Trial and Error

Today I let D and H use our new "Do A Dot" painters on the letter B. It had the circles on it, so it was supposed to teach one to one correspondence. I had to go and change E's diaper while they did some of this. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that H (the 2 year old) had done pretty good with the dots. I have discovered that he won't do an art project longer than 15 minutes at the most, though. (Sometimes 2 minutes) I will need two projects for him in the future. I was frustrated that D(the 4 yr old) wasn't filling in his paper when I got back. But, I soon discovered that he was mixing his colors. He was putting a blue dot down, and then a yellow dot on top of it to get a green dot. He explained to me that he had all of the primary colors and was seeing what colors they made when you put them together. (What!? I didn't know he knew what those were.) So, I showed him that the other three colors we had were called secondary colors. So, my plan did not go as planned, but learning took place. So, success!
I also introduced my idea for a new discipline plan to them. I'm going to use a discipline ladder along with reward bucks. So, I let D and H help me make a list of things that would make them go down the ladder and a list of things that will make them go up the ladder. We also made a list of things that we would like to buy with our reward bucks. D was soooooooooooo excited. I mean, like dancing around the house, excited. I need to make the ladder now, and decide the "prices" for the prizes. ...pictures to come.

More of the school room

Here is the sweet little one who I will be homeschooling next year. Who wouldn't want to wake up to that face every day? I'll be "teaching" my middle child, who will be 3, as well. But, that will mostly be games and play.












This will be the preschool shelf. At least, the bottom of the shelf will be. I saw this cool idea on pinterest, I think. You put individual activities on fast food trays. They get to choose what they want to do and then put it back and get a new one when they're tired of it. (Which, for Harrison, is about 2 minutes right now.) The tray lets them see each activity and keeps it all in one place. I haven't found a good deal on trays yet. Right now, the shelf houses our play kitchen stuff. So, that stuff will need to find a new home.









This year, I have been teaching my eldest using the "My Father's World" curriculum. It comes with letter cards, which I half traced/half drew, so that I could hang them on the wall and still be able to teach with them. Some came out better than others.

Two posts in one day!!!

I'm doing Game On with my mom, cousin, and sister in law. But, I'm using weight watchers for my food plan. I'm still trying to remember all the rules. I'm fairly certain that leave the jar of peanut butter beside the couch to tempt you after you finish the wii fit is not one of them. Note to self: hide peanut butter. Leave out carrots.

A New Year, and a New Post!!!!

I have a tendency to think that no one wants to hear what I have to say or that everyone already knows the things that I know. I forget that I have figured alot of this stuff out along the way, and that I got my information from other people. So, partly inspired by my cousin's super duper inspiring blog, I want to try and blog about the things that I do. I'll be focusing on organization, parenting, and maybe some cooking. I will not be giving you advice on cleaning :-) Maybe, in the future. But, I do not excel in cleaning right now.

I am terrified and excited to say that John and I have decided that I will be homeschooling David next year in kindergarten. I've been teaching him this year, but this will be the first year that is state mandated. I took some pictures of our "school room." It's really messy right now, so we'll call these the "before" pictures.

I decided a while back that I wanted to get a pocket chart holder. Boy, are those things expensive. I found a deal on this calendar pocket chart online for 6 dollars. So, I set out to look for a pocket chart holder. Later, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with the clothes hanging rod that I bought for my maternity clothes. It was way too flimsy to hold up more than like one dress. So, I thought it might make a great pocket chart holder if it was shorter. My greatly talented husband agreed to cut the poles shorter for me, and ta da: instant pocket chart! I'm really excited with how it turned out.







This is our craft closet. It used to be organized until we got more stuff for Christmas which I haven't found a home for yet.
















This is our school supply closet. Same thing goes here. It was organized until we got more stuff.
















This is our school table. I kinda wish I had a kidney table, but this works.












Okay, it's time to get the kids up, so that it all for today.

The new Family Dollar

I've always been one to give people the benefit of the doubt. Everyone was complaining about how cheap the new FD in Woodruff looked. It was a big metal eyesore to the home town feel of Woodruff. But, I thought it might be nice having a store like that on main street to get all of those little things that you might need. Also, the new FD was advertising that they were going "green."
So, the boys and I went there today.

The first thing I noticed was about 4 empty spots near the front of the store. I thought, oh that's nice, maybe they have a mother's with children parking spot or at least a pregnant parking spot. Nope. There were two spots for "alternative fuel vehicles" and then two spots for "carpool vehicles." Why do people who just happen to have enough money to buy an "alternative fuel" vehicle need to be closer to a dollar store? Soooooo, me and my two toddlers parked waaaaaaay behind the building and made the trek to the store.
Next, we got in a buggy and made our way to the door. It was not automatic. This makes it really difficult for those in wheelchairs, or with small children. Once we got in, I felt like I was in the Dollar General right down the road. They didn't seem to have anything more than the DG, and might have even had less. I will say that the employees were nice, if not very knowledgeable.

Ugh!!!!! I will not be returning!!

Ten on Tuesday

I stole these questions from another friends blog, and I thought it would be an easy way for me to get started blogging again.

1. Growing up, what was one favorite item that you had to have with you at all times?
I did have a blanket that I carried around until Patrick was born and Mom let me choose another one so i would give it up. (I believe it was in scraps at that time.) But, I think my favorite item was my thumb. Yes, I was a thumb-sucker.

2. Being an adult, what is one favorite item that you have to have with you at all times, and what happens if you do not have it with you? Do you lose your sanity or just go back home to get it?
My cell phone, because I like having the ability to get in touch with people at any second. If I forget it, it's usually too much trouble to go back and get it unless I'm still sitting in the driveway when I remember. I'm also pretty lost (literally) without my GPS. My sense of direction is horrible.

3. Where is your favorite place to be to just hide away from everything and breathe for a moment?
If I'm being truthful, I think that I "hide away" on the computer, either on facebook, or watching something on hulu. I was going to say the bathtub, but I haven't had a lot of time to do that lately, and then of course, I would need to clean it, which would defeat the purpose.

4. What is your favorite thing about your partner? (If you don’t have a partner, then someone who is very close and will always be in your life.)
I love the way he is with the boys and seeing how much they adore him.

5. What is your favorite thing about your job? (If you don’t have a job, then what is your favorite thing that you do during your day?)
My job is taking care of and teaching my children. I am so lucky. I know I complain alot about how tired I am and how I long for adult companionship, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I love watching my children learn something new. I love it when they spontaneously hug or kiss me. I don't love all of the cleaning and stuff that comes with it :-)

6. What is your favorite lesson that your parents taught you growing up? Looking back, is it something that you want to use to teach your children when they reach that age?
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind. And, love your neighbor as yourself."
I will absolutely teach it to my children.

7. What is your favorite song, that will always bring a smile to your face and make you think of something happy?
I can't pick. Maybe, "I Have Confidence" from "The Sound of Music." It's loads of fun to sing in the car at the top of your lungs!

8. What is your favorite thing about being an American? (If you are not American, what are you proud of in regards to your country?)
I think that freedom is the best thing about our country, but I know that I do not appreciate freedom like so many families that have lost loved ones in recent years, or that have given up family members for extended periods of time to serve our country. I am very grateful, though, for those that have fought in the war to make our lives here what they are. (Okay, I stole this answer directly Rhonda's blog, but I liked it.)

9. What is your favorite meal that reminds you of being a child?
Pizza Inn!! Yum!

10. Name 3 things that other people would say are their favorite thing about you.
I don't know. Maybe my friends that read this blog could help me out with this question.

The Ward boys

Aren't my boys the most beautiful boys in the whole world?!!? Well, I think so!