Busy Bags {For Adalyn}

One of the biggest challenges I've faced this first month of Homeschooling is keeping my middle daughter Adalyn, the two year old, entertained while I instruct Marin. Cutting paper, gluing paper to paper and playing with stickers only held her attention for a brief little while. I began saving empty plastic containers and filling them with buttons for her to sort between and dump from one container to another. Once I discovered how hands on she was I began looking for "busy bag" ideas to keep her entertained. Here's what I came up with after researching so many great ideas. (See source list at the end of this post.)

Color Trees: Separate felt triangles from the color coordinating clothes pins and have the child find the matching pieces and place them together. 

Pom Pom Magnets: Child sorts colored, magnetic pom poms on to color coordinating popsicle sticks covered in magnetic tape. You might also create a unique pattern on one stick and ask your child to mimic the pattern on another stick.

Button Snake: When I saw this idea, I was excited to recreate my own version. Using rainbow colored felt I cut hearts with slits large enough for this plastic button to slide through. Simple to create with items I already had.

Number Cards with Jewels: In a "girl house" you can never have too much bling. I created these number cards with circles just the right size for jazzing up with these sparkly princess jewels. I laminated the cards and give just one to Adalyn at a time (right now). Once she fills in the circles, we count them together.

 Above is how I store each of these activities. In a three, ring pencil holder. These slide into a 3" binder.

Princess Matching Game: On one side are permanent patterns. On the other side the child must find the objects that match the left side and recreate it on the right. I just bought a big bag of foam shapes and letter half size foam cards. Unfortunately  more often that not, Adalyn just wants peel the backing from the foam pieces and stick them to her hands.

Clothesline: This is hands down Marin's favorite activity. The pattern is free on Money Saving Mom and was super easy to make.

More Busy Bag Resources:
Motherhood on a Dime
Money Saving Mom
Pinterest
Second Story Window
Play At Home Mom

Pumpkin Carving Party 2012 {The Invitation}

Waiting for these beauties to arrive in the mail. Gotta get them sent out to friends and family soon!

My sister-n-law, Beth Evans, created the acrylic painting that is the base for years' Pumpkin Carving Party invitation. I love the slightly spooky, yet glowing shiny feel it has. This is the fourth years we've used original art for the invitations and the ninth year we've hosted this event at our home.

Come on cooler weather, apple cider, chrysanthemums, costumes, hay rides and PUMPKINS. I'm ready for you!

Our First Day of Homeschool

We began our first day of homeschool on Monday, September 3. These photos were from our first day of school. Today, marks our 10th day of this new routine. Marin began Kindergarten and we follow a four day week. The photo above is our "to do" list. I say our, but really it's Marin's. She has a visual representation of what's expected of her each day (made into magnets) and it's a positive way to teach her time management and goal setting. Plus I can see at a glance what we have complete and what's left to be accomplished.

First on the list is breakfast...

Then Bible study.

Next she makes her bed and gets dressed for the day.

She feeds the cat.

And brushes her teeth.

It's a family tradition to begin the first day of school with a TREASURE HUNT! My five siblings and I were all home schooled and this was the highlight of our year. It only seemed right to continue the tradition with Marin. Steven and I created five simple clues. This was the first one that Marin received.

One clue lead to the mail box where she received the next clue and her new subscription to High Five. 

Each clue was printed on the outside of an envelope. Inside the each envelope were various craft items.

At the end, she had everything we'd need to make popsicle stick bookmarks for her text books. 

Here she is, hard at work.

And below is the final product.

Then the real work began, starting with her calendar notebook and "about me" pages. 

At just 10 days, I'm amazed at what this little girl has already learned. She's enthusiastic and excited about learning and we're having fun.  

Marin's Mermaid Birthday {The Party}

That is the cheesy grin of a girl who had to wait a REALLY long time to celebrate her fifth birthday. She was sick on her actual birthday and we had to postpone her mermaid party. But finally the day came and we picked up balloons, finished making the mermaid clothespin doll party favors and headed to the pool for a splashing good time. 

 How cute are these mermaid tail cupcakes? We cut the tails from sour strips and tucked them into the blue icing. Marin helped and by the time we were finished our fingers were sticky and our tummies ached.

First View of the Ocean

Ocean, meet Adalyn. Adalyn, the ocean.
See that face? It's amazing how the excitement of a child can change everything. I've never been much of a beach person, but after our trip this summer, I'm changed. We spent countless hours on the beach, and we had to tear ourselves away when the sun began to set. We couldn't have asked for a better first experience. We had such a wonderful, fun filled time. The girls LOVED the beach and we all talk about the fun we had. I'm thinking this will be a summer family tradition.

Our Summer

This summer we...

 shopped for plants for our new patio flower bed.

took swimming lessons

 had an accident with the toy broom and enthusiastic playing that resulted in very little sleep for mommy, lots of guilty regrets, a trip to Urgent Doc and scar on baby A's eyebrow.

Lots of baking dates between mommy and the girls.

Upgraded A to a forward facing car seat.

Grinned and cried when Adalyn's curls were trimmed off during her first haircut.

Learned to sit up AND crawl.

Took multiple trips to "our zoo" (as Marin calls it). 

Attended vacation bible school at church and dressed up as sword wielding warriors.

Started solids. (sort of)

painted our fingernails (Marin's "Now that I'm five can I..." request)

Got SUPER excited about our new Kindergarten curriculum every time something new arrived in the mail.

Plus a family trip to the beach and many lovely, days with family and friends. Looking back we had such a wonderful summer, but I'm looking forward to fall and the cool weather that comes with it.