Sunshine Finger Painting

Alright.... I admit it :) I GOT LAZY WITH THIS ONE. I didn't make my own finger paints out of less than 3 completely natural ingredients. I spent 3.99 at the store on a whim and squirted the pre-made paints onto sheets of paper. This past week I have had no time to homeschool and no time to blog. I had a big change at work and will now be handling everything during the week. Today, we had the morning free! I'm running late now though because I've been blogging, but it'll be ok :) 

Best to get those kiddos down to their pull-ups for messy sensory activities like this. Washable = mama's best friend.

Squishie liked the feeling of the gooey paint in her hands, and made some hand prints instead of mashing it around everywhere like Tiny chose to do.

This made me chuckle. Tiny, caught "Red-handed"...

As much as I love to do everything home made and stuff like that, sometimes I compromise with convenience. The kids didn't care one bit.

Clearance Surprises

I like to surprise my girls with fun things often. Yesterday in the middle of my work day I had some time to kill, so I went hunting for homeschooling supplies. The "Dollar Spot" at Target has been a gold mine for me. I also like to dig around in post-holiday sales. A lot of the stuff they end up marking down is still plenty good even though the holiday is over.

Each baggie cost me less than $10 to put together! Zipper plastic baggies with bows, magnets, and Hello Kitty dolls were all part of the Easter clearance. The tiny composition notebooks were 2 for $0.50. Magnifying glasses, magnetic dry erase boards, and more magnets were all marked down 50% at the Dollar Spot.

The kids were delighted. My goal was to give them a fun activity kit for car rides. I have been relying on the tablet a lot, but I am getting really tired of listening to Frozen. Since receiving their surprises, they haven't asked for their movie at all.

Easy Paint

Easy Paint

Equal parts water and flour (more water if you'd like it thinner)

Food coloring

Mason jars

Sponge/foam brushes

Trying to keep the kids busy was a challenge today. They were very active, playful, and messy. They kept me on my toes all day while I brainstormed simple ways to satisfy their little minds. I like using what I have for activities, so I looked in the kitchen.

Easy Paint is fun to mix up. You can experiment with the colors. Tiny's favorite today was orange. The purple came out really neat too. They turned the entire sidewalk out front into a mural, and asked for more paint when they ran out.

It is also very washable and non-toxic if someone were to put it in their mouth. Unless you are using a natural, plant-derived food coloring (such as beets for instance), just beware of the dye if your child has sensitivity.

The neighbors joined us for the fun. I feel like we definitely made the most of this beautiful sunny day.

Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin

Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin

3 cups white rice (1 cup for each color)

Red, Green, and Blue food coloring

Add whatever fun little shapes/toys/animals you have laying around.

I only had enough supplies for a "mini bin" haha, but it was fun regardless. It only took about 10 minutes to whip up.

We took it out to the grass in the front yard. The first thing the kids did was push the shapes and toys into the rice. Then they grabbed handfuls and mixed all the colors together, then removed the toys and piled them in the grass beside the bin.

At this point, the rice became "Snow"... :) Quite a fun, quick little activity.

Our Garden: New Sprouts!

We planted a small container garden a few days ago. As part of their homeschooling curriculum, I am incorporating sustainability and caring for life in the most simple and basic way possible - growing plants.

The kids noticed their brand new sprouts this morning. I explained to them that the tiny seeds they planted only a couple days ago were now live baby plants! I am blessed with very compassionate daughters that want to nurture everything. They know plants need food (in the form of organic pellets) and water to grow big and strong.

Tiny wanted to continue watering after the garden had a big drink, so I let her take care of the new sod for Papa.

Having small tools makes kiddos all the more excited to help out with tasks like gardening. We absolutely love the Dollar Spot at Target. That's where we got our tiny gardening shovels and watering cans. They each picked out their own colors.

Learning to care for life is important in our family. Our household is teeming with it in the form of plants, pets, and humans. My occupation involves caring for the pets of others. So needless to say, the girls will get plenty of exposure to the concept of responsibility.

