Letter D preschool

 

Some weeks I will be able to find more objects for the letter of the week and I will take full advantage of that!

 Diaper, doll and duck!

Donut, dragon, deer, Doc McStuffins, dimes and the hat was for discover!  On our discovery walk we kept our eyes low and saw some interesting things.

I like to make a desk up as its something that's passed first thing in the morning so my son is already checking out and identifying objects.  He knows what a dinosaur is but never knew it started wit a letter D.

We used dimes to mark the appropriate number of objects.  He counts the objects and has to figure out what the number looks like.  He then places the dime on the appropriate number.

The big letter d became a road.  D is for drive.

I also used toilet paper rolls to make a marble run because d is also for drop!

I will tell you it's amazing to see how much fun a child can have with the simplest things.  I guess because it was new but also it moved, it worked it stirred up imagination!

With 4 letters under our belt I think next week we will plan on reviewing all the letters up to this point which will include identification, writing, and sounds.  We will discuss shapes, and numbers as well. 

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late (book and craft)

  As a mom of sever kids  I have read my fair share of children's books.  I think I most enjoy books with animals.  Animals can get away with almost anything and usually are entertaining.

  We read Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late several times and I decided we needed to make our own pigeon .  He is a simple enough drawn creature!  We discussed his color, some shapes that were identifiable and we used our hands and paint.  Bonus!

  The only supplies we needed were paint, a star stencil,an googly eye, a yellow and orange marker and a pencil.

  I painted the child's hand and put it on the paper to represent the body.  Used a toilet paper roll dipped in the paint to give me the perfect circular head.  Cut a smaller piece of white paper for his eye and glued it down only to come back and add a large googly eye.  We did initially color in the black pupil buy I liked the googly eye better.

  We added the star stencils to emphasize it was night time.  We also added the vision of a hotdog as that was mentioned in the story as well.

  The kids had fun making this and it was easy enough for little hands to complete the whole thing or help out in random areas.

  A book and a craft is as good as it gets.  This brings the story alive for kids.  Helps kids with creativity and imagination.

Pick a book, a main character and your favorite scene and create something fun with your kids!

    We did find this idea on Pinterest but we added to it to make it our own!  You can find it under my book and craft board.

Storks (review)

  When you have kids and the television is on they are bound to catch a preview of a movie.  Then when a movie declares it's coming out tomorrow their ears perk up with full on attention.  They stop what they are doing listen to the commercial then proceed to let you know

 who:them
 when: tomorrow
 where: movies
 what: "we are seeing it!"
 how: your paying and popcorn is mandatory

  That's how every discussion goes when a new movie comes out.  A new animated film that is.  I must admit we have gone to a lot, some I didn't want to go to others I wished I hadn't but, some I'm glad I did.  Lucky for the kids I wanted to see this one.

  Storks is rated PG.  This was a clean PG rating.  I don't recall anything I was uncomfortable with my children seeing or hearing.  The movie runs for 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Starring roles go to Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Aniston.

  The storks used to deliver babies but are in a new business.  They shut the baby business down due to an accident.  One stork is up for promotion and is tasked with termination.  This termination is what makes the story along with a letter.

  My kids and I all enjoyed the movie.  This isn't a freak occurrence.  Sometimes I like something and they don't.  Also I can rate this movie good because I didn't have to take anyone to the bathroom .  I could start rating movies with toilet icons based on how many times I have to take a child sometimes.  The were able to provide a summary of the movie, retell funny parts and laugh throughout the movie.  I enjoyed it as it was funny and entertaining.  The jokes are not geared towards adults as much as most animated films are.  This is a very funny wholesome movie.  The colors are bright, the babies are adorable and use this show as a springboard to learn more about storks.

  During the movie....... the question does rise of where do babies come from.

  You have to watch it to find out.  I did and now I know!

Meal Plan 9/26 - 9/30

  I have found that a meal plan works for so many reasons in my home.

1.  I know at 0800 what I'm eating and what time to start cooking because I will also know how long it will take me.

2.  Saves me an excuse of eating out as I already have a plan.

3.  Helps clear out my pantry.

4.  I can easily gauge groceries we need for the week or ahead of time based on meals.

5.  It does save money both with minimal or at least planned shopping.


  I surf the Internet and find new recipes as well as use some recipes from my favorite bloggers and tried and true recipes I have on hand.  The meals will vary weekly from slow cooker, vegetarian, seafood or good old breakfast for dinner.  I may have a random night out and a leftover night but for the most part everything will be done at home!


9/26 Tuna Casserole
http://wholesomemommy.com/real-food-remake-cheesy-mac-tuna-casserole/

9/27 Gnocchi Soup
http://therecipecritic.com/2016/09/creamy-chicken-gnocchi-soup-olive-garden-copycat/

9/28 Chili
http://mixandmatchmama.com/dinner-tonight-sweet-corn-chili/

9/29 Chicken
http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/05/chicken-lazone.html?m=1

9/30 Leftovers
It is every man and child for themselves!

