Dirt and Boogers

Something’s Gotta Give

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:57:00 +0000

This is the post that I never thought that I’d write, but here I am, writing it. This is the post where I tell you that I have to take a break from the blog.

I love this blog, but…

Something’s gotta give.

Every evening I look at my to do list and take note of all the things that didn’t get crossed off that day. I move those tasks to the next day’s list, knowing that some things on the list will be left undone tomorrow too. Laundry sits in the dryer overnight, the dishwasher doesn’t get unloaded, emails don’t get written, and blog posts don’t get done.

but…

Most of the time I figure out how to catch up and I’m able to keep things together.

However…

We recently got orders from the military to move again in June. My to do list now includes things like researching the new area, house hunting, packing boxes, redoing our finances, deciding how to move our stuff, finding movers, and the list goes on and on. My to do list is now unmanageable and I can’t seem to catch up.

Something’s gotta give.

Unfortunately, the only thing that I can give up is this blog…at least for a while.

I love this blog, but I’m just not able to put the time and energy into it that it needs. I’m not giving you my best, and I need a break.

So, starting today you won’t see me posting here for a while. I’ll still be hanging around Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, so you can still connect with me there.

The great thing is that my family won’t stop playing, so I’ll have lots of stuff to share when I do get back to blogging. Baby E will be older and playing more so I’ll be including him more in the blog. J will be 3 years old and doing more preschool things. I’ll finally have the time to spend on the blog to give you more good quality stuff.

So stick with me…I’ll be back soon enough!

Please come on over to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to keep in touch!

This Time Around and The Sunday Parenting Party

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It’s been 10 weeks since Baby E made his way into our world and completed our family. It’s amazing how time has gone by so fast. But more surprising is how much of a different Mom I am this time around.

This time around I’m ignoring all the experts. I remember feeling such anxiety when J was a baby. I felt that I needed to follow the books in order to raise my babe the “right way”. Now, I have a good idea of what works and doesn't work in our family. I am more relaxed about following what the experts say and am following my own intuition more.

This time around I’m finding time to take care of me. I've learned that in order to be the best Mom I can be, I have to put myself first sometimes. I need naps, healthy food, and down time, just like my kids do. It’s hard with 2 young kids, but I make sure to make it a priority.

This time around I’m trying to remember to capture the moment. I’m taking a ton pictures, sharing them with family, and keeping up with our family photo book. These days go by so fast and I don’t want to forget a thing…so I try to capture them all. But…

This time around I’m also trying to get from behind the camera. In spite of taking a ton of pictures, I’m trying hard to put the camera down and really enjoy the moments too. It’s a balance.

This time around dishes aren’t always getting done, laundry sits in the dryer for hours, and bathrooms don’t get clean. Honestly, I’m trying to get it all done, but I’m not going to beat myself up if I can’t stay on top of it all. I’m juggling more and sometimes things get dropped.

This time around I’m not looking forward to him sleeping through the night. Some of my favorite moments are those in the dark of the night, free from all distractions, when it’s just the 2 of us. The time when he’s super sleepy, quiet, and cuddly. I get to smell his sweet smell and feel his warm little body cuddled into mine. It’s intoxicating.

This time around I’m forgiving myself more. I’m trying hard not to beat myself up if I can’t play with J as much as I want to, if dinner doesn’t get made every night, if it takes me longer to meet Baby E’s needs, if I break some of my parenting rules. I’m trying to remind myself that I’m working hard and that no parent is perfect.

This time around I’m trying to appreciate the baby stage more. I’m trying to soak in all the sweet baby cuddles, coos, and smiles. I know I’ll miss this stage when it’s gone.

This time around I’m fighting with time. I don’t want him to grow so fast. Knowing that he’s our last, I want to soak in all his baby-ness before it’s gone.

Because of all this…

This time around I’m a calmer, happier, and more confident parent.

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Welcome to The Sunday Parenting Party!

I featured posts this week that focus on taking care of yourself as a parent.

Quiet, Please from The Tao of Poop:

Taking Care of Myself from Family Organic:

10 of the ways I cope with daily life with 4 children from What To Do with the Chidren

Great Job Ladies! Grab a Button for your blog!

