tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84110364178329285882024-03-12T18:09:43.422-06:00Stay At Home Mom PlansA teacher wouldn't start her day without a plan. A mother shouldn't either.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-8574045280056582882015-11-21T12:13:00.005-07:002015-11-21T12:30:02.288-07:00FREE Printable Letter to Santa part 3You may see I have all but abandoned this blog, but I do still use it for as a reference for fun activities I've done in the past and might like to do again. One <a href="http://stayathomemomplans.blogspot.com/2013/10/free-printable-santa-letter-stationary.html" target="_blank">post I revisit</a> every year is one where I simply linked to some cute Christmas themed printable stationary. This year, I decided to create my own stationary and link it here for you to use, too. I may feel creative and add more later so if you don't like what you see check back. I might have something new!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii24nl85IB1cQhG_DVeyG5OTn3n94l291yxB1MoMzgwK8nOXF7AtU_xcffYcatI8LkDR38tzAfLfAUhHq-Wa7852l_ou4E3ATRtCdddrPB0jGORLYHg97p9hBELWBpez9-uGixN7y96cxM/s1600/xmas+stationary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii24nl85IB1cQhG_DVeyG5OTn3n94l291yxB1MoMzgwK8nOXF7AtU_xcffYcatI8LkDR38tzAfLfAUhHq-Wa7852l_ou4E3ATRtCdddrPB0jGORLYHg97p9hBELWBpez9-uGixN7y96cxM/s640/xmas+stationary.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://document.li/590w" target="_blank">Click here for downloadable PDF</a></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-50321817764856299672015-11-15T17:07:00.000-07:002015-11-15T17:07:39.416-07:00Make Your Own Ice Crystal OrnamentsI found this cute kid project at <a href="http://happyhooligans.ca/">HappyHooligans.ca</a> I really enjoyed reading their post about making this with their kids, so please <a href="http://happyhooligans.ca/crystallized-icicle-ornaments-borax-pipe-cleaners/" target="_blank">go check it out</a>. However, when I go to do things with my own kids I don't want to be scrolling through a pretty blog post full of giant, lovely pictures. I want the instructions, short and sweet so I can just craft. I condensed their post for convenience, but this is not my idea or my picture. Even most of the words are theirs. You should definitely check them out because this is only one of hundreds of cute ideas they've shared. I'm sure you'll find more to love there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbdtkXx_4aHOrWhYqPmtdChHiHAFv_52vgXskhyDdNUCtsAO3X3Y-KkUNgnH9oSLwrDG94EfU-SnHlFBvLLiiEuKHdR-oTaWTQkF2dsgV4J4S6TIGmzWTnFx0pfXMnCRPxMWG_dbNvbaO/s1600/ice+crystal+ornaments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbdtkXx_4aHOrWhYqPmtdChHiHAFv_52vgXskhyDdNUCtsAO3X3Y-KkUNgnH9oSLwrDG94EfU-SnHlFBvLLiiEuKHdR-oTaWTQkF2dsgV4J4S6TIGmzWTnFx0pfXMnCRPxMWG_dbNvbaO/s640/ice+crystal+ornaments.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happyhooligans.ca/crystallized-icicle-ornaments-borax-pipe-cleaners/" target="_blank">Click here to see the Happy Hooligans post.</a></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-67236411854404137242015-10-13T10:02:00.003-06:002015-10-13T10:02:51.050-06:00Develop Confidence! 3 Tips from TED-EdThis video was in my Facebook feed yesterday. I like it so much I want to always know where to find it, so I'm sharing it here. It was created in partnership with the #LikeAGirl campaign, but it's great advice for everyone. We can always use more confidence. <br />
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<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation/videos/1067569329922939/">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation/videos/1067569329922939/">3 tips to boost your confidence</a><br />
Happy #InternationalDayoftheGirl! To celebrate the occasion, check out this lesson on confidence we made in partnership with the Always #LikeAGirl campaign:<br />
Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation">TED-Ed</a> on Sunday, October 11, 2015</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin This Image!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-89345700971257127882014-10-21T11:53:00.000-06:002014-10-21T11:53:01.080-06:00Cooking with Kids: To Die For Blueberry MuffinsMy girls asked me to make blueberry muffins when they had friends spend the night. Of course I wanted extra good ones to impress their friends so I looked for a really good recipe. I found one called To Die For Blueberry Muffins that truly did look like they might be to die for. I whipped them up. and sure enough they almost were to die for. My girls (ages 11 and 8) asked to make them on their own today. The recipe is simple so I just turned them loose. (We have cooked together enough that they know how to measure correctly, spoon flour into a cup instead of scooping it, etc.) They did need a bit of help from me, but mostly they did it all on their own. Our crumble doesn't turn out like the one in the picture, but it does taste delicious. In the end, that's what matters most, right?<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
To Die For Blueberry Muffins</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/" target="_blank">Click Here for Original Recipe</a><br />
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Makes 8 - 12 muffins depending on the size of your muffin tins. Our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003W0UMPI?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B003W0UMPI&linkCode=shr&tag=lostcatbooksc-20&linkId=ZBJ7LTMRMKPNOK5G" target="_blank">standard Wilton pan</a> makes 12.</div>
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Ingredients:</h2>
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Batter</h3>
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<li>1 1/2 C all purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 C granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. salt</li>
<li>2 tsp. baking powder</li>
<li>1/3 C vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/3 C milk</li>
<li>1 C fresh blueberries (we used frozen and it worked fine)</li>
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<li>1/2 C granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/3 C all purpose flour (we plan to add a bit more next time - our topping was more crusty than crumbly)</li>
<li>1/4 C butter, cubed</li>
