Claire's Classroom

So it has been decided that I will start some preschool teaching with Claire. I'm really excited, and a little nervous about this. Our plan is for me to homeschool her as well, but for now, we want to get into the preschool stuff and kind of warm each of us up to the idea of it all.

Last week my husband and I decided that we would use our office space for our little classroom. I am going to get working on making a bulletin board, laminated pictures and learning tools for the walls, putting up a whiteboard or chalk board, and getting things organized and set up. The excitement is bubbling inside of me! I have always wanted to be a teacher. Without finishing my last year of high school or going to college, obviously that will not be happening in a school setting with other people's children, but it can happen at home with my own!

Surfing the internet has given me a multitude of resources to look through. I started out with a google search for "cut and paste printables" and found tons of stuff! I did print some off today, such as number, letter, and shape printables. For these, the child cuts them out and then pastes them onto the "puzzle board" (boxes lined up side by side) in order (they are printed out of order). You can check out these and other great printables for preschool here. Claire started on her numbers one today but wasn't in the mood to finish, so she just coloured the numbers. I took the "puzzle board" pieces and cut the strips of them out and pasted them onto a coloured sheet of construction paper so that when she has finished pasting them in order, I can laminate them and use them as a teaching tool later on with her and my son.
(I was not paid nor given anything to write this, I just found this website and thought I would share the resource!)

I can't wait to get really involved in this! I think we will officially start "school" March 1, provided that I have gathered enough teaching tools and activities to do with her, and that the office is ready to go as well, although, I guess the kitchen table could suffice if need be. 

We are also starting a reading program called Stepping Stones Together  . We will be doing weekly reviews on this program starting sometime this week. Please check back to see how we are progressing!

If you are also doing preschool or homeschooling older children, please leave me a comment with any resources that you have found. Teaching tools, curriculum, activities, ideas, routines, etc, would be greatly welcomed! It would be great to see what others have tried and found to work!

New Design

Thanks to HOT bliggity BLOG I have a new design! It was a free background that I found after probably an hour or more of searching through and trying different backgrounds. It fits me just perfectly I think! There are probably still some tweaks that need to be done eventually, but for now this works well.

I would be very interested to see what you all have to say about the new look. Do you like it? How could it be better? Anything you would have a comment about would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for taking the time to check it out and comment!

Saturday Stalk - REMIX! Hop The Whole Weekend!

Welcome to Saturday Stalk - REMIX! We are now hopping for the whole weekend! Join Just Married with Coupons AND Debbie Does Coupons & YOU!  We will pick one featured guest each week to hop with us (except this week). We will randomly pick a participant. Make sure you post our button each week if you would like to be eligible!

Grab our Hop Button

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Thanks for those who have been participating from week to week and a big welcome to you if this is your first time. We are so glad you are here! This blog hop is all about having fun, meeting new bloggers and building new readership!

This week's Featured Blog is:

Becoming Brea!

Blog Hop Rules

1. Please follow us: Just Married with Coupons AND Debbie Does Coupons + The Featured Guest - #3 Spot then we WILL FOLLOW YOU BACK.
2. Copy the Saturday Stalk into a blog post.
3. Come back and post the direct link to your blog post here into the link forms below.
4. Follow as many participants as you would like, leave them a comment letting them know you're are following them.
5. Follow back anyone that is now following you and leave them a comment back letting them know you're following back through this event
6. Please follow the rules or we will have to delete you from the list  =(

Transformation Thursday

Ah....I'm back...I missed yesterday due to a crazy hectic Tuesday night....little man has been having some breathing issues with wheezing and such, so we spent an hour and half at the walk-in-clinic. $80, a puffer, and an aero-chamber with mask later, we were finally headed home at 9:00 pm! I think the three of us (Claire, Aiden, and myself) were finally in bed and asleep by 11:45pm whew! Last night was Cubbies at Awana, and what a crazy bunch of 3-4 year olds we had!!! There were 11 of them, and they all seemed to be super revved on sugar or something!

