The Value of money.. literally!

Grace has been learning about money lately and value of each coin.  She thinks all are pretty cool – from pennies to quarters – she loves them all!  She does really well at counting coins, but to make it all become real and to show her the value of her money – literally – I set up a store for her to buy things from the toy room.  Each thing had a price and she could choose to buy 1 or 2 or 3 of each item.  Then she had to count out her money for each purchase.  She loved pulling out the coins and spending her money.  She used quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies for her purchases and did a great job giving me the exact change!

She loved that activity so much that later in the morning I set up a store for her to go shopping for snack.  She took her kids (Hannah and Josiah) shopping separately to purchase a snack for them.  They could pick any item they wanted (brownie, cookie, fruit snacks, lollipop or banana) and Grace had to pay for them.  Don’t worry… I gave her back all her money and didn’t keep it!  Then Grace got to buy something for herself as well!  That was her favorite part!

Grace and Hannah had fun seeing the prices and deciding what to pick! I love the purse on her shoulder!

I KNEW he would pick the Superman fruit snacks!

A cookie… the one with the most chocolate chips!  She was just trying to get the most for her money!  That’s my girl!  I am surprised that she didn’t try to use coupons… then she would TRULY be my girl!  :)

These pictures were from yesterday but since then we have set up a few more stores.  I even made her go to the “bank” (her savings jar) to get money to buy some more expensive items in the store.  She loved this EVEN MORE and had to set up a store for daddy this afternoon.  She even made his golf clubs $100!  He had to go to the “bank” (mommy) to get money to buy them!  Are we teaching Dave Ramsey’s principles or what?!  They can only purchase IN CASH for what they HAVE already – NO CREDIT IN THIS HOUSE!! 

Learning can be SO MUCH FUN!!

Spelling…

At times I think that Grace may have a photographic memory… like her Uncle Adam.  If she doesn’t then she definitely is a VISUAL learner which makes her really good at spelling.  She often says, “Hmmmm… that word doesn’t look right.”  One of the activities that she likes to do with her spelling words is to get out the Scrabble board and make her words.  This week’s list was a little challenging because they all ended in ED and we didn’t have that many E’s and D’s, but we were able to pretend that a few of the tiles were “blanks” to complete the list! 

 

PS  I need to point out that “Thornsley” the dinosaur is helping her do her school work today!  :)

 

Mom, it’s my “churn”!

Yup… I AM that corny! 

Grace finished her Language Arts Curriculum a few weeks ago and as we are getting to the end of the official school year, we started a unit on Little House on the Prairie which will carry us into summer… and maybe fall!  We have been reading “Big Woods” and doing a few activities to go with it… including churning cream to make butter!  How fun… and tasty! It was a lot easier than I thought it would be and the kids loved making it, kind of like Laura did!

First, we put heavy whipping cream into a jar and put the lid on tightly! (Notice how the girls are wearing their aprons… they have been wearing them since the start of this unit… they want to be like Laura!)

Nothing but the best… AE heavy whipping cream!!!

Then we shook it and shook it.  Each of us took turns to shake it until we didn’t hear it sloshing around any more.  This is what it looked like when we opened the lid. The kids were surprised to see what it made!

Next, we put it into a bowl to mix it a little. 

Then I ran it under cold water to rinse away the buttermilk.  I read that it preserves it a little more than if you don’t – not that I think it will last that long in this house!

Then I made some refrigerator biscuits to eat with our butter for lunch…. yummy biscuits with melting butter on them!!!!  I should have made more! What a fun activity and a learning experience all at the same time!!

Much sooner than expected

We only biked one time last year… and that was when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant… See? This is the picnic break on the Bike Ride!  Don’t I look like a true bike rider with that large tummy?!  It was a little complicated… I didn’t do that again even with a little prodding from Danny!

We love riding, but we really couldn’t go any where when I was pregnant and then just had a baby… where do you put a newborn when you ride?  So… we have been really excited to get the bikes out this year.  BUT… and this is a BIG BUT… we needed to have Grace riding a two wheeler – WITH NO TRAINING WHEELS!!  We needed to have her riding her bike so Caleb could be behind me and Hannah and Josiah could be in the trailer behind Danny.  Sounds complicated, huh?! 

