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Tot School Oct. 1-6 (29 mths)

October 6, 2012 By Thaleia 6 Comments

Fall Themed Tot School

Super Busy Week! We have been very busy with lots of things, but I tried very hard to take lots of pictures along the way! I really want to be part of tot school link up since we do tot school each week:)

We had a movie night and had leftover popcorn. I was getting ready to throw it in the trash when I thought, “Why not make this into a tray activity first?” and that is what I did! Lil’ Red saw it and got right to work. He played for awhile trying to get the popcorn into various sized containers.

We gathered leaves and did some leaf art work. I was helping Princess and Eldest for a few minutes so Lil’ Red started chalking himself! He was a mess, but had lots of fun! To read more about this art project check out: Wacky Wednesday Autumn Leaves.

Lil’ Red gets come to the Classical Conversations group I provide childcare for each week. The class is perfect for him. He gets to play with other kids his age (1yrs.-31/2yrs.). I get to bring out busy bags and other “tray-like” activities. This encourages sharing, taking turns, and makes something old new and fun again!

I caught him reading a book all on his own:)

He carries this book around saying, “Aunt Amy bought me this book. See this book!” and things like, “I read this book from Aunt Amy.” He really enjoys reading this book over and over. He knows some of the repeated phrases and love the silly bear putting on his clothes all wrong at first. This book is perfect for a toddler!

We were heading for a quick trip out of town and broke down on the way. Here are some pictures of us waiting for Papa Jim to rescue us and from the car repair barn from Papa Jim’s church ministry:

One of Lil’ Red’s favorite activities is “Take a Cheese?” He likes to take pictures with my phone or camera whatever is handy. Here’s one he took of mom and dad. So cute and so good! Only cropped to fit in this post.

Friday it was very cold (20 degrees colder than Thursday and super rainy), but Lil’ Red wanted to go outside to play. He loves to ride his worm. So that is what he did with hoodie and rain poncho on:

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what one crazy week we have had!

Wacky Wednesday!

October 6, 2012 By Thaleia 1 Comment

Wacky Wednesday! Autumn Leaves

What is Wacky Wednesday? Last year we created WACKY WEDNESDAY to help us get over hump day and try to remember to do something fun and unusual on Wednesdays. Not every Wednesday is Wacky Wednesday, but we try to do something a little crazy or nature-oriented.

TODAY October 3- Princess and Lil’ Red went with me on a leaf hunt. We first stopped at Salvation Army Thrift store in hopes that the puppy rain boots for Princess would still be there. They were not:(

We headed to our local community college since I had noticed after class on Monday how beautiful the leaves were there compared to our house or around the block.

When I saw a super cute leaf art project on Crafty Crow that included a video tutorial; I was in!

Here’s our results:

WELCOME Blogher.com and GOOGLE+ readers! Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment, pin, share, or +. Thanks for your support!

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Super Weird and Lapbooking Tips

October 2, 2012 By Thaleia Leave a Comment

Old Blog Post I Forgot I Wrote in 2010!

I just left a comment on a blog and followed the link it created to my blogger blog from 2 1/2 yrs ago!!! I had no idea that I had even started a blog. This was weeks before Lil’ Red was born. Yikes, now I’m gonna try to get those deleted and focus on this blog:) For anyone curious as to what I wrote here’s my only entry until today that has been viewed 254 times, lol!

Quick Tips with Lapbooking

For all you newbie’s, like myself, I wanted to share a few tips I have discovered regarding lapbooking!

1. Check your printer settings. Our printer allows multiples pages to be shrunk and put into 1 page. So you can make elements a better size for your lapbook instead of having a full page document. If you find a few coloring pages and want to use them in your lapbook put 2 or 4 on a page from your print menu. You will end up with really cute elements small enough to put into minibooks. Only print the pages your really need if you downlaod a free kit. No need to print an entire 30 page lesson just to print 3 pages of lapbook elements that you want to use.

2. SAVE IT!! If you see a lapbook, links to lapbook resources, or links elements you think your child may be interested in then save it. If you research a topic or theme you want to learn about or your child might be interested in the future. SAVE IT. Things change VERY quickly online and I have been disappointed to find links that no longer work.

