Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mess of the Day: None!

You're not going to believe this one. I could hardly believe it myself.

This display has been on our kitchen table since mid-October and Screech has yet to touch it. I told her not to, and she actually obeyed! Can you believe it? Not a single bite mark on anything!

I never thought I'd see an entire day of obedience, much less a month and a half!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Crisis Averted!

The Sharpie has been found! All is well with our little world. I had actually put it hidden and out of reach to begin with; it just wasn't where I normally put it. WHEW!!!!!!!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Oh no . . .

In our haste to finish a project for Master's Academy this morning we lost a black Sharpie. As in, one of those permanent type markers.

I am afraid. Very, very afraid.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

WFMW: Oatmeal Trick

My kids and I love oatmeal, but I used to not fix it often because the little ones would be impatient for it to cool down so they could eat it. I discovered a couple of great tricks to not only cool it down instantly, but also to make it even tastier!

Method #1
Add a spoonful of vanilla ice cream. YUMMY! After you taste this, you will never want oatmeal any other way! To save calories, Edy's or Dreyer's Fat Free Sugar Free Vanilla is wonderful.

Method #2 (Thanks to my dear friend Beth for this idea!)
Add a few small frozen berries (blueberries and raspberries work well). They thaw quickly and add vitamins and minerals and lots of other good stuff!

If you missed it, I posted the worst-ever Mess of the Day on Monday.
Click here to see it!

Here are my previous WFMW posts:

Backseat Entertainment
Gifts to Spark Your Child's Imagination
Reading Motivation
Finding a Babysitter
Charging a Cell Phone
Swim/Shower with a Cast
Free Tech Support
Calming Injured Children
Choosing a Phone Number
What NOT to Soak Contacts In
Broken Glass Cleanup
Cheap Rolling Cart for Conventions
Chocolate Recipes
Tooth-Tugging Tip for Terrified Tots
Handy Earache Relief
Uses for Leftover Bread
Leaky Diaper/Pull-up Fix
Snack Mix Recipe (at the end of the post)
Awesome Stain Recipe
(at the end of the post)
"Fun"damentals of Family Life
Removing Wite-Out from Everything
When NOT to Save Money
Public Service Announcement

For more WFMW tips, stop by Shannon's blog!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Mess of the Day # 26: Just Guess!

What is Screech into now? (To get a better look, click on the pic to see it full size!)


Three guesses . . .



. . . and the first two don't count . . .



You're right. Wite-Out. Again. Emptied the entire bottle into her hands.




Big sigh. At least I don't have expensive furniture.

By the way, I have decided that Oops! brand remover is the way to go. It was very quick to clean up and didn't have strong fumes.

And my little trick for using baby oil to get Wite-Out off skin? Doesn't work for this amount. (It was crusted on THICKLY.) I used plain old soap and water (Dove unscented to be easier on her skin), and it all with flaked off a little scrubbing.

All clean and back to her sweet self!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Catching Up - Halloween

I have a ton of updating to do, and I'm determined to get it done! Here are some pics from Halloween:

Pete was a Jedi, Screech was a skunk (I have 25 reasons why), and Drama Queen was a pioneer girl. (Not Holly Hobbie, not Laura Ingalls, and definitely not Nellie Oleson, she says.)

Pete is a handsome little Padawan. Anakin Skywalker, eat your heart out!


Screech's costume was just so appropriate (and pretty darn cute, I might add!) I didn't make it (although there are patterns for this exact costume); it's a Tom Arma. Drama Queen wore this many Halloweens ago. Although if I thought SHE was stinker, I had no idea what I was in for one day!


Drama Queen's costume took a lot of time, but I had so much fun making it. There was one slight problem with the main dress: after I finished it I realized that I had made an ADULT size 8! If I'm not just plain dumb, I'm definitely sewing-challenged! I managed to take it in without cutting it, so she can grow into it.


The cute little dragon below is our next-door neighbor.


We went trick-or-treating around our neighborhood with a couple of the other neighborhood children. It was so much fun to do it together. The cute little princess below is our other next-door neighbor.


