Keeping It Simple

Two more things made via Pinterest! I am not planning on joining in "Pinning it Down" every week, but I am enjoying the inspiration- inspiration to get making stuff and inspiration seeing what others have done using Pinterest. I decided to make  these simple cookies  this weekend- before I knew it, James (8yo) had my old apron on and was asking "what are we making?". Well, the recipe did say that any 4 year old could make it. After telling him he had to find the camera first (if we cook together, I take pictures.;)), we got cookin'. Checking out the recipe . Fortunately, the not entirely kid appropriate title is written all as one very big word, so he did not even try to read it.  Pouring in the Karo and sugar.  and thinking it does not smell super delicious.  Then adding peanut butter...  and starting to think that these might not be too bad after all.  Mixing in the Corn Flakes. Drop by tablespoons and drizzle chocola...

                                      My boys making up a new sport- Rip-foot-basket-ball? We'll have to think on it. 

Around the House: Believe it or not, I am still putting Christmas stuff away. Not all of it- just some stragglers! I am also sticking to my New Year's resolution of decluttering. Fifteen minutes each day this week in the boys' room has worked wonders. The boys take turns assisting- all of them at once would be too much. To aid in the effort, I positioned a lined trash can right outside the door on the back porch for donations to be dropped in as we go. When it is full, it will all be delivered to a local charity. What's Working For Us: Getting back to what I know works for us. I know my boys don't work to their full potential in a traditional school format. While I see the benefit of attacking some skills that way, I need to remember to keep it hands-on and/or interactive as much as possible. We have been playing more games, reading more together, and using the white board to work on school together (my kids love the white board). (see- there were a few Christ...

I noticed that my boys (the two older ones- 13yo and 11yo) have been stumbling over their multiplication facts. They understand multiplication and have  had their facts memorized. In response to this, I started them back on Timez Attack last week (I love TA btw). But Mark was resistant. Today he started telling me that he did not want to do it, that the characters are creepy (one has long toe nails (?))... Okay, assuming that he was not just trying to get out of work, I pulled up the online Math-U-See drill pages. He loved it.   It is funny how that works- Paul would despise sitting there and punching in the answer without the fun interaction of a video game style drill. Mark did the same number punching drill three times until he got all of the problems correct. Paul is happily fighting with James over who gets to play Timez Attack next.

Oh, yes, I did! I was browsing some pins on my iPod app right before going to bed when this super simple wrap that my sister had recently pinned showed itself. My version- I kind of clumped the cream cheese. Still delicious! (oh, and I sprinkled in just a tablespoon of diced salami)  Then...just moments later,  this brownie concoction  showed on the pin boards! We were pretty much so full after eating this that we barely ate dinner. :-P Honestly, I have never, ever done this (I don't even grocery shop- hubby does). I was up the next morning and at the grocery store, list in hand, to purchase the ingredients for both of these treats. Lunch - check. Yummy treat for a cold, rainy afternoon - check. Link to turkey wrap @ Every Day with Rachel Ray . The brownie was found over @ The Londoner Joining in at Pinning it Down.

Our first picture book read for this year, 2012, was... Yep, a Christmas book. We do many of our "just for fun" (as opposed to matching a theme during advent) Christmas reads after Christmas. And this one was fun. What Kate wants for Christmas is a real friend. It seems like an unlikely Christmas wish living on Great Point Lighthouse on Nantucket Island. Not to give it away, but when the "Lighthouse Santa" shows up on their doorstep with his daughter in tow, Christmas miracles might just happen. My boys liked this story. I think they would have loved it when they were younger. Even still, they were impressed enough to to want to read it again so dad could hear it too. They also have a soft spot for true stories and this one is based on the real life hero to many children- Edward Rowe Snow, who was the "Lighthouse Santa" for almost 50 years. I thank the blogger who recommended this book! I don't remember where I saw it (as often happens), bu...

This Week in Our Home: New Passion/Addiction-  We brought home Memoir '44  just in time for our first rain of the new year.  You can read more about this game, "designed to commemorate the sacrifices of the men and women of the second world war" , at Days of Wonder Boardgames . I learned about this and other games like it watching this video (@8:00 marker). Having boys, I thought it offered an interesting perspective. (maybe something for a later post) I am working on getting our school moving a little smoother-  For those who are interested in such mundane things, this is a grid for what subjects will be in "the boxes" each day. The "X" spots don't mean no school- for the most part, they are where art class, Spanish co-op, volleyball and such happen. I am also working on a list of routines that we have as a group- reading, prayer, chores... I know this is old school, but I like to write it out. My brain just works...

