Princess With A Half Price Tiara

My Jazzy

2009-09-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought of you yesterday and the days before that too
I think of you in silence - I often speak your name
All I have of you are memories and your picture in a frame
Your memory is my keepsake with which I will never part
God has you in his keeping, I have you in my heart -

That is the poem that I started my eulogy with this week for my best friend, my sister.

I will be taking some time away from blog writing to focus on my family and myself. I have met some very wonderful people while writing on here and plan to be back soon, I just need some quiet time giving my kids lots of hugs.

Shake, Rattle and

2009-09-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

Buttered Roll!!!!

For my cooking blog I made some good old cornbread in a cast iron skillet so I took the opportunity to make some homemade butter to go along with it.

And the boys had a great time helping me.

First we poured some heavy whipping cream into an old, cleaned and dried pimento jar and added a pinch of salt. Then it was shake, shake, shake....

and shake, shake, shake....

(NO, the little guy is not suffering some baby version of "Herpes Simplex Something", nor is that the biggest "cold sore" in history, he fell face first on the concrete and put his tooth through his lip the other day and it is still swollen, bruised and painful (but one good outcome is that he his having a heck of a time with his pacifier, oh well!).

First the cream will thicken slightly, then turn more into the thickness of whipped cream and then a ball will form, a beautiful ball of butter...just pour off the "butter milk" that separates and enjoy!

We like to throw ours in the fridge for a while to firm up a little more.

See it melting beautifully on the slice of cornbread?!?!

The big guy asked if we could make butter every night for dinner. Of course I said no BUT it would be a nice thing to do for the holidays and it is such a simple thing for them to do together and practice taking turns.

P.S. Make sure you watch the little ones, they got a little over zealous with their shaking and the big guy hit himself in the head with the jar!

Help, My Son's Pant Are On Fire!!!!

2009-09-08T04:09:00.000-07:00

It seems as though my big guy started a new hobby but unfortunately his new pastime has also made him the recipient of a new nickname,

PINNOCHIO

Unfortunately, within the last week or so I have personally caught my son telling numerous "fibs". They started with "I have to go to the bathroom" and then using that time to rummage through closets and bedrooms without supervision, then came along the random "little brother did it" even when he was not in the room and now we are up to "Mommy said I can have ice cream now, etc".

At first it was once a day and now the frequency is at least 5 a day. It makes me sad to think he could be so devious and scheming - in my eyes he is still my innocent baby. I just thought older kids do this to test boundaries but not 4.5 year olds.

Is this common?!?! When does it usually start? What advice do you have?

Due to his PDD-NOS he has a hard time understanding social cues or social standards and although we have had many talks about not telling the truth and he has had many of his toys taken away, he still continues on...

I need to help him find his inner Jiminy Cricket!!!!!

I am on my upstairs to go through our Davey and Goliath boxed set to see if there is an episode on the subject (yes, my father bought him the boxed set), will be renting Pinnochio today and going to the library or bookstore because I think there is a Berenstein Bear book but do any of you have any suggestions???

PLEASE HELP!

Flat Stanley Project

2009-09-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

The big guy and I are so excited to be participating in a "Flat Stanley Project" based on the love-able, adventurous character from Jeff Brown's books, that is being hosted by Gabby at The Work of Childhood.

If you are not familiar with Flat Stanley, Stanley Lambchop was a boy who was flattened by a bulletin board. He soon finds out it can be fun to be flat and travel the world by mail having many adventures along the way.

So here is a picture of our big guy and his Flat Stanley, who will be travelling the "world" ready for some real fun adventures. In turn, we will be "hosting" other Flat Stanley's as they travel the world and end up in our mailbox and promise to handle them with care and truly show them a good time with lots of activities and fun planned.

Notice the "pocket pants" ?!?! My son is a big fan of cargo pants and asked that his Stanley have a pair... so I obliged by drawing them on.

Although my son needed some reassurance that he would be safe, we eagerly mailed our "Stanley" to his first visit in Tennessee. How exciting!!! Can't wait to see what he gets to see and do while he is there.

Since the big guy (and our little one for that matter) is a huge fan of mail, I am sure he will be checking our mailbox daily.

In the mean time, since school is starting for us next week, along with soccer and karate, I think we will suspend our postings for Tot School and use THIS wonderful opportunity for learning.

I will search tonight for a perfect map of the United States and show my son where we live and work with his little brother on learning our address since the big guy already knows that. Then when we get our first "Stanley" to babysit I will show them where he/she came from and plan our lesson from there.

Thanks again Gabby, we are so excited to participate!

Happy Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

and End of Summer!!!

Sorry if you have checked in lately and have not found anything new posted especially for Tot School, Preschool Corner, Wordless Wednesday or CVS Challenge. The last few weeks of summer have been getting the best of me along with some health issues so I am wiped out!

We are still having fun and learning lots of new things, I have just run out of time to write about them. Hopefully next week when the big guy starts school again, I will have some more free time.

I have been cooking a lot and trying lots of new Pioneer Woman recipes for my other blog which you can read here . \

and the boys are very excited to start their Flat Stanley project which I will be writing about real soon!!!!

WFMW - "Salad" Gift Basket

2009-08-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

Themes, are what work for me!

I love themes, keeping with a theme helps me plan so much; parties, homeschooling my little ones and most importantly presents. I love to give themed presents and gift baskets.

For instance, when checking a relative's gift registry for her bridal shower I saw that she was registered for a salad bowl, so I made this -

Here is a close-up of the "salad"...

I couldn't just give a salad bowl!

Giant Pretzel Jar - Ideas Wanted

2009-08-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

Any Ideas?

Well, we just finished our gigantic jar of pretzels and now as I sit here staring at the empty container I can't bring myself to throw it out. I keep looking at it, thinking that there has to be something I can use it for...

Something crafty for this kids or myself, a toy for the dog, a giant "ocean in the bottle" or a giant "I Spy Bottle"??!?!?

Any ideas?

Tot School - Dinosaur Theme

2009-08-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is my fifth week of participating in Tot School by posting my learning activities with my two boys who are 29 and 52 months of age. Through reading the posts from Tot School I found a wonderful blog called Homeschool Creations who sponsors Preschool Corner.

Since I usually work with both of my boys at the same time and there is a two year age gap, I realize that some of my content my not be age appropriate for some of the tots in Tot School and would be a better fit for Preschool Corner so I figured it would be okay to post to both sites at the same time (I hope that is okay with everyone).

Since this is my first post for Preschool Corner I would formally like to introduce myself. Please feel free to read my first Tot School post here to read about my boys and what my goals and plans for teaching them are.

Dinosaur Theme Week

The little guy worked all week on a little dinosaur song that we learned from Kid Soup about colors and dinosaurs. I also printed the dinosaurs from there (I never did have a chance to properly cut them out or laminate them).

Also from my Kid Soup membership, I printed counting mats with pictures of dinosaurs with numbers for the big guy. We used our dog's biscuits as dinosaur bones (I wanted to paint them white for a better dinosaur bone effect but was afraid that my dog would get a hold of them).

The big guy tried his hand at tracing objects for the first time using our old Discovery Toys Place & Trace. He still needs a little more coordination with using markers before he can master the task.

The little guy worked on the "puzzles", especially the dinosaur one.

When the boys were sleeping I traced the dinosaur templates on black construction paper with a thin line of Elmer's Glue when once it dried made it very hard to see the images. In the morning I told the boys that there was "fossils" on the paper and gave them chalk to rub on the paper, revealing the dinosaur shapes.

The big guy made a paper plate volcano as a prop for his plastic dinosaurs.

This by far was the kid's favorite book of the week as David Carter pop-up books usually are. This book usually shows up at bedtime several times a week. Both boys love it.

I hid these "Treasure Stones" in our garden for the boys first to find, then break open to find little dinosaurs inside. To see my whole post on our Treasure Stones go here.

We played alot with our dinosaur counters this week,

I photocopied pages from the booklet (and laminated them) that came in our bucket of dinosaur counters for the big guy to use as sorting mats. I thought he was going to have trouble with it as he really had to sit and look hard at the line drawings and match the plastic counters to the pictures but he sailed right through it!

The little guy sorted them by color.

Here are some of the other books we focused on this week:

I still have lots of dinosaur themed things planned but unfortunately ran out of time this week. I will save them for the next time that dinosaurs come into out rotation. In the mean time, if you are interested to see what other parents are doing to teach their kids please stop by Homeschool Creations and 1+1+1=1.

Treasure Stones

2009-08-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

I know that there have been loads of posts on various blogs on how to make "Treasure Stones" but some recipes differ slightly so I figured I would post how we made them.

First, I started with small plastic dinosaurs...

Then I mixed together:

1 cup flour

1 cup "used" coffee grinds

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup sand (taken right out of the kid's sand box)

1 cup water

I would recommend adding the water slowly until you have a nice dough mixture, I added in the full cup of water and it made the dough difficult to work with and very hard to dry thoroughly.

I found it best to spoon a small amount in my hand, place my trinket in the middle, slide it on to a cookie sheet and add another glob right on top to close in the trinket.

From the different recipes that I read you can either bake in the oven or dry in the sun for 3 days. I opted for the oven (125 degrees for 20-30 mins, fingers crossed that I did not melt my dinosaurs). As I mentioned above, I think I added to much water as they were not fully dried and had some soft spots and were definitely not rock hard so I put them outside in the sun for an additional day.

Our big guy opted to use Daddy's tools instead of the kid set which made me a little nervous. ADULT SUPERVISION IS REQUIRED WHEN USING "BIG BOY" TOOLS, as you can see in the next picture how close he came to cracking his skull instead of the "stones".

Daddy stepped in to help the little guy.

The boys had a great time, digging and excavating for their dinosaurs!

Tot School - No Theme Week

2009-08-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

I am sad to say that our "Dinosaur Themed Tot School" week was a bust this week!

First, it was my son's last week of actual district pre-school so there was lots of things planned outside of the home for the week.

Secondly, I bought two new games for the kids at the beginning of the week which quickly became favorites in the house and was all they wanted to do when we were inside.

And last but not least, I ran out of paint to make "dinosaur bones" for our paleontologist dig I had planned and the coffee grinds that I had drying to make dinosaur stones got moldy and grew "hair" so I had to throw it out.

The good news - the boys played wonderfully together with their new games, took turns, were not sore losers or winners for that matter and almost everything is reading for dinosaurs next week!!!!

Here are some pictures of the boys playing with their new games.

Hiss by Gamewright was by far the favorite of my two year old and it is an excellent game to reconfirm colors and to work on visual discrimination and orientation!!!!

The second game was "Feed The Kitty", again by Gamewright. It was a cute game too but the big guy had a harder time with winning/losing with this one.
We did get in some Occupational Therapy while playing with Perfection. You can see my original post on the Perfection game here and some name spelling with our "magical rocks"

To see what other had planned for their tot's this week click here.

My New Blog

2009-08-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

Concrete Cowgirl Cooks...

I would like to introduce you to my new blog, Concrete Cowgirl Cooks! Please stop by when you get the chance and follow me along my cooking journey with Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman. I plan on working my way through her delicious recipes one at a time just like the now famous "Julie/Julia Project" but with Biscuits and Gravy instead of Boeuf Bourguignon!

Unlike Julie from the blog, book and movie, I have NO real "joy" of cooking, actually I do not like it and I hate cleaning up from making dinner even more! I also lack ambition and cooking creativity and since I am truly a baker at heart, lack any confidence to shake things up a bit.

Why Ree - her recipes are approachable, her skill of writing invites you to try, while her photography "holds your hand" as you go along.

No, I am not trying to get a book deal or movie (especially since I don't know who the perfect star to play my part would be)...I am just learning to make some delicious meals for my family to work into my now non-existent repertoire so we are a not stuck with Meatloaf Mondays, Turkey Tuesdays, etc.

I hope in the end, I can really "WOW' my family, friends and myself with my cooking...wish me luck!

I Am a Member....

2009-08-16T04:13:00.000-07:00

I am so giddy with excitement!!!!!

Kristen from the awesome blog "We are THAT Family" just posted a little snippet about my blog and has officially inducted me into her "society"!!!

