tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59686601522089012692012-02-16T01:35:15.999-07:00Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.comBlogger1261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-13639891521625665622008-12-29T09:35:00.003-07:002008-12-29T10:06:09.360-07:00

I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of those old posts Erin dug out for this month. She did a great job selecting favorites. It reminded me of how much time and love we have put into this little blog over the past several months. I for one can attest to the fact that researching and writing up these posts have helped me become a better mom, and for that I am so grateful. Anything I

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-50000960782222222502008-12-26T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-26T04:00:02.135-07:00

The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, is a perfect back to school book for all young readers. I know many teachers use it in their first day curriculum, but why not do some projects together right at home after reading the book. Here are two ideas.1. Trading Hands. Trace and cut out your child's hand and your own hand onto some stiff card stock or cardboard. Give your hand to your child to decorate

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-45747221404899526152008-12-24T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-24T04:00:01.131-07:00

This week, I went to the store to purchase dry ice to put in my new buckets of food storage flour (I've been told dry ice kills any bugs or anything that may be in flour - it may be an old wives' tale but I still do it), and on a lark I bought a couple of extra pieces. I told my 5 year old on the way home from the store that we were going to do something very fun with dry ice, and since he had

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-81068306445236474512008-12-22T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-22T04:00:01.303-07:00

Sun prints are so much fun for the kids to do. This needs to be done once it is sunny in your yard so fairly early in the morning. What you need is simple a piece of dark construction paper and items you want the sun to make a print of. Place these items randomly all over your paper and forget about them till late afternoon! Now after you're done you can take the items off and the sun has

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-31639381446246108452008-12-19T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-19T04:00:00.534-07:00

This is a fantastically fun activity for anyone who doesn't have the space or luxury of having a sandbox (i.e. apartment living, deathly allergic to sand, whatever). Get a large, shallow box and fill it halfway full with rice. I bought the big store brand bag of rice on the bottom shelf at the local grocery story. Then buy a small bag of "jewels" from the craft section at Wal-Mart.Then add

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-66374563373398268362008-12-17T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-17T04:00:00.716-07:00

Lately, Pretend Play has been once again gaining respect in the education department. I first read an NPR article titled Old Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills that I had seen referenced over on the Growinginpeace blog. It discusses how kids have become less self-regulated over the years--that essentially means they don't learn how to control themselves anymore--in part because they aren't

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-21829920160768468892008-12-15T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-15T04:00:00.883-07:00

I think I am not alone in my dinner menu boredom, and I know I am not alone in my struggle to get small mouths to accept my kitchen creations. This idea is something to boost the excitement for you and your kiddos when it comes to family dinner. Each week we have a special meal (usually dinner, sometimes breakfast or lunch depending on my husband's schedule) based on a theme drawn out of our Meal

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-36915461939569619922008-12-12T04:00:00.001-07:002008-12-12T04:00:02.733-07:00

Need a new twist on an old favorite? Try this new approach to the game Memory.When we moved in there was an opened package of plastic cups in one of the kitchen cupboards. For sanitary reasons I wasn't too excited about drinking from them, however I found several other ways to put them to use. One of the most successful was a new version of the Memory game. I used alphabet stickers and placed

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-54163744547187409952008-12-10T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-10T04:00:00.862-07:00

My son loves oatmeal, but he especially loves oatmeal if it is purple (or blue, or orange...). I have noticed that when I add food coloring to food, my kids get really excited about eating it. So these pictures may look absolutely disgusting to you, but to my 5 year old they are a little bit of heaven.We have talked about how mixing red and blue make purple, red and yellow make orange, etc. So

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-6780924429194131142008-12-08T04:00:00.001-07:002008-12-08T04:00:01.002-07:00

I have found a few fun holiday links I wanted to pass on:With this one you can decorate a Christmas tree.With this one you can build a snowman.This one is a sleigh game that my children LOVE.Read the instructions to this one...it won't make sense the first time you play it, but by the second time you will get it and want to keep playing and playing...If you have any fun links to add to this list,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-85906942183434055112008-12-05T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-05T04:00:00.771-07:00

Thanks to Deneal for this fantastic idea...At Wal-Mart, they sell three packs of glow stick necklaces for 92 cents. I give each child one to play with in the tub; we always take baths at night. Then I turn off the bathroom light and turn on the hall light. They are obsessed! They can stay in the tub for an hour, until the water is cold and their hands are completely pruney. Then, you put the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-43666955750515207492008-12-03T04:00:00.001-07:002008-12-03T04:00:01.566-07:00

Items needed:* Muffin Pan (I use a small one that I got at a yard sale.)* Cooking Spray (or baking cups - especially if you are using a tin you cook in.)* Broken CrayonsFirst, preheat oven to 200'. Separate crayons into color families. (i.e. purple & blue, blue & green, green & yellow, yellow & orange, orange & red) Just make your own color combinations. Take off all remaining paper and break

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-29084279783193620282008-12-01T04:00:00.000-07:002008-12-01T04:00:01.501-07:00

