I caught Alena writing this by the glow of her night light. She says it's a poem and I say aside from it being one giant run on sentence, she did a darn good job.
Someone is excited for Christmas to come.
Showing posts with label Alena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alena. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Field Trip
We had the opportunity to visit a local sand and gravel pit recently with our homeschool co-op. They had a miniature sized version of the real thing perfect for the kids to play with and learn what each section does before seeing the real thing.
We learned how the dirt is scooped up, deposited onto a conveyor belt that takes it to a sifter, washes them, and then separates the rocks and the sand onto their own conveyor belts which drops them into piles.
We learned how the dirt is scooped up, deposited onto a conveyor belt that takes it to a sifter, washes them, and then separates the rocks and the sand onto their own conveyor belts which drops them into piles.
It was neat to see some of their antique machines and that most of them still work!
I found the whole process rather fascinating and the kids enjoyed it too.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Enjoying the Ride: Our Homeschool Adventure So Far
Do you remember this post? Well, it took me almost all summer but I jumped on the homeschool train. After two months, I'm now 100% sure it was the right choice for us.
I was really unsure about actually doing it because I have never seen myself as the homeschooling type and it just wasn't something I wanted to do. Not to mention the kids can be really stubborn about taking directions and learning from me. I wasn't sure how I would be able to teach two completely different kids in different grades with an extremely curious and active toddler in the mix too. And let's not forget that I have a deployed husband and this mama gets zero breaks to be alone.
After going back and forth, weighing the pros and cons, I decided to go for it. After all, I can always change my mind if it isn't working. There were just a few reasons that really pushed me to my decision. For one, our public school system we live in is not one where I want my children to be. Two, come winter, I absolutely do not want to be driving my kids to school every day to the next closest public school in the snow. No, thank you! And three, when Gabe comes home for his R&R or when we want to visit family, we do not have to plan anything around the school's vacation days.
I then researched a few different homeschool curriculums but nothing stood out as the one I wanted to follow. The kids are still really young so I headed out to the book store and bought oodles of workbooks for Alena (2nd grade) and Christian (K and 1st grade).
Christian just barely missed the cutoff for Kindergarten last year and is ready for 1st grade. His writing needs some work before that though. He's breezing through the Kindergarten books so I have no problem moving him up to 1st grade early (I'm guessing after the new year). That's one of my favorite perks of homeschooling! He has his moments where he is just so sloooow. But for the most part, Christian does his work without hassle. He just likes to talk and talk and wiggle around which increases the amount of time it takes to finish.
On top of learning at home, we participate in a homeschool co-op one day a week. They had several classes for their grade/age group to choose from and they chose Insects, Sports, and Art. There are around 10 families that attend so not too big and we all really love it.
The kids are enjoying the experience and doing better than I expected. Christian does especially well with not disturbing Alena and I when she is doing her schooling for the day. Alena likes to hang around and "help" Christian with his work. In other words, she hovers over his shoulder to give him answers or prove how she is smarter than him. We're working on her being better about that though.
I try to schedule our lessons around Noah's nap time (usually 2 hours long) so that we can do it uninterrupted. There are plenty of days where that doesn't happen and we just have to work around that. Thankfully, he is pretty good at entertaining himself. Sometimes I sit at the table or we sit together on the couch while I nurse Noah. We just make the best of the situation and do what we can.
All in all, we are embracing being a homeschool family. I really do love the freedom it brings to our day and how I don't have to drive anyone to school! Honestly, I never expected this much less to enjoy it, but I do. WE do. I would like to encourage anyone who is on the fence about whether to homeschool or not to give it a try. Jump in and enjoy the ride!
I was really unsure about actually doing it because I have never seen myself as the homeschooling type and it just wasn't something I wanted to do. Not to mention the kids can be really stubborn about taking directions and learning from me. I wasn't sure how I would be able to teach two completely different kids in different grades with an extremely curious and active toddler in the mix too. And let's not forget that I have a deployed husband and this mama gets zero breaks to be alone.
