Random Picture Friday

Hi all!  It has been a gloriously busy week.  I have been able to spend some time with amazing family and also able to feed my soul and heart at MOPS.  My Mom is coming to stay with us this weekend, so I am anxious to see her and get some good girl time in.  Have a great weekend and stay warm!


Celebrating Little Lydia's 1st Birthday in Omaha

Great-Aunt Gerianne came over to play

I was able to spend the afternoon and evening with this princess

 Cousins both sucking their two fingers on the their left hands

 Cousin Kathryn and Luke both like trucks (and books!)

Repurposing

I am a closet organizer/re-purposer.  I get giddy when I have an idea to repurpose something we already have for something we really need.  That happened about a month ago when I was putting together Luke's playroom/Tot school area.  I really needed something to hold trays of activities and toys and almost, almost bought a cube organizer from Target about 24 times.  I held off for about a month and I am so glad I did.  

When we redid our mudroom last fall, we took down a tall shelf that was used for holding shoes.  I'm not sure how long it had been there, but I'm guessing awhile, as it looked like it was made for the particular space.  I used the bottom portion for a mini bar for Kevin to hold his brewing items and hauled the top shelf down to the shop/winery/shed/brewery to collect dust.  It has sat there ever since, along with all the other stuff that I don't want in the house.  I remembered it one day and just decided to go down and measure it, just to see if it would fit in the playroom space.  And, can you believe it...it did!  I was ecstatic!  

The following weekend Kevin and I (mostly Kevin) got busy spray painting the shelf black.  We sanded it down, wiped it off, and used a flat black spray paint and it turned out almost too perfect.  I used baskets I had purchased previously for my classroom that I love.  It just so happens that I can fit two of them on each shelf.  

This project was so simple and I love that I only spent about $15 on spray paint for the entire project.  For this reason, I have a fondness for Rust-Oleum.  I ramble more about spray paint here.

Tot School: Week 5 at 15 1/2 months

Luke and I were blessed this week and able to go outside and enjoy some sunshine and warmth.  It. was. amazing.  That being said, some of our planned Tot School activities this week were put on the back burner because we were exploring and enjoying the outdoors.  Flexibility, people.  I'm working on it.  Here is what we were up to this week:

Blue Poems

Blue Sensory Basket

Rating: 3/5

Skills:

Sensory development

Colors: blue

Activity:

I am trying to have a 'theme' every week and this week was the color blue.  His sensory basket consisted of his blue sensory bottle, some blue fabric, blue cups, blue bows, and dice.  His favorite items were the dice.  He put them in the cups, took them out of the cups.  He really enjoyed them.  We talked about how all the items were blue and how they felt, tasted, smelled, etc.

Blue Dot Painting

Rating: 4/5

Skills:

Colors: blue

Fine motor development

Pre-writing

Activity:

Since he enjoyed the chalkboard so much last week, I decided to take it a step further and try dot painting.  He really liked the dot paint marker.  He liked putting the marker on his fingers and watching them turn blue.  Thank goodness they are washable!  He can't quite figure out how to get the end on the paper, that's why the chalkboard and chalk are so awesome.  Any side of the chalk will get him a mark.  I also put a glob of finger paint on his paper and he touched it (on accident) for half a second and he was done.

   

Dominos

***Luke's favorite of the week

Rating 5/5

Skills:

Fine motor development

Number recognition

Activity:

When I was teaching we used lots and lots of dot cards to teach number recognition.  If a child is able to recognize a pattern of dots and how many there are, the numbers are more cemented to memory and they are able to count, add, subtract, etc. with more precision, consistency, and speed.  Dominos are a perfect way to expose Luke to dots.  I counted the dots with him and he loved putting his fingers on the indents.  He also made about thirty piles around the house with them.  (Piles are his thing.)  

Outside Play

Rating: 4/5

Skills:

Gross motor development

Sensory development

Activity:

Luke and I explored outside a little on our nice days.  Luke went swinging and we watched Abel as he got Luke and himself completely, utterly, covered in mud.  We talked about how the wind felt, the leaves felt, the mud felt on his nose.  It was so pleasant, I can't wait to do it more this spring.

  

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Random Picture Friday

Happy Friday, all!  It has been a crazy weather week here on the Trail...50 degrees one day, snow and rain another, 50 degrees again.  Luke and I took advantage of the sunshine while we could.  Hope you have a blessed weekend!

Celebrating Baby Girl Henning with my Cooking Club girls

Eating crepes for breakfast

Heart shaped breadstick for lunch

Getting Valentine mail from Cooper

A heart from Kevin

Kevin knows the way to my heart...a yummy French dinner!