<li>1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon</li>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">(My 11 year old mixed the batter all alone. My 8 year old mixed the topping with just a little help from me.)</span></h2>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Combine 1 1/2 C flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place 1/3 C vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups almost to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture. </span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>To Make Crumb Topping:</b> Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking. This is a great job for younger helpers.</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.</span></span></li>
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<li data-grams="3.45" data-ingredientid="16386" data-role="recipe-ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 200px;"><label style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /><div class="fl-ing" itemprop="ingredients" style="border: 0px; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 175px;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-86981097288655944382014-10-16T10:11:00.000-06:002014-10-16T10:11:46.478-06:00 The Radiator Springs 500 1/2 - Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator SpringsMy little boy wasn't even alive when the first Cars movie hit theaters and now he's six but it's still a very popular movie, especially at our house. It seems he can't get enough of the funny characters, especially Mater, who has only gotten sillier in the Cars Toons series of shorts. This summer The Radiator Springs 500 1/2 was released and we've watched it at least 1,000 times. If you have a Cars fan but haven't seen this fun short yet, you can watch it below.<br />
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Thanks Disney!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="http://video.disney.com/embed/4ff60dbfef1fd7b420f27984" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-70170797068659609072014-03-13T10:16:00.001-06:002014-03-13T10:28:29.925-06:00Fun with Fractured Fairy Tales<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ittybittyurl.com/1N09" target="_blank">Buy Dog Tales Here</a></td></tr>
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A fractured fairy tale is a classic fairy tale, told with a twist. My kids love reading them. One of our favorite books is Dog Tales, a collection of fairy tales featuring dogs instead of people, who have names like Rapawnzul and Little Red Riding Hound. Cats are always the villains, dogs wear dresses and every story has a funny quirk. <br />
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These books are fabulous ways to engage with kids as you read together. Especially with younger kids who may not be familiar enough with the original stories to really find the humor in the fractured tales, I like to start by reading the un-fractured version. Then I introduce the silly one and tell the kids I want them to see if they spot any differences between the two. They love pointing out how the books differ, but also how they are the same. This is a really great way to truly engage in story time. <br />
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Many kids also love writing their own fractured tales. When they first begin, their stories will probably mirror the ones you've read. That's okay. They're still building those story teller muscles. As kids get older and become more experienced writers, their stories will be more original and even more fun to read. To ratchet the fun level even higher, involve the whole family in writing a new story. Assign your fastest writer as scribe and start throwing ideas out there. After the story is written, everyone can have a ball illustrating it. When you're finished, you'll have a terrific family heirloom. <br />
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There are many wonderful fractured fairy tales out there. Choose one had have fun!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-56906353466132458522014-01-09T10:21:00.000-07:002014-01-09T10:21:52.393-07:00Cabbage SteaksHere's another recipe I found on Facebook. I want to pin it, so I'm reposting it here. If this is your recipe, please contact me. I want to give you credit and link to your page!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQATjetQphbixFmPiCD_fnXrukqgQwzzVJ_zwGlg6AIOZkWMOfHaDL_9aU1ep0kcdqeMnMcCZxIZe6j3xf7NOSTWEHyYTuGTGz3Y89VXFE697lFt5KGecU5THpDgX60LzDGZ1gJl7WMK3/s1600/946104_608183189217818_358575237_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQATjetQphbixFmPiCD_fnXrukqgQwzzVJ_zwGlg6AIOZkWMOfHaDL_9aU1ep0kcdqeMnMcCZxIZe6j3xf7NOSTWEHyYTuGTGz3Y89VXFE697lFt5KGecU5THpDgX60LzDGZ1gJl7WMK3/s1600/946104_608183189217818_358575237_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is a simple side dish worthy of a dinner party and couldn’t be easier to make. Four ingredients, a couple of minutes to prepare and toss in the ov</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">en for an hour.<br /><br />Ingredients<br />1 (approx 2lb) head of organic green cabbage, cut into 1″ thick slices<br />1.5 tablespoons olive oil<br />2 to 3 large garlic cloves, smashed<br />kosher salt<br />freshly ground black pepper<br />spray olive oil OR non-stick cooking spray<br /><br />Instructions:<br />1. Preheat oven to 400F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Pull outer leaf off cabbage (it’s usually dirty and nasty looking), cut cabbage from top to bottom (bottom being root) into 1″ thick slices.<br /><br />2. Rub both sides of cabbage with smashed garlic.<br /><br />3. Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the olive oil over both sides of the cabbage slices.<br /><br />4. Finally, sprinkle each side with a bit of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.<br /><br />5. Roast on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Carefully flip the cabbage steaks and roast for an additional 30 minutes until edges are brown and crispy. </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Serve hot and Enjoy!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-34814861202491958612013-12-26T19:12:00.000-07:002013-12-26T19:12:55.654-07:00Alton Brown's Christmas Eve SoupThat darned Pinterest... It's such an easy and pretty way to organize everything I like on line. I've become so dependent on it that I'm at a loss when I find something I like without an image. If I can't Pin It, how in the world will I remember it? Then I had a thought. When I find something I really like for my kids, I blog about it and I can come right back to it in a snap. That led to the bright idea to blog about these imageless finds, add my own image, and voila! It's on my blog AND I can pin it! I love it. :)<br />
