Pins and Princesses

Merida Madness! Memories, games, recipes, and crafts!

2012-07-27T04:12:00.000-07:00

Source: damnedlotus.deviantart.com via Taryn on Pinterest

One of the highlights of our trip to Disney World for the girls was meeting Merida. It has become Merida madness around here!

Before we ever left, I was doing some Disney blog stalking and found a post with pictures containing the Merida collection. Little Princess chose a doll first from the pictures, and that was the first thing she wanted to do when we got there: meet Merida and buy her doll.

If you are heading to meet Merida, a hint for you. Go at rope drop! She started meeting people at 9:30, so we went straight and got in line. The line was always long when we were there, the week before the movie released. Probably longer now. The only thing about this time, as you can see from the first picture, is that the shadows from the trees make for not so great pictures!

They were promoting the movie rather heavily while we were at WDW, of course. We came home with a few fun FREE souvenirs, like badges and postcards.

In Epcot, they had an area set up called Highland Games. The girls got to practice their archery again, toss some "logs" and
haggis, and do some flipping of something or other. The logs were foam covered in brown fabric, haggis was cornhole! Easily translated to party games! We really had a lot of fun. There was also a playground nearby, canopies set up, and comfy chairs. Dear Husband was quite willing to let the girls play to their hearts content while he rested in the shade!

The archery part actually warmed my heart. My dear Daddy was a huge archer, and it was something he would have loved to have seen. Big Princess came home and wanted to try out his bows and arrows. Once my big brother comes in, I'll let him show her the ropes. It's a connection that made me teary eyed!

Why do we love Merida and Brave?
1. There is a spirit in her that we all appreciate.

2. It's very realistic about mother/daughter relationships. Big Princess will be 13 in 2 months, and we could have had some of those same conversations.

3. Since she loved Hunger Games, the archery aspect pulled Big Princess in. Plus, she could identify with Merida's big old messy hair. They had a conversation about controlling the frizz in the Florida humidity!

4. The music was GREAT!

5. Little Princess loved it. Just because.

6. This was the first movie my mom ever went with us to see.

I will also admit that the movie was fairly graphic a few times. Enough so that I was uncomfortable. We're not big on violence. I found that to mostly be the beginning, once we got past it, it was GREAT!

So now, the Merida madness continues. Little Princess will be sporting this Brave backpack and lunch box in Kindergarten this year. I love that packing her lunch will bring back memories of a wonderful trip! By the way, the backpack is on sale right now for $15.00 on Disney Store. com. I have no affiliation with them, other than the fact it's my favorite place to shop! :)

To keep the fun going, here is a roundup of activities, printables, recipes, and crafts!

I was too excited to find this pin from skip to my lou about making a PVC bow and arrow. I think hubby might be commissioned to do this. The girls would love it.

Source: skiptomylou.org via Taryn on Pinterest

And I just found this sensory tub from Counting Coconuts. I love her blog. LOVE. her. blog. And I cannot wait to put this together!

Source: countingcoconuts.blogspot.co.nz via Taryn on Pinterest

Views from the Ville has some great printables and cut outs. I see a game of coin archery in my future!

Source: viewsfromtheville.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Thinking about having a Brave party? You have GOT to check out Printabelle. FREE stationary, cupcake toppers, water bottle labels, and much, much more! I am thinking lunch box notes and encouragement notes for the princesses!

Source: printabelle.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Have you seen Disneybound's clothing ideas? AMAZING. Contemporary looks that emulate characters. LOVE this Merida look. I can see Big Princess rocking this!

Source: disneybound.tumblr.com via Christine on Pinterest

Want some BRAVE inspired foods?

Disney family has a Scottish sweet roll recipe. You know, what those pesky brothers kept eating? While you are there, check out all the other GREAT BRAVE printables, activities, and recipes, like Chocolate Bear Paws. Crowns, cutouts, you name it. Here is there Top ten .

Source: family.go.com via Taryn on Pinterest

If you are incorporating a study of Scotland into your life, or if you are really BRAVE, you can try out some of the Scottish recipes from Cooking Channel TV.

Source: blog.cookingchanneltv.com via Taryn on Pinterest

I could really see a BRAVE themed party being a big hit with the boys and girls. And if you are like me with a fairly big age split in your kiddos, you could have a Hunger Games/BRAVE party and incorporate teens and tots!

SORRY!

2012-07-27T02:16:00.000-07:00

So, yeah. I went MIA. It's been wonderful. It's been relaxing. IT CAN'T BE OVER!

Truth about summer #1. Disney World is the most magical place on Earth.

Truth about summer #2. Disney's Hilton Head Island is a close second.

Truth about summer #3. Camping in our new vintage travel trailer is amazing.

Truth about summer #4. Recovering from last school year has been a longer process than anticipated.

Truth about summer #5. While I didn't do all I planned, there are snippets of goodness around.

Truth about summer #6. Now that I have recovered, I am ready for summer to start. Too bad I only have 2 weeks left!

Truth about summer #7. If I am going to accomplish anything, I have to have a schedule.

Truth about summer #8. My house looks worse than when school was in session. See post #7.

Truth about summer #9. I am so not ready for Big Princess to go to high school.

Truth about summer #10. I am so not ready for Little Princess and I to start kindergarten!

Thankful Thursday 2

2012-06-01T02:13:00.002-07:00

This week was hectic. Digging deep here!!

Mountaintop picnics

Hikes in the woods, with a surprise "waterfall" in the creek that Little Princess called

"the golden treasure"

My mom who takes such good care of me, watches the princesses when I need her to.

Softball season being OVER for Big Princess. They were the season champs!

Glad to have one less thing on the calendar!

Great friends, good conversations, and our children being friends.

Bedtime snuggles

Summer vacation officially starting for me!

15 days until WDW!!!!!

Big princess learning how to get my coffee ready for delay brew!

When is enough enough? Do I have enough?

2012-06-01T02:08:00.002-07:00

This week I have been working on curriculum and pacing guides for next year for kindergarten. Our state is one of the few hold outs that has not adopted the common core and is still revising and assessing our own state standards.

Our English standards are getting increasingly harder, as are Math. Science changed up this year, too. I can see that the focus there is going to developing inquiring minds, observing, experimenting recording. I think these are all good things, very good things. English is adding a focus on collaboration and vocabulary development as well as enhanced writing skills. Again, in and of themselves, good things. I see the basis for many of the new standards and the tweaking of the old standards to be more in line with the 21st century skills. All good things.

BUT, here is where I am in panic mode. There are not enough hours in my school day to accomplish all that needs to be done. I could EASILY spend 2.5 hours a day on English/reading/writing/literacy. And a good hour and a half on math. Science, a good hour. History/"social sciences" another hour. That's 6 hours. Add in playtime, lunch, and specials, and that add up to 7.5 hours. Oh wait, they need transition time, bathroom time, snack time, walking to and from cafeteria and specials, packing up and unpacking, lunch orders, etc. Now we are up to at least 8. We are only in school for 6.5. HOW do I fit it all in???

And on top of that, lets add to the mix the fact that many of my students are just turning 5 this summer and have the accompanying, age appropriate, short attention span. Some have never been away from home. They need a lot of help, guidance with procedures, social skills, etc. Some have never touched a computer. Some have never wiped themselves.

When do they get to just be kids? I am really sad when I think about Little Princess starting kindergarten this year. I am excited because I know how much she will learn. I know they are like sponges. She learned soo much in pre-k, is doing great sounding out CVC words. She has a head start, like the others in her class. But I know the pace of K is now frantic at times. Can she handle it? Can any of them? Can I?

Sometimes, I think it's time to change grades. Part of me thinks if I had older students, I wouldn't feel like I am pushing so hard. They would have had a year of school. They would be older, and maybe I wouldn't feel so much like I am being asked to climb a mountain whose foundation isn't strong enough.

So now, I know I am going to spend my summer vacation working, obsessing, and stressing. Researching, planning, prepping. And I really, really, really wanted a summer "off" like I get paid for!!!

What we take in to Disney Parks

2012-05-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

I will be getting in my car in 19 days for a 12 hour drive to my happy place. I am starting to get excited, really, really excited. I have the feeling my Disney posts will be more frequent!

Today I want to share with you something that I've seen discussed over and over again, and that's what we take into the parks. Some are minimalists, others carry everything but the kitchen sink. We've fallen into the carry a lot group, but it's not as bad as it sounds, promise!

