The Kitchen Table Edition
721. ALDI take 'n' bake pizza
722. paper plates
723. J.A. Myhre's latest book, A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World
724. Kellers' The SONGS of Jesus
725. two precious children
726. my worksheet planning November
727. options for babysitting and how they came together
728. fun activities and necessary activities planned for the month
729. sunshine out my kitchen window in the late afternoon (but not for long...)
730. my Bible study book & the group of ladies it represents, ladies who have walked with God in some cases decades longer than I have and who share their faith journey so freely
Friday, October 26, 2018
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Van Life
This morning I cleared out a little bit of the clutter in
the van, primarily the tote on the floor in front of Little Miss's car
seat. Now it is orderly - soft books and small stuffed animals on one
side, and diaper bag, towel, sweatshirt, change of clothes for both,
paper towels, etc. on the other side.
All the snacks are organized nicely in the trunk, along with #1 van life trick I learned from a fellow van mom - clear plastic cups for dividing a water bottle or for doling out snacks.
I still haven't figured out a trash system for the van. Any ideas?
We spend at least 3 hours a day 5 days a week in the van, so I really need it to work for me!
The main hot spot (besides the floor in front of the car seats - Yikes!!) is the console between the two front seats. It's a jumble of keys, mints, gum, receipts, pens, and who knows what else!
Each front door has a pump-style hand sanitizer in it.
I finally found a solution for my hand lotion, bandaids, floss picks, saline spray, allergy pills, and plastic knives and forks. They are in a Thirty-one swap-it pocket in the side of the front passenger door - always at the ready, but not scattered throughout the car unable to be found.
As winter comes, I'll need to prepare an emergency kit also.
How do you make your van work for you?
All the snacks are organized nicely in the trunk, along with #1 van life trick I learned from a fellow van mom - clear plastic cups for dividing a water bottle or for doling out snacks.
I still haven't figured out a trash system for the van. Any ideas?
We spend at least 3 hours a day 5 days a week in the van, so I really need it to work for me!
The main hot spot (besides the floor in front of the car seats - Yikes!!) is the console between the two front seats. It's a jumble of keys, mints, gum, receipts, pens, and who knows what else!
Each front door has a pump-style hand sanitizer in it.
I finally found a solution for my hand lotion, bandaids, floss picks, saline spray, allergy pills, and plastic knives and forks. They are in a Thirty-one swap-it pocket in the side of the front passenger door - always at the ready, but not scattered throughout the car unable to be found.
As winter comes, I'll need to prepare an emergency kit also.
How do you make your van work for you?
Monday, October 22, 2018
Monday morning
After being away from home 4.5 out of 5 school days last week (7 or 7.30 AM until 3.45 - 4.15 PM), a morning at home is just what the doctor ordered!
The clear blue sky and this PERFECT fall day only add to the happiness factor!
Little Miss is thrilled! She went right over to the corner by the bookshelf, sat down, and "read" several books.
I put away our Walmart groceries (though there wasn't much food, since I wasn't home last week, so are cupboards and fridge are still pretty full), took out trash, organized the recycling, started laundry, and have great hopes for the dishes and floors (though we shall see). In other words, just normal stuff of life that feels like sheer luxury in this season of our family life.
A good morning!
The clear blue sky and this PERFECT fall day only add to the happiness factor!
Little Miss is thrilled! She went right over to the corner by the bookshelf, sat down, and "read" several books.
I put away our Walmart groceries (though there wasn't much food, since I wasn't home last week, so are cupboards and fridge are still pretty full), took out trash, organized the recycling, started laundry, and have great hopes for the dishes and floors (though we shall see). In other words, just normal stuff of life that feels like sheer luxury in this season of our family life.
A good morning!
Friday, October 19, 2018
Resources
Have you heard of the Joy Berry books? I happened upon them while searching for books to request from interlibrary loan on the topic of character issues for toddlers and pre-schoolers. They are so very appealing to that age set, and are Little Guy's favorite books! He loves reading about the characters and the struggles they face. Last night we read, "Being Mean," and he noticed that one of the main characters is also in "Lying." They definitely hold his attention.