Although we do participate in Halloween, we don't have anything to do with witches, ghosts, monsters and the like. I had seriously considered not doing Halloween at all due to its pagan overtones (and respect Christians who choose this route), but I figured to be consistent with that we would also have to do away with Christmas trees and other Christmas traditions that have pagan roots. Besides, we are not "celebrating" anything evil in our hearts; we're just dressing up and mooching some candy!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

WFMW: Backseat Entertainment!


We have enjoyed "Jungle Jam and Friends the Radio Show" for years. It is absolutely hilarious! It is a Christian program with great messages, but without being the least bit preachy or hokey. If your kids like Veggie Tales, they will love Jungle Jam. It is great for those long trips to Grandma's house!

Most episodes have two stories. One story is set in the jungle with funny characters such as Nozzles the Elephant, Millard the Monkey and Sully the Aardvark. The dialogue is a riot. It reminds me a lot of Rocky and Bullwinkle (without the political overtones).

The other story centers around a boy named Marvy Snuffleson. The story usually begins with Marvy being sent to his room for misbehaving (for instance, refusing to do his math homework). Something always happens (a window left open while raining, etc.) and Marvy's bed washes out of the window and onto the high sea, taking him to Razzleflabben Island. While there, he visits with the Razzleflabbens (large furry creatures) and something happens that is connected to his misbehavior. For instance, the Razzleflabbens need Marvy's help figuring out how many slices of delightful cheese bread need to be prepared so there is enough for everyone. A comedy of errors ensues, and Marvy learns a lesson. Again, the dialogue is hysterical. There's no way to do it justice; you'll just have to hear it for yourself.

The acting and production are superb; the characters are well-developed and very funny. The narrator is great. Fun sound effects and catchy songs are sprinkled throughout. The scripts are well-written with engaging plots and loads of laughs. Like Veggie Tales, there are lots of subtle jokes thrown in just for the adults. I love it as much as the kids do!

Here's where it gets good: you can download a show in MP3 form (with two stories) from their website for only $3.95! There are also single CD's for $9.95, and 4-disc collections for various prices. They are all well worth every penny!

If you would like to try out one of the $3.95 downloads, I highly recommend the one called "The Grandfather". It is absolutely my favorite. It's a story about gossip and is followed by "Katie Sings the Blues," a story about being content. Click here to hear a sample.

The way their website is set up, I can't link directly to each thing I've told you about. Their web address is www.fancymonkey.com. Just mouse over "Jungle Jam," and you'll find all kind of neat things, including a list of radio stations that carry the show.

One more thing - one of my favorite Jungle Jam episodes was also made into a children's Christmas musical. It's called "Three Wise Men and a Baby." When I directed a children's choir at a church we attended in Kentucky, we put this on two separate times. It brought down the house! Out of the many musicals I directed, this was hands-down my favorite (and the most reminisced-about by the parents). It is still available; you can download the entire script for free on the website and purchase a split-track CD for $9.95. Also, the radio version is available in 2 downloads of $3.95 each.

Here are my previous WFMW posts:

Gifts to Spark Your Child's Imagination
Reading Motivation
Finding a Babysitter
Charging a Cell Phone
Swim/Shower with a Cast
Free Tech Support
Calming Injured Children
Choosing a Phone Number
What NOT to Soak Contacts In
Broken Glass Cleanup
Cheap Rolling Cart for Conventions
Chocolate Recipes
Tooth-Tugging Tip for Terrified Tots
Handy Earache Relief
Uses for Leftover Bread
Leaky Diaper/Pull-up Fix
Snack Mix Recipe (at the end of the post)
Awesome Stain Recipe
(at the end of the post)
"Fun"damentals of Family Life
Removing Wite-Out from Everything
When NOT to Save Money
Public Service Announcement

For more WFMW tips, stop by Shannon's blog!

Public Service Announcement #2

This product . . .

Tastes the way this product smells!

(Don't ask me how I know. I just happen to like to sniff things. The senses of smell and taste ARE connected, you know.)