I was told years ago that the Baggalini messenger bag is awesome, and it is. I absolutely love it for WDW! It comes in a lot of colors, but I chose basic black. The straps are comfy, it holds a lot, it keeps things organized! There is a zippered part on the back, too. I keep the most valuable stuff in there since it stays close to my body! My cell phone fits great in the section on the strap, keeping it handy for staying in touch, looking up something, etc. The picture is a link to Amazon for this bag.

FYI - You have to have your bags checked at every park entrance. I try to help the guards out by opening the zippers and zippered pouches while I am waiting in line for bag check.

So, what's in here?
*** mini first aid kit. There are first aid stations everywhere, but I keep one of these little numbers by Johnson and Johnson so I don't have to try to find one if necessary. It has everything I need for a basic boo-boo. I also put in a few pieces of moleskin in case a blister starts cropping up, and a few various sizes of safety pins, mostly in case of wardrobe malfunctions! :) I love that this little box will keep it all organized

**** Medicine kit. This is a small zippered pouch that I keep in my bag. I have a tiny box in it with a few adult ibuprofen and another with chewable tylenol for Little Princess. I also keep a roll of tums and a few peppermints in here. Sometimes, the food/ride combination leaves us feeling yucky. These two will head it off pretty quickly. I wear contacts that sometimes dry out on the faster outdoor rides, so I have a small bottle of drops in here. Also keep a dose of immodium. Finally, I have a small eyeglass repair kit for DH, like the one shown below. He's blind as a bat without his glasses! All this can be found in the parks, but much faster and handier just to have it with me. Honestly, this zipper pouch is only 2 inches wide by 4 inches long.

***Gum - not sold on property! Take it with you if you like it! Again, great for upset tummies if you get mint flavored.

***Chapstick - no burned lips allowed!

***Our Keys to the World. These are your park tickets, room card, dining plan, and charge card all in one if you are staying on property. We keep ours on lanyards. Hubby keeps his attached to his belt loop, but I keep mine and Little Princess'. We rely on this totally for money, with the exception of sometimes taking $10 or so for an incidental expense that might not go on the card, but most do.    (If you are going to Harmony Barber Shop in the Magic Kingdom, you can pay for the haircuts via room card, but not tips to the barber, FYI!)

***Camera, camcorder. If you have a small point and shoot, I read a great tip to put it in a travel soap box. Ours wouldn't fit in one, but thought that was an awesome idea, especially for those water rides.

****Ziploc bags I put in a gallon and sandwich. These are to protect items on water rides.
If we are going to Animal Kingdom, sometimes I add a grocery bag to put my whole bag in. You will get soaked on Kali River Rapids. There is a storage compartment, but it's not totally waterproof.

***Travel size hand sanitizer

***Travel sized pack of wet wipes - sticky hands, dirty tables, Mickey Ice Cream Bar covered faces. I usually buy enough at the Dollar Tree to have a pack a day.

***Pennies and quarters for pressed penny machines. Our daughters collect these, they are a relatively inexpensive souvenir. We keep them in a M&M's mini container. Note: this can get heavy!!!

****Little Princess Autograph book and Sharpie.

***Ipod touch - the games and videos have been life savers in lines for Little Princess. That's about all we take to occupy her. I also keep our ADR confirmation times and numbers on here and my phone, and I air share our touring plans excel sheet to my ipod.

***Health insurance cards and driver's licenses. My theory is if something happened bad enough for us to go to hospital, I wouldn't want to take the time to go back to the room for the cards. I have a small card pouch that I keep buried in one of the zipper pouches for this.

*Big Princess has a Vera Bradley mini messenger. She keeps her key, camera, phone, gum, hand sanitizer, ipod touch, and autograph book.

We also carry a "stroller bag".
This will probably be our last year with the stroller, so we'll have to pick and choose what of this to take in the baggalini next year. We take a canvas shopping bag to keep under the stroller with other items.

To get on the buses or trains at WDW, you have to fold your stroller. I recommend that everyone take a small bag to be able to throw things that accumulate in the bottom of the stroller so you can just put the bag on your shoulder rather than holding the stuff. I've had to stand on a moving bus and hold a tired preschooler in my arms, while hubby stood and held on to the stroller and baggalini and Big Princess held the stroller bag. Note: you can have all your park purchases sent back to your room if you are staying on property at no cost. We like to take advantage of this when possible, just keep your check out date (and how badly your child might want to play with something purchased) in mind. It usually takes 24-36 hours to get there.

In here, we have:

*Ponchos I buy several at the Dollar Tree and take these daily. Quick storms pop up almost every day in the summer. They also help at Kali to keep you a little more dry. We have nicer, heavy duty ones that we take with us WDW and only take them to the parks if they are calling for RAIN, not just chances of pop up storms and showers.

****Shower curtain liner and clothespins. I loved this tip from the minute I read it. If we park the stroller to ride or eat, and the sky looks ominous, we wrap the shower liner around it and clothespin it together in the back. It's saved Little Princess from having to ride in a soaked stroller more than once! I take a couple of dollar store ones every year, and they really don't take up much room in the stroller bag.

***Sunscreen

***Glow sticks, light up spinners, etc. if we are going at night.

****Water bottle - We always get the free ice water at counter service places. We put it into a bottle immediately. We got some years back at WDW that the screw on top is held on by a strap, perfect for hanging over the stroller handles.

****Spray Misting Fan - If you read my post on beating the summer heat at WDW, you know I advocate budgeting the extra $15-$20 on the WDW misting fans. They just work so much better. We do still take personal ones, but that one is truly the best. We use the neck hoop to hook over the stroller handles.

***Chamois cloth, sometimes called camp towels or swimmers towels. These are great to wipe off benches or rides after a rainstorm.

Honestly, I know it sounds like a lot. But these little things have come in very handy to make our trips more magical. I know people that head off with their keys and camera and go! I pack the baggalini before we go, and take a ziploc bag of the extra wipes, batteries for fans, gum, etc. in my suitcase. I also pack the stroller bag with the basics before we go, and put the ponchos and night stuff in the suitcase.

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School's Out Week 1: DANCE!

2012-05-27T04:45:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned here, I am trying to tie our summer activities around a theme for a week. At home summer camps, if you will. We'll still do other things, for sure. But this will help me get in some things I pinned that I wanted to do, keep us active, and keep me focused!

As Little Princess's first ballet recital is Saturday, the theme is dance! I have 3 workdays this week, we have dress rehearsal, a pool birthday party for a friend, and Daddy's home for Memorial Day, so this week won't be as involved.

Family Dance Party: We have some strobe lights and a disco ball left over from the time my husband helped DJ a bit in his former job. We'll set that up one evening and go to town!

Week long Just Dance marathon: Lots of challenges and mother daughter fun. 30 minutes each day to satisfy my physical activity requirement!

Night dancing: We'll hang some fairy lights, light some outdoor candles, dress up, and dance under the stars.

The rest of the activities are pretty much geared towards celebrating the recital!

Books: We have a lot of books in the house about dance, Angelina Ballerina books from the library. After her recital, I have a special book to give Little Princess to commemorate the day. It's about working towards goals, and not giving up.

Arts/Crafts:I think I am going to send the supplies for one of these with the girls to do with my mom while I have my workdays.

This one is just for me to do, but looks simple enough. It's from Secrets of a Super Mommy again, and involves a vase, a bobby pin, some glue, and some tulle. Think I can squeeze that in. It's a vase to hold post recital flowers, which will be a gift from Daddy.

Source: secretsofasupermommy.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

********I love all the streamer wands/rings for dancing with, as does Little Princess. Her wands are getting a little worse for the wear. I am going to put some ribbons, some string, some shower curtains, and pipe cleaners in a bag and have Big and Little Princess work together to make them. I was thinking maybe pipe cleaner bracelets, but I don't want to hinder their creativity.

I love this handprint tutu from Meet the Dubiens. She has great instructions, too!

Source: meetthedubiens.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Sweet little paper dolls

Source: pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

***** Big Princess loves photography, so I am going to put her in charge of a photo shoot the day AFTER the recital. (Don't want anything to happen to the costume beforehand!) I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

Recital Morning Breakfast
The day is going to be very, very hectic. But I want to start it off right.

To decorate, I'll put out the white lace tablecloth. I'll use my white milk glass cake stand and put a tutu under it for the centerpiece. On the cake stand, I'll have some ballerina things I gather from the house. We have a few Precious moments ballerina items - a snow globe and a figurine. Maybe one of the ballerina books. Going to drape the chandelier with a strand of pearl like garland left from Christmas. Should be rather Pretty in Pink. We'll also display their artwork from the week.