Well, I have finally caught up on some sleep and some cleaning, and I got my transformation done for today! YAY! I wasn't sure I was going to have the time, but I made it work!

This week, I decided to use the can of black spray paint I had lying around that my dad had given to me. He and my mom had also given me this mirror and candlestick holder set that was this awful gold colour! The pattern is a little different too, but I thought if they were black they would look much better.

I figured I would only attempt the candlestick holders and save the mirror just in case I didn't have enough spray paint, good thing too, cause I certainly would not have had enough.  Not that I used the whole can, but I will probably definitely need to to finish the candlestick holders. You will see why in the pictures to follow.

So, here is the before of the candlestick holders:

Funky pattern, colour....not so much

 

 

And here is the "after".......

Not quite what I had expected

So, as you can see, they didn't come out black, not exactly. Yes, you can see that they are definitely darker, but the interesting thing is that the black stuck to some spots, and not to others, so it  almost has this antique-type finish to it. I kind of like it, but it's not really the look I was going for.

Another day when it gets warmer outside (I kinda think that's why the spray paint didn't adhere as well as it should have), I will go out and give them a second, and possibly third coat, depending on how it looks. I do need them to be really black for the room I intend to use them in, so hopefully next time around it will come out better.

Well, it wasn't exactly the transformation I had in mind, but it is, nonetheless, a transformation. I guess this one will reappear in the future to show the true end result...until then, post up your links to your transformations!!

Not exactly sure what next week will bring, but I'm thinking maybe my office *shudders*??? I guess I will have to decide what works best as the time approaches! See you then!

Tastebud Tuesday: Dutch Apple Pie with Crumbly Crust

This recipe is actually a combination of two recipes....but together they make a pie contest winner! (well, at least my tastebuds say it does!)

I would like to start here, saying that I do not have time to make my own pie crust, so I buy them, but, if you have time and want to, by all means you can make it yourself!

PIE FILLING:

1 pie shell
3/4 cup brown sugar clumps removed
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup softened butter
2 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/4 cup sifted pastry flour (I use all-purpose and I don't sift it)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sweet cream (I use whipping cream)

Mix brown sugar, flour, butter, spices with apples to coat them and place in the pie shell. Pour the cream over top.


CRUMBLY CRUST:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter - NOT melted
1/3 cup all purpose flour

Combine all of these ingredients with a fork until butter is broken into pea size clumps. Sprinkle over the pie, but try to keep it off the rim of the pie plate.

Bake at 450F until it begins to brown, approx. 20 min. Turn heat down to 325F and continue to bake another 20 min.


Please keep in mind, all ovens vary in temperature!

This is a VERY rich pie, and I think my hips are allergic because they always seem to swell a little after this one, so eat responsibly lol!
 It is a wonderful pie, so try it out and let me know what you think! ENJOY!!!

My Mind is in a Whirlwind

These past few days I have really been trying to network and get my blog out there. I have so many hopes and dreams for my blog (that sounds kinda weird, almost like blog should have been replaced by kids!) that I am constantly searching others' blogs and seeing what elements I like and trying to come up with an idea for how I want my page to look.

More than that, I have been really thinking about what kind of content I could put out, and maybe even how to make money. Let's face it, stay-at-home moms don't really make much of an income in most cases, but I want to help provide in anyway that I can! I have also learned that it can be done, it's just a matter of finding something that people want and something that I can do. I do have an idea in mind, but I'm hesitant to announce it yet, as I would like to get it just right before I fish for feedback.

To help me in these ventures, I have enrolled in an online "profitable blogging for beginners" class. Click the banner here  to check it out and enroll yourself......a bonus of one free year of hosting is included!!!!

So, all of these things, and then a couple opportunities for reviews have come up, one of which I posted about yesterday, and another that will start next week. That one will be a weekly review over the course of a  few weeks as my daughter and I journey through a reading program. Very excited about that one! I also have another venture ahead as a contributing writer (doing an article or two) for a new Blog/Magazine releasing in summer of 2011. I will mention more on that later! Should be a very good read for moms, especially new moms!