After going back and forth, weighing the pros and cons, I decided to go for it. After all, I can always change my mind if it isn't working. There were just a few reasons that really pushed me to my decision. For one, our public school system we live in is not one where I want my children to be. Two, come winter, I absolutely do not want to be driving my kids to school every day to the next closest public school in the snow. No, thank you! And three, when Gabe comes home for his R&R or when we want to visit family, we do not have to plan anything around the school's vacation days.
I then researched a few different homeschool curriculums but nothing stood out as the one I wanted to follow. The kids are still really young so I headed out to the book store and bought oodles of workbooks for Alena (2nd grade) and Christian (K and 1st grade).
Christian just barely missed the cutoff for Kindergarten last year and is ready for 1st grade. His writing needs some work before that though. He's breezing through the Kindergarten books so I have no problem moving him up to 1st grade early (I'm guessing after the new year). That's one of my favorite perks of homeschooling! He has his moments where he is just so sloooow. But for the most part, Christian does his work without hassle. He just likes to talk and talk and wiggle around which increases the amount of time it takes to finish.
Alena has surprised me the most. She has always been the most stubborn when it comes to me showing her how to do anything. She would fight me so much until I either gave up or we were both nearly in tears. She has her days of resisting but does rather well for the most part.
On top of learning at home, we participate in a homeschool co-op one day a week. They had several classes for their grade/age group to choose from and they chose Insects, Sports, and Art. There are around 10 families that attend so not too big and we all really love it.
The kids are enjoying the experience and doing better than I expected. Christian does especially well with not disturbing Alena and I when she is doing her schooling for the day. Alena likes to hang around and "help" Christian with his work. In other words, she hovers over his shoulder to give him answers or prove how she is smarter than him. We're working on her being better about that though.
I try to schedule our lessons around Noah's nap time (usually 2 hours long) so that we can do it uninterrupted. There are plenty of days where that doesn't happen and we just have to work around that. Thankfully, he is pretty good at entertaining himself. Sometimes I sit at the table or we sit together on the couch while I nurse Noah. We just make the best of the situation and do what we can.
All in all, we are embracing being a homeschool family. I really do love the freedom it brings to our day and how I don't have to drive anyone to school! Honestly, I never expected this much less to enjoy it, but I do. WE do. I would like to encourage anyone who is on the fence about whether to homeschool or not to give it a try. Jump in and enjoy the ride!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Happy Monday
A little happy cuteness for your Monday.
Christian wouldn't do it to kiss Noah's other cheek so we settled for sitting off to the side with smiles.
Have a great week everyone!
Monday, July 7, 2014
Summertime
and the living is easy... Hah! Not when you're a mother of three kids out of school for the summer. With the high heat and humidity, park days have been replaced with trips to the splash pad and beach. This was Noah's first time at the water park/splash pad and I wasn't sure how he would do. But he LOVED it! He was the youngest and smallest one but he ran around just like the big kids.
With lakes aplenty around here, finding a beach isn't hard. We hit up a local beach on a particularly hot and sticky day. The sand was gorgeous and perfect for playing in but the water, not so much. It was warm but unfortunately very dirty and we didn't go in over our knees. The beach was empty and Noah didn't seem to notice the cleanliness of the water. The boy loved that he could wade up and down the whole thing in and out of the water.
And heaven help me, I tried getting a cute pic of the kids. Let me give you a sampling of the copious amounts of photos it took to get one good picture. There *may* have been some threats hissed along the lines of "You're going to sit there and smile until I get a good shot!"
Ah, that's better. :)
With lakes aplenty around here, finding a beach isn't hard. We hit up a local beach on a particularly hot and sticky day. The sand was gorgeous and perfect for playing in but the water, not so much. It was warm but unfortunately very dirty and we didn't go in over our knees. The beach was empty and Noah didn't seem to notice the cleanliness of the water. The boy loved that he could wade up and down the whole thing in and out of the water.