Going to snazz up our milk glasses with some pink sprinkles and paper straws. Just regular milk, but this strawberry milk is super cute!:

Source: karaspartyideas.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

We love these red velvet pancakes around here, but they are very rich and only for special occasions. I'll use less food coloring, and hopefully end up with pink pancakes.

Source: thatssoyummy.com via Taryn on Pinterest

I am excited to have these activities that are relatively easy to put together ready to go for dance week. If you have any quick and easy ideas, please share!

Friday Favorites

2012-05-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the alliteration theme, going to try to start a Favorites Fridays. Moments, items, books, whatever is on my mind for the week.

Seeing the first lightening bugs of summer

Quiet early mornings while the family is in bed. Just me, the dogs, the guinea pig, and good coffee.

My new VT Mickey t-shirt from a student. Oh so soft, oh so sweet.

Watching my daughters' eyes fill with emotion as their school years ended. As a mom, it told me that they had a good experience, and made me proud that they feel so deeply. As a teacher, it made me remember why I go to work everyday.

Four day weekends as a family.

Watching the soon to be high schoolers play in the rain at their party. May childhood live forever.

Cranking up my summer playlist on my ipod. Eclectic mix, to be sure. But it captures the feelings for me. Some highlights:
The Wall by Pink Floyd,
It's the End of the World by R.E.M.
Drift Away by Percy Sledge,
Knee Deep and Toes by Zach Brown Band,
All Summer Long by Kid Rock,
Summertime, Kenny Chesney and Will Smith's versions.
Smile by Uncle Kracker.
Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show.
In the Summertime by Rayvon/Shaggy
Beach Music Medley by The Embers
One Love by Bob Marley
Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride from the Lilo and Stitch Soundtrack

That moment, when all you want to do is cry.
When you feel defeated on all sides.
When you feel like you can't do anything right.
When it seems that no matter how hard you try to do what is right, how hard you work to make things right, how emotionally invested you are, everything you touch seems to go bad.
When you are wondering if it's even worth trying anymore, and you can't see the rainbow.
And the song you need to hear comes on the radio.
For me, it was Good Life by One Republic. That's our Disney song of the year thanks to the commercial. It even makes little princess cry. And it reminds me that even if it's feeling "hopelessly" I have a lot to be thankful for. (Don't you think the splatter paint for the cover looks like the Cinderella castle?)

Dreaming of this camera. It's still a very, very, very big dream. One day, sweet NIkon 5100, you will be mine. Maybe in 10 years. HA!

Finally getting to read Jodi Picoult books. I've read these two in the last month, and really "enjoyed" them. The topics aren't really "happy-go-lucky" - a school shooting and Asperger's syndrome. But I really enjoy getting into the minds of characters, and Picoult does that well.

Thankful Thursdays

2012-05-24T04:59:00.001-07:00

I really wanted to cultivate an attitude of gratitude this year. I thought I was doing better, until a friend pointed out that I am a pessimist this week. So, to do better, welcome to Thankful Thursdays. (It is Thursday, I think. Wait. Yeah, I checked. It's Thursday.)

And I am making a no buts allowed rule. I will admit that I am terrible about saying "I'm thankful for.... even if." Or, "I'm thankful for... but." New rules!

This week's Thankful Thursday:

*An amazing Lord who loves me despite my faults and gives me what I need, even when I think I need something else.

*Amazing teachers and staff that have given so much to my daughters.

*Amazing daughters who completed a year of school, worked hard, made friends, and learned sooo much about life, learning, and themselves.

*An amazing husband who shed tears over his daughter's elementary years ending, and cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for her classmates at their party after working all day.

*An amazing mom, whose generosity and selflessness can never be outdone on Earth.

*Amazing parents of students who took the time not only to thank me, but to really think about me in their gifts. A VT Mickey shirt from one, and a Mickey beach towel and other great goodies from another.

*Amazing in-laws who are always willing to help out.

*Amazing friends who I can always count on and call on, no matter how much time has passed.

*School's out!

*My car runs, my house is warm/cold when I need it to be. My clothes are mostly washed and mostly fit.

*I have food in the fridge

*I have a job

*I can read, write, and speak.

*My children are healthy

*My Daddy is happy and whole in heaven

*I am going to WDW in less than a month

*My needs are met

*I am learning about myself and my family. I am gaining focus. I am working towards a goal.

*I have read actual fiction books lately!

*My coffee was good.

*My list for the day could go on and on and on, but I'll stop here.

School's Out for Summer!

2012-05-24T04:09:00.002-07:00

My daughters had their last day of school yesterday. Tuesday was their promotion ceremonies. I've been such an emotional wreck.... It's been sooo hectic with all of their celebrations, (I talked about them here and here) and my end of the year stuff for school. I've yet to come to the realization that it's almost over. I have 4 more workdays, then PARTY ON!

I had really, really planned to do some of the great things I had pinned for the last day of school... Didn't happen. Secrets of a Super Mommy has amazing ideas for celebrating the last day of school, like this number/letter themed food, gifts, and signs! You've got to check it out!

Source: secretsofasupermommy.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

My Mix of Six also has a great beginning of summer basket!

Source: mymixofsix.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Family Fun is also a good source:

Source: familyfun.go.com via Taryn on Pinterest

So now I am in summer vacation planning mode! I really want this to be a summer to remember. Big Princess is going to high school next year, Little Princess is starting K. Last summer, I did nothing but work on courses for my master's degree. I want this one to be special!

I am guilty of doing nothing but resting for a week, usually. And truth be told, it's been such a hectic two months, we need that. But, I want to be sure we don't get too lazy. Plus, we have a great vacation coming up to Disney World and Vero Beach. Need to start working on Father's Day. I have lots of great activities I want to do. I want them to keep up with reading and academics. I want to work on the house. Crafty projects that need completing.

I started thinking about a schedule. My family thrives on them. The problem is that my girls are night owls, and tend to get into a habit of staying up late and sleeping late, and then wanting a lazy hour when they get up on top of it!

I had pinned this schedule that I think is a great guide and inspiration:

Source: somewhatsimple.com via Taryn on Pinterest

I am not sure that I want to finally go this route, though. I love the idea. Don't get me wrong. I might incorporate it somewhat. But we tend to get out and go more than this on a typical week, impromptu plans with friends come up, etc.

I know that on a DAILY basis I want to:

* Have the girls read. 30 minutes a day. Scholastic has a great reading challenge program.

*Work on writing with the girls. One idea I pinned was a summer journal. Might be a great way to end each day!

Source: busykidshappymom.org via Taryn on Pinterest

*30-60 minutes of physical activity. Not just moving around cleaning, but true exercise. Swimming counts, lying in the sun with friends doesn't. Big Princess and I want to run. Little Princess would be fine to play on the playground at the park while we do. However, I can't see her the whole time, so that's an issue I have to resolve. Some can be fun and not necessarily thought of as "exercise" . Thinking obstacle courses, running through sprinklers, walking the dogs, nature hikes, etc.

*Daily household chores, and a focus for the week. The focus will probably be mostly my job, with the kids helping. I would love to do an extra project a day, but I'm trying not to be too ambitious!

*Academics - want to keep away the summer slide. Need to do lots with Little Princess to get her ready for K. Big Princess needs to work on Math daily!

So adding all that up we are at about 2-3 hours of the day for reading, writing, academics, exercise, and cleaning. Guarantee my kids would groan at that! Now I have to figure out how to incorporate the fun. I've seen a lot of bits of random fun. Summer bucket lists, what to do now jars, etc. Here are a few:

Source: digitalreflections.typepad.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Source: wendolonia.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Source: imboredletsmakesomething.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Source: craftingchicks.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

I love all these fun activities. And with Big Princess having received a smartphone for her elementary graduation, I definitely want to limit the screen time. I love this idea of each child having a set number of technology tickets for the week, and when they are gone, they are gone!:

Source: themacdougallfamily.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

And yet, the K teacher in me loves a theme, a unit, a connection. A way to incorporate all the things I want to do in a meaningful way. So I thought about theme weeks. I won't go into all the details for each one, this post is getting long enough. But here's a preview of what's on my mind!

Week 1: Dance Theme. Little Princess first dance recital is that weekend. I have 3 workdays, so I won't be home much. I have a lot of cutesy art projects for Little Princess planned that are ballet related. They can play Just Dance, turn on the radio and dance, they love family dance parties with disco ball and strobe lights, we have dance books to read. Dance theme, but without a lot of fuss! Wrap up event: recital.