Now for the weird part: they're owned by the same company. Did the toothpaste people get bored and go play with the teenybopper deodorant people?
Hmmm . . .

And where did they get the name "Kiss Me Mint"? Since this smells like a deodorant, it has conjured some disturbing images in my mind . . .


Sunday, November 9, 2008

The Good Ole Days!

The email read: "This Thursday will be a dress up day for all history classes. Wear clothes or accessories from the 1920's."

My first thoughts:

a) What on earth did kids wear back then?
b) Where am I going to be able to find anything like that?

Then, I Googled "children's clothing 1920's" and boy, was I excited! Two reasons:

Short pants.
Knee socks.

Up until he turned five, I used to dress Pete up every Sunday in dress shorts, white high-top shoes, white knee socks, and a little bow tie. I know, some of you are gagging at the mere thought, but I LOVED it! Oh, those sweet, chubby knees!

And, believe it or not, Pete loved it, too! He always, said, "Mommy, do I get to dress fancy today?" And he loved his bow ties (he called them simply "bows").

I was so sad when he outgrew all of that. I could still find the outfits, but the shoes were way harder to find. And he was just so . . .big. Wistful sigh.

Which is why I was so thrilled to dress him like this for 1920's day:


Oh, I could just put him in a bowl and eat him up with a spoon! And how did he feel to be dressed this way? Loved it. His only complaint was that the bow tie wasn't real.

Drama Queen's dress is from Strasburg. I bought it for $1 at a consignment store. Yes, as in one single dollar. It probably cost $120 new. Please don't hate me.



This was so much fun! I am tickled pink that Drama Queen loves wearing dresses and that Pete still loves "dressing fancy"!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Field Trip Fun

We are having such a great school year. We got to go on five field trips this month! I know that may seem excessive to some, but they get so much out of them. I believe it is important to expose children to as many different experiences as possible. Books are one way to do that, but what better way than to actually see and touch and hear and smell?

Here's what we did:
We went to a botanical garden and were treated to a wonderful program about trees, the forest ecosystem, and so much more. Here the kids were acting out the roles of the different layers of the tree. Our friend in the middle chanted, "I support! I support!" while Drama Queen and Pete's group wiggled up from the ground while saying, "Slurp!" Another group swayed back and forth, saying, "We protect. We protect." It was so fun and memorable.

Pete checking out a bug he caught.

We went to an arts center that hosts a yearly fall festival in which they have hands-on activities teaching children about everything historical under the sun: blacksmithing, toys of yesteryear, printing (which Drama Queen and Pete are trying in the above pic), woodworking, weaving, spinning, quilting, feltmaking, cooking, beekeeping, churning butter, music, dance, making cornhusk dolls, caning chairs, art, trains, you name it! It is a fabulous experience. There was also a civil war era home next door that we were able to tour. The tour guide was top notch, and because we arrived as the school groups had to leave, we had him and the house all to ourselves!

We saw Slim Goodbody in Atlanta. Okay, this obviously wasn't the original Slim Goodbody, although when we saw this show two years ago we did see Slim himself. (And believe it or not, after all these years he really is still slim!) This show is AWESOME. He covers every one of the major systems of the body with an interactive, multi-media show. Even Screech is still singing the songs a month later! I can't recommend this show more highly.

I know this picture is freaking out many of you. Screech. Has. No. Fear. Of. Anything. Right after this pic was snapped she got fussed at for grabbing the snake! I'm not saying I want my child to be neurotic, but a little healthy fear is a good thing. If a dog barks in anger at her she gets in its face, wags her finger and yells, "Stop barking!" We are SO in trouble.
By the way, this was taken at the Georgia National Fair. (I don't get what makes it "National", but anyhow . . ) It is awesome. They have dozens of live exhibits and shows related to all things agriculture. We learned about beef cows, milk cows, sheep, dogs, rabbits, bees, pigs, chickens, and so much more. They had a free petting zoo and many hands-on exhibits. It was well worth the trip, and next year we plan to stay much longer.