I am so happy you would think I won an Academy Award.

If you are ever in need of a good laugh, stop by Kristen's blog for some real honest family humor! Her blog always puts a smile on my face and I am proud to be a part of her clan!!!

Fun Dinner With The Kids

2009-08-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

"Hairy Hot Dogs"

I love the fact that because my husband is a fireman there are plenty of occasions that he works nights, especially because I can get away with making this for dinner!!!!

The boys and I had lots of fun putting the hot dogs on to the spaghetti.

Just throw in a pot of boiling water and here is the result (sorry for the overly bright picture - my flash was a little screwy tonight).

I originally saw this done on the blog Plum Pudding.

But we jazzed them up a bit by adding some of the Velveeta cheese sauce from a package of Kraft Velveeta Shells and Cheese (I saved the pasta shells for an upcoming dinosaur project that we will be making).

The boys loved them but I got a little nervous that it might be a choking hazard for my little guy so I cut his up, which did not make him to happy.

Calling All Women....

2009-08-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

I have a question to ask....

Every time I see the commercial on television for the Clear Blue Easy brand pregnancy tests, I always seem to giggle when they make the following statement -

Clearblue® Easy Digital Pregnancy Test –Unmistakably clear results in words Did you know that 1 in 4 women can misread a traditional pregnancy test result?

I am just curious if this is true because I personally never had a problem, have any of you?????

The kids are still napping, can you tell that I am bored?!?!

WFMW - The Perfection Game and Fine Motor Skills

2009-08-12T09:03:00.001-07:00

I am always on the look out for cheap ideas to teach my sons especially those items that are great multi-taskers. This week it is the Milton Bradley game of "Perfection" that works for me.

We use it as a puzzle to practice fine motor skills since the little shapes can only be picked up and placed in using a mature "pincer grip", great for shape recognition, eye-hand coordination and when I tell my 4 year old to start at the top left and work across each row he is practicing a great early literacy skill while training himself to think left to right, top to bottom!!!! All that and we have never even turned it on yet!

Now that is a great multi-tasker!!

Improving Hand Strength and Writing Skills

2009-08-12T04:17:00.000-07:00

Isn't he cute....he loves to color (and hoard all the crayons and markers as he works). If you look at the next two pictures you can also see that he still has an immature hold on those crayons and does not use a "tripod" grasp.

you will not get those extra crayons and markers away from him!

Since my big guy has had lots of Occupational Therapy, I feel that I have some tricks up my sleeve to help the little guy with his coloring and writing skills that I would like to share with you all.

First of all, a lot of our crayons look like the one below. Actually we have a whole box of them! Some were broken unintentionally, others were broken by the big guy when he was learning to color because he would hold them so hard his knuckles would turn white and they would just snap in half and most of them I just broke in two as soon as they came home.

No I am not just a crayon murderer, the smaller size no longer fits in the palm of his hands, promoting the proper tripod grasp.

We have not tried these markers yet made by Crayola but they would work the same way due to their smaller size (they are on my list when I find them on sale).

Another great idea is to use an easel and have them color and write on it instead of a flat surface. Working on a vertical surface helps strengthen the whole arm which is an important foundation skill for writing plus it helps position the wrist correctly.

This is the type of tabletop easel that we use at our house. It is made by Battat for Parent's Magazine Toys, I purchased it a long time ago at Target for about $20.00.

Another good activity to improve the strength in the small muscles of the hand is to load a big ball of play-doh or therapy putty with small beads. It is also another way that the big guy and I work on counting skills. I just tell him that there are 15 beads hiding, can you find them all?

"Magical" Rocks

2009-08-10T11:20:00.001-07:00

Well, they are MAGICAL to me!

A wise friend who works in "Special Education" told me awhile back to write letters on rocks for my son to help him learn the alphabet. At first I must admit, that although it sounded like a good idea, I had a hard time thinking that something so simple could possibly work since he was having so much trouble at home and at school.

My son attended early Pre-K at a local church starting at age 2 1/2 and since the age of 3 1/2 he has attended a Special Education and Therapeutic Preschool. So, with two solid years in actual school and all the work we did at home he still did not know how to spell his name, recognize more than three letters (only 1 was in his name) and occasionally confused numbers for letters until the MAGIC ROCKS!!!!!

As some of you already know, my son has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS and like a lot of kids on the Autism Spectrum who have attachments or fixations on certain items my son does too and his "thing" is rocks...the kid loves them!!!! My friend kept insisting with me to use the rocks to my advantage, he likes them and will pay attention!

On Friday night my mother handed the boys each a set of rocks with the letters of their names printed on them and kept arranging them in the proper order for about 15 minutes while reciting the letters.

After the initial 15 minutes the big guy had is name down pat!!! The next day he still had it plus if we included the little guy's letters into his pile he still knew which letters to pick out.

He still gets a little confused with the actual "names" of the letters at times but he knows which ones belong to him!

I guess I have to get out more paint and make some more letters soon!

If you have a child who is having some difficulties learning letters try using the things they truly love...I have a feeling I will be buying some cheap wooden trains in the future and using my Sharpie marker to make an alphabet train for my little guy.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 18

2009-08-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Trip 1 -
The following items plus the local Sunday newspaper without sales, coupons and previously earned Extra Bucks would have cost a total of $23.18 but I paid $6.99.

Trip 2 -
The following items would have cost a total of $37.97 without sales, coupons and the Extra Bucks earned in trip 1 but I paid a total of $7.00 out of pocket.

Here are this week's totals:

Total Amount of Merchandise (prior to discounts) - $61.14

Total Spent Out of Pocket - $13.99

Savings - $47.15

Extra Bucks Remaining - $6.00

Interested on how to get the best deals? Check out my post on how I make CVS work for me!

Tot School - Farm/Garden Theme Part 2

2009-08-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

Grammie came to visit the boys this week so we focused a little more on "Life School" which included shopping at the mall, restaurants, lots of swimming in the pool and the boys first play which we saw at a local children's theatre.

I have to apologize at the lack of pictures of the boys actually doing their activities this week, but it always seemed that when we were working on our planned "Tot School" activities my camera was outside by the pool and I was to hot, tired and lazy to go get it.

In honor of our second week of Garden/Farm themed activities we played this old game a lot. (I just realized that I had two of these games in the closet).

We took some rocks from the boy's "collection" that reside in one of our gardens and wrote a letter on each so that both boy's would have there name. This was a learning technique that I was asked to try by a dear friend to help my son learn the letters of his name. I will be writing a separate post about this activity soon.

The big guy worked on a "What Does Not Belong" worksheet that I printed from my Kid Soup.com membership. This was so easy for him (one of his big strengths is visual concepts), it took him seconds to put his "X"s on the items that did not belong.

Although we continued to work on the letter "C" for carrot, I also worked on "Beginning Sounds" with the boys using little barns printed from Kid Soup. It was great practice although the boys did have some difficulties. There were several pictures for each of the letters (H, P, C and D).

I also tried another Upper and Lower case letter match-up game (again from Kid Soup) with the big guy, he did much better than he did with our beach/ocean themed one. I am thinking it was easier for him since it was on a smaller scale plus the clothes pins are a great fine motor exercise.

I also printed this great "chick" pattern pages for the big guy, he had trouble with some of them (there were 5 or so pages) but all in all he did a great job.

We read the same books over that we read last week which you can see them listed in my original Garden/Farm theme post.

Don't forget to check back next week for some more of our fun themed ideas. We haven't started anything yet today but I think we will be doing "Dinosaurs".

In the mean time, if you are interested in the fun ways that other's are teaching their tot's, stop by 1+1+1=1.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 17

2009-08-04T04:24:00.001-07:00

Trip 1:
The items below without sales, coupons and previous Extra Bucks would have cost a total of $26.49 but I paid $4.43 out of pocket.

Trip 2:
The items below, plus an additional box of Shredded Mini Wheats which must still be in the car would have cost a total of $20.76 without sales, coupons and previous Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $1.52.

Trip 3:
The total of the the items below would have cost a total of $34.33 without sales, coupons and previously earned Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $2.55 out of pocket.

Trip 4:
The items below would have cost a total of $42.19 without sales, coupons and previously earned Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $11.13 out of pocket.

Weekly Totals =

Total Amount of Merchandise Purchased (no sales, coupons, etc.) = $123.77

Total Out of Pocket = $19.63

Total Saved = $104.14

Extra Bucks Remaining = $8.00!

Tot School - Garden/Farm Theme

2009-08-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

Since we are still fairly new to "Tot School" I will introduce ourselves again, my boys are 28 and 51 months (special education, PDD-NOS) and my goals for participating in Tot School is to learn new ideas from others and to track my boy's achievements in meeting their goals. Our biggest goal right now is getting my 51 month old ready for kindergarten (one more year to go) and hopefully into a mainstream class.

I started this week with these awesome assessment sheets from Making Learning Fun to measure where my big guy is at now. I was very excited that they matched our theme - even Mrs. Wishy-Washy!

The big guy got to mark each circle that he knew correctly with a bingo marker. As you can see, we have a long way to go with the Alphabet.

The little guy worked on his colors this week with this file folder game that I printed from my membership to Kid Soup.

We worked on the letter "C"...

I printed this "card game" from Kid Soup and it was supposed to be used for a sorting game, "farm animals" from "zoo animals" but neither boy had any interest. I just worked with the little guy and his animal identification.

The big guy worked this week on a chicken and baby chick matching game that I printed from my membership at Kid Soup. I see improvements in his counting every week - I am very proud of him!

I printed a "Cow Roll and Color" page from Making Learning Fun, which the big guy loved!

After reading "Growing Vegetable Soup" we made big soup bowl pictures with construction paper, macaroni, foam letters and vegetable pictures that the boys colored.

After reading "Oh Say Can You Seed" the boys and I did a quick art project showing some of the things that make plants and flowers grow. Occasionally, I like to do art projects along side them so they can take a look at mine as they go along to get ideas.

Here is mine...

Here is my big guys...he was so proud that he grew tomatoes (the big red circles at the end), he had also "planted" red and purple seeds for tomatoes and eggplants. Pretty good imagination emerging!

The little guy didn't pay to much attention to this project and just drew "dirt" but he did keep it fairly within the different columns. He proudly professed that he drew "big, huge rocket ships".

We worked in our garden this week and even sampled some of the carrots that we planted (although they are not fully grown yet).

These are the books that we read together this week...

Since I planned way to many Farm/Garden themed items for us to complete this week we will be extending our theme to next week also so don't forget to check back.

If you are interested in what others have been doing with their tot's be sure to stop by 1+1+1=1 to see the links.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-29T04:17:00.000-07:00

Who Me?

I didn't eat the kid's swimmies and tubes out of the pool!

For more great "Wordless Wednesday" posts, be sure to stop by Go Graham Go and check out the links.

Tot School-Beach and Ocean Theme-Part 2

2009-07-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

This is our second week posting our official "Tot School" activities and it is also our second week of Beach and Ocean themed fun and learning. If you missed our first Tot School posting with our introduction my boys are 28 and 51 months, my eldest son has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS and has some trouble with learning, even though he attends a special pre-school 5 days a week, we are working hard at home with helping to prepare him for kindergarten.

Last week we still focused on the letters O and F and re-read all of the books from last week.

We tried to do a color by number that I printed from my membership at Kid Soup but my big guy got frustrated and would not complete it.

We also did a tried a color by letter also from Kid Soup, which he got partially done before yelling "I do not have to finish this, it is an octopus"!

We made some colored salt "Rainbow Fish" which you can read my detailed post here if you are interested. They were lots of fun although the boys were not two concerned with keeping the colors separated.

I printed this awesome "Shadow Match Game" from Kid Soup which can be used mat style or as a memory game. I laminated them and used them mat style so I could separate them giving two pages to a child without overwhelming them. Both boys absolutely loved this one and did a great job at it too.

I love the big guys "whipped cream mustache" in this pic.

I also made this beach scene using some construction paper and a palm tree from an enlarged computer graphic (I wish I would have laminated it before I spilt water on it, oh well).

