Teacher Appreciation Continued

Teachers Gift
Thanks for Helping me Blossom!

I remembered to post a picture of the teacher's gift from Monday -Yay me! Today, we gave the teachers individual bags of Emerald's Cocoa Roast Almonds with a note stating, "I am nuts about you!" Okay, so it may be silly but the kids love it and it’s a nice way to give a simple goodie! Tomorrow's treat is an apple and some Hershey's kisses in a zip lock bag. The note "Teacher's cannot live on Apples alone!" I'm sure there are cuter ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation week but on a budget these ways are simple but still let the teachers know we appreciation them.

How are you celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week?

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation week and for you parents out there show your teachers some love! Growing up the child of a teacher I have always understood the time, energy, and love most teachers give to their classrooms each year. Treat your child's teacher(s) to a goodie or two this week. There are many easy and inexpensive ways to show your appreciation. Here is what we are planning for Monday:

My little boy is giving his two preschool teachers potted flowers that he picked out. Due to money reasons I did not buy a pretty planter to place them in . . . enter creativity and the gift turned out quite cute. I glued (using a hot glue gun) crayons to a ribbon and then tied the ribbon around the container the flower came in. Attach a note "Thanks for helping me blossom!" and Monday's gift is complete

My little girls teacher LOVES candy so she picked out her preschool teacher a box of skittles and we attached a note, "Thanks for loving me even when I'm not so sweet!" Okay, so the note comes with an explanation but that is another blog entry!

I will try to upload photos and add a list of the rest of the weeks "gifts.”  As you plan to make and/or buy little tokens of appreciation don't forgot those who teach your children but are not their "main" teachers. Remember librarians,  music and arts teachers, Sunday School leaders, dance teachers, and anyone one who may teach your child.

Our teachers need to know they are valued and appreciated . .  this week make an extra effort to show them!

Friend Detox

Bible Study

One thing I have struggled with most of my life is pleasing people. I have continuously put people before God. I want friends to like me, men to want me, and family to approve of me. This is not a bad thing in reason but I was choosing toxic relationships and placing my energy into making those relationships work. I had to go through a friend detox. If you can have people in your life and only allow them to affect you on the surface you may be able to keep your current friends. If you are like me...you may need to depart from many of your friends. I have gone from hours on the phone a week to only a few a month. I rid my life of those who were not going to lift me up and am trying to find true friends that will Walk the path with me. Ridding your life of negative friends may seem extreme but for me it was the only way at this point in my life.

Establish healthy boundaries, or go on a friend detox to ensure your friends help you on your walk and not hurt you.

Proverbs 18 NLT
There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

The Lorax

Movie Night

Tonight's Movie is The Lorax. This week we have been celebrating Earth Day and we have tried to do something each day to remind us of our Earth and to remind us that we are the ones that need to take care of our Earth. So for our Friday night movie it seemed fitting to chose a family favorite, The Lorax.

 

My two love this movie. My daughter loves it the most and can almost quote the movie from begining to end; she loves the Grammy and loves the singing. My little boy will watch the movie for the most part with out getting up. I'm a fan of anything Suess so this movie is another 10 from my family. (I almost gave the movie a 9 due to some of the scenes being above age level but I am the parent that allows my little one to watch so it is my fault and not the movies!)

 

Movie: The Lorax (2012)
Animation, Family,
Director: Chris Renaud
Rating PGOur Family Score: 10

This movie allows us to follow a boy’s journey to find an object that will please the girl of his dreams. To find this object the boy must find The Lorax and learn about the past and how to help the future.

Baby Boy Quote: “The part where the boy screams because his bed is in the water!” (He acted this part out and his sister had to translate!)

Baby Girl Quote: "I love this movie! The Grammy is funny and I know the boy wants a kiss from the girl. I like when they sing and the man says “let it die, let it die, let it shrivel up and die, who’s with me?” That part is so funny. I like the whole movie!”