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This recipe if for Alton Brown's Christmas Eve Soup. I found it on his Facebook page, but of course you can't pin from Facebook... So here's the image:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V2fnZX4wIWheetMy5eCmHV-z9EPj23wp-kDOmMmeNAGwnzo678Pgx5o51pWLBjJXlttb0Ngmjna86H6EEXC3wxPr0_-CdgQOeosYdU4UC1sfMHwRzwtWQf8rTKqQA2shR_5HikNi5CIC/s1600/1484208_763481570348120_1521918477_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V2fnZX4wIWheetMy5eCmHV-z9EPj23wp-kDOmMmeNAGwnzo678Pgx5o51pWLBjJXlttb0Ngmjna86H6EEXC3wxPr0_-CdgQOeosYdU4UC1sfMHwRzwtWQf8rTKqQA2shR_5HikNi5CIC/s400/1484208_763481570348120_1521918477_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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And here's the recipe:</div>
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<a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=271823759513906" href="https://www.facebook.com/altonbrown" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Alton Brown</a></div>
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We have this soup for dinner every Christmas Eve.<br />Christmas Soup - serve 6-8<br />14 ounces kielbasa, sliced into 1/4 inch thick disks on the bias<br />2 teaspoons vegetable oil, as needed <br />8 cloves garlic minced<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />1 pound red kidney beans, soaked at least 4 hours or overnight<br />2 quarts chicken broth <br />1 pound red potatoes cut into .5 inch cubes<br />6 ounces fresh kale washed, rinsed and torn into 1 inch pieces<br />¼ cup red wine vinegar <br />1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<br />½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />Brown the kielbasa in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium low heat until it has rendered most of its fat, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside. If you do not have at least 2 teaspoons of fat, add enough vegetable oil to make 2 teaspoons of fat.<br /><br />Cook the garlic in the fat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the beans and the chicken broth and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, stir in the potatoes, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Toss the kale into the pot, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or just until it is tender, but not mushy.<br /><br />Sprinkle with the red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine. Return the kielbasa to the pot and cook just until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-65105168110400338752013-11-18T10:19:00.000-07:002013-11-18T10:19:06.475-07:00Barbara Park, Junie B. Jones and My Reluctant Reader<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/lostcatbooksc-20/detail/0679826424" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtxfMvgNenf4detiM-SY6tTPyp5vv8xlVm4RKYaDgV-kS7ahOroaThZKZoTMYcJAKw95ZdkhlykTM4c2xG5rYrQqYuY8vsGl-yaJ9cDwrG-4yoifK25uLr0sPEMnmijc4znFfjZma46zs/s320/barbara-park-300.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My seven year old is a bit of a reluctant reader. She's a great reader, but she'd much rather draw or redecorate her room, and she rarely reads with out being told to - except when it comes to Junie B. Jones books. She simply loves Junie </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">B. and when I hear her randomly laughing in her room I know she's reading something like <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/lostcatbooksc-20/detail/0375822232" target="_blank">Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder</a> or <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/lostcatbooksc-20/detail/0375815163" target="_blank">Junie B. Jones First Grader at Last</a>. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh sure, the teacher in me hates that Junie B. uses incorrect grammar. The parent in me cringes a little every time Junie B.'s parents or teachers roll their eyes at her. However, the teacher in me loves that the teachers also explain consequences to Junie B. and obviously care about her. The parent in me loves that even though they are simple books and far below my daughter's ability they lure her in and encourage her to read and laugh. I love that they give her a positive mirror - Junie B. reflects my daughter's enthusiasm and exuberance almost perfectly. <br /><br />We were sad to learn this weekend of the passing of Junie's author, Barbara Park. We did smile as we read, in People Magazine's tribute to her, that when asked how she so accurately portrayed a six year old she said "I don't have a problem being six years old in my head," Park once explained during an interview with barnesandnoble.com. "It's almost embarrassing; if I'm talking to librarians or teachers who know my books and they say, 'How do you do this?' It's not a stretch." She was obviously a woman with a great sense of humor and not afraid to stay in touch with her younger self. Rest in Peace Ms. Park. Thank you for encouraging my daughter to read and laugh.</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">(Read the People tribute <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20756854,00.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-32037419674261376982013-10-24T11:47:00.001-06:002015-11-21T12:29:46.782-07:00FREE Printable Santa Letter Stationary part 2Just a quick post to share a fun find. Christmas is coming (less than two months away as I type) and this is a fun way to spice up letters to Santa. <a href="http://pixelmedesigns.com/free-santa-letter-printables/" target="_blank"> Pixel Me Designs </a>has created nine fun printables your kids are sure to love! Visit their <a href="http://pixelmedesigns.com/free-santa-letter-printables/" target="_blank">site</a> to choose your design and download.<br />
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<img alt="Santa-Dots-preview" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1212" src="http://pixelmedesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Santa-Dots-preview.png" height="330" style="border: none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;" width="255" /><a href="http://pixelmedesigns.com/free-santa-letter-printables/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.496094); font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;"> </span><span style="color: #cb3155; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.496094); font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;"><img alt="Santa-PinkDots-preview" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1215" src="http://pixelmedesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Santa-PinkDots-preview.png" height="330" style="border: none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;" width="255" /></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.496094); font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;"> </span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.496094); font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;">Enjoy!