Melissa's Projects

Letter Nn

2012-05-14T22:18:00.002-07:00

Wrote out our name that starts with N using a finger paint and shaving cream mix.

N for needle (stamp) and N for nest.

Mini Nn book, name page, write the missing letter page.

Zoophonics: Nigel Nightowl.

Mixed hair gel and food coloring in a ziploc and traced our LOTW and NOTW.

We also practiced our letters on the chalkboard.

And attempted to draw pictures of things that started with N...like nest...

Star

2012-05-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Star!

My 3 yr old cut out all of these shapes by himself and matched them to the shadow!

Our learning book is always a hit at the start of our week as we discuss the LOTW, NOTW, and Shape or Color of the week! We also did this follow the directions worksheet.

Number 13

2012-05-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

We practiced our NOTW with magnets. We had a 1 and a 3 and I asked which one went first. We tried 3 then 1 and saw it was different. We discussed that for a few minutes.

Tracing has not been very popular lately, but I am trying to encourage my 3 year old in the love of learning. He's digging the fine motor skills in our sticker book though!

Letter Mm

2012-05-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

This week we came up with a lot of Mm words, wrote them on index cards, hung them up, and then took turns choosing a card to an activity with it. Since we were learning about the star-shape, we also starred our card when completed.

M for Music.

M for Magnets.

M&Ms and Monkeys.

M for Mmm Mmm Monsters.

M for Mess! (I chose this activity--cleaning up an mmm mmm mess!)

M for Marshmallows.

M for Magnifying Glass.

M for MOO! (For this activity, I had the boys find an animal that makes a sound that starts with M...Moo. They each found a cow, then ran around the house with it in their mouths.)

M for Marbles.

M for Mr. Potato Head.

M and m tracing worksheets.

M for Mouse.

M for Mail. (We colored a picture and then sent it to relatives by mail.)

M for Market and M for Money.

My niece joined the fun that day..

We also had M for Mommy, M for Mac and Cheese, M for Movies, and M for Michelle (auntie). We did some fun things with these too.

Rescue Theme Party

2012-04-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Isaiah’s 1^st Birthday – Rescue Theme
Decorations: red, blue, & yellow (streamers, tablecloths, plates…), yellow streamer is a police line, rescue kid toys, caution tape with a sign that says “welcome to headquarters”.

Entertainment: Obstacle Course—

Station 1: Put out a fire! Box painted to look like a house with a yellow roof, cut out windows/door, flowers ... The bottom was painted with red, yellow and orange paint to look like it was on fire. On the window I placed red/orange plastic cups upside down to be pretend fire. For this drill you have to shoot down the cups with a super soaker water gun. Prize: Fire hats. “Stop, Drop and Roll” over to Station 2: There has been a TERRIBLE accident! All of the Little People got stuck in a ball pit! Call 911, put your police gear on, and crawl through the tunnel to save them! Tunnel is a toy tunnel connected to a tent. Prize: Police Badge. Station 3: Some animals are stuck in a tree! Can you help get them down and make sure they are okay with your doctor gear? Animals are some of the kids stuffed animals. Prize: Rescue Stickers.

Piñata—Fire Truck

Station Helper Directions:

Station 1: Put out a fire! For this drill you have to shoot down the “fire” (orange/red cups) with your “fire hose” (a super soaker water gun). Replace cups after each turn. Prize: Fire hats. “Stop, Drop and Roll” over to Station 2!

Station 2: There has been a TERRIBLE accident! All of the Little People got stuck in a ball pit! Call 911, put your police gear on, and crawl through the tunnel to save them! Prize: Police Badge. Say “wooo wooo wooo” over to Station 3!

Station 3: Some animals are stuck in a tree! Can you help get them down and make sure they are okay with your doctor/ambulance gear? Prize: Rescue Stickers. (This is their last station.)

I also prearranged to go to the fire-station, which was connected to the park, and had a tour.

Food: Fire truck cake and snack food. Graham cracker band-aids. Water bottles & juice boxes.

Goodie bags: Pass out at beginning of obstacle course with police/firefighter toy guy inside. Have kids put their prizes and candy from piñata inside.

Daily Schedule

2012-04-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

For my two year old who has been throwing fits all day for several months, I made a picture chart with our daily schedule. The structure is helping him a lot! The pictures make it easier for him and his brother to know what's coming next.

We have also made a mandatory "quiet time" where the kids have to be in their beds and be quiet for 30 minutes (I set a timer so they know at some point the time WILL end). I give them a small box with books, puzzles, and little toys in it that they can play with. These boxes are put away and they are only allowed to play with them during quiet time.

Fire Truck Cake

2012-04-26T18:51:00.002-07:00

Donut wheels, Jolly Rancher siren, cake was red velvet, ...

... buttercream frosting, MM fondant for details, ...