And heaven help me, I tried getting a cute pic of the kids. Let me give you a sampling of the copious amounts of photos it took to get one good picture. There *may* have been some threats hissed along the lines of "You're going to sit there and smile until I get a good shot!"
Ah, that's better. :)
Friday, June 20, 2014
Bedtime Stories And Checking Out
Confession time: Up until two weeks ago, I had not been reading books to my kids since the move. Ugh, I feel horrible about it. When we moved just over two months ago, life got crazy to say the least. There was a lot of adjusting on our part, the kids had actual live TV to watch for the first time and were hooked, we were busy, and to be honest... I was just so exhausted. Heck, I'm still exhausted but it's getting better.
In this day and age, everyone is so connected and plugged in. I admit I struggle with that... A lot. I have friends all over the world not to mention a husband too so my phone and internet is about the only way I stay in contact with them. Being at home with the kids 24/7, I crave that adult interaction. With everything so portable now, it makes it easy to "check in" real quick; too easy.
I found myself checking in more than I should. A few minutes here and there mostly while nursing Noah or after the kids' bedtime turned into checking while the kids played, were entertained, during commercial breaks, and more. It was distracting me from what was most important and right in front of me. My kids. I would get frustrated because I was trying to comment on a blog or Facebook post and they were pulling me away with their "I wants and I needs". It was always "Hold on a mintue while I finish."
Don't get me wrong, I don't neglect them at all; their needs were met and attended to. My mind was just not focused on the moment. It was off somewhere else thinking about what so and so had posted that day, or the blog post left half read or written, the tv show I wanted to watch, or wondering when Gabe's phone call was coming. I was distracted by what was out there on the web or tv, plain and simple. Distracted. I was constantly "checked in" whether a computer, tv, or phone was in front of me or not. My mind was there.
Something had to change. I was feeling stressed out and unhappy. So I sat down and thought. And thought. And thought some more. Soul searching if you will. The answer didn't necessarily come to me at that moment but I knew something had to change. But what?
Bedtime has been a struggle since the day we moved. For one, driving cross country and through three times zones started us off on a bad foot. Add in living with grandparents, a daddy overseas, different house, different beds, different life, and you have a recipe for disaster. I dreaded bedtime. Dreaded it. I usually just couldn't wait to get it over with. I tried to rush it because I knew we were going to spend the next hour playing the 'get back to bed game'.
Then one night, I don't know why, but as I was getting the kids ready for bed, I told them they could pick out some books to read. They happily obliged and we all gather on the bed cuddled close while I read their books. Noah even sat with us for a while and then got up and played nearby with his own book. After reading, we were all in pleasant moods as I put the kids to bed and headed downstairs.
And you know what? They stayed in bed! Neither Alena nor Christian got up and they were asleep within a few minutes. Hmm. Come the next night and we read stories like the previous day. Bless me, they did it again! I was baffled. The only thing that had changed was taking 15 minutes to read some bedtime stories. I was still rushing them and had to constantly be on them to stay focused while getting ready for bed. But we weren't immediately heading to bed afterward feeling frustrated because now we were taking a little time to relax and calm down before settling in bed.
Sure, there have been a few nights where they have gotten out of bed and had to be put back but nothing like before. Reading bedtime stories has helped my sanity. I'm less "checked in" and more focused on the important stuff. Even if it is just for the hour I'm getting the kids ready and put to bed, it's a start. Here's to keeping the ball rolling and continuously easy bedtimes.
Have any of you made a small change that had a big impact?
In this day and age, everyone is so connected and plugged in. I admit I struggle with that... A lot. I have friends all over the world not to mention a husband too so my phone and internet is about the only way I stay in contact with them. Being at home with the kids 24/7, I crave that adult interaction. With everything so portable now, it makes it easy to "check in" real quick; too easy.