Deneal and I are taking the month of December off. We have many family activities going on. We will, however, be re-posting some of our Bright Ideas and Midweek Pick Me Ups throughout the month. If you haven't been around for long, we used to do each of these once a week, and I think it will be beneficial to re-post a few of them again.Bright Idea: Pencil and PaperWe needed a place for all our

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-71694320202335553792008-11-30T06:00:00.002-07:002008-11-04T09:15:51.564-07:00

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-9167444764381602562008-11-24T07:00:00.000-07:002008-11-24T08:06:04.241-07:00

Kid Crafts and ActivitiesArt Projects For Kids: a blog with lots of art ideas and organized well. You can search by age, medium, etc.Cannon's Cool paper crafts: for older kids or very patient parents.Quaker Crafts: I just discovered Quaker (as in the oatmeal company) has todler activities on their website.Home Science Tools: I'm not sure how user friendly the site is, but there seems to be an

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-47943158234812199172008-11-17T08:00:00.009-07:002008-11-17T08:00:00.275-07:00

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric CarleThis poingant book in classic Carle style addresses our inherent need to belong. A new firefly searches and searches through the dark night for another firefly friend. After encountering many false hopes, he eventually finds just what he was looking for. (Side note, I love Eric Carle books and there are several of them that deal with emotions. The Very

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-6357558026202362552008-11-10T08:00:00.004-07:002008-11-10T09:12:54.889-07:00

Last week I emphasized identifying emotions with your child. This week I want to delve into a rather hot topic in the parenting and early education world: Emotional Self-Regulation. Let me quote first from an article I found on the Schoolastic website. This particular piece is probably directed more at teachers than parents, but they give great definitions for Cognitive and Social-Emotional

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-49056592863491260962008-11-03T06:00:00.027-07:002008-11-03T06:47:11.037-07:00

Fist of all, I'm sorry for being a bit absent lately. I haven't been able to contribute ideas and suggestions quite as frequently as before, but know that I am reading and enjoying everything that you are sharing. The comments and links are fabulous, keep it up!This month I'd like to focus on Emotions. In today's world, children are not always learning how to identify emotions in themselves or

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-8963401661334341382008-10-27T04:00:00.000-06:002008-10-27T04:00:00.647-06:00

Bembo's Zoo - Each letter of the alphabet turns into an animal that starts with that letter. Love it!Energy Star Kids - Teaches kids how to conserve energy and be more earth conscious.Spatulatta - Cooking for kids online. It's a fun way to get kids started in the kitchen.Brain Pop - Mostly for older kids, but I love this website!Handipoints - Making fun of work. It's a tricky way of making

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-53858396943478993022008-10-20T04:00:00.000-06:002008-10-20T04:00:00.361-06:00

Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I'm sure we have all read, or at least heard of, this fantastic book (by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault; illustrated by Lois Ehlert) that teaches kids the alphabet. The rhymes are contagious, and I hear my kids walking around the house chanting them: "Skit skat skoodle doot. Flip flop flee. Everybody running to the coconut tree."Activity: Get drums,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-56386498002619232252008-10-13T04:00:00.004-06:002008-10-13T04:00:00.486-06:00

I know all of you have been waiting on pins and needles to find out who will win the two awesome cds! I am happy to announce thatShannon of teaching tiny tots wins her first choice of either Baby Einstein Playdate Fun cd or Disney's Greatest cdandBrooke wins the other cd (which hopefully is your first choice)!Congratulations to both of you! Please e-mail me at laughlearnloveblog [at] gmail [dot

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-518174407717913762008-10-06T06:00:00.002-06:002008-10-06T21:07:28.257-06:00

We all agree that music is important in our children's lives. It teaches our children rhythm, rhyme, harmony, and all sorts of other good stuff (sounds professional coming from a piano teacher, eh?) What I am going to discuss today is ideas on how to introduce more music into your children's lives.1. Make music part of the routine. Sing the clean up song when it's time to clean up (that's the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-21675555164806846462008-10-06T06:00:00.001-06:002008-10-06T06:00:00.782-06:00

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-24371267168871342922008-09-29T01:01:00.000-06:002008-09-29T01:01:01.156-06:00

Immediately to the right of this post, on the sidebar, is a list linking you to other posts within our blog designed to help and inspire you. For months we have had it at the very bottom of the page because we didn't have the time or energy to update it. Well, now's your chance to help us! All you need to do is click on any or all of the links and post a comment adding your input. When you do

Erinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-24521155478275031672008-09-28T08:00:00.000-06:002008-09-27T10:51:04.559-06:00

September Theme of the Month: 5 Senses(this is the place to comment/link)

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-22039362037003361232008-09-22T08:00:00.000-06:002008-09-22T08:00:01.085-06:00

Here are a few fun links Erin and I have come across in our blog surfing this month. These are ones that either I tried and liked or can't wait to try out. There are a lot of creative ideas, hope you enjoy perusing them. Crafty Crow: This is one of my favorite places to find kid projects. Don't be surprised if many of the links I share are also found on here.Sycamore Stirrings/ Muffin Tin

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-56589173763324124812008-09-15T09:00:00.000-06:002008-09-15T09:00:00.375-06:00

Book: The Gingerbread Man. You can use any version of this classic tale, it should be fairly easy to get your hands on one.Activity: Make gingerbread cookies. Talk about the smells and tastes of the ingredients by themselves and then what they become when you combine and bake them. While you are waiting for them to cook, make a gingerbread scratch 'n sniff card (Education World).

