It's A Crazy Life.....

One of our projects this summer was to get the kids' rooms cleaned, organized and re-decorated.  We're about halfway there on the project.  I spent about three days in our boys' room....mostly cleaning.  Then I spent about one day in the girls' room doing the same.  The kids helped and I mostly kept them on task and organized their cleaning.

Boy, my kids are super messy!!!  I couldn't believe we had let it get to the point it was.  Clothes all over the floor.  Little bits of paper thrown around.  Hair bands under the dresser.  Hangers on the closet floor.  Ties tied to the beds, shelves and other things in the room.  Tubby Cubbies that were empty with the toys all over the place.  Bags of "treasures" placed strategically around the room.  Ugh!

One thing that was really, really bad was the trash in the boys room.  It's like they wake up in the middle of the night and have a snack, but fall asleep while eating it.  Yuck!!

And the smell.  Tween-age and Teenage boys and girls are stinky!!!

But......I HATE the smell of most air fresheners.  That chemically, artificial smell. So what to do?  Create my own air freshener, of course!

Lately, I've been using essential oils quite a bit.  I diffuse them.  I do rollers.  I have a necklace diffuser.  I'm really liking the effect they have on my family and my home.

So I created a homemade "Fabreeze"  and it's been working wonderfully!  I spray the kids' beds, their blankets, the curtains....even our couch cushions have received the treatment.  My house smells nicer and there is no funky kid smell in the bedrooms!

You will need:

A spray bottle (glass is best, but use what you have!)
water
essential oils - I used Lavender & Tea Tree (try Eden's Garden Oils.....my favorite!)
rubbing alcohol

My recipe:

Fill the water bottle almost to the top.
Add about 3 TBS rubbing alcohol.
Add 30-40 drops of your essential oils.
Shake before each use.
Spray on surfaces (it seems to dissipate too quickly in the air)
Enjoy!

I never posted about our summer camping trip this year.  Usually, we head north with Mr. CrazyLife's parents to the far western end of the U.P. where his mom grew up and camp there for a couple weeks.  All her family comes and we have lots of cousins to play with and lots of family fun.  This year, with Nana not doing so well, we decided to stick a little closer to home....just in case.  But we still got lots of fun family time in.


We decided to take a trip to the Straits of Mackinaw and visit Mackinaw Island and Fort Michilimacknac.  Lots of fun and lots of learning on this trip.  Thing #1 begins her study of Michigan history this year, so we thought it would be a good jumping off point for her.  And Mackinaw Island is a great place to visit anyhow.  We planned to bike around the island before visiting the historical parts.


So we packed up and headed north.  Only to be hit with a maelstrom of craziness along the way.  I stepped on a nail.  The camper blew a tire.  Thing #1 and #2 complained of upset tummies.  Mr. CrazyLife couldn't find the tent.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  We finally got all things settled and got to the campground, just in time to set up the tent in the dark and park the trailer in a spot that was smaller than your average trailer spot.


Then we went for a walk by the lake....sunset was happening and it was almost dark.  And this is what we saw:

This year we've been doing a homeschool preschool program for Things #3 and #4.  Now, mind you, both Mr. CrazyLife and myself are public school teachers, so we are in no way against public school.  Or are we pro-homeschool.  We just feel that any education either at home or at school is important and that we should do all we can to keep our children on the right path and give them a headstart into life and education.


Since Auntie CrazyLife has been staying with the wee ones during the day, we decided it was easier to let her homeschool the preschool rather than find a new place for them and add extra running and expense into our day.  She's been trained in early childhood education, so it's a great choice for us.

So far this year, the kids have worked on their letters and numbers, both recognition by sight and sound.  I cut a vinyl alphabet with my Cricut and we hung it on our kitchen wall.  It looks quite nice, if I do say so myself.  =)  Thing #3 can now write his full name and Thing #4 can recognize and say all the letters in her full name.



They have also done units on "All about Me," "Halloween," "Apples," and "Fall."  Our kitchen/dining room is decorated so nicely with all the artwork they've done.  We've added to it with artwork the older children bring home from school.  It's a lovely way to decorate the house!

The children and Auntie also work on the weather and calendar every day.  It's so cute to hear Thing #4 singing the days of the week song all the time!

This past week, the kids and Auntie have been working on shapes and colors.  It's so funny to hear my wee two year old pointing out all the shapes she sees as we drive around town!  She can even draw her own circles and squares!

Next week the topic is Thanksgiving. 

