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Kids FUN Plant Makeover, with Buttons! – Kids Craft

May 15, 2008 By Laura 2 Comments

Be fore-warned. There are LOTS of photos in this post. And the reason is simple: Me and my camera were having way-too-much-fun, taking photos of the kids doing this fun plant makeover, with buttons!

This is the other craft I bought supplies for weeks ago. I saw this neat idea in Family Fun Magazine called Bloomin’ Buttons, and if you happened to read this post, then you know how I feel about buttons. So….one way or another I was doing this. It’s not not only a fun project for the kids, but it’s really great for their fine motor skill development.

I just happened to have this lovely Cyclamen plant (see photo below) that my father and brother brought me for Christmas. (Wasn’t that sweet?) Yes, it’s still alive. A little research described this plant as ‘a flowering house plant that requires very little care’, so I’m not too proud of myself. Mine flowers white and scarlet flowers. I just love it. It lives on the ledge between our kitchen and school room, where it gets just the right amount of light, and maximum enjoyment.

But…the basket was looking a little….Christmasy. Especially now that it’s spring. So I had planned on spraying the basket a solid color anyway. But now I had this whole new make-over idea that I was way too excited about, for my age.

So yesterday, while Michael and {A} were out on a job, I asked my little helpers {J}, {O} and {S} (5 year old triplets) if they wanted to help me with a craft. (And then covered my ears to protect them from the inevitable piercing cheers). Of COURSE they did! So I sprayed the basket outside, and left it out there to dry. Then we got out all we needed ( just buttons, wire and wire cutters), plopped down on the floor, and got to work.

First we sorted through the buttons to find the colors we wanted (mainly primary) and the sizes we needed, to work together.

Then we got to threading them with 26 gauge green florist’s wire. It had to go up through and back down through, making a few good twists right below the buttons.

The kids loved making differing color combinations, and doing something different each time. We must have sat in a circle, just chatting, giggling and working (perhaps like quilters! lol) for over an hour. About the time it was time to put our little button bouquets into the plant soil, their show was on. That worked out good, because it wasn’t easy putting them in even for me. What a mess I made. But look how CUTE it came out!! …….

4_button-plant-kids-craft

Now that I had sprayed the basket all white, I decided it needed a little something at the bottom. So I added some tiny colored cord, because it was all I had. But I may pick up some colorful thin ribbon that might look better. Still….I love it as it is. It is so…..qUiRky, and FuN! Like me! (Well….some do think so.)

So I know you really get the idea by now, but just because I didn’t want the fun to end, I kept taking photos. I love detail shots. Indulge me………..

It’s like a Button Garden!….

With unique little button buds……

Now I’ve seen those ‘room make-over’ shows, so I know a nice way to end these things is to show a split screen of before and after.
So here it is……..What do you think??

Now I think it’s time for ME to have a makeover.

The next couple of days are on the busy side for us, so not sure we’ll have much time to blog. But you never know! Thanks for stopping by today!

Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday

May 12, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

Sunday was a day full of celebration (and surprises for me). In our continued family efforts to live out the Liturgical Year, and being both Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday, we had a few enjoyable things on our agenda that we had planned. It was also an end to our 50 Days of Easter celebrations.

My husband and kids had gotten up early, but I was sleeping in. That is, until all 4 of my kids came jumping on my bed announcing (seemingly extra-loud when you were sleeping…) that it was time to get up. I stumbled out of my room to to this glorious sight:

Wow! It’s just beautiful, and still putting a smile on my face. But the cards really touched me. The sweet messages written inside all of them had me choking back the tears. I love the heart put into all of them, so expressive of their individual personalities. Even my husband’s. Below was my very favorite flower in the bunch, until this morning when a stargaze lily bloomed wide open, and now-well…I’m kind of torn.

A big breakfast was made me for as well: coffee (the best part for me), stuffed french toast and 12 Fruit Salad! (below) This is a Pentecost salad and is symbolic of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control, and Chastity. Not as easy to come up with 12 ripe fruits we thought! (Come to think of it, maybe that was symbolic too. lol) But we managed.

After breakfast we went to mass, which was nice as always. {A} voluntarily alter served, as she does most every Sunday, because it means so much to her. The presiding priest was Fr. Bob who the kids have really come to love, so that worked out nice, and we stayed a bit after to chat with him.

The night before the kids made 7 flames out of card stock, and labeled them with the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, for our table for Pentecost Sunday. Didn’t they do a nice job?

We also had a Pentecost Cake. I actually came across the idea online, and loved all of the symbolism it entailed. My kids love cake of course, but my husband REALLY, really loves cake. And I have to admit — in the end, he made every bit of it. He is amazingly creative anyway-with any project he gets involved in. And he easily gets involved with a lot–he just gets sucked right in and can hardly help himself. (You should see the Easter eggs he has made over the years–just amazing. But I digress.)