Listening Ears

While driving my daughter to the sitter's today I got lost in a conversation she and I were having...literally I got lost. I was caught up in thought and dialog that I missed my turn and didn't realize it until three lights later. Well, once back on track (and a few deep breaths later) we continued our conversation.

 It started like this; "Mommie, you never spend that much time with me!" Well, I immediately went into defense mode. I gave my 4 year old a run down of our time together. We eat breakfast everyday together, we drive to school three days a week and to the sitters two days, we go to church together two days a week, we eat supper together 7 days a week, we read together and so on and so on I went. My daughter stayed quiet for a moment and replied, "I mean we don't spend time together."

I realized at that moment that I did not have on my listening ears. You may have heard about listening ears or you may even use some form of the phrase, "do you have your listening ears on?" I know this is something I say often. I even break down the parts of a good listener.  A good listener: has a quiet mouth, uses eye contact, puts on listening ears, and uses an open mind (in toddler terms, really hears what I am saying). I was giving my daughter none of the things I ask of her. She was trying to tell me  how she was feeling and I was not listening. I was defending and trying to tell her how she was wrong; trying to (unintentionally) take away the right to her own feelings.

The second time she made the comment I responded in a more appropriate way..."How can I change that? How can we spend more time together?" Her answer, "play games with me, can we have a game night?" A game night is something that we can do and should do! I need her to know that spending time with someone is not just driving to and from school/work, not just going places together or being around each other. Spending quality time is talking and engaging in activities that interest one another.

 I realized my little one was trying to let me know, in an appropriate way, she needed something I wasn't giving. So, this Saturday we shall have family game night. We will play a few board games and maybe even play the Wii. I want to give my children what they need and sometimes filling those needs begins with putting on my "listening ears"!

simple things

Entertaining two little ones can some times be challenging but every now and then entertainment can fall right into your um...back yard.

My kiddos and I were enjoying ice cream on the back porch and our family pet paid us a visit. For the past three years we have had a family of blue birds nest in our gourd. This is quiet an exciting thing at our house. My son loves loves loves birds. He will shout in excitement any time he sees one. He loves to look through his binoculars and try to find birds or follow them. And my daughter wants to see a bird hatch so bad she can hardly stand it. Well, on this beautiful spring day our mom and pop blue bird decided to feed their babies right during our ice cream break.

How exciting it was to watch them find bugs, crickets, and such and bring them back to their chirping little ones. We sat for half an hour and enjoyed the blue bird family meal time. I will be sad when the babies fly away because when that happens we usually don't see the parents until the next year. I love our blue birds and watching them with my little ones. Sometimes the best entertaining is free, fun and found in the simple things of life!

Keeping up with the neighbors

Bible Study

Being a single mom I struggle with financial decisions. When I would like to spend my money on new clothes, vacations, and items for my children I have to pay bills and the necessities for our family. I am still struggling with this and have to search my heart and ask for God's guidance. Even if I was not a single mom and had two incomes to spend, money is an issue that we need to turn to God with. Just because we have money to spend on the latest gadget doesn't mean that is where God wants the money to go. We have to remember we do not need the new car the neighbors have or the expensive clothes the other kids wear; we need to use our money as God would like us to. I have all I need in life and some do not even have that. Let us keep what we need to live and help others with that we have to spare.

Scripture: Acts 2:45

They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.

Prayer:

Dear God, sometimes I want to spend money on items that I feel my children could benefit from instead of spending my money on things that are necessary. Please, help me spend my money where it is most needed and please, help me not long for those things that are not needed.

Rise of The Gaurdians

Movie Night

Tonight’s movie choice was Rise of The Guardians. I had never heard of this movie and wasn't sure what to expect but this movie was a hit with our family.

Rise of The Guardians (2012)

Animation, Adventure, Family

Director: Peter Ramsey

This is a magical movie involving Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, The Sand Man and Jack Frost also known as the Guardians. The role of the Guardians is to protect the children against Pitch who is trying to destroy the hopes and beliefs of the children.

Our Family Score: 10

Baby Boy Quote: "I like Jack Frost."