Today we went to the library to find a book on the first Thanksgiving and about the history of Thanksgiving.  The kids will read that and do some answer comprehension questions orally and then draw a picture of what the first Thanksgiving looked like.  We also have some Pilgrim head crafts to make from  HERE.  I also found a printable book there about symbols of Thanksgiving and one about counting.

I also have used my QuickCutz cutter to make some Thanksgiving shapes (Boy Pilgrim, Girl Pilgrim, Boy Indian, Girl Indian, Turkey, Corn, Leaf) which will be used for a couple different things.  The kids will use them for making patterns, counting, color identity, shape identity and of course, storytelling.

So far, this homeschool preschool thing is working quite well.  With Auntie CrazyLife doing the main lesson during the day and Momma and Daddy CrazyLife filling in during the evening and weekend, I really see a lot of progess with the kids. 

Plus, it's been fun putting together units and making all the materials and planning curriculum.  I'm probably kind of a nerd in that way, but I love curriculum!  Look for more homeschool preschool ideas in the future!

As a running theme in this blog....Life goes on.....

Late summer happened and with it the taking apart and putting away of the garden.  We froze many a green/yellow bean, corn kernal and broccoli tree.  Not to mention the berries that were frozen and put away.  Or the mushrooms, berries, onions, and apples that were dried.  The onions that were braided and put into the cistern for storage.  The peaches canned.  The apples sauced.  The tomatos juiced and sauced.  BBQ sauce made.  Cabbage fermented and frozen as sauerkrat.  Busy times.

Then school started.  Thing #1 began second grade in the gifted and talented program.  She's doing grade level work in science and social studies and working one grade ahead in math and language arts.  She is in a magnet classroom, so all the children are at the same level and working at the same degree.  Thing #2 began first grade and is having all the challenges that come with being a spirited child in this world.  He just doesn't fit into the box of a "typical" first grader and has a teacher that wants all her kids to fit neatly into that box.  It's a struggle, but he's coping well and we're working with him on respect and expectations.  Things #3 and #4 began doing preschool with Auntie CrazyLife, who comes to our home each morning at 6:45 to watch the children.  Having her around has been a lifesend.  Mornings are so much easier and the big kids don't have to ride the bus anymore.  I'm not rushing around to get out the door and everyone is happier in the home setting than a daycare setting.  Mr. CrazyLife and myself both started teaching in new schools this fall and are adjusting as well as we can in the situation.

Add afterschool dance classes, college classes and church activities and well, we're pretty much on the go all the time!

So that's life....I'm trying to be more productive with the blog and keep it updated more; life just seems to step in the way.  I haven't been online at home in almost 3 weeks!  And at school during my prep time I'm actually planning and prepping (amazing, I know).  So time has been limited.  I promise to update, but expect like 5 posts in a day and nothing for like a week!

Thanks for sticking with me and being loyal followers and friends!

I admit it.  I had fallen into the rut of doing almost everything for my children.  I picked out their clothes.  I made all their meals, packed their schoolbags, even picked up their dirty clothes off the bedroom and bathroom floors. But there came a point at the beginning of this summer when I said to myself, "Self?  What in the heck are you doing?"  This came after spending almost an hour picking up toys and messes after the children had gone to bed.  Why was I the one doing this?  I didn't make the mess.  If anything, I'd picked up that same exact mess at least three times already that day. Why? Why? Why?

I never intended to become the parent who did everything for their kids.  I wanted my children to be independent.  I wanted them to be able to take care of themselves.  And they were - they just couldnt' or more likely, wouldn't  do it.

So I declared war.  As soon as school was over this summer.  I made up a system to "help" them help themselves.  And it's worked....as long as I keep up on it.

You see, my children are just like myself.  In order to stay accountable to me, to them, to each other, we need a visible checklist, something we can see what needs to be done.  This can't be something you can hide away and forget - it has to stay constant, and you have to be able to physically manipulate it.

I mentioned in my last post about my love of the Motivated Moms system.  I keep the calendar in a 3 ring binder on my kitchen table.  I HAVE to mark things off the list before I feel like I can finish my day.

The kids are the same way.  Through trial and error, we came up with a system that helps them help themselves (and me in the process).  It's worked for the most part - vacation days kind of put us off.  But the biggest thing is that we keep it visible and that the kids are able to physically manipulate their list.

