Summer will be here shortly, and I want my kids to continue to learn this summer (and not forgot everything they learned during the school year)...so I hit Pinterest for ideas!
First, I hit Dollar Tree for a few supplies: Plastic totes, ring binders, foam books (for journaling), flash cards, new pencils, and reward stickers! I have made one basket for each child.
Here is what I have included in the baskets:
1. Chore charts. I would like my kids to do 20 minutes of math, reading, and writing each day. Plus, a few minutes on chores and exercise. For fun, I added extra time on their hobbies (singing, art, etc.) Each day they will get a reward sticker for completing a task. At the end of the week the child will get an allowance or a price for completing a certain number of tasks (yet to be decided--leaning towards 25-cents for each tasks).
2. Fun days. Don't worry there is plenty of time for fun too! Each day of the week is a theme...you can find tons of examples on Pinterest like these:
3. Above I mentioned and journaling. Well, I found foam journals at Dollar Tree! (And we know kids love anything foam!) Each day the kids will spend time writing about their summer fun.
For added inspiration I printed (and added to binders) a few graphics from pinterest to help the kids get started:
4. As for math, I found at Dollar Tree ,flash cards for math (Addition and Subtraction) and some activity workbooks that my kids could use.
5. Last we are taking one summer vacation. I plan to make "Summer passports" or "vacation passports" for my two kids to use. One the days we are in the car traveling there will be scavenger hunts. Other days will be checklist of things we did and saw. There will be places to add pictures once we are done, too.
I hope this helps to inspire you to get organized and have a fantastic summer with your kids!
Yesterday's high was 85 and today 83! It's been a warm winter in Orlando for sure! So I headed to the mall yesterday to buy a few Spring pieces. (Yea, you Notherners can laugh that Spring is 80+ degree!)
I found this super cute dress at JCP for only $30!! (And found a great pair of matching earrings- same green/blue as the belt - on clearance for $10!) This will be a great dress to thrown on for Sunday mass or maybe lunch with a friend!
Finding shorts has been a huge problem as many stores still have winter coats and sweaters. After searching several stores, I was able to find shorts today at Macy's! The sales clerk said they had just put them out, and she must be right as I can't even find them online yet. (I didn't want to purchase online since I gained a couple of pounds and wasn't sure of the right size!) The shorts were $49 but were on special 40-percent off...and I had a coupon for another 20-percent, making them $23!
I also decided to check out the sale purses at Macy's, and found this one in a pewter color...final costs with sale and coupons, $27! I love a BIG tote :)
Leaving the mall, I decided to hit Ross. Although I didn't find any summer or spring shoes, I found a cute pair of Aerosole loafers on clearance for $6.49! SCORE! :)
This morning I came across this picture and message on Facebook. I was in total shock as Go-Gurt is a daily snack at my home!
Yogurt is a pretty innocent snack, right? Well, take a closer look (at the ingredient list) and you'll see that these "Strawberry Milkshake" and "Banana Split" flavored yogurt tubes don't actually contain any strawberries or bananas at all!... The flavors come from refined sugar and artificial flavors/dyes. Did you know that artificial dyes are derived from petroleum and require a warning label in some countries stating they "have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children?" (post with details: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/?p=2352)
Why not make your own yogurt tubes by filling reusable silicone molds with homemade smoothies, plain organic yogurt (that you flavor yourself), or even applesauce? My kids love them...here's how they work: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/?p=2358
The info came from my favorite new blog: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/. I know many of us have a New Year's resolution to "eat healthy" so please take a minute to check out this blog, and join me for a HEALTHIER new year! I know it can't happen over it...but I plan to try to incorporate on tip from this great blog each day.
Today, I ordered the silicon tubes from Amazon.com so I can make my kids healthier yogurt. I will start with plain organic yogurt, and add fruit and honey. No more go-gurts for us!
Many folks welcome their Elf on a Shelf with a breakfast, but our family does just the opposite. We have a farewell breakfast with our Elf each Christmas Eve.
I have to admit, this year I have not been as organized as in the past, so I rushed to put it all together (with a huge thanks to Pinterest!), but was still happy with results. Here's what my kids will see when they awake tomorrow morning:
I found the tablecloth and napkins on clearance after Christmas last year at Walmart and held on to it! I was just lucky to find similar paper plates at the Dollar Tree last week!
Yes, this is my eyebrow 20 minutes after a wax!!! The cosmetologist said one of my skin care products is making my skin extra sensitive and thus reacting to the hot wax. (As a note I went to a trusted spa, not a cheap nail service place) Lovely. I have put on aloe vera and antibiotic ontiment, and am praying for no scarring.
Has this every happened to you??
The next morning...still red and now swollen!
I will be wearing sunglasses all day to wide this!!!
Update:
Well I went to the dermatologists; and apparently, one of my face creams
has “retinoids” in it, so I shouldn’t have used wax…who knew!?!I am supposed to stop using the cream for
seven days prior to waxing!! I had no idea.She gave me a RX for Bionect (which is very expensive, like $200+!!), but it will give
quicker healing.
Each December, we do a "family night" at Hollywood Studios. We have a nice sit down dinner and then stroll through the Osborne Family Lights. Staying with tradition, last night was our night! It was get a warmer-than-normal night (70 degrees) but we did our best to into the Holiday spirit.