Yes, this is a sweet pic, but I didn't take a pic moments later when
she dropped the poor thing on the concrete!

There was one more trip we took that I don't have pictures for: we went to see nationally acclaimed storyteller Odds Bodkin. He is incredible - quite possibly the best I've ever seen perform live. I am amazed at all the different things he can do with his voice. Be sure and check out his website. There is nearly an hour's worth of stories you can download for free!

This month has been so much fun. It's so funny how people who have no significant experience with homeschoolers assume that they're deprived. Deprived? Deprived????? In what other school can children have five field trips in one month's time? And as I've said before, being herded along like cattle on a field trip with a group of 75 kids is a completely different experience than having your own personal tour guide (Mom) and being able to take your time. With gas prices these days, many schools are cutting back so much that many kids are lucky to go on one or two field trips a year. To us, school is not just what we learn in books (although we read a lot!); it's about what we experience. There is so much out there to learn about and enjoy!


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

WFMW: Gifts to Spark Their Imagination!

Today's Works-for-Me-Wednesday is the "The Toys Worth Buying Edition".

A couple of years ago, I hit all the after-Halloween clearance sales and bought LOADS of costumes and accessories to make the ultimate dress up center for my kids and gave it to them for Christmas. I found funny wigs for $2, light-up superhero costumes with built-in "muscles" for $5, and much more! We have had the BEST time with this. Not only do they have SO much fun with their dress up center, their imaginations have been sparked like never before. Here is a partial list of what they have:

dinosaur
doctor
soldier
knight
unicorn
princess (2 different dresses)
gladiator
Superman
Spiderman
Darth Vader
Batman
cat
dog
Power Ranger

Plus many awesome accessories:
black cape
various hats
Elvis wig
several long-haired wigs
opera singer wig
clown wig

I cannot tell you how much fun we have had with these things. The kids will literally spend hours playing pretend.

To present the gift, I bought a clothes rack to hang the costumes, an over door shoe rack for the wigs, and a large plastic tub for the accessories. After setting up the area in a corner of the playroom, I taped large pieces of giftwrap from one wall to the other. The kids had a ball ripping it down to see what was in the corner!

I found that even though there were two Wal-Marts
in my area, one of them had way better clearance prices. Toys R Us had a lot of unique items, including some foam wigs that looked like cartoon character hair. Nearly every costume I bought was $5 or less.

Her is a pic of Drama Queen modeling several pieces:



I have two other great gifts worth mentioning:

For ages 8-adult: 20 Questions
This handheld electronic game is addictive! Think of something specific, such as a shoe or a bowling ball, and then answer the yes or no questions that the game asks. It will often "guess" what you're thinking - it's freaky! It has even guessed items like "utility pole" and "light switch cover"! People can't put it down. It has been a humongous hit with everyone I've ever given it to, and it is my all-time favorite go-to gift for anyone.

For toddler girls ages 2-4: Fisher Price Snap 'n Style Dolls

Screech LOVES her "snap dollies". Little hands can easily change the clothes, unlike other dolls. (Barbie, anyone?) They have rooted hair and are positively adorable. You can also buy different clothing sets for them. These dolls are hard to find; the only place I have seen them is Toys R Us.

Here are my previous WFMW posts:

Reading Motivation
Finding a Babysitter
Charging a Cell Phone
Swim/Shower with a Cast
Free Tech Support
Calming Injured Children
Choosing a Phone Number
What NOT to Soak Contacts In
Broken Glass Cleanup
Cheap Rolling Cart for Conventions
Chocolate Recipes
Tooth-Tugging Tip for Terrified Tots
Handy Earache Relief
Uses for Leftover Bread
Leaky Diaper/Pull-up Fix
Snack Mix Recipe (at the end of the post)
Awesome Stain Recipe
(at the end of the post)
"Fun"damentals of Family Life
Removing Wite-Out from Everything
When NOT to Save Money
Public Service Announcement

For more WFMW tips, stop by Shannon's blog!