a special on their most basic class A type of pattern. We were looking for something neutral and nice and decided to go for it. Man I'm so glad we did. We never imagined getting granite but it worked out to not be nearly as expensive as we thought simply due to what we chose. <br />
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I have ALWAYS wanted a farm sink. Always. I HATE 2 sided sinks. If you have one I don't hate yours it's just not functional for me. That was my one request. I really wanted cast iron but it was going to be several hundred dollars added so I spoke with the company and they were able to find me a stainless (aka comes with the granite install no charge) in a farmhouse and I LOVE it. <br />
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Appliances are something that add/take away from a kitchen. Our existing super extra wide old stove was taking away. We had a contract on our house around Christmas time. Christmas time = stores running crazy deals that you don't always see the rest of the year. When we saw Lowes running such a deal on stainless steel appliances (making a fridge, dishwasher, stove and microwave about 1/2 of what they normally are) we bought it. We were able to keep them at Lowes and not have them delivered until we closed on the house. Just paying attention to certain sales and time of the year saved us a ton. <br />
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As far as finished go I was oil rubbed bronze all the way. I love the look and I love things that are nice but a little bit rustic. Matt wasn't so sure. I begged for the cabinet hardware to be oil rubbed and he agreed it did look better. Then came time to pick out the faucet for the sink. Naturally I wanted oil rubbed and he wanted stainless. I won the battle and so glad I did. We've used the oil rubbed bronze house throughout our house and I am thrilled with it. In the kitchen we incorporated it into cabinet hardware, sink faucet as well as in the light fixture that hangs above my sink....<br />
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About that light fixture....I knew exactly what I wanted and everywhere I looked what I liked was stinkin expensive. I'm not one who is going to pay $400 for a tiny light over the sink when it's simply cosmetic. So I searched and searched. We made a random trip into our hometown hardware store and there was the most perfect light and it was ...get this $60 bucks. It made the trip home with me and I feel pulls the kitchen finishes together well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-qPIQs_Rxc/T5Rx9iMZXiI/AAAAAAAAALE/sqWDaBlDogY/s1600/dremel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-qPIQs_Rxc/T5Rx9iMZXiI/AAAAAAAAALE/sqWDaBlDogY/s320/dremel.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this tool!</td></tr>
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Another point of contention was on the backsplash. I was thinking neutral originally and Matt wanted cool glass tile. So I got online and started ordering samples (because ordering custom glass tile in Lowes or anywhere was OUT OF THE BUDGET). I found a sale online and was able to order our dream color limey apple glass tiles for a few hundred dollars. We did the install ourselves (not too hard actually) and this makes the kitchen in a way it wouldn't if we had done neutral and painted the wall a color. This backsplash is so Matt and I loved the way it juxtaposed his style with mine. It's one of my favorite features in the kitchen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2jfJWhhr18/T5Rx5eWCXvI/AAAAAAAAAK8/5UcmZNoVZKg/s1600/a+cutting+glass+tile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2jfJWhhr18/T5Rx5eWCXvI/AAAAAAAAAK8/5UcmZNoVZKg/s320/a+cutting+glass+tile.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The diamond bit on the dremel made cutting the class tiles super easy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TKXMExZJ9wc/T5RyDuemZcI/AAAAAAAAALM/wKxTKWXu3vU/s1600/matt+backsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TKXMExZJ9wc/T5RyDuemZcI/AAAAAAAAALM/wKxTKWXu3vU/s320/matt+backsplash.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This color should be named Matt Houser</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VcQOrunRWxA/T5RyHldDOUI/AAAAAAAAALU/_qBoURimxLU/s1600/mixer+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VcQOrunRWxA/T5RyHldDOUI/AAAAAAAAALU/_qBoURimxLU/s320/mixer+cabinet.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custom made open space for mixer and cookbooks</td></tr>
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One thing that's always bugged me is a bunch of junk on the counter. There is a perfect balance between nothing and too much. Though beautiful (and I did want it displayed) my mixter was always in the way as well as my cookbooks. Our old oven was way wider than normal ones today. So when we replaced appliances I had some extra inches left over. We were able to create an open cabinet that I had measured to perfectly fit my mixer (and it's deep enough my toaster that we rarely use is hidden behind it) and my cookbooks can be neatly displayed, accessible and leave my not so large counter space free!<br />