I found myself checking in more than I should. A few minutes here and there mostly while nursing Noah or after the kids' bedtime turned into checking while the kids played, were entertained, during commercial breaks, and more. It was distracting me from what was most important and right in front of me. My kids. I would get frustrated because I was trying to comment on a blog or Facebook post and they were pulling me away with their "I wants and I needs". It was always "Hold on a mintue while I finish."
Don't get me wrong, I don't neglect them at all; their needs were met and attended to. My mind was just not focused on the moment. It was off somewhere else thinking about what so and so had posted that day, or the blog post left half read or written, the tv show I wanted to watch, or wondering when Gabe's phone call was coming. I was distracted by what was out there on the web or tv, plain and simple. Distracted. I was constantly "checked in" whether a computer, tv, or phone was in front of me or not. My mind was there.
Something had to change. I was feeling stressed out and unhappy. So I sat down and thought. And thought. And thought some more. Soul searching if you will. The answer didn't necessarily come to me at that moment but I knew something had to change. But what?
Bedtime has been a struggle since the day we moved. For one, driving cross country and through three times zones started us off on a bad foot. Add in living with grandparents, a daddy overseas, different house, different beds, different life, and you have a recipe for disaster. I dreaded bedtime. Dreaded it. I usually just couldn't wait to get it over with. I tried to rush it because I knew we were going to spend the next hour playing the 'get back to bed game'.
Then one night, I don't know why, but as I was getting the kids ready for bed, I told them they could pick out some books to read. They happily obliged and we all gather on the bed cuddled close while I read their books. Noah even sat with us for a while and then got up and played nearby with his own book. After reading, we were all in pleasant moods as I put the kids to bed and headed downstairs.
And you know what? They stayed in bed! Neither Alena nor Christian got up and they were asleep within a few minutes. Hmm. Come the next night and we read stories like the previous day. Bless me, they did it again! I was baffled. The only thing that had changed was taking 15 minutes to read some bedtime stories. I was still rushing them and had to constantly be on them to stay focused while getting ready for bed. But we weren't immediately heading to bed afterward feeling frustrated because now we were taking a little time to relax and calm down before settling in bed.
Sure, there have been a few nights where they have gotten out of bed and had to be put back but nothing like before. Reading bedtime stories has helped my sanity. I'm less "checked in" and more focused on the important stuff. Even if it is just for the hour I'm getting the kids ready and put to bed, it's a start. Here's to keeping the ball rolling and continuously easy bedtimes.
Have any of you made a small change that had a big impact?
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Moments Like This
I don't want to forget. Here are some pics I snapped of recent moments that made me happy and wish time would slow down or pause so I could relish in them a little longer.
Can you tell I have a thing for sleeping babies and kids?!
Can you tell I have a thing for sleeping babies and kids?!
Friday, March 28, 2014
The Great Debate
Homeschool vs non homeschool. It's a pretty hot topic right now in the education world. There are so many options out there to choose from regarding the education of your children. I grew up going to the same tiny public school from kindergarten on through graduation and enjoyed it. And because of that positive experience, I wanted the same for my kids. So that brings us to the great debate...
There were several local schools here that we had considered and we chose a small charter school with great teachers and that had a small school feel to it. Alena has done very well there and we love her first grade teacher because she saw how smart Alena was and is actually doing some individualized/extra teaching for her (she has Alena doing 3rd grade spelling AND math work).
BUT with this sudden move and the fact that we will be going with just one month of school left, I didn't want to enroll Alena in a school for such a short time. Especially with everything that is going on; her daddy going overseas, we move across the country, all these life changing things. So I don't want to add more stress in her life. I have already spoke with her teacher and she assured me Alena would have no problem going into second grade come this fall. Christian's teachers have also let us know many times that he is WAY ready for kindergarten.
So what am I getting at? I will be getting a sort of curriculum for Alena from her teacher so I can work with her at home. Basically, homeschooling for that last month. And it got me thinking...