A few weeks back...Grandma Kathy and Luke

Mom and I on a girl's day

A Valentine's Day present from Grandpa Gary and Grandma Diane...Luke can't wait to see them when they get back from vacation!

50 degrees one day...(yes, that's mud on his nose)

And lots of snow the next.

Banana Oat Bites

We have been on a health kick lately on the Trail.  Kevin started it with his 'not eating anything sweet thing' back in November and it has lasted this long.  Can you believe he hasn't eaten anything sweet since then??!  Me either.  It's unbelievable....but his hard work has paid off and he looks great.  Really great.  

Kevin has been rubbing off on me lately, and, to top it off, we had a trainer/Pilates instructor/health coach come and talk to us at MOPS last week.  She was wonderfully motivating and I learned so much, even if I was cringing at the notion of making brownies with olive oil or (gasp) applesauce.  I am somewhat of a baking purist, but have decided I'm going to be open to trying new things.

I decided to start searching for some healthy breakfast foods for Kevin, Luke, and I and these super easy banana oat bites were perfect.  They are simply oats and bananas and a dash of cinnamon.  What could be easier?  Luke gobbled these up, and that is a big deal, considering he gives me 'that look' every time I put a piece of banana in front of him.  Hope you try!

Banana Oat Bites

Adapted from The Rookie Cook

Ingredients

1 large ripe banana

1 cup old fashioned oats

Dash of cinnamon

Directions

1.  Mash ripe banana.

2.  Pour oats in blender or food processor and blend until semi-fine.

3.  Mix banana, oats, and cinnamon.

4.  Spray or line mini muffin pan.  

5.  Drop spoonfuls of banana mixture into muffin pan.

6.  Bake at 350* for 15 minutes. 

These are best right out of the oven.  Luke will eat them cold, but they just aren't as good.

Tot School: 15 months

Luke and I are starting to get the hang of this Tot School thing.  We have somewhat of a routine (which I love), but it happens to be ever evolving and changing from day to day.  And I am trying really hard to be okay with that.  Flexibility is a quality that I am working to acquire.  

Here is what Luke and I were up to this week:

Valentine's Sensory Bin

Rating: 3/5

Foam Hearts

Rating: 4/5

Poms in a Toilet Paper Roll

Rating: 4/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Sensory development

Activity:
I gave Luke a cup of poms and he dropped them through two toilet paper rolls to land in a small container on the floor.  I duck taped the rolls to our dishwasher.  Luke was engaged in this activity for about 10 minutes.  It took him awhile to figure out how to get the poms through the rolls.  When he finally did, he was pretty excited about it.  I talked through what was happening with him and he really seemed to enjoy this activity.

Chalkboard
***Luke's favorite of the week

Rating: 5/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Pre-writing

Activity:
Super simple: I gave Luke a piece of chalk and a chalkboard.  My expectations weren't very high for this activity, mainly because Luke hasn't really liked any 'art' things we have done.  I was very wrong.  Luke loved moving the chalk along the chalkboard and making marks.  It was so cool to watch his eyes light up when he figured out he was the one actually making the marks.

Making a Fort

Rating: 4/5

Skills:
Gross motor development

Activity:
This was our first fort and it was so much fun.  After making it I sat inside and Luke laughed and laughed.  It was so darn cute.  He then preceded to run through the fort, with the blanket touching his head.  He would laugh every time.  This was so simple and so fun...perfect for a cold day.

Coloring Hearts

Rating: 4/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Pre-writing

Activity:
I cut out a heart on card stock and let Luke go to town with markers.  I think I finally figured out that the writing utensil has to make big, bold marks for Luke to like it.  Crayons just don't do it for him.  He likes chalk and markers.  So, chalk and markers we will use.

Do you have any fun tot school activities to share?

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The One True Love Story

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I have been reminded by many God-loving people around me that the one true love story is the story of Jesus.  I think I have been distracted by The Notebook, chocolate caramels, and fancy white doilies all these years.  Seriously, how did I miss this?

The God of the universe came to Earth to pay for our sins and give us the freedom to choose eternal life with Him.  If this isn't true love, I don't know what is.  As I contemplate how I want Luke to think of this lovey dovey Hallmark holiday-I know one thing...I want him to know how much Jesus loves him.  If he knows nothing else in this world, I want him to know and internalize that.  We will still make red and pink hearts, sing Valentine songs, and eat chocolate covered strawberries; but we will do it all the while talking about the one true love story, the story of Jesus.

Happy Valentine's Day, all!

