Thing to Do: Indoor Hop Scotch

It's COLD and WET and SNOWY

Aaaaannnnnndddd.... the kids need something to do for physical exercise besides jumping out of the window sills, off the couches and the top of the piano, and climbing the dresser and....

 

Time for HOP SCOTCH

All you need is masking tape, a bean bag, and a floor. 
Carpet is easiest to remove the tape.  WARNING: Don't leave it on for more than a few days, it'll leave sticky stuff on your floor if you do and then you'll have dirt sticking to the sticky...and the hop scotch stays longer than you planned.  Yes we experienced it.

Reminder on HopScotch rules:  jump one foot in #1, two feet in #2 and #3, etc.  Beginning of turn, throw a bean bag and whatever square you land it on, skip jumping on that square.  When you get to the the end, turn around, jump back, leaning over to pick up the bean bag on your way back. 

I was very surprised how much my kids loved it.  Even my son!!!!  And my little girl isn't old enough to quite understand, but it was still something different and fun so she loved it. 

Wednesday's Word: I Had a Dream

My own thoughts will be rambled here...and maybe for no one to ever read.  But I'm still going to write them. 

I had a dream last night right before I woke up...the kind that got my emotions all tangled up.  It was a nightmare of sorts.  My whole body felt heavy, I had a pit of dread in my stomach.  It all seemed so real.  Then I woke up and realized it was only a dream and was so thankful for my life.  Lately I've been having a hard time feeling excited to be a mother e.v.e.r.y d.a.y.  The monotony of it all has been wearing me down.  (Probably doesn't help that both my kids have been quite sick and not sleeping well which equals extra crankiness on their part and me wishing I had extra patience and strength to match what they're needing.) 

 

So, you're asking, what was this dream?  It was that I was back at my college job.  The job I had before my wonderful job at the college working with preschool.  I was working at a grocery store again.  I had to wear the classy cashier apron with the store name on it, memorize all the produce codes, be the fastest cashier, stand on my feet all day in a 1 1/2 ft. square area smiling at everyone even if they were using foul and obscene language to complain about everything on the planet.  Once again I was having to sell alcohol and tobacco to pregnant women and dreading it wishing I didn't have to.  I had to wait a few hours for my 15 minute break so I could sit and drink some water and then make it through the next few hours until my next break.  And I had to do it day.after.day.  Ugh!  In college it was a good job.  Paid the bills, worked with my school schedule each semester, I made some great friends that will be forever friends, my employer was really quite nice, and I learned new things that I'll never forget (f.y.i. the code for bananas is 4011), but it was VERY HARD WORK. 

 

Then I woke up and felt so excited for the day.  If a bad dream can be a tender mercy, this one was!  I felt so energized and ready for whatever the day brought.  It might be hard, but at least I could get a drink of water for myself when I was thirsty (even if holding a crying child at the same time).  I can sit on the floor, or even lay next to my sick kid on his bed and read a book.  I get to do things that really and eternally matter.  They may be monotonous, they may stretch my inner strength and character, they are overwhelming at times, and I feel inadequate more often than not, but this dream job is quite POSH. 

I don't have to wear a uniform.  T-shirt and jeans-- thank you very much! 

I can snack on the hidden Starburst stash in the top cupboard whenever I need a little sunshine. 

I can take a bathroom break almost whenever I want to (and sometimes that's my code for giving myself a time out to cool myself down and not blow a fuse...I think the kids are catching on). 

I get to hug my kids and check their temperatures, and make sure that these little precious eternal beings I'm entrusted with know they're loved and cherished. 

I get to read books with them, teach them scripture stories, hear their first words, and watch their imaginations take over our home. 

I GET TO be HERE!!!!  I experience it all with them. 

This is a pretty awesome job..... My REAL dream job called MOTHERHOOD.

Thursday's Thing to Do: Cereal Necklace

Honestly, is there anyone out there that has never had a cereal necklace or bracelet?

(if so, today is YOUR day!!!!) 

 

They were my favorite as a little girl. 

However, in that transition time between little girl and mom, I forgot about them....until today. 

I'm thinking about how fun it will be to do.  I bet my son would even like it because it's food...

as long as every piece of cereal is either blue or green since he's realized that pink is "ewwwww girlie" and pink, if touched, will give him the plague. 

 

If you've had amnesia and forgot about this simple fun, here are the tips on what you need and how to do it:

 

 

Cereal Necklace: 

(a.k.a. The Wearable Snack)

 

Cereal (multi-colored is extra fun, and the cereal should have holes in the middle.  If you have older kids, you could use cereal without holes and have them use a thread and needle---if you trust them with such weapons while sitting in close proximity.)

 

Yarn (cut in 3 foot sections) OR thin licorice ropes

 

Development: This a a great activity for preschool age kids to practive their fine motor skills as they string the cereal on the yarn.  You can also use this as an activity with learning colors, or practicing their sorting skills. 

 

Tips: With young children it can help to tape one end of the yarn onto the table while they string the cereal onto the other end, this way it doesn't fall off constantly.  When they're done, help them tie the ends together. 

 

***And please remember, necklaces can be choking hazards if they're climbing trees, etc. etc.  So, be wise.

 

Thursday's Things to Do: Printable Actitivities

I know there are a lot of websites out there to easily google and find what you'd like, but I thought I'd share one I recently found:

PrintActivities.com (yes this is a link)

I'm REALLY liking it.  It has activities, puzzles, dot-to-dot pages, coloring pages,.... you get the idea.  And I love how easily it's catagorized by THEMES.  And of course it's all FREE, which I always love.  :) 

 

Here's a little taste....

 

Let's say you read the story "The Three Little Pigs" today ...why not have a little extra fun and follow it with a little piggie and wolf maze such as this....

Anyway, just thought I'd share...

MOMents

Yesterday as our family was sitting semi-reverently in church, my five-year-old son abruptly said, "What's that smell!?"  he leaned toward me, sniffed, then he backed away from  me and said loudly, "Mom, it's YOU!"  Yep, I actually wore perfume...it's been ages since I've done that.  And obviously he wasn't so impressed....  I'm pretty sure what others within ear-range were thinking.  Slightly embarrassing.  My husband whisper-chuckled.  I sighed.  My son had his nose turned up like he'd just smelled a skunk...at least until his sister stole his crayon box.  Ahhh....MOMents

~Me, the Blog Author, mother of Two