I then printed out a bunch of beach/ocean themed items such as beach balls, crabs, fish, sharks, turtles, etc. I used these little pictures to work on numbers and spatial concepts with the boys. I gave them directions such as put three crabs on the sand, put one crab on the right of the palm tree, put the boy in the water, put two sharks on top of the boys (ouch). This went over pretty well so I will be thinking of more of these for our future themes.

Although I do not have any pictures we also work on our gross motor skills this week with lots of physical activities such as crab walk races and swimming in the pool like fish.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to come back next week, we will be working on a Garden/Farm theme. To see what others are doing with their tot's be sure to check out the weekly posts here at 1+1+1=1.

P.S. I asked the big guy at the end of two week's what does fish start with and unfortunately he did not know. Since we are having so much trouble with learning letters we were thinking of ordering the "CORE" books. Does anyone have an opinion or another suggestion? I would love your help with this.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 16

2009-07-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

All of the above items (plus a 20 ounce bottle of Diet Coke and a local Sunday newspaper) would have cost a total of $82.23 without any sales, coupons or previously earned Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $10.87 out of pocket (a savings of $71.36)plus I earned an additional $12.97 in Extra Bucks for next week's shopping. So again if you think about it, I earned $2.10 towards next week's shopping to come home with all of this stuff!! Not to shabby!

I will not bore you with the breakdown on exactly how this transaction played out but if you are interested just add a comment and I will break it down for you.

Since next week's circular will be for August, here is the breakdown for my July spending:
Total Amount of Merchandise Purchased (prior to sales, coupons, etc): $349.09
Total Amount Spent Out of Pocket: $59.43
Total Savings: $289.66
Total Extra Bucks Remaining: $12.87

Rainbow Fish

2009-07-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

Colored Salt Style

After reading "Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister the boys and I decided to make some Rainbow Fish pictures today using colored salt.

The salt was very easy to color, I just put about a 1/4 of a cup in a sandwich size bag with 4-5 drops of food coloring mixed it together and poured it onto a paper plate to dry.

It makes a great alternative to colored sand which can become expensive if your project calls for mutiple colors.

We made the fish outside because of the mess factor and the boys had a great time.

Here you can see their finished pictures. As you can see they had a great time mixing all of the colors together!

WFMW - Quiet Dr. Office Distractions

2009-07-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

Recently I did a post on my son's delay of bedtime by playing with pipe cleaners (you can read the original post here so the rest makes sense to you). In an effort to get them away from him, so he would actually go to sleep I threw them in my pocketbook.

Fast forward a day - We were sitting in the pediatrician's office and the boys were starting to get antsy to say the least, so I reached into my pocketbook for some paper for them to scribble with and my son saw the pipe cleaners. To my surprise he wanted to play with them again. They both sat still the whole time while I made shapes, letters and numbers for them to identify.

Again, the picture below is not a secret code, just an example of what we were doing.

So I guess the moral of the story is, keeping some pipe cleaners in my diaper bag is what works for me!!

For some more great tips, stop by We Are That Family to see what others are posting about today.

Wordless Wednesday - Ready for the Pool?

2009-07-22T03:36:00.000-07:00

Where's my towel? I can't see so good with these things on but don't you dare take them off!

If you want to see some more great Wordless Wednesday posts - stop by Go Graham Go and see what people have posted, enjoy!

Who Knew?

2009-07-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

That "Pipe Cleaners" a.k.a. "Chenille Stems"
could be so much fun!!!

In an effort to prolong going to bed, my big guy rummaged through my desk drawer and came running into my room holding up two pipe cleaners professing to be a deer.

and then said he could not go to bed until he shaved his mustache....

and then as luck would have it his little brother grew a beard....

then the big guy had a pair of earrings...

then one big really fancy earring!

I have to admit reaching for my camera did not make the antics settle down nor make bedtime come any quicker but I did change the game to be more educational.

A few minutes later the bed was filled with all kinds of shapes, letters and numbers (no that is not a secret code).

What a quick, cheap, mess free way of using their imaginations.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 15

2009-07-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

The following items plus a package of Gummy Bears would have cost a total of $23.12 without any sales, coupons or previously earned Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $1.85.

Everything was on sale plus I used a $1.00 off coupon on the batteries, $3.00 off $15.00 coupon and $10.00 in previously earned Extra Bucks. I also earned an additional $12.98 in Extra Bucks for next week's school supply shopping spree!!!!!

If you stop for a second and think that I spent an actual $1.85 plus $10.00 in EB's that is a total of $11.85, plus I earned $12.98 in more EB's so I actually "got paid" $1.13 to roll-over my EB's and come home with free school items, not a bad deal.

Tot School - Ocean and Beach Theme

2009-07-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first official "Tot School" post. Our boys are 28 months and 51 months old. My older son has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS and along with the issues that coincide with his diagnosis he also has some learning difficulties. Although he has been attending a special education pre-school I personally feel that they do not focus enough on his actual learning of skills. He is very smart in some areas and lacking in so many others. This is why I am committed to taking a bigger role in his education and in turn hopefully making him better prepared for kindergarten.

We have always focused on learning new skills a small part of everyday but we never actually had a game plan. Now I think we do, or at least I am working on it now. My oldest's school works off of the Creative Curriculum which is theme based so I will try to work along this schedule possibly staying a week behind so I can follow-up with anything they have missed.

Here is our week 1 -

Beach/Ocean Theme

We worked on the letter F - for Fish, this week using some writing template that I printed from my membership at Kid Soup (although it is a premium site with a fee it is a great resource for printables and little games; we use it constantly).

If you look closely you can see where he did his letter in pencil.

I printed out these fish patterns also from my membership at Kid Soup to make this file folder game for matching capital and lower case letters. I broke up the letters into three folders. Since I planned a lot of ocean themed activities we will definitely work on this one again several times since me son has trouble with letter recognition.

My son did an open-ended art picture to work on his imagination.

We also made some fun sea creature crafts together this week. Since my sons loves to make things with me I generally use craft time to work on fine motor, listening and attention to direction skills. You can find my original post on these crafts here (lobster and crabs, jellyfish collage and paper bag whales).

The boys and I read the following books. My 4 year old really loves the facts and details that are in the Cat In The Hat Learning Library series so we read two beach/ocean themed ones this week, it is a really great series for kids who are into technical fact based information (which my son thrives on).

For Some Quiet Time (also known as must get dinner on the table time) the boys watched this:

and we watched this one for family movie night!

Some More Sea Creature Crafts

2009-07-17T08:41:00.001-07:00

Egg Carton Lobster and Crabs

The boys helped me paint the egg cartons red (1 section for each crab and three sections left in a row for each lobster) but they lost interest in the decorating so I pulled through the legs and clued on the details. Once completed they did love playing with them though.

If you are interested in more sea creature art check out my post about our jellyfish collages here or our paper bag whales here.

Jellyfish Craft

2009-07-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Jellyfish Collages

The boys had a great time making this one (they especially liked being tickled on their heads with the tentacles). I just wished that the thunderstorm waited a little while longer and we could have completed this one outside like I had originally planned as my kitchen took a beating.

Here is all you need to make some quick and easy jellyfish collages:

two sheets of clear contact paper
sheets of blue cellophane cut into strips
collage material (we used sequins, cut up little pieces of the blue cellophane, sand for our sandbox and glitter)
possibly some tape, my little guy but a lot of stuff on the edges which made it difficult to seal in some spots so I just closed it off with some clear tape

If you are interested in some more ocean/sea life crafts check out my post on our paper bag whales here.

A "Whale" of A Good Time

2009-07-17T05:37:00.001-07:00

Paper Lunch Bag Whales

Such a quick fun easy craft and the boys had a great time. The following items are all you need to make a whale:

paper lunch bag
blue paint
google eye
red construction paper or marker to make mouth
rubber band to tie the tail
4 sheets of crumbled paper to stuff body
white tissue for "spray"

Wordless Wednesday - Just Like Dad

2009-07-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go for more "Wordless Wednesday" posts.

Can You Make A Volcano?

2009-07-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

My son must have been dreaming of Hawaii or Hawadi as he calls it because when my 4 year old woke up yesterday morning the first words out of his mouth were "Can you make me a volcano"?.

Can I make you a volcano? Don't you know by now that I am Super Crafty Mommy?

Well, I guess I was wrong, as I quickly found out I can not make a volcano.

After a quick search online I settled on the directions posted at Mom's Who Think but unfortunately the "dough" you are supposed to make just kept sliding off of the bottle despite the fact that it was sticking to the kids and myself just fine.

Although it did erupt I did not add enough food coloring to our "lava" because it was more like a subtle pink then hot red.

But look at the joy on his face.... he loved it anyway!

He thanked me over and over last night for making him a volcano.

Now, does anyone have a plan to build a better volcano? I would love to really wow him!

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 14

2009-07-13T03:58:00.001-07:00

The items in the above picture (plus a 20 ounce Diet Coke) would have cost $87.56 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $15.58 (a savings of $71.98 or 82%) plus I still have $10.00 in Extra Bucks to apply to next week's purchases.

Trip 1-

3- Paper Mate Pen packs

Clorox Wipes

2 - 1 subject notebooks

2 - kids scissors

2 - plastic rulers

Diet Coke

---came to $17.05 less $3/15 purchase coupon, less $10.00 in previous Extra Bucks (from last week) totalling $4.05 plus I received $12.91 in Extra Bucks.

Trip 2-

Scott Paper Towels

2-3 subject notebooks

Huggies

2 - glues

---came to $24.44 less $3/15 purchase coupon, less $2.00 Huggies coupons, less $12.91 in Extra Bucks from trip 1 totaling - $6.53 plus I received $7.98 in Extra Bucks.

Trip 3 -

2 - Olay Products

---came to $22.98 less $3/15 purchase coupon, less 2 - $1.00 Olay coupons, less $5.00 Extra Bucks from last week, less $7.98 in Extra Bucks from trip 2 totaling $5.00 plus I earned an additional $10.00 Extra Bucks to use next week.

Hope this breakdown helps.

How I Make CVS Work For Me

2009-07-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned previously, I was never a fan of CVS, hate their pharmacy (at least the one here) and thought that the majority of their items were over-priced but I have seen the light!

I started shopping at CVS after being intrigued by the $5.00 CVS Challenge hosted by Keeping The Kingdom First back in April while I was surfing the web for coupons, etc. Keep in mind there is no prize to be won with this Challenge, just some bragging rights and a huge amount of satisfaction when you bring home bags of stuff for very little money out of pocket. To give you an idea of how well I have done since starting on April 12th I have purchased $771.53 worth of merchandise (price before any sales, coupons or using Extra Bucks) and paid only $213.17 out of pocket - a savings of $558.36 purchasing everyday items such as diapers, shampoo, laundry and dish soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. Plus I still have $15.00 to spend my next go around!

There are many websites that list the ins and outs of CVS shopping, so I don't want to reinvent the wheel, just explain to my friends and family that have asked, how I make it work for me.

Some of the websites/blogs that I follow are:

Keeping the Kingdom First - Lots of links, coupon match-ups and tutorials
Deal Seeking Mom - Lots more links and coupon match-ups and tutorials
Surviving The Stores - Still more links and coupon match-ups
I Heart CVS - Preview of circular

Here is how I make it work for me:

I generally stick to sale items that I have coupons for and items that they are offering Extra Bucks back for purchasing.
Usually most CVS stores have a machine towards the front of the store that is a price checker/coupon giver. I always scan my CVS card when I come into the store as you generally get a couple of random CVS coupons. This is usually where I obtain my $3.00 off a $15.00 purchase coupons.
Unfortunately, this best deals can be found by making multiple trips which makes no sense to some but once you do the math - it does. My "Challenge" is to get as many household staples and groceries I can with spending very little out-of-pocket by using weekly sales, coupons and Extra Bucks.

For instance, on a recent trip I bought three rolls of tape at $1.49 each (totaling $4.47) and received $4.47 back in Extra Bucks so in all essence the tape will be free the next time I go shopping. I look at Extra Bucks as like a bank CD per se; you give the store the money today and they will hold it for you until the next time you shop, well that is all fine and dandy except what if I never come back or lose it!!

