melted crayon art: Ekim 2012

13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi

Share Your Success Story & SAVE 30%

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I am looking for your success stories using Reading the Easy Way to help others better understand how FUN it is to learn to read the Easy Way =-)

Reading the Easy Way

So for the next 2 weeks only – send me your success story, story about your favorite feature of the program, child’s quote, picture using the product, etc. to livinglifeintentionallyblog@gmail.com I will be quoting /using the information in the “About Reading the Easy Way Program” page.

And as a thank you for sharing your success with all of us I will email you a special 30% off coupon to use to purchase Reading the Easy Way 2 so you can continue reading the EASY way!

SNEAK PEAK:

Many of you have wrote asking about the release of Reading the Easy Way 2 as you are drawing closer to the end of Reading the Easy Way! I have it ready to roll out in a week or so! I have all new games, brand new readers with a new one each week, and some returning favorite activities (like the color by sight word!). Here is a preview below!

Reading the Easy Way Sample Image

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{free} Make Way for Duckling Literature Pack

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make way for duckling image

We are kicking off our school year with several Five in a Row Units. The first is the classic book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. I never like to add work to my plate so I checked around first to see if there was a printable pack already made. There wasn’t; so here is what I whipped up. The pages below are just a sampling of what you’ll find in the {free} Make Way for Ducklings Literature Pack for ages 2-7.

Click on the image below to download this {free} printable pack.

We also fed ducks (and geese) in our ‘neighborhood’. (Note: this picture is when Goofy was 3! It was such a fun picture I just had to include it!)
May 2008 339

And we learned about shadows (this activity was based on the picture of the policeman Michael in the story whose hand cast a shadow as he stopped the cards to let Mr. & Mrs. Mallard cross the street.) We watched how our shadows changed through the day.
August 2011 613

Looking for more fun ideas & {free} Printable Packs? Check out:

Five in a Row Units we’ve done
{free} Preschool Packs I’ve made
{free} Homeschool Units by Subject
Homeschooling Units (see under blue tab “Homeschooling”)

Cloud b Tranquil Turtle Review & GIVEAWAY!

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I was thrilled when I was asked to review Cloud b’s Tranquil Turtle. It is so cute!

After taking a look at the sweet little Tranquil Turtle above, I bet you are not surprised to learn that my kiddos loved it too! But not just my 2 year old “baby”. The 4 year old and 7 year old all beg to have turns with it sleeping in their room too!!! This cute Turtle is a hot commodity around here!! October 2012 003

So besides being super duper cute what does it do? Glad you asked!

Tranquil Turtle combines both sight and sound to transform my kiddos dark rooms into a peaceful side side oasis! You can see in my 2 year olds room above the blue light that gently illuminates her room. What you can’t see, and one of my favorite parts, is that the light “moves’ like the sea! My daughter is mesmerized watching the blue “water” gently swirl over her head as she drifts off to sleep. Perfect for babies who are suppose to be on their back to sleep!! 3 week Fall Roadtrip 2012 501

The Tranquil Turtle has two sound options: gentle music (undersea melodies) or ocean waves. I found the combination of the light waves and sound waves to be VERY soothing!

One of my favorite parts is that it is on a 23 minutes timer! You don’t have to worry about running out your batteries because it automatically shuts off. At first I thought 23 minutes, what an odd time! But it is actually the perfect amount of time for my kids – perfect! The Turtle uses 3 AAA batteries (included). I love that it is not tied to an outlet and we can take it with us to Grandmas house! Plus AAA batteries are common and easy to replace when we need to. But we have been using our Tranquil Turtle for over 6 weeks now (2x+ a day) with the same batteries!

You will also get an illustrated storybook (pamphlet type), adoption certificate, and endangered sea animals guide with your Tranquil Turtle.

Cloud b Tranquil Turtle MSRP’s for $54.95

But…. right now it is $43.90 with free shipping here – this would make a WONDERFUL Christmas present!!!

Want a FREE one of your own? (of course you do!)