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-14031911484640111032013-09-24T08:58:00.000-06:002013-09-24T08:58:49.048-06:00Sedimentary Rock CookiesMy 2nd grader is studying rocks right now. They made these fun cookies in class this week, and her teacher shared the recipe on the class blog. I wanted to pin it, but didn't want to direct strangers to their class so I'm reblogging here. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMpa-ABus_eXNBdmM0HHRtBQ2t83RzT8GqZcD9H4Jdq730J5hIbEPD9ZGdftWZBJXZKceXJWDkEnJfbttiSl6aHERpQ2MlurMmOIWpzCN7PGSZcQjupAhBQXf0GkAWbFpvm_F4zxSSbyr/s1600/cartoon-chocolate-chip-cookie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMpa-ABus_eXNBdmM0HHRtBQ2t83RzT8GqZcD9H4Jdq730J5hIbEPD9ZGdftWZBJXZKceXJWDkEnJfbttiSl6aHERpQ2MlurMmOIWpzCN7PGSZcQjupAhBQXf0GkAWbFpvm_F4zxSSbyr/s1600/cartoon-chocolate-chip-cookie.png" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Recipe for the sedimentary rocks we made in class. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">1/2 c. butter</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">1 can sweetened cond. milk</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">1/2 pkg. choc. chips</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">1/2 pkg. butterscotch chips</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Use a 13 x 9 baking pan.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">1. Melt the butter in the baking pan.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">2. Sprinkle crumbs over the butter.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">3. Pour condensed milk evenly over the crumbs.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">4. Layer the remaining ingredients evenly over the top.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">5. Press down gently. Bake at 350 degrees. 25 - 30 mins. or until lightly brown.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">6. Let cool. Cut into bars. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">There are lots of fun rock activities all over the web if you'd like to do some with your own kids, and this is as sweet way to extend the learning!</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-69264110581475422202012-12-29T22:43:00.001-07:002015-02-27T07:54:58.282-07:00Easy Chicken and Rice DinnerThat darned Pinterest... It's such an easy and pretty way to organize everything I like on line. I've become so dependent on it that I'm at a loss when I find something I like without an image. If I can't Pin It, how in the world will I remember it? Then I had a thought. When I find something I really like for my kids, I blog about it and I can come right back to it in a snap. That led to the bright idea to blog about these imageless finds, add my own image, and voila! It's on my blog AND I can pin it! I love it. :)<br />
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Without further adieu... I found this recipe for Easy Chicken and Rice Dinner tonight at Cooks.com - no images there, even though their recipes are great. First things first - here's an image.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1639,151186-244203,00.html" target="_blank">Link to recipe at Cooks.com</a></td></tr>
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Now the recipe.<br />
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<div class="title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">
EASY SUNDAY CHICKEN DINNER</div>
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Printed from COOKS.COM</div>
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1 can mushroom soup<br />
1 can celery soup<br />
1 c. water<br />
1 1/3 c. uncooked rice<br />
1 env. Lipton onion soup mix<br />
5 whole boneless chicken breasts, divide in half making 10<br />
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika</div>
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Combine and place in 8 1/2 x 11 inch baking dish, the water, soups and rice. Place chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle the envelope of onion soup mix over chicken. Seal dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Serves 6-8.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-668993930377713712012-12-28T10:06:00.001-07:002012-12-28T13:57:50.382-07:00Color Fireman Sam!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5ecL9Om8f0Os2TWu6VBrLd0iZRFQUKHiykWXeUe2sMEODABihsw2wwi3GlyuF-2kHkFb2wJv5PbK0Bm-5rLhujuLUWeIr1HA0pAsdFHbRjBCb1hEGuFfLUV4z3SurqnNorr9OBgaUS7p/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5ecL9Om8f0Os2TWu6VBrLd0iZRFQUKHiykWXeUe2sMEODABihsw2wwi3GlyuF-2kHkFb2wJv5PbK0Bm-5rLhujuLUWeIr1HA0pAsdFHbRjBCb1hEGuFfLUV4z3SurqnNorr9OBgaUS7p/s320/2.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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My little boy has ZERO interest in coloring or writing or pretty much anything his sisters excelled at when they were four. Even getting him to hold a crayon is a triumph some days. He wants to drive his trucks and line up trains. I've been working hard to get him to at least scribble a little before he heads off to kindergarten. I often ask if he wants to draw or color and he usually says no. This morning he asked to watch Fireman Sam and I got the bright idea to ask if he wanted to color a picture of Sam while he watched. Today he said YES! I immediately looked printables on line. I found two sites full of great coloring pages. I'll share them here for other Fireman Sam fans, and so I can quickly find them again for my own little guy!</div>
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<a href="http://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=221" target="_blank">Site 1</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.colouringbookpages.co.uk/fireman-sam/" target="_blank">Site 2</a></div>
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Happy Coloring!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-61023782502513737182012-12-21T10:47:00.001-07:002012-12-21T10:47:27.027-07:00Printable Letter to Santa Template (Stationary)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://trcabcwww.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/ChristmasLettertoSantaPlacematColoringPage_bw.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for best print quality.</a></td></tr>