Church, husband, kids, housework, writing, creating.......yep, my plate is full, but I love every minute of it! I can't wait to see what my journey will look like from here on out!

Don't forget Tastebud Tuesday tomorrow....come prepared to leave a link to your favourite recipe!

First Review/Giveaway

I have been given the opportunity to review the e-book 60 Quick and Easy Science Experiments with Everyday Items  from Touch of Home Learning. They have also offered to giveaway one copy of their e-book to one lucky reader!

I have browsed through it quickly, and can't wait to actually get into some of these experiments with Claire! It definitely looks like alot of fun!

Please watch for the review and contest coming very soon!

Relaxation.....Now I Remember

It seems that as I have added children to my life, I have completely removed the word "relaxation" from my vocabulary. There never seems to be time for it anymore. If there is, it's because something else isn't getting done that needs to be done. Hence, I can't really relax.

I made all of that change today though! Claire went to my mom's for the night and hubby went to a friend's house, leaving Aiden and I to ourselves. It was wonderful! Mommy and baby curled up together for a 2 hour nap. When he went to bed at 8, I decided that even though there was stuff needing to be done (but, honestly, when is there not!?) I would take some time to R-E-L-A-X!

As the tub was filling up with hot water for my bath, I got everything together that  I needed to get ready for church tomorrow (Sunday mornings are crazy anyways, so not having to worry about gathering stuff for the diaper bag, my Bible, etc. makes it a bit easier!), and gathered my relaxation tools.  In the "tool box" (which was actually the side of my bathtub) I put a facial scrub, facial mask, deep conditioner, razor, shaving cream, and of course hair ties and a head band. I cleared my head, and submerged into the muscle releasing action of the hot water......aaaaahhhh! It was so wonderful! (Side note: I also got my hair freshened up today too with a bit of extra layering added).

Now, I remember why we need to relax and take a little bit of time for ourselves every once in a while. It was so rejuvenating soaking in a hot bath. The facial scrub and mask made my skin feel so fresh. The deep conditioner in my freshly cut hair made a world of difference in how my hair looks and feels. And, of course, we all know how great freshly shaved legs feel!

Best of all, doing these things seems to have a self-esteem-boosting effect. I guess after throwing my hair into a ponytail everyday for the last almost 4 years, and of course the extra weight that gathers after two children, I started to feel a bit down about myself (not that I obsess over these things, but at the same time, I can't really help but to notice them).

So, we as mothers, all need to take a little time, whenever it fits, to take care of us too! How can we be a good example and role model to our children, especially our daughters, if we are always down on ourselves? Obviously, we definitely need to focus the most attention on being beautiful inside, because that is what really matters, but taking some special care of (not obsessing over) the outside makes us feel better on the inside too!

I challenge you this week to set aside some time for yourself to relax! It is definitely worth it!

Mommy Blogging

Blogging is a wonderful thing. You can share your thoughts and feelings with the world, little tidbits from your life, and maybe even a little knowledge. It's also such a great outlet! If you're like me, hobbies that are free and enjoyable, seem hard to come by, but blogging has definitely changed that for me!

Sometimes I find it to be a little too much of a good time, and I seem to neglect the things around me. I'm not talking about my children of course, they will always come first! I mean keeping up with my house. Now don't get me wrong, it's not a filthy pig sty, but it certainly isn't being maintained as well as I would like. Anytime I have free time, it seems that all I want to do is blog, and learn about blogging, which is great, but there needs to be some balance!

In an article I wrote for suite101 about balancing life as a mother and the tasks that come with it, I seem to talk like I know what I'm doing. I think this comes from my experience in management, where you see the problems, you find the solution, and explain the steps and course of action that needs to be taken. That's kind of how it is with myself. It's easier for me to address an issue, in this case in the area of balance, someone else has, but for me to follow my own advice seems crazy, almost like I can't figure out how to do it.(I am also a procrastinator, which absolutely does not help my situation at all!)