Just enter the widget below. One lucky winner will be shipped a Cloud b Tranquil Turtle!! Winner must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected.

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TGIF Linky Party #51

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A BIG thanks to everyone for linking up & sharing your creativity with the rest of us! I really do enjoy seeing all your creative ideas every week. Just click on any box below to see the entire featured post. If I featured you below, GRAB A BUTTON!! (If you’ve been featured more than once I will be emailing you the code for the special button below!)

Looking for A Day in the Life of Another Mom - the series has moved to Saturdays Make sure to check in tomorrow for a another glimpse into another Mom’s day! By linking up you give me permission to use a picture from your post to feature you. Pictures will only be used to feature you above and will always contain a link directly to your blog.

A Day in the Life of a Mom with 4 boys under 5!

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A Day in the Life of a Mom with 4 boys under 5 by Allison from Train Up a Child

Hello Living Life Intentionally readers! My name is Allison, and I am excited to be taking part of this series. Before I jump too far into our routine I have to say that not two days are ever the same. I love organization, and I believe kids thrive on routine, however, life with kids isn't predictably. I think one of the most valuable traits a parent can have is flexibility. I have four boys five and under. JZ is 5, J-Bug is 3, and Tank and Peanut are 14 months. Flexibility has to be in place, otherwise I'd pull my hair out daily!
Let's get on to what our day looks like: 5:30 - I wake up and read my Bible and enjoy a cup of coffee. 6:00 - I exercise. (I've been doing Insanity, and I highly recommend it!) 6:45 - I shower. 7:00 - My boys wake up, and we hit the day running. JZ and J-Bug get themselves dressed and brush their own teeth while I start breakfast. Most days one or more of the boys wants to help me in the kitchen which I gladly welcome. I think habits start young, and I want to encourage them to learn kitchen skills. Also, I can often sneak in a math lesson while we cook. After breakfast the boys all play while I clean up. I like to get dinner started during this time while I still have lots of energy instead of waiting until late afternoon when I am pretty worn out. I throw in a load of laundry and pack the diaper bag if we are leaving the house that day. 9:30 - The babies go down for their morning nap. The big boys and I do school time. Our school routine is casual. We don't have a set time for any subject, nor do we have a set place to work. We do have a school and art room that we refer as our studio. Some days we work in there, and other days we work downstairs, outdoors, or anywhere we are feeling inspired. 11:30 - The little guys wake up, and we have lunch. After lunch we usually play outside until it is time for afternoon naps. 2:00 - While the younger three boys nap JZ and I do his reading lesson, and then he has quiet time. During nap/quiet time I tidy up any mess we've made, fold laundry, and then I sit and relax a bit. (This is assuming all goes well, and the three younger boys stay asleep.) I use my afternoon down time to catch up on e-mails, edit photos for my blog, and check in with my friends on Facebook. 4:00 - The boys wake up right around the time my husband comes home. He usually takes them outside while I make dinner. 5:30 - We eat dinner then play together as a family. 7:00 - My husband cleans the kitchen while I read books before bed. Sometimes I clean while he reads.
That's the gist of our day. Of course some days we have commitments like piano, Bible study, etc. I'm certainly not an expert, but I'd love to share a few tips I've learned along the way to make our days run smoother.
1. Getting up before the kids is crucial to starting my day right. First of all, it gives me much needed quiet time in God's Word. There is no better way to begin. Secondly, I am able to think clearly and prep for the day before four noisy, energetic boys take over. When I am lazy and sleep in the boys drag a grumpy mom out of bed. I don't want my kids to have a grumpy mother every morning. I like when they come downstairs to an energetic, happy mom who greets them with open arms.
2. While I like routine and consistency I do not over schedule our days. I believer children need free time every bit as much as they need structure. Balance is key, in my opinion. Also, I love planning games and sensory activities for them, but I also think it is important for kids to be able to play interdependently and entertain themselves.
3. We keep the TV off during the day. I'm not anti TV. My kids watch a little bit, and they play the occasional video games. When they do watch TV it is in the afternoons or evenings. I have seen a huge different in behavior when we keep the television off during the day. I prefer that we do our work in the morning and play outside when the weather is nice. Then if they want to choose a show or two at night I feel like we have already had a full and productive day.
4. Be intentional about what you eat. Remember what you eat and what your children eat affects your attitude, energy level and attention span. Don't serve sugary cereals for breakfast then expect your kids to focus during school lessons. We aim to use whole foods as much as possible and avoid processed foods. The time spent preparing whole food meals can be quality time spent with your children if you set it up right. Cooking is fun in our house. The boys love to whip out the measuring cups and spoons, and JZ takes charge of all the egg cracking and cheese grating. Like I mentioned earlier, math is easy to incorporate during cooking. Children as usually so busy helping and taking pride in their efforts that they don't even realize they are learning.
5. Forget about the mess. Don't get me wrong. I am borderline OCD. I can't stand clutter and messes. I used to be unable to fall asleep if one tiny thing was out of place. Those days have passed. It is much more important to me to play with my kids and enjoy these days when they are young than to keep the picture perfect house. I think it's important to teach children good habits like picking up after themselves, and I think they can learn and play better in an organized environment. So I'm not suggesting you let the house become trashed and forgotten. What I am saying is to leave that pile of dishes to chase them around outside, fold the laundry after they are in bed so you can do a puzzle or paint a picture with them, and prioritize. Choose what is most important to you, and focus on that. The kitchen and bathrooms are the most important in my mind. I go a bit longer between dusting sessions than I used to before having four kids, but dirty bathrooms and kitchens gross me out.
6. Keep your phone put away. I cannot emphasize this enough. If cleaning should fall second to playing with your children, how much more should checking in on Facebook or texting your friends take a back seat? I allow myself specific times to check in and then stay off the phone the rest of the day while my kids are awake. My attention is already divided between four children. It doesn't need to be divided by social media, too.
7. Have fun and play. I can't tell you how many times this past summer I ended up running through the sprinklers, rubbing my hands in shaving cream, or finger painting with my boys. I love these moments, and I love teaching my children that they are worthy of my time and attention. I want to look back on this time in my life and know that we lived life to the fullest. :)