Big Art!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

*This post contains affiliate links*

We’ve done some big art before and J always really loves it. I guess it’s because he gets to use his whole body and get some of his favorite toys involved too. He’s not much for sitting and painting with paint brushes.

I simply rolled out a big sheet of white paper and added some paper plates with paint. I also added a paper towel roll and a couple of paint brushes.

I love how J got his whole body involved in the painting process.

He made a bit of a mess, but he had a great time exploring the paint.

His favorite part was making colorful handprints…

and of course getting his dump truck involved in the painting too.

Painting like this is a great full body sensory experience that works both fine and large motor skills.

Here are the materials you’ll need for this project.

Come on over to Facebook or Instagram to see what else we're up to!

Changes and The Sunday parenting Party

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

“The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change .”― Heraclitus

Spring has finally made an appearance over the past few days. I love snow, but the warmth of spring is always such a welcome change to the cold. Every year spring seems to bring big changes in my world. April is usually crazy and life seems to get out of control for some reason. This year, the changes are already starting.

For example…

A small change to my appearance has happened Really, it's probably not that big of a deal for most, but it was to me. You see, pregnancy changed my eyesight. Weird. Anyone else have this phenomenon happen to them? Anyway, I got my very first pair of glasses this week! I wanted glasses so much when I was younger that I almost bought a pair of non-prescription ones in college to look more studious. Truth. Now I’m just thrilled that I can see again!

We've also decided on one big change, and it's a tough one...

You see that sweet gray kitty up there? That’s my cat, Desi. I love her so much. I found this sweet kitty with my roommate my senior year of college. Someone was giving away free kittens in front of Walmart one night and I fell in love with this sweet girl. Well, 12 years, 6 moves, 4 states, 2 kids, and 1 husband later, the time has come for Desi to be put to sleep. She is sick and the vet isn’t quite sure what’s wrong. My husband and I have been debating if, and now when we should do it. I am sad, very sad, but it’s time. Sometimes change is hard.

We also know a few more changes are heading our way.

We're moving yet again this June, but we're not sure yet where we're heading. We should be getting orders here in the next few weeks and we can finally start planning our next big chapter. This will be move number 4 in 6 years! I really like to move and settle in new places. It's like a renewal of sorts, a fresh start.

It’s time to celebrate the thaw of winter and to welcome the beauty of spring. I’m hoping that the rest of my spring isn’t quite so sad and that the changes that come my way bring more joy than tears.

Come on over to Instagram to see more of what we’re up to

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Now it’s time for The Sunday Parenting Party!

Here are my favorite three posts from last week that I think you’ll like too!

Why You Should Play Hide and Seek from Awesomely Awake: A simple way to reconnect and enjoy some playtime with your kiddos.
Anatomy of a Transition from Prickly Mom: This is probably one of the bests posts I’ve read in a while. She is so good and explaining how her child must feel when being asked to transition to a new activity. It’s seriously great!
A Toy Dilemma: Toys at the Park from Raise a Boy: A mom questions how to deal with bringing toys at the park. Head on over and share your two cents!

Great Job Ladies! Grab a Button!

March Books of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:41:00 +0000

*This post contains affiliate links*

I know, I know, I haven’t done a Book of the Month post in forever! We just recenlty started going back to the library for new books. It was tough going to the library being crazy big pregnant. Since then, the holidays, new baby, and lots of out of town visitors have made it even harder. Now that we're back in a good groove, we've been able to go for several weeks in a row. I can happily say that we've finally have some great new books in the house.

We've been reading up a storm and certainly have a few favorites around here. Click the pics to buy the books from Amazon!

Little Pea: We've had one if it’s counterparts, Little Hoot, for a while and it’s been one of our favorites. I’d heard a lot about Little Pea from other moms and quickly grabbed it off the library shelf when I saw it. Now, it’s an all time favorite! This book makes J giggle every time we read it. I have to re-read how Little Pea hates candy at least 3 times before he’ll let me continue reading it to the end. He think’s this book is hilarious…my husband and I like it too!

Press Here: Ok, this book is probably all-time favorite book. It is so interactive and brings so much joy to our house. J, my husband, and I really, really love it. The belly laughs this books makes are contagious. If you haven’t read it yet…go do it!