Number 12

2012-04-25T13:53:00.002-07:00

We did one tracing page for number 12 this week, 12 stickers were added to our sticker book, and our LOTW corresponded with our number as we counted out 12 Ladybugs on our Leaf with play-doh.

Purple

2012-04-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Purple word practice, Cabbage is purple (veggie book), Grapes are purple (fruit book), things that are PURPLE, purple paint book, ice cream scoop, caterpillar purple circle:

Letter Ll

2012-04-12T19:37:00.003-07:00

L for lion craft: cut out center of paper plate and glue curled strips of paper to rim.

Letter L toy hunt: find toys that start with letter of the week! Lemon, lips, lion, luggage, & Lightening Mcqueen!

Play-doh fun with our LOTW! Stamp the letter & make a ladybug leaf.

L for leaf:

Letter hunt, L book with Ll words, Ladybug heart:

L for leaf tracer, L and l tracer, Ll worksheet, words that start with Ll worksheet, Zoophonics Lizzy Lizard:

Scripture Organization Box

2012-02-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Here's a way to go over verses and memorize them on your own or with your family (through homeschooling or otherwise). In a 3X5 index card holder label the following on some index cards: Daily, Odd, Even, Days of the Week (Monday--Sunday), and the numbers 1-31. You won't start off with a verse in every spot, but you would eventually read at least four verses every day. You would read one verse from the "Daily" tab, one from the "Odd/Even" category (depending on if it's an odd or even numbered day: March 2nd is even, March 3rd is odd), another verse from the "Day of Week", and one from the "Number of the Month". When you feel ready with the verse, you move it further in box. The closer to the front, the more often you will be reading it.

I wrote my verses on index cards and started sticking them in my tabs and I was excited about this new structure, but I will say with my three little ones I was forgetting to bring my box out every day. I am planning on holding onto my Scripture box and do this when we are more consistent with homeschooling. For now, I have taped verses around the house to read to the kids when we a near them--we have several near time-out. I hope you find this helpful and inspiring though!

Heart

2012-02-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

Heart Play-Doh time with our heart mat & cookie cutters.

Hearts made from the boys' hand prints.

Heart tracing & shapes also enforced at our HGO.

Shapes HGO

2012-02-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

We start off with some shape sorting toys while we wait for the other mommies to arrive, but it turns out everyone's sick, so we start sorting our circle shapes onto the matching color plate.

Alison talks to the boys about some shape matching on worksheets. The boys were really wild and did not want to sit and do work, but we encouraged them to listen even if they don't feel like it. (So I guess they learned about shapes and some behavioral stuff too this day...I originally didn't want to homeschool my kids because of issues like this, but the behavioral stuff is soooo much more important than shapes! We have a long way to go, but I love this process of shaping my boys' hearts.)

Alison has a cool shapes poster hanging from the chalkboard. She goes through all the shapes with the pointer and has the kids repeat the shape back to her. Then she points to a shape and has them say what it is. Then she says, "who can find the triangle?" and if they are sitting nice, raising their hand, they get to use the pointer and show her.

She read a book called Mouse Shapes and the boys ate rectangle crackers and circle blueberries.

Alison had made cut outs of the shapes and put them in a little baggie for each child. As Alison called out a shape, the child looked in the baggie to find it, and raised it up into the air to show her. Each time they got more food...hehe.

We walked down to the park and painted with shape cookie cutters. It worked really well and they were excited to pour glitter over their shapes when they finished.

Lastly, we played this really fun running game. The kids stood at one end with cones and at the other end was more cones and a bunch more shapes cut out. Alison would blow her whistle and call out a shape. The kids would run to the other end and find the shape she had called, holding it up into the air. They would put it back down and she would blow the whistle again for them to run back to the starting point. They did this for about 20-30 min!

Number 11

2012-02-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

Play-Doh time with our NOTW. We use a cookie cutter to imprint the number talking about how it's a "1" and then do the "1" again! We also make snakes to put on our number one play-doh mats.

My 3 year old practices writing his number of the week. He is getting much better at his fine motor skills putting those 11 stickers into his sticker book and I think the 2 year old is catching on as well.

Letter Kk

2012-02-09T19:18:00.000-08:00

K for Kix!

The boys are doing so much better with glue than when we first started. We have days where they don't follow any directions, but they are getting better at it! (Which gave me time to get a few cute shots of my baby swiping the cereal...he is so stinkin cute.)

During our play-doh time I made some Ks to emphasize what it looks like and also a kite to encourage imagination.

K for kiwi! (yea pinterest!)

K for Kite--Alphabetize the kite string. He did not want to do it at all until I said he could jump on it when we were all done...he sped right up.

I used wine bottle ~~lids~~ corks to do some dot painting.

And, being that it's our last name, we had a lot of fun making k for king letters, coloring crowns/scepters, and dressing up as kings!

We also did a Big K, little k tracer, a K for kite tracer, alphabet activity page, circle the Ks in the story, and my 3 year old practiced writing his name.