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Finally I painted the pantry door with chalk paint and love it. I'm contemplating painting another entire wall with it because it seems to bring a cozy very homey vibe when we have our grocery list and the kids artwork in chalk in. I've seen several HGTV kitchens where there is a floor to ceiling chalk wall and that's probably my next project....after this baby comes because I so can't start a painting project now....at least I don't plan on it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrLL1E4_sQU/T5RyJKTMHoI/AAAAAAAAALc/3oAbDkKT-qQ/s1600/pantry+chalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrLL1E4_sQU/T5RyJKTMHoI/AAAAAAAAALc/3oAbDkKT-qQ/s320/pantry+chalk.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I keep chalk nearby and always have a grocery list going. It's super handy and when I run out I add it. When I leave for the grocery I take a picture of the door on my phone and go from there.</td></tr>
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It was a bumpy ride with the cabinets for sure, 100x more work than I thought (just because nothing went as planned) but in the end I'm super happy I did them this way! I love looking at the before and after of the kitchen. It's the most dramatic change in all of our house and I really do feel that for not a ton of money we were able to take a basic and boring kitchen and turn it into something totally us and very cozy and warm.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596005879103028092.post-83241270891695552292012-04-21T21:36:00.003-05:002012-04-21T21:48:56.419-05:00Refinishing the hardwood - WAY harder than expected!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chOAFi6hjAs/T5NsXENcHzI/AAAAAAAAAJM/4yJ-BtHzRp0/s1600/floor+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chOAFi6hjAs/T5NsXENcHzI/AAAAAAAAAJM/4yJ-BtHzRp0/s320/floor+before.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the floor color before - the pictures don't show the grooves cut into the floor from a crappy sanding job done before</td></tr>
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We liked the color of the floor fine when we moved in. It wasn't what we would choose if we could pick it out from scratch but it was fine. Problem is there were tons of swirly divits where someone in the past had tried to refinish it, dug in with the sander and made tons of grooves. It looked terrible. We debated back and forth and decided it was now or never on the floor. Our entire house is hardwood (tile in kitchen and bath and the back bedroom has carpet). If we were gonna tackle this project it HAD to be done whlie the house was empty. So we decided to go for it! We never knew what we would be in for. <br />
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First like any well respecting home reno-ers we priced having the job done for us. When we found out it was going to be around $4000 we laughed and laughed and decided we'd do it ourselves or not at all. <br />
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Article after article read on the internet and questions asked we were ready. * I will add a disclaimer that every article mentioned this is not a job for amateurs but we ignored that part and figured with some good ambition we could do it*<br />
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We rented a sander, and started sanding off the finish. We sanded, and we sanded, and we sanded. (As referenced before I was about 25 weeks pregnant and physically couldn't be on my hands and knees in the floor for very long at all). Matt had the job of sanding the edges with the edge sander. He literally spent an entire weekend crawling around this house on his hands and knees. We sanded from Saturday morning until Sunday night LATE to get finished. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sipQIfr5PrE/T5NtZbpJAEI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/xzZe8hzdeQg/s1600/m-sanding+floors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sipQIfr5PrE/T5NtZbpJAEI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/xzZe8hzdeQg/s320/m-sanding+floors.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very first swipe with the floor sander</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpP-iI14RKM/T5NtBmxoSbI/AAAAAAAAAJs/9A7TUGrjFOY/s1600/a+sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpP-iI14RKM/T5NtBmxoSbI/AAAAAAAAAJs/9A7TUGrjFOY/s320/a+sanding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had decided to start in the very back bedroom sanding because we had no idea how it was going to go. We knew then if it didn't work we would carpet it and just leave and live with the floors. After sanding about half of that bedroom, seeing how long it would take and someone venturing out into the hall with the sander I freaked out and declared we had ruined our house and it was a big mistake. To say we were unsure was not even covering it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCAbuoI5CPE/T5Nsbrr9pfI/AAAAAAAAAJU/5_wPJTumtrk/s1600/m+-+hand+sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCAbuoI5CPE/T5Nsbrr9pfI/AAAAAAAAAJU/5_wPJTumtrk/s320/m+-+hand+sanding.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt worked and worked and worked. He never complained one single time that he had this job and I couldn't help him.</td></tr>
