day of the week and the weather

So, we used to fairly regularly go to story time at a large book store chain that rhymes with Narnes and Boble. I actually think they do a great storytime. Beezus and I would go, then grab some books, get a coffee and read them. With Thor around, we haven't gone as frequently. The storytime reader used to always ask what the day of the week was and every other kid seemed to know, but Beezus really didn't. And I realized that was because I hadn't really taught her about the days of the week. I don't know why. It just didn't occur to me.

So, I decided to create a kind of chart for us to do every morning where we talk about the day of the week, the season and the weather. When I redid the kids' room a few weeks ago, I hung it up there and we are using it more frequently than we did before. Now, we have added gratitude to our list and each person picks something they are grateful for for the day, which cannot be the same as the day before. Thor grunts at something and Beezus translates, so it is often books, since books are right there.

Basically, I re-used an old dry erase board I had in our kitchen. The board itself is also magnetic. I took the weird magnets that came with it and reused them too, but gluing them to the back of the old watercolor paper. I created these little seasons/weather in scrap felt and glued them with tacky glue to old pieces of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I used watercolor paper for painting, and sometimes cut my own sizes, so I have all these irregular scraps that I used for Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). I guess I need to change the "Three things we are thankful for today" to "Four things", because Daddy got involved in the gratitude list.

I recently hung the board in the kids room, which has made it more central to our morning routine. We used to have it in the back corner of the studio and maybe used it once a week, when we remembered. The kids love this little cubby part of their room. I think in the next few days, I will do a post about their bedroom, because we recently redid the space to make it more fun, creative and useable.

Here is a close-up of all the tags I created. I made the days of the week each in their own color, so that Beezus could start to find them more easily. The bag was made by my sister for my paint brushes, but I rarely travel with them, so I re-commissioned it for this project. The weather was so fun to create, but as the year has gone on (I created this last Autumn) I realize that I need Hot, Cold, Warm, Chilly, maybe Humid, as well as just precipitation. Where we live often just gets cold as hell without snow or rain. I still feel a little like I'm not sure what weather to create. During the winter, it seems like cloudy is up there everyday, when it really is more than cloudy. Any ideas on how to resolve that?

I have to say that I loved this project when I created it. It has definitely helped Beezus understand the concept of seasons versus weather and helps her remember the days of the weeks. Now, she is starting to be able to spell the days as well, because she looks for the days by letters. All in all, an easy repurposing project, since I bought nothing new to create this day/weather chart.


Thanks for reading along.

some hightlights from the week

We have had a fun, productive week here at the ranch. Okay, we don't live on a ranch. We live in suburban New Jersey. But we have a dog that we wrangle. Sometimes.

Here are some of the cool projects we did this week. Well, Beezus is starting pre-K this fall. We have an incredible public school system. Graduating classes are a little under one hundred students. So each grade in elementary school is only one teacher, which is cool. Small classes. Lots of perks for individual attention. The only thing they asked the students to bring the first day of pre-kindergarten is a fabric tote bag 13"x13" or something. It said, "Available at Joann's. Personalize it however you want." I guess smaller hands don't do as well with backpacks and getting projects in and out. I was psyched. Hit the Joann's in my town. (We don't have much, but we have a Joann's!) I admit that I was a little disappointed with the selection. Basically, there were very little options--black or white. And then I found a three pack of blue, lime green and magenta for $8.99. Done. Two extra bags which will find a use in this house. Beezus told me she wanted a unicorn. Um, okay?

I suck at sewing. But I had a shitload of felt and I'm decent at sketching, so I figured I'd give it a whirl.

She wanted it to be a pegasus/unicorn when it was all said and done. I don't know how I managed to bend the horn, but I did. It is bent from being in so many tough unicorn fights with griffins and shit.














I forgot to mention that one the way out of the Joann's she saw bling, like your name all blinged out and then a damn rainbow all bling-ed out. So I bought some crystal iron-on letters for her name. And dare I say, that I bedazzled the bag. Check that out, son. Real diamonds. Nothing too expensive for my girl.












So, then Thor kept snatching the satchel away and claiming it at his own. He even bit Beezus to keep her bling-ed out pink unicorn-pegasus bag and fill it with matchbox cars. So, then I remembered, HEY, I have a blue and green one. So I made him one that hopefully is bling-y enough.

DRAGON!

I still might bedazzle it with the name THOR in large diamond letters. Muy muy macho.

The next project we did was make ice cream without an ice cream maker. I suppose every one has already done this sort of thing, but it was new for me. So, here is how it goes--1/2 cup of chocolate milk (soy or cow.) Add one tablespoon of sugar. Mix it all up. Put it in a little baggie. Make sure the air is out of it. Seal it. In a larger plastic freezer bag, add ice. I used two trays. Then I put SIX tablespoons of salt. Then I added the baggie of chocolate milk. Then I added another tray with a few more tablespoons of salt. Then you send your kids for their winter gloves, and shake shake shake. (picture on the left.) For ten minutes. I ended up doing most of the shaking, to be honest. But Beezus loved eating her chocolate ice cream.

We also made a crown. Construction paper and odd stickers here and there. I took it in sepia and she covered her face like I am the dang paparazzi.

We did other things, but I can't quite recall them right now. We are going to start on our nature table next week, hopefully. Until then, with love. XO