The day after I bought the tape I stopped back in and bought some Febreeze products and after sales and coupons my total was $6.50 I used my $4.47 tape Extra Bucks so it only cost me $2.03 out-of-pocket. If I purchased the tape and Febreeze products in one trip I would have had to pay $10.97. This is not the best example but you can get the idea.
Although the $5.00 CVS Challenge focuses on spending only $5.00 or less, I sometimes tend to make my purchases total $15.00 before coupons (especially if there are big ticket items) to take advantage of my never ending supply of $3.00 off coupons. The only thing you have to pay attention to is the order that you give the cashier your coupons. Always give the $3.00 off CVS coupon before your manufacturer's otherwise your total would be less than $15.00.
Remember, CVS takes Internet coupons!

So this week when you get your circular take a marker and circle all Extra Bucks offers and sale items you are interested in, go through your coupons, check the websites listed above for any internet coupons and their matchups and have fun!

This week coming up is a great week to get started, they have "free" pens and notebooks for three days only - GO GET SOME!

If you have any questions just let me know.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 13 - Part 2

2009-07-10T04:10:00.001-07:00

Sorry if I am boring anyone with my CVS purchase information but this is the best location for me to keep track of my little game. Hopefully soon, I will get a post up explaining how I make the $5.00 CVS Challenge work for me and it will explain things better for the few family and friends that I know have interest.

Well, I went back again to get the free tape and buy some more Febreeze stuff because with my previous purchases I was so close to the amount needed to get more Extra Bucks.

The above items would have cost a total of $19.45 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $5.50 plus I earned $5.00.

To make it easier, the combined totals for this week are $118.13 worth of merchandise for $12.88 out of pocket which is a savings of $105.25 (plus I still have $5.00 in Extra Bucks to spend)!

100th Post - 100 Things About Me

2009-07-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

In honor of my blog's 100th post and in keeping up with blogging tradition, here is a list of 100 things that you may or may not know about me:

10 Things That I Love -
1. My children
2. My husband
3. My family
4. Camping
5. The smell of a sweaty horse mixed with leather
6. Amish and Mennonite Communities, especially Farmer's Markets and Quilts
7. Photography
8. Sunrises
9. The sound of my children's laughter
10. The absolute delight on my children's face and the sound of the voice when they are excited, especially when they see something cool for the first time

10 Things That I Hate -
11. People who make rude and hurtful comments unknowingly. Such as my mom's friend who wanted to know why my hair was going so grey or the extended family member who told my friend that she was nervous that I brought my son to her house.
12. People who talk during movies (although I myself am guilty of this)
13. Traffic
14. Spiders and all bugs in general
15. Raising my voice to my kids
16. Rodents
17. The smell of anything menthol
18. The smell of licorice
19. Cleaning out my car
20. The end of a fun day

10 Favorite Foods -
21. Baked Macaroni & Cheese
22. Barbecued Brisket
23. Lobster
24. Sushi
25. Aunt Nina's Cheesecake
26. Pulled Pork Sandwiches
27. Baked Beans
28. Hot Dogs with Cole Slaw
29. Baked Ham
30. Christmas cookies

10 Favorite Movies -
(I know my favorites are a little eclectic)
31. Jaws
32. Gone With The Wind
33. Amityville Horror
34. The Omen
35. The Exorcist
36. Audrey Rose
37. Anything with Doris Day
38. It's A Wonderful Life
39. Roman Holiday
40. Silkwood

10 Favorite Songs/Bands -
(almost as eclectic as my movie favs)
41. Shameless - Garth Brooks
42. Original Sin - Elton John
43. Anything Metallica
44. Anything Led Zeppelin
45. Anything Christmas especially Bing Crosby
46. Anything Bee Gees
47. Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
48. Anything Tim Mc Graw
49. She Moved Through The Fair (An Irish song)
50. A Frog Went A Courtin' - Lauri Berkner (sing this one even without the kids being around)

10 Places I Have Been -
51. Hawaii
52. Florida
53. New Mexico
54. Texas
55. California
56. Italy
57. England
58. Ireland
59. Minnesota
60. Las Vegas

10 Places I Would Love To Go/Or Go Back -
61. Greece
62. Egypt
63. Tahiti
64. Hawaii
65. Ireland
66. Canada
67. Maine
68. Seattle
69. San Diego Zoo
70. Germany

10 Things I Would Like To Change About Me -
71. Have more patience
72. Be more forgiving
73. Not be so judgemental of myself
74. Lose 2 year old "baby weight"
75. Pay more attention to my own health
76. Not be afraid of heights
77. Be a better cook
78. Not be so obsessive over certain things
79. Show my emotions more
80. Not care what others think

10 People I Would Love To Meet -
81. Martha Stewart
82. Stephen King
83. Oprah Winfrey
84. Ellen DeGeneres
85. Carey Grant (I know he died but I would have love to have met him)
86. Audrey Hepburn (I know she is gone too)
87. Walt Disney (I have to get off the dead theme)
88. Paula Deen
89. Temple Grandin
90. Josh Holloway

10 Favorite Things Growing Up -
91. Reading Little Women
92. Watching Little House on The Prairie
93. Horses
94. The Smurfs
95. Reading Shel Silverstein's Where The Sidewalk Ends
96. Playing board games with friends, especially Monopoly and Pay Day
97. Riding my bike
98. Camping with my family
99. Saturday nights watching Dance Fever, Solid Gold and The Love Boat
100. Going with my Dad every Thursday night for ice-cream and stickers for my collection.

WFMW - Traveling Snack Bag

2009-07-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

This is our "traveling lunch bag" that is always in the car except when it comes in to be refilled. It is stocked up with lots of goodies such as goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, juice boxes, cereal in baggies, lollipops and plastic cups - although the cups are not for drinking.

You see, my kids have a snacking addiction. Despite the fact that they get three square meals a day, which they eat and wholesome snacks throughout the day they are always looking for more. Especially after grocery shopping or if I have to go through the drive-thru convenience store. They always request that a bag of pretzels or a box of cereal be opened immediately. It was not long after I had a strained neck from doing the constant passing of food to the back seat in two directions while holding on to the steering wheel and looking straight and also finding what looked like a small family of "maggots" congregating around a stray Cheerio on the floor of my car (please do not judge) did I think to add cups to our snack bag. Now when a package gets opened they each get a cup eliminating most of the spillage and the strained necks!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

Got One!

For some more great "Wordless Wednesday" posts, check out the links on Go Graham Go!

Our Warning Signs...

2009-07-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

I say "Our" warning signs as everyone is different!

The old adage of not comparing children is so true; as no two are exactly alike. People are more like snowflakes, they are similar categorically, but still each individual being uniquely different. This is true for all people despite being on or off the Autism Spectrum.

The Autism Spectrum is generally defined as a grouping of three main diagnoses...Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger's. Although all three have so many similarities there are also so many differences, for instance, a child on the Autism side may be non-verbal where a child with Asperger's may have an above average vocabulary. Also it is important to note that you can not even compare two children with the same diagnosis as the severity of their symptoms can vary greatly from child to child. For instance there are children who cringe at the thought of being touched and then there are children like my son who loves bear hugs and can accidentally hurt someone by loving them.

Being a parent brings on so many fears for both typical and non-typical developing children. Everyone is concerned about whether their children are developing on target but sometimes parents see other signs - things that you questions secretly in your head but don't want to say them aloud. These nagging thoughts that keep you up at night wondering if there is a problem or not are the ones that you should not ignore.

We had our son evaluated at 18 months at the recommendation of our pediatrician but he was deemed not eligible for services at the time as they felt that his skills were emerging and at a little after the age of 4 he was diagnosed with PDD-NOS.

We thought we were looking at ADHD but with the language pragmatic issues, lack of social skills, lack of play skills, aggression and sensory issues, we are where we are. His neurologist originally was leaning towards Asperger's but since he was speech delayed he said that they usually do not go hand in hand.

The reason for this post is simple - although my son is high functioning, he is on the spectrum nevertheless and a lot of his early signs of difficulty could have easily gone unnoticed or realized much later delaying treatment and early intervention is key!

Here is a list of my son's early signs that may not have been so "textbook" but kept me up at night wondering whether or not we were facing a problem or if my son was just a little quirky:

No exhibits of anxiety or aversion to strangers - can be an early sign of a social problem
Drooled excessively with no awareness (much more than the average child and continued way after the typical child stops) - can be a sign of an oral-motor problem
Walked on his toes - can be a problem and may not
Loved to hold and smell hair - sensory issue
Would not touch grass - (we originally thought it was pretty funny and didn't even realize at first but this was his first sensory aversion) - sensory issue
Fear of loud noises (i.e., had to put him in another room to vacuum, microwave and kitchen timer, white noise on television) - sensory issue
No play skills even as small baby and engaged in little or no spontaneous pretend play (just banged and dismantled everything, his idea of playing was just to throw everything out of the toy boxes not actually play with the contents)
No pointing at things he wanted
Started to babble at around 10 months of age but stopped as quickly as it started and than nothing else for a very long time
No mimicking of sounds or facial expressions
If tickled he would laugh than bite you -sensory
Commando crawled - not sure if I personally agree with this but according to the Autism Source Book this may be an early indicator of gross motor issues
Zero frustration tolerance when doing fine motor tasks such as a 3 piece baby puzzle
Could not color
Never listened to the word "no", defiant is an understatement

Don't get me wrong, I am not a Doctor or a trained professional, nor do I claim to be - I am just a mom of a really sweet boy who has some troubles and at the time was a new mom who had a hard time distinguishing what was typical development and what was not.

My main reason for starting to blog was to meet people and gain resources to help my son learn and I hope that this list will help one parent seek some help sooner rather than later.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 13

2009-07-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

I REALLY DO LOVE CVS...
although I am beginning to think that I may need to start a support group!

All of the above items (including two packs of bribe M&Ms) without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks would have cost a total of $98.68 but I paid a total of $7.38 out of pocket - a savings of $91.30 or 92%! Plus I still have $10.00 remaining in Extra Bucks. Yipeee!!!!

Finish It Up Friday - Week 5 - Ranch Dressing Mix

2009-07-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well it is Friday again and time to post a new recipe and this week's ingredient is Ranch Dressing Mix. I generally use one packet per recipe but I recently bought a huge bottle of the mix at BJ's and now am looking for some recipes to add to my arsenal. Any suggestions?

Here are two good recipes for this weekends celebrations!!
Super Easy Ranch Cheese Spread -

2 (8 oz.) bars of Cream Cheese, softened
1 (1 oz.) package of powdered ranch dressing mix
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups pecans (optional)

In a medium size bowl, blend cream cheese, mix in ranch powder (I sometimes use a little less than a packet since I tend to think that it is very salty) and cheddar cheese. Shape into a ball and roll in the nuts or mix the nuts into the cheese mixture and place in serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Vegetable "Pizza"

2 (8oz.) packages of Cream Cheese, softened
2 cans crescent rolls
1 (1 oz.) package of powdered ranch dressing mix
Broccoli, finely chopped
Red Bell, finely chopped
Carrots, finely chopped
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Unroll crescent rolls, while pressing them together place them in and up the sides of two greased 9X13 cookie sheets or baking dishes. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool crust completely.

Chop up all veggies (feel free to add your favorites)

Mix softened cream cheese and the ranch powder, adding a splash of milk or sour cream to make it more of a spreading consistency.

Spread the cream cheese mixture on crusts, layer the veggies and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Do you have any recipes that your family loves that calls for some Ranch Dressing mix (or even actual Ranch Dressing)? If so, please share by posting it on your blog and adding a link in the comments section here. Feel free to use my "Finish It Up Friday" picture. Once I get some more people participating in these posts I will make it an actual button and add a Mr. Linky.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 12

2009-07-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Since the sales were not so great this week I didn't think I was going to CVS this week until we ran out of toilet paper and I needed a card. So here is what I got:

All of the items pictured plus 2 more packs of M&Ms (if you have been following my CVS antics you probably figured out by now that I bribe my kids with them when we are in the store) would have cost $38.05 without any sales, coupons or Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $18.25 - a savings of $19.80 plus I earned an additional $2.00 in Extra Bucks for next week's purchases.