If I Built A House: We have both this book and “If I Built a Car” and we love them both. It’s a fun book about how one little boy uses his imagination to build his dream house. The things he comes up with are quite impressive. The book rhymes and has a wonderful flow to it that makes it super easy to read. The illustrations are fantastic too!

Ok, so that’s it for this month! Have you read these books? I’d love to know what your family’s favorite books are so I can check them out! Maybe I’ll feature one of them in my next Book of the Month post! Find more of our favorite books at the Dirt and Boogers Store!

Easter Egg Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

We are stuck in a rut around here when it comes to our meals. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are pretty much the same thing every day. J’s a great eater, but he is in that typical preschool stage where he wants the same foods all the time.

I’ve been trying to think of ways to make his meal more fun so that he’ll step out of his box some.
Because he loves playing the memory game, I decided to make a game out of his snack yesterday.

I simply laid the tops of 12 plastic Easter eggs out on a paper towel in a grid.
I picked out some of J’s favorite snacks and divided them into pairs and hid them under the eggs.

I used animal crackers, dried cranberries, apples, goldfish, raisins, and grapes.
This was all set up during his nap, so it was ready for him when he woke up.

He loved looking under each egg and searching for the matches. I told him he could eat the snack once he found it’s pair.

He had a great time using his memory to find matches and eating a snack at the same time. He keeps asking me for his special snack. I guess we’ll be doing this again soon!

Come on over to Facebook and Instagram to see what else we’re up to!

Easter Egg Match Up

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

J’s been really into matching lately so I kept that in mind when I started thinking about Easter activities for him. The easiest way to play an Easter matching game was to have him match the top and bottoms of plastic eggs.

I pulled out 12 different eggs and pulled each one apart. At first I just dumped them into a plastic bin. I thought that it would be fun to add some water into the bin (like last year’s egg activity). I added some neon green food coloring to enhance the play some.

I used a muffin tin for J to place the eggs, and I added a few kitchen utensils too.

I know the water looks a bit like pee in the pics, but I swear it looked more neon green in real life.

J knew just what to do when he saw the eggs. He preferred to use his hands and pretty much ignored the utensils.

Not only is this a good matching game, it’s great for fine motor and gross motor skills too.

The water makes it a fun sensory experience!

All done! He was able to match each of the eggs and snap them all up too.

How do you play with plastic Easter eggs?

Come on over to Facebook or Instagram to see how we play!

Me Time and Feeling Loved (The Sunday Parenting Party)

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I’ve decided to change up the way I present The Sunday Parenting Party. I’ve decided that I’d like to share a bit more about us and I think I’ve found a way to do it. I’ve become a really big fan of Instagram over the past month. I love being able to get to know other bloggers through the daily pictures they post. I’ve decided to show you our week via Instagram pictures, so that you can get to know us a bit better too!

My husband had the week off of school so I got lots of me time while he hung out with the boys. It was awesome to take some time to reflect, grocery shop alone, and finally get that long overdue hair cut. It’s still a challenge being away for long because I have a little baby who is exclusively breastfed. He’s starting to have a pretty good routine, so I have an idea of when he’ll be hungry and will head back home to nurse. The freedom has been nice though.

In spite of all my freedom, J has been a bit clingy and very loving this week. He's been giving me lots of hugs, kisses, and cuddles...more than usual. He was worried when I had to take Baby E to the doctor this week. Last time I took E to the doctor, we ended up in the hospital for a few days. That must have made an impact because today he said he missed me so much when I was in the the hospital. Dude, that was like 2 months ago! I guess not having me around is hard for the guy.

We wrapped up the week with a family road trip to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. It was worth the long drive. J played hard all day and fell asleep before we got out of town! We take lots of road trips like this because we need to see as much as we can before we move again. One of the best parts of being a military family is that we get to see so much of our country. We try very hard to see as much as we can in every place we live.

I’m sad to see this week end, as my husband goes back to school tomorrow. He's about to start his last quarter of school, and it will be a busy one. I guess it’s good that he will be busy. Hopefully it will help prepare me for when he goes back to his regular 8-5(or later) and lots of traveling.

Do you Instagram? Come on over to see what we’re up to!