So here is what I am asking fellow bloggers, especially mommy bloggers......How do you keep it all together? What kind of routine do you have? How do you spend your blogging time? How much time do you have set aside daily/weekly for blogging (My love of blogging has caused me to desire to write everyday)? Do you do reviews? How do you find companies to review for? Do you make a profit? If so, how? How do you generate more traffic?

There are so many things to learn about blogging, and I thought who better to ask than fellow bloggers! Please share your advice and findings. Even if you're just starting out, like myself, I'm sure there is something you can share that will be useful. So, please, don't be hesitant! Share what you know or have experienced (like making sure you're deleting the right account so you don't lose your entire blog! Read about my experience here)!

As I final note, I did come across a great blog (through a blog hop) to help bloggers get the most from their own blog. It contains lots of advice and tutorials. Please check out Design It Chic, there seems to be something we can all learn from there! They also host a blog hop, so join in and start hopping and following!

Transformation Thursday

Goodness me! What a hectic day it has been in the Whitehead household today! Still dealing with sick babies and an infection myself, getting things done proved to be an almost impossible task. I did get some laundry done and a bit of tidying finished, and I managed to squeeze in my transformation today. It is nothing spectacular, I just cleaned off the top of my fridge. It has become a sort of catch-all lately. But it does look much better! So, here is the before:

YIKES!!

 

 

 

And here is the after:

Ah! Much Better!

 

 

Next week, check in for a transformation that will most likely involve spray paint. I have a can sitting around and thought I had better do something with it.

Feel free to leave a link in the comments for your transformation, I would love to see what others have come up with!

Working From Home

As many of us have realized, there are plenty of work-from-home opportunities everywhere you look. The problem is finding one that fits and isn't a scam! That can be a daunting task! However, I do believe there really are opportunities that can work!

I have  come in contact with a woman who is blogging about this very issue. Please check out her blog here. I am thrilled to see a blog dedicated to this very thing. I have started a community on BlogFrog which has a discussion about this topic as well. You can check that out on the community widget in my sidebar to the right, and join the discussion with your ideas or experiences.

My goal is to be able to work from home so that I may be the one to raise my children. Seriously, besides that, I don't want to have to give an arm and a leg to pay for someone else to raise them! Daycare costs are through the roof!!!!!

If there are any other opportunities or experiences you have with working from home, please leave a comment and share!

Don't forget, tomorrow is the beginning of "Transformation Thursday", get your creative juices flowing and share what you have transformed as well!

Tastebud Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Today is the first day of "Tastebud Tuesday". I can't wait to see what kind of recipes will come in through the comments section! So, as promised, here is my first recipe.......Btw, next week I will try to get it up and posted in the morning....however, life with sick little ones takes precedence! Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

MEATBALLS                                                               SAUCE
1lb ground beef                                                              1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup uncooked oats                                                   4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup evaporated milk                                                 2 Tbsp. each vinegar and sugar
1 med. onion, chopped                                                   1/3 cup water
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3Tbsp. melted shortening


Combine the meatball ingredients; mix well. Shape into about 30 small meatballs. Brown in hot shortening, drain. Combine the sauce ingredients; mix well. Place meatballs in a crock pot and pour sauce over top. Let simmer 4-5 hours. Serve with rice.

This is one of my very favourite recipes! However; being a busy mom, I take the best shortcut ever for this recipe and I actually buy a box of swedish meatballs from the grocery store. I put them in the crock pot frozen, make the sauce, pour it over the top and let them simmer all day on low, or on high for a few hours. This recipe is a great one for a potluck, or just for dinner. Make the most of this recipe by using it for dinner and then freezing whatever might be leftover, or using them for meatball subs the next day for lunch!