Cloth Diapers: Thirsties

I am still saving the planet by using cloth diapers.  (If this is your first time reading, I am being completely, totally, utterly sarcastic.)  I cloth diaper to save trips to the store for diapers and because they're so darn cute.  Saving the earth is definitely an added bonus.  

I have been cloth diapering for about 14 months and have very few complaints.  I have used Awesome Blossom diapers in the past as well as the Bum Genius 4.0 diaper and am now using Thirsties duo fab diapers (size 2: 18-40 pounds) as well as the others I have mentioned.  I was lucky enough to acquire a huge mass of Thirsties diapers from a good friend from Cooking Club.  (Thanks, Rachel!)  

Duo Fab Fitted

Duo Wrap (cover) 

My favorite diapers, by far, are the Thirsties diapers, as well as the Bum Genius Freetime diapers.  I use Thirsties during the day and Bum Genius diapers at night.  It's pretty simple why these diapers are my favorites...no leaks and no stuffing.  The Bum Genius 4.0 diaper is a pocket diaper and I dreaded stuffing those every night.  I know some people don't mind this, but it wasn't for me.  The Thirsties and Bum Genius Freetime diapers are super easy to use and clean.  I always opt for the snap closure, as I have seen first hand how the hook and loop (velcro) can get messy and deteriorate.  I don't know how to sew, so I would be unable to replace the velcro.   

I feel like I finally have the amount of cloth diapers that I need to stay sane.  For all you cloth diapering Mamas out there...don't give up if you don't like the first cloth diapers you buy.  Search and scour swap pages and seek out cloth diaper sales to find less expensive diapers that you can try.  

Some of you have probably noticed that Luke is mostly naked in the pictures I post.   That is because he is so stinkin' cute in his cloth diapers, why mess with clothes?

Tot School Activities for Valentines Day (15 months)

This week all of our Tot School activities were Valentine's Day themed with lots of red and pink hearts.  You might have seen my Valentine's Day Sensory Bin post earlier this week.  My big 'aha' moment this week was where we do Tot School.  I no longer do the activities in Luke's playroom.  There are just way too many distractions in there.  We usually do them in the kitchen or living room and that seems to work better.  It's incredible how this little change has made a HUGE difference for Luke.

Poems for this week:

Be My Valentine




I'm a Little Valentine

Poems found at: childfun.com


Valentine's Sensory Bin

Rating: 4/5

Shake-up Hearts

Rating: 2/5

Skills:
Gross motor development
Art
Color: red

Activity:
I put a few paper hearts, some paint, and a few trinkets into a box.  Luke and I took turns shaking the box.  He absolutely loved shaking the box.  I would shake it and then say 'Luke's turn' and he would shake it.  This kept him engaged for about 3 minutes, but we did this a few times this week, so we were able to make heart garland.

Yogurt Painting

Rating: 1/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Art
Sensory development

Activity:
As you can see from my rating, this activity didn't go too well.  He put his finger in the yogurt paint once and that was enough.  He wanted out of his little chair on the double and didn't want anything else to do with it, even after I tried to engage him and paint all over his paper...

Red Finger Painting

Rating: 1/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Art
Color: red
Sensory development

Activity:
Luke was really interested in the red paint I used for the shake-up hearts, so I decided to run with it.  I sat him down in his chair and plopped some red paint on his tray.  Did he touch it?  No.  Did he look at it?  Yes.  Did he like it?  No.  Was it a waste of paint?  Probably.  We will keep trying.

Red Play-dough

Rating: 4/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Sensory development
Color: red

Activity:
We have only tried play-dough once and it didn't go so well, but I wanted to give it another try.  Luke LOVES playing with his play-dough containers, so I thought it was about time to try again.  I also gave him a few pipe cleaners, his rubber ducky, a heart cookie cutter, and a heart shaped bubble wand.  He played more with the wand and rubber ducky than he did the play-dough, BUT he did touch the play-dough and that is a huge improvement.  We will keep trying this!

Foam Hearts

Rating: 3/5

Skills:
Fine motor development
Colors: red, pink
Shape: heart
Sensory development

Activity:
Did you know that when foam is wet it sticks to glass?  Luke and I had fun sticking wet foam hearts (from the dollar bin at Target) up on our sliding glass doors.  Luke also enjoyed dumping out the water and dragging the wet hearts all around the house.  This activity was loads of fun (truly!) and it gave us ample opportunity to talk about the shape of a heart and the colors red and pink.  We will be using different foam shapes in the future.  For older tots, you could have them help dip the foam shapes in the water and then layer the shapes on the glass. You could work on patterns and all kinds of shapes and colors.  Plus, it's super fun!

why wouldn't you dump all the water on the rug?

Have you done any Valentine activities with your tot?  Please share!

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