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-69789062752144394502008-09-08T08:00:00.000-06:002008-09-08T08:29:52.094-06:00

As a little girl, I remember begging my mother to stay close whenever I was sick. If I had a fever it was too uncomfortable to be held, yet just seeing her didn't provide the reassurance I sought. So, I would hold her index finger in my hand. That small skin to skin contact was enough to comfort me. The power of touch is so important, but so often overlooked. We ignore the emotional responses

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-23360953999005081952008-09-01T08:00:00.000-06:002008-09-01T08:53:41.542-06:00

Welcome to our first Theme of the Month: The Five Senses! This is a wonderfully broad topic and there are literally thousands of Sensory Activity ideas out there. I'll start you off with a few favorite ones, but please share some of your own discoveries during the month in the theme post which will remain at the top of the blog throughout September. Feel free to use the Mister Linky box or the

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-20142713484011033002008-08-31T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-31T01:00:01.508-06:00

Have you ever noticed how this time of year is perfect for change? School starts again, the days shorten and the weathers gets cooler, and often family routines get reevaluated and updated. It's a great time to start over in so many areas of life. Well, here at Laugh, Learn, Love we decided to make a few changes as well. When Erin and I started the LLL blog we had envisioned a place for moms

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-68745510136180112802008-08-29T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-29T01:00:00.618-06:00

The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, is a perfect back to school book for all young readers. I know many teachers use it in their first day curriculum, but why not do some projects together right at home after reading the book. Here are two ideas.1. Trading Hands. Trace and cut out your child's hand and your own hand onto some stiff card stock or cardboard. Give your hand to your child to

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-64504512601240411842008-08-27T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-27T01:00:29.938-06:00

Just a quick quote to think about today. "I see children as kites. You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground. You run with them until you're breathless. They crash, they hit the rooftop. You patch and comfort, adjust, and they'll fly. Finally, they are airborne. They need more string and you keep letting it out. But with each twist of the ball of twine there is a sadness that

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-6936201985764867322008-08-25T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-25T01:00:00.686-06:00

It's that time of year again, Back to School. Whether you are an old pro at this, or first timer, all moms could use a few extra suggestions to make the transition easier for everyone. Here are a few school-related topics that might spark your thinking. Please share any insights you might have in these or other school areas.Lunch Box Favorites Making New Friends Study Skills Gotta Have

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-73400673560395834392008-08-22T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-22T01:00:00.496-06:00

This week, I went to the store to purchase dry ice to put in my new buckets of food storage flour (I've been told dry ice kills any bugs or anything that may be in flour - it may be an old wives' tale but I still do it), and on a lark I bought a couple of extra pieces. I told my 5 year old on the way home from the store that we were going to do something very fun with dry ice, and since he had

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-78524576282580996242008-08-20T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-20T01:00:01.315-06:00

I purchased a book years ago called "I Don't Have to Make Everything All Better" (don't you just love the title of that book?) by Gary B. Lundberg and Joy Saunders Lundberg. I was skimming through it, looking for something that would apply to us as parents and I came across this poem, written by Joy (the co-author).A Teacher Is...Someone who senses theworth of my soul,Who sees the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-40526205519054531262008-08-18T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-18T01:00:00.578-06:00

This week's theme is based on one of the comments we received during the brainstorming week. This is what Christie said:I would love to have some ideas on helping my children get along. They are CONSTANTLY around each other, so I can understand that there is some fighting, but my younger son is an extrovert, and my older son is an introvert, so the extrovert always wants to be around my older

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-72841722355255072702008-08-15T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-15T01:00:00.907-06:00

I found today's bright idea on The Crafty Crow, who found it on Bethany Actually. It's a number puzzle, or a picture cut into smallish squares, numbered in order, and then glued back together on a piece of paper that has the number written where each piece should belong. That probably doesn't make sense, so go check out the links. It's a great way for younger children to learn their numbers,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-14598598193413715502008-08-13T01:01:00.000-06:002008-08-13T01:01:01.603-06:00

My favorite poet of all time is Carol Lynn Pearson. Her poetry is generally short, to-the-point, and full of meaning. I simply adore everything she has written. This poem is called "Mother to Child."Look -Your little fistFits mineLike the pitIn a plum.I think,In the timeBefore remembering,These two handsClasped companionably,Then parted.Help me, child.Forgive meWhen I fail you.I'm your mother,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-90640420490347335172008-08-11T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-14T17:29:45.599-06:00

Seriously awesome ideas last week, everybody. I am really excited that my kids are doing better at lunchtime, both eating without too many messes and having better manners. You guys are wonderful!Just so you know: we will be doing all of your ideas from the brainstorming session in the near future, and we will be making a few changes in the coming weeks with how we do things around here. Don't

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-6616577563261781312008-08-08T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-08T01:00:10.359-06:00

I'm borrowing this week's bright idea from Michelle at Scribbit again. She has great ideas. It is called a box top maze. This post is actually a year old, but bright ideas never get old! All you need is an old box top lid, straw, glue and a marble and you are set. And it will help your children with hand-eye coordination. Have fun!