So, I was lending a hand to my very overwhelmed 18 yo by helping to straighten up her things a bit... I kept coming across stray bobby pins (lots of bobby pins). I remembered seeing a "pin" for a magnetic strip that is mounted inside a bathroom cabinet to hold bobby pins. But I needed something now. Then it hit me- One of those sewing pin magnets would do! I was impressed with my innovation- Erin laughed at me (not in a mean way). I told her I was going to blog about it- she laughed even more. I know, I am a dork. A dork with a love of organizer gadgets (baskets, folders, drawers...) This one makes me happy.

I am going to join in with "There's A Book" for the 2012 Picture Book Challenge. This year, I am choosing a more modest goal. Last year I joined in at "Harvesting Level" and reached about "Feeding Level". Still, I enjoyed participating. For someone who is reading with a child and planning on writing reviews, the level selection goes like this:     “Planting”  – Read  12 picture books  with a child during the year. “Watering”  – Read  36 picture books  with a child during the year. “Feeding”  – Read  72 picture books  with a child during the year. “Growing”  – Read  120 picture books  with a child during the year.       “Harvesting”  – Read  200 picture books  with a child during the year.          This year, I am participating at the "Watering Level". That is not a lot, but I assume I can upgrade. I will be sharing 3 of our favorite picture ...

First, I have had a great time perusing this site- MathPickle.com  . Which is where I found out recommendations for these three math apps (that we LOVE!). From Math Pickle:  "Here are three apps that are fantastic for getting your students to work with addition in a fun puzzle like environment." Sum Stacker  $0.99- We had this one already and love it. Reiner Knizia's Yoku-Gami  $0.99- Math smath- we are all addicted to this game now. Yukendo-Sudoku  KenKen Variant  $free- fun variation on Sudoku. I love Sudoku, but on paper. Not the app. I love (and the boys too) this app. Got to try it. Also From Math Pickle: "The secret is to embed the mathematics in a rich puzzle experience." Watch the app review from Math Pickle on YouTube.  (don't get locked in by the "grade 2" label)

I had planned on a full afternoon of school, but when Mark asked if they could go play Legos... I don't know. Time with little brother. Playing. Playing Legos. It certainly sounds like a productive afternoon to me.  Their little Lego hideout!  We live in what was apparently an average size home (960 sq.ft.) at one time (in the 1950's). I guess things have super-sized since then. No matter, in the winter, things just get awful cozy around here. This lets the boys have at it with their Legos without needing to clean them up when they are done. It does look smaller than it actually is- they can fully sit up and move around. :) 

I was reading an art teacher's blog the other day (I love those art teachers!!) and something occurred to me. I share this only because "art class" is one area that I often feel insecure about. The teacher shared some of the struggles with the concept that her students were working on- it was then that it hit me. I don't have just one class period to work with. We goof around with art all the time (well, often) and we don't really worry whether it is going well. We can start over the next day- or the next hour. Sometimes our goofs become our favorite projects. Anyway... this is one that we had so much fun on, but, in the end, maybe did not come out "right". Everyone was working on their own color schemes.  We actually did these a while ago and I included a brief mention in a weekly wrap-up. I had meant to give them there own post when they were done. I only remembered that I did not because the above mentioned teacher was writ...

Does anyone else just cringe at that?... after years of failed resolutions, I used to balk at even the thought of such things. Now, I try to take a more moderate approach. Turning the calendar to the new year is a like having a blank slate. It is a time step back and evaluate how things are going. What activities are working for us? What activities are we interested in pursuing? Are there things that we would like to do/accomplish as a family this year? It is a great time to get these conversations going. But, if you are in the mood for making resolutions... I am reading One Bite at a Time by Tsh Oxenreider, a digital book that is the suggested (not mandatory) January reading for "Booking It 2012" at Life as Mom . The idea of this book is not to make an all at once resolution, but to make reasonable changes "one bite at a time" (get the title now ;)). So far, I love it. I did get nasty cold just after beginning the book, so starting on any of the "bite...

I know everyone does not love Pinterest. I actually was put off by it for  a while (I found it overwhelming!). I do love it now.  It has a few benefits to me: The first is that I can see my bookmarks/pins. While I had labeled folders on my computer with the "finds" I came across on the internet, when I tried to find a saved link, I would have to search through several to find the right one (if I found it at all).  The second is that I get to see all of the things that others think are pin worthy. I don't often venture into "explore all"- I follow those pinners that I think will have pins that I find useful and glean from their findings.  The only downfall that I can see- too much time could easily be spent playing on Pinterest! I really do try and use it like the useful tool that it is. Just occasionally I will sit down with a cup of tea and browse around for fun.  Here are some...