I had found the kids matching shirts on etsy...and we purchased the hats at Disney:
We had dinner at Sci-Fi Drive-In theater. (Brings you back to 1957!)
It was my kids' first time there and they loved it.
Our "elf on the shelf" Gus arrived on Thanksgiving morning with a huge surprise, a 40" HD Samsung TV! (I don't have a media center yet, so had to put it on an old cedar chest!! ha)...
Hubby and I met a several friends on Saturday night for my 40th Birthday Celebration. We had a blast, and I appreciate all who showed up!! I still can't believe I am turning 40 this weekend! wow.
Bah humbug! I am over Thanksgiving this year. Usually, it's my favorite time of year, but our plans keep changing over and over, and I am just...well, kind of over it.
You see, each year we usually travel to see my parents in Louisiana, but that changed last year, when my kids started school. My kids only get 3 days off school, and it's just such a LONG trip for only 5 days. So last year, my parents came to see us in Florida. It was nice.
So on to this year....
Plan A. My parents promised to come back this year, but at the last minute their plans changed.
Plan B. A friend and her family (including 3 kids) were coming over. I had crafts planned, and was looking forward to visiting with them. However, they decided to go out of town to see her parents.
Plan C. Mother in law and two sister in laws coming over. And a person actually offered to deep fry our turkey. Great, sounds perfect. Well, that only lasted a few days. Now, one sister in law is heading out of town, and my turkey fryer is going out of town as well.
Seriously, I don't even want to celebrate this year. I don't even like turkey anyways. Sorry to be such a downer, when I should be thankful...but I am just sad that everyone keeps changing their plans...and deep down, I really just want to be in Louisiana with my folks!
NEW CONCORD EVALUATION GROUP STUDY FINDS THAT CURIOUS GEORGE EPISODES AND TV TIE-IN BOOKS LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN SCIENCE AND MATH SCORES FOR KIDS 4-5
Report also shows that parents who read or watched CURIOUS GEORGE with their kids became more confident about supporting their children's science and math learning
(Concord, MA, November 14, 2012) A new study conducted by the New England-based Concord Evaluation Group (CEG) has determined that children who watched episodes of the Curious George PBS KIDS television series or read books based on the Curious George PBS KIDS series were positively impacted in terms of their knowledge about the science and math concepts covered.
The study also found that Curious George TV tie-in books prompted children to use scientific habits of mind, such as making predictions, making observations, asking questions, and hypothesizing. It also indicated that parents who read or watched Curious George with their children reported feeling more confident about exploring science and math with their children and reported they were more motivated to do so.
"Science, math, and engineering sound scary, even to adults," said CEG Senior Researcher Christine Paulsen, PHD. "As preschoolers, it's a very different thing. They're learning how to explore, they're learning how to be curious. Across all platforms, Curious George is an educational winner for kids."
The long-running, top-rated PBS KIDS television series, which airs weekdays on PBS stations across the country (check local listings), is designed to inspire kids to explore science, math, and engineering in the world around them in a fun and entertaining way. Based on the best-selling books published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the TV series and tie-in books encourage inquiry and curiosity, promote hands-on exploration, and show parents and caregivers how to support children's science, engineering, and math-related play.
STUDY METHODOLOGY:
CEG's study employed the use of a rigorous, experimental research design to evaluate the impact of the Curious George TV tie-in books on children's (ages 4-5) knowledge of science and math concepts such as measurement, hibernation, colors, and weather. CEG also studied the impact of the Curious George television episodes on children's knowledge of buoyancy, sound, sorting, and plant life. Content for the book group and television group differed, so no comparisons can be made between how the two groups performed.
Families were recruited from preschools across the country and eligible families were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups or a control group. Study participants included 155 families representing 31 different states. Families received books and/or episodes on DVD for their participation. Families across the treatment and control groups were equivalent in terms of the children's age, gender, ethnicity, household socioeconomic status, parent education, prior exposure to Curious George, family interest in science and math activities, and children's curiosity about science and math.
KEY STUDY FINDINGS:
Children who watched the Curious George episodes and read the Curious George TV tie-in books scored significantly higher on science and math concepts covered.
The study found that children who watched the Curious George episodes scored better on a test of the science and math concepts covered (i.e., buoyancy, sound, sorting, and plant life) than children who did not watch the episodes. Children who read the Curious George TV tie-in books also scored better on a test of the science and math concepts covered in the books (i.e., measurement, hibernation, colors, and weather) than children who did not read the books.
Curious George enabled parents to become more comfortable helping their children learn science and math.
The majority of parents whose children watched the episodes (86%) or read the TV tie-in books (84%) reported that Curious George helped them feel more confident that they could help their children learn about science and math.
Concord Evaluation Group (CEG) is a small, woman-owned, consulting practice based in MA providing independent research and evaluation services to organizations that create educational TV shows, outreach campaigns, curricula, informational websites, and educational technology applications. CEG's mission is to use its research expertise to have a positive impact on individuals and society. CEG routinely evaluates projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education as well as state education agencies and private organizations.
Well, apparently I'm pregnant. My sweet 7-year old daughter had nothing to share during prayer time at school this week, so decided to announce, "My mama is having a baby!".
She knew it was not true, and decided to tell me after school. However, it was too late. Classmates had already gone home and told their parents, and the rumor mill had begun.
Pretty funny, in hindsight. I did make my daughter apologize to the teacher, and I think she learned an (embarrassing) lesson on telling lies.
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