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-30130891602192208712008-08-07T08:29:00.000-06:002008-08-07T08:39:14.049-06:00

Well, I did something novel today. After a huge milk spill at breakfast (which is pretty much routine at our house), I decided to teach the boys about "rules at the table" from all over the world. I explained how there are different rules for different parts of the world, but some rules at the table are the same all throughout the world. For example, elbows on the table are rude in the United

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-20978219639490146892008-08-06T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-06T01:00:16.129-06:00

Every day last year, when I dropped my son off and picked him up at preschool, I saw this quote on their wall:"The best thing to spend on your child is time."Every time I saw it, I would stop for a moment and reflect on what that means. Now I encourage you to do the same!

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-55149375809558059492008-08-04T01:00:00.000-06:002008-08-04T01:00:03.459-06:00

Thank you to everyone who posted ideas last week. I know nearly all of the things you brought up were things that we are either struggling with at our house, or would love to implement. Over the next few weeks we will be choosing all of your ideas as future themes.This week I decided to do the theme lunchtime. (P.S. I know we did the theme nutrition not too long ago, but this is more specific

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-76995252800102937662008-07-28T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-28T14:10:06.464-06:00

In lieu of the Theme of the Week, today we are opening up the LLL Think Tank and inviting your ideas. (We always want your ideas, but don't worry, this will be easier.)The themes we have selected in the past have generally come from our own family and personal experiences--what do we want our kids to learn, what problem areas are we noticing, what are the absolute favorites in our house right

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-24285374542524392262008-07-25T01:10:00.000-06:002008-07-25T01:10:00.840-06:00

Sun prints are so much fun for the kids to do. This needs to be done once it is sunny in your yard so fairly early in the morning. What you need is simple a piece of dark construction paper and items you want the sun to make a print of. Place these items randomly all over your paper and forget about them till late afternoon! Now after you're done you can take the items off and the sun has

peace love and rainbowsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-39673458200387802142008-07-21T01:10:00.000-06:002008-07-21T01:10:01.204-06:00

When I was thinking of what to make this weeks challenge about the first thing that came to mind was BALLS! Lets face it what little kid doesn't love Balls! You can do so much with them from games to crafts! Balls can teach little ones fine motor skills to gross motor skills! I think every home has at least 1 ball right?? I know my house has so many it seems like they multiply overnight! What are

peace love and rainbowsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-54297551055075856002008-07-20T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-20T13:22:11.044-06:00

Hey everyone. Erin and I hope you are all having a great summer and spending lots of time with your kiddos. The next few weeks we will be a bit unavailable, so to help us out we have a special guest blogger for this week, Shannon! She comes to us with lots of experience; 11 years as a preschool teacher, 7 years of parenting to her two daughters, plus she runs two weekly teaching groups--one on

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-3432456330314627342008-07-18T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-18T01:00:10.200-06:00

This is a fantastically fun activity for anyone who doesn't have the space or luxury of having a sandbox (i.e. apartment living, deathly allergic to sand, whatever). Get a large, shallow box and fill it halfway full with rice. I bought the big store brand bag of rice on the bottom shelf at the local grocery story. Then buy a small bag of "jewels" from the craft section at Wal-Mart.Then add

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-7015867064377673122008-07-16T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-16T01:00:00.880-06:00

Apparently Deneal and I are on the same wavelength, because I had this week's pick me up planned before I read her pick me up from last week. Maybe it really is meant for someone to read and maybe make some changes.I love this proverb/poem, which reminds me that happy children are more important than a clean house: Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,For babies grow up, I've learned, to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-56682630443261962142008-07-14T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-14T01:00:01.515-06:00

My kids are becoming very interested in money. They understand that we use money to purchase things at the store, and they don't understand how "just putting things on the credit card" actually takes money also. We have quite an extensive collection of foreign coins, which we look at, read, and talk about which country each one is from on a regular basis.I decided to make this week's theme

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-63226684535834540572008-07-11T01:00:00.000-06:002008-07-11T01:00:00.675-06:00

I know most of you have done Freeze Dancing with your kids--dance when the music is on, don't move when it stops. This week I have been trying out a new variation designed to improve impulse control that I heard on NPR a while back. Let me share.Preparations: Make several (3-8) drawings of stick figures in different positions or poses. Get some music ready that can be stopped and started

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-14178965432248316252008-07-09T01:15:00.000-06:002008-07-09T01:15:00.974-06:00

I want to share a quote from the author Anna Quindlen.“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. … I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-71305778310454485322008-07-08T08:30:00.000-06:002008-07-08T08:30:00.725-06:00