Here's what we do:

I made up a chore chart for each of the children.  I just used Excel, nothing fancy.  Each child has 7 chores per day.  These things include brushing teeth, making beds, picking up bedrooms, picking up toys, picking out clothes.  They also include some "extra" chores - setting the table, clearing the table, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, putting away laundry.   Many of the basic chores are the same for each child, allowing me to use the same template for all four munchkins.

I post the chore charts on the side of the refridgerator.  That way, the kids can check themselves to see what needs to be done and I can check to see how they are doing.  When they finish a chore and I've checked it, they can put a sticker on the chart for that day.

Each chore is worth 5 cents of "momma money".  At the end of the week they can earn up to $2.45.  This isn't a real allowance.  It's Momma Money.  The wee monsters and I sat down and came up with a list of rewards that they can "buy" with their Momma Money.  The things included, dinner out, a date with mom/dad to the park, swimming at the college, a sleepover wih a friend; all things that are free or reletively free.  Or they can save up or pool their money to "buy" something larger: a trip to the zoo, a movie date, a toy from the dollar store, etc.

It's working pretty well.  The kids are saving up right now to buy a trip to the zoo for the Halloween event and Thing #1 wants a sleepover with 2 friends.  If they start to fall behind, a simple reminder of what they need to do and what they are working towards seems to help.

And we're all staying more accountable!

Blueberry, that is?

It's blueberry season in Michigan and I love it!  As a child I never cared for blueberries.  I refused to eat them - whether plain, in muffins or mushed up in yogurt.  I hated them - with a capitol H.  My Gram used to say that I was her favorite blueberry picker, because my bucket was always full - I never ate any while picking!  In the years since, I have grown to tolerate them.  I still won't eat them plain or just mushed and mixed with yogurt or cottage cheese.  But I will eat them cooked in breads or pancakes.  And I love them in my breakfast smoothies!

My family has had a tradition from, well, forever, that every August, usually the first weekend, we all meet at Gram and Gramp's house and go blueberrying.  My aunt, uncle and cousin come.  Gram and Gramps used to come before it got to be too much for them.  My mom and sister always come up.  It's a fun time.  We have a favorite farm that we go to and the berries there have always been fantastic!

This year the calendar was not our friend.  We just couldn't find a time to meet up with everyone and hit the farm.  I was sad.  My own family usually picks around 30-40 pounds of berries and my mom and aunt pick around the same for their family.  I was worried about not having any berries for the freezer this year.

Then I discovered a secret, hidden treasure, just up the road from our own little farm - a BLUEBERRY patch!!!  Now, it isn't the best patch I've ever been to (you should see the patch at Soldini Blueberries - that's our favorite little patch!), but it isn't too bad either.  The bushes are huge and the berries small - but still tasty!  So I've gone a few times and picked.  It's late to be picking here, but these bushes are sill loaded up with berries.  I took the kids once and will probably go at least once more this month.

So now I've got berries to freeze.  Yay!!!  And berries to use in my favorite blueberry recipes.  Here's a couple to share....try them out and enjoy!!!

Lemon Blueberry Shortbread
2 C white or white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt (I just pinch it in)
1/2 C dark brown sugar
1/2 TBS grated lemon peel (I use fresh and guesstimate the measurement)
3/4 C dried blueberries (I use fresh or frozen)
1 C butter (only butter - no substitutes)

Heat oven to 350.

Mix flour, salt, sugar, lemon peel and blueberries.

Cut in butter and mix till crumbly.  Continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.

Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out cold dough between two sheets of wax paper to about 1/2" thickness.  Cut out with cookie cutters or score and cut into squares.

Place 1" apart on cookie sheet and bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Whipped Cream - yummy on cakeor with fresh fruit
2 C whipping cream (not coolwhip)
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C mushed blueberries

Mix together all ingredients in a deep bowl (it splatters).

Whip with a mixer 8-10 minutes or until a nice whipped cream texture.  Chill.

Enjoy!

So another bloggy break for me.  I guess the summer and blogging just don't go well together in my world.  I've got a ton of things I want to post on and just never seem to find the time to post.  I think I'm going to try to type some up as drafts and then go and post them bit by bit.  Maybe that will help me keep updated!

Anyhoo...since my last postings....we've gone on holiday.  I'll do more on that one later.  We've been working in the garden and harvesting a few things.  It seems that the big farms are harvesting about two weeks early this year due to the heat and water, but since we planted a bit late, we're right on schedule.  Playing with the kids and trying to keep them busy.  Working on catching up with unfinished and half-finished home projects.  Just really keeping busy. 

So to all my wonderful followers and friends, I hope you're still out there!  Drop me a note to say hello!