Week 2: Beach theme. Lots of sensory/craft ideas pinned. Several beachy decor crafty things we can make and decorate the house with. A few beachy snacks. Trips to the pools, local and grandparents. Beachy books. Wrap up: Backyard Luau

Week 3: Disney theme We'll be packing, planning, etc. Disney movie/meal a night. Lots of possibilities!

Week 4: On Vacation!

Week 5: Camping theme Lots of great ideas pinned for crafts, snacks, backyard campouts, nature hikes, survival skills, obstacle courses, etc. Wrap up: either backyard campout or real camping.

Week 6: God Bless the USA! All about Independence Day. SOOO many ideas!

Week 7: Movie theme Watch favorite movies, make a movie, go to the movies, Movie/dinner theme a day, maybe go to a drive in. Wrap up: Backyard movie showing party!

Week 8: Art/Mad Scientist Sooo many ideas for each of these, but in our house, they kind of go together. Total process over product art this week, and a few experiments thrown in for good measure. Wrap up: art party for girls' friends.

Week 9: Entrepreneur week Thinking about each day being a different "at home business" Pet Grooming - girls help bathe dogs, etc. Bake shop: bake all kinds of goodies, deliver to neighbors, freeze, etc. Restaurant: Girls mostly in charge of planning, cooking, serving, and cleaning up after dinner. Free days - girls pick a job/business. Wrap up: lemonade stand!

Week 10: Bucket List This is my last week off. I actually might have to work a few days. So this will be the cram everything in we didn't get done week.

STAY TUNED - MORE DETAILS FOR EACH WEEK TO COME!

Mother's Day handmade gifts

2012-05-14T02:54:00.002-07:00

I ~~know for sure~~ thought the girls are going to make these lovelies.

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However, I am not sure how. The original idea swirled paint on the inside. I'm afraid that over time the water would mess up the paint. I am thinking about spray painting the outside, as inspired by The Colorful Living Project and then doing the handprint, each girl will get one side. I am thinking these are perfect - I have lots of jars, and both moms love to bring in flowers from their gardens. As I am looking and writing, I do wonder if I will be able to get both handprints on one jar.

So literally, as I am writing this post, my mind starts whirling to other ideas. I have a ton of frappuccino bottles, they're a guilty pleasure. They would be lovely spray painted white, and possibly better as vases, truth be told, since you wouldn't have to have as many flowers. No way to get handprints, but could be made adorable with spray paint, washi tape and thumbprint flowers. Yeah, that's the ticket. Stay tuned, I will take pictures and post about them!

Now that that's settled, on to other ideas.

My Mom loves peanut M&Ms. They are her guilty pleasure. When I saw this as a Christmas gift for teachers, I knew I would be doing it for Mother's Day. Going to break out another Frap bottle, fill with M&Ms, chalkboard paint the lid, and modify and attach the poem given on the link for my Magnificent and Marvelous Mom.

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Fairy Tale Life

2012-05-14T02:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I'm still kinda... glowing.

My children made cards for me, Little Princess made a special gift in Pre-K. Big Princess made a card with Mickey's in computer lab and a sweet poem.

But my dear husband surprised the heck out of me. My family gave me a Pandora bracelet for graduation with a Mom charm and an owl/book charm. For Christmas, hubby gave me a football charm. Our "dates" all occur in the fall when we attend home Hokie football games together. We love watching the games with the girls for away games. Yes, I like football. For my anniversary, he gave me a love knot charm.

These are all precious. But, for Mother's Day, he knocked it out of the park. I received this special, wonderful, amazing gift yesterday. It's stunning, way more than I deserve, but the meaning behind this for us is what got me.

You know about my love for Disney. Here are all the ways that this charm shows how he really GETS me and how it ties to my life as a mother, wife, etc.

* I absolutely love Cinderella. Cinderella's castle at WDW is my favorite. I have a castle collection - my souvenir from our trips always has the castle - photo frames, snow globes, coffee mugs, whatever.

* My all time favorite "parenting" song is by Steven Curtis Chapman, called Cinderella. It's meant as a Father/Daughter song, but the sentiment is sooo true. Get a tissue...

I know that my time with my Cinderellas is fleeting. One day... hopefully in far, far, far future, when they are not at home anymore, I will look at this and remember this time in our lives.

*My ringtone when my hubby calls is Someday my Prince will Come.

*When we are at WDW, I am just...... at peace. In love with my family. Enjoying and reconnecting with my family. Looking at this charm instantly takes me to that time.

Oh yeah, he's definitely earned his ears.

Quest for the cape - patience and appreciation

2012-05-14T02:26:00.001-07:00

So after the fail of M-F, I was determined that Saturday would be better. I was going to focus on being more patient, and being in control of my temper.

I got up at my usual 4am, worked on some projects for graduation and Mother's Day, and gave myself a break. Picked up House Rules that I had gotten from the library, and could not put it down! Had to for Little Princess' t-ball game. But I was completely engrossed in the plot.

My decree that I would be more patient was definitely put into action several times. For whatever reason, Little Princess had several meltdowns before 2pm. Rather than sinking to her level, being disgusted by the actions. I tried empathy. While she didn't necessarily stop, it didn't turn into the anger that her meltdowns had the previous week. Thankfully, her evening was much better.

I had Mother's Day on the brain. I was a little bit of a martyr, I will admit. I was thinking about why it was always my responsibility, it was assumed I would do things, etc. etc. etc. (Like the dog wouldn't have chewed her flip flop if I had done my job as the cleaner. I get no respect.) Or how me taking a break to read didn't mean someone else couldn't do the housework. Please tell me you've had those thoughts?

Well, I curled up on the couch with my book, and promptly fell asleep. Took a lovely nap - about 3 hours!!! - and awoke to hubby and Big Princess cooking dinner. Should have made me feel great, right? Well, if the house were clean it would have.

Instead, I kept hearing myself and hubby tell Big Princess to do things (he told her part of her job as sous chef was to clean up the kitchen, I reminded her that the laundry basket needed to be taken upstairs, etc. etc.) I realized that yes, she has responsibilities in the house, as do most kids. It's just part of teamwork of family. But if I was feeling a little under-appreciated, how must she feel? So I spent the rest of the evening acknowledging her actions. Every time she did something, either because we asked or if we didn't, part of her "chores" or not, I thanked her. When I told her good night, I thanked her again.

I want my children to feel appreciated. For who they are. For their efforts. For their contributions. For their actions. I think most disharmony in homes and workplaces comes from a lack of recognition - not for the sake of recognition, but to feel appreciated. Sure, I want them to have responsibility, but I want them to know that I am grateful when they follow through. I am big on responsibility, team work, etc. But being taken for granted isn't good for anyone..

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Quest for the cape - FAIL!

2012-05-14T02:01:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, did I fail this week. Instead of superhero mom, I was villain mom. It was one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad school weeks. I felt so down Saturday morning, I just wanted to curl into a cocoon and hope to come out on the other side a butterfly. I wasn't even going to continue this series, who was I to talk about the quest to become a supermom?

When I was looking for a specific quote I had pinned for a project, I saw this one; it immediately lifted me up and gave me a new perspective.

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SO here is my "kindsight" for the week.

Monday - My wonderful mom got the girls from school for me so I could work on some home projects (cleaning, moving furniture). She should have a gold-dusted, diamond encrusted cape! I didn't pick them up until late. But, I did sit and listen to the girls each talk about their days, what's up in their lives when we got home for a bit. It wasn't a big huge deal, but I bet it was to them.
Hero worthy action: Making my children feel special by listening. Not listening while I was cooking, cleaning, folding, working. But face to face listening.

Tuesday - I was in pain from moving furniture, and couldn't get going. Note to self: despite your quest for the cape, your superhero skills will not include moving heavy furniture alone. I had a thousand things on my mind to do at work. I am so ready for the end of the year, my to do lists have to do lists. I realized that if I all thought about was getting to day X, when I could breathe again, I would miss all the wonderful things this day had. This was my motto for the day when we left the house.

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Well, it kinda worked. Due to rain, evening activities were cancelled, so we came home and were lazy. Really lazy. Just laid around, watching tv, everybody kinda doing their own things. Not really connecting, just being. It was okay.
Hero worthy action: I get so wrapped up in what has to be done, and what I want to get done, that I forget to just let them be sometimes. I don't want every moment of my life dictated to me, even if it is fun. Downtime is good for everyone.

