Thursday, April 29, 2010

Teacher Appreciation Gifts!

(I just posted this on my homemaking blog, but for some reason it was giving me problems, so I wanted to test it out here. Facebook is giving me grief too--I dont know whats going on with my computer today....)

Since I only have small babies, I don't have teacher appreciation gifts to make normally....but....this year I got to help make one! Our wards Relief Society President happens to be her son's "Classroom Mom" in charge of the gift! She had an idea in mind [to make a sign for her classroom door] and asked me if I could come up with something cute that was blue and brown [her favorite color combination] So I whipped up a set of coordinating teacher gifts--File folders, bookmarks [both from Hobby Lobby] Decorated Clipboard, Front door frame, pencil holder and desk drawer organization box! [that idea came from: http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2010/04/box-of-teacher-goodies.html] and put it all in a cute chocolate brown tote box [from walmarts new office line]
I was going to decorate the outside of the box, but im thinking the teacher may just want to use that in her home and not want "mrs ranes" on it...so I think they'll probably just temporarily tape the card on the front of the chocolate colored box.

Take a look!






Saturday, April 17, 2010

Random moments

I haven't been very good at blogging regularly and taking pictures...I don't know why, I need to be better about it! A few weeks ago I started Alphabet weeks as part of my teaching schedule with Briggy. He loves ABCs and numbers, so I thought this would be a good way to start off pre-k "homeschooling" I get a lot of great ideas and inspiration from these two blogs: http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com and http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/ Confessions of a Homeschooler in particular has a lot of resources for Pre-K teaching and printables, etc. Sinces Briggy needs EXTRA sensory activities to really help him focus and just plain enjoy, I am really trying to find different activities that I can combine with the letter of the week. These photo's are from last week "week B" were we did a special activity with whip cream. I wanted to buy the cool whip in a can because its a little more dense and thicker than cream, but couldnt find any for some reason. Anyway, I've seen it done with shaving cream and thought I better get something edible because I know Briggy will try to eat it [which of course he did and thought it was so fun that it tasted like i-creeeee!] We also did a bubble activity that I wasn't able to get pictures of because my hands were all soapy and the bubbles popped before I could grab my camera! The tutorial for it is here: http://www.somewhatsimple.com/2010/04/bubble-snakes.html I also have a big container [not shown in photos] of different dried beans that Briggy can dig through and find 'hidden' little toys. He loves that! (do you see the purple swirly circle with the line coming down from it? he did that a few different times, but I figured I'd spare you of all my photographs of his drawings--Im just so impressed!) I hope you can see in the photo's of his drawing how stinkin' artistic Briggy really is---Its actually pretty great for a just-turned 2 year old to be able to mimic so well my drawings of Balloons. He really has an artistic nature about him--I can't wait to see how it develops as he gets older! Lastly here are some pics of the boys outside enjoying the sunshine. Don't mind our icky not-grown patchy grass. Tom hadn't mowed it yet. Oliver has been EATING and sleeping a lot lately. I think hes going through a little growth spurt....He scoots around in his little walker all day long! He loves that thing. Tom calls it his "TANK" Briggy gets nervous when Ollie starts coming at him [heck, so do I] that thing hurts when he runs over your toes! The video is really dark, but you can see Ollie cruising along [don't mind my nasally stuffed up voice--I've been getting over a cold...]





Last but not least, we tried to jazz up the front porch a bit with some decor...here's what it looks like now. There are still a few things I'd like to add...but it all depends on if I can score some good thrift shop finds! [I spray painted one of those log-rustic looking loveseats that originally was just a plain light wood--spray painted an old barn star that I used to have in Briggy's nursery and covered some old ratty throw pillows with burlap and painted on our initial and house number...and planted some pretty begonias and gerbera daisies]

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Hippity Hoppity Easter!

Besides me being pretty under-the-weather with (allergies? I dont know if Im sick or its allergies--but its been pretty miserable :/)
We had a great Easter morning!!! We are SOOOO blessed to magically have BYU-TV (that COMES with our basic tv package!) So we are able to watch conference at home today. Can pause and watch during naptimes, etc--its been great! We just took a little lunch break and put the boys for a nap, so I thought I'd post some fun pictures from this morning!!! Both boys were up about an HOUR earlier than normal. Ergh. 7:30's not bad, we're just spoiled with a 8:30-9 am wakeup. Briggy was excited to see what the Easter bunny had brought!! Oliver was just hungry..hahaha. As I was setting up the baskets last night, Tom came home from Priesthood session, and we started talking about other people's way to celebrate Easter with children. Some people are doing the Easter basket thing on Saturday, some are for-going it, many down play the bunny and amp up the Savior. To be honest, Im not sure how we are going to handle things---We talk about Jesus alot, Briggy knows who Jesus is by looking at pictures in the house and books---He's been having fun coloring a conference booklet/coloring book while we've been watching conference---but I was raised with BIG HOLIDAYS. My parents always went all out for every holiday. I love doing over-the-top stuff to celebrate FUN! I think next year Briggy will start to understand The Savior's role a little more---we'll just have to wait and see.
This year we got some fun spring time gifts, the two best presents aren't pictured--We got a swingset (it came a couple weeks early, so briggy has been playing with that for a while now) and I made a 8 foot Chalkboard for the backyard. Since I've been not feeling well this week, I still need to coat it with the Chalkboard paint, so hopefully we can play with that in a couple days--and I'll be sure to take pictures---It is soooo coool!!!!







PS--Thank you to the Grandma's and Grand-dad's for the fun easter suprizes. Those chocolate-scented bunnies are so neat! I was able to purchase quite a few disney movies with some of the easter loot they got too! We love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

All about EGGS!

These past couple days have been all about EGGS! We read about the "real easter eggs" in the Bearenstein Bears book (We started colleting them for Brigs and Ollie) We hunted for candy-filled easter eggs at church yesterday, and today we decorated easter eggs! (and had a yummy pizza party!)














Tomorrow morning we plan on playing with toys, eating lots of candy, watching conference and rejoicing in our Savior! Hope you all have a blessed Easter!