Last summer we had Grace try over and over again at a church parking lot down the street.  She was doing well, but it just didn’t click.  We knew that she had to be riding before we could go out, so Danny brought Grace down to the parking lot last weekend – the first time it was really nice out this season.  He was anxious to get the process going.  To his surprise and my surprise and Grace’s SHOCK, she was able to do it… the first time!  Danny steadied her and  then she took off… riding the whole length of the parking lot on the first try of the season!   They practiced over and over and then again on Saturday.  On Saturday she even began to perfect her take off… which can be really tricky! 

WE ARE SO THRILLED!!  So we figured that we could go on a leisurely ride on Friday to give Grace more practice, make sure our equipment was still good and get the other kids used to their seats.  It was a BLAST!!  We had a great time on a simple trail along the DSM River.  It was woodsy and we hardly saw other riders…. but we did see a DEER and an EAGLE!!!  Before we turned around, we rode a little further to a park so the kids could play a little, stretch their legs and eat a little snack.  It was truly amazing!

WE CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT TRIP!  Where will we go?

First time with his helmet…. I still was working at adjusting it!

I had an arsenal of graham crackers in my pocket if Caleb got fussy! 

My view on the trail… it was a nice wide trail, which was good for Grace!

At the park… ready to climb, jump, swing, etc!

We will have to check out maps and plan out our next trip.  I think we may go back to Water Works Park… we have loved it there before!  And… by the way…. my awesome husband does a great job getting us all packed up for the trip.  He always has a ton to do… from putting air in the tires to remembering everyone’s helmets to loading all the bikes and equipment , etc.  THANKS, DANNY! 

FINALLY FREE!!

There is so much freedom when we are finally released from our homes after a long winter!  Our home has expanded and the noise and rowdiness can finally be taken outside!  My kids have really needed to be able to run and jump and climb and swing and breathe that fresh air.  On Saturday we went for a little walk and had our first time at a playground for the season…. it was delightful!  EVERYONE had a great time and we loved being in the warm sun… it was good to get some vitamin D.

Letting Daddy do all of the work…

Our little man always needs a stick on a walk… is this just a boy thing?

Crazy swinging girl… funny Hannah!

Danny and son….LOVE THIS!

These next pictures will not really seem amazing to anyone… they are just a few of a two year old on the slides and climbing up ladders, etc.  BUT to anyone who knows Josiah, they ARE a big deal.  He did this all by himself without coaxing from us at all.  He had a blast on the playground… really for the first time ever.  He has always LOVED swings, but stayed away from  the climbing and sliding parts until the very end of the fall.  I am THRILLED that he is starting where he left off!!  GO, SIAH!! 

Is Grace in jail or is she in a cage?  That would depend… is she a person or an animal today?

Creative Snacks and lunches?

Do you get tired of the same old snacks over and over for your kids? Of course you do, you are a mom! We all get uncreative and pick the same 5 things over and over and sometimes we give the kids the same thing for a few days in a row. My kids don’t really mind that as long as they are eating, but I have challenged myself to be a little more creative lately with snacks and lunches.  I just sometimes feel like I am in a rut and I have to pull out the first quick thing that comes my way.  I may be in the middle of a lesson with Grace or reading to Hannah or feeding the baby or changing Josiah when the time for snack calls!  All I want to do is easily remedy the whiny children with some quick brain food! (Do your kids get whiny when they are tired or hungry or is it just mine?)

My kids love to help in the kitchen and they LOVE making their own food!  I have combined these two to give my kids the work of making their own lunches or snacks about once or twice a week….

Here are the kids just last week making “banana stacks” (I don’t have a name for them yet!) for snack time…. I gave them cut bananas, a glob of peanut butter, a few chocolate chips and a small knife.  They added the peanut butter to the bananas and topped them with a chocolate chip or two.  They were delighted to be making their own snack, it kept them busy for a while and overall it was really yummy and healthy!

So… try to be creative with your kids and let me know what snacks or lunches you let them make… you may be surprised how much or what they will eat when they make it themselves!

Yummy….. and I made it MYSELF!!!