I'm so excited about the pretend play theme! My kids are spontaneously very good at this. We have a plethora of moving boxes right now, and my kids wanted to turn a couple of the boxes into airplanes. My husband took a Sharpie marker and started drawing on them.Here is the airplane. Each "wing" has an engine. The back flap has a tail. Look inside and you can see a steering wheel. To the right on

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-67301252707114965392008-07-07T01:15:00.000-06:002008-07-07T03:58:39.531-06:00

There were several positive responses to the Bright Idea I gave on June 27 about Pretend Play. I thought making it a week long theme would give us all the opportunity to share the ideas and expereince we have in this area.Most of us realize that planning out imaginary play is difficult, and even impossible at times. The truth is, the best pretend play is often spontaneous. I have found the

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-41985509637961792492008-07-04T02:46:00.000-06:002008-07-04T02:50:17.775-06:00

Does anybody have a Bright Idea they want to share with us? A Bright Idea is something creative or different that teaches or inspires or excites your child. Feel free to contribute. Otherwise, have a nice 4th of July, if you live in the States, or a nice weekend if you don't!

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-30845295760431932622008-07-02T07:21:00.001-06:002008-07-02T07:32:36.621-06:00

I realized over the last couple of weeks that I have been thinking things like this: "Wow, Deneal does such fun activities with her child. And he doesn't even watch any TV." "Staci always has such fun projects going on with her kids. They get so many opportunities to create neat things." "Deborah is such a fun person. I know she's a fun mom too." "Jenni has an infinite amount of patience as a

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-71370700982726111522008-06-30T06:00:00.000-06:002008-06-30T15:21:32.451-06:00

My kids love to help me cook and bake. Every time we make cookies, they make the cookies; I just supervise. And, of course, they are naturally curious about teaspoons, tablespoons, and measuring cups; why teaspoons are smaller than tablespoons, why 3/4 cup is smaller than 1 cup (because the numbers 3 and 4 are bigger than 1!) So I decided to make this week's theme measurements. How do you teach

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-22585005905516329132008-06-27T12:39:00.000-06:002008-06-27T13:35:57.327-06:00

Lately, Pretend Play has been once again gaining respect in the education department. I first read an NPR article titled Old Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills that I had seen referenced over on the Growinginpeace blog. It discusses how kids have become less self-regulated over the years--that essentially means they don't learn how to control themselves anymore--in part because they aren't

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-9831978670561707522008-06-25T03:41:00.000-06:002008-06-25T03:54:15.546-06:00

It's a simple little quote from a great man, M. Russell Ballard:There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. Do you realize that you can do things for your children that no other mother could do for them? Regardless of their age, your children need what you alone

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-24047233268796184572008-06-23T01:00:00.000-06:002008-06-23T20:17:37.590-06:00

I know everyone shies away from balloons these days given the risk of inhalation, but I just can't eliminate them from our play curriculum. It's too bad they get a bad name when usually all it takes is some correct parental supervision to make them a safe toy. And there are so many fun things to do with balloons! My son begs for a new balloon a few times a week, so we have plenty of chances to

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-72811914019557088322008-06-20T06:06:00.000-06:002008-06-20T06:48:57.913-06:00

For today's bright idea, I will refer you to Ice Cream Diary, where she found a cool "new" (to me) invention on using the white crayon in the box. Click here to check it out. She's such a good writer, and this is a brilliant way to use the "broken" crayon in the box.As for the food ideas this week, thank you to all of you who have participated! I personally have loved everything you have

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-84298789498214077652008-06-19T17:03:00.000-06:002008-06-20T06:49:46.441-06:00

In July Erin will have the pleasure of moving across the country. A few weeks later Deneal is moving too, across the Pacific Ocean. Considering these exciting (and exasperating!) upcoming adventures, we are looking for some guest bloggers to help keep LLL going while our computers are packed and our brains are overloaded. If you are interested in contributing a Theme of the Week, Midweek Pick Me

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-88100185328543440142008-06-18T07:00:00.000-06:002008-06-18T07:15:44.041-06:00

My next few pick me ups may come from a book written by Jane Clayson Johnson, called I Am A Mother. It's honest, uplifting, and well-written. It's written from an LDS perspective, so it includes Christlike principles to help you realize the importance of motherhood. This paragraph in the book struck me when I read it; I'll tell you why afterward."I'm willing to bet (no pun intended) that most

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-46761616492346402602008-06-17T16:19:00.000-06:002008-06-17T16:57:13.098-06:00

I'll start with a few links for you.First, Crafty Crow is holding a Funny Food Contest this week. Be creative with that food and see if it wins you a prize. Remember, kids love to see their food transform into something else. So getting them to eat nutritiously might be easier when it looks like this:Check out Junior Society for some more inspiring photos.While at Crafty Crow I saw another

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-12322077671987331822008-06-16T07:06:00.000-06:002008-06-16T07:25:22.793-06:00

I got an e-mail last week from Megan:"I am forever stressing about good nutrition and would love new ideas."Cue the blog! I realized that since we have gotten home from our trip, I have been so overwhelmed and distracted with all that purchasing a home entails, that I have only offered vegetables for dinner 3 times in 7 days. It is our job as parents to offer our children nutritious, healthy