Baby Girl Quote: "It is a very good movie. I like the end where no one believes in the boogie man and Jack Frost is friends with the little boy."



Earth Day 2013

Earth Day is celebrated this year on April 22^nd. There are many ways your family can celebrate. You can simply talk about Earth Day and what it means or you can go all out and plan a variety of activities to do and participate in. We fall somewhere in between…we aim high but go with the flow and do what we can.

How Earth Day got started:  A San Francisco activist, John McConnell asked Americans on March 21, 1970 (spring equinox) to join in grassroots demonstrations to help celebrate and protect our Earth. During the same year Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson asked Americans to join in the celebration on April 22^nd. Both dates are celebrated but we chose to celebrate the April date. My two kiddos are still little and the concept of Earth is still quite vague but we still celebrate in our little ways.

Here is a calendar of events I created for our Earth Week Celebration. My little ones are easily excited and love to learn so I will try and take the opportunity to read books, bake goodies, and enjoy crafts and other activities that will help bring awareness of our Earth and our responsibility to take care of our Earth!

	Foods	Crafts	Activities	Books
Sunday	Earth Day Bars		Nature Walk/pick up trash	The Earth And I
Monday	Apple Salad		Gather old Clothes for Help Mission	Curious George Plants A Tree
Tuesday	Earth Day Cookies *	Recycled Paper Hearts	YouTube Video 1 Video 2	Sophia's Dream
Wednesday			Shadows with Flashlights	Earth Day Alphabet Book	LIGHTS OUT ALL DAY
Thursday	Breakfast: “Earth Muffins”*	Cut Circles, use water color paints to paint “Earth”		Big Earth Little Me
Friday	Dirt Cups*	Recycled Can Planter*	Watch Lorax	Michael Recycle
Saturday	Veggie Chips		Visit Local Farmers Market	The Earth Book

*Earth Cookies

You will need circular sugar cookies, frosting colored blue and green. Have children spread blue and green frosting on to sugar cookies so that they look like planet Earth.

*Dirt Cups to eat; use chocolate pudding, crushed Oreo cookies and hide gummy worms in it.

Earth Muffins*

Measure out the below ingredients and then let your little ones help you make these Yummy Muffins.

Mix we ingredients
Mix in dry ingredients
Mix in blue and yellow food coloring to create perfect “Earth Green”
Add in Blueberries for the Water
Spoon into Muffin Tin
Bake 15-20 minutes on 375 degrees
Enjoy “Earth Muffins”

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted.
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Mix dry, mix wet. Add wet to dry, add blueberries ( 1 cup) . Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Source: May 2008 edition of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

*Use a Recycled can or jar and make a planter. Wash the inside of your container really well and make sure no sharp edges are on the container. Have your child fill the container with gravel and then either add soil and a seed or transplant a small plant. You can use flowers, or even herbs. Place the containers where the children can easily take care of them and help your child grow a green thumb.

 Books:

Too proud for church

Bible Study

Too proud for church Posted: 14 Apr 2013 12:01 AM PDT   Okay, here is a confession for this Sunday morning. When I was looking for churches I ran into several issues (that I may share in another post!). I would visit different churches to size them up and then decide if to visit again. I even joined one church even though I had a feeling it wasn't right for my family. One Sunday morning I drove by a church that I had been eyeing to see what type of crowd was in the parking lot. I quickly decided this wasn't the church for me. Wow, talking about judging. I was afraid if I went to this church the people would judge me. They looked so nice in their Sunday suites and I felt as if I would not be welcomed because I was a single mom of two very little children. I was invited to the church and I went just to check things out a little closer and I immediately felt ashamed. The people welcomed me with open hearts and big ole hugs and I felt as if I had always been a part of this church. They welcomed my children and treated them as if they were their own. I have been attending services at this church for almost two years now and have been a member for almost one year. I feel sad that I was too proud to go sooner but am thankful that God opened my eyes and the church’s heart and I can now fellowship with wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. Try not too be too hard on yourself or too proud to walk in a church with head high and an open mind...God will go with you and keep you safe. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4: 3-4 3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don't even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