I also printed my Extra Bucks Rewards for Spring shopping and earned an additional $4.50.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T04:07:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!!

From our 2 mini "Uncle Sams"...

For more great Wordless Wednesday posts please stop by Go Graham Go.

WFMW - Summer Recipe Edition

2009-07-01T03:38:00.000-07:00

Four Bean Salad

1 - 15 ounce can of green beans
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 - 15 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can yellow wax beans
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Mix together all ingredients thoroughly. Cover and put in fridge for at least 10 hours before serving. Enjoy!!!!

For more great "Works For Me Wednesday" entries please go to We Are That Family.

Dinosaur Theme Day - Part 1

2009-06-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I received some comments on my post about our family's Reward/Activity Jar and more specifically our theme days. Theme days are a lot of fun and can even be spread out across a whole week if enough activities are planned. I usually keep the theme going for a day and just rotate the books, movies and activities each time it is chosen but that is just my personal preference.

The following is a short list of some dinosaur activities that are usually incorporated in ALL of our dinosaur days. I will be posting an extended dinosaur theme list shortly including crafts and learning activities, I am just waiting for us to have one so I can grab some pictures of the kids having fun.

First and foremost, no Dinosaur theme day can be rightfully started (or ended) without a rendition of Laurie Berkner's - We Are The Dinosaurs while having an all-out, ground stomping roar fest as loud as the kids (and neighbors) can handle.

We do lots of things with our big bucket of dinosaur counters such as sorting, counting and pattern work.

Lunch or dinner depending on the day, always consists of dinosaur chicken nuggets served with a side of trees (broccoli).

Although we read this book a lot on non-dinosaur days, it always makes it appearance when it is a theme day.

Any of the Jane Yolen & Mark Teague, How Do Dinosaur...books would also be a good choice too.

My boys love this DVD featuring Elmo and Abby...

But the Land Before Time series is another good choice.

Check back soon as I will be adding more of our dinosaur craft and learning activities real soon!

Best $45.00 Spent In A Long Time

2009-06-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

My sons have been asking for water guns for so long now but for some reason I kept saying NO!!!

My hesitation was not because of any anti-gun issues but more on the lines that my children did not want a shooter of the Dollar Store variety they wanted "big ones, that go far", I did not see the need in spending $40.00 on two toy guns and truly my last reason was purely selfish - I did not want to get up to constantly refill them since at 2 and 4 they are not able to do that themselves.

Well at a recent trip to Toys R' Us, the boys saw their dream....

The FISHER-PRICE TURBO FILL BLASTER!!!!!!!!!!

and after some debate the boys won. Now kept in mind, we are in no way being reimbursed by Fisher-Price for proclaiming our love of their product but I think the pictures below say it all....

Keep in mind that I lost count somewhere around 32, that is the number of times I would have gotten up to refill their guns. Instead I got to sit back, watch, take pictures, laugh and occasionally get wet. What a blast!!!!!

The Blue Garlic Saga Continues

2009-06-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

Although I was very confident with Michie from Seeking Imperfection's husband's answer to my blue-ish green garlic situation but I decided to due a little research when everyone was sleeping last night and here is what I came up with....

From What's Cooking America -
Garlic is known to contain sulfur compounds which can react with minute traces of copper to form copper sulfate, a blue or blue-green compound. The amount of copper needed for this reaction is very small and is frequently found in normal water supplies. Raw garlic contains an enzyme that if not inactivated by heating reacts with sulfur (in the garlic) and copper (from water or utensils) to form blue copper sulfate. The garlic is still safe to eat.

If fresh garlic is picked before it is fully mature and hasn't been properly dried, it can turn and iridescent blue or green color when in the presence of an acid (the vinegar that was used in the recipe).

Are you using table salt instead of kosher or canning salt? That can cause the garlic to turn blue or green. Table salt contains iodine, which discolors whatever you're pickling. Use kosher or pickling salt. (I wasn't pickling anything but I did use table salt).

Don't worry, greenish-blue color changes aren't harmful and your garlic is still safe to eat. (unless you see other signs of spoilage).

P.S. The barbecued pulled pork recipe was delicious so I recommend trying it. My 4 year old ate a whole sandwich on a kaiser roll and you must note that he does not like "sandwiches". The next time I make it I will be using powdered garlic though!!

New Blog Header

2009-06-27T03:14:00.000-07:00

I love my new blog header, do you? Thank you April for my adorable princess and her two little frogs!!!!

If you are interested in a new blog design or even a few little touches check out her site, April Showers Blog Design - she really does good work.

P.S. Grab my new button, it is on my sidebar now!

Finish It Up Friday - Week 4- Lemons

2009-06-26T03:30:00.000-07:00

This week's ingredient is lemons....

I added a little of the lemon zest to my sugar cookie mix but now I am stuck with the actual lemon.

Anyone have any ideas such as a good lemon chicken, lemon bars or how to make lemonade the good way like at the carnivals using a simple syrup?

Just like always, you can post a recipe on your blog and just add the link to the comments section here. Feel free to take my little "Finish It Up Friday" picture to add to your post.

Question For A Cook - Blue Garlic?

2009-06-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I will admit that I am not the greatest cook, nor the most creative in the kitchen (unless it is baking) which is why I am desperately searching new recipes with my new "Finish It Up Friday" blog feature but today I seem to be having a real problem...

I am in the middle of making this wonderful recipe for Barbecued Pulled Pork that I found on the awesome blog - A Year of Slow Cooking. I just peeked through the lid of my Crock Pot and saw something blue...shocked and a little nervous I removed the lid.

After closer examination, I soon realized that it was the two cloves of minced garlic that I added at the last minute, which is the only thing that I did different from the original recipe.

I scooped them out as I was afraid of poisoning my family, but does anyone know why this happened??!?! It was fresh garlic that I bought this morning...

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 11

2009-06-22T03:45:00.000-07:00

The sales at CVS were not so great this week but I did not do so bad.

Trip 1:
It is hard to tell by the picture but the item in the middle is Almay Pure Blend translucent powder (with bonus eyeshadow) and the Johnson's products are trial size. The items would have cost $15.97 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid $1.97 out of pocket plus I earned an additional $10.00 in Extra Bucks.

Trip 2:
I also purchased two packs of M&M's for the kids and a snickers bar for me but they did not make it into the picture. All of the items would have cost a total of $21.68 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $.84 plus I earned an additional $6.00 in Extra Bucks.

Totals for the day:

Total Amount of Merchandise - $37.65

Total Out of Pocket - $2.81

Total Savings - $34.84

Extra Bucks Remaining - $6.00

______________________________________________

Since next week's circular will be for into the first week of July, here are the totals of my June spending:

Total Amount of Merchandise - $219.58

Total Out of Pocket - $52.80

Total Savings - $166.78

Extra Bucks Remaining - $6.00

Fix It Up Friday - Week 3 - Velveeta Cheese

2009-06-19T03:25:00.000-07:00

This week's ingredient is Velveeta Cheese!

This week I used a half a block of Velveeta to make my husband and I an amazing pot of Buffalo Chicken Soup - sorry no picture.

After some research, I just combined a bunch of recipes to come up with this:

3 cups of shredded chicken
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 cups of 2% milk
1 - 14 oz. chicken broth
4 ozs. Velveeta
1/3-1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

First, in a large soup pot, I sauteed the onions, carrots and celery in the butter, when the onions were softened I added the flour and made a roux. Then I slowly added the 2% milk, once that was incorporated I added the remaining ingredients and cooked until slightly thickened. It was quick, easy and delicious.

Now I am left with a half block of Velveeta - any ideas?!?!

Please join in and share a recipe with my. Post your recipe on your blog and leave a link in the comments sections below. Feel free to take my little "Fix It Up Friday" picture to include in your post.

Thanks for sharing and I look forward to tasting your recipes.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 10 - Part 2

2009-06-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

I told you I would go back this week especially since I complained to CVS about stopping the Extra Bucks with Pampers purchase deal and they gave me an additional $5.00 Extra Bucks for my inconvenience.

The following items including a 20 ounce Diet Coke and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup would have cost $45.97 but after sales, coupons and Extra Bucks, I spent a total of $21.28 - a savings of $24.69 plus I earned an additional $13.00 in Extra Bucks!!!

Super Boy says "I Can't Eat"!!

2009-06-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Do you see it?

Look real close...right in the middle? A little blue spot!!

Here is the story...

my two year old frequently goes through phases with not eating dinner but since he loves his fruit and veggies and has a belly that would make Buddha proud, I am generally not concerned when he decides he does not want much to eat at dinner time.

Last night I asked him..."why aren't you eating"?

His reply - "there's play doh on the table"!!!!!!

Has my child not been eating on occasion because of a microscopic crumb or spec of crayon? Is there such a thing as toddler OCD? I actually checked and from what I found, Pediatric OCD usually presents itself around the ages of 7 - 10 so I guess we're safe but in the mean time I vow to always have a clean table (and add a maginfying glass to my kitchen gadget drawer)!!!

On a good note - I now know his eyesight is equal to an owl or Superman!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

Want A Kiss?

The boys had a great time feeding giraffes carrots at a local fair.

For more great Wordless Wednesday posts please stop by Go Graham Go to see all the submissions.

He Won!!

2009-06-16T10:14:00.001-07:00

A Trophy!!

On Saturday afternoon my big boy stood in front of approximately 75 people and recited an introduction and performed his white belt blocks and combinations for two judges who he never met before.

I was so proud of him and when I told him on the way to the ice cream parlor he told me "I know, I'm proud of me too"!!!!

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 10

2009-06-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

The sales were not so great at CVS this morning but I did make 2 trips and I may go back for some more cards, etc since I already have 5 towards the buy 8 Hallmark cards get one free. Here is the breakdown of today's trips:

Trip 1:
The items in this trip would have been $16.97 (one of the cards was $7.99 as it is the recordable kind) without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $2.97 out of pocket and earned an additional $2.00 in Extra Bucks. A savings of $14.00.

Trip 2:
The following items would have been $14.47 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I paid $3.75 out of pocket plus I earned $1.00 in Extra Bucks. A savings of $10.72.

Total for the day:
Total Amount of Merchandise Purchased - $31.44
Total Out of Pocket - $6.72
Total Savings - $24.72
Extra Bucks Remaining - $1.00

Berry Good Lunch/Breakfast Muffins

2009-06-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

"Lunch Muffins" are still something that we love at our house, although I have not posted any new ones in a long time. If you are interested in my original Lunch Muffin post you can read it here or simply click Lunch Muffins on the right hand side of my posts.

I came across a simple breakfast/lunch/snack muffin idea that I decided to try today:

Here is what you need:

can of biscuits (I used Grands)
3/4 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves, jam or spread
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Since I used the Grands which are much larger biscuits then the ones in the 12 ounce can, I broke each one in half.

Preheat oven to 350.

Press the biscuits into each hole of your muffin tin that has been sprayed with Pam or equivalent.

Mix the preserves and spices together an put about 1 teaspoon of the filling in each cup.

I used a big heaping teaspoon in each which resulted in a nice mess and bubble over.

Bake approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan as the preserves turn to liquid when it is hot and will just pour out when you try to take them out.

Verdict: Just enough spice and the kids loved them, which is my whole idea.

I think the next time I make them I will add a little softened cream cheese in the mix to make them like little danishes. Sounds good to me.

Finish It Up Friday - Week 2 - Chipotle Peppers

2009-06-11T10:41:00.001-07:00

This week's ingredient is "CANNED CHIPOTLE PEPPERS in ADOBO SAUCE".

I will be making my Albondiga Soup recipe for the family this weekend and was wondering if anyone has a recipe that would use up my chipotle peppers in adobo? I make this soup often and the small can of peppers usually cost me about $3.00 of which I only use 2 and a teaspoon or so of the sauce and throw the remainder out. I recently saw on a show that you can freeze the remainder in a baggie or container but does anyone have any yummy recipes to share?