Going Out as a Family

Going on family outings can be tricky. Energy, time, and expense are all taken into account. Getting out the door when it's just you is very different from ushering kids around as well. Papa and I often split up to make our jobs easier and the errands quicker. But we also frequently use the errands as opportunities to get out as a family. I don't think the kids really care where we go, they are always excited to get out of the house and see things, even if it's just the grocery store. I never realized how accommodating of children many places are these days. There are tiny shopping carts, family restrooms with chairs to nurse a baby, and many other kid-friendly tools in our normal environment.

I can appreciate the importance of my daughters watching me, and Papa, interact with other adults positively. Our children watch our every move. When they see you wave or smile at someone, they will be inclined to do so as well. How they interact with the world outside their comfortable home begins with the parent. So, we need to lead by example.

It's a lot of work, but usually worth it. Sometimes we get back home completely exhausted or annoyed, but tomorrow is another day and another opportunity. Look for a chance to spend time together in everything!

I Will Always Have This Day

Anyone who knows me knows that my first love is horses. I have dreamed of them and admired them for as long as I can remember. My life has gone down a different path than that of a girl who grew up riding. My exposure to horses was very limited growing up, but my fondness of them has always reflected brightly when I can actually be around them.

I have already decided that I don't want to push my personal dreams and desires on the girls. They are each individuals and will form their own likes and dislikes, which I will respect and nurture. That won't stop me from providing opportunities for them; and indeed I found an opportunity to bring them around horses.

So far, they love it. It warms my heart to see them so excited to see their pony and ride her around the area. They are so very proud of themselves when they balance in the saddle. I hope this builds their confidence and strengthens their connection with animals.

The kids asked to see me on a horse. Of course I didn't say no!

I'm glad to be able to give my daughters this rare experience. If someday they decide they're bored with the pony and would rather do something else, I know I'll be ok with it because I will always have this day to remember, when they laughed and played and chased me around the arena on a beautiful breezy day. We will make awesome memories no matter what they choose to do and I'll be right there with them.

Homeschooling has begun!

I know it has been quite a while since I last posted. Since then, I have learned a lot... about my family, my kids, and myself. I have tossed the idea of homeschooling around again and again... and again. Do I have the time, the capability, the patience, the dedication? Wouldn't it just be easier to find a school that I approve of and send them there? Aren't teachers more well-equipped than I could ever be? These were some of the questions that ran through my mind.

It's intimidating. Homeschooling is a venture in which you take your child's education into your hands and then, it's up to you to feed their brains and help them learn about life. In a sense, it's everything a parent is doing on a daily basis anyway... just a bit more structured with a curriculum. That is a lot of pressure. Considering that I was a great student in elementary, and then middle school, but when high school came around I was struggling big time (I didn't pass Algebra 2....) I am constantly concerned that I am not smart enough to homeschool my babies.

Thankfully, this day and age there are endless resources available to parents to help us along. Yes, we realize not everyone is great teacher material. Not everyone can sit and plan a month's worth of curriculum and activities and stick to it. If there is one thing I have learned from being a parent (and especially a parent of multiples), in my family at least... You need to go with the flow. I have a huge tendency to dive in head-first into projects that make my heart race with excitement, only to risk disappointment because I bit off more than I could chew. Learning to relax and breathe is difficult for me, but it's coming easier these days as I know my weaknesses and work towards compensating for them.

On the other hand, I do need to just go for it sometimes. Why did I ultimately decide to homeschool? I want more control over what - and how - my children learn. I am a huge believer in exposure, experience, real-life application, and fun. I also understand that children learn best in amazing ways, like through reading and getting messy. You would not believe the connections that are made in their developing brains simply through playing or experiencing something new, no matter how insignificant or boring it may seem to you as an adult. No one has more power over what a child is exposed to than her parent. It is up to parents to show them the world, because it is us that provide their first connection to it.

What a huge undertaking! Remember what I said about "going with the flow"? If at any point it becomes too overwhelming for me, or either of the kids aren't responding well to it any longer, then it would be time to rethink things. But stay tuned, because we just completed our very first week of "officially" homeschooling and so far, so good. I am eager to share our experiences with you.

Life.

There goes another year! I have big plans for the blog. Stay tuned!