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-90312479478240047582008-06-14T21:01:00.000-06:002008-07-01T14:47:11.080-06:00

We made this paint 'n popsicle stick flag this week. It was a simple enough craft to keep the interest of a four year old and match his ability. We painted 5 red sticks and 4 white sticks, and glued them onto two sticks in alternating colors. (It would have been nice to be accurate with the number of stripes, but it doesn't work with the popsicle sticks--makes too long of a flag.) After the

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-5078405945774794002008-06-13T16:15:00.000-06:002008-06-13T16:21:28.472-06:00

Need a new twist on an old favorite? Try this new approach to the game Memory.When we moved in there was an opened package of plastic cups in one of the kitchen cupboards. For sanitary reasons I wasn't too excited about drinking from them, however I found several other ways to put them to use. One of the most successful was a new version of the Memory game. I used alphabet stickers and placed

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-8724395367113776692008-06-12T14:40:00.001-06:002008-06-12T14:48:08.039-06:00

I'm such a realist. I need to start doing fun crafts and activities with my kids, like making a flag out of construction paper or something. But I generally just talk to them about stuff, which I guess helps teach them, but doesn't develop their creativity.Anyway, about this week's theme: We talked about the flag, and what the stars and stripes mean. E had no idea that at one time there were only

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-23120626327902806482008-06-11T01:00:00.000-06:002008-06-11T02:30:50.243-06:00

My mother taught me to always do my best, and this has been one of the most important lessons learned in my life. Life was not a competition--I didn't have to prove I was better than anyone--but I was expected to give a full effort at anything I did. There were times (and probably years) that I chose to ignore that counsel, but the principle had been taught, and it wouldn't easily be forgotten.

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-34761257685692245872008-06-09T12:51:00.000-06:002008-06-12T15:49:02.093-06:00

This Friday is Flag Day in the US. (** Correction: it's on Saturday, sorry!) Originally I planned this week's theme to be "flags" and see what fun activities and crafts we could come up with together. But then I realized it might be a bit too limited. (Although I am going to be doing a flag activity later this week with Mr. A.) I let my thoughts drift toward other areas possibly related to Flag

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-85368705846559775172008-06-06T01:00:00.000-06:002008-06-06T08:00:28.455-06:00

My son loves oatmeal, but he especially loves oatmeal if it is purple (or blue, or orange...). I have noticed that when I add food coloring to food, my kids get really excited about eating it. So these pictures may look absolutely disgusting to you, but to my 5 year old they are a little bit of heaven.We have talked about how mixing red and blue make purple, red and yellow make orange, etc. So

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-78433760020917169012008-06-04T01:00:00.000-06:002008-06-04T01:00:02.602-06:00

This week's midweek pick me up is a quote from Oprah. Whether you love her or hate her, she has great and important things to say to and about mothers. She has said herself (and I am paraphrasing) that she didn't feel up to the challenge of being a mom because she knew how difficult it was. This is taken from the back page of her magazine from a few years back, an article called "What I Know for

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-71923832402690195932008-06-02T01:00:00.000-06:002008-06-02T01:00:01.602-06:00

Right now, as you read this, I (Erin) am over 1000 miles away from my current home, searching for a new home to purchase. I love the new Blogger function of scheduled publishing! Anyway, I started realizing that my kids' bedtime routine is going to be pretty messed up the entire 10 days we are gone.Also, if you remember from a couple of weeks ago, we had a poll on the sidebar asking what time you

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-10924596805672109112008-05-30T13:00:00.000-06:002008-05-30T14:08:30.555-06:00

Our Art display wall was getting full. Not that I mind, it's quite nice to have some color on the walls. But I thought it was time to start switching out some of the older pieces. I'm not a mother who has to save every scrap of artwork, and I've explained to the 4 year old Monet in Training that when we get rid of older artwork we make room to put up new masterpieces. That way he doesn't get

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-49224040579248513532008-05-30T06:40:00.000-06:002008-05-30T06:56:04.429-06:00

I am leaving in a couple of hours for my 16 hour drive. Thanks again to all of you who gave me great ideas for the drive. My kids will be thanking you too...But before I leave, I had to write just a few things about music. Having taught piano for 10 years, I know the benefits and joys of having music in the home. Unfortunately, teaching my 5 year old piano on a regular basis has been next to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-29566545665475718552008-05-28T12:44:00.000-06:002008-05-28T16:19:36.852-06:00

Have you ever heard of The Happiness Project? I stumbled onto it in my surfing one day, and it's piqued my curiosity. Lawyer turned author, Gretchen Rubin, is writing a book about spending a year testing out "every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study [she] could find." It's titled The Happiness Project and should be coming out in 2009. On her website each Wednesday she shares a new

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-33881341594073822432008-05-27T19:24:00.000-06:002008-05-27T19:39:17.367-06:00