Can I do this? Can I actually teach my children? Kids learn stuff from their parents all the time but really learning; that's a whole new ball game. That would mean I'm responsible for so much more. Science, History, Math, English, all those subjects! It's intimidating. Not to mention that Alena is not one who likes to take any sort of teaching or directions from me. We butt heads so much! And Christian is your typical can't hold still rough and rowdy boy so that would be a challenge on my patience for sure.
We'll be living with my parents for the duration of Gabe's deployment. I'm not a big fan of the school district that they live in. The kids would end up riding the bus every day (unless I drive them which I do now and do not enjoy it) totaling about two hours. Add in the six hours they would be at school and almost their entire day is taken up by school. The next closest school district is the one I grew up in. While I love the idea that they would be in the same classrooms I sat in 20+ years ago, (Eek, I'm getting old!) I would be shuttling them to and from school every day. Driving every day is something I am trying to avoid. I do it now for two different schools (Alena and Christian do not go to the same school; it's unavoidable) and it puts not only myself but Noah in the car an extra 3 times a day. Almost every day I'm either waking Noah up from naps or he ends up falling asleep in the car because of drop offs and pick ups and I think parents can understand the frustration that comes with that. Not mention that it leaves me with a lot less time to get stuff done. Driving them to and from school in Ohio would be an even greater pain when you mix in the fact that the distance would be three times more than here in Arizona making time in the car also that much more. Driving is just not an option I will consider at this point.
As of now, I'm seeing a lot of positives for homeschooling. Yes, there are some negatives too (can we say mommy's gonna need a break and a drink?!). Alena is already doing third grade work when she's only in first. Christian's teachers how told us how far above kindergarten he is already. Homeschooling would give us the opportunity to continue on this advanced pace. It also allows us to visit the in laws without having to wait for a school break. And let's not forget that when Gabe has his R&R, they will not be missing school OR miss spending time with their daddy.
What I'm getting around to with this novel of a post is that I think for this upcoming school year, homeschooling is our best option. That's not to say that the following year they will go back to public school or we'll be homeschooling again. I don't know what will happen. We're just going to take things one day at a time and I'm going to do LOTS of praying for patience and sanity. And coffee. :)
I never actually thought I would homeschool. Just like I never thought I would breastfeed until two years or that I would have a home birth, or do many of the other parenting decisions we all face differently than I first thought. Isn't that how life and parenting goes though? You always think you know how things will go but we actually don't. And believe me, this decision surprises me probably more so than anyone else.
And the life changes just keep coming...
BUT with this sudden move and the fact that we will be going with just one month of school left, I didn't want to enroll Alena in a school for such a short time. Especially with everything that is going on; her daddy going overseas, we move across the country, all these life changing things. So I don't want to add more stress in her life. I have already spoke with her teacher and she assured me Alena would have no problem going into second grade come this fall. Christian's teachers have also let us know many times that he is WAY ready for kindergarten.
So what am I getting at? I will be getting a sort of curriculum for Alena from her teacher so I can work with her at home. Basically, homeschooling for that last month. And it got me thinking...
Can I do this? Can I actually teach my children? Kids learn stuff from their parents all the time but really learning; that's a whole new ball game. That would mean I'm responsible for so much more. Science, History, Math, English, all those subjects! It's intimidating. Not to mention that Alena is not one who likes to take any sort of teaching or directions from me. We butt heads so much! And Christian is your typical can't hold still rough and rowdy boy so that would be a challenge on my patience for sure.