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I found this fun template/stationary for writing a letter to Santa. Of course I printed it for my kids, but I know I'll want to use it again and for some reason I couldn't pin it directly from the site. So, I'm linking to it here, where I know I'll be able to pin it. Click the link under the picture to go to the original site for the best print quality.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-52195157546575940902012-12-03T16:25:00.001-07:002012-12-03T16:25:10.977-07:002012 Xmas Cards<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbOGLlo0aNWJa&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/8AbOGLlo0aNb/8AbOGLlo0aNbYSU/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1354576946000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Letter Me Merry Christmas Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Add one photo or multiple to your <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Christmas cards</a> this season.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-76385931217544479692012-07-08T13:08:00.001-06:002012-07-08T13:08:35.472-06:00Cinnamon Bear Popcorn*Chirp* *Chirp* Yep, I've been MIA around here for a long time. I'm just popping in today to share my cousin Dahlene's yummy recipe (primarily so I can pin it to my own page). I haven't made this dessert yet, but it's high on my To Do list! Thanks for sharing Dahl!<br />
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Cinnamon Bear Popcorn</h2>
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by on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 1:02pm ·<span class="timelineUnitContainer" style="position: relative;"><a class="passiveImg fbAudienceHover timelineAudienceSelector" data-hover="tooltip" href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/dahlene-curtis-mullins/cinnamon-bear-popcorn/10150925741411139?notif_t=close_friend_activity#" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: -2px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 2px;" title="Dahlene's friends"><i class="img sp_1yssc9 sx_d013c2" style="background-image: url(http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v2/yj/r/cAV6KkEZ-4F.png); background-position: -13px -194px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; height: 12px; width: 12px;"></i></a></span></div>
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1 C. unpopped popcorn</div>
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2 C. cinnamon bears</div>
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1 C butter</div>
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1/2 C corn syrup</div>
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1 1/2 C sugar</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla</div>
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4 C mini marshmallows</div>
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red food coloring</div>
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Pop the popcorn in an air popper. Cut cinnamon bears into 3 pieces with kitchen shears or scissors and sprinkle half over popcorn in a large pan. Put butter, corn syrup, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and turn to low to simmer for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla and marshmallows. Stir until melted. Add food coloring until you have a beautiful pink candy. Pour candy over bear and popcorn mixture. Stir a minute and then add the rest of the cinnamon bears. Stir thoroughly until popcorn is well coated. Pour out on to waxed paper to cool. Serve with a smile!</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-67955455489360108322011-12-11T22:30:00.001-07:002011-12-11T22:30:15.872-07:00laughxmas2<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbOGLlo0aNWHR&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/8AbOGLlo0aNb/8AbOGLlo0aNbYRY/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1323667751000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Bright Snowflake Frame Christmas</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Create personalized <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Christmas card designs at Shutterfly.com</a>.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; 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padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbOGLlo0aNWFq&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/8AbOGLlo0aNb/8AbOGLlo0aNbet/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1323061916000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Rainbow Greetings Christmas Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Click here</a> to browse our Christmas card designs.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-58697683791754757972011-09-12T10:45:00.000-06:002011-09-12T10:45:44.107-06:00Leaving Less to the Imagination<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyXqMeFjB55sjNRrKvcpkodf752OtMcWBDrCZLar0GQUzFAyqigeH8igAxN5QS-5YDzd-tUAUO-L1361AF7VJRAiiWxYLBgSZ9KcT1tpAOf_MIV3Q6Jy71DA0PbiGNZEkVU-Q3jv-1sca/s1600/meal+plans+and+more.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyXqMeFjB55sjNRrKvcpkodf752OtMcWBDrCZLar0GQUzFAyqigeH8igAxN5QS-5YDzd-tUAUO-L1361AF7VJRAiiWxYLBgSZ9KcT1tpAOf_MIV3Q6Jy71DA0PbiGNZEkVU-Q3jv-1sca/s320/meal+plans+and+more.jpg" width="320" /></a>First things first. I've updated the <a href="http://stayathomemomplans.blogspot.com/p/daily-mom-plans-week-at-glance.html">Week at a Glance</a> page with meal plans and more! Go check it out! <br />
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Now, on to my thoughts for today,..<br />
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It's been almost a year since I decided to get serious about doing more with my time. I started with a basic framework based on a teacher's plan book and using routines suggested by <a href="http://www.flylady.net/">The Fly Lady</a>. As I've worked within this framework, I've started every week with an understanding of the bare bones schedule. However, that left some details that sometimes hung me up when it came to fleshing out the plan. (I spend more time planning/blogging on Monday than any other day of the week. Not good when I have so many other things to do just to get the week started.<br />
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I decided I needed to shore up this early framework with some additional structure. I started by designating types of meals for each night. The girls have dance lessons on Tuesday and Thursday, which means we'll be home a bit later those days. So, Tuesdays and Thursdays are great Slow Cooker nights. Mondays are usually pretty predictable so that's my night to try a new dish that might take extra time to prepare. Next, the hubby asked for more "regular food"a few weeks ago. He's not a big food adventurer so I've been trying to make meals that aren't too fancy and that I already know he likes. With that in mind I filled in Wednesday and Friday as "Regular Food" nights. Finally, Saturday and Sunday will be a grab bag of whatever strikes our fancy. Sometimes we make elaborate meals, but more often we either go out on the weekends or fix whatever is on hand. <br />
