Family Game Day

What does a family do on a hot, Texas day with dreary clouds that refuse to rain?

Play board games of course.  Turn off the t.v. Make a little natural popcorn.  Pour yourself an ice cold drink and get ready for the fun.

Our game of choice today was Labryinth.  We have had the game for awhile now, but only recently have taken the time to figure it out.

The pretense to the game is that you are a wizard or witch trying to cast a spell for the king.  To cast the spell, you must gather supplies and return back to your home in order to prepare the spell. 

Here's how to play:

• Pass out 6 cards to each player.  (3 if you want a really short game)  Each player looks at the first card in his/her stack and places the stack face down in front of him/her.
• The youngest player will begin.
• Each turn consist of 3 moves:
• Visually locate the item you are trying to gather.  (Remember the top card in your pile.  The one you already looked at.)
• Take the extra game board piece and slide it into position on the board. You can slide it into any spot that has a yellow triangle pointing at it.  This will change the maze you are navigating. *If you knocked a player off the board, his/her game piece will get placed on the piece you just put on the game board.
• Finally, you will move your wizard or witch along the maze onto any spot possible.  You may also choose to not move your wizard at all.  If you can land on the item you are seeking, place your wizard there.  Flip the card over and consider this item gathered.  Look at the next card in your stack.
• The next player takes his/her turn.
• Play continues in this manner until a player is able to gather all items to cast the spell and return home.

My boys love the magical quality of this game.  I love the strategy, planning, and thinking involved. 

This is a go to gift item for friends and family.

If you would like to check out the game in more detail, click here.

Pamper Me Basket

Need a gift idea for someone you love?
I made the cutest pamper me basket for my granma's 80th birthday party, but it would be perfect for a student going off to college as well.

 

This is the * caddy * I purchased at Target.

Here are some item ideas you may want to include:

• shower caddy *
• back scrubber *
• bath salt *
• bubble bath *
• shower gel *
• shampoo and conditioner
• homemade body scrub - link to a recipe I use
• rice pillow- how to directions for making your own rice pillow
• gel eye mask
• sleep mask
• matching lip and nail color *
• floral hair clips- * I used infant clips since my granma's hair is thinning.  The infant clips were cuter than the adult one in all reality.
• throw blanket *
• book to read or favorite magazine
• several different flavors of tea *
• tea mug- * This tea mug comes in a Vera Bradley print.  It has a lid to keep the contents warm and a little hole for the tea bag string to hang out of.
• single serving coffee brewing mug- For $6 and a microwave, you can brew the perfect cup of coffee in 3 minutes.  I started using this in my classroom and considering how simplistic the entire system is the coffee is pretty good.
• handmade card *
• gift card

I am sure there are tons of items that could be included, but I think I gave you a good place to start. I made sure that I had a different item for each pocket of the caddy.  That way there was a little prize awaiting with each peek into the basket. 

Have fun creating your own Pamper Me Basket for someone you love.

Just an FYI: The bold faced items are items I actually purchased.  The starred items are items I have included in my kit, but I have only linked to a similar item and not the exact item I used. 

The total basket cost was around $50. 

Simple Discipline

Discipline is not all about punishment and consequences.  It can also be about love and guidance.  I was reminded of this when I wrote my post: Books that Speak to the Soul.

My philosophy when working with children is to try to avoid having to constantly discipline.  Allow children to solve any problems they can independently and offer guidance when needed.

One way I do this is by scheduling a bit of downtime into the day.  This small amount of downtime goes a long way to deter fighting and arguing.  Many times 10-15 minutes will do.  The main focus is quieting the mind and rejuvenating the body.

Most of the time I will take this time to snuggle with my boys and watch a movie, read a book, or take a quick nap.  Okay, so sometime the nap is not that quick.

If you allow your child the needed downtown during the day, many times discipline is rarely an issue.  The children are refreshed, refocused, and ready for the rest of their day.

To be honest, this is why I love nap time in kindergarten.  Even those children that no longer nap get up with a happier disposition than that prior to this time of quiet solitude.