I found out that a friend's mother had the whole series at her house for her grandchildren to read. Great idea!
This page, The Joy Berry Classics, outlines the series, which goes from ages 1-13 (and up).
I'm also intrigued by the songs available for purchase.
And by the digital membership, including on-the-go app.
I would be remiss not to mention this new series of 3 children's books by CCEF which came in the mail yesterday! Jax's Tail Twitches: When You are Angry, Buster's Ears Trip Him Up: When You Fail, and Zoe's Hiding Place: When You are Anxious. These are excellent, for all the reasons that CCEF is, and include parent discussion guides in the back, as well as verse cards to cut out and keep in your back pocket. I think they're more for the 5-8+ year old set.
I found out that a friend's mother had the whole series at her house for her grandchildren to read. Great idea!
This page, The Joy Berry Classics, outlines the series, which goes from ages 1-13 (and up).
I'm also intrigued by the songs available for purchase.
And by the digital membership, including on-the-go app.
I would be remiss not to mention this new series of 3 children's books by CCEF which came in the mail yesterday! Jax's Tail Twitches: When You are Angry, Buster's Ears Trip Him Up: When You Fail, and Zoe's Hiding Place: When You are Anxious. These are excellent, for all the reasons that CCEF is, and include parent discussion guides in the back, as well as verse cards to cut out and keep in your back pocket. I think they're more for the 5-8+ year old set.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Rush hour
Today was my third day in the past seven to drive to school (65 miles one way = spend the day).
After dropping off the carpool, Little Miss and I met a lady at a grocery store parking lot to buy two pairs of boots for LM ... in hopes she'll keep them on her feet. (All shoes come off within minutes! But winter is coming, and we can't have that, now can we?!)
Then I treated myself to a venti hot tea at Starbucks. (That was actually my 3rd cup of hot tea for the day ... one at breakfast and one in the car ... as I am 13 days into a sinus/respiratory infection.) Farm & Fleet to check out the toys (not yet fully stocked). Drop-off at Goodwill, drop-off at kids' consignment shop, ALDI for gluten-free bagels (and cream cheese so I could have one for my lunch; Little Miss had a Lunchables minus the Reese's cup which I took care of ;) ), Starbucks for a (small this time) cup of hot tea & honey, Sam's for cheap gas, and then Moms in Prayer meeting (with more hot tea with lemon & honey for me and lots of fun toys & play time for LM) before picking the boys up, and driving home while drinking the decaf hot tea in my YETI, which I had prepared and kept on reserve for the afternoon.
It was a hard day for LM. :( But, as days go, it wasn't bad. Moms in Prayer was *definitely* the highlight (especially since I usually call in)!
And, there's always a fun find at the kids' consignment shop. Today's was Rush Hour Jr. for $2! LG and I played a few rounds before bedtime, and he can't wait to play more, so that's a win!
After dropping off the carpool, Little Miss and I met a lady at a grocery store parking lot to buy two pairs of boots for LM ... in hopes she'll keep them on her feet. (All shoes come off within minutes! But winter is coming, and we can't have that, now can we?!)
Then I treated myself to a venti hot tea at Starbucks. (That was actually my 3rd cup of hot tea for the day ... one at breakfast and one in the car ... as I am 13 days into a sinus/respiratory infection.) Farm & Fleet to check out the toys (not yet fully stocked). Drop-off at Goodwill, drop-off at kids' consignment shop, ALDI for gluten-free bagels (and cream cheese so I could have one for my lunch; Little Miss had a Lunchables minus the Reese's cup which I took care of ;) ), Starbucks for a (small this time) cup of hot tea & honey, Sam's for cheap gas, and then Moms in Prayer meeting (with more hot tea with lemon & honey for me and lots of fun toys & play time for LM) before picking the boys up, and driving home while drinking the decaf hot tea in my YETI, which I had prepared and kept on reserve for the afternoon.
It was a hard day for LM. :( But, as days go, it wasn't bad. Moms in Prayer was *definitely* the highlight (especially since I usually call in)!
And, there's always a fun find at the kids' consignment shop. Today's was Rush Hour Jr. for $2! LG and I played a few rounds before bedtime, and he can't wait to play more, so that's a win!