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What is your day like?

Would you like to contribute to A Day in the Life of Another Mom? We’d love to read about your day! This series will be ongoing as long as there are people willing to give us all a glimpse into their lives. If you would like to share A Day in Your Life please email me your day to livinglifeintentionallyblog (at) gmail.com. Feel free to include picture (s). I will let you know when it will be posted. (If you have a blog please let me know as I will include a link to your blog in the post.)

12 Ekim 2012 Cuma

Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {4/10}

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Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @ McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!

This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.

Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up

1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)

2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)

3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!

If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.

Thank you for linking up with Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @ McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!

Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {4/17}

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Hello, Harvest Moon - Children's book

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This is our moon tonight. I'm not sure how much it's been on the news in other places, but there have been forest fires in central Washington that have been burning for weeks and are likely to keep burning until the snow comes. We're over an hour away from them, but it's still made for lots of smokey mornings and hazey afternoons...and some beautiful sunsets and moons.

I couldn't help but try to take some pictures of our harvest moon. This is the best shot I got. (I love my camera, but it does have a weak spot when it comes to zoom.) It really doesn't do justice to the sky tonight. It's a beautiful full, orange moon.

Katie and I had a fun time playing with some of the camera settings while I tried to get a decent picture. That's her dancing...

And that blue blur is Katie running across the street...

Now that I know how to set my camera to an 8 second exposure, we're going to have fun taking pictures of sparklers next July 4th.

And if you're into children's books, you want to find this book at your local library. Hello, Harvest Moon by Ralph Fletcher. Even though tonight is this years true harvest moon, the moon will be nearly full for several nights...and it will be full again just before Halloween. I loved how it sneaked a little science in with the cozy fall story about the harvest moon.

And if you're a moon lover, you might be interested in one of these posts. (Click on the picture for more info.)

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