  Ok there it is.  There are a couple things I still need to buy to make this work so we shall see how close I get this week.  After our grocery shopping I will plan for the month of  October.

A field trip of reality

Today my daughters and I wanted to experience the Compassion Experience.  I have the typical needy, greedy teens that are oblivious to the world around them so I thought this would be a nice peek into a world they don't know.

You can make reservations online or walk in is available.  I wasn't sure how popular this program was in my area so I didn't try my luck and just made reservations.  When we arrived (on time) we waited less then 5 minutes.

You are suited up with a listening device and headphones and placed in a small group based on the size of your party.  Your areas are tight quarters so they try to make it comfortable for everyone.

On our first stop we met Olive.  She was from Uganda.  We got a glimpse of her home.

We listened as she explained her school day.  She liked to play volleyball!

Carlos was next! His father had a drinking problem and eventually died.  Carlos was a smart boy and wanted to step up and take care of his family.

He knew he needed to get a job.  After a few things fell through he started dyeing string.  It hurt his hands and the smell was strong.

As with Olive we stopped in his school as well.  He had a robot he liked to play with.  School was always the place that represent fun, learning and play for the kids.

Last we listened to Kiwi.  Her father also had a drinking problem and her mom gave up a job out of the country to find something to do to keep her with her family.  They had rice to eat but they couldn't live on rice they needed more food then just that.

Kiwi's mom would sell rice at the market.  She had never tasted and apple because they couldn't afford one not even a rotten one.  

Another peek at school.  All the rooms had toothbrushes.  It was nice to see as hygiene at home was probably not the biggest priority at home.  The school representations were nice to see as the rooms were brighter, and livelier for each child regardless of the location.  When you visit a room in their home or stop at the market the area is dirty and loud.

In the last room the child is grown up and you get to see them in a current state.  A video plays and you can see them.  They state the job they have now, if they continued on to college, got married or had a family.  They suggest that you sponsor a child and when you step out of the room you are greeted with a wall of available children.

We enjoyed ourselves and it was a very moving experience.  I hope this will stir up more compassion towards others.

September Ipsy Bag (review)

  After research and discussing with several people I signed up at the beginning of the year for Ipsy.  Ipsy is a monthly subscription that is delivered to your door monthly in a cute reusable bag and with a variety of makeup both samples or full size products.

  After you sign up you answer various questions about your beauty favorites, process and routines.  What color are your eyes or hair?  Do you wear nailpolish?  Then decide what kind of look you like or what like you want such as classic, edgy or sporty.  Do you use brushes? Use facial cleanser?  Upon the completion of the survey the wheels are in motion to pack your bag for the shipment of the upcoming month.

  The bag arrives with about 5 products.  Each month it changes.  I have received a few brushes but its still a different set of items every month.  Even the colors and shades change monthly if you happen to lipstick or eyeshadow for a couple months in a row.

This powerful priming serum by Onomie was 0.17 FL oz. This serum also works as a radiance booster, and tone corrector.  It smells great and I used it one morning without makeup and you could see tiny flecks of gold.  I think it made me look extra alert and energized with fresh skin.  I would purchase this product and try it as a daily skin routine per the directions as a serum.

 Teaser is the shade of eyeshadow I received from Dirty Little Secret.  It was 1.5 grams so daily use will not get very far.  It went on evenly and without any clumping.  The shade was more of a beige color.

  This face mask by Nuxe was a .50 oz tube.  Directions indicate to apply and wash off for 10 minutes.  Whereas after that time frame my face felt smooth, soft and refreshed.  This is another great smelling product.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme at 1.5 grams will give me some super stunning lips that pop for weeks.  I did feel some tingling on my lips that eventually went away.  The lip plumper looks like gloss providing a shine while you wear it.  It looks nice on your lips as just a simple gloss but the softness you feel is undeniable.  I can't say I say or felt plumper but my lips felt great after wearing it so I would purchase this product again just for the lip tingling massage.

  Lastly, another great smelling product was some body butter.  I had a .7 oz tub of Inspire by Glow for a cause.  This was thick like body butter and left my skin feeling soft and with a light scent.  There are actually a few more scents and since this one is so nice I would love to try the others.

  I am pleased  with what I received in this month's bag and look forward to next month.  Each month $10 is automatically deducted from your account prior to the 1st of month shipment .  You are able to log on early and see what's in your upcoming bag but I hate doing that; I want the surprise if seeing it in person.

  If I have convinced you to try out the program sign up now and you should still have time to get the October bag.  I have provided my link for your convenience here.

All opinions stated are my own and I was not paid or compensated in any way.

Letter C preschool

Each week I try to keep it as simple as possible.  There's really no point in stressing myself out or my son.  If we are the learning process will not be productive.

He knows the desk will change with different objects.  I ask him throughout the day what objects start with that letter and I want him to look for the answers.  

He can find the answers on the desk.

In his little letter book.

Or his workbook.

I only ask him for 3 items.  We go over this daily and and then I randomly ask about the other objects.  He thinks he's slick.  His answer for A is apple tree, applesauce  and apple.