Wednesday:
Hump day is supposed to be great, right? Well. Not so much. Little Princess, for whatever reason, was a puddle Wed. afternoon. Blame it on three days of rain. (Anyone singing Milli Vanilli right now? Blame it on the raaiiiin...) Blame it on being overtired after a busy week at school. Blame it on my need to study with Big Princess for a state standardized test. Blame it on.. It was soo not pretty. Everything was a battle. And after ballet class, we got home and the dog had chewed up her favorite flip flop. She argued, cried, wailed, hit, blamed, ignored.
Hero worthy action: I didn't walk out the door never to return.

Thursday:
Softball game for Big Princess. Little Princess was still a puddle, but not as bad. She had fun playing on the playground next to the ball field. Lots of talking on the way to and from with Big Princess, because she wanted to spend the night with someone Friday night, and was rather consumed with it. I reminded her a lot of the need to stay focused on school until after testing.
Hero worthy action: Big Princess and I had some conversations that we really needed to have. Sometimes I feel like I nag all the time, but I really focused on her feelings, consequences of actions, and explaining myself. I actually felt pretty good about our conversation until Friday.....

Friday:
Oh, it was bad. This time it was Big Princess' turn to rock the boat. She made a bad choice, not earth-shatteringly bad, but still bad. It was directly related to the conversations we had Thursday night. She lost focus on her math nemesis. Not a grade, those haven't been good either. But she gave in to peer pressure and neglected her math. I was soooo disappointed, I was crying at school when I caught her. I guess pride goeth before a fall came into play here. As a result, she was not allowed to spend the night with the friend at the last minute.
Hero worthy action: I stuck to my guns. I have been known not to dole out a big consequence. But I followed through. I couldn't talk to her then, but later, we talked about all the many reasons her choice upset me, and how they led to a much bigger picture with much, much bigger consequences. And I kept my mouth shut when I knew nothing but anger would spew out.

I was so glad I sat down and thought it out in" kindsight". Because last week seemed like attacks from all sides - everyone was grumpy, snippy. All four of us were short tempered. Work was horrible, the kids were crazy! I fell running with them to run off some energy and my knee and elbow still hurt. I really wanted to crawl under the covers and make the world go away. Everything was a mess, and it seemed like a snowball of hurt feelings, disappointment, temper, disobedience, and calamity.

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I encourage each of you to take some time when things are bad to view it in kindsight. Those of us in the quest for the cape expect superhero actions of our ourselves at all times. We never get ourselves enough credit. Sure, I still wish I had handled things better.

I declared Saturday the beginning of a new week for my family. And it was.... better.

Pre-K and Elementary Graduation Ideas

2012-05-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have Little Princess graduating from pre-k, and Big Princess graduating from Elementary School on May 22.

Being honest, the pre-k celebration isn't that big of a deal. She's in full day pre-k at our school, will be with the same kids, same school, etc. It's a big deal in that it's a milestone, for sure. We'll mention it, celebrate it, she'll have a little graduation ceremony during the school day.

Big Princess.That's a huge deal - we don't have a middle school; she will enter high school as an 8th grader in August. Also a huge deal since for the first time since she started kindergarten, she won't be in school with me. :( I'm a mess! I'm working with other mom's to organize a party for all the kids, so our home celebration will be simple, just family over after the ceremony. The whole school party is going to be a luau theme. Since we divided and conquered the tasks, I'm not sure what all the details are. I'll take pictures and post later!

At least the color scheme can be the same for both girls, even if it does look like Halloween - orange and black. Go Wildcats!

Decorations:

Here's a hint: if you are doing a graduation party, especially elementary, ask the principal if there are items you can borrow with the school logo. You won't have to spend as much on decorations!
We have pom poms, a stuffed wildcat, and I have some things that have been gifts over the years from PTO and students. One is a black 31 organizing utility tote with our last name in orange. I will put that to use, somehow. Might put all her of elementary yearbooks in it for browsing. Candy dish with school logo (maybe fill with orange candies?) Plastic cups with school logo will hold the "silverware". We have a school colored wreath in the office I'm going to borrow, maybe a banner from the hall! Going to do a scavenger hunt of my classroom and my school next week.

Going to get a few orange and black balloons,orange and black plates, cups, napkins. Saw some polka dots at Walmart, can't remember if they had orange or not. So we'll be hitting up there or the dollar store. I have both orange and black patterned washi tape, so I'll add that to the cups for a little pizazz.

Going to pull out the Halloween sprinkles and make these cute little tea lights

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IF I have time, going to make a similar bunting out of orange and black felt

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Food

Going to keep this simple. Graduation is at 6:30, everyone will have had dinner prior. We will just have cupcakes and ice cream. I love these, going to do orange icing, orange tassel, and maybe black sprinkles if I have some left from Halloween! Love that the Hershey Bar and Reese's Cup are close enough to black to be able to leave alone.

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I may make these for Little Princess' class while I am making them for cupcakes if I have time. There are only 18 of them versus 71 graduates for Big Princess:

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I love this preschool graduation cake. It's adorable. I would totally do something similar for Little Princess if I didn't have Big Princess to concentrate on!

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Gifts:

Big Princess: Sometimes, Big Princess stalks my blog. So I'm not going to reveal her gift from us just yet. Her big,retail one. STOP READING BIG GIRL - surprises are great!

I love sentimental gifts. LOVE THEM. I have to do something homemade in addition to her retail gift. Thinking about giving it to her first, because she will be done when she opens the other one.

She will have her yearbook with her friends' signatures and messages. But there are a lot of things I want to tell her. Quotes I've collected, and what entering her teen/high school years can/should mean. How our relationship will change. What I expect, what I will give in return. I'm going to buy a pretty journal, and write them in it. I'm also going to have her Daddy write a letter in there, even if he hates his handwriting and grammar. What I wouldn't give to have that from my Daddy now. Also passing on to her grandparents, and aunts and uncles, a few cousins. We'll all be together this weekend for Mother's Day, so it will be the perfect time. I think this will eventually become very special to her.

Little Princess:

As I said, not such a big deal,emotionally for me, anyway. She, however, will feel like it is. I'm sure her amazing pre-k teacher will make them feel like it is! Still working on just the right "retail" gift for her. She is one of those want everything she sees kind of kids, but we have soo much stuff lying around that I don't want to deal with more junk! She does love jewelry, so I thought about a special pair of earrings or necklace. Or a gift card to spend at Disney, she tends to keep up with things purchased there.

I thought about a journal gift for her, too, so she will feel special. On the first few pages I will write some things she is always saying or doing to crack us up, some special pre-K memories. I gave the journals to my family when we were all together for Mother's day, and they all wrote special messages to her in them. I can't decide if I want this to be her elementary years book, and do the special memories for each year, or let her have the back pages to doodle in, put her stickers, etc.

"You've got the write stuff, Miss Pre-K graduate"
I am also giving her a personalized dictionary with her journal/scrapbook. She loves to write, so I thought about writing each family members name in correct handwriting at the top, and then she would have them to practice; grouping the names by family. Then, maybe include the alphabet correctly, friends' names, words she can sound out. Rather than doing traditional writing dictionary alphabetical order pages, I will section it off by theme: Family, friends, sayings, alphabet, words I know. Again, this idea literally came to me as I was writing this post. Love it how that happens. I'm thinking a binder would be best, so we could add pages. I would like the portability of a zippered small binder, like a planner, if I could find an empty one at the right price, but the sizes of pages are so odd. Maybe something like a portfolio, so we could store pencils, pens, handwriting paper, whatever kinds of paper we have and don't use. I might have one already.... hmmm.... So now, at 5:32 on a Saturday morning, I am seriously considering a Wal-Mart trip!

End of school gifts for children, teachers, and students

2012-05-11T03:19:00.001-07:00

I am up to my ears in gifts right now. I have Teacher Appreciation Week gifts bagged and ready to go with us today, some went earlier in the week. Mother's Day gifts to Grandmothers from the girls are not ready, because it's been to rainy to spray paint. And we only have 8.5 days left in school this year! YAHOO!!!!!!

Here's a rundown of all that I have planned, as far as gifts. Celebrations will be in a separate post. Add in t-ball and softball games, graduation parties, finalizing all my grades and end of school duties, and I am a mess! Decided to post my plans and projects ahead of time so that anyone who wants to get a head start can. I know we get out earlier than most, we started on the 10th of August because we usually have 10+ snow days a year. We had a total of two this year.

End of year testing gift
We are finishing up our standardized testing. Big Princess has had two, and we studied and prepared but not overly stressed on those, she has 96-98 averages in those classes. But Math - I want to tell you to solve your own problems, Mr. Algebra, I am not your therapist. Math was my weakest subject, and is hers, too. We're working hard, as is her teacher, to get her ready. For her math standardized test day, I'm making her a couple of goodies.