As for the times, when discipline is needed, I love natural consequences.  By natural consequences, I mean the kind that are logically the next step for a given situation.  For example:  Sorry your brother gets a snack and you don't.  He ate all his dinner.  Did you eat all your dinner?  What should you do if you want a snack?... go finish the dinner.

Natural consequences are hard to argue with.  You have set up a system or guideline.  If it is followed, A happens.  If not, B is the natural consequence.  Another example of this could be simply... I am going to the pool in 10 minutes.  If your room is clean, you may come.  If not, I will see you when I get home.  Of course this only works with older kids.  For little ones, you would probably say something like... I would like to leave for the pool in 10 minutes if your room is clean.  If not, we will have to try again tomorrow.

Always make sure that the natural consequence is something you can follow through with.  Would you actually leave your 3 year old home alone?  Probably not, but it would be perfectly acceptable to not go swimming  and try again tomorrow.

Another strategy that seems to work is to allow your child to feel in control.  Instead of arguing with your child about when to do homework or fold his/her clothes... offer options.  I can see that you do not want to fold you clothes right this minute. Would you like to fold your clothes in 30 minutes or before bath time?

Offering options to a child allows them to feel control in a somewhat crazy, fast paced world.  Remember though, just like with natural consequences... only offer options you are willing to live with.

The final strategy I use to deter constantly disciplining my children is to unplug.  When children sit & watch tv  or play video games for long periods of time, their brains are working on autopilot... very inactive so to speak.  I have found this inactivity to cause very unpleasant behaviors in my children: bickering, yelling, easily agitated. 

I am not saying that I do not allow my children to do these activities cause I do.  It is part of today's society.  I do, however, have sections of my day that are No TV Times.  By No TV, I mean all electronics.  The only exception being the Nook... our eReader.  I purposely purchased the eReader without Internet access because it would be too tempting.

During these times of No TV, boredom is inevitable.  Boredom will bring about the most creative times in your child's day.  It is hard not to offer up suggestions and map out this down time, but please do not.  By allowing your child the gift of boredom, you are allowing your child to find out new interests, build a strong sense of self, and learn a bit about the world around them.  Bordem is like the icing on the cake allowing your child to explore all the world has to offer.  It is an amazing gift that cost absolutely nothing.

So with all this being said...
What strategies do you use to discipline through love and guidance?

The Month of April

Where did the month of April go?  When everything is crazy, time flies by without you even noticing.

What have I been up to?

A little bit of everything...

 We got another new puppy.  This one is a shih tzu mix.  Jasper was in desperate need of a friend, but really... What was I thinking!?!  2 dogs under a year old.

I have lost almost 20 pounds since Christmas.  Part on the HCG diet and part on Weight Watchers.  I have gained a bit back this last week, so I need to buckle down and not undo all my hard work.  Size 12 is so much better than 14.  AND my 12s are loose.  Whoot-Whoot.

I had weaned myself off of anxiety meds, but alas had to go back on a new one.  I was off of meds for about 8 weeks.  The stress at work was a bit too much to handle... 22 5-6 year olds that are ready for summer, teachers being laid off left and right, friends that are moody.  It just sent me on overload.

I'm actually go back to the doctor today to check out the effects of the medication.  It makes me extremely sleepy and gives me a bit of the shakes.  Mentally though... I feel great.


My garden is growing daily... I am going to have to start trimming the vines back on some of the plants. I will create a whole new post just to show you the pictures.  I am very proud of our efforts considering we have never really taken on this large of an endeavor before.

Other than that life has been the same around here.  Lots of reading, family time, and gardening.

So, what have you been up to in my absence?  Any thing new and exciting?

Exploring the Nature

Ahhh, The Great Outdoors...

Camping is just one of the many things my family has been busy doing the past few weeks.  T Man is in Cub Scouts and we have two annual camping trips.  This time the camp site was right on the water. 