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Now, onto The Sunday Parenting Party!

Here are the three posts I loved the most from last week. Go check them out…they’re great!

Anyone Else This Crazy? from Home Grown Montessori----I think she’s describing my life!
Parent Revolution from Think Magnet-----Because we all mess up.
The Softly Softly Approach to Fussy Eating from The Home of Pinkoddy-----A pretty good approach if you ask me.

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10 Ways to Play with an Easel

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

J received an easel this past Christmas. I knew it would be something that we could use every day for years! Easels can be so versatile and so much fun for kids. Like many children his age, J doesn’t sit for very long. He is much more likely to be engaged if he is standing or using his whole body. So, an easel is perfect for him.

Since Christmas we haven’t done much with our easel other than painting. At first, he painted every day. But lately, he hasn’t been all that interested. So, I went to my blogging buddies to find some activities that we could set up on or easel. And, man did they come through!

I thought you might like to have these ideas too! So here they are…

When J’s a bit older, I’ll absolutely use this fill in the blank easel stories from No Time for Flash Cards.

Ness from One Perfect Day had her son practice letters using just water on a chalkboard.

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds set up drip painting for her students.

What Do We Do All Day? created a fun way to make a collage using all things orange!

Picklebums used foil instead of paper to create a different experience for her kiddo.

Use a book as a prompt to play and turn your easel in to a felt board! Genius idea from Seeking Shade!

The Queen of Easel Play, Deborah from Teach Preschool, has a ton of ideas. Here are a few of my favorites!

Use googly eyes or cupcake cups to make prompts to create. Super simple and so very cool!

A simple smudge painting using makers and water.

A little block building on an easel…brilliant!

We’ve already tried a couple of these out and I have plans to try the others. Do you have a favorite way to play with an easel?

Come over to Facebook or Instagram to see what else were are up to!

Water Beads and Glass Gems

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It’s been forever since I brought out the water beads and I thought it had been long enough! So, I set up a fun invitation to play that included these wonderful beads.

Red glass gems
Blue water beads
Tongs
Spoon

I placed it all inside a plastic storage box to attempt to contain the mess.

J explored each bowl for a bit, than immediately stepped in the bowl of water beads. And that is where he spent most of his play.

He did get his hands in the squishy beads too. I mean they feel so fabulous, you just have to touch! He didn’t really play with the gems this time. I’ll have to mix them together next time to give him a different sensory experience. Plus, we’ll be able to talk about hard vs. soft and the different textures of the gems and beads.

A few things about water beads:

You can find them in the floral section of any craft store. I bought mine at Walmart for $5 a package.
They start out as tiny little beads. They become these big, cool, soft, beads after being soaked in water for a few hours.
They are not environmentally friendly, so I don’t throw mine out when we’re done. Instead, I lay them out on a paper towel in a box, and set them in a dry place. I put mine on top of our kitchen cabinets. After a few days they will return back to their original tiny size and can be reused over and over again.

Have you ever played with water beads? They really are fantastic. My husband comments about how cool they feel every time I bring them out. Truly, they are fun!

Check these pics out to see other ways we’ve played with water beads.

The Sunday Parenting Party: Lessons Learned, Patience, and Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Each week, I read each and every post that links up to The Sunday Parenting Party. I have really enjoyed not only reading the posts, but finding new blogs to follow. This week, was no different. I have found several great posts and some new amazing blogs!

Here are my Top 3 from last week:

1. 10 Mistakes and Lessons Learned as a First Time Mom from Seeking Shade: I love this post because she’s so right about the stuff you need and the lessons you learn when you have your first babe.
2. How to Be a More Patient Parent from Picklebums: Um…because we all need more patience! No really, I love the tips she gives in this post. So simple and they work!
3. Be the Best Mom: Turn Off Technology and Play from B.Inspired Mama: This Mom shows how she has conquered the battle with technology at her house.

Great Job Ladies! Grab a Button!

Get Dressed! How to Foster Independent Dressing in Preschoolers

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

“Never help a child With a task at which he feels he can succeed.” –Maria Montessori

For the past few months, the most frustrating time of our day is when it’s time for J to get dressed. We would calmly take J upstairs and ask him to get undressed and help him get dressed. He on the other hand, thinks this is the best time of the day to jump, twirl, kick, run, play, and do anything but get dressed. It’s maddening for us!

