simple Analogy

Mad Dash

Whew!  This weekend was a crazy frenzy to finish all the details of the kid's Christmas party.  The nice thing about doing a Christmas party for two and three year-old's is that things do not have to be exactly perfect (I forgot to buy Christmas plates, cups, and napkins.  I also forgot the camera!) for them to think that it is the absolute funnest thing they've ever done in their life. 

Not to say that I slouched on any detail!  I decorated the nursery with snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, re-did the bulletin board with gingerbread men, put up the Christmas tree, placed the manger with baby Jesus underneath as the only present.  Shoot!  I even set up my homemade hay bales (nicer on the cleaning lady and those with allergies) to make a nice background setting for it all.

Our party included:

1.  Reading the Christmas story by the tree

2.  Caroling... of which we have to do songs that are VERY repetitive - like "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him" although it seems everyone knew "Jingle Bells" and sing them a million times while waiting for everyone to rejoin us from those inopportune potty breaks that are so frequently needed with this age

3.  Playing in the snow (a gillion white balloons - the boys and I were quite lightheaded after blowing them up and yet I wished we would have done more!)

4. Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and diving into cupcakes (some had frosting up their nose!)

5.  Making a wreath for Mom.  We did the one with cardboard and flat marbles and added clear snowflake stickers.  Just a note for those who may be wondering about marbles and toddlers... I had almost one adult helper per child.  Very controlled situation!  There was no way those marbles were going up noses!  Also to make the project go faster and able to go home at the end of the party, I painted, glittered, and "bowed" the wreaths ahead of time.  All the kids had to do was put on the stickers and marbles.  Since I didn't have my camera, Meg helped me out by sending the photo above of her daughter's wreath.  Bridget is only one and kept giving me the "Let's wash our hands" sign after every sticker/marble, but she did a beautiful job!

6.  We did manage to get a group picture with ALL the nursery children, including the one-year-olds and the infants.  It was our first time to try this, and it went pretty well with only two children crying, and not even the ones I thought would!  Thanks, Charles!

Everyone went home with a Christmas present from "Miss Heather", and I went home to take a nap.  You know, I didn't even miss those plates and napkins, and I'm sure they didn't!

Evil

Thursdays are evil as far as our homeschooling schedule goes.  As a busy family, we have several commitments during the week that eat up our time.  Since I am not one of "those" homeschool moms that let their kids slip and slide around school work, this makes Thursday our day to accomplish not only all our regular everyday subjects, but also those extra things that I want my children to have in their education.  Like piano lessons.  Like writing class.  Like art.  What would the world be without art, the written word, and music?  Dull and drab is what. 

 

Landon's (the DIY-er's dream hammer)  

Our usual Friday art has been moved to Thursday this year.  Today's lesson was very uninspiring - draw hammers.  Ok, the fact that you can draw them funny, crazy, etc. just didn't cut it for me.  I usually do art with the boys, but today I tried to slip out of it by telling them they could draw while I read a book to them.  They were rather disappointed.  "What?  You always draw with us!  Come on, Mother!"  (They've taken to calling me "Mother".  Sounds so formal, but whatever.)  Oh all right!  Hammers.  Mine were very blah, until I started drawing nails along with them.  Nails are more fun to draw than hammers, so my Thursday art session kind of took on a shape of it's own.  I am banning hammers!  They are evil.

Noah's Hammerhead Shark (he was uninspired by hammers as well)

The World's A Stage

 This is mine for the next week.  Made out of plastic tablecloths which are much cheaper than fabric.

My audience...

 

along with eight squirmy little two and three year olds.

Public service announcement***  Due to exhaustion that sets in after VBS is over for the day, posting will be at a minimum this week!

So Relieved and a Little Bit Lizardy

I'm always a little nervous when I have a custom order, especially when I order fabric online.  It's hard to know whether the colors I'm working with on the design board are actually the true colors.  I was really worried if Amy Butler's Cherry Full Moon Dot would go with Heather Bailey's Pop Garden Daisy print.  And it does - sigh of relief!  The reds match perfectly!!!!  Fabric.com came through for me this time.

While the giveaway was going on, we finished school!!!  I said we'd do it!  On Friday we woke up early so the boys could do their finals and then skedaddled over to the beach.  Only Galveston, but it has water and sand and therefore a beach.  Being a redhead, I am a magnet for sunburns.  I thought I had all my bases covered and kept spraying on sunscreen, but I got the ugliest, blotchiest burn.  The pain is gone now, but the peeling has started.  Do you know how unattractive a peeling face is?  That would be mine right now.  If only I could get through being lizardy I'd really feel relieved.

Raise the Cone of Silence

In Get Smart, the cone of silence always brings confusion and frustration, but our cone of silence has brought completion of the dreaded research paper.  This morning, Landon and I entered the school room with the knowledge that no one would leave that room until the paper was done.  Noah was given the command "NO NOISE AND NO INTERRUPTIONS" which is a great challenge for him.  Landon was given the command "FOCUS".  I gave myself the command "PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE".

Raise that cone cause it's DONE!!!!!!  We need some fireworks here, people!

Endings

May is a month of endings...

AWANA - The awards ceremony happens Sunday and Noah has a script to learn.

Landon's research paper - These things are ETERNAL and not easy to teach.

Our homeschool year - We will be done by the end of May if it's the last thing I do!

Bible study - It always goes by so fast!

With all these endings trying to happen all at the same time, things have been crazy around here.  But once these come to an end, there will be another ending taking place ... busy-ness!  Not that summer is not busy, but it's a laid back kind of busy.  I could use some laid back busy right about now!

The pictures have nothing to do with the post, but they are pretty and peaceful!

