Make Your Own Free Wood Blocks for Your Kids

I have been wanting to do this forever!!!

We made our own log blocks for free!

Thanks to Daddy! The girls went out collected logs and sticks from the trees that fell down this summer!

Then Daddy helped them to cut them to all different sizes!!

Free LOG BLOCKS! 

SO SIMPLE!

If you're just looking to buy some blocks or don't have a Daddy or Grandpa with a chop saw Linkin Logs are a lot of fun too!

Rain Rain Go Away - A Rainy Day Science Project

A Rainy Day Science Project

It has been very rainy here lately - and cold! 

I am pretty sure we are almost past fall and plowing into winter!

Our Homeschool Science Lessons Lately have been focused on the weather and the seasons! To facilitate this learning we have been using 

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS BIG BOOK OF SCIENCE

Which can be found here:

This is an amazing fun book! It rhymes, its funny, and EDUCATIONAL! What more could you ask for in a children's book?

SO... Back to the rain!

We decided to do a little project to emphasize where rain comes from.

Supplies

Large Clear Glass or Bowl

Shaving Cream

Food Coloring

Fill the glass 2/3 full of water

Cover the top with shaving cream (like clouds)

Drip the food coloring on top until it falls through

Explain how when the rain gets too heavy in the clouds it falls through!!

Very Exciting as you can see! 

I love seeing how my kids make the connection! I love it when it clicks!

Bringing book learning to life!

Apple Picking Fall Sensory Bin

Here is whats included:
Fake Apples (from the dollar store)
Green and Red Puffs
Dried Beans
Basket
Cups and spoons for pouring
Small Pie Pan (to make apple pie)
Small cups (to make apple cider or juice)
Cinnamon sticks
A Christmas Village Tree (it is poky so the puff balls stick to it, for apple picking)
Apple Banner
Letter A
A few apple books
Foam apple shapes

How to Take a Vacation without the Kids

So my hubby and I recently were blessed with great family who was willing to watch our kids for 5 DAYS and let us use their timeshare to get some US TIME!!




Do you know what it is like to be able to finish an adult conversation?
Do you know how precious it is to ride together for 5 hours and be able to just talk?
Do you know how relaxing it is to not worry about anyone else's needs for 5 whole days?
Do you know how much fun it is to have a vacation with your husband?

Let me tell you it is AMAZING!! 



Did we miss our kids? YES a ton and more times than not we spent time talking about how much they would enjoy seeing or doing what we were doing, but the time to rest recharge rejuvenate relax and reconnect was MUCH needed and APPRECIATED!

Do you know how long 5 hours in the car is when you are driving back to your kids? (Are we there yet?) lol
Do you know how precious it is to see the stunned look on your daughters faces when they see you?
Do you know how sweet there hugs and kisses are when you get back?
Do you know how many conversations there are to have afterwards?
Do you know?
If you don't I pray that you will be able to find out!! 



SO how do you do it though? What do you tell your three year old? 
We explained that Mommy and Daddy's need time together sometimes too and with the innocence of a child her reply was "OK, I will give you my puppy so you wont miss me too much!" 

ANd she did which started the PUPPY CHRONICLES

You have to understand this puppy is M1's favorite animal it is what she sleeps with holds when she is sad etc. But she has 3 of them so she gave us one to take with to snuggle! 

Everywhere we went we snapped a picture of "puppy" and sent a quick text to my parents back home so show M1 what puppy was up to! It helped to pass the time and helped us to feel connected though we were apart!

Here are some of puppy's destinations!

 Puppy Watching the Ducks at the Condo

Can you find the puppy? Puppy I spy game

Puppy Sharing Breakfast

Puppy Buying M1 some candy at the candy store

Puppy checking out some toys!

Puppy wondering if this was appropriate for a lollipop?

Daddy checking puppy's owie (FYI he had been doctored by M1 before we left - we were keeping an eye on it for her) Just reporting back to the doc

Puppy at the Moose Place

Puppy Taking a Rest after a long hike

Puppy Hiking with Daddy

Puppy sporting some moose horns

And M1 when we picked them up with her sucker, moose ears, and reunited with puppy!

Did we look crazy carrying around a stuffed puppy? Probably!

Did either of us care?? NO WAY!!

This was for us and for our kids!

M2 at this age really wasnt able to comprehend any of this and thank goodness for EXPERT loving Grandparents to make it a fun time for her too!

THANK YOU!

Thank you 

Thank YOU!

Busy Bag Storage

OUR NEW BUSY BAG STORAGE BAR!

I am so excited about this! These busy bags which I love, have been driving me crazy getting mixed up, smooshed together, baggies popping open, and they were all piled in the cedar chest! SUCH A MESS! 

So here was my new solution!

I hug up a curtain rod in M1's room, sewed a few simple bags, and hung them from a carabiner on the rod! So simple, and neat, and clean, and BEAUTIFUL I think! Makes me so much happier!

Materials

Curtain Rod

Screwdriver/ screw gun

carabiners

cord or rope (I used pink camping cord)

Fabric for bags

Sewing Machine

First I sew three sides of the bag, the fold the top down and sew around it to create a path for the drawstring. 

Threading the string through actually takes the most time! And I would recommend using smoother fabrics unless you have hours of time to spend struggling to get the string through!

(An after though was to use wire to pull the string through but really ours weren't too bad except for the orange bag, that is why there is only ONE orange...)

Then tie a not clip a carabiner and organize your bags!!

I seriously considered sewing in a section of clear plastic so it would be visible what was inside the bag but I saved the idea for later in hopes that I would actually finish this in one sitting and still sleep that night!

This is also our new place to hang our ABC Memory Verse Book! Keeps it up and away from stomping toes and dancing feet!

To see how we made the Book Check out our

ABC Memory Verse Book Post

Want to check out some of our other Posts:

How to Make Your Own Sock Monkeys

Fall Jello Pumpkin Playdough