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This one is designed for the first day of school, but I am going to make it for test day. Changing it to "You're one Smart Cookie. You've got this!"

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This one is cute, too, but a little too primary for my 7th grader:

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On-going project for the end of the year:
This is one that I am super excited about. I fell in LOVE with this idea from Lisa's Workshop. I ordered each of the girls a copy of Oh, the Places You'll go by Dr. Seuss from Amazon.

I am going to sneak it to their teachers and have them sign it, leave a message if they desire. I wish I had known about this when Big Princess was in kindergarten, one of her teachers has passed away, and a couple are no longer at our school. But I am going to get whom I can for her, and will have Little Princess's pre-k teachers sign her book. There is copy you can add in your note to the teachers explaining this on Lisa's site. I will do this each year, and then give them to the girls when they graduate from high school. One of my high school English teachers gave me this when I graduated, I babysat for her, and I cherish it! The challenge will be keeping them hidden, and yet being able to find them each year!

End of year teacher gift
Since we just did teacher appreciation, I won't do other gifts this year. Next year, if we actually get snow so there is a little time span there, and Little Princess only has 1 teacher, I will do this, because I think it rocks! Beach towel, sunscreen, magazine, candies. I would add a can of Off bug spray, with a note saying Relax and Enjoy your time Off:

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End of year gift for students or classmates:

This is what I am making to give my students. Budget's tight and has to be spread around all these gifts, so it's not much. Would be a cute classmate gift, also. Our tag is going to read :Kindergarten has been Krazy! Have a Kool summer. Totally incorrect for spelling, but we believe in alliteration. :)

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Quest for the Cape - Sundays

2012-05-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sundays around here are pretty laid back, usually. Church, lunch and afternoon at mom's, and then getting ready for the week ahead.

Today is a big day, however, for Little Princess. She has her first ever recital pictures immediately following church, and then t-ball this evening. Which means lots of running.

Add to the mix that hubby had to work 12 hours yesterday, which leads to some things that need to be done here that I couldn't do alone.

So while donning my cape today, I'm going to focus on God and family. Even in the whirlwind day, I'm focusing on a relaxed state of mind. Enjoying the moments, as they are fleeting. Sharing the excitement with Little Princess. Making sure Big Princess knows how special she is. Grounding myself for the week, lifting them up for the week. Connecting. Nurturing all our bodies, souls, and spirits.

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Teacher Appreciation Week

2012-05-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

I will unashamedly admit to a self-service post. Not because I am a teacher, but because I am trying to organize my ideas!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. And Mother's Day. How did I let these two slip up on me? YIKES! Gonna be a crafty, busy week around here!

Big Princess is leaving the elementary school this year. Little Princess is finishing her first year at our school in Pre-K. So it's a big year, and I want to be sure we end it giving the teachers the thanks they deserve. I KNOW how hard they work, and the challenges my princesses give them. I also know how hard it is to teach teachers' kids. :) But between the two of them, there are a LOT of teachers to recognize! It can't be expensive! Here's my list, hoping you get some inspiration for quick, ~~cheap~~ inexpensive, and easy. :)

Pre-K teacher and teacher assistant.
I thought about this one with a "thanks for helping me bloom". It's on the short list. I have plenty of jars, can get some magnets quick and inexpensively.

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Also on the short list, I like the fact these can be planted. I'll have to see what's in the stores!

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Big Princess hope she won't think she's too cool for this. Ugh.

*Math teacher - Yankee Candle w/ tag saying "Thanks for shining light on Algebra on my darkest days!"
Math is her nemesis. I've been to her teacher many times, she stays for tutoring after school, goes to her during the day. It's been a tough year.

*Science teacher - They dissected frogs this year. Big Princess will never forget it! I'm going to hunt for some frog papers, erasers, pens, etc. and do a tag that says "Thanks for a leapin' good year!

*Civics and PE teachers - Both male. Both golfers. A three pack of golf balls and a pack of tic tacs"I've had a ball, it's mint a lot!"

English teacher - Her favorite. They have a lot of fun in there, analyzing song lyrics, etc. She loves a soft drink that unless you live near me, you've probably never heard of - Sun Drop. Giving her a 12 pack and a "Thanks for being a drop of sun in my day!"

Both girls have the same teachers for "specials", with the exception of music. Big Princess doesn't have it any longer, but had her for 4 years!

Librarian - A fellow Disney lover. I have a silicon Mickey Mouse muffin mold. Going to make brownies and package them in a baggie with the tag reading "It's been sweet to share books and Mickey magic with you"

Art - Inspired by this gift on Tatertots and jello, I'm going to fill a plain paper craft bag with oranges and use her Creative Juices tag. One one side, I'm going to have have big princess write and decorate "Without Art, the Earth would be Eh." She loves to write and decorate letters. On the other side, Little Princess can decorate.

Music - Going to get a cheaper candle (remember, inexpensive) and decoupage some sheet music on it. Tag "Thanks for lighting up our days with song."

Computer - We have two computer lab teachers, one male, one female. Both drink a lot of water during the day. I'm going to print these keyboards and decoupage onto a tile for a coaster for their desk. Tag will read "Thanks for helping us with the keys to technology"

Feel free to check out my Give Me pinterest board for more ideas!

Quest for the cape - The Power of Words

2012-05-05T03:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I posted about my guilt in not spending the quality time with my daughters, the "do it all mom" saga. The last line of the post, I mentioned looking for my cape. You know, the superhero cape that will allow me to be the perfect working mom.

Well, I thought about that ALL day yesterday. It's up to ME to put on my cape, consciously, daily, moment by moment. Every word and action can be a donning of the cape. Being a supermom isn't all about scaling tall buildings in a single leap, or the dramatic tower rescue. It's about building that support scaffolding to get there, one nail at a time. Sometimes, carrying your children on your strong back. Sometimes holding their hands and building together. Sometimes, letting them lead, being there to support and catch them if they fall.

Putting on my cape yesterday with Big Princess meant saying "I'll be right there to look, honey" instead of "I'm busy right now." It means the same thing, but the message comes across sooo differently. Busy = putting something else first. Be right there = you are important to me.

Putting on my cape yesterday with Little Princess meant reading the bedtime story, even if we were late getting to bed and I was exhausted. It took 5 minutes, and we ended the night sweetly rather than with tears if I had said it was too late, and the tears would have lasted more than 5 minutes.

Today, we're going to do some purging of items in the girls' rooms. It could be emotional for us all. Little Princess is a hoarder, and hates to get rid of anything. Big Princess hates cleaning and organizing. The end result (which I have NO misconception that will be accomplished in one day) will be worth it. Putting on my cape today will mean patience and understanding. It will also mean compromise, some creative problem solving. And a lot of energy.

Thinking about all that gets back into leaping tall buildings with a single bound thoughts, and they aren't good for this superhero mom. So I am going to think about my words today. Just. my. words. I love this list of 19 things to say to children . More on the power of words:

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An organizing quickie - cord storage

2012-05-04T03:50:00.000-07:00

THIS IS NOT AN ORGANIZING BLOG! (If I tell myself that enough, I'll stop).

I've had this idea pinned for a while - referenced in this post.

We have a side table with a nice, deep drawer that I have been storing cords and cables in. Last year, I bundled each one in a binder clip and wrote on the clip what it was. Thought I organized it.

Opened the drawer to find the portable DVD cord a few months ago, and was faced with this:

SO, I found a box from my last Pampered Chef order, and loaded it with toilet paper tubes I had been saving.

This box ended up being just for USB to???? stuff. Most of it I have no idea what it goes to. I wrote on the ones I knew, and then just made sure on the others the non-USB side was up when I put them in so I could match to the electronic at a glance by size. Hopefully.
P.S. it's hard to write inside a tp tube. FYI.

In the process, I found this victim of doggie chewing. Why did we put it in the drawer instead of the garbage when it was discovered? The dogs didn't get in the drawer and chew it. SOMEONE had to put it back in there. ????

I still had a bunch of wall (outlet) to electronics cords that wouldn't fit in the box. Good thing I had ordered two sets of bamboo bowls! Pulled the other box out, left those in their binder cord bundles, and dropped them in!

Now, much, much better!

P.S.S. please forgive the photography. Since Picnik closed last month, I haven't had a chance to look for a new free photo editing software. There's a lot on there you didn't need to see! :)

Where does the time go? A Time Management Tale

2012-05-04T03:14:00.001-07:00

This question could really apply in so many areas of my life right now.

