Classical Conversations Board

I have been asked about my board so I thought it would be easier to just post it here once and you can email me with questions if you need to.  Here is the final project.

 The materials are:  large foam tri-fold board, laminated colored paper, magnetic strips, plastic or wooden clothes pins, dry erase markers.

 I match the colors to the memory cards just for more continuity.  You can get a pack of printer paper with all of these colors in them at the School Box or any office supply store.  I had one of each color laminated.

 I used the long magnetic strips and cut them in half instead of the dots because they are more forgiving while putting them up.  You have to get the dots exactly right every time so the strips just seemed easier.  To mount the strips in the correct spot, lie the foam board on the floor and place all of the paper where you want them.  Then, take off the adhesive on one strip and stick it to the paper in each corner.  Take the adhesive off of another strip and stick the magnets together.  Adhere the adhesive side of the paper and magnet in the correct spot.  This helps get the paper even and the strips correctly spaced.  I used magnets instead of Velcro because it is easier to take on and off.

 I write the memory work on the sheets each Monday.  I take the papers back and forth to class and the magnets stick to each other so they don't erase by moving around.  This obviously isn't an issue if you don't tutor or need to move the papers. 

 This is what the board looks like blank.

 These are the plastic clips that I got from the dollar store.  I use them to clip the time line cards to the top.  I think they work better than the wooden ones because they don't brake as easily.

I use my board every weekday.  We have a "Morning Meeting" every morning (except Tuesdays that we are at Classical Conversations.)  We have prayer, go over the calendar, letters and numbers for the littles, Bible verses, Catechisms, and our CC memory work.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I hope that helped!

Why I love rainy afternoons

It is raining, obviously, and I realized how much I love rainy afternoons.  I think of hot tea, old movies, my silky soft blanket and a huge, incredibly hard jigsaw puzzle.  I think that I love them so much because they mean "lazy".  You can decide to put off the grocery store trip or playing outside (which is exhausting for a mother of 4 with a couple who still need lots of attention when outdoors.)  It makes me feel like curling up with a good book and dozing off.  Wouldn't that be lovely?  I think the kids and I will do just that.  I will get some puzzles out on the dining table and a stack of books that haven't been opened in a while.  Maybe we will end the evening with an old movie that kids forgot about.  Now.....if only I can get the munchkins on board.

Can spit be cute?

The answer is yes, provided it came from a curly haired, smiley, joyous two year old. As I was cleaning spit off of my glasses tonight after putting the kids to bed, I giggled a little at how it got there. Carter randomly started singing "Happy Birthday to you" while putting him to bed. At the end of each verse, he blows out the candles in his head. Well, Carter "blowing out candles" is about the cutest thing ever so I naturally thought of something else to get him to keep doing it. Hence the song "I'm going to let it shine" which after the words, "don't let anyone blow it out," he gives the most ferocious "blow" about an inch from my face. So, yes, spit can be cute.

Sunday's Serious Question

What "photo organization software" do you use? 

I have a serious photo organization problem!  They are scattered here, there, and everywhere and I can't seem to get a grasp on them.  I have 5 (YES 5!) different photo organization systems on my computer right now.  They each have different things that I like and don't like about them so I skip between them.  I need to get a handle on this! 

Also, how do you easily file them?  Do you rename them?  I started renaming by the person in the picture but good grief it takes forever!  Then, I tried to just move to folders, and again, forever.  I need serious photo help.  

"Mommy, come look at this!"

When a mother hears the words, "come look at this!" sugar and spice and all things nice is not what she invisions. Logan yelled these words from upstairs just I got dinner on the table. He stood at the top of the stairs with his proudest grin waiting to show me that he had completely cleaned up Peyton's room! He even "made" her bed and put her "cuddles" neatly in a row. After much, much praise, I asked him why he did it. His reply, "When she wakes up in the morning, I don't want her to have to clean her room so she can come downstairs and play." Directly before that he had "set up" a tea party in her room for her. I am so proud of him!

Wednesday Woes

I know that is better to look at the positive, but sometimes, it feels good to get out the negative!  So, give me your Wednesday Woe.  I'll start.

Muddy yard.  It seems that our yard is so consistently muddy that I can't let the kids play outside unless I know they can come straight it and change and bathe.  This is just a little aggravation for me.  I know, no biggy, but I thought I would "ease" us into it!

Alright, what'cha got?

Question of the Day!

What do you do (if anything) to "relax" during the day?
What do you wish you could do?

I put the kids down for "rest" time everyday, whether they are still nappers or not. They must lay on their beds and look at books while I go to each of them and read them a story that they picked out and sing them each their favorite song. Drew then has his reading time. Logan and Peyton lay in thier beds quietly for at least 30 minutes to an hour. If they don't fall asleep, Drew may play in my room quietly with Legos and Logan an Peyton play quietly with toys in thier rooms (all doors closed) until Carter wakes up. He still always takes naps. This gives me alone time with each child during the day and it gives me "down" time to refresh for the evening to come. What do I wish I could do, well if I could throw in a bubble bath and a glass of wine, that would be awesome!

Taxes

Yuck.

Question of the Day

If you could do anything in the whole world that you wanted at this moment....what would it be?

I would take my kids to the beach.  We would build a ginormous sandcastle, sit in the middle of it and pretend to be queens, kings, princes, and princesses while have a picnic "tea".  We would run up and down the shore looking for shells and sea "creatures" to bother.  We would "surf" on boogie boards and jump over the waves.  (We would get burnt because we have terribly fair skin and no amount of sunscreen seems to prevent it!)  We would take naps under umbrellas and get shaved ice from those wonderful people on the boardwalks.  We would have no obligations, worries, troubles, or tantrums.  We would do cartwheels and spin until we were dizzy and falling all over each other on the soft sand.  That is what I would do with this moment....if I could so whatever I wanted.