We’d end up getting so frustrated that we’d yell, bribe, and force J to get dressed. This is not how we want to interact with him and we knew something had to change.

One morning I had to tend to Baby E, so I sat out J’s clothes and told him to try to get dressed by himself. And wouldn’t you know…he did it! Not only did he do it by himself, he did it quickly!

I knew from that moment on that my husband and I would no longer help him get dressed. In order to do this I had to make his clothes accessible and easy for him to pick out his outfits.

So, I did this…

I simply took his chest of drawers and filled the bottom two drawers. The second to bottom drawer holds individual outfits. Each outfit holds a shirt, pants, and socks. I fold it all up inside the shirt so that it stays together. The bottom drawer holds is pajamas and pull ups.

Now we just send him to his room to get dressed. He still needs help every once in a while and he’ll seek us out to get it. He’s really great at getting his clothes inside out and all jumbled up. One evening he came downstairs with his shirt on upside down! But hey, he’s learning and gaining independence at the same time, skills that every preschooler needs.

One thing that hasn’t changed is that he still takes forever to get dressed. We have learned to give him a lot of time…like half an hour. He usually doesn’t need it, but sometimes he does. This keeps us from going to hurry him up and once again, getting frustrated at his ability to dawdle.

The best part of this set up is that my husband and I aren’t there to get frustrated at all the goofy shenanigans the kid gets into. We get to sit together on the couch instead of fighting with a 2 year old. It’s really great!

He really likes it too! Like most preschoolers, he loves doing things himself, and is quite proud of his ability to get dressed without Mom or Dad.

Do you do something similar to get your preschooler dressed?

Come follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest to see what else we’re up to!

Hyper @ Happy: 225 Toddler Activities that Don’t Suck EBook

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:55:00 +0000

Seriously! Don’t you just love that title for an ebook?

Anyway, I’m promoting this book today because one of my ideas was chosen to be a part of it. Really cool huh?!

So, I got the book this week, read it…and LOVED IT! Kristen from When at Home, has gathered some really amazing activities and compiled them all into one place. It has a fantastic layout that's super easy to read and find what you're looking for.

Do you want the book? I know you do. Guess what! You get a 20% discount for being a reader of my blog!

Follow this link and add the code “dirtandboogers” to get your book with the discount.
Want to try to win a free copy? Enter the giveaway over at When At Home.

Pom Pom Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

J has really been into matching and sorting things these days. He loves playing Memory and looks for pairs all over the place.

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think up a fun matching or sorting game for him. I finally came up with one the other day when we were upstairs going through our craft closet. I saw my container of pompoms, and it hit me. They reminded me of a post I saw the other day from Four Little Piglets, and knew I had to make him a colored pom pom color drop. I did ours a bit differently than she did, mainly because I threw it together in seconds, but it turned out great!

I took a few of or cardboard tubes (I cut paper towel rolls in half) and wrapped them in colored construction paper. I taped them together with a polka dotted packing tape to make them cute. I taped them together in the back, but they didn’t stay together very well. So later, I glued them together with hot glue. I placed the tubes and matching pom poms in a wooden tray I had on hand. I gave J a pair of tongs and let him sort.

I didn’t have to explain a thing, he knew exactly what to do.

He wasn’t too interested in using the togs. That’s ok though because using his fingers really works his fine motor skills.

I love watching J use his mind to figure out puzzles, sort colors, and find pairs. It’s really neat to see how he just “gets it” all of a sudden.

“I did it…all by myself!” So proud his his accomplishments!

Join me on Facebook and Instagram to see more of our playful activities!

Top 10 Activities for Toddlers

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Since J is quickly outgrowing his toddler years (tear), I’ve decided to take a look back at our favorite activities and highlight the Top 10 activities we’ve done since the beginning of the blog.

Here they are, in no particular order. Click the pic or link to see the original post.

Messy Play on a Light Box

Duplo Houses and Cars

Construction Site Invitation to Play

Colored Water Play

Jars, Marbles, and Pom poms

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

Cornmeal Letter Discovery

Bean Bag Toss

Neon Cups and Marbles

Cookie Cutter and Sponge Painting

So there you go. Our 10 favorite activities during J’s toddler years. Now, onto Preschool activities!