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Patterns
In Pre-K, they do a little bit of pre-reading, a little bit of math, a little bit of fine motor, a little bit of friendship skills, etc.
One of the math skills is making patterns. 2 blue bears, 1 red bear, 2 blue bears, 1 red bear, etc.
The other night we were eating mac & cheese for supper and Little Guy excitedly said, "Mom, we should make a pattern!!"
"Mac & cheese. Grilled cheese. Mac & cheese. Grilled cheese."
We've already fallen into a pattern - mac & cheese, grilled cheese, tacos, spaghetti, nachos, pizza, and on really tough nights - cold cereal.
Now that I know that my meal planning pattern is educational, I feel better about it. :)
One of the math skills is making patterns. 2 blue bears, 1 red bear, 2 blue bears, 1 red bear, etc.
The other night we were eating mac & cheese for supper and Little Guy excitedly said, "Mom, we should make a pattern!!"
"Mac & cheese. Grilled cheese. Mac & cheese. Grilled cheese."
We've already fallen into a pattern - mac & cheese, grilled cheese, tacos, spaghetti, nachos, pizza, and on really tough nights - cold cereal.
Now that I know that my meal planning pattern is educational, I feel better about it. :)
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Surprised in grief
Some day I might write more of our emotionally intense past month.
One of the things that happened is that Grandma (Jim's mom) is now seeing Jesus face to face.
Some of the surprises have been:
* the sympathy card with rather lengthy hand-written note from the implement dealer!
* the mail lady coming to the visitation with wonderful stories of her encounters with Grandma at the mailbox!
* the floral arrangement-cum-wall decor sent to the funeral home, in which the wall decor was a display of the music & words to "Blessed Assurance" ~ the hymn which we sang to her during our last visit and which our whole family sang a few years ago at the front of the church where they were married, when we went on a family "pilgrimage" to celebrate one of their milestone anniversaries!
* a children's book about heaven (from the library) that included the phrase that there will be no hearing aids in heaven!
* and my search for tylenol one night. As I said, it's been an intense month, with a few other things going on. After Grandma went to heaven, we had a glorious 8 days with family. And then I crashed. I even slept through carpool pickup one afternoon (!). After a week of exhaustion & frequent naps, my lowered immunity + fall allergies = my need for Tylenol (and Mucinex and nasal spray and inhalers...), so I went searching in our medicine cabinet, knowing that I had recently (and quite accidentally) purchased a bottle of 500 tylenol tablets. Do you think I could find them? Not at all. But I was quite surprised to find ... four prescription bottles of post-surgery pain meds and three prescription bottles of 6-800 mg ibuprofen (one bottle has 120 pills!).
One of the things that happened is that Grandma (Jim's mom) is now seeing Jesus face to face.
Some of the surprises have been:
* the sympathy card with rather lengthy hand-written note from the implement dealer!
* the mail lady coming to the visitation with wonderful stories of her encounters with Grandma at the mailbox!
* the floral arrangement-cum-wall decor sent to the funeral home, in which the wall decor was a display of the music & words to "Blessed Assurance" ~ the hymn which we sang to her during our last visit and which our whole family sang a few years ago at the front of the church where they were married, when we went on a family "pilgrimage" to celebrate one of their milestone anniversaries!
* a children's book about heaven (from the library) that included the phrase that there will be no hearing aids in heaven!
* and my search for tylenol one night. As I said, it's been an intense month, with a few other things going on. After Grandma went to heaven, we had a glorious 8 days with family. And then I crashed. I even slept through carpool pickup one afternoon (!). After a week of exhaustion & frequent naps, my lowered immunity + fall allergies = my need for Tylenol (and Mucinex and nasal spray and inhalers...), so I went searching in our medicine cabinet, knowing that I had recently (and quite accidentally) purchased a bottle of 500 tylenol tablets. Do you think I could find them? Not at all. But I was quite surprised to find ... four prescription bottles of post-surgery pain meds and three prescription bottles of 6-800 mg ibuprofen (one bottle has 120 pills!).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)