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Here's a fun fact that you know but don't realize....when you sand the finish off an entire house of hardwood there will be the most immeasurable amount of dust EVERYWHERE - way more than can be imagined - that has to be cleaned before it can be stained. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWueORY3_Hc/T5NsTClAV-I/AAAAAAAAAI8/6Z8aq6eux04/s1600/bare+wood+floors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWueORY3_Hc/T5NsTClAV-I/AAAAAAAAAI8/6Z8aq6eux04/s320/bare+wood+floors.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bare wood floors! BEAUTIFUL - can you see the potential?</td></tr>
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After cleaning and cleaning and wiping down walls, baseboards, fixtures, and then sticky cloth wiping down the floor (Matt not me) we were ready to stain.<br />
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Matt and I LOVE dark walnut stain. Everytime we see it used on tv we always say that's the one we would pick out. We tried 3 samples and were easily agreed on which one to use - the dark one! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ld0pxG51-LY/T5Nsd-CA_NI/AAAAAAAAAJc/TZxdA1_tVQs/s1600/m+-+staining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ld0pxG51-LY/T5Nsd-CA_NI/AAAAAAAAAJc/TZxdA1_tVQs/s320/m+-+staining.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anxious to get started. He had the most massive headache the following day - I felt horrible! That's with every window open and a ventilation mask. Like I said....not for preggos! I took this picture and left!</td></tr>
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We never imagined how long it would take to stain. I assumed a few hours - more like 6. Since stain is oil based (aka stinks like crap and very "fumey") it wasn't safe for me to even be in the house with Matt while he did this. The scariest part was that I'm the one who has always stained and refinished furniture. Matt had literally never even stained a single piece of wood in his life, nor seen it done to know the process and here he was ready to apply stain (after hours and hours of painstaking sanding) to our ENTIRE house. To say we were nervous is an understatement. I had full confidence he could do this but needless to say it's a massive project to tackle for your first staining experience ever!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DMQi409kvMk/T5NsgY6XGEI/AAAAAAAAAJk/CgTUR_PB0qM/s1600/matt+stain+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DMQi409kvMk/T5NsgY6XGEI/AAAAAAAAAJk/CgTUR_PB0qM/s320/matt+stain+color.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first look at the color! I loved it!</td></tr>
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Matt stained for an entire night and then poly coated, lightly sanded, wiped clean, and re-poly coated again for days. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6wd_s5SLGc/T5NuW5R_6DI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/2XF91UBTRYU/s1600/matt+poly+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6wd_s5SLGc/T5NuW5R_6DI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/2XF91UBTRYU/s320/matt+poly+floor.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poly coat! Sad news is that he discovered only after staining the entire house on his hands and knees a new tool that made things 100x easier and faster. Poor thing! Live and learn!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rT_vRzOBi_Y/T5NsWc0yqxI/AAAAAAAAAJE/1rcBUu_dFQk/s1600/floor+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rT_vRzOBi_Y/T5NsWc0yqxI/AAAAAAAAAJE/1rcBUu_dFQk/s320/floor+after.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the after! </td></tr>
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Though this is one situation where I'd say we will never do that again (and that's probably not even true) I am thrilled with the outcome and absolutely love the result. I'm so proud of Matt and how hard he worked on this. It was supposed to be something we did together and ended up being so much work for him! But in the end sooooo worth it. The floor is the exact color we would pick and is really a foundation that we laid in this house that is a base for the house looking exactly like we would want it to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0