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Next I took a look at my mornings. I had a general idea that I wanted to spend time with Mr. A doing activities I know will help get him up to speed for the preschool program I've chosen. Since the girls went back to school, I've just been spending time with him, usually doing whatever he wants but occasionally making suggestions. We've spent a lot of time admiring his massive Hot Wheels collection the last few weeks, but now I want to move in a more directed direction. Mondays are now set aside for doing puzzles and playing structured games - like Candyland or Alphabet Bingo. Tuesday will be his day to lead. If he wants to look at all his cars <i>again</i>, fine. Mr. A leads the play. Wednesday is a good day for a craft. The girls come home from school early, but still at different times, so if I plan it right, I can make something appropriate for my three year old then my five year old and then my eight year old all before it's time to clean up for dinner. Thursday is the day I'll make plans to play outside. Mr. A loves playing in the yard, but he's often playing alone while I do yard work. I realized some time ago that Mr. A wasn't really swinging in a big kid swing the way he ought to be this summer and immediately felt bad. He just lights up when I actually play with him in the sand box or take him down a walking trail. I can see it's something he wants more of. He hasn't had enough mommy time on the playground so whether we visit a park or just hang in our own yard I'm vowing right now to spend at least one morning a week outside playing with him. Finally, Friday will be our day to push the academics. I'm not a mom who wants push my child way beyond their peers, but I want to make school easy for them. I want them to know I value the things they learn at school. The best way to do that is to spend time doing similar things at home. The girls have their homework so I'm automatically doing academic activities with them. I want to do the same with Mr. A. Of course right now that means simply encouraging him to pick up a crayon - which he has almost no interest in right now - and finding fun ways to learn Nursery Rhymes or the alphabet. This isn't the age for drills, but there are many ways to bring in school skills through fun. <br />
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Using these new guidelines did make planning my week easier. Instead of having so much up in the air, I knew right where to start. I love it already! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-39791601434011153682011-09-08T08:50:00.003-06:002011-09-08T10:19:19.577-06:00Tender Hearts and Dog Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkfZGxcOgZFb1ItyrSSAwZg6MEig2siygUxenBTtG0MBkBBxgRw9pBCY75iZLLINWIMEVvjlk_uMjJlXPyA9su_670mFaJl68h68gUX5cJkHUXcmNDYFyMpIDBWtrW-IYCRt2itJ53o2m/s1600/IMG_4349_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkfZGxcOgZFb1ItyrSSAwZg6MEig2siygUxenBTtG0MBkBBxgRw9pBCY75iZLLINWIMEVvjlk_uMjJlXPyA9su_670mFaJl68h68gUX5cJkHUXcmNDYFyMpIDBWtrW-IYCRt2itJ53o2m/s200/IMG_4349_2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Miss E has a tender little heart. She's always been very sensitive. She hates getting in trouble, she's pretty good at putting herself in another's shoes and oh, fights with friends just absolutely kill her. I got a sweet reminder of what a softie she is last night and and that I am as well. She was looking for book for me to read for her bedtime story. I have boxes of books left over from my teacher days, so I periodically put new ones in the kids' bookcase. Miss E loves finding something new, and she's so my child that finding a book she hasn't read yet can completely make her day.<br />
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She smiled when she found Love That Dog<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=lostcatbooksc-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0060292873&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> by Sharon Creech. It's one of my favorite children's books about a little boy mourning the loss of his dog and learning to communicate through and love poetry. I think it's a truly beautiful book, but my heart dropped a little when I saw she had chosen it for me to read to her. I tried to read it with a class of fourth grade students once and bawled all the way through. I'm afraid I ruined it for them because I'm just a big ol' softie myself, especially when it comes to dogs. And sad kids. I still feel kinda bad - those kids surely thought I was nuts. I obviously decided Miss E was old enough to read the book when I put it in her shelf. In fact, I remember hoping she'd pick it up, thinking it would challenge her. I wanted her to read something beautiful because at the time she was loving some drivel based on a tween Disney show. I didn't count on her choosing it as a read aloud though. Gosh, <i>I'm</i> not ready for that. Watching her mother weep openly over a small book of poetry probably isn't the way to show my tender hearted eight year old how wonderful books can be.<br />
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So, I warned her. I told her the book was beautiful but very sad. She asked why it was sad - it looks so cheerful on the outside... I asked her what she thought could make a book about a boy and his dog sad. She immediately knew the dog died, and she frowned. I reassured her that it was one of my favorite books, that I thought she was grown up enough to read it. Then I told her "but you should know, I'm going to cry when I read". She asked why I loved it when it made me cry. We had a little conversation about how one of the best things about books are the way they stir our emotions and it's not bad to feel sad. I told her I loved this book because it's simply written, but really well done. I loved it because it can show kids ways to open up about their own sad feelings. Most of all I loved it because I've felt that way about pets myself so the story really appealed to me. She decided she wanted me to read something less emotional for her bed time story, but she took Love That Dog to bed with her. I hope she reads it. When she does, she's going to cry, but I think she'll love it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-35012841806137951672011-09-07T09:40:00.000-06:002011-09-07T09:42:19.095-06:00ARGH!!! The Flu!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStn_myppi6OJvrbcX2MX2308LLuD37QvTQKaq4oWP7sU5oABvQB4A0gZLsfHoGvbJ_rHR-04qon0moBGPl_CizkHmrNxFlvS6wcK9F9r8d3RXkok55q84DrTdHeZHMue-vv9T5ZEcW0PN/s1600/Flu%2521jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStn_myppi6OJvrbcX2MX2308LLuD37QvTQKaq4oWP7sU5oABvQB4A0gZLsfHoGvbJ_rHR-04qon0moBGPl_CizkHmrNxFlvS6wcK9F9r8d3RXkok55q84DrTdHeZHMue-vv9T5ZEcW0PN/s320/Flu%2521jpg.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