We worked on more worksheets this week and worked with a lot of hand eye coordination exercises.  Cutting, tracing and coloring.

We did a lot of free style number activities as well as color recognition.  These are easy things to do.  Pick a number and have the child bring that number.  Bring me something green or bring me 4 green items.

Bottom line make it fun.  If your having fun and making it a game the child will have fun and enjoy the interaction providing better results.

Playing with Leaves

  We had some downtime this week and through in some different leave art.  I enjoy using nature in art projects and the kids are amazed that it's even possible.

  We collected leaves and continue to collect them randomly for projects.

  I started with introducing my daughter to shading the leaf.

  She thought this activity was neat.  We had went outside and collected three different leaves.  Different sizes and shapes are the best!  I then showed her how to hold the crayon and shade over the leaf in order to get the best result.  After that it got better when we used several colors to shade one leaf versus one color.

  Next we taped a leaf to the window and she traced it.  This opened up new opportunities to her because she understands we are using the light from the other side to allow us to trace.  She is ready to trace everything now.

  Lastly I saw this activity on Pinterest.  Using coffee filters we drew leaves and cut them out.  Then dropped paint on the leaves allowing the colors to blend then dry and that's it.  We used food coloring which gave it the same effect I believe just a little messier.  Because of the filter the paints blend nicely and it looks so close to a real leaf.

  

The kids enjoyed their leaf play day.  I can't wait to do it again and am patiently waiting for some leave changes!

Festive String of Lights (review)

  Although summer is officially very there's still time to hang out and socialize outside.  More time can be spent outside in more comfortable conditions because the summer heat is considerably lower as well.

   Hanging out with your friends or family on your patio or poolside just got better with these festive lights.  These lights are solar powered which greatly helps if you don't have a outlet readily available or nearby.  The lights come with a stake of which you can leave in the ground to obtain your solar power.  Of course the lights can be used in your home too.  They don't take up very much room and if you decide to leave them up just make sure there is a window to charge the solar pack.

  The lights are a nice soft light in primary colors.  The solar box allows you to turn on and off the lights as well as change the mode of the lights from constant to blinking lights.

  The lights were ready to use out the box once you unraveled them.  Think of unravel like folding a map back after you opened it. You are able to string them however you see fit and have some leftover cord to hide the solar pack if you desire.  The dragonflies are made of plastic.  You can see detail in them both with the lights on or off.  They are space evenly apart so you can see all the colors without appearing like a blob.

I received this product for free for review purposes and all opinions are my own.


To find out more about this product or order click here.

The Night Voyage (review)

You can almost tell by the beautiful decorated cover that this is a very thought out book.  That this book is not your average book.  That this is a book that can take you on an extraordinary journey.

This book is a coloring book in the sense that the pictures on the pages are blank.  The pictures are so detailed and the portray the story with little to no words.  This is a story coloring book.  I do not write adult coloring book with strong hesitation but, if you know the artist and their capability you can make the right decision if this book were to be given as gift.

The story follows a little girl through her dreams.  She has presents to give out and she takes different modes of transportation, sees many different things as well as has a companion along the way.  There doesn't seem to be a dull moment on her journey although toward the end she falls asleep. 

 Follow her on her journey.  Coloring the pages will only make this book more magical and pretty.  The artwork alone is stunning.  Who doesn't want to look at a book filled with presents and happiness?  This would even make a great gift colored by one individual and presented to another.

Because of the intricate detail on each page I would reserve caution to more fine tuned artists.  Each page is filled both large and small work to be filled in.  Most pages have a white background but there were a couple with shaded.  Pages held a variety of shapes, different positions of pictures resulting in some tricky coloring.  Some pictures were in the crease of the book.  Bold lines for you to follow (or stay in).  As well as empty space on some pages allowing for your own background or not.

This is a gorgeous book and I can only hope to do it justice as I color in it.  It is definitely no a book you would sit down and finish in one day nor, maybe coloring it with children or kaos around.  Pull this book out on quiet relaxing afternoons!

I am in awe of the author Daria Song  and would like to look at more of her work.  She truly has a talent.

I received this book from Blogging for books for this review.  All opinions are my own. 

Find out more about the book here.

Week 2 letter B

The letter b made for a fun letter.  We were able to get outside and take advantage of some b focused activities as well as our indoor work to include computer time as well as worksheets, and crafts.

We made a boat this week using a paper plate, popsicle stick, toilet paper roll and a scrap of paper.

One of our sensory bins has more then enough beans for us to borrow some to glue to our big letter b.

Changed up our folder for a small white board to practice letters, numbers and shapes.

B is also for bubbles so I told him he could wash his trucks.  I filled up the sandbox with water and soap and let him loose.  

One one trucks clean you just move on to another one.

  A little bike ride to finish our b week off.

Along with our building for the week of boxes!

I chalk this up as practice for when it comes to robots and I need to use another object like metal.  We used all my review boxes ad two lids from shoe boxes.  He came out kind cute.  He was taller then my youngest kids so that made him impressive and I had my daughter make his face.

B was anything but boring.