Here is my Albondiga Soup recipe:

Soup Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

6 cups unsalted beef broth/stock

2 cups chopped and seeded ripe tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes

1 to 2 canned chipotle peppers, chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons Adobo sauce from canned chilies

1 potato, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 grated zucchini

1/4 cup uncooked rice

Meatball Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/4 cup shredded zucchini

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons uncooked white rice

1 tablespoon minced cilantro (I usually leave this out)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon oregano

In a heavy stock pot, heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic with the cumin and oregano until the vegetables are softened. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes, chipotle, potatoes, carrots and salt. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes while you form the meatballs.

In a bowl combine all the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form the mixture into small balls about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. In a large saucepan, bring enough water to cover the meatballs and boil the meatballs for about 5 minuted to eliminate some of the grease. Drain the meatballs, discarding the cooking water. Add the meatballs along with the reserved zucchini and rice to the soup. Continue to simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes.

I know it seems like a lot of ingredients and lots of steps but it is really not once you get going and a lot of the ingredients are duplicated between the soup and meatballs. Worth the effort!!!

If you have a recipe to share, please put a post on your blog linking back to here in the comments section. Feel free to use my little picture on your post.

Thanks!!!

Color Mixing Fun

2009-06-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

The boys and I read a cute book today about color mixing. The boys seemed so excited and curious to see what color the rabbit would turn into that I figured it was the perfect time for a little color mixing project.

Now, I have seen this several times and several different ways but I chose corn starch and water and of course food coloring. What ever method you choose make sure you tape the top of the bags closed to prevent an accident. I just used clear packing tape.

I used about 1 cup of the corn starch and approximately 1/4 - 1/3 cup of water.

I probably could have added a little more water to the little guys since he had some trouble mixing it together as you can see by the look on his face in the next picture...

But it did not stop him from having fun!!

This would also be another great book to go along with this project.

Wordless Wednesday - A Bed and A Slide!

2009-06-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

For some more great Wordless Wednesday posts, go check out Go Graham Go!

$5.00 CVS Challenge - My Week 9

2009-06-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is WOW!!!!! I feel like Robin Hood or Jesse James. Alright, maybe not Jesse James because he had a gun - but maybe I can get the boy's some bandannas for our CVS shopping trips.

This was a big week for us, I had to make three trips today but it was not that big of a deal since we have 3 within a 10 minute drive of each other, so here is the breakdown:

Trip 1:

The items below would have cost a total of $26.35 without sales, coupons and remaining Extra Bucks but I paid $3.99 out of pocket which was a savings of $22.36 plus I earned an additional $3.00 in Extra Bucks!

Trip 2:

The following items (plus a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup which must still be in the car) would have cost a total of $23.25 before any sales, coupons and remaining Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $2.98 out of pocket a savings of $20.27 plus I earned $5.00 in Extra Bucks (so I actually made $2.02 on this purchase)!

Trip 3:

The following items would have cost a total of $25.07 without any sales, coupons or previously earned Extra Bucks but I paid a total of $9.49 out of pocket which is a savings of $15.58 plus I earned an additional $10.00 in Extra Bucks (so I made another .51 on this trip)!!!!!

Grand Totals for the day -

Total Amount of Merchandise prior to sales, coupons and EB's : $74.67

Total Spent Out Of Pocket: $16.46

Extra Bucks Remaining: $10.00

Our Karate Kid

2009-06-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

This is our new "Karate Kid" and the reason I am writing this post is that I just realized my decision to enroll my son in karate was right!!!

Here was the situation - my son was invited by a preschool classmate to a birthday party at a local karate school a couple of months ago. I have to admit that I was panic stricken and had many reasons why he should not be able to attend, the biggest one being that my son can get very aggressive especially if he is having fun. He has some sensory issues that make him crave physical input so I had visions of him running around the party, karate chopping everyone including the parents just like the bad guy in a Bruce Lee movie.

Despite my fears, he went to the party and I spent the whole time with my mouth open in total shock. Upon entering the school he was met by the "Sensei" who introduced himself (they had the same name) and then told him to put his shoes in the cubby and go in and sit against the wall and wait for his friends ---- he did it!!!! He listened, sat and PAID ATTENTION!!!!!

I confessed to the mother of the birthday girl my fears and she said - oh you shouldn't have, both Sensei's are teacher and one being a special education teacher, well, needless to say we signed him up three days later.

Deep down in the back of my mind I thought that his school teachers and therapists would think that I was crazy since he is so hyper-active - why would I put him into an aggressive sport...

But here were the advantages that I came up with:

1. Improved Social Skills
2. Better coordination
3. Discipline
4. Something to look forward to twice a week
5. Self control
6. Self confidence
7. Better focus and attention
8. To learn to "slow himself down"
9. Better awareness of his body and how to regulate it
10. Ability to follow sequences

My first form of justification is that he pays attention there for 45 minutes and about 5 in school!

The second was this article that I found while surfing the net:
Many parents discover the potential of therapy using martial arts by accident - for example, taking their child to a sibling's class or seeing a free demonstration at a mall. The methods of teaching in many martial arts like karate include very set and clear moves, learned by imitation, and a clear hierarchy and unambiguous mode of behavior in the class. Experts such as Dr. Anne Milanese of the Connecticut Children's Medical Center cautions that even these apparent advantages don't work for everyone with autism. "...we need to make sure the activity is desirable and fun for the child," she told a Connecticut news station in an interview. She noted that some children will not thrive in "imitative" environments, and will resort to behaviors designed to avoid the activity if they are forced or even encouraged into something they don't like.

And last but not least the organization Autism Speaks, lists martial arts as a form of alternative therapy!!!!!

I NEED RECIPES!!! Finish It Up Friday - Week 1

2009-06-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

I would like to welcome you to my new idea;

You see one of my biggest pet peeves is to buy an ingredient for a recipe - to only use a small portion of it, leaving the rest to become a science experiment in the back of my refrigerator. Anyone who knows me or reads my blog, knows that I love coupons and saving money and wasting food is such a big waste of money in my house.

The main reason for this new blog feature is that I would love to be a good meal/menu planner but I think one of my problems is that I do not have enough "good" recipes in my rotation so this is where you come in...

I cordially invite anyone interested to participate in "Finish It Up Friday". Each week I will list an ingredient and share a recipe or two to go with it, you then would write a post on your blog and link back to mine in the comments section. (feel free to grab my little picture - if I get enough people I will put up a Mr. Linky, button, etc. - but right now that is just wishful thinking).

Maybe with a little help from friends we will all learn some new recipes and become better meal planners saving some money along the way.
________________________________________________
Week 1:

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

I have loads of this stuff on hand right now as I was getting them for a $1.50 a bag on sale with coupons but a lot of recipes I have only call for a 1/2 a bag.

Here is the casserole that I made for my kids today:

Tater-Topped Casserole -

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup milk

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 bag tater tots

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown meat with the onions in skillet, drain. Spoon into a 8 inch square baking dish.

Mix soup and milk; pour over meat mixture. Top with layers of mixed veggies, cheese then tater tots.

Bake approximately 45 minutes until the taters are brown and the casserole is heated through.

Now it is you turn.....

What recipes do you have for my 1/2 bag of shredded cheddar cheese?

Learning - Dollar Store Style

2009-06-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

We purchased the above items (there were a few more cups and clips but they did not make it into the picture) recently at our local "dollar" store for about $7.00 and turned them into the following learning activities.

First we had a color sorting tray...after printing some color squares off of the computer.

After the little guy was done, big brother had a chance but he got to use the tweezers that came in the bug collecting kits. I also flipped over the colored squares and gave him a shot at recognizing the numbers that I wrote on them.

Then we used the plastic cups and magnet clips for some more color sorting and fine-motor, hand strengthening exercises.

The good thing is that all of the items can be used again for more learning games or their original purposes.

Reward/Activity Jar

2009-06-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

This week's Works for Me Wednesday theme is solving summer boredom ideas for kid's and here is our solution:

We have made a Reward/Fun Activity Jar (I know the jar could use a little decoration. Every day when I see it on top of my fridge, I can hear my paint markers calling!)

This jar has been with us for some time now and originally came about as a discipline tool for our 4 year old, who has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Our biggest challenge with him at the time was discipline as no punishment and reward system was working but I did realize that he loves to be in control. My simple solution - if you behave you choose our afternoon fun-time activity. He actually seemed even more attentive to our afternoon time because "he picked". It also "reminded" me to do things that on a busy hectic day I just don't think of including toys and items that are packed away in the back of the closet.

The papers inside have changed many times, with new ones being added all the time. There are also doubles of things that the boys really love to do such as go to a playground, nature walk, etc. The following is just a sample -

Another thing that my son sometimes struggles with is imaginative play so I started to include theme days. These days usually end up playing dress up, trip to the library and some special snack.

The possibilities are endless!

Stamped Letters

2009-05-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today we played with concrete stepping stone letter stamps and play- doh. Unfortunately, my well thought out plan did not go so well. I did not realize when I bought the stamps that there was a letter on each side, which made it very difficult for the boys to try and look for the letters that they needed.

I made cards for them to match the letters to, of different items such as animals that we recently saw at a local animal farm,

favorite characters,

different family members,

and ourselves.

The letters stamped very well into the dough but I just think that my boy's were to young for this one, although they did have fun. Then again they always do when there is play doh involved.

Why we need to work a little harder on letter recognition:

2 year old: I need the rainbow!! = letter c

4 year old: I need a number 2!! = letter A

Food Additives and Hyper-Activity

2009-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Something that I have been slowly trying to take out of my son's diet is un-natural food colorings. The following is an excerpt from an article that I recently read online:

http://www.ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Food-Dye-ADHD-Facts&id=1845674

"Food dye ADHD additives that cause reactions are Carmoisine, Tartrazine, Ponceau, Sunset Yellow, Carmoisine, Quinoline Yellow, and Allura Red. For instance Sunset Yellow (also known as Orange Yellow S, FD&C Yellow) has been known for inducing allergic reactions. It can be found in many products such as any orange, apricot or citrus jam or jellies, marzipan, hot chocolate mix, packaged soup mixes, breadcrumbs, cheese sauces and soft drinks and many other products that are yellow, orange, and red.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest would like the FDA to ban eight (Yellow 5 and 6, Red 3 and 40, Blue 1 and 2, Green 3, and Orange B) of the most common artificial dyes, or at least affix a warning label to products that contain the dyes such as "Warning: The artificial coloring in this food causes hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children." And, did you know that food companies are, as we speak, phasing out dyes in foods in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe? At McDonald's in the UK the strawberry syrup on a sundae is a red color from strawberries and in the US; the red color comes not from strawberries but a coal-derived chemical also known by the name, Red 40. That is insane!

Let's face it our kids love color and that is the only reason that children's snack food and cereals all contain the food dyes. But the color is only for appeal; too attract the child to want it, it holds no nutritional value. Even if your child does not have food dye ADHD allergies then why expose them to harmful chemicals such as these?"

The McDonald's comment shocked me until I read that a lot of food companies partake in the same process. I plan on doing a lot more research in the near future so I can make wiser decisions for my children.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 8

2009-05-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

The following items would have cost $29.85 without any coupons, sales or Extra Bucks but cost me$5.53 out of pocket, a savings of $24.32.

Simple Math Grid Games

2009-05-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

We played a fun game this afternoon during lunch that my son truly enjoyed. I know that it was probably not a good idea to play "AS" we were eating with the dirty money and all, but with that being said we had a good time and we got some number practice in.

I quickly made a grid using Word then searched the internet for "Ham" from Toy Story graphics, printed them out and laminated each sheet for durability.

After my son took a nap I quickly found a whole bunch of free, already made Math Grid Games at PreKinders some with really cute themes so go check them out.

It is such a quick and simple way to get some practice in and can be easily made to match what ever theme your child is into!!

Works For Me Wednesday - Sticking To My Budget

2009-05-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep our money budgeted my new plan is to purchase a store gift card and try to stick to that amount monthly. For instance, for groceries and miscellaneous items that I usually pick up at Target I would put no more than $50.00 at a time. I always have extra cash on me just in case I go over but I spend a lot less when I "think" I only have $50.00.

