January ChitChat

Hi ladies--this board is kind of dying out! Luckily we have been able to meet up for some playgroups, but we need more stuff going on here. If you ever stop in to check this board, please just say a quick hi so that I know you are on here and active. I am going to start deleting people you have signed up but haven't posted for a year (after I email them first, of course). Hope everyone is doing great!

My issue this week: Cabin fever! How do you escape it? I am struggling to enjoy living here, because I feel like the winters are so long with little kids in my little apartment. I know I should probably just plan out my days more, like a preschool environment, but I struggle with it. Anyone else having the same issues? What do you do to keep your kids happy and busy?

I need to figure out something to so with my younger two while my oldest is in school. I am getting cabin fever too.

Hmmm, being stuck indoors and without an automobile is difficult. It has been interesting coming up with a way to keep all three kids busy. But I have tricks that work for each kid: Brielle, we do 'Hogwarts School' every afternoon when the little ones are sleeping. Brynnlee, we rotate toys all week long. She never plays with the same bin of toys twice. Brooklyn really just enjoys watching her bigger sisters, but switching up what room they all play in really helps keep things interesting. We travel all around the house with different bins on different days

Brandi--That is a great idea! What do you do for "Hogwarts School"? I'm curious! How is your photo business coming along?

A friend of ine has a blog of craftivites she does with her children like 3 times a week. There are some other things on there like family home evening lessons but the craftivites are pretty cool she teaches them all sorts of stuff with these activities.cI am thinking I might try it once I can get some money and get some basic supplies for the.

my kids are pretty good at entertaining themselves. Thank goodness since they both gave up naps!! Our mornings are free play. Lunch at noon. After lunch they help me clean the kitchen, and then we have "school". Basically, a couple songs, a story, and something specific geared towards each. Today I think I'm going to teach Venice to count to 20, and Chloe to 10.
Here is the blog Stormy was talking about

http://craftivities.blogspot.com/

I will trade any of you! My life is so hectic I barely have a minute to myself!

Thanks for leaving the link I though I had lol

Hogwarts School has a lot to it... so I thought I'd just share the schedule I have hung up. At age 3 Brielle watched the first Harry Potter with Daddy and fell in love. She was Hermione for Halloween two years in a row LOL.

Monday/Wednesday
Divination (Time for our religious beliefs, reading, prayer, etc.)
Transfiguration (Learning about shapes and building or play dough)
Imagination (Pretend/Dress up time)
Snack Time
Workbook (I have a thick Preschool workbook she can do a page)
Quidditch (a physical activity outside, or dancing/kid yogo inside)
Charms (alphabet and learning to read)
Muggle Studies (helping Mommy clean a part of the house

Tuesday/Thursday
Divination
Arithmancy (numbers and math)
Imagination
Snack Time
Workbook
Ancient Runes (we study other cultures, currently learning about China)
Charms
Muggle Studies

Friday
Divination
Herbology (learning about plants, nature, etc)
Imagination
Snack Time
Workbook
Care of Magical Creatures (study different animals, we are doing the Panda Bear to go along with learning about China)
Charms
Muggle Studies

Wow... LOL. Then I put the schedule up for that day with pictures next to each thing so she knows what is next.

WOW! Brandi, that is awesome!!! I'm not sure Venice is ready to watch HP, but I'm definitely going to use your schedule to fit ours!

How long do you do each lesson?

Brandi--That is amazing! Wow. I am impressed. What do you do for kid yoga--do you have a DVD? Did you come up with this all on your own?

Thanks

Adelina,
I started out with them at 15 minutes a piece, then 20, etc. depending on how long she could handle it. Now sometimes she wants to do something for 30 mins, sometimes a hour. It really just comes down to reading her. Now, I can tell when she is ready to move on or if she wants more time. Be flexible

Amy,
I have something taped on my DVR from last year when there was a Mommy/Child yoga lesson on TV. But when I was pregnant with Brooklyn and watching some maternity yoga DVDs, she would so them with me! They are very low key and are perfect to do with a kid. You just have to entertain them more than the video does LOL.

When she was three we decided that we really wanted to homeschool. So I started researching and didn't find anything like what I wanted for a daily schedule. Since she loved Harry Potter so much, I came up with this. I have a picture somewhere of our homeschooling door and I can post an example of the daily schedule we hang up. It was a lot of fun to put together, and two years later she still looks forward to Hogwarts School

Brandilyn you are awesome!

Thanks, Jenni... but so are all of you!

Amy, I'm sorry, I totally skipped over your question before! My photography business has been so much fun! I'm loving it! I just finished a proofbook for the wedding I did at the beginning of the month. I have a link in my siggy to my website, you guys can check it out anytime. I update that more than my personal blog! LOL! And please forward to anyone you know that has a milestone (engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn, etc.) coming up or just an outdated family photo. And I'm still doing free sessions to get all the practice I can!

I think I'll try it out next week!

As for photos, Chloe's 2nd bday is coming up in a couple weeks. Do you think you could do a session sometime before valentines for her? Thanks!

Oh and Brandilyn when it warms up I would love for you to do some outside pics of our family! And I was going to talk to you about taking some pics of Shaye. I haven't had her pics taken yet and I am such a slacker!