Flowers for me!

I received beautiful flowers on this snowy day…from a day care mom, whose day was rougher than mine…she went into the ditch this afternoon. She said “You do so much and thank you for being you”. That made my day {& more really!}
Recently another parent said “You know, no one else does what you do.” Well I kind of believe that. There’s a lot of other good providers out there but I run my day care like a preschool which I believe she was referring to.  She referred me to a coworker. The coworker came for an interview and it looks like a good match for both of us. The coworker told the current parent “She’s crazy! I don’t know how she does all that.”  The parent said, yes, that’s what I was looking for. Someone who does a lot {with the kids}. Then said current parent emailed me asking if I would be charging the hourly rate for both children once her newborn arrives…ummm…yes!  {I suppose she was wondering if there will be a discounted rate for 2.} Sometimes I don’t know if I should feel appreciated or not. Today I do.

Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down! Jar

Today at circle time I introduced a new activity. Each child drew a slip of paper and then we decided “thumbs up” or “thumbs down”.  I’m trying to reinforce good manners, the rules, and using better words, etc.




This went over *very* well and the kids contributed to the conversation with suggestions and examples. My plan is to keep adding to the jar as I see things we need to address as things come up.   The plastic jar was about $2.00 from Jo-Ann Fabrics.



 I also added things like “Give Stacy hugs.”  “Asking for help in the bathroom if you need it.” 


Before going out to play, we reviewed the rules: 
“Throwing snow at friends” Thumbs up? or thumbs down?
“Sharing swings?”
“Playing with everyone?”
“Pushing?”
“Having fun?”
I hope this continues to be as positive as it is today!

Indecisive…

That’s the way I’ve been lately. It used to be I would make something or change something and I’d either love it or it wouldn’t stay. Now it seems to take me time to like something but eventually it grows on me or I just decide to live with it, I’m not sure which. Maybe I’m too picky or do weird things?? Anyway, I’ve been trying to pull this room together for a long time. When we moved here it was a little girl’s room with this pink carpeting and a flowered border. We painted the walls the light color & everything else continues to change. I decided we’d live with the pink carpeting because I can make it work and it’s in good shape.  I like pink. Just not pink carpeting.  Someday, hopefully before long, all the flooring in this house will be updated…Quite a while ago, I bought these two pieces of pink embossed die-cut scrapbook paper. They are the right color and  I thought I must be able to make something with them for this room. Here’s what I came up with – and what I’ve been indecisive about. I really like the frames but do I like them here? {I like that picture but it's too small over the bed by itself so I wanted to add something...} That’s the question. I decided I do!
I used spray adhesive to apply the linen type fabric to the back of the clip frames and trimmed around the edges. Then I used spray adhesive again to add the scrapbook paper over the fabric.
I used my Silhouette to cut the vinyl flowers that are applied to the top of the frames. I love how they turned out!

I also added the frame on the far right. I took out the glass and added fabric to the back (spray adhesive again) and hot glued on the “dream” sign and dragonfly. Before they were just hanging on the wall but I like what this frame added.
Next in this room. The far right wall is bare I’m thinking of adding something there – wedding pictures of grandparents, and parents?
The bench needs to be recovered and a new full length mirror.

Brett’s Piano Recital

This is Brett’s 2nd year of taking lessons. It’s not his favorite thing to do but he actually does quite well in spite of making little effort. Some day that might not work out so well for him, but for now he gets away with it. Even if he doesn’t practice a lot, I figure he’s gaining something at lessons. He knows he can’t quit and he does enjoy the lesson, just not practicing. Mostly I think he’d rather be doing something else and he’s learned he has to trade his time in and it goes fast! Today he was quite nervous but he did great and he was happy when he was done. We kept reminding him to bow when he was done because most of the kids were forgetting so that’s his awkward little bow at the end.

Brett playing “Robots”

With Ms. Robyn. After the recital there was punch & cookies.

Everyone who played at the 1:00 pm recital. There was also a 2:00 pm & 3:00 pm session.

Cozy Winter Hats

We had a snowy morning so we made a winter project today.

I liked this idea from The Mailbox Dec/Jan 2010 issue: Glue lengths of colorful ribbon and yarn to a simple hat cutout. (The one I used was a pattern in the book.) Then attach a cotton ball (or pom pom) to the top of the hat. When the glue is dry, trim the ends of the ribbon and yarn so they are flush with the cutout.

These hats did turn out adorable!

Dress Up Jobs: Bankers

When we learned about bankers, we used a box with a paper dial that could be turned like opening a bank vault. We talked about banks: they keep money safe for us. The vault has a big lock that must be opened with numbers to get the money out. Great activity for learning about numbers: we drew three cards and turned the dial to those numbers before opening it. The vault got played with a lot.

We learned about coins & paper dollars being different.  We will talk more about money in February during President’s day. 

The kids first said that bankers “sell money”. I explained that we take our money to the bank  to keep it safe and so we can easily spend it (like write a check or use our cards to take money out when we buy something) but even though the bank has lots of money, they will only give us our money. We can’t have as much money as we want. The bank books were a really fun activity that I think was a great learning experience. Each child got $5.00. They could bring as much money to the bank as they wanted but then could only withdraw that much money. They enjoyed the record keeping part of filling in the triangles and circles for “spend” or “save”.

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Pay Day Song (that even you can sing!):

Sing to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”

Work, work, work and do

Something that you love.

