Month: January 2011

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Sensory Bins Are Magic!

I’ve read a lot about sensory bins and how little ones learn so much through sensory exploration.  SO I made a sensory bin for my preschooler. He LOVES it!  I did it for the educational aspect.  If I had only known…it kept my 3yo occupied for an hour.  That’s right, I said a whole HOUR.  It’s the closet thing to real magic that I’ve ever heard of.

I filled a plastic bin with dry rice, plastic measuring cups, utensils, and some tiny wooden blocks.  I spent less than $5.00 at the dollar store on the contents and a vinyl tablecloth to contain any mess.  It was great watching him explore: sifting, pouring, and inspecting each item. We talked about how the rice felt, concepts like bigger & smaller, inside & outside, and full & empty.  It seems so simple but it’s really a great learning opportunity.  It went over so well, I plan to do another and fill it with seasonal items.

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Sensory Bins Are Magic!

I’ve read a lot about sensory bins and how little ones learn so much through sensory exploration.  SO I made a sensory bin for my preschooler. He LOVES it!  I did it for the educational aspect.  If I had only known…it kept my 3yo occupied for an hour.  That’s right, I said a whole HOUR.  It’s the closet thing to real magic that I’ve ever heard of.

I filled a plastic bin with dry rice, plastic measuring cups, utensils, and some tiny wooden blocks.  I spent less than $5.00 at the dollar store on the contents and a vinyl tablecloth to contain any mess.  It was great watching him explore: sifting, pouring, and inspecting each item. We talked about how the rice felt, concepts like bigger & smaller, inside & outside, and full & empty.  It seems so simple but it’s really a great learning opportunity.  It went over so well, I plan to do another and fill it with seasonal items.

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Three in Thirty

OK, OK, OKAY…you win.  I’ve read your tweets, visited your blogs and now (gasp) I (who totally does not do New Year Resolutions) have joined in the #3in30.  I’ve been inspired! PLUS, the idea of taking baby steps helps…committing to one month at a time just seems so much more do-able for me.  Having a community to do it with is, well, just plain FUN. So- I’m all in.

This year I want to grow in my relationship with God, dedicate more time to social media fun, and finish some of the home chores that I’ve been avoiding. Now thanks to 3in30, I can do it one little ‘ole month at a time.

My goals for this month:

  1. Add a chapter of Proverbs every day to my Bible reading plan (to grow wiser)
  2. Participate in at least one blog hop every month (to be more social)
  3. Clean out the food storage container portion of my cabinets (to get kitchen organized)
So far, I have done well. I’ve read a Proverbs every morning.  I have participated in THREE link-ups.  I have not yet tackled the two cabinets.  I’m waiting for hubby’s day off so he can have some time out of the house with our son.  I figure I’ll get it done faster with no interruptions.
With 3in30, I can get it together AND meet new friends.  You gotta’ love that!
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Three in Thirty

OK, OK, OKAY…you win.  I’ve read your tweets, visited your blogs and now (gasp) I (who totally does not do New Year Resolutions) have joined in the #3in30.  I’ve been inspired! PLUS, the idea of taking baby steps helps…committing to one month at a time just seems so much more do-able for me.  Having a community to do it with is, well, just plain FUN. So- I’m all in.

This year I want to grow in my relationship with God, dedicate more time to social media fun, and finish some of the home chores that I’ve been avoiding. Now thanks to 3in30, I can do it one little ‘ole month at a time.

My goals for this month:

  1. Add a chapter of Proverbs every day to my Bible reading plan (to grow wiser)
  2. Participate in at least one blog hop every month (to be more social)
  3. Clean out the food storage container portion of my cabinets (to get kitchen organized)
So far, I have done well. I’ve read a Proverbs every morning.  I have participated in THREE link-ups.  I have not yet tackled the two cabinets.  I’m waiting for hubby’s day off so he can have some time out of the house with our son.  I figure I’ll get it done faster with no interruptions.
With 3in30, I can get it together AND meet new friends.  You gotta’ love that!
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Weight Loss Wednesday

I’m very excited about Weight Loss Wednesday!  Alana Morales at Domestically Challenged has started a new feature on her blog about weight loss.  She’s offering encouragement, tips, interviews, accountability and the opportunity for others to join her in the fun.  While I can’t promise a blog post on the subject every Wednesday, I can tweet- tweet- tweet about it. She and I have started a special Twitter hashtag ( #momfit ) .

My goal is to loose ten pounds (and wear my skinny jeans) by summer.  I’ll be walking and using  Wii  & Xbox Kinect video fitness games.  Really, why should the kids get to have all the fun? I plan to limit dining out to one day a week.  I may throw in some weights too

If getting fit is one of your New Year’s goals, I hope you’ll join the fun. Go visit Alana for details how to join her Weight Loss Wednesday.  Don’t forget to use #momfit if you want to tweet your fitness plans/ progress.