On the grand, big weepy scale:
* Big Princess is graduating from elementary school in 18 days. Our elementary is pre-k through 7, then she will be at the high school next year for 8-12. It seems like yesterday she was coming with me to school for the first time. Typing through big old tears.

*Little Princess will finish pre-k in 19 days. Didn't I just find out I was pregnant? WHERE did the last 5 years go? When did she become a young child instead of a baby?

And not so weepy:
This school year will end in 19 days. I still have bins of things I was going to do that didn't get done in August before the kids came. YIKES!

And, it's FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!! It was just Sunday yesterday, right?

Short term:
The last two weeks have been captain insane-o around here. Dear Husband leaving for work at 6am and getting home at 9. Registration for high school, PTO meetings, Big Princess softball, Little Princess t-ball, Memorial Services for dear friends' father, Little Princess ballet, extended day field trips, weird rash on Little Princess, standardized testing for Big Princess, birthday parties, furniture moving, school dances, etc. etc. etc.

Even shorter term:
I've been up for an hour. It's 5:13 in the morning. I've had 2 cups of coffee, taken the dogs out, checked my email, read a few blog posts, dried and folded a load of laundry, and unloaded the dishwasher. That's my routine. I am all about routine. Captain Insane-o weeks kill my routine.

I have my morning routine: coffee, computer time, unload dishwasher, cleaning task for the day downstairs, de-clutter downstairs, work on my to-do lists, plan my afternoon, and an organizing task. AMAZING what you can accomplish in 15 minutes. Get ready for work, pack lunches, get girls ready, and head out the door.

I have an after school routine: get Little Princess a snack, find out what Big Princess needs, unpack school bags, and CRASH in the recliner for 30-45 minutes. I'm a much better person afterwards.

Evening routine: cleaning task for the day upstairs, dinner, clean up dinner and kitchen, laundry, whatever has to be done activity wise, plan the next days' lunches, pack school bags, wash my face, hit the sack.

But much of my morning time is consumed with reading blogs. It used to be classwork when I was working on my master's degree, but that's done now - hallelujah! So many talented and creative people out there sharing, I soak it up like a new sponge. I get inspired. But click older posts. I have grounded myself from pinterest, other than to pin ideas I read. I have enough ideas for the time being. Except the research I do for new classroom ideas with new courses of study coming up. I'm working on cleaning and organizing my house, as it was sadly neglected during said coursework. I'm loving it. I'm consumed by it. If I am not working on it, I'm reading blogs about it. I am slightly OCD about not going to bed with a terrible mess. And yet, the comforter we bought for Little Princess is still on my couch???

Sidenote: I've deleted 10 paragraphs. I'm boring myself. Plus, this isn't an organizing and cleaning blog. I told myself that 3 times in posts already.

Here's the rub. Do you see ANYWHERE in there that I spend time with my family? Quality time?

My husband and I primarily communicate by phone. Seriously. We text when I can at school when he is on his breaks (some days, depending on my schedule, they coincide nicely with mine. Others, I text him with an update - there's always something - on my break or lunch and he texts back on his). He has a 45 minute commute home, and we talk the whole way. Thank GOD for free mobile to mobile calls! It's so late when he gets home, he eats, I finish cleaning up dinner, we go to bed.

I am so drained when I get home from school, I need that crash time in order to be a mommy. But I'm stinking in that department. It just seems that there is nothing left in me patience wise when I get home. No wonder people talk about teachers' and preachers' kids!

I help Big Princess study, and nag her to clean up. I do listen about her day, but I need to work on not analyzing everything she says. (Why is she talking about this person so much? What happened to her other friends? What was she supposed to be doing when she was doing this?) I run her all over the place for her activities.

Little Princess? Well, I snuggle with her. I watch her play, and tell her no a lot. I run her to her activities, and suggest things for her to play. She helps me cook dinner, helps me clean.

It's not enough. Please, someone, share with me the secret? How do I keep a clean, organized, functioning home while working full time in a physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding job that requires me to work at home, too? How do I interact meaningfully with my family in the afternoons so they feel like they are the most important thing to me - which they are? And make sure I call and check on my mom each day and allow her to talk as much as she needs, being a widow is a lonely place. How do I do all the things I see stay at home moms accomplish and still work? I asked similar questions to my facebook friends, and the answers were discouraging:
*Hire a cleaning service - not in the budget
*Quit my job - SOOOOO not in the budget
* Let the house go - did that for two and a half years, gotta get it back
*win the lottery - don't play it

The best solution I've heard - suck it up, it's life. Everyone deals with it. Don't let it get you down.

In the meantime, I'm looking for a superhero cape.

Three R's and Conservation

2012-05-01T04:04:00.002-07:00

This month in science we are talking about reduce, recycle, reuse, and conservation of resources in K. Since I do a lot of this at home, I always enjoy this unit. I do a lot of this in the classroom anyway, it's kind of fun to see the kids realize they've seen it in action all year and we are already doing some things!

Part of our standard is that the kids understand the difference in reduce, reuse, and recycle. But for me, reduce and reuse go hand in hand, so the first couple of weeks we focus on those.

******I LOVE Jack Johnson, and this song is great because I don't mind if the kids get it stuck in their heads and sing it all day! I start our unit with this and use it many times, as the pictures are great!

Reduce and Reuse:
I always start this unit out by talking about landfills. Some of our kids go with their parents to the "dump" and know what I am talking about. Others have no clue. We live in a very rural area and many do not have trash collection at home. We talk about the pictures of landfills from the picture above, and talk about running out of room to dig holes!

Many of our kids understand "wasting" so reducing for them is not wasting. They've heard that all year in terms of wipes, paper, paper towels, etc. After some discussion about the concept, we make a list of all the ways we reduce our trash at home and school. This is where we start blurring the lines into reusing.

*********I point out the following for them:
*All their papers are run double sided, if it can't be due to a cutting activity, we use the backs for another purpose. (Free write without lines, math practice, spelling practice).
* Laminating papers so many kids can use rather than a copy for everyone.
*Using the Smartboard instead of chart paper
*Hands on activities rather than paperwork
*Keeping scraps from art projects to be used in other art projects
*We do a lot of word/letter searches in newspapers . We keep using the same papers forever!

********Then we move to reducing through reusing. They can pretty quickly identify the "extra papers" box that we put the extra double sided copies in. They use these often to "play school" or if they are bored during free explore time. I show them the things on my desk area ONLY that I do to reuse rather than waste:
*Acrylic tumbler for my water
*My little basket of extra one sided copies cut into eighths that I use the blank side for writing notes, lists, words for kids, etc.
*The food containers I reuse rather than toss to store the class guinea pig's hay, food, etc.
*The boxes and toilet paper tubes that go in the pet's s cage for toys
*I pull out my lunch box and show them that I never use ziploc bags in packing lunch, instead I use containers.

*******After getting their mind whirling, they take off with the scrap paper and a pencil and tally around the room identifying all the things they see being reused (lots of wipes boxes, cereal box fronts turned into "books", our bag of plastic grocery bags for days they forget backpacks, etc. )

*******They have a two week homework project called trash to treasure in which they take an item and make it into something else. I LOVE to see the creativity, and get some cool ideas (last year a student turned a vinyl record into a bowl!) . This isn't due yet, but I will come back and edit this post to show some of the best. This year, I showed them a few pictures from these posts to give them some ideas of how many things you can do!

I am taking in toilet paper tubes today and giving each student one to create something. Should be interesting!

Recycling
Our county does not have recycling collection, and most of my kiddos this year have never recycled.

*This video clip is from How Stuff Works on Discovery network. I suggest showing it and NOT using the audio as it does mention beer. Don't need to get off track with their discussions of their parents' drinking habits!

*This is a video the kids love because of all the machinery! It's about recycling plastic bottles.

*We play a recycling sorting game. I bring in a bin of my recyclables and we sort it. I teach them to look for the numbers (we can only recycle 1 and 2 plastic here, so we talk about how other numbers are in great need of being reused!). After we've done it once, I divide the pile into 2 portions and they relay race to recycle.

*I also have this out as a center activity during our unit. I bought it from Lakeshore several years ago.

*Another printable that can be made into a center Lakeshore printable recycling game

**Other resources:
Smartboard lessons

Micheal Recyle Online game
Nat Geo kids Recycle Roundup

EPA booklet printable

Source: epa.gov via Taryn on Pinterest

Writing printable

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Some of my favorite books:

40th Birthday Ideas for Dad

2012-04-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

Happy 40th Big Papa!
Today is my Dear Hubby's 40th! And I've been quarantined with a sick little one. So none of my wonderful plans came to fruition. Some I won't disclose, because we might surprise him with them later. I had pinned a few ideas a few months ago, then we realized life was too busy for a big celebration. He's been leaving at 6am and getting home at 8 or 9pm. Weekends are wild. But these are great ideas!