Precious Moments

I went to visit a friend tonight for our weekly Bachelor date night. Walking through the door at 10:10, or whatever time it was, I did not expect to get so much exercise! Claire has an ear infection, and has not been sleeping very well the past few nights. Tonight, definitely no different, maybe a little worse even. I came downstairs after DH resorted to bed (he needs to be up for 4am), to start writing my blog. No longer than 30 seconds and Claire is up (I guess she got up for the first time about five minutes before I arrived at home). So, I go up not one, but TWO flights of stairs to see what the issue is.....bathroom. Back downstairs I travel, down those two flights, sit down for maybe half a second and she is up again. This proceeds for about half an hour. Finally as she is sitting on the steps I hear her tummy grumbling.....ah, yes, she's hungry, makes perfect sense. Two pieces of bread, half a banana, and a glass of milk later, I think, perfect...she should be just fine. HA! I get back downstairs sit down, and can't even grab the laptop before she is up again. Boy, oh boy.....I'm getting a little frustrated at this point.....hold that thought, she is getting up RIGHT NOW.....Ok.....forget it...I am done with this for tonight....it's been two hours and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. So, I shall make my point and be done. Despite all the frustration of this evening, with the constant up and down, I am really trying to remember that these moments are precious, even if I feel like ripping my hair out wondering why she won't go to sleep, they really are precious. I mean, in all reality, these are just the everyday, ordinary moments that, when she has moved on in her life, I will long to have again, but will never be able to. Wow, that strikes me even more as I type this.....so, off I go to comfort and hold her, to ease her into sleep, and not even with a hint of grudgery, but rather a tear in my eye realizing that this moment will never be returned to me. Claire, mommy  loves you!

I Forgive You

What is your response when someone says "I'm sorry" to you? Two common ones are, "that's OK" or "don't worry about it". Well, if I were told either of those things when I asked someone to forgive me, I would be unsettled. I mean, isn't the reason you're apologizing to receive forgiveness? These responses feel like the apology is heard but not accepted. Really, if it was "OK" or if you didn't need to worry about it, why would you be apologizing in the first place? Obviously something was said or done that needs forgiving. It is so important for us to forgive others so that we can be forgiven by our Father. Which brings me to what MY response to "I'm sorry" is. In my encounters with anyone who apologizes to me for anything, great or small, my response is "I forgive you". It cuts out any awkwardness that may make you feel like you are not really forgiven. When my husband and I have a dispute over something, we both have agreed that, when asked forgiveness, the other must say "I forgive you" to know it's over and all is well again. Even as I'm teaching my 3 year old daughter to say "I'm sorry, mommy" or "I'm sorry, daddy", we always respond with "I forgive you". Could you imagine how confused she would get if I made her apologize for something and then told her "it's OK"? So I challenge you, when someone says "I'm sorry", respond with "I forgive you". If you have a hard time saying it, consider your feelings when someone does not say it to you! Matthew 6: 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Thoughts About Netflix

So hubby and I finally gave in and decided to take a whirl on the free trial of Netflix (visit www.netflix.ca). At first Jim was very hesitant about it, as he said it wasn't all that great when it first came out. Being free, we thought there was really nothing to lose. We are now about two weeks into our free trial, and have decided that we are going to take our cable package down to basic, and up our internet usage. Yes, it is that great!

HGTV, The Bachelor (I know, I know, but I LOVE the drama!), and documentaries are about the extent of my tv viewing. However I frequently have dates with Netflix to watch River Monsters, hosted by extreme angler, Jeremy Wade (seriously, this guy rocks, and is a little crazy!). My husband, on the other hand, is an avid movie watcher, so he really enjoys it for that. There are not many brand new movies, but the selection of what is there is fantastic, ranging from kids to horror and everything in between. Same goes for television shows as well, huge selection and genre list. Now, my daughter, I think she is in love with Netflix. She watches Dora, Kipper, Gumby and a few others as well. Her favourite part about Netflix (and mine too!) is the fact that she can watch Veggie Tales. I love this show (and the movies) because of the values and lessons they teach, but also because they incorporate God's Word. It's really wonderful to have a show Claire loves to watch, but that also reinforces lessons that I am trying to teach her.

Another great feature about Netflix is that you can stream it from multiple sources at the same time. We have streamed it from our PS3, Xbox 360, laptop and my husband's iPhone just to see if it would work.....sure does!!!! Not that we would actually ever use it on that many devices at once, but hey, you never know when that might come in handy! Also, when you subscribe to Netflix, for $8/month CDN, you can use your login information to watch it anywhere there is access to high-speed internet.

