Take back your Turf Thursday -finding the light when you are surrounded by dark

Today was one of those days!After a week of no sleep.Also getting our rental up after our renters bailed on us.I woke up with a migraine.I couldn't function.I couldn't try to clean up my messy house due to being at the rental every moment.

After my kids got home all chaos.I was nagging the kids were oblivious! My daughter was pushing all my buttons.I had forgot that a friend was going to pick my kid up for soccer.She showed up I was bawling and we weren't ready! How can I embrace this chaos?

The baby has a infection on his diaper area and as I was pulling up to get his ointment he was screaming in the pharmacy drive through.I turned car off.My battery died because I turned the car off but not the lights.Are you getting an idea of how I felt about my day?

Then I see the most beautiful sights in the sky.I am going to start over cleaning and hopefully getting sleep again.What I realize upon reflection, is after the storm ,when it seems the darkest clouds are overhead, a ray of light breaks through and it is stronger than the darkness.God is always there and always watching.He is my light and my life.

R is for remember,race and roll

Scripture:Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Letter:R
Color:Red
Nursery Rhyme:where is baby?(to the tune of where is Thumbkin?)

R is for remember.We started off by talking about all the flags we were seeing.The colors of the flag are red,white and blue.We talked about America.Today we remember 9/11 and the attack on Twin Towers.my kids like most of the kids this generation did not know about the story of 9 /11 so I want to teach my preschooler.I showed him a picture of the towers and we talked about what errors was basically it was a really bad guy or bully.he said did they get put in timeout?So cute right?we talked about heroes and how the people to give up their lives on the plane and in the towers and fighting to save the people were heroes.Then,I found this video on YouTube called Through a child's eye- 9/11 tribute

We did still do some fun letter R activities.R is for race.We had fun racing each other to see who was the fastest.We also ran outside to see how far we can run in 10 seconds.In addition we also play the game to see who could be quiet the longest.R is for run.What other things can you race?Cars?Airplanes?What boy wouldn't love that?

For baby:For the next activity we need a bowl and a ball. I put the ball inside the bowl the baby was delighted to watch as he tried to grab the ball. It is a great practice for fine motor skills and you get so excited when he would get the ball.He is 7 months now and is sitting up pretty much on his own.At one point he flipped over the bowl and started drumming on it.My 3 year old wanted to join in so he got whole bunch of pots and pans and they were drumming together as we sang nursery rhymes we also for class to the rhythm of the nursery rhymes.

For the next activity we gotta ball and passed it back and forth to each other.R is for roll.He is doing plenty a rolling around and scooting all on his own.Big boy!

Meditation Monday -Why don't we go for it?

It seems like it was not long ago I Ieft my parents to move and get married to a place where I didn't know anyone. All my childhood friends gone.I only knew my husband and his family.When I moved I had bronchitis and I was lonely.But, I just had the happiest day of my life,why was I having such a hard time?
To make any kind of decision requires some sacrifices.Some of life's choices require a leap of faith.If only we had a crystal ball to see if we will be happy with our choice.These choices can be hard and accepting the outcome of them is even harder.What if we know what we want to do but we don't do it? I knew I wanted to write this blog but I didn't do it for a while.Why don't we just jump in? There are 3 obstacles we must overcome before we make a hard decisions.They are the following
1.Negative thoughts.No one can hurt us more than ourselves.A few negative thoughts and we are ready to put on the breaks! However this first obstacle is important because, then we feel we have thought it through.If we think of all the negative then we think of the positive.However,sometimes we are positive until these negative thoughts creep in.If we decide to move forward then the second obstacle comes into play.2.The roles we play.We are mothers/fathers,wives/husbands,homemaker,friend and so on.When we hit this obstacle we fear it will affect these roles or they just occupy our time till that is all we have time for.Think of for each role and its jobs.Visualize that for each role and its jobs you are handed a book.Pretty soon it is too much and you have to let something good go.
Last if we make it past 1 or 2 ,the last obstacle is the hardest to overcome.3.Not taking action.We have to get past the thinking and planning and do it!There are many reasons to not take action after we have thought it through and made sure we have time.It can be fear,or not knowing where to start.Maybe our family or friend has expressed concern and now we are having second thoughts.We may be all ready and then we push it and pack it away in the back of our minds.Then it is really hard to do it and it is a dream we have that one day we will.
I wish I knew how to overcome these obstacles.I could give you a "how to" formula.Sometimes it just takes time.Other times we just keep getting stuck on these 3 obstacles and we cycle through them over and over.At some point we accept it and decide whatever happens we will endure.Once there is true acceptance we can jump in!

If you are holding back from doing something ask yourself truly why?Are you stuck in this same way of thinking?Is what you think is holding you back really just you and fear? I hope if you have put something off that you will look at it again and leap.Do you really fail if you are trying?Or do you fail because you quit trying?

Breathe,relax and be calm

Take back your Turf Thursday-How to make your to do list dissapear.Ta da!

