Calming Sensory Jar

I decided to jump on the bandwagon & make the kids a calming sensory jar.  Their spats have been getting particularly difficult to diffuse lately.  Maybe because they're both always right HAHA. I grabbed the stuff I needed to make it from Walmart last night & they helped make it.  I chose blue glitter because it is somewhat neutral.  Kade likes Blue and Kyleigh says it looks like Elsa blue.

I didn't take any pictures of the process but it's fairly easy to do.

What You Need:

1/2 Bottle Glitter Glue (we used a no-name brand)

1 vial of glitter from the crafts section (we used a good amount per kids' request)

1 jar (we can, so we keep mason jars on hand)

hot tap water

**Optional: Food Coloring (we didn't use any)

First, put the half bottle of glitter glue in the bottom of your jar. Then put the hot tap water in.  Sometimes the glue won't break up good if the water isn't hot enough, so get it HOT. Then, dump your desired amount of glitter into the jar.  Make sure the lid is secure.  We screwed our lid on tight.  You could also super glue the lid on if you'd feel better.  Shake the jar and try to break up the glue.  Final Step:: ENJOY!! When the kids have a spat or a tantrum, sit them down with this and make them sit and watch until all of the glitter has fallen to the bottom. Can take up to 2-5 minutes.

I'm telling you Moms, this is therapeutic for us as well!! I've enjoyed this one and so have the kids!!

Little Tikes Playhouse Makeover....Doc Clinic Edition

A few years ago, I saw this playhouse sitting on the side of the road.  I never had one when I was growing up so I whined and pleaded with Josh to get it for me.  The day he went by to ask about it, he showed up at my parents with it crammed in the back of his Ford.  Kade was tickled.  And Kyleigh couldn't walk yet, so she wasn't the biggest fan.  It was faded out, missing a shutter, and had rusted hinges and knobs that had been replaced.  But for $30, it was a steal!! I have checked these houses out now. One similar would cost us at least $150.  

This playhouse sat at my parents for a while.  When we got situated in our old house, we took it with us.  And of course, it was rarely played in.  Mostly used for sitting on the roof and watching lightning bugs in the summer.  I told my daughter back then that I would turn it into a Doc McStuffins clinic for her.  Which, a year and a half later I have come through on.  Back in May, I got tired of looking at it sitting in the fenced yard.  Faded out and rusted.  I went online, found a picture of the colors of Doc's clinic and took a trip to Walmart.  I found Rustoleum Seaside, Marigold & Apple Red in High Gloss.  Spraypainting wasn't the headache on this project, taking it apart to paint it all different colors was.  

(Somewhat finished!!)

I ran out of the Seaside Blue (which I've been unable to locate, until now on Amazon.)  I'll be posting more pictures of the finished product.  I only have the tiny part at the base left.  Then i'll be moving on to the inside.  And I haven't decided what i'll do to it.  But this is a huge improvement from the eyesore it was before.  The kids also have another Little Tikes Playhouse at my parents I'll be doing once I'm finished with this one.  I'm thinking i'll let Kade pick out what theme we will go with for it.  Keep checking back for updates of the finished outside & interior ;)

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

Josh & I decided a little over a month ago that we wanted to do Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  We are sick of debt.  We bought our house and want to have it just the way we picture it in our heads.  Which will take A LOT of money.  I was spending $10 every 2/3 months on 90 Finish dishwashing tabs.  And that's at the local bargain store, NOT at the grocery store.  Not bad.  But I knew it could be better.  I'm on my third bucket of laundry detergent after a year of making it myself.  I found ingredients to make dishwashing tabs and got to work.  

I spent $11 on my things at Walmart.  I had the ice cube trays at home.  I made two batches, or 56 tabs this go around. 

You use:: 1 cup Kosher Salt, 1 Cup Washing Soda, 1 Cup Baking Soda & 3 Packets of Lemonade Mix.  Mix all of your ingredients into a bowl.  You CAN leave it as a powder OR add 1 cup of water, let it fizz and settle and mash the tabs into the ice cube tray.  Let the tabs dry and harden overnight before putting into the container of your choice.  I chose my now unused candy jar ;)  I have pictures of the process and end result below.  

I will keep you updated to see how far the boxes of soda and salt went.  I'm estimating that the detergent will be around $1.50 for a batch of 56 tabs. 

I'm THAT Parent

Tonight my baby had his first real soccer game.  

It was chilly & super windy.  It had rained this morning, so I came to the game equipped with folding chairs to avoid a wet butt.

Aside from that, I became THAT parent.  The one who yells to guide their child in the right direction.  

"Kade get the ball!" 

"Kade go with your team!"

"Kade run, run, run!!"

Yes THAT parent. 