So let me share with you the symbolism of this Pentecost Cake: It’s a white cake with white frosting to represent the purity of the Holy Spirit. The ‘butter cream’ frosting we all wanted wasn’t as white as we were hoping it would be, but close enough, and also too late. : ) The cake had 12 whole strawberries around it that again, represented the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit (mentioned above), and the 7 heart-shaped strawberries for the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Understanding, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. The center candle represents Christ our Light. The 12 smaller candles represent the 12 Apostles, and the flames of course, are the tongues of fire.

It not only came out beautiful, but it was absolutely delicious!

The kids supplied ‘the rushing wind’ and blew out the candles.

So that was our Sunday in a nutshell. It was just another good day of getting a little more in touch with our faith, and celebrating as a family, which we are really good at, if I do say so myself. My husband and I were talking about how enjoyable it has been trying to live the Liturgical Year in a more involved way, with the kids. Much of what the kids are learning as we go here, WE, the parents, are truly really learning about as well. Though we both have always been Catholic, we have realized how much we paid such little attention to through the years. Taking the time to really study each liturgical day and season more, and celebrate them together as a family, is an amazing experience. It brings such appreciation, fascination, and a great deal more respect, to it all. It grows your faith, and well, ‘rekindles the fire’. Just like the prayer I’m reminded of:

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in us the fire of your Love.”

I think doing these things does call forth the Holy Spirit. That must be what we feel inside, and what makes us just want to do more and more of this stuff. It’s a good feeling-that just feels right.

But now for some Ordinary Time. Which just sounds……..restful.

Mother’s Day Thoughts & Wishes

May 10, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

Another double-whammy day coming up for us tomorrow. Pentecost Sunday, and Mother’s Day. I will be busy LIVING the day of celebrations, and will be sure to blog about it later. Meanwhile, I thought I would leave some of my own personal thoughts regarding Mother’s Day, a little early here.

Motherhood almost sounds like a tangible thing.

But it’s the gift of an experience, really. A very blessed period of time, I feel. A time which, once started, never really ends. It is seasons, that are always changing, as our children grow and evolve in their needs of us.

Motherhood is collectively, moments.

My days, like all mothers of young children, are chock-full of motherhood moments. Sometimes, it’s helping my children do something. Other times it’s teaching them, conversing with them, interacting or playing with them, or listening or watching them by their request. And still at other times, it is spent providing for them, or recording their childhood days for them, in some form or another. My days are filled with planning their day, their week, their year – their lessons, activities, or meals. It is spent building their creations and masterpieces with them, or more importantly, their character; to grow in being the person God created them to be. And sometimes my motherhood moments are lived just by being nearby – serving as a security of my presence, in case they need me. All moments, just being a mother.

Being a mother never really ends. Even once a mother passes, they live on as a mother – in the hearts and minds, and MEMORIES of their children. I know this, because all I have left of my own mother, is memories. That is what makes living the moments so important, and making the most of them, while we can. Our mothers will pass on eventually, and moments pass by in real time. But the moments themselves never, ever die, but live on as memories in our minds and in our hearts.

So if you’re blessed to still have your mother here with you on earth this Mother’s Day, and you are able to give her a hug, do it. And don’t do it out of habit, or sense of obligation, but mindfully, and heartfully. Tell her you love her. Consider telling her what she means to you in your life. Tell her thank you. Take in the moment. It’s another moment to live in, soon to be transformed into a memory, that you’ll want to hold on to.

It’s quite nice to have a day in the year appointed to honoring mothers throughout the world, with such a simple name: Mother’s Day. Don’t you think? As for me, on this day I will remember my own mother in the memories I have collected, and most likely cry some, for the sadness in my heart of missing her so much, and for the joy I feel as I replay the memories I have kept. I will ponder the examples I may or may not be setting in our daily life, to help prepare my own girls for possibly one day being mothers themselves. I will spend the day as I always do, with my children, and taking hold of the truth once again; just how very blessed I feel, every day of the year, to be gifted this amazing and beautiful journey, called Motherhood.

To every woman, who has ever been blessed in any way, in being a mother:

It’s a vocation. It’s a blessing. It’s a gift. Celebrate!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you!!!