3. Gather Supplies. Get your basic supplies ready to go ahead of time. Make sure you have enough file folders, cardstock, colored paper, scissors, glue/tape, stickers, colored pencils/crayons, etc. You may want to keep your supplies together once you print out your lapbook elements and put them together by theme in a file folder. (Especially if you have more than one child or theme going at a time.)

4. Watch a video. There are some awesome demo’s for lapbooking. Watch these and you will understand how to fold things and put things together to create your own from scratch. Plus knowing what you are doing BEFORE engaging the kids will make your life a little easier and your lapbooking go more smoothly.

5. Swagbucks/Google search it. Do not be afraid to shamelessly search for topics or themes for your lapbook! Look for free ideas, themes, elements. Use some of the following general terms to help in searching.
lapbook basics
free lapbooks
free ____ worksheets
free minibooks
free ____ coloring pages
free printables
free Christian printbales

6. Favorite/bookmark Blogs. remember to visit homeschooling blogs. Favorite them for future reference and ideas. Usually a family that blogs about lapbooks or unit studies has links to free printables or other blogs that talk about lapbooks. These other blogs will usually provide more free lapbooking, notebooking, or printable ideas. There’s soooo much out there it’s truly incredible.

I hope this give you some of you new homeschoolers or new to lapbooking encouragement. Do not pay big bucks for a lapbook theme UNTIL you’ve exhausted all your free resources!

The Things We Do For Love…

October 1, 2012 By Thaleia 6 Comments

The Things I Do For Love!

It is pouring down rain right now. It has been rainy for the last couple hours. It is TRASH NIGHT! Of course the trash wasn’t taken out before hubby went to class or before Eldest went to grandma’s. Hubby’s class ran 20 minutes late so he barely had time to get a quick snack before he had to rush off to a midnight launch!

I know he was dreading taking the trash out. ~~Hoping~~ Praying that the rain would stop by the time he would get home.

HE WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT!!

I went ahead and geared up and took the trash out. I own knee-high water boots and a rain jacket thick enough for the chill in the air. He doesn’t have boots or more than a flimsy rain jacket more for emergencies than function.

So will Princess and Lil’ Red both asleep in bed. I snuck outside and lugged the recyclables and the trash can on wheels!

Yes, I should have at least taken some sort of picture of the deluge. The trash cans. Or maybe my boots, but just wanted to get it done and come inside. Change into dry jammies and CHILL. Right after I type this blog post of course:)

UPDATE:Okay, okay. I just cannot leave a post without a pic. IF I CAN HELP IT! I added the pic late last night and then re-edited it to make it pinnable this am:)

What We Did ALL Week- Sept.23-29

October 1, 2012 By Thaleia Leave a Comment

SUNDAY:

MONDAY: Little House on the Prairie Audiobook

The “plan” for homeschool this year is to use Prairie Primer and “read” through LHP. We are hosting a pioneer club, but until this week we had not remembered or gotten around to starting LHP. We are beginning with Big Woods even though Riley had read this 2 years ago. We wanted to start again and get everything fresh in our memories. So far the kids have seemed to really like it. I printed our some coloring pages for them to work on while listening. We even were at the shooting range Saturday and able to learn gun safety!

TUESDAY: Leaf activities and blogging for TOT School posts!

I really want to try to take pics and blog for TOT SCHOOL link-up but just haven’t been able to get with it. I am determined to do some intentional “things” with or planned for Lil” Red. Since it is fall I thought leaves would be a good theme.

I had the bright idea to drop all school work and head out to find leaves and play at the park. We ended up at two different parks since one was rated 5-12 yrs. old and Lil’ Red wasn’t able to physically climb by himself up to the slide. I decided it was too dangerous and we needed to head to another part suitable for tots and big kids.

WEDNESDAY:

THURSDAY: CC Childcare with Lil’ Red in tow. He got a little bored and wanted to go home an hour before we could leave! Yikes. Will definitely bring more activities and crafts for next week OR leave him home until I meet up with hubby and kids to head to a mommy blog event!

Princess and Eldest got to send the night at Grandma’s after art class. Lil’ Red got to hang out with mom while dad was in college.

FRIDAY: Pioneer Homeschool Club (Prairie Primer/LHP)

We dissected owl pellets. Made pinecone owls (even the boys really got into making these!) Created the phases of the moon with oreos. Made star gazing tubes with pringles cans!