Blog Party!

Update - Last days of the party!  See how many new friends you can make!

Wow! I knew there were A LOT of bloggers out there but O My Goodness it is still amazing when you see the long lists of them! I signed up for this Blog Party thing that I read about and there are literally thousands of bloggers signed up. I am just too curious so I have spent way too much time browsing blogs about other mom's and their crazy lives. It has actually been a lot of fun. I have gotten really good ideas for schooling, recipes, housework hints, budgeting ideas, and seen lots of pictures of really cute kids. It is hard to believe that, 14 years ago, I didn't even know what email was! Now, I am partying, doing Bible Studies, watching movies, and well "living" partly in this virtual world. Hmmm......

This blog party is fun. Sign up and hop around. If you are here from the party, I am Mandi, a Christian, stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to 4 littles. I have way too many interests for the amount of time that I have so I have mainly been focusing on the ones that involve my kids. (I secretly wish their were 40 hours to every day and that I got to sleep for half of them!)

(Update:  I am apparently supposed to list what prizes I would like most if I won something (you mean there are prizes too?!)  So here we go......1.  They are actually giving away a laptop!  That would be awesome!  No more fighting with my 6 and 4 year old over who gets the computer! 2. USC37 A 50$ gift card to Amazon from http://www.shasherslife.com, would be great for some of the homeschool curriculum I need.  3. US104 A 50$ Visa card from http://www.shoot-me-now.com, which is just so generous.  My goodness there are so many giveaways. )

(Update 2)  This has been so fun!  I'm going to party some more!

"I am going to live forever!"

Logan to Drew: "I am going to live forever!"
Drew to Logan: "No, when you get really old you will die."
Logan to Drew: "Do you know what part of my body is going to live forever?"
Drew: "No"
Logan: "My soul, in heaven."
I am crying a little.

"Mom!"

Peyton, and all of her 3 year old self, often calls me "Mom." Not "Mommy" or "Momma" like the boys, but "Mom." Every time she says it, I flash forward to her being 16 and adding a little drawl in the middle, "Mo...om." I imagine this will also include the traditional teenage eye-roll. I hate it. I am not the only one who doesn't like her "grown up" name for me. When she says it around Pete, he gives her a little nudge, "Sweety, let's call her Mommy." Even Drew and Logan get in on our plea to keep her young. Logan will say, "It's Mommy, Peyton" with an exasperated tone. In the car today, Drew lovingly gave her a mini lecture, "We should call her Mommy or Momma, but Mom is what older boys and girls call their mommies. "

All of this is an ever present reminder that my children, my Peyton, will grow up and it will be speedy. I am not afraid of them growing up although I am like most moms who think it all happens too fast. I am, however, afraid of the changes that come with our children growing up. I already can see so many personality changes in my children and I realize that I went through many myself as I grew up. I so desire a great relationship with my children as they go through every stage in life.

Lord, I pray that whatever changes my children go through, Pete and I will always be the most influential people in their lives (until they are married!) and Lord, please make Peyton call me "Mommy."

Immunity

My big question lately has been, "How do I boost my kids/families immunity?" First of all, dumb question to ask to such a wide variety of people with such varying ideas about health! Second, dumb question to ask when there are such differing opinions (none of which are founded) in the medical community. It is amazing to me that there are so many "hyper" opinions about a topic that is so subjective in it's research. Depending on what article you read, who wrote it, what angle the writer was using, and who was "funding" the article, you get amazingly different opinions on vitamins, nutrients, and other factors that effect or don't effect immunity.

I have read a plethora of information over the last couple of days about immunity and illnesses and what we as the "lay person" can do to protect ourselves from the thousands of strands of viruses and germs that lay in our paths everyday. What have I learned? Nothing. You can exercise too much, or not enough. You can eat too many veggies and not enough protein or not enough veggies and too much protein. Vitamins don't break down in a way that is ultimately helpful or vitamins are the only way for Americans to get enough of the certain nutrients needed to be healthy.

My conclusion. Do the best I can. I have so much to have "mommy guilt" about that this is the last thing that I need to stress and focus on. Whether or not the "Triscuits" that I put on my children's plate for lunch today will cause "Attention Deficit Disorder" or be a good source of wheat for them should not debilitate me. Yes, I gave my children a piece of candy as a reward for being quiet during nap time this afternoon. I don't think they will break out in hives or get the next thing that goes around church because of it.

I do think that I can try to give my children the best foods that I can get them to open their mouths for and offer as many nutritious options for their meals as possible. I can give them opportunity for activity and exercise. I can wash hands, mouths, and behind the ears. I can love my children with all my heart and pray for them daily.

I pray today, Lord, that my family stays healthy.

Family Album

Our 2009 family pictures are ready!!!
Just click on the more pictures link to the right and then click on the familyalbum.
Enjoy!

Not literally, honey.

Drew and I were playing a video game today and he said, "Mommy, if you win, are you going to kick me in the booty?" Me, "WHAT?" Drew, "You know, kick me in the booty." Apparently at some point I told him I was going to "kick his booty" while playing.

Control your temperature!

Drew got his feelings hurt today when Peyton wouldn't allow him to help her out of her carseat. They were both tired and on the verge of tears but Drew broke first and yelled out, "she never knows how to control her temperature!"