Since I like to play along with the CVS $5.00 Challenge on Keeping the Kingdom First, I put $15.00 on the card. It adds an extra spin to the game as I see how long I can keep the card going for using my coupons and Extra Bucks plus it stops me from going crazy at the register on things I don't need like lip balm and candy!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T04:20:00.001-07:00

Attention Target Shoppers - There is a strange kid on the loose, proceed with caution as he will not let go of the boots, gloves, flashlight or 70's style sunglasses!!!!

For more Wordless Wednesday posts please check out 5 Minutes for Mom or Go Graham Go!

My Second Blog Award

2009-05-27T03:06:00.001-07:00

I wanted to say thank you to Jenny at Our Nifty Notebook for nominating me for my second blog award. I love Jenny's blog and it is one that I frequent often.

Award Rules:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

Pass the award to 15 (or whatever number of) other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.

Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are some blogs that I have come across recently and enjoy ( I only chose to list 5 since the rules suggest listing newly discovered blogs and I haven't had the chance to look for many new ones):

1. Painting Pink Pajamas

2. Seeking Imperfection

3. Controlling My Chaos

4. Preschool Playbook

5. Bizzy Bee

Thanks again to Jenny at Our Nifty Notebook, please check her blog out too!

CVS Challenge - Week 7

2009-05-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a great week at CVS this week (yes I went on Sunday morning even on vacation to take advantage of the super sale. The items below would have cost a total of $25.88 without sales, coupons or Extra Bucks but I paid only $9.97 out of pocket (a savings of 15.91) plus I earned $10.99 in Extra Bucks - more than I actually paid for the merchandise!!!!!!

Trip 2: All of the items below (also a small bottle of Tums which did not make it into the picture) would have cost a total of $44.03 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks but I only paid $15.96 (I forgot to bring my Extra Bucks with me to the store), a savings of $28.07 plus I earned $4.00 in Extra Bucks.

Trip 3: The items below would have cost $8.27 but were free because I used some Extra Bucks.

______________________________________________________

Since next week's circular will be for June, here is the total that I have spent/saved in May shopping at CVS:

Total amount of merchandise purchased (without sales, coupons or Extra Bucks) = $234.87

Total spent out of pocket = $64.64

Total Saved = $170.23 (72%) plus I still have $11.00 in Extra Bucks to spend.

Memorial Day!!!

2009-05-21T04:58:00.000-07:00

As I sit here this morning finalizing our family's plans for the holiday weekend. I wanted to wish my family, friends and e-buddies a safe and happy holiday.

Remember to take a moment to remember and be thankful for all the men and women who fought and those who are still fighting for the things we have!

The Games We Play

2009-05-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Although we do not have a particular "Family Game Night" , playing board games with children of all ages is something that I believe is a great learning tool besides the fact that it is a great bonding experience where everyone is settled down and focusing on having fun together! We try to play games together several times a week.

My four year old loves playing games with me and I use his enthusiasm as a tool to get our "speech therapy homework" accomplished. Before he is allowed to take his turn he must first accomplish his task whether pronounce a word correctly or blow a horn to work on building his muscle tone. Sometimes he is so involved in playing a game that he does not realize that he is also getting speech practice in at the same time.

If a game is to difficult for him to understand or the little guy wants to play too, I just change the rules a little to make it more fun for all. Playing board games help teach them turn-taking, healthy competition, communication skills, vocabulary, visual perception, eye hand coordination and to focus their attention.

Here are some of our recent favorites:

1. Bouncin Bunnies by I-Play

2. Candy Land Castle Game by Milton Bradley

3. Cookin' Cookies Lunch Box Game by Fundex

4. Don't Wake Daddy by Parker Bros.

5. Matching Middles Oreo Game by Fisher Price

What are your favorite board games to play with your children?

Emerging Literacy Survey

2009-05-20T04:08:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been concerned about your preschoolers learning abilities?

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, learning disabilities are often hard to pinpoint in young children. Most children have some difficulties with learning and behavior from time to time. If your child is having a clear or persistent pattern of problems with one or more of these behaviors during the early school years, and the problem persists over time, you should consider seeking further advice:

Learning the alphabet
Rhyming words
Connecting sounds and letters
Copying letters and numbers
Learning new vocabulary
Retelling stories
Counting
Remembering newly learned information
Paying attention
Playing with peers
Moving from one activity to another
Following directions and routines

I had some concerns for my son so together we recently sat and took the 20 question online screening available on the National Center for Learning Disabilities website. Although my son is still having loads of trouble with learning his letters, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that he did possess a lot of other early reading skills!!!

The site also has some great resources and a few free online games so give it a try.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Weeks 5 & 6

2009-05-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

My week 5 had nothing good available for our family either by using coupons or obtaining Extra Bucks so I avoided the store completely.

I guess I missed the store all week and that is why week 6 started off with 2 trips!!

All of the items above would have cost a total of $39.21 with no sales, coupons or Extra Bucks, but I paid $6.48 - a savings of $32.73. Plus I earned $3.00 in Extra Bucks to use on my next trip (which was 2 miles up the road).

All of the above items would have cost $35.15 without sales, coupons and Extra Bucks. I spent a total of $9.47 out of pocket which is a savings of $25.68. Plus I earned an additional $3.00 in Extra Bucks.

Total value of merchandise purchased today - $74.36 , by only spending - $15.95 ($58.41 saved/79%).

***As a side note that I learned through viewing the $5.00 CVS Challenge entries - I laid out $2.00 to buy the 4 bottles of Dry Idea Deodarant (a product that I normally do not use) but I had obtained $4.00 in Extra Bucks, so I earned $2.00 for buying it.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2009-05-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a little inspiration from Marie over at Makes and Takes with her great pictures and the simple directions included in the Sure-Jell package, the boys and I had great time making Strawberry Freezer Jam on Friday.

I wanted to keep some little fruit chunks in there but it proved to be a little difficult to teach a 4 and a 2 year old the concept of "pulsing" the food processor. I think next time we will try mashing the fruit with a potato masher instead, as recommended in the directions that come with the Sure-Jell package. We are thinking of making Strawberry-Blueberry Jam next time.

I should have taken this picture before we added the berries. The whole bowl was just sugar!!! The standard recipe takes 4 cups!!!!!! I am thinking that next time we will look for the "less sugar needed" package of pectin.

Here are the "fruits" of our labor. The only bad part is that the boys were having a hard time waiting the 24 hours before you can eat it.

But Saturday afternoon, we went through a half of loaf of bread.

The only ingredients needed were:

Strawberries

Water

Sugar (lots of it)

Pectin (such as Sure-Jell, Ball, etc.)

Recycling Old Artwork into New Projects

2009-05-14T02:41:00.000-07:00

We recycled artwork that we recently made using simple pattern templates from Preschool Express and our Do-A-Dot Markers into Lacing Cards. I simply laminated the finished artwork, cut out the shape of the template and punched holes.

Lacing Cards are a great educational tool for preschoolers as they help promote fine motor skills and visual planning, which is something that I work on with both of my boys as much as possible.

One of the good things about making your own cards is that by varying the number of holes punched you can change the difficulty level. I use less holes in the cards that I make for my little guy so it is not so overwhelming for him.

I have also made them by laminating old cards or party invitations.

We like to use plastic lanyard string with a pony bead tied to the end.

My son's occupational therapist frequently has my son lace a border around his pictures on regular construction paper using curling ribbon.

Coupon Organization

2009-05-13T05:04:00.001-07:00

Recently a friend asked, how I keep track of all my coupons and receipts. Here is my solution -

A small photo album that is meant to hold 100 photographs is the perfect size to hold coupons and receipts and only cost me $2.00. The address labels and stick-on index tabs make it super easy to thumb through.

The main labels for my book are as follows:

Kids

Household

Cleaning

Laundry

Health & Beauty

Frozen

Dairy

Condiments

Soup

Sides

Snacks

General Grocery

Baking

Drinks

Stores

Each section is then labeled with address label stickers with a "sub-category" such as -Health & Beauty: soap, teeth, shampoo & conditioner, etc.....

It works for me especially since it is fairly compact and fits right into my diaper bag or pocketbook.

Having Some Fun With Do-A-Dot Art!

2009-05-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Although when I first saw these "Dot Markers" in the store my first instinct was to think that they were just over-priced bingo dabbers. Then I started thinking are regular bingo markers non-toxic, conform to the astm standards and most importantly "WASHABLE"? So when I received my 40% off coupon for Michael's I picked up a box for the boys.

We have been having a lot of fun this week making different things with them. Including "tracing" our names...

Then I made a grid using Word and printed it out to work on some Fine Motor and Eye Hand Coordination skills. I asked the boys to put one dot in each square. The two year just had a ball putting dots everywhere and anywhere where my four year old took some time with this one.

This was not my original idea as I saw it on someone's blog but for the life of me I can not find it again, I know I should have written it down especially since I thought it was such a good idea!! If someone is reading this and knows where the idea was posted please let me know so I can give credit where it is due.

Then I decided to make a sequence card using the grid from the project above. We do this a lot with counters and such but my son did much better with the marker version of this game. I think it may have been that the lines were longer allowing for more repetition.

Then I printed out some basic shape templates to decorate from over at Preschool Express, which is an excellent site if you are not familiar with it.

And last but not least, we did some pictures from the Do-A-Dot series of "coloring" books although I forgot to take a picture of a finished product.

The boys had a great time with these markers and the mess was very minimal. I also think that with there grooved sides it was also good practice for my son to work on his "tripod" grasp which he is still having some trouble with.

Imagination Drawings

2009-05-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

My son has been having some trouble using his imagination during play.

Today we did an art project that worked on using his imagination and helped with sparking his creativity. I gave him two pictures that I drew of a truck and a house. I asked him to turn the truck into a fire truck (his favorite) and to fill the "rooms" of the house with his family doing things in each room.

Here are his completed pictures, on which I wrote his comments on as we went over them together.

It was great to see that he put some thought into his pictures as he usually just scribbles to get something colored in. It was also great to be able to talk about the pictures in detail. I think he enjoyed working on this one.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 4

2009-05-03T18:11:00.001-07:00

Well over the $5.00 again but here is the breakdown:

Total amount of merchandise purchased - $43.12
Total out of pocket - $16.28 (including tax and using previously earned extra bucks)

Savings -$26.84
Extra Bucks Earned - $7.00

Total out of pocket less extra bucks earned - $19.84

Working on Number Recognition

2009-04-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

The power of the piggy bank is truly working at our house...

My son has been having some real trouble learning his numbers despite our efforts at home and at his special education preschool that he attends five days a week. The odd thing is, he knew how to count to ten over a year ago but somehow forgot, he just seems to be getting stuck around six or seven.

We started a new game with him at home that really seems to be working with his number recognition. My husband had a great idea of using the digital numbers on his piggy bank to help him learn. We started the first night with 4 random coins (to change the amount displayed on the screen). We then asked him what numbers were there, with a lot of coaxing and some help he was able to say them, he got a few wrong the first go around but we were truly impressed by how well he did. For each number right he gets a coin, and when the game is done he deposits them into the bank (great for working on fine motor skills) changing the numbers for the next night's game.

He loves the rewards he is receiving and I can see his confidence growing nightly.

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 3

2009-04-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

I made two trips to CVS today, not actually planned at the time but I did need the toilet paper so back I went!

Here is the breakdown:

Trip 1:

Mega pack of Huggies
Gummy Worms (eaten by kids on the way home)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (eaten by me on the way home)
20 oz. bottle of Diet Coke (me again)

After sales, coupons (CVS and Manufacturer's) and previously earned Extra Bucks my total out of pocket was $2.05 with tax.

Trip 2:

Schick Intuition Razor
Charmin Ultra
Yet another pack of clips and ponytail holders (from the clearance bin)

After sales, coupons and previously earned extra bucks my total out of pocket expense for this trip was $6.41 including tax.

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Since next week's circular will be in "May" here are my total spent/saved in April -

Total amount of merchandise purchased - $160.90

Total out of pocket - $64.60

Total saved - $96.30 plus I still have $6.00 in Extra Bucks to spend!!!