Here in my family we LOVE music, not that any of us are musically gifted (or anything close to that) But we all seem to love what music offers us. My oldest can dance like no tomorrow! He has always boogied to the right tune, while my other son and daughter are more like me, just not coordinated! We do dance, to enjoy life. We may not be good at it, but it makes us happy. Try it out. Dance

Tyranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-69113286552814385802008-05-26T18:04:00.000-06:002008-05-26T18:07:35.441-06:00

I know I'm late for this but I thought of it while camping this weekend so I'm posting it now. Sorry it isn't going along with the weeks theme. My parents used to do the "temple game" when they went to the temple. Each hour we had an envelope with a time written on it on when it was to be opened. Inside was a place where a treat or activity was hidden. This would get us so excited to see them

Megan and Jonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-44118182910407174902008-05-26T01:01:00.000-06:002008-05-26T06:28:28.329-06:00

You moms don't know how happy you have made Erin and me this week!! Hooray for some readers who are alive. At my last count we had 16 different moms contributing at least 40 brilliant ideas for last week's theme (it was hard to get an accurate count since some ideas overlapped or were repeated). Wasn't that nice to get a few more ideas than just the meager two or three Erin and I come up with?

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-81858734822267514322008-05-26T01:00:00.001-06:002008-05-26T08:01:49.860-06:00

I don't want this post to interfere with this week's theme, so I'm changing the time of this post (even though it is being written at 7:00 AM Monday morning...I know, I know, I'm addicted to blogging. Who blogs at 7:00 in the morning?)Anyway, I told you I would be doing a highly sophisticated manner of picking a name.I typed up everyone's names who contributed something, cut them into strips, put

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-47264306563917783562008-05-23T16:16:00.000-06:002008-05-25T16:48:21.977-06:00

Olivia just finished preschool and I have stressed about keeping her on top of her sounds and letters and colors until next year. I ran into this website and thought I would share.http://abcteach.com/

Megan and Jonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-69716902510911631182008-05-23T01:00:00.000-06:002008-05-23T01:00:02.613-06:00

I have no bright ideas. Creativity does not flow through my veins at all. But I do recognize a Bright Idea when I hear or see one. So this week I'm showing you something I saw on Scribbit's blog. She calls them Bracelets of Power, and I completely agree - your kids will love you and think you have superpowers (as I type this Superwhy is on in the background talking about superpowers. Maybe that

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-14937568171498858902008-05-21T14:39:00.000-06:002008-05-23T14:20:19.205-06:00

1) The easiest activity that we have done, with some measure of success is a cookie sheet and magnets. I group magnets by theme in little baggies and give one or maybe two bags at a time to my backseat driver. I also got my hands on some plain white magnet sheets and using favorite stickers I made some personalized magnets. I'm looking forward to getting the poetry magnets once he can read and

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-34071763958259601912008-05-21T10:34:00.000-06:002008-05-21T22:21:06.325-06:00

This is more of an idea from my past that my mom used to keep me busy. I haven't tried it yet because it's a little bit over a 2-year-old's head. Anyway, my parents were the king and queen of roadtrips and they have instilled in me a love of the open (and long) road. When I was little my mom had my brother and I play Car Bingo. We had a ton of Bingo cards with pictures of things you might

Destanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-80003173942069739992008-05-21T01:00:00.000-06:002008-05-21T01:00:03.929-06:00

Are there days when you feel completely overwhelmed as a mother? Or maybe I should change that -- are there days you don't feel completely overwhelmed? I have days when I want to throw my hands up in the air, lock the kids in the bedroom, turn on Oprah and sit down on the couch with a carton of ice cream. I read a book that Deneal gave me called "Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman" by Emily

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-75791165489659400162008-05-19T01:00:00.000-06:002008-05-19T01:00:02.076-06:00

Okay, here's a confession: Deneal and I love this blog. We are so invested in it. We love the idea of learning things from other mothers that will help make our parenting more exciting and meaningful. We greatly appreciate the comments and posts other people have shared. However, we have noticed that response in general is lukewarm, even paltry (here's the definition of paltry from

Erinnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-55565510201940117722008-05-17T20:18:00.000-06:002008-05-14T14:02:02.499-06:00

I came across it today and thought I would pass it along to you moms out there. Looks like a fabulous place to OD on blog surfing, although there are several giveaways and prizes. Enjoy.If you are visiting from Mommy Fest, Welcome! A brief explanation of our blog plus bios for the two moms in charge (Erin and Deneal) can be found on the right side of the page.Please come back and visit often.