Thank you dear Lord for the gift of motherhood.
This is such a blessed and dignified vocation.
Lord, we often forget just how much you trust us, by giving one of your precious children into our care.
Please help us always to appreciate the importance of being a mother.
Amen

Math Madness! & Memorization – Kindergarten

May 8, 2008 By Laura 4 Comments

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We’re talking about the beginning skills of math memorization, for little ones, today. Our Kindergartners ( {J} {O} {S} ) have been working on addition and subtraction in their workbooks throughout this year. Their math curriculum (Horizons/Alpha Omega Publications) had introduced math problems in both numerical sentences, as well as stacked, and as of recently, even in math story problems. Their aid right along has been a number line on the page to use for adding or subtracting. They start at the given number, and count going forward (adding) or backward(subtracting), and the number they land on is the answer to the problem. I have thought right along that this technique was rather clever, in that the kids are learning now, for the future, how to line their number columns up properly as they write their answers, and to get the idea of adding some to, or taking away from, and just the whole general idea of how math works. It’s been the fastest subject every day for them, unless we add an extra math activity with manipulatives — like money or time telling.

So tonight right after dinner, I was working at the computer. I had an order I really needed to prep, and was also just already burned out as it was, from an intense and exhaustive appointment I had today after schooling. Michael had to run out to do something himself, so he was not around. So I am working along and conversing with the kids at the same time, as I often do.

And then the math started……

{S} “Mama….give me some math problems.”

{Me} “Okaayyyy…ummm…7+2.”

{S} “7+2?” (pause) “9!”

{Me} “That’s right! Very good!”

{S} “Give me another one!”

{Me} “Ok, How about…18 – 4”

{S} “18 – 4?” (pause – a thinking noise) “14!!”

From there, as he was getting them all right, I just went with bigger numbers, and he still kept nailing them. Then {J} comes in because he heard all of the excitement, and wants some problems too. “Give me some! Give me some too!” They take turns, and it becomes an intense competition between them. {O} was busy and very focused copying an adult’s crossword puzzle. But the boys were not letting up on wanting more. Addition, subtraction, big and small numbers, calculating in their head…and they were doing it! I think they were surprising themselves that they could do it! (I didn’t know they were ready to do that either.) There were no double digit addends or subtrahends involved, where carrying over or borrowing would be necessary, but still. Granted too, they were probably using their fingers, but hey…I still do sometimes too. And they are in kindergarten!

They really could not get enough. It went on for a long time, as I tried to work. I began hoping Michael would walk in the door any minute and take over being the ‘math problem pitcher’. And he did, eventually. He was pretty impressed with what we were doing while he was gone, and thankfully, was happy to take over. I was then able to finish up my client’s order a little quicker.

The math game went on all the way through, and in between each hug and kiss for bed, and not doubt they’ll be begging to play again as soon as they open their eyes in the morning. I’m grateful for the break tonight now that they are in bed, (although numbers are still flying around in my head, because that’s me) but also really amazed and grateful at how effective their whole curriculum, and lessons we’ve taught them, have been for them. It is an advanced Kindergarten curriculum, but have really credited how each concept is introduced in a building, and spiraling, and building some more, sort of process, and have thought of it as just that; Base prep work and building techniques for next year. But they are truly getting it more than that. And with JOY as they do. That’s what I love the most. Whether they get a concept or not — it’s that they have FUN learning that matters most to us, because eventually they are going to get it all. But to see them truly understand and demonstrate it over and over is a satisfying feeling. Seeing how much they are getting so early on, is encouraging. Because the truth is, I don’t think my kids are some unique geniuses, or necessarily smarter than other kids. And I surely do not need them to know everything now. It’s just the re-enforcement of our strong beliefs all along; that kids will learn more, and EMBRACE LEARNING, even CRAVE it, when they have fun doing it.

They have also been entertaining themselves, and each other, with memorization and recitation. All 3 of them are very fluent readers now, (well, all 4…lol) and they have taken to finding funny stories or poems in their abundance of books, and memorizing them, and then reciting them for eachother, or us…or anyone who will listen, in stores, or where ever we are. Most of what they have a desire to memorize are the funny, very silly things, of course. You know how, with kids, if something is funny once, it’s still funny the next 999 times. So they take turns spouting off this poem or that, and they all crack up, and it just never gets old. But this practice of memorization, that is merely a game to them that they came up with on their own, is just how education at home, in life, happens on it’s own. Yet it builds their memorization skills for the things they will HAVE to memorize for an assignment, or for functioning in life. Just like the scripture memorization they have done, they are acquiring various valuable benefits and skills from the ‘game’.

I just had to express what….contentment I feel tonight. Again. About this life of ours I love, and our decision to homeschool. These are the moments, that we have every day, that show us the fruits of our ‘labor’, if you want to call it that. To see the progression of their skills and gain of knowledge every day, as they display it for us in various ways, with such HAPPINESS and pride in themselves, IS the reward and the pay-offs. We wouldn’t want to miss one minute of the amazing progress for the world; from introduction of a new concept, to seeing the lightbulb in their head go off, to them grasping and running with it with such enjoyment. Just living, loving, and learning, every day. That’s what it’s all about to us. Witnessing these moments, is something we treasure and are so grateful for, even if we are hearing one thing or another for the 1,001 time. “Listen to this, Mama” “Watch me do this, Daddy! Look!” “Mama, see what I can do?” “Watch me again!”