Come follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see how we play!

Time for Mom, Emotions, and Screen Time from The Sunday Parenting Party

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It's that time again, The Sunday Parenting Party! I love reading all the posts linked up and I always find several that really speak to me. Here are my favorite from last week.

1. 3 For Me from Picklebums: This is a fantastic simple plan one mom has come up with to take time to do things for herself.
2. The ABC’s of Feelings from The Tao of Poop: One mom’s thoughts about how to help her daughter “make friends with her emotions”.
3. Screen Time and Motivating Boys: Snapshot of Parenting with a Purpose from The Educator’s Spin on It: A very interesting viewpoint about how screen time has helped her son find new interests and passions in life.

Good Job Ladies! Grab a Button!

1. Any parenting post is welcome. Humorous, helpful, inspiring, or a tear-jerker, they are all welcome. Please do not add activity posts.
2. Please grab a button (on my sidebar) and add it to your post so that others know about the party too.
3. We have a great Pinterest board that we share many of posts linked up. I also have a Parenting Help board that has tons of posts (and followers) that your post my pop up on.
4. By linking up you agree that the co-hosts of the party may use one picture from your post as a feature.
5. Try to take the time to check out the other posts linked up!

Build a Fort!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I haven’t done a fort with J for well over a year. Seriously, what’s wrong with me? I LOVE forts.

We’ve recently been trapped inside the house due to the cold, sickness, and not wanting to get Baby E out. And yes…it feels a bit like we’re trapped.

So, I decided that a fort would be the perfect way to break up a boring day.

All I used was our easel, 3 chairs, and a sheet from our bed. I also used chip clips to hold the sheet onto the chairs.

We started off by eating our afternoon snack together inside. That was quickly followed by some serious play.

We played the match game, read books, set up his trains, and added his big trucks into the mix too.

This is the aftermath of some serious fun!

The best part for me is that I got to reconnect with my son for a few minutes. Since the birth of Baby E, six weeks ago, I have had to work hard to make sure that I spend special time with J every day.

Like many moms, I sometimes I get bored playing with him. How many times do I have to make a car go zoom, or pretend to eat food before I get bored or distracted? Finding something that we both enjoy helped me stay engaged in his play and helped us connect for a little while.

How have you connected with your child lately?

Come on over to Facebook or Instagram to see more ways we play!

Love for Lunch

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

I have always tried to feed J good nutritious foods. I’m pleased that he is a great eater and will try pretty much anything.

However, we’ve been in a lunch rut for a few weeks now. I’m a bit ashamed to say that he eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a side of greek yogurt almost every day. At least it’s natural peanut butter, organic jelly, and whole wheat bread. But still…not very exciting.

I’ve been looking for ways to add variety and more nutrition to his lunches, and I think I found the perfect thing!

One of my fellow bloggers is launching a new 10 day e-course this month that’s all about revamping your child’s lunch…can you say PERFECT!

Head on over to Skill It to read more and to sign up. Come join me in revamping our children’s lunch! Hurry though…class starts on March 15th!

Life with Dirt and Boogers

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I’m warning you now. If you get at all queasy about boogers and snot..do not read any further.

I had no idea how much of my life would revolve around dirt and boogers when I named my blog.

Let’s start with the dirt, shall we? Not many 2.5 year old boys are what I’d call “clean”. Even though we do try to keep J tidy, he always seems to have something on his face, shirt, pants, etc. It feels like an endless battle with muck and dirt.

Both my boys have booger problems as the moment. Over the past few weeks, my life has been one booger after another.

J had had two rounds of an endless runny nose. I’ve also noticed that he’s a booger eater…super gross! He says he likes them! Gag me!

E on the other hand is really the one having the real booger/snot problems.

He got RSV a few weeks back. If you don’t know, RSV is basically just a build up of a lot of snot. The problem is that babies can’t blow their noses and it kind of gets trapped in their sinuses and nasal passages. So, we suctioned a lot of boogers out of his nose that week.