When I watched my little cousins play soccer and saw how truly obnoxious some folks can get over youth soccer, I swore I'd never be this kind of parent.  But tonight I realized this: my child looks to me to guide him in the right direction.  The coach has 7 children to watch over and can't constantly be directing my child the whole time.  If I don't tell him he's going the wrong way, he can't learn to go the right way.  If I'm not telling him how to steal a ball & what team we're against, he won't know because he's too big of a sweetheart to just take things.  If I don't teach him in each and every little area of life, I can't say I've really done my job as a parent.  From sports, to education, to relationships with others, I will be THAT parent until my children are both old enough to make their own decisions without my interference.  So, tonight I also realized it's okay to be this way.  They're only little for so long.  And I intend to serve them as well as I can until they're grown =)

My 1st Attempt @ Chicken Pot Pie

One of my absolute FAVORITE foods ever is Chicken Pot Pie.

I found a recipe that seemed simple enough.  Again, my food isn't Pinterest quality as far as looks go but was devoured in no time.

1 box refrigerated pie crust (on a Monday I have NO time for made from scratch)
1 1/2 lb rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 medium potatoes, peeled & diced
3 large carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a pot, boil water and add potatoes & carrots. Cook until tender.

Next, in a seperate saucepan, saute onion with butter.

Add garlic & celery, cook until tender.  Then stir in flour, whisk until well-blended.

Slowly add & whisk chicken broth.

Add seasonings & continue to mix.

Add milk & keep on medium heat until you have reached your desired thickness.

Add carrots, potatoes, peas & chicken.

Roll crust into 9 inch pie pan. Add filling & then layer with other piece of crust.

Bake 50 minutes.  You may want to let the pie sit for a few hours to keep it intact when you cut.  I wasn't so patient ;)

And Another Update On Homeschool...and some new foods in the mix as well...

We are making more progress by the day.  The number of words Kade can read grows each day, as well as his ability to relate & apply them.  He is able to read (most of our books) for me when it's story time.  Another new development, handwriting.  It's gotten so much more legible.  He is so proud of himself for being able to write things out himself when commanded.  We have also been working on a lot of Social Studies & Science activities that are age appropriate as well.  

My proud moment of the week...Kade is eating Chicken Nuggets!! It started out Monday at Bilo when I suggested some Perdue Monsters University chicken nuggets.  He's on a Monsters Inc./Monsters University kick.  He said he promised he would try them if I bought them.  Going to OT has helped TREMENDOUSLY with adding healthier options to his diet.  But chicken suggestions used to bring on this reply: "I'm not going to eat a chicken, Mommy!"  Relating the food to the critter.  Lovely.  Not anymore, Thank Goodness!!  As soon as we got in from the store, I cooked a cookie sheet full of them.  He ate 2 his first attempt!!  And just today he actually asked for chicken nuggets & fries for lunch as soon as we finished school.  Being able to add onto his already expanding diet is a blessing.  His OT will be proud, she's SUCH an amazing woman & LOVES my child.  I love that she doesn't just see him as another picky eater, but she truly cares for him & doesn't push him to objecting point.  

Anywho, just wanted to update.  Thank you for reading! Have a great night ;)

A Lesson About Life & Death

So, at some point in time we know we will have to explain death to our children.  

This past week, I had to have that talk with my sweet Kade, who is 4.  

We let some of our rabbits out of hutches that were very worn down and had decided it was best for them to be free.  Well needless to say rabbits and goats don't share food very well.  We let the rabbits out last Saturday.  Wednesday morning when we got home from drums, I noticed two of the rabbits were laying in the same spot they'd been when we left.  I drove across the yard and jumped the fence.  I found one of the rabbits barely breathing, with some gashes on her neck (apparently from goat horns).  And the second rabbit was breathing fine and I didn't notice blood, so I let him be.  The rabbit that was bleeding passed away of course.  When my daddy got home, we found out that the second had his back legs crushed.  He could only drag himself around and had lost his normal aggression.  I called a vet, wondering if he would make it.  His outcome is good, we have splinted him (despite his efforts to chew them off).  He should make a full recovery.

As for the dead female, Ophelia, she had to have a proper burial.  I explained to Kade that she got hurt by the goats and had died.  I asked him what he thought happened when we died.  He was VERY quick to tell me, "Mommy, we go to Heaven to be with Jesus."  His certainty at such a young age makes my heart swell with joy!! My sweet baby knows that Jesus saves.  During homeschool, we read a lesson out of his bible storybook daily.  He is in church Sunday morning & Sunday evening.  He is blessed with awesome leaders at church who have made it SO clear to him that he is positive of Jesus' love for us.  He was still very confused about the fact that we couldn't go back to the hole the next day and get her out.  But then he insisted we would see her again.  

This lesson was MUCH easier than I thought it would be.  I know when it comes to a loved one dying, it won't be as easy to recover from.  But his faith will carry him through the darkest of things in life.  

Just wanted to share =) SUCH a proud mommy moment!!