Yes, we will always listen and look. Sometimes with eagerness, and sometimes with some real scrounged up patience, when we are trying to accomplish something of our own, because it matters to them. It is life. It’s the learning process of little ones, and it is the love of learning, growing, and the satisfaction of new accomplishments and skills they can each call their own. And there can never be enough. There will always be time for such things. It is all gifts, our gifts, receiving gifts, and just multiplying before our eyes.

So bring it on, kids. We will listen, we will look, we will cheer, and we will clap, as all 4 of you realize there is nothing you cannot do, with hard work, desire and determination, and the grace of God. The rewards are all yours. And it is enough for us to just listen, and watch, over and over again.

Mass Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary – Field Trip – On the Wrong Day

May 6, 2008 By Laura 3 Comments

When I first found out the about this field trip to the Mass Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary via e-mail, I apparently relied on my memory, while going from the computer to the calendar. I guess I shouldn’t have done that, because there is a big difference between the 6th, and the 16th! Might explain why we were the only ones there, huh?? Good golly. We were supposed to meet lots of other homeschoolers there, but all we could see or hear were birds.

So we decided to make the most of it, since we were already there. It was a beautiful day, and I got some nice photos our of our peaceful hike. Don’t you love the photos above and below of the geese and their goslings? Whenever I have seen ducks and their ducklings, or geese and their goslings in my life, I just feel a little something inside. I can identify with them somehow, in a family/parental way. They seem to take such care in guiding their young ones, and are so very protective if danger or possible predators (like us) gets too near to their young. Aggressively so, as if there is nothing they won’t do to protect their children. I can relate to that, and I’m sure many of you parents can, as well. Anyway, I enjoyed watching and photographing this feathered-family.

These acres at this wildlife sanctuary, owned by Mass Audubon, is just beautiful. Wide open wet-lands and woods, and meandering, winding boardwalks throughout. (I love boardwalks too.) It’s all conservation land of course, and is such a haven of all kinds of beautiful birds, and creatures big and small. I bet in the evening hours, as it approaches dusk, it’s a whole other world, equally as amazing and beautiful, but different.

There was so much to photograph, but I was wishing I had a much bigger zoom! Many of these photos are extremely cropped, which I hate to do because of quality loss. But nonetheless, I’d venture to say we wouldn’t have seen (or been able to sneak up on) some of the little things we saw today, had so many more people been with us. Like this little garter snake. Can you see him?

Or this little white moth, that’s as good as a butterfly to my kids. : )

There were little turtles, just soaking up the warm sun on rocks and limbs extending out of the waters, everywhere. I think I would rather enjoy being a turtle here at this place, for a day or 2. As long as my turtle family was with me, and were feeling just as mellow. : )

Here’s another shot I just love, because I love these kind of ‘craggly’ trees. (Is that a word? Craggly?) I remember trying to draw them a lot as a kid. I found it hard to really make every stroke different-as no 2 branches or twigs are the same. I found I would start balancing it all out without thinking. Maybe it’s the Libra in me.

It was really nice just walking around together. It was so quiet there (except for my kids, who tend to have volumes we are working on.) The weather was perfect. It wasn’t too hot, cold, or windy. There were no bugs bothering us, and it was so…peaceful there. Just following the trails and boardwalks, and keeping an eye out for anything of nature to appreciate, and marveling at the creativity of our God, everywhere we look.

Of course I can never keep myself from photographing the kids, and I got plenty of those as always. But even I got in one today with them! I’m the big kid in the middle.

But this one below really melts my heart. <sigh>

The kids had such a great time there, and they even said they didn’t care that no one else was there as planned. But….I think we’ll go back and make the field trip on the RIGHT day, anyway. I’ve corrected my calendar. Now all I have to do is remember to look at it, and know what day it is when I do, and we’re there! The kids have already stated though that they want to be sure to wear their t-shirts they made again (because I guess the point was showing them off!)– so if I take more photos, we’ll probably have the same clothing. Even I may wear the same t-shirt again, since {S} asked me to lean down to him today for a secret, and he whispered in my ear “You look really beauty-ful today in that shirt.” <sniff> (I know…I think I need a moment again here.)

Anyway….here they are all together, jackets purposely unzipped (and practically hanging off) as to not cover up their designs. As I type this, they are sound asleep in their beds, and I am quite tired myself. But I feel like I just could sit and look at this photo of them all night, (and the one of my husband too) and wonder why God blessed me so greatly. Or maybe I’ll just spend it thanking Him, once again, that He did.

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