We'll be living with my parents for the duration of Gabe's deployment. I'm not a big fan of the school district that they live in. The kids would end up riding the bus every day (unless I drive them which I do now and do not enjoy it) totaling about two hours. Add in the six hours they would be at school and almost their entire day is taken up by school. The next closest school district is the one I grew up in. While I love the idea that they would be in the same classrooms I sat in 20+ years ago, (Eek, I'm getting old!) I would be shuttling them to and from school every day. Driving every day is something I am trying to avoid. I do it now for two different schools (Alena and Christian do not go to the same school; it's unavoidable) and it puts not only myself but Noah in the car an extra 3 times a day. Almost every day I'm either waking Noah up from naps or he ends up falling asleep in the car because of drop offs and pick ups and I think parents can understand the frustration that comes with that. Not mention that it leaves me with a lot less time to get stuff done. Driving them to and from school in Ohio would be an even greater pain when you mix in the fact that the distance would be three times more than here in Arizona making time in the car also that much more. Driving is just not an option I will consider at this point.
As of now, I'm seeing a lot of positives for homeschooling. Yes, there are some negatives too (can we say mommy's gonna need a break and a drink?!). Alena is already doing third grade work when she's only in first. Christian's teachers how told us how far above kindergarten he is already. Homeschooling would give us the opportunity to continue on this advanced pace. It also allows us to visit the in laws without having to wait for a school break. And let's not forget that when Gabe has his R&R, they will not be missing school OR miss spending time with their daddy.
What I'm getting around to with this novel of a post is that I think for this upcoming school year, homeschooling is our best option. That's not to say that the following year they will go back to public school or we'll be homeschooling again. I don't know what will happen. We're just going to take things one day at a time and I'm going to do LOTS of praying for patience and sanity. And coffee. :)
I never actually thought I would homeschool. Just like I never thought I would breastfeed until two years or that I would have a home birth, or do many of the other parenting decisions we all face differently than I first thought. Isn't that how life and parenting goes though? You always think you know how things will go but we actually don't. And believe me, this decision surprises me probably more so than anyone else.
And the life changes just keep coming...
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Q&A With Alena
- What scares you the most? - "I always think wolves are watching me and are under my bed when I try walking out of my room."
- What was the happiest day of your life? - "When we went to that super fun water park."
- If you could change something about the world, what would it be? - "That childbirth wouldn't be painful and people would never die because I never want grandma and grandpa to die."
- What is something you can't live without? - "You can't live without food, water, or clothes."
- What is your favorite movie or TV show? - "19 Kids and Counting."
- If you could have one super power, what would it be? - "Good eyesight and ice."
- What don't you like about being a kid? - "That Christian is always annoying."
- What do you like about being a kid? - "That I don't have to do all the laundry, dishes, and all the mom stuff."
- Describe a perfect day - "My wedding day."
- What job do you want when you are a grownup? - (after telling me to change grownup to teenager) "Babysitting."
- Who are your best friends and why? - "My stuffed animals, my bed because I love it so much, and Tylah.
- What is your favorite color? - "Pink, purple, gold, and silver."
- What is your favorite holiday? - "Christmas and Halloween because you get presents and candy."
- What is your favorite thing about yourself? - "That I'm very cute and I'm a Walters' daughter."
- Where would you like to travel? - "Grandma and grandpa's house."
- What is your favorite thing about our family? - "That we have Walters DNA in our blood."
- What annoys you the most? - "Christian!"
- What are you proud that you can do? - "That I can snap (fingers), whistle, and do cartwheels and stuff."
- What is one thing mommy always tells you? - "Do your homework before you play."
- Who is your hero?- "Daddy, my teachers, and you (mommy)."
I got some real gems in there! Now if I could get Christian to sit still for five minutes to answer some, I'll be golden. Have you ever done anything like this with your kid(s)? What were their responses?
Monday, February 24, 2014
Busy Time Activity
Some days kids go looking for something to do or make and I know with mine, many times all they find is trouble. Enter Pinterest. Glorious Pinterest. I found a new activity that kept the kids busy for quite a while and didn't cause any fights. Win win!
You will only need a pan/dish, small bowl, medicine dropper, baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring.
This activity is pretty self explanatory. Vinegar and baking soda cause an explosion-like reaction that kids are fascinated with. And the fact that they can do it themselves made it even better! I put the vinegar in a bowl with some food coloring and the baking soda covering the bottom of a dish. I couldn't find medicine droppers and could see turkey basters ending up making a huge mess so we made do with straws and just held our fingers over the top, then releasing them to drop the vinegar.