At the end of the day, you'll receive your pay

Then put in the bank today.

Here’s the bank books we used:

Loved these ideas & activities from Mother Goose Time!

All By Myself!

I loved these pictures from yesterday when pouring water was introduced at snack time.

They said “That was awesome!”

C said “I can’t believe I poured all by myself!”  Yes, we’ll be doing more of it now that we’ve finally tried it. 

Counting 1-10 Sticker Page

Today we worked on counting up to ten using stickers.  I keep an envelope full of odd stickers for projects like this. We get free stickers in the mail, people give me stickers (this happens a lot because they figure I can use them with the day care) and some are left over from other activities.

The younger ones participated too.  This was his first time with stickers I think. I peeled them off (as fast as I could) and handed them to the boys to put on their paper. Usually if kids need help peeling off stickers, I do it for them and stick the sticker on the top of their hand so they can pick them off there and use them. These two boys were a little confused with that, thinking the sticker should stay on their hand so that didn’t work today!

Very busy with stickers.

Just had to add this picture…looking so big with a haircut & standing like this!

1-10 sticker page

2011-2012 Pocket Calendar Cover

Calendar/checkbook cover made with {mostly} Hopscotch from Shabby Shoppe. Each year I make one for Gramma R & myself. Personally I don’t use the calendar much but I also add my two checkbooks, one on each side, and clip on a pad of deposit slips to the calendar. It works really well to have it all together in one place. This way we always have current pictures with us to share with others.  The cover is one of those $1.00 calendars from Michael’s. This was created in Creative Memories Storybook Creator. I had to play with the size to get it to print the right dimensions. Shabby Shoppe also has pocket calendar templates ready made. I’m looking forward to enjoying this one all year long! Yours looks just like this Mom!

Windows Live Writer

I recently discovered Windows Live Writer. I downloaded it here:  http://explore.live.com/windows-live-writer?os=other

It’s an easy way to blog. Basically, instead of going into Blogger and creating a new blog post, you create it in Windows Live Writer.  It looks very much like Word if you’re used to using Word to create documents.  {I’m explaining this the best I can so stay with me.}

What’s neat is there’s an edit tab where you create your post. Then there’s a preview tab which shows how it will look on your exact blog.  Yes, I know you can do that in Blogger but you know how formatting and pictures shift?  I don’t have that happening here!

Also, you can format your pictures differently like you can in Word. You can have shadows, make it look like a Polaroid, recolor or crop them, blur, add an outline, etc. You can also add albums or slide shows. Easily insert videos, maps, emoticons, post tags, tables and lots more with Plug-ins.   You could blog even when you don’t have internet access.

Then you just hit “publish” and it updates your blog.

It took me minutes to figure out, it’s that easy. What’s going to be so helpful for me, I just realized, is that I can blog from Windows Live for both of my blogs. Currently, because my day care blog is private, I have to log out of one blog and log in to the other. This will really save me time!  I’m sure I haven’t discovered the half of it, but it is really easy so check it out if you’re frustrated with the Blogger posting method. Or even if you’re not because I wasn’t really.  I think it’s way cool.  {And yes, that’s how I easily am adding a watermark to all my pics. Was that one of your questions J?? }

A Few Projects

Today I finished a few little projects:
I
I used my Silhouette to do some glass etching. “WARM” on the candle holder.  There’s a smaller candle inside with a bead garland around it. It doesn’t show up dramatically but I like it. It could look different with another color of candle or filler inside. The “R” vase in the bathroom:  It doesn’t look perfectly smooth but it does look nice in person.  Some of that is lint from the towel I wiped the glass with...


A. asked how I like my Silhouette. Well, I love it when I get to use it! I really haven’t had as much time to use it as I’d like. For a while I was waiting on the supply pack to show up that wasn’t shipped with the machine. Finally it arrived so I could try some vinyl projects.  I did find out afterwards that Hobby Lobby carries some colors of vinyl which is handy!
I’m still learning how to cut intricate designs. It’s a bit frustrating to cut a design and then have to punch it out and it rips. So maybe some cardstocks I need to use different settings on. I know it will do fun stuff!! I’m finding it helpful to look at ideas on this Flickr Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/silhouettemachine/  I’m also interested in the sketch pens but I don’t have them yet; they are sold separately. I’m thinking with this machine I should be able to make more cards. I’m just not a card maker but I do like them and I think I will enjoy it using this method.
Last week I picked up this mirror at Goodwill for $6.99. I took it apart and spray painted the frame.

Here's how it looks now:

I’m not done yet with over the bed. I’m struggling with the 3 pictures on the wall to the left and then a different picture over the bed…I’m not sure I like them all together although I like the group of three and I want to use the one over the bed somewhere in the room…

Speaking of projects…. Damon put up these shelves for me but now I need to find coordinating {larger} frames and decide what pictures to put in them.  The whole ordeal shown here is a disaster - I know that - I’m not done!  And speaking of disasters, I ordered that picture on the top right as a canvas. A large canvas. And I’m not so sure I like it. No doubt it’s a snapshot, not a high quality image and it is what it is. The colors are actually more vibrant than it looks here. But it’s growing on me. We’ll see if it stays.  I do kind of like Brett’s Creative Memories Storybook displayed up there! Not sure if it will stay though. Isn’t that just an ideal place for a return vent?  Nice.

All for now.