Yes, I mysteriously disappeared from the blog again. I have been trying really, really hard to get our back to school routines in place but I have been stymied again and again by The Flu! Miss E brought it home from school, then Mr. A picked it up, then I took my turn and now Miss M has it. Fortunately it's not a nasty, truly disgusting version but still, it's keeping us from our normal lives. That's incredibly frustrating this time of year when there's already so much changing. Oh well, what'cha gonna do but live through it. <br />
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Today's original plan was to hit the grocery store with Mr. A and then head to the park for a little bit before we met Miss M at her bus stop. That's obviously out the window. Instead I'm going to try to tackle the never ending list of easily overlooked household jobs. I noticed the other day that the ceiling fan is particularly dusty/furry these days, so I'll start there and move on to cleaning all the vents and sweeping down cobwebs and dust bunnies. If I manage to finish that along with all my regular stuff I'll feel really good about myself and spend the rest of the day playing. Miss M so far doesn't seem to be suffering too much, so I'll bet she'd like it if we spent some time with the puzzles and blocks today. In fact, I've been trying to spend more time doing things like that with Mr. A. I've been thinking of it as his preschool time because while he's old enough for preschool now, he's not quite ready for it. (The school I like requires kids to be fully potty trained and basically follows a kindergarten outline. He's neither completely potty trained nor really ready for that much structure.) I'll write more about preschool time another day though. Today I'm going to go pamper my little sickie, clean my house and see just how tall I really can build a block tower.<br />
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Oh, and if you're interested, this week's meal plan is basically last week's carried over with a couple of new additions. With all the sickness we didn't really have regular meals last week. So, since I already have all the supplies on hand, I'm keeping the same plan. Of course you can see the meal plan on the <a href="http://stayathomemomplans.blogspot.com/p/daily-mom-plans-week-at-glance.html">Week at a Glance</a> page.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-59673817089732044992011-08-31T10:31:00.000-06:002011-08-31T10:31:12.652-06:00Routine Ready - DENIED!Miss M started kindergarten yesterday. I have been sad about her being so big, but really looking forward to settling in to a morning routing with just me and Mr. A. I had big plans for taking him out for a walk with the dogs, then spending a little time just hanging out with him, maybe reading or doing puzzles or playing in the yard. Then Miss E woke up with a stomach ache. After breakfast it was apparent she wasn't in any shape to go to school. That meant a change in plans for Miss M's first day on the school bus, and spending time out and about with the boy and the dogs. <br />
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Thankfully, we have the cutest little neighbor girls. They were literally fighting over who got to hold Miss M's hand and help learn about the bus. She was the star of their show this morning and she totally loved it! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJVsqbpOmenM1kKC0xpsbs6_DxPFaHUJbdTSnWLSsuiUPL9E6C_FvhyphenhyphenjyJ8E_yUnoUTYN5ehfr18pgIDSeImCay8TMxHxkpcw_txkdXbrXYvVj-G0OQjArkFEjDuXkmXJ0cSA4T3AUHNF/s1600/IMG_4661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJVsqbpOmenM1kKC0xpsbs6_DxPFaHUJbdTSnWLSsuiUPL9E6C_FvhyphenhyphenjyJ8E_yUnoUTYN5ehfr18pgIDSeImCay8TMxHxkpcw_txkdXbrXYvVj-G0OQjArkFEjDuXkmXJ0cSA4T3AUHNF/s320/IMG_4661.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss M and the cutie pie neighbors. Notice they're holding her hands? I love them!</td></tr>
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As for me, Miss E, and Mr. A, we're more or less sticking with the plan. Instead of walking w/ the dogs I'm on the treadmill, but otherwise we'll still do some fun stuff. I'm going to make Miss E rest before lunch, which allows Mr. A and I a chance to play in the yard. He loves swinging and the sand box so I think they'll both be in our future. Then we'll do a little school time. I'll print some handwriting pages and multiplication tables for Miss E, and Mr. A and I can build something cool with his blocks. (Yes, I think of this as an appropriate preschool academic activity. Blocks are very educational and a fun way to help kids develop focus, small motor skills, planning abilities and creativity. I'm a big, big fan of blocks both as a teacher and a mother.)<br />
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Here's to a happy Wednesday!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-41499470863960371642011-08-29T16:32:00.000-06:002011-08-29T16:32:32.905-06:00Hey - There's also a meal plan!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG377zDttpUt0Bjl3IX8943VY2aQWL7hd9hNFG76mqDw32n2VMVbHcbpqZ8Os-DWwJ2quj1GFjLr1JR1uXuZFO_H_zrmfSc5sQGCd8eehszT9gbkzxaRX5Sw1ExShMKRUatf7pSdimcuh/s1600/CoolClips_vc029900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG377zDttpUt0Bjl3IX8943VY2aQWL7hd9hNFG76mqDw32n2VMVbHcbpqZ8Os-DWwJ2quj1GFjLr1JR1uXuZFO_H_zrmfSc5sQGCd8eehszT9gbkzxaRX5Sw1ExShMKRUatf7pSdimcuh/s200/CoolClips_vc029900.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner's ready!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In addition to reveling in my <a href="http://stayathomemomplans.blogspot.com/">calendar triumph</a>, I also updated my meal plan! You can check it out <a href="http://stayathomemomplans.blogspot.com/p/daily-mom-plans-week-at-glance.html">here</a>. <br />