Fun Breakfast

2009-04-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

What will a couple of slices of whole grain white bread, some milk, a couple of drops of food coloring, a toaster oven or the broiler in your oven get you?????

A really fun breakfast!!!!

This is an oldie but a goodie...the boys have so much fun with this one.

I did learn that when making this with the young ones, it is best to flip the toast when making. He used way to much "paint" and it soaked through the bread making it a little mushy on the other side in some spots but a quick flip in the oven fixed that.

If you have not tried this yet, it makes a great special addition to breakfast surely to brighten up any morning!!!

Flubber Fun!!!

2009-04-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

We made "Flubber" yesterday so we could have a little sensory fun. After searching online for a good recipe we decided to use the one over at Play, Explore and Learn.

It is hard to tell from behind the binky but he is totally disgusted at the idea of even looking at this blob let alone touch it. Very different from his older brother....

who craves sensory input and if I told him it was okay to bathe in it he would

After about a half an hour. and many sing-alongs to Laurie Berkner's "We Are The Dinosaurs", the little one was able to poke at it with two fingers with me as we pretended to be dinosaurs marching through it.

Now for the kill-joy moment...while searching the web for recipes I did find this WARNING...

Safety of Borax

The following recipes contain Borax, which is a toxic substance. The experiments should not be done in the kitchen nor near food or food preparation areas. Limit the time children are exposed to it, and tell them never to put it near their mouths, nor eat until their hands are washed. If they have an upset stomach or rash afterwards, push fluids, and the symptoms should go away. When interest has waned, use to kill ants somewhere away from children and pets.

I was a little nervous because that is who I am by nature but how bad could the stuff be, it has been around since 1891. Then I thought what if it was still 1891 and I did not do such a good job rinsing my laundry that I just washed with Borax. What if my child sucked on the sleeve of their shirt or used it to wipe their nose?

Then I found this information -

Borax is widely and diversely used, e.g., as a mild antiseptic, a cleansing agent, a water softener, a corrosion inhibitor for antifreeze, a flux for silver soldering, and in the manufacture of enamels, shellacs, heat-resistant glass (e.g., Pyrex), fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals. It is sometimes used as a preservative but is toxic if consumed in large doses.

I threw caution to the wind today and I am glad that I did because everyone had a great time.

I did make sure that nobody put it or their hands by their face until I could wash them up good!!!!!

HALO - Early Breast Cancer Detection

2009-04-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a little information that I learned today at my latest GYN appointment. There is a new test that is out there for the early detection of breast cancer, it is so new that insurance companies are still not paying for it, although it is FDA approved for women 25 years and older.

The HALO Breast Pap Test is a five minute, noninvasive test that detects abnormal cells in the milk ducts, where 95% of all breast cancers originate. The test can detect pre-cancerous changes in the breast seven to ten years BEFORE the cancer is seen on a mammgram. Mammograms show breast cancers after they have been present in the breast 3-5 years! Pre-cancerous changes that are detected can then be followed with more aggressive prevention therapies and screening tests.

___________________________________________

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women ages 35 to 50
250,000 U.S. women living with breast cancer are under the age of 40
70% of women diagnosed have no identifiable risk factors
8 out of 9 diagnosed women have no family history of the disease
When found early enough, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100%

My doctor's office is charging $100.00 and recommends the test be done annually although they did mention that it does not replace a traditional mammography. They also consider this test to be on the cutting edge of early breast cancer risk assessment and prevention.

I made my appointment for May - it is never to early to save your life!

If you would like more information, please check out NeoMatrix's website http://www.paptestforthebreast.com/

LIVESTRONG Challenge - For Jonathan

2009-04-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

Awhile back I posted about my "blog" friend Jonathan White and how I thought he was truly an inspirational young man. Well, I am giving Jonathan another "shout out" tonight.

Jonathan and his friend Gena are taking part in the Lance Armstrong Foundations, LiveStrong Challenge. Here is something that Jonathan recently posted on his blog:

"While fighting cancer there is a lot of things I can't do, my abilities are limited. But one that I can do is to Raise money to help with the fight against cancer. With this Challenge I will be able to cross two things off of my list. To raise at least $20,000 in finding a cure for cancer and to meet Lance Armstrong. I posted in a previous blog a picture of Lance Armstrong's Autograph that was sent to me and I cannot wait until October when I can write a blog about my experience and share the photo of me riding with Lance!So now I am asking for your help. Whether you have $5, $20, or any amount to donate every little bit helps. So please support me and others fighting cancer by helping Gena and myself reach our goal for the Livestrong Challenge. By donating what you can and by telling your friends, we can all make an impact on the fight against cancer. Please pass on this post and more importantly the URL to Our Livestrong Challenge Site."

http://austin09.livestrong.org/rltt

I know that times are tough for everyone now but according to the American Cancer Society's new statistics the new numbers are 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with some kind of cancer in their lifetime. That is very scary odds when I think that my husband, myself and children are 4!

Be it $5, $10, $50, $100, think about it, please!!! It is a great way to support or remember a loved one or family member.

Mother's Day Craft Idea

2009-04-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

We were going to plant some flowers before school this morning in honor of Earth Day but it was raining. Instead we decided to make something to honor Grammie on Mother's Day!

It was such a simple craft to make with the boys and they had lots of fun with the glue, as they usually do.

First, I just wrote on a piece of oak tag:

Then I glued the boys picture onto photo mats which I found at Dollar Tree, there were 2 4X6 mats in the package.

I then glued the photo to the cardstock. When all the glue was dry, the boys put glue all over the photo mat and glued puzzle pieces all over it (I also purchased the puzzle from Dollar Tree).

Here is the finished project. I think I will punch some holes in the top so it can by hung with joy!

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 2

2009-04-21T02:41:00.000-07:00

I went way over the $5.00 out-of-pocket again this week but still brought home some good deals. All of this stuff not on sale would have been $70.56 (pre-tax). Here is how my deals played out:

Total Sale Price of Items - $56.05 (a savings of $14.51)
Less Manufacturer's Coupons - $8.00
Less CVS Coupon - $4.00
Grand Total After Coupons - $44.05
Less Previously Earned Extra Bucks - $7.99

Total Out of Pocket - $36.06 ( a savings of $34.50)

****Plus I earned $17.89 in new extra bucks!!!

Fish In A Bag Soap

2009-04-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

After some (a whole lot) of hesitation I finally made the "Fish-In-A-Bag Soap" as favors for my son's pirate themed 4th birthday!

Thanks to the awesome tutorial from Little Birdie Secrets they are all done! A few had to be re-made at the time since it was very late at night and I kept making the same mistakes but the tutorial has lots of great pictures and great directions so I did not feel like I was a fish out of water (sorry, I could not help myself).

Here is a picture of one that I made-

I also made tags to hang from each one, which I folded in half, punched a hole in and hung from the tops. One side has a picture of a little pirate bear and has my son's birthday info and info on the soap such as ingredients, etc and the other side has a picture of a pirate parrot and I put the following little poem:

I like pirates, can't you see,

and pirates swim with the fish of the sea

That is why my mom made this soap for you and me!

Here is the finished favor!!

$5.00 CVS Challenge - Week 1, Part 2

2009-04-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

OOOhhhhh Yeahhhh!!! All this stuff for .27 out of pocket and .26 of that was the tax!!! Plus, I earned an additional $5.99 in Extra Bucks!!

Close your eyes real tight, can you envision me patting myself on the back? Actually, I am sending out a virtual high-five to Keeping The Kingdom First and Deal Seaking Mom and all the other bloggers that have turned me on to the CVS $5.00 Challenge!!!

Here is the breakdown:

Plastic Totes were $2.79 but I got them both on clearance for .36 each

The Shampoo and Deodorant were on sale for 2/$5.00 but I had a $1.00 off coupon for each plus I earned $2.00 in EB for purchasing them making them .50 each.

The toothpaste was on sale for $3.99 but I had a coupon for $1.00 off plus I earned $3.99 in Extra Bucks ****so I made a $1.00 for buying this product (got to love that!)

The paper towels were $1.29 a roll as they were not on sale but a big package is on sale next week so I wanted to try them out first.

To bring my total down, I paid using $7.99 in Extra Bucks that I earned from my first trip this week!!

Now if all that math was not enough, here is a break-down of all my purchases this week -

Out of Pocket - $21.82

Amount of Merchandise Purchased (Before Sales & Coupons) - $47.24

Extra Bucks Earned - $15.98!!!

Well above the $5.00 challenge but I think I am on the right track!

"8 Is Enough" Tag Game

2009-04-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

I got tagged this morning by Jenny for Our Nifty Notebook to play "8 is Enough" with her so here you go:

8 Things That I Am Looking Forward To:

Planting flowers and veggies in the garden
Summer and all that goes along with it
Memorial Day at the lake
Old Age (not that I am old now, I just pray everyday that I make it there)
Taking my boys to Disney World (no plans yet but still look forward to it nonetheless)
Going camping
Halloween (a favorite time of the year)
Christmas (my most favorite time of the year)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

Took my son to preschool
Cleaned out the back of my car (I know one person who is reading this and laughing knowing exactly how long it took me.
Took a nap with my boys
Painted pictures with my boys
Took my son to Karate
Spent 2 hours making favors for my son's birthday (I will post more about that later but I am still recovering)
Clipped coupons
Realized at 11:00 p.m. that I had no pull-ups/diapers in the house (nor the garage, nor the car, plus my husband was working so there was no way to run out and get any - I get the "Bad Mommy Award" for that one)

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

Sing better
Play the guitar like Laurie Berkner (my kids would love that)
Sew better
Cook better
Travel abroad
Blink, and my house would be clean - Jeannie in the bottle style!
Find new patio furniture under $1,000 including the umbrella that doesn't look like it or feel like it is made by soldering tin cans.
Go to the bathroom without company or having to yell "what are you doing"

8 Shows I Watch:

Lost
Rescue Me
Beverly Hills 90210 (I will grow up someday but that will have to wait because Donna Martin is back)
Privileged
The Big Bang Theory
Cupid
Big Brother (when it is on of course, I know - there are support groups for people like me)
Anything on the food channel

8 People I Tag To Play Along:

If you have the time, please play along and pass this on to 8 more. Sometimes it can be fun to just sit back and write down somethings that make us smile. I am still laughing at the fact that I cleaned the back of my car yesterday! You had to see it to believe it.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!!!!!

2009-04-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

My boys are in love with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.

and since learning our letters has proved to be a hurdle in this house, I have scoured the internet and of course my favorite blogs in search of the perfect art project to incorporate this fun book.

Thanks to Sandy at "just4funwithsandy.blogspot.com", I found the perfect project!! Please check out the following link to Sandy's blog and project (she has some great pictures)

http://just4funwithsandy.blogspot.com/search/label/footprint%20craft

We loved this project so much that I just ordered notecards for one of my son's preschool teachers from Shutterfly using a picture of what we made. Here is what the finished card looks like:

Colored Macaroni

2009-04-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

I was in Michael's today and I think everyone heard me laughing in the aisles. It was one of those moments where you see something in the store and say now why didn't I think to sell that! You know one of those #%@!, I could have been rich moments!!

Michael's is selling colored macaroni for $6.95 a pound!!!!!! The brand is "Art-a-Roni Colored Noodles" and after some online research I have even saw it for $7.95 a pound. Now that is a great mark-up:

Here is how to make your own colored macaroni for under $1.00 a pound:

1 cup of dry macaroni

2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol

Regular liquid food coloring (we use McCormack's)

Put the uncooked macaroni in a sandwich bag, put in rubbing alcohol and a few good size drops of food coloring. Seal bag and mush it all up so each piece is coated. Open bag, spread on paper towel or newspaper lined cookie sheets and let dry. Whaoola!!!
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Colored macaroni is great to play with, it can be used in all kinds of art projects especially collages and can be used in math and sorting projects too - the possibilities are endless.

In our house we make a big batch of colored ziti and penne right before Christmas and use some plastic lanyard string, to let the kids make big strings for our Christmas tree. It is our safe alternative to stringing popcorn. It actually looks really cute on the tree because the light shines through it a little and the kids love pointing out their "tree necklaces" to our family and friends.