Handwriting Practice

I used this website last summer.

ESL Writing Wizard

I printed out handwriting pages for Avery. 

I had some for her first and last name, color words and sight words. 

Enjoy!

Summer Is Coming!!

I really enjoyed seeing some of you this morning at Kids In Action. 

I saw a friend this weekend that shared an amazing website for our young ones. 

Over the Big Moon

This web site has great FREE printables. 

They create packets with all kinds of educational pages. 

Here is a picture of the latest one. 

On her webpage, click on the tab 'free printables'. Click here to go to the page that gives you all the information on what each packet includes.

Some of you know how I love to plan the summer with things to do.

I always print out a calendar for the summer. I use markers to write down all our fun activities. Once this is done, I tape them on the wall so the girls can see what we are doing. 

 Last year I tried something new. We played 'Summer Bingo'. I did not create this idea. My friend, Michelle, got me started. She found it on a last year.

With the help of a few websites and Michelle, I came up with a list of crafts, quiet ideas, active ideas, jobs, and things to do together.  Each week Avery got a new bingo card. Throughout the week, she could do something from the card and put a sticker in the square. For each Bingo she got a ticket. She could turn in her ticket(s) at any time for the listed rewards. It really worked great. I made sure to have squares that were academic too. Here is a site that has a close up picture of hers. I did not make fancy covers for Avery's bingo cards. We just taped the current one on the wall. 

 This link below should take you to another example that you can print out. 

3 Sided wheel

Each picture below will take you to a blog that might spark an idea that you can do with your family this summer. 

If you don't want to go that far, 

I think this is a great idea too. 

(click on the picture for the free download)

I hope I didn't overwhelm you! 

See you Wed!

Town Center Park

I always try and see what the Town Center marque says. 

I kept seeing Family Festival but never saw more..guess I was driving too fast. ;)

So this morning before going to sew at Sheri's house, I drove by and took a picture so I could post the information on here for you guys if anyone was interested. 

So here you go!!!

Family Festival

Town Center

April 21 9-3

281-841-2401

Cheers!

Interchangeable Frame

Let me start off saying I am sorry for slacking on the blog. 

I will do better!!

Okay so now on to the fun stuff!!!!!

As many of you know, I LOVE Pinterest. I fell upon this cute frame the other day. When I went to blog, Today's Fabulous Finds, to get the instructions, I fell in love with lots of ideas she has.  

I had to stay focused on this frame and the how to.

It is super easy. Here is the link for the instructions.

She also talked about them here.

I showed Amy on Monday. So we are both on this one. 

I bought fabric because I didn't like the color burlap at Hobby Lobby. I also bought the eggs today at Hobby Lobby. 

I looked at Dollar Tree but couldn't find the frame but Amy found a great steal at Walmart for $5. They have 3 different colors...so no painting for us. :)

Here is my version for Easter. 

I used smaller nails because that is what I had. 

 I wasn't sure I needed ribbon until it was together. After I finally found some that would go, I just taped it on the back of the frame. Who knows if I find something else I like better so it might change.

I might hit JoAnns tomorrow to see if I can grab some St. Patty's day ones on sale. :)

I already picked out some cute 4th of July ornaments at Hobby Lobby but I will wait for them to go on sale or use a coupon.

So here is the break down:

Frame $5

Fabric $1.66 (enough for two) I bought a 1/3 yd.

Eggs $4.44 (spent more than I wanted but I couldn't wait)

Ribbon $0

Nails $0

Total: $11.11

Not too bad!!!

I am excited to put this up with my interchangeable word frame-HOP!!!

Iron Chef

Amy and I had a great time shopping on Tues for our Iron Chef meeting. 

We gave each table a few basic items to start with. Then after each question, someone from the table had to race to grab a new food. After four questions, the secret ingredient was revealed...CREAM CHEESE. 

The tables had 20 minutes to come up with two different foods. 

Here are the pictures of them presenting the foods to the judges.  

I was shocked by how creative they were. We only had difficulty trying one food. 

 Here are the winners. 

Nice job ladies!!

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!!!

A video that should make us think!

I would like to share this with each of you. This is Ben Breedlove from Austin. He passed away on Christmas day. He suffered a heart attack, the fourth of his short life. He had cheated death three times, he said. There are 2 parts to this video. He made this a week before his death. 

Here is an article about it, too.

http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/12-27-11-11-02-austin-teens-christmas-day-death-sends-inspiration-around-the-world-ben-breedlove/

Christmas Books

I shared yesterday our tradition of wrapping our Christmas books up each year. The girls get to unwrap one book each day in December...or whenever I get them all wrapped. HeHe!

I was asked to share our favorites. (If you click on the title, it will take you to Amazon to read more about each one.)

I am blessed because most of the most meaningful ones were giving to me by students. 

I have not read all of these to the girls yet because they have been too young but they do make me think. 

Here are some of the heartwarming ones:

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski

Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco

The Legend of the Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne

The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg

The Christmas Promise by Susan Bartoletti

My girls favorites:

Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera

Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

A Wish for Wings That Work by Berkeley Breathed

Olive, the Other Reindeer byVivian Walsh

I know there are more but they are still wrapped and I don't have them memorize...sorry. 

Enjoy!