All in all, I believe that Netflix is a worthwhile purchase. The options you have for viewing are fantastic and the price is really great. There are alot of things on there that I, personally, wouldn't watch, but the amount of stuff that I would really counter-balances that. I give Netflix 4 stars!

I was not paid nor given any sort of compensation for writing this post. This was written on my own accord, and is my honest opinion.

Another Series Idea

So, since I have set up one weekly series already, I was thinking of maybe one more that I could incorporate into my blog. Many things went through my mind, but one that really stood out to me was "Tastebud Tuesday".  What a great way to share some of my favourite recipes or new ones that I happen to stumble upon. Not only recipes, but helpful hints in the kitchen and anything else kitchen and food related. I do hope that some of you (preferably all of you) will stop by and leave one of your own as well! I'm really excited about this, as I am a huge cooking fan!!

So dig out your best recipes, and join the cooking fun on Tuesday! See you here!

One of Those Days.....

Well, I am sitting in bed, eating chocolate as I listen to my overtired daughter crying her eyes out (she is overtired, there is nothing wrong or anything else I should actually be concerned about, this is why I am listening to her cry and not comforting her). It has just been a day I would like to be over. All day has just been full of crying, between my two kids and myself.....I think the time of the month, and overtired children do not mix very well. Claire and I even went uptown today on a date (running my errands) to get out of the house and have some girl time....well, it kind of bit me in the behind as it pushed her right over the brink well into beyond being tired.

Right now is one of the times that being a parent is difficult....listening to your child cry in bed, wanting to go comfort her, or just holding her when she gets out of bed, but knowing that it is not in her best interest. So, reluctantly, I sit here and listen, and when she comes out, put her back to bed (Super Nanny technique), knowing that she needs her rest.

I have done this technique with her since she has been in her "big girl bed". It works really well, and usually I have no problems with her going to sleep. Until......she is overtired!

Well, there is nothing really more for me to do, except wait it out until she falls asleep. So, I shall return to my chocolate and the wonderful book "Have a New Kid by Friday" by Dr. Kevin Leman (my children are not bad by any means, but they are still children, and need to be disciplined, so why not get advice on how to do it right?).

Ah......I hear nothing....the wonderful "sound" of sleeping children makes mommy happy!

New Weekly Series Starting Next Thursday

My newest idea is to create a weekly blog series entitled "Transformation Thursday". The basic idea here is that every Thursday I will post something that I have "transformed". It may be something as simple as re-arranging a display, re-organization of a drawer, or it could be something that I have recycled to make something new, or just a bit different.

My idea here came to me today when I was working along trying to get the mundane tasks of running a household done (the time my wise husband told me I should use to do my brainstorming! How smart!). I figured what a great way to have some accountability! I would start a series in which I create some sort of transformation every week in my house, whether it be, as previously stated, something creative and crafty or organizing related. It would give me a reason to take a little extra time and effort each week to do something to better and beautify my home.

My goal here is to give ideas, and to receive ideas. If you would like to participate in "Transformation Thursday" just leave a comment with a link to your weekly transformation. I look forward to seeing what you will come up. So, now it's time to get to work.....let's see where shall I start.....ah yes, I do have an idea. Check back next Thursday to see what I come up with!

Happy transforming!

Starting Over.......SO FRUSTRATED

Well, I had established a nice little blog for myself, going on for about five days now. I was finally getting some good page views, and then DING I (maybe google) deleted the wrong account. You see, I was in one of my old google accounts trying to delete it, but apparently, even though I was in a screen that said the old email address (trying to get rid of an old blog and adsense and all those other things), it deleted my newly created account! AWESOME (extremely laced with sarcasm!)!! I am so very frustrated by this! I was actually getting some good traffic and was very fulfilled and pleased with what I had started creating for myself. Now, I must start all over again and somehow try to regain my composure, and move forward. I must say this though, I am NOT impressed! I should have went to bed early, like I was going to, and none of this would have happened!
So, let's try this again.......