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Weight Loss Wednesday

I’m very excited about Weight Loss Wednesday!  Alana Morales at Domestically Challenged has started a new feature on her blog about weight loss.  She’s offering encouragement, tips, interviews, accountability and the opportunity for others to join her in the fun.  While I can’t promise a blog post on the subject every Wednesday, I can tweet- tweet- tweet about it. She and I have started a special Twitter hashtag ( #momfit ) .

My goal is to loose ten pounds (and wear my skinny jeans) by summer.  I’ll be walking and using  Wii  & Xbox Kinect video fitness games.  Really, why should the kids get to have all the fun? I plan to limit dining out to one day a week.  I may throw in some weights too

If getting fit is one of your New Year’s goals, I hope you’ll join the fun. Go visit Alana for details how to join her Weight Loss Wednesday.  Don’t forget to use #momfit if you want to tweet your fitness plans/ progress.

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Just for Fun

I’m thinking about using my other blog, MommieKate for my FUN side.  I could do my blog hops there and post photographs-things, you know- a little less “practical.”  There are so many of you that have social hops.  Having an additional blog dedicated to the more fun stuff will help me participate without compromising the ideal of this site.  I’ll still be posting my tips and faith-related thoughts here. I hope you’ll “follow” both spots. Thank you!  I truly appreciate your visit!


To read my latest posts on homeschooling,
click here for Report Card Time and 
click here for Sensory Bins are Magic.


For Fitness click here.  


For 3in30 click here.






Posted on by

Just for Fun

I’m thinking about using my other blog, MommieKate for my FUN side.  I could do my blog hops there and post photographs-things, you know- a little less “practical.”  There are so many of you that have social hops.  Having an additional blog dedicated to the more fun stuff will help me participate without compromising the ideal of this site.  I’ll still be posting my tips and faith-related thoughts here. I hope you’ll “follow” both spots. Thank you!  I truly appreciate your visit!


To read my latest posts on homeschooling,
click here for Report Card Time and 
click here for Sensory Bins are Magic.


For Fitness click here.  


For 3in30 click here.






Posted on by — 3 Comments

Report Card Time!

Oh how I used to hold my breath at report card time.  Not that I had anything to worry about.  I was a solid A-B student, but there was this awful feeling. You know, I thought it would be good but you just never know.  Things happen.  Funny, the things I used to worry about.  Now that I am homeschooling my son, I wonder if we’ll do report cards.  Right now, we are pre-schooling.  Report cards at this stage just seem unnecessary.  Then again I do have to monitor his progress- ah, who knows?  Right now, posting our work on the wall seems to be enough reward.

We are half-way through the school year.  During our holiday break, I’ve reflected on what has worked and what hasn’t so far. Our Letter Of The Week Curriculum by Confessions of a Homeschooler has been terrific. Not that we get through all the activities, but it holds my son’s interest and it’s super easy to implement.  It’s so rewarding to watch him learn.  Homeschooling has been great for our relationship too.  At the end of the day, I feel like I have spent directed, intentional time with him-  not just in the same house together time.  The flexibility of homeschooling has been great.  We’ve had an extended holiday due to some family emergencies that arose right before Christmas.  We’ve done some of the lessons in bed- how great is that?!

I need to get more disciplined about sticking to our daily routine. Some aspects of this year have been about “working out the kinks.”  We belong to a Christian Homeschooling group and a MOPS group to squelch socialization concerns. All in all, I am so glad that I decided to pre-school at home.  I’ve learned so much and enjoyed visiting with the other HS Moms from the Hip Homeschool Hop. Cheers for a great semester: A+!

Posted on by

Report Card Time!

Oh how I used to hold my breath at report card time.  Not that I had anything to worry about.  I was a solid A-B student, but there was this awful feeling. You know, I thought it would be good but you just never know.  Things happen.  Funny, the things I used to worry about.  Now that I am homeschooling my son, I wonder if we’ll do report cards.  Right now, we are pre-schooling.  Report cards at this stage just seem unnecessary.  Then again I do have to monitor his progress- ah, who knows?  Right now, posting our work on the wall seems to be enough reward.

We are half-way through the school year.  During our holiday break, I’ve reflected on what has worked and what hasn’t so far. Our Letter Of The Week Curriculum by Confessions of a Homeschooler has been terrific. Not that we get through all the activities, but it holds my son’s interest and it’s super easy to implement.  It’s so rewarding to watch him learn.  Homeschooling has been great for our relationship too.  At the end of the day, I feel like I have spent directed, intentional time with him-  not just in the same house together time.  The flexibility of homeschooling has been great.  We’ve had an extended holiday due to some family emergencies that arose right before Christmas.  We’ve done some of the lessons in bed- how great is that?!

I need to get more disciplined about sticking to our daily routine. Some aspects of this year have been about “working out the kinks.”  We belong to a Christian Homeschooling group and a MOPS group to squelch socialization concerns. All in all, I am so glad that I decided to pre-school at home.  I’ve learned so much and enjoyed visiting with the other HS Moms from the Hip Homeschool Hop. Cheers for a great semester: A+!