At first, I was worried because neither of my boys are great swimmers.  My fears were soon put to rest when I realized that the water had a gradual entry.  The boys were able to play in the water's edge with little problem.

Being near the water had the added benefit of allowing JJ to stay outside on a very hot day.  As I watched nearby, I would noticed my little guy wetting down his clothes to cool off.  He is becoming such a big boy.  He didn't even need me to take care of him.


Sunrise Over the Lake

Camping is such a great way to unplug and get in touch with nature.  I thought I would share a few tips of the trade to get you started.

First of all you need to select a location.  Discover America is a site that helps you locate various activities by location in the United States.  Simply select camping and fishing from the drop down menu, how far you are willing to travel, and your state. 

You will get to view a list of camping grounds in the area you provided.  It is not a comprehensive list, but it will definitely get you started.

Things to consider when selecting a camping site:

1.  Does the site have electrical hook ups?  Hard core campers will think this unnecessary, but for many families this is a priority.  With RV camping and various camping gear that can be purchased nowadays, electricity can make camping for the non-enthusiast much more comfortable.

2.  Are there public restrooms?  Any family with kids would want to make sure that bathrooms are available.  Most kids just will not do their business in the woods or an open field.

3.    Are there enough trees to provide adequate shade during the hottest part of the day?

4.  Can you swim on site?

5.  Is fishing available?

6.  Is geocaching available on site?

The above are only some of the questions to consider.  Sit down with the adults who will be on the camping trip and discuss options and concerns to ensure you get the most out of your nature experience.

Now that you have selected a site, you can begin to plan some activities for your down time.  This doesn't mean that you are providing your children with a step by step itinerary.  It simple means that you provide a pressure valve several times a day to reground your child and help to keep him or her from becoming overstimulated by all there is to see and do when you are spending the bulk of your time outdoors.

    

Activities to Consider: 
1.   structured free play:  Simply steer your child to a location that can provide a space to play with relaxation built in.  Remember the lake front that has a gradual entry? It  proved to be a hot spot for my kiddos.  Making motes, digging, and exploring the shallow waters was very calming amongst a day that was filled with high energy.

Here is a bit of the natural learning that took place:

Little J learned that digging in the slug next to the water causes the water to seep up from the ground.  This lead to discussion on sea level.  He also learned how to make a mote that would fill with water as the waves rolled onto the bank.  It took a while to make walls that didn't collapse, but he was eventually successful.

T Man explored the marine life in the shallow waters and practice balancing on the moss covered river rocks.  He explored every nook and cranny he could physically reach.  He even managed to squeeze in some swim practice as well.



2.  bring arts and crafts into nature:  Something as simple as building a small boat and sailing it in the waters can provide that much needed pressure valve, as well as, hours of entertainment. 

This was the activity of the day on our scout trip.  It took about 10 minutes to assemble the sail boats, but the fun lasted for most of an afternoon.

Another idea is to create a simple nature journal that you take with you on outdoor outings.  Click here to find out how we made our own.

Have a budding naturalist or scientist?  Check out these awesome nature bags.  They have a bit of everything to make exploring outdoors fun for all involved.

3.  cook with the kiddos:  Allow your child to make his or her own meal... sandwiches and chips, smores around the evening campfire.  Cooking is an engaging activity most kids love.

4.  pack up your bikes and go for a ride:  Put a couple bandages and wipes in your pockets.  Camping bike rides tend to have a few more cuts and scrapes due to the uneven terrain.

5.  hike through the woods:  Don't forget that trusty nature journal or nature bag.  This is the best time to put those to use.

6.  locate geocaches... hidden boxes with small treasures:  You will need a GPS and to have chosen a campsite that has several boxes on site.  Our Boy Scout den actually hid several boxes as part of our fall camp out last year.  If you are lucky enough to locate a camp like the one we used, you will have tons of boxes to hunt down.

Don't know about geocaching?  You are definitely missing out.  Check out this site to find out more.



Hopefully, this will give you some ideas for your next camp out.  Spending time in the outdoors and amongst nature is a wonderful time to connect with Mother Nature and to go unplugged. 