Source: puertabella.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Source: sistersstuff.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Source: placetobloom.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Big Princess took some Rain-X and a Q-tip and wrote a birthday message on the bathroom mirror. It was awesome! Of course, the steam had dissipated by the time I went up to take a picture.UGH. It was kinda ghostly, but the message showed up well in the steam. I read the idea around April Fools' as a joke, and we saved it for today.

A friend and her daughters went to husband's work and filled his car with black balloons and wrote on his car. If hubby didn't work an hour away, we would SOOOO be doing this!

Our after school project is going to be making him the MOTHER of all "cards." I love this idea. We're doing 40 reasons We Love You!

Source: craftster.org via Taryn on Pinterest

Hope you get a few ideas here for some quick birthday ideas!

Princess Drama

2012-04-25T03:11:00.016-07:00

Germs and snuggles
My little princess has strep. This is only the second time in her 5 years to be on antibiotics, first time ever for strep. She usually has 1 or less sick visit a year. We are blessed that she is so healthy. I took the last two days off, and we snuggled, a lot.

She's amazing, this little princess of mine. Even with a fever and a tough case of strep, she never stopped smiling. She wanted to be held, snuggled, rocked, and sang to like we did when she was a baby. She wanted to lie in my lap and play with my hair. She wanted to color in my lap. She BREATHED on me A LOT!!

I'm not a germaphobe. Teaching kindergarten, you can't be. But strep is my nemesis. When I go too hard, too long, strep takes over my throat like a raging ball of fire with thorns. But as most mothers do, I just snuggled away all the while praying for immunity. It's part of the sacrifice we make for our kids. But I do have a plan to disinfect the house this weekend! (The dr. said throw toothbrush away after 5 days, so I am guessing that 5 days is the time frame for killing the germs effectively!

And I did see this great pin awhile back, and thankful that I did. Great way to keep up with the antibiotics!

Source: Uploaded by user via Taryn on Pinterest

NOT ready for this!
I also had to go to our school to begin the registration process for high school for big princess. We don't have a middle school, our elementary is PK-7 and high school is 8-12. So many decisions to make about curriculum that will eventually impact her college choices? WOW. I mean really, this could be life altering stuff.... We've started the talks about friend choices, class choices, organization and responsibility. For me, this is a bit like everyone else sending their children to kindergarten, she's been at school with me for 8 years!

Tips to make Spring Cleaning Easier

2012-04-10T03:52:00.002-07:00

Or, if you are easily distracted - how to stay focused. Or, what I learned yesterday. Pick your favorite title!

1. Arm yourself with supplies. Before. you. start. Think about what you want to do, and what you will need. Not just the cleaners. If you clean with natural products, go ahead and buy an extra gallon of vinegar and a few extra boxes of baking soda. You'll need them. I can't tell you how many times yesterday I lamented being out of Q-tips: cleaning slats, cleaning shower door guide, cleaning vents.... Want to go green this Spring? Check out these recipes for homemade cleaners:

Source: gardenberger.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

2. Throw dinner in the crockpot before you start. You will NOT feel like cooking dinner when you are done! Thanks to Kelly from Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking for this tip. Wish I had listened yesterday, but I did today! I linked to her list, which is very thorough, amazing, and quite possibly exhausting!!!!

3. Gather everything you will need. Take extra rags/cloths. Think outside the box - q-tips, toothbrushes, scrapers, screwdrivers, etc. If you have a scraper from Pampered Chef for stoneware, it is AMAZING at those little crevices, and the Unidentified Sticky Substances in the fridge! Fill a bucket with your supplies.

4. FIll a large water bottle with lots of icy water and add it to your bucket! And then, have caffeine on hand for the mid day slump. A PowerBar or granola bar comes in handy, too!

5. Make sure your laundry is already done. Guarantee you will have more soon, and won't want to have to reload so you can start a new load! Same goes for dishwasher and sink. And oh yeah, vacuum cleaner dust bins.

6. Take a basket with you to put items in that belong in other rooms. How many times did I leave a room to put something away, see something else that needed to be done before I realized this? Too. stinking. many!

7. Put a notepad and pen in your supply basket. You will see things you need to do or buy as you are working - light bulbs, etc.

8. Go ahead and take a trash bag with you. I'd recommend 2, one for real trash, one for things you want to donate/sell.

9. If you want to feel REALLY accomplished, make a to-do list first that is very detailed. My "clean out closets" left me with no sense of accomplishment. Writing "clean out my closet, clean out big princess closet, clean out linen closet, clean out little princess closet" revamp was better. I was able to mark stuff off immediately, which is big for me!

10. If your kiddos are home, go in with the understanding that they will not be in it for the long haul. Have things they can do that don't create a lot more messes while you are working. If they are old enough, I do recommend having them there. They will learn a lot!

11. Top down is recommended by everyone for a reason. DO NOT do a thing in a room until you have tackled the ceiling, ceiling fans, etc. Dust. will. fall.

12. Start with the room you most want cleaned. ESPECIALLY if it is the one you most dread. You will feel sooo much better about yourself for having that done, and it will be done if you run out of steam after day 1.

13. If a thorough fridge clean is on your list, don't go grocery shopping, especially for produce, until AFTER you clean it. Trust me, it will make your life simpler.

Some other links you might find useful that I accessed yesterday:

RosyBluHandmade has a great recipe for Goo/Adhesive residue remover. You know, in case you find some tape on the walls.... Urgh.

Ask Anna has great tips on how to clean EVERYTHING! Ask Anna Moseley cleaning tips

Here is a method of spring cleaning your mattresses:

Source: make-it-do.com via Taryn on Pinterest

A recipe for carpet stain removal

Source: elizabethbryant.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Have fun, and don't give up. And don't write a blog post halfway through cleaning the fridge...

Toilet Paper Tube Extravaganza!

2012-04-07T05:01:00.003-07:00

Well, we all know "it" happens. We all have these tp tubes. Why not reuse them? There are a blue billion crafty ideas for them. I've tried many, and pinned even more. Are you ready? Start saving those little cylinders of fun, because I guarantee you are going to want to do at least 1 of these!! Okay, okay, some are paper towel tubes, too. You caught me.

Make a microphone

Source: toddlerapproved.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make a roller stamp

Source: artfulchild.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Castle

Source: blog.playdrhutch.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Marble run, car ramp

Source: a-happy-wanderer.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Owls

Source: dancinglightps.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Tinkertoys

Source: almostunschoolers.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make a ring toss - original source A Little Learning for Two

Source: mybabyfaves.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Use them for counting practice

Source: montessorionabudget.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make a bird feeder

Source: moffattgirls.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Put them in a shoebox and organize your cables and chargers

Source: pit.dirty.ru via Taryn on Pinterest

Keep one in the bathroom for hairbows, clips, and bobby pins

Source: kimmccrary.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Organize your pencils, pens, markers, paintbrushes

Source: Uploaded by user via Taryn on Pinterest

Start some seedlings

Source: topp-kreativ.de via Taryn on Pinterest

*Use them to corral cords when storing appliances. I love to use these for my hair dryer/curling iron. I don't need the length of the cords in my bathroom. No, I didn't get all the paper off this one. Sorry. :)

DIY crafts to make showcased a collection of 40+ artsy uses for tp tubes.

Seasonal:
Don't have enough ornaments/jelly beans, whatever to fill your vase? Grab a tp tube

Source: dandelionsanddustbunnies.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make a Christmas nativity

Source: catholicicing.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make napkin/utensil holders.
This picture inspired me for Christmas, she used cardstock, but I thought it was a tp tube. Other seasonal ideas: Halloween- paint them orange, draw or glue jack-o-lantern faces. Easter - paint pink or white, add bunny faces, pom pom noses, and bunny ears. Let your creativity take you there!

Source: stampwithheather.typepad.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Turn them into Pilgrim hats by adding bottoms, inspired by this pin

Source: happyhawkins.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make some Handprint Turkeys

Source: busybeekidscrafts.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make heart stamps for Valentine's Day

Source: rustsunshine.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Snowmen

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via Taryn on Pinterest

8 Winter ideas here

Source: pureandnoble.blogspot.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Make party favors!

Source: party.tipjunkie.com via Taryn on Pinterest