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Also, I realized that I'm really stumped for ideas on simple, quick healthy meals that are yummy. Anyone have any favorite stand by meals they'd like to share? Please comment below!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-36820402146650293792011-08-29T11:34:00.001-06:002011-08-29T12:01:28.698-06:00A Mom Needs a CalendarA Mom needs a good calendar. Once a child is old enough to interact with the world, it taxes a mommy brain too much to rely on simple memory for obligations like playdates, doctor appointments and snacks for soccer practice. Add more than one child to the mix and unless you are super woman, forget about being sharp enough to stay on top of everything without writing it down.<br />
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I've tried all sorts of calendaring methods in my life. The old<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Covey-3623012-Monticello-Two-page-/dp/B005ELK1KO?ie=UTF8&tag=lostcatbooksc-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"> Franklin/Covey Day Planner</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=lostcatbooksc-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B005ELK1KO" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> method was too complicated and I never remembered to open the stupid thing up anyway. A plain old calendar on the wall was dummy proof, but still too easy to forget to update or check every day. I wanted something on my computer since I'm on the dang thing every day anyway. I wanted something that would either be part of my email or home page on my browser, something that would put my calendar in front of my eyes automatically. I tried several options, always chasing that elusive perfect program. Yahoo's calendar is convenient since I prefer My Yahoo as my home page, but the calendar itself is more complicated than it needs to be. Google's calendar is user friendly, but I don't use Google for more than this blog and tool bar searches so it isn't convenient. <a href="http://www.flylady.net/">FlyLady</a> endorsed <a href="http://www.cozi.com/">Cozi</a> online calendars and I must say, they are super simple to set up and use, but again, I had to remember to log in to it every day. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I've spent more time than I want to admit setting up online options, only to default back to the old paper grid on the wall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Mb4XtFyNWkgIcT9-qScOh9BHdog_aQnrOhqew_LJwHW0aZ9QLkWefV3lz5dtHoDmiekJJx8Xm5QYfcuZ-Zx7oqS1PTfSu55x3xCAU_xiD_f-iAwG_Rvv_2WujR2O0951blk2nr_Zjg7/s1600/Metal-Glass-iCal-Icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Mb4XtFyNWkgIcT9-qScOh9BHdog_aQnrOhqew_LJwHW0aZ9QLkWefV3lz5dtHoDmiekJJx8Xm5QYfcuZ-Zx7oqS1PTfSu55x3xCAU_xiD_f-iAwG_Rvv_2WujR2O0951blk2nr_Zjg7/s200/Metal-Glass-iCal-Icon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Holy Grail of calendars?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then I got a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MC721LL-15-4-Inch-Laptop/dp/B000BNHM0C?ie=UTF8&tag=lostcatbooksc-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">MacBook Pro</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=lostcatbooksc-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BNHM0C" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. It came with iCal, which syncs with my email and all the various online calendars I've set up over the years. It's taken me three years to make a priority out of syncing all my calendars, but last night I finally spent 20 minutes figuring it all out. Wow! Was it worth it! I finally have everything - including the girl's school's calendar - in one place and the best part is that it's right on my dashboard to see before I even launch my browser. If I decide I prefer adding events and updates with my Cozi calendar - which really is the most uncomplicated calendar program I've found - I can log in there, add my updates, and have them automatically show up in iCal on my dashboard. With a little more time I'll learn how to sync my calendar with my email so each day's events are also right there with my new messages. Isn't that great? <br />
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Oh, and for the record, I keep a cute dry erase calendar on the wall for the girls. I put their events on it so they can help keep track of everything. It's a simple way to teach the concepts of months, days and seasons to my little ones, and helps Miss E be accountable for her own responsibilities. It's their space though, and I'm still jazzed about possibly finding calendar nirvana for myself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411036417832928588.post-81855686148111875262011-08-25T09:47:00.001-06:002011-08-25T14:48:17.196-06:00The Dentist is Your FriendMy husband is one of those people who hates the dentist. He's come a long way since I first met him, but he still avoids check ups like you or I might avoid a pushy door to door salesman.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2vsmHb-zynNIIPXQT0VAm_Rv_haXs5aGNs4WR1L6uNlDFDymRIyP9k9SXj2SD9nIUR8faRp3ppulFosgl2AeZB_h4O4EqKdn_ob1nDZ5x6kTzWfxWUp95xG-_y33AtrCMufux2Ku55zx/s1600/happy-teeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2vsmHb-zynNIIPXQT0VAm_Rv_haXs5aGNs4WR1L6uNlDFDymRIyP9k9SXj2SD9nIUR8faRp3ppulFosgl2AeZB_h4O4EqKdn_ob1nDZ5x6kTzWfxWUp95xG-_y33AtrCMufux2Ku55zx/s320/happy-teeth.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">happy teeth = happy kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I've never had a problem with the dentist. Maybe it's because my mom was a dental assistant, but I've never thought a trip to the dentist was any big deal, even when I've had to have not so enjoyable work done. In fact, now that I'm a mom I look forward to the dentist because it's an hour where I can just lay down and not have three little voices calling for me. A check up is actually quite relaxing.<br />
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My kids, fortunately, have picked up on my attitude. (Their dad has been careful to always frame trips to the dentist in a good light, even if that's not how he really feels.) All three of them are scheduled for check ups today, and all three are happy about it. It helps that we have an awesome dentist. He's not a pediatric dentist, just the same guy I've been seeing since I was fresh out of college, but he's really terrific with kids. He's friendly and positive and very relaxed. In fact, Miss E once had to have a bunch of fillings. After careful consideration, our dentist decided he could fill them with out even a shot of Novocaine. Since the shot was the part Miss E was most afraid of, she didn't mind at all that he was working on her teeth. When I see friends who's kids have to be sedated even for check ups, I'm so grateful my kids actually look forward to the dentist. I hope that feeling lasts their whole lives!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2