Morning Cuddles

Good Morning! It is not easy for me to say that...well at least not at this hour. I am not a morning person and that is most defiantly an understatement. I have never enjoyed the art of waking up early. Not only do I not enjoy waking up early and at times it is physically hard for me to do. Enter the kiddos! Since I have had children sleeping late is a dream and a rare thing. My daughter is an early riser and has been for some time. If she wakes at 7am I'm doing good. My son has always been a little better and I think would have picked up my habit of sleeping late had his Sissy not set the trend of early rising.

Well, this being said, I am getting so much better at my early wake up calls. I'm still not where I would like to be. I fantasize of my cup of coffee in hand, devotional read, blog posted, and my meditated state of mind sitting at the table with a yummy breakfast waiting for my little feet to run into.

Reality is, my little ones jump on me in my bed (when I'm lucky enough to sleep in it) and we cuddle. It starts quiet but quickly my daughter livens things up with hugs, kisses, and random jokes and that turns into a tickle fest that runs into a chant for Mommie to "get up, get up, get up" and get breakfast!

Well, those cuddles are a favorite part of my day and even though I'm still not ready for that wake up call I would prefer those cuddles and kisses over an alarm clock any day.

I'm afraid those cuddles might not come too much longer; as I get used to waking up early they might change the pattern and grow up on me and Yikes, grow too old for morning cuddles. But for now, I'll try to say good morning each day and welcome my wake up call with loving arms, bunches of kisses, and memory making cuddles.

Friday Bloggin

Our family, like many others, has Friday movie night. I have learned (just recently) that not all children's movies are created equally. My Friday Blogs will be dedicated to our Movie and entertainment review, experiences, and/or suggestions. We start off with a family Classic...Finding Nemo.

Movie: Finding Nemo (2003)
Genre: Animation/Family
MPAA rating: G

Director: Andrew Stanton

My family gives this movie a 10!

· Kid Friendly Check

· Parent Friendly Check

· Positive Message Check

Finding Nemo, as I'm sure you know, is a movie about a young fish who is on an adventure to return to his dad. Marlen, the dad, is searching for his son and goes on quite the adventure himself. This movie has great talking points (like never giving up) and has great animation.

Family Quotes:

Baby boy: "Nemo me favorite movie!"
Baby girl: "I love Dori, she is soo funny and I like the part where they say ‘Hey who turned out the lights?’  that is so so funny!"

Sunday BLogs

Sunday Blogs:

I am a single mother of two and how I got this way is personal history that I'm not ready to share...just yet. But I am a woman of faith. I love God and aim to share my love for God with my family, friends, and any followers that might show up. So I am dedicating my Sunday entries to Bible Study. I am not a religious expert and will not pretend to be. I am a single mom trying to learn to put God first in all that I do and trying to raise two God-fearing children so I will share what I am reading, learning, feeling, or going through with scripture and prayer.

Often times I want to turn to the latest parenting expert, devour their books, and turn myself into the perfect parent. While reading books and learning from experts is not a bad idea it is not the best idea. God has the answers if we only search his word for them. God can help us with our parenting skills if we only read and study his word. When trying to be the "perfect" parent remember the goal is to plant the seed of God's love in the hearts of our children; teach them this and God will help them grow.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Appollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is God makes the seed grow.

Another random blog

Since I was first introduced to the world of blogging I have created many blogs. All, except one, I have left behind. I love to learn and love to write and from encouragement from a friend I aim to share with anyone willing to follow what my family is currently learning.

I am a single mom of two and I am do not have the financial means to provide the learning lifestyle for my little ones that I desire so we make do with what we have and learn the best we can. Thanks to many mom bloggers, educational websites, teacher bloggers and the library I think we are doing just fine!

This blog will most likely be random recipes, crafts, themes, and posts that are relevant to our life. Maybe something will interest you.

Well blog number 6...here we go!