Well, since then, the snot has started to dry up and it’s become big solid boogers. You know what I mean, you’ve had them. The good pickin’ kind.

There are some pretty major issues that these big ol’ boogers cause. First of all, they make it so that E can’t breathe. They completely block is nostril and so he wakes up pretty angry from a very sound sleep. Usually he wakes up slowly with a few grunts here and there, so I’m ready in the middle of the night if he starts crying. Right now he startles awake and immediately starts screaming, which scares the bejeezus out of me and my husband.

The second problem is that the hospital grade suctioner that we have doesn’t do a great job of getting them out. So, I have to go digging. Gross.

E HATES it and screams his little head off…until he realizes that he can breathe again. He then quiets down and usually smiles at me. Yes, so glad that me picking your nose makes you feel better.

At the moment, he’s starting to get a bit snotty again. J’s had a runny nose (again) over the past week, and I’m afraid that in spite of all my disinfecting and hand sanitizing, he may have passed something on to E. So, I’m prepping myself for round 2. Yay.

So, one can’t help but wonder…is this some kind of weird karma I get for naming my blog Dirt and Boogers?

One thing I know for sure is that I’m ready for my life to have a lot less snot in it.

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5 Ways to Play with Glass Gems

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

People often ask me what J’s favorite toys are. Most of time I respond with “you know, cars, trucks, trains, normal boy stuff”. But when I really think about it, I think his favorite toy is this jar of red gems.

This jar of gems sits on a shelf in our kitchen and J asks to play with them all the time. He dumps, scoops, scatters, and examines them on a pretty regular basis.

I know, it’s a weird “toy” but so versatile. Let me show you how we’ve played with them over the years:

They first showed up on the blog in this fun jar and gems activity that J loved.

They have played a part in several sensory boxes.

They are awesome in playdough play

They are beautiful on a light box (with some shaving cream too).

But, J’s favorite way of playing with these gems, is making them into dirt and using his construction trucks to move the dirt around.

I love to see how his play is enhanced by these little gems.

You can find these anywhere that sells craft supplies or home décor items. I’ve even seen them at the dollar store!

I know that these gems are choking hazards. I allowed J to play with them at a young age with close supervision because he does not typically put things in his mouth. At almost 3 years old, I still supervise him while he plays with these. Please be careful when introducing them to your children.

Come on over to Facebook or Instagram to see what other playful things we’ve been up to.

Breastfeeding, Discipline, and Mindful Parenting

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Today I’m sharing three posts from The Sunday Parenting Party that really spoke to me. Did you find a post from last week that you loved?

1. What They Don’t Tell You About Breastfeeding from Taming the Goblin: I’m now nursing my second child and, let me tell you, it’s just as hard the second time as the first. Love how truthful she is about how hard breastfeeding can be.
2. 18 Tips for Discipline and Behavior Management from B-Inspired Mama: Don’t we all need some tips when it comes to behavior management? Well, Krissy pulled together advice from Moms that I’m sure will help you out!
3. Simple Ways to Find Your Way Back to Mindful Parenting from Carrots are Orange: I love how Marnie made a list of ways she can refocus and get back to being the parent she wants to be. What would be on your list?

Great job ladies! Grab a button!

1. Any parenting post is welcome. Humorous, helpful, inspiring, or a tear-jerker, they are all welcome. Please do not add activity posts.

2. Please grab a button (on my sidebar) and add it to your post so that others know about the party too.

3. We have a great Pinterest board that we share many of posts linked up. I also have a Parenting Help board that has tons of posts (and followers) that your post my pop up on.

4. By linking up you agree that the co-hosts of the party may use one picture from your post as a feature.

5. Try to take the time to check out the other posts linked up!

Some Days You Gotta Jump!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

My son, like a lot of preschoolers, is always on the move. This kid doesn’t walk anywhere. He’d rather run, jump, skip, anything else but walk. He’d much rather practice his large motor skills than is tiny fine motor ones.

This is not usually a problem during the warm summer months (or spring or fall), because we go outside a lot to practice those skills. However, we haven’t been outside much in the really cold winter weather, especially with a new baby in the house.

One day last week J was bouncing off the walls, throwing toys, and otherwise reeking havoc in our house. I knew he needed to get some of that built up energy out. But, we were in the middle of a snow/ice storm.