Once all the baking soda was covered and wet, we poured the remaining vinegar in. The kids discovered you could "write" in the mixture. Fun!
Cleanup was easy as all I had to do was pour it down the drain. And BONUS: Vinegar and baking soda are great for cleaning so I used a little to scrub the sink nice and clean!
This activity is pretty self explanatory. Vinegar and baking soda cause an explosion-like reaction that kids are fascinated with. And the fact that they can do it themselves made it even better! I put the vinegar in a bowl with some food coloring and the baking soda covering the bottom of a dish. I couldn't find medicine droppers and could see turkey basters ending up making a huge mess so we made do with straws and just held our fingers over the top, then releasing them to drop the vinegar.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Lessons Learned
After watching me make my delicious pumpkin cookies, the kids wanted to try their hand at making their own... sans recipe.
So as much as I was cringing inside at the thought of all that mess, I gave Alena and Christian (almost) free will of the kitchen. They had no idea what they were doing but they just knew that their cookies were going to be the best ever. 20 (or so) mixed ingredients later, they had a dough-like substance ready for the oven.
The cookies were baked and as soon as they were cool enough to eat, the master bakers themselves tried them. When asked how they tasted, they replied through forced fake smiles, "Mmmm. They're really good!". Did they taste good? NO. But they were proud as peacocks over their creations.
PS - They walked away from this experience learning two important lessons...
1. Throwing random ingredients together a good cookie it does not make.
And 2. When all else fails, smile and pretend to like it. :)
So as much as I was cringing inside at the thought of all that mess, I gave Alena and Christian (almost) free will of the kitchen. They had no idea what they were doing but they just knew that their cookies were going to be the best ever. 20 (or so) mixed ingredients later, they had a dough-like substance ready for the oven.
The cookies were baked and as soon as they were cool enough to eat, the master bakers themselves tried them. When asked how they tasted, they replied through forced fake smiles, "Mmmm. They're really good!". Did they taste good? NO. But they were proud as peacocks over their creations.
 |
| Christian's face says it all. |
PS - They walked away from this experience learning two important lessons...
1. Throwing random ingredients together a good cookie it does not make.
And 2. When all else fails, smile and pretend to like it. :)
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Turkey Turkey
Today I'll be showing you an easy turkey craft perfect for the Thanksgiving season.
Things you'll need:
Next, cut out the hands and glue them onto the empty toilet paper roll. You'll want to glue them in a fan shape so they're spread out.
Either draw or glue on googly eyes. You can use scraps from the leftover paper to make the beak, feet, and wattle. Drawing them on is OK too.
You can see here how with Alena's turkey (on the left), she drew on the face and feet. She also drew feathers on the paper instead of using her traced hand.
There you have it! Easy peasy! It was simple enough that the kids were able to do most of it themselves.
Alena and Christian took it one step further and drew backgrounds for the turkeys. Cute!
What kinds of fall crafts have you done? I'd love to hear em!
Things you'll need:
- pencil or pen
- scissors
- empty toilet paper roll
- markers
- glue
- colored construction paper
- googly eyes (optional)
Next, cut out the hands and glue them onto the empty toilet paper roll. You'll want to glue them in a fan shape so they're spread out.
Either draw or glue on googly eyes. You can use scraps from the leftover paper to make the beak, feet, and wattle. Drawing them on is OK too.
You can see here how with Alena's turkey (on the left), she drew on the face and feet. She also drew feathers on the paper instead of using her traced hand.
There you have it! Easy peasy! It was simple enough that the kids were able to do most of it themselves.
Alena and Christian took it one step further and drew backgrounds for the turkeys. Cute!
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| Alena's pasture and flowers scene. |
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| Christian's playground scene. |
What kinds of fall crafts have you done? I'd love to hear em!
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