How many of us have a long to do list everyday? Isn't it discouraging when half of it stares you in the face like a dark cloud hanging over your head.I have caught myself on many occasions saying "I have so much to do!"I sounded like a broken record.Not to mention it is so discouraging not to get everything done.A while ago I posted about a system I use with note cards.I sorted all my jobs into yearly,monthly,weekly and daily.It seems with 4 small children I have a hard time doing the daily things.I still use this system.If I don't get to all my cards I move it to the next day and the next day until I get to it..There are only a few tasks that have to get done like laundry,dishes and things like paying bills or for a church activity or a party.You can't have a party if you didn't decorate or make/buy the cake.Appointments also take time and grocery shopping.They are also more time consuming.On days when I have appointments and shopping I do not set myself up for failure by having a huge to do list of things I have to do that day.

Now here comes the fun part! Set your timer for 15 minutes.Those who have been following me know I love timers! Why does this crazy lady like timers? I like them because it gives me a time frame in which to complete a task.What if I am not done when the timer goes off? Stop look at what you have done and decide if you want or can keep going.In a dramatic announcement of sorts the word ta da is often used.One day I worked really hard to clean the whole house while my husband was away.When he got home I couldn't wait to show him.He walked in and I said ta da.I. dawned on me then how happy I was because he was thrilled and I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. I don't have to do lists anymore.I have ta da lists.Look at what I have done today!Then you should feel good about it and hopefully a little less stressed or overwhelmed.You are that much closer to your goals.

Apparently this ta da list is not a new thing.I want to give credit where credit is due.I found a site where you can you create a ta da list.They are retiring the original ta da list but have a good replacement!

How to rock out with letter R

 Scripture:Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Letter:R
Color:red
Shape:Triangle
Nursery Rhyme:Where is baby(tune of where is Thumbkin)See my previous post for words and actions.
Music and movement-
Song to introduce Names:Hi my name is Joe (insert child's name)
I live in a button factory with my Mama and my Papa and my family.
One day,my boss came up to me.
He said "Hi Joe,are you busy?
I said"No."
Turn (or push)the button with your right hand.
Repeat and when you get to turn the button add with your left hand,right foot,left foot,head or instead of hand you could do elbows.Be creative with this wacky song.
R is for running.Have kids run in place or in a circle.They could also race down the hall or classroom.
R is for rocket.Have child crouch down and count backwards 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1...blast off!My little guy loved this one.He is ready to blast off with cars in hand.

Craft:Rocket with child's name
Need:red construction paper and whatever colors you want.Make a medium size triangle and a large rectangle.Then make smaller squares to put each letter of their name.We need 5 squares for my Preschooler.

Then assemble your Rocket. Put triangle on top of rectangle.Then take your squares and have child arrange in order his name.

We had to do these straw rockets.All you need is paper and a straw.It was really cute to see my 3 year old take a huge breath in and then barely blow into the straw.He also kept biting it so it blocked the air.Kids are too funny!When my older kids got home they begged to make some too!The one on the top my 8th grader made on his own design.He is also really good at paper airplanes!

Here is another variation that we tried.

If you give a boy some cars........

If you give a boy some cars.....

My little 3 year old has been begging me to play cars.We made ramps.We raced.Ready ....set....go! Go starts with G.I made lines on a paper and right away he knew I was making a parking lot.In some of the stalls I wrote letters B,U,G and R.There are days where the lesson plan goes out the window.I asked him to park his car in the letter B spot and so on.We talked about how it was rectangle.I made a bigger spot to park his tractor because it was too big for the other spots.

He will want to make a parking lot!

After they park they will want to sleep.

When they wake up the cars will want to go for a swim.

The boy and his Mom will talk about what sinks and floats.

He will want to make a boat.

When he is done in the water.He will dry off his cars.

Chances are if you give him more cars.....

He will want to make a parking lot.

This week we are learning respect.
Scripture:Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Letters:G and R
Nursery Rhyme:Where is baby?written by Kristianne R.(to the tune of Where is Thumpkin)
Where is baby(put your hands over your eyes)
Where is baby?
There he/she is(take hands down so baby can see your face and a big smile)
There he/she is.
How are you this morning?(shake gently right hand or foot)
Very well, I thank you.(shake left hand or foot)
Run away (put one hand over your eye)
Run away(put other hand over your other eye)
Repeat

Tomorrow we start working on names and the letter R.

A spa day with with your daughter that is a must!

Want to know what to do with your daughter,cousin,niece,sister or your best friend? I am going to show you how deliciously fun and easy it is to do! Sit back breathe and prepare to relax!

1.Make a mask for not only you and your guest but for their dolls too! I used cornstarch and water to make a paste.My daughter loved it!

2.We made this edible  chocolate facial
All you need is cocoa powder,honey and Greek yogurt!

3.We soaked our piggies in warm bath salt.You can buy some or make your own.That can be part of the day.Her doll had her own chair.LOVE it!

4.Toes glistened with polish.We used pom poms to separate our toes.

5.Our nails on our hands wanted to join in! Cute hand shot of my little girl who is growing so fast!

6.We ended by enjoying chocolate kisses and real ones.Awwwwww. Of course we had extra of our facial to dip fruit in.

Now we are all pampered and relaxed.Dad and the rest of the clan came back and now......