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-21635189659856528002008-05-17T12:15:00.000-06:002008-05-17T12:15:01.338-06:00

Together we made a giant smile collage. We used yellow construction paper left over from past projects and any kind of yellow wrappers we could dig out of our clean trash bag. The little man had some nice cutting practice and then indulged his creative side while deciding where to put each piece of paper. Eventually he grew tired of it and I had to fill in a few of the blanks at the end. After a

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-44279144307340754962008-05-16T17:31:00.000-06:002008-05-16T22:38:28.995-06:00

Whoops! I almost forgot about the Friday Bright Idea post. (It's already Saturday for me!)I think I am not alone in my dinner menu boredom, and I know I am not alone in my struggle to get small mouths to accept my kitchen creations. This idea is something to boost the excitement for you and your kiddos when it comes to family dinner. Each week we have a special meal (usually dinner, sometimes

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-53605421206776652152008-05-16T07:44:00.000-06:002008-05-16T08:03:41.094-06:00

Okay, I have to admit this theme was a bit of a toughie. I didn't know quite what to do, and I had a little too much fun finding cute Mommyfest blogs to do much searching online. Thankfully, something spontaneous happened that really taught my kids about smiling and feeling happy.First of all, I explained how smiling requires fewer muscles than frowning, so technically it is easier to smile. We

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-43762764106145209672008-05-14T14:02:00.001-06:002008-05-14T14:50:34.417-06:00

I've been sitting on this article for a few weeks, waiting for the right time. Since this week's theme is Smile, I figured my moment to share has arrived. It's a short CNN piece by Robert Barnett (a former Parenting health editor) titled: How to Be a Happier Mom: 8 Ways to Focus on the PositiveBarnett states that to be a happier mom first we must value what we do, and then we need to find ways

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-34439484567206112172008-05-12T01:00:00.000-06:002008-05-12T01:00:03.251-06:00

I'm taking a different approach to the theme of the week; no stories, no suggestions, no links, no hints as to my later posts. I'm giving it to you raw in anticipation of what you are going to share with us. This week's theme: Smile.

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-91777888168661256622008-05-09T07:41:00.001-06:002008-05-21T07:17:20.700-06:00

Thanks to Deneal for this fantastic idea...At Wal-Mart, they sell three packs of glow stick necklaces for 92 cents. I give each child one to play with in the tub; we always take baths at night. Then I turn off the bathroom light and turn on the hall light. They are obsessed! They can stay in the tub for an hour, until the water is cold and their hands are completely pruney. Then, you put the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-79182971748644941062008-05-09T07:30:00.000-06:002008-05-11T16:37:41.476-06:00

We had a lot of fun making Mother's Day cards! Well, the boys had tons of fun. I, being the neurotic mother I am, worried about the mess the paint would make on clothing, the table, the floor, the carpet if they flicked it far enough...you get the idea. But I tried really hard to let them have fun and not be a complete perfectionist.A flowerThis will become a horseThe whole picture: paints,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-86473469261058280712008-05-08T19:37:00.000-06:002008-05-11T16:37:41.477-06:00

It's been a sick week in our house, so we haven't been too enthusiastic about projects. However, here are some things we hope to accomplish over the weekend.These ideas are adapted from those listed on this page, at lds.org. FYI, there are plenty of fun activity ideas under several different headings listed in the Family Home Evening section. Go see for yourself.1. Family Scavenger Hunt:

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-89777751212546751122008-05-07T06:00:00.000-06:002008-05-11T16:37:08.644-06:00

The "h" word came out of my five year old's mouth for the first time last night directed toward me. You know, the one that rhymes with fate? Is it fate that brings this word into a child's vocabulary? I reacted as calmly as I could, ignoring what he said and telling him he was going to get a time out anyway (refusing a time out is why I heard this ugly word). So, when both of us had calmed down,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-27998915848233720472008-05-05T01:00:00.000-06:002008-05-05T01:00:03.096-06:00

This week's theme is a bit broad, but we like it this way. The theme is families. If you choose to, you can focus on mothers in particular in honor of Mother's Day this coming Sunday, May 11. As mothers, our families are so important to us. Let's teach our children why.Some random thoughts Deneal and I had are: talking about your family tree and ancestors, teaching them about how their aunt and

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-75278985803317076312008-05-02T22:23:00.000-06:002008-05-03T20:42:34.322-06:00

Items needed:* Muffin Pan (I use a small one that I got at a yard sale.)* Cooking Spray (or baking cups - especially if you are using a tin you cook in.)* Broken CrayonsFirst, preheat oven to 200'. Separate crayons into color families. (i.e. purple & blue, blue & green, green & yellow, yellow & orange, orange & red) Just make your own color combinations. Take off all remaining paper and break

Megan and Jonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-79660736957553565442008-05-02T17:50:00.000-06:002008-05-02T19:02:02.964-06:00

According to the poll that just finished, we have lots of readers with children age 3 and under. This week's Bright Idea is for them.Hang on to that plastic wipe container with the flip top lid next time the wipes have run out. Collect all those junk mail pretend credit cards and plastic yogurt cup lids. Let your little one practice hand-eye coordination by inserting the cards and lids into the

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968660152208901269.post-13248195168273395052008-05-02T17:42:00.000-06:002008-05-02T17:42:00.479-06:00

Alright, alright the names are goofy. Luckily my audience of one assured me in all seriousness that it was not a silly book. That was good for my ego, and a smart move on his part if he wants any more homemade books!My favorite page:His favorite page: Doesn't every children's book have a moral:This thumb print method is really quite easy, especially for those of us who don't naturally draw too

Denealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427519276356833530noreply@blogger.com0