Bright Blessings.

Books that Speak to the Soul

Two of my all time favorite books, Peaceful Piggy Meditation and 
Moody Cow Meditates, helps children to decompress and ground themselves.

I bought both of these books when my oldest son was in second grade and needed to learn how to calm down and focus.  He was behaving oddly at school and overall seemed to be overwhelmed.

Peaceful Piggy Meditation is focused on creating a special place in the home for meditation.  A few suggestions to create a spot of relaxation in your home include:

• a small cushion to sit on
• a smooth stone to rub
• soft music to drift away to
• etc.

Anything that brings peace and tranquility are welcome.

The book also includes a description of how children can meditate, as well as, directions on how to create a Mind-in-a-Jar Experiment.

I could go into detail on the experiment, but I wouldn't be able to do it justice.  It is such a simple thing that truly demonstrates a peaceful, yet active mind.




Moody Cow Meditates was a must have in our family.  All my boys (husband  included) tend to get angry a bit easier than most.  Nothing terrible, but it often leaves them in a  funk.

Moody Cow Meditates goes through the day of Moody Cow as he experiences several unsettling things.  After all, who wouldn't be upset by bad dreams and wrecking your bike?  I know, I sure would.

Anyways... when Moody Cow returns home, he is visited by his wise grandfather.  His grandfather creates a Moody Cow Mind Jar to help the little cow to calm and refocus his day. 

The directions for creating the jar are in the back of the book.  Basically, you drop colored sparkles into the water... one pinch for each angry thought you had during the day.  You watch the water quietly until all the sparkles have settled calmly to the bottom.  By the time, the last sparkle falls the angry feelings will have vanished or at least subsided a bit.

The concept is again very simple, but works its magic on the mind of children both young and old.

The next time your child is experiencing soul fever or just having a difficult day consider one of these awesome children's books as a source of guidance.  Your child might just smile again before bedtime.

What are some of your favorite go to books for children? 

What books help your child work through a personal dilemma big or small?

Puppy Love

Jasper is getting so big.  He will be six months in March.  The boys absolutely adore this little guy.  He is frisky and fun loving unless he thinks someone else is going to get food without him.

T Man wants desperately for Jasper to lay and snuggle with him.  Most the time this doesn't happen, but one afternoon T was lucky and got his chance.

A Walk in the Woods

About a month or so ago, Little J and I decided to go on adventure.  He wanted to use his Nature Bag, so we went off in search of the perfect place to explore.

Since we live in a suburb finding foresty areas is a bit of a stretch.  We decided to venture to the duck pond and explore the small wooded area nearby.

This proved to be a wise choice full of woodsy fun.

JJ lead us into the woods near the pond.  He was fascinated to see the duckies swimming through the trees. As he lead me further into the wooded area, he kept turning back to make sure I was still coming.  I think he was afraid I'd chicken out and leave him there alone.

As we traveled among the bramble, my little sweetheart would take the time to pull branches back and make sure that I was able to maneuvered among the mayhem.

One thing that really disturbed J was all the litter.  He just couldn't fathom why another child would hang out in the woods and not take their trash with him.  He was very concerned that the duckies would eat the litter and get sick or die.

Before leaving the woods, we stopped to take a picture together amongst all of nature's glory.

Here is my king of the mountain as we slowly trek back to the car and civilization.  It is amazing how such a small wooded area can really give you some distance from all the business of a suburb.

J decide he needed to take a few picture before we returned home.  I think he did pretty good for a first try.

On our walk back to the car the sun was just right to view our shadows in all their splendor.  We discussed why the shadows were going in the direction they were, how the shadows were made, and why shadows sometime look soooo long.  Perfect natural learning.

This is apart of the Nature Bag kit.  It is a small square.  You lay it over the ground or some other area you want to observe.  It gives you a smaller area of focus in hopes of training the eye to truly look at all the world has to offer... to see in more detail and to love all the earth has to offer.