It's Been a While

Haven't shown you any "Friday Art" lately.  It isn't that we haven't been doing it, although at this time in our homeschool year it'd be tempting.  We are working through Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered.  Hoping it would be as good as the watercolor version, this one did not disappoint.  One thing I love about this book is the illustrations.  So many children's drawing books are illustrated by adults who have been drawing their whole life, and the pictures are perfect.  Therefore when the child finishes a drawing and compares it to the one in the book, they are less than satisfied!  The drawings and prototypes in this book are less than pristine, very kid friendly, and just plain old fun.

I also love the playfulness in the directions.  For example, from today's lesson, "There's an untidiness to a cupful of sticks that you can best catch with a careless what-the-heck kind of approach."  Ok!  I can do that!  This book makes you feel like what ever comes out of your pen is just what it should be.  It doesn't make you feel intimidated to try, but rather empowered to tackle the drawing for the day.

Also, the drawing ideas are very fun.  A few weeks ago we drew mops and brooms.  GREAT.  But then they had us think up fun new variations on our brooms/mops:  twisty, electrically powered, just back from the hair dresser, factory reject.  How fun!  Not only is our drawing improving, but also our imagination.

Landon's drawings always end up with war in them somewhere.  The U.S.S. Broomstick is about to be kamikazed!

Mine always end up with a twist of what's going on in my world.  This lesson was on umbrellas.  It had been raining like crazy and our dog hates to potty in the rain.  Can't really blame her!  If only she had a bone umbrella...

And Noah's always include soccer.  The scrawny broom defender had no chance against the powerful shot on goal by the vaccum.  And where was the goalie?

"Tie Dye" Paper Towels

Tie dye is so in this season.  I watched Bev's daughter on Friday and she joined the boys and I in making these dyed paper towels for Friday art class.  No rubber bands necessary!

I put food coloring into cups and added a little water.  Then we folded the paper towels all crazy and dipped each corner into a different color.  When all the corners were dipped, we opened the towel and laid it on some plastic bags to dry. 

What do you do with these?  We cut pieces and layered them on a cards.  You can use them in an art journal or to wrap small gifts.  Use your imagination!  Just make sure to cover your table/clothes and if you don't want your hands to be colorful until after a few washes, wear rubber/latex gloves.

BTW - This is NOT the craft along project for May.  I'll post that on May first!

Getting Started

***If you've just heard about the Kid's Craft Along, you'll find a link to the project in the side bar on the right!***

OK, you want to craft with your kids, but haven't done it before and feel nervous about trying.  Welcome to the club!  Even after all my experience with children's crafts, there are still a few projects that make me nervous.  Painting being one.  I do it any way because they enjoy it, but afterward I always breath a sigh of relief.  Who knows?  Maybe it will encourage one of them to become the next Van Gogh.

Here are a few helpful hints to keep in mind when crafting with kids.

1.  Lower your expectations!  If there is anything that I have learned along the way it is that the children's projects will not turn out exactly like the book's/example's.  First of all, most of the examples have been made by adults with years of experience under their belt.  Second, our children are just that - children!  They are still learning to use their fine motor skills and the techniques they are being asked to perform take practice!  So don't expect perfection.

2.  Be prepared for messes.  Let's just be candid.  When working with children, messes will happen whether it's spilled milk at dinner or spilled sequins while crafting.  My mom always had this motto when we were growing up, "It's washable!"  Meaning pretty much any thing can be cleaned up without too much hardship.  There are a few things I like to keep handy when crafting with children just for this purpose:

• a box of wipes - handy for easy cleaning of hands and surfaces

• old T-shirts - for the kids to wear while crafting to protect their good clothes (make sure you wear one as well!)
• trash can - keep near your crafting area
• newspaper, vinyl tablecloth, large trash bags - use to protect your work surface 

3.  Be adventurous!  Childhood is one big adventure and learning to be creative is one part of it.  Let them explore, let them try out their creative ideas, let them be inventive, but also be there to lend a helping hand when needed.

4.  Be encouraging.  Children are frustrated easily.  To help combat frustration, give clear directions and then encourage them every step of the way!

5.  Enjoy your time together!  They grow up so fast.  Every moment we can spend with our kids is a blessing.  Make memories, laugh, and have fun.  They will remember it for the rest of their lives and so will you.  

Crafting With Kids

Our crafts for the conference went off splendidly.  My friend Michelle, who helped me several nights, was amazed that the kids enjoyed the crafts so much.  We decided it was not that the crafts were so stupendous or anything, but that after sitting in church for an hour and a half or two, that they were ready to do ANYTHING except sit.  The kids were so eager and excited to see what we were going to do next.  Even the parents and adults without children were interested in what was going on in our area.

I also think that the kids enjoyed it because for many of them craft time is not something they do at home.  To some parents it seems a monumental task to do a craft project with their kids.  Having to come up with an idea can be the hardest part.  Also, crafting with kids can seem a little extravagant monetarily in these "tough economic times".  I'm so tired of hearing that phrase!  But really, you don't have to spend a fortune to craft with kids.  I spent an average of $10 per day for our crafts.  But that was for 30 to 40 kids!  Averaged out, I spent about $.25 to $.33 per child.   I think I did a pretty thrifty job. 

You don't really even have to spend money at all.  There are lots of books in the library with ideas for using around the house items to craft with.  You can join Kids Artist Trading Card Swaps as a way to get your kids to stretch their artistic imagination and have some fun globally at the same time.  Also getting together with a play group and crafting with friends can be a lot of fun!

So, as a result of seeing the kids have such a good time, and seeing the parents enjoy what their kids were making, I've got an idea knocking around in my head.  Stop by tomorrow and then I'll tell you about it.