So…I let him jump on the bed. I don’t really mind bed jumping, but my husband does. So, we don’t allow it.

But today I NEEDED him to jump! (Sorry sweetie!).

I see jumping on the bed to be a great way to practice those large motor skills,

like balance. Plus,

it’s a great mood lifter!

I am not usually one to allow J to break the rules, but I figured this was a special circumstance.

Or maybe I felt a bit like jumping too!

Hey sometimes you gotta join in on the fun!

I can’t wait to hear what my husband has to say about this!

So you tell me, are you pro or against jumping on the bed?

Come join the fun over on Facebook or Instagram (I just joined and LOVE it)

Boys, Preschoolers and #PlayMatters @ The Sunday Parenting Party

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I had a crazy hard time picking just three posts that I loved this week. There were too many great posts linked up. But, after a lot of consideration, I picked these three that really spoke to me.

1. What Should Your 3 Year Old Know? A Development List. from Positive Parenting Connection – Do you ever Google what your child should know at a certain age? I do! Well this is a great reminder about what a 3-4 year old should really know.

2. I’m Just a Girl, Parenting a Boy from Break the Parenting Mold – I love this post because, well, I’m a boy mom too. I can totally see my life being a bit like this in the next few years and I love her reminder to accept our boys in all their boyness.

3. The Importance of Play: Do you Make These Mistakes with Kids? #1 from Lessons Learned Journal – An important reminder to play with your children. This post also introduces you to the #playmatters initiative that I love. Read this post to find out more! Seriously, go!

Great job ladies! Grab a button!

He Finally Loves Playdough

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This is not a sponsored post. I just really like these products.

We have played with Playdough off and on for about a year. It’s never been a really big hit with J. It’s something he will play with, but it just never kept his attention for more than a few minutes at a time.

I love playdough, even as an adult, and was not about to give up on the wonderful stuff!

Well, fast forward to Christmas when J received a few Chuck & Friends Playdoh kits. Let me tell you, it changed the way he played with play dough!

J loves anything and everything that has to do with construction, so these were an immediate hit! Since then, we have been playing the heck out of playdough!

He included more “boy toys” into his playdough play…tools!

Later, J asked me to make a train with his playdough. Really!? A train!? How in the heck was I supposed to make a train? Then a stroke of brilliance! Cookie cutters!

A few weeks later, I brought out the Melissa & Doug Shape, Model and Mold set. J really enjoys stamping, cutting, and rolling the dough.

I am one of those “crazy Moms” who keeps the playdough out and available for J at all times. The dough is in a baggie and held with the rest of his playdough toys in a plastic bin in his playroom. He is learning that it has to stay in his playroom (which has a tile floor).

Having it available to him has encouraged him to play with it. And has he played! It has come out almost every single day since Christmas! Got to love that!

How do your kids play with playdough?

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Messy Play on a Light Box

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It’s been a long while since we’ve played with our light box here. J lost interest in it so I packed it away. Last week, J found it hidden in or craft closet and immediately wanted to play with it. I had to think on my toes and come up with something to do.

I rummaged around the closet and immediately found the shaving cream. Ah Ha! That would be perfect on a light box!

Let me tell you, it was a hit!

I started off by just spraying shaving cream in the box and provided red gems and washable paints that he could add to the play.

With the red gems

He added in some green paint too.

This is a fantastic sensory play activity for kids. J said he really liked this activity and has asked to play with it again.

Here’s some tips for this messy play

I dressed J in clothes that I didn’t mind getting dirty. Everything washed out beautifully, so it wasn’t really necessary.
We did this in the bathroom so that we could make it dark and for super easy clean up. I just tossed the box and J into the bathtub for a rinse afterwards.
Shaving cream is a good cleaning agent, so I didn’t mind if he got it outside the box. Plus, it is super easy to just wipe it off, no scrubbing needed.

Don’t have a light box? No biggie!

I make my own using clear storage boxes, under the counter lights and a bit of tissue paper to diffuse the light. Here’s how I usually do it. This time I put the light on the floor and turned the box upside down on top of it. I placed another box on top to help contain the mess.

How do you feel about messy play? Love it or hate it?

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