What adventures do you and your kidlets take? 

What kind of nature activities could your kids do almost daily if you let them?

Homemade Toys

I have finally finished Little J's b-day toys from November.  Yes, November.  He has been playing with his cloths and clothes pins so much he hasn't even realized I had not glued the pieces together for his mushrooms and finished sealing the blocks.

All of the toys are made from wooden pieces from the local craft store.  I painted each piece using milk paint and sealed them with a glossy polyurethane.  Milk paint was a bit tricky to get use to as you are mixing the paint from powder.  Once you get the hang of it though you will be hooked.  The colors are very basic with a primitive feel. 

To learn more about milk paint, click here.

As for the polyurethane, I used it basically out of convenience.  I knew that I would not oil the pieces often enough to keep the color of the toys from bleeding.  The polyurethane did the trick.  I wish I could find a healthier alternative that did not require more than a one time application.  I just do not know of any.

If you have any ideas, please share.

I plan to reuse a basket from our home to store his newly finished treasures.  The basket will contain:

• stars
• blocks
• mushrooms
• & eggs

as well as some numeral cards to use for creating sets.

J is sure to have a blast counting, patterning, sorting, and going math crazy with these little gems.  Now, if Daddy will make us a gnome home we will be set.

Family Game Night

My family has had so much fun playing games lately.  We are considering inviting another family over to have a game night with us.  Snacks, good company and several board games going at once.  The kids are sure to love it.

Games to Try Out:
Wildcraft... Learn medicinal uses for herbs while working with your family to gather berries for Grandma to bake a pie.  cooperative game
Orges & Elves... Help the elves collect gems for the royal family.   cooperative game
Mancala... Move gems around the board and try to to collect more than your opponet.
Pentago... Move marbles around the a square.  Spin one square and try to make 5 in a row.  Great strategizing game.

Pentago... Move marbles around a square.  Spin one square and try to make 5 marbles in a row.  Great strategizing game.

Othello...  My boys love this game though I have yet to play.

Cathedral...  Place more buildings in the medieval city than your opponent to win.  Watch out because your opponent will try to block the land from your access.

Shut the Box... Roll the dice.  Add up the total.  Flip down tiles that equal the total.  Be the first to flip over all 12 tiles to win.

When it comes to purchasing games, I am a bit picker than I use to be.  I use to go with mass produced favorites like Candyland and Monopoly.  Though I still love these tried and true favorites, I have been having fun looking for more unique games to try.

I didn't think my boys would like cooperative games, but cooperative games have become a favorite at my house.  Cooperative games are when the players work together to win or lose as a team.  Working together toward a common goal has helped the boys to get along a bit better.  The aggressiveness that was present before has lessened tremendously.  We do still play competitive games though.  I think there is lot to be said for both winning and losing.  These are both important life skills.

Another thing I am quite fond of is games made from natural materials like wood.  If at all possible, I choose wooden games over plastic or paper/cardboard ones every time.  It is more earth friendly.  The quality is better and the texture of the game itself is so much more inviting.

Games I'd Like to Try:

Handy... Balance balls between the hands of players.  Drop a ball and the hilarity begins.
Chocolate Fix... Sudoku on chocolate.
Knot So Fast... Tying knots and speed will let you when this game.  Perfect for the family boyscout or camper.
Pop Belly... Feed the pigs til they pop.
Walk the Dog... Collect dogs, but watch out for the dog catcher.
The Secret Door... Use clues to figure out 3 treasures behind the hidden door.  cooperative game
Enchanted Forest... Go on a treasure hunt through the land of fairies.  cooperative game
Castle Panic...  Defend your castle against monsters.  cooperative game

I can't wait for another holiday, birthday, etc so we can get one of the games above.  I must say Handy will probably be the next purchase as it is both cooperative and challenging.  I know I will hear tons of belly laughs when the balls start to drop and roll all over the place.
 
So...
What are some over your favorite family games?
 
What is important to you when you purchase a game for your kids or family?