Date Wheel

2012-02-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

The idea of this date wheel is to pick six date options from the baggie, place them on the wheel and spin. You do the date that is picked. All the date ideas are something you can do at home after putting your children to bed, so a babysitter is not required.

I found a free printable here. Then I used that as a template to cut out decorative paper to make my wheel prettier and sponged the sides of the date options with blue ink. I laminated the circle, date options, and arrow and then attached the arrow with a brad leaving space for it to be able to spin.

Makes a cute gift to give to your spouse for Valentine's/Anniversary or whenever.

Number 10

2012-02-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

We did a lot of counting through our LOTW Jj, but had some specific worksheets as well since it was our first number with two digits! We have been coloring a number each week in mix-matched order, and it was time to cut those out this week and we tried to remember the correct order as we glued (1-10).

Sticker book, Tracing Practice, Writing #10 on your own, Doggie Worksheet (numbers 9 & 10), Grouping worksheet.

Orange

2012-02-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Fruits Colors, Vegetables Colors, Paint Colors Booklet, Things that are Orange, Color Sight Words.

Added to our Ice Cream Scoops and Colorful Caterpillar. (The kids are really starting to love adding to these.)

Homeschool Room Updated

2012-02-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I was spoiled between my hubby and parents with a new homeschool classroom! I got a cupboard to lock up supplies (that the boys used to destroy every day when they woke up).

Our "work" station:

Reading/Puzzle Corner:

Creative Play:

This zone is more set up for the baby to keep him from escaping our same workspace:

TV time:

Art Station:

Nehemiah paints an octopus in his ocean mural.

Elijah doesn't have a vision for his; he just likes to paint. At the end, we decide it looks like a tree.

Toddler Nurse Outfit

2012-01-24T22:37:00.000-08:00

Nurse Dress Up Outfit Tutorial here.

I also made a little patient's smock for dolly.

Toddler Apron

2012-01-22T22:14:00.000-08:00

Follow link for pattern. I ruffled the pockets a little bit differently than the pattern says so kitchen tools would stay in better. In addition to what she used, I also included the warm and natural in the pockets and oven mitts. For trim, I added piping.

I also added this mini apron for my niece's doll.

Christmas HGO

2012-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

We started our day talking about the letter Jj. J for juh juh JOEL! J for juh juh JUICE! J for juh juh JACK string cheese! (that was our snack) While we ate the snack, we read the Christmas Story in the Jesus Storybook Bible (J for Jesus). The kids all sat on their own little cushion and we try to stick to two rules for reading: 1. Stay seated on your spot. 2. Keep ears open and mouths shut (no talking).

Then we looked at a candy cane and saw it was the shape of a letter J. We talked about where the candy cane came from, colored a candy cane minibook, then got a mini candy cane treat.

The little ones played while we colored...

Then we headed downstairs and did a lesson in following directions....

Nothing's harder for a little guy than having to follow step-by-step directions when candy is involved and you really want to eat it...

First you take a marshmallow, then stick in licorice for the legs...then snickers bars and tootsie rolls for the horsey....ya we lost them...sugar high and running around...

The mommies finished up the nativity gingerbread houses with the occasional pop-in from the kids...

It was a fun day!

Tulle Skirt (no sew)

2012-01-19T22:31:00.000-08:00

No-sew tulle skirt: Cut ribbon in strips, then tie and knot on an elastic band. Matching doll skirt works same way.

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookie

2012-01-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

Makes: 60 servings

Yield: 60 cookies

Prep: 40 minsBake: 325°F 10 mins per batchStand: 30 mins

ingredients

1/2
cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2 1/2
cups all-purpose flour
1/2
cup sugar
1
cup cold butter
12
ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
1/2
teaspoon almond extract
2
drops red food coloring (optional)
2
teaspoons shortening
White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

from the test kitchen

Storage Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

50th Birthday Party!

2012-01-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

While I love the "Over the Hill" theme for a 50th birthday party...my parents do not...so we went with a theme of "50" and kept our guests to immediate family only.

We had carrots and olives shaped in the form of a 5-0 and a yummy chicken fettuccine for dinner.

I found a bunch of pictures that were classic for the year and put my mom and dad's head in the place of the person who's picture it really was. The pictures go on a timeline so from childhood with the Morton salt girl ad to graduation to disco to Afro to Flashdance to wedding (teddy bears) to leopard suits to mullets to first baby in full 80s outfits to working suits with crazy hair to working around the house classic ad, to married with children to teacher outfit to man sitting at a desk to Buffy the vampire slayer to all of us looking like cats to traveling years as the statue of liberty and Hawaiian dancer to the partridge family to the incredibles family with grandkid pics to the Cullen family to represent the current age to old people in their rockers...

And a golf cake--making it to the 50th hole! (PS I tried a new fondant recipe that I hated.)