Letter identification project

These "Animal Antic" books are fabulous and actually quite recent. The last of them came out just last Fall I believe. A few years ago I had an idea for a series of children's books that would have a real story (not like the usual alphabet books) that used many words starting with that letter of the alphabet and THESE books are better than my idea. They not only have a letter a book and use lots of words containing the letter they are focusing on AND have interesting real stories it's all about animals! At the end of each book they have fun facts about the animal that was the star in the book and also a few project ideas to help the kids recognize the letters.
I did my own version of the letter recognition thing. After reading the stories to the girls I taped a plastic bag to the table and slipped their books inside (Renna has the "R" book about Rosie Raccoon and Lily as the "L" about Lana Llama.)
I told them to circle the words that started with their letter. Renna is four and has already been noticing when she sees an "R" because she knows her name starts with that letter, so she's at just the right place for this project.
Lily had fun with this even though it wasn't too hard for her. Another way to do this with her age could be having her look for those sight words that she is memorizing.. like "was" and "has" and so on.
After they do a page they can wipe off the markings, slide the book out, turn the page, and slide the book back in. I helped them with that part, but for the most part it was a pretty independent project.. which was great considering that the baby was getting into everything! :}

Homeschooling project-- The senses

This reading with project may help 3 and up kids with their curiosity and awareness and possibly even if they are a picky eater! Make it fun and use chocolate! :}

We got this book a few years ago when we started Sonlight's "little learners" package (I actually got most of the books used and a few I didn't get at all, but it was pretty much what they had) and what is GREAT about their stuff is that you can use and re-use the books for years. Renna was a little too young to get much out of it at the time and now she's really interested in it and even though we've read it to Lily already she's interested in it again.

The picture is the different areas of the tongue where the taste buds are located to identify salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. We put a tiny bit of those flavors in the different areas of our tongues and had fun noticing how our tongues work.

Today we read all about the 5 senses and had fun doing some "experiments" so that they could be more aware of each of their senses. The best part was when we gathered different foods and things to smell and taste and did the blindfold thing so they could guess just by the smell to identify what they were smelling.

Renna didn't like the smell of the lemon!

Lily identified them all right away with just the smell (note: I let them both smell everything and told them what it was before we started so they would have a better chance of getting the answer right.) Renna had to feel or taste a few things after sniffing them before she new for sure what they were.

After we did that we did some experimenting with tastes. What happens if dark chocolate has salt on it? Does it taste good to them? How about salt on peanut butter? Peanut butter and banana? Sugar and strawberry and coffee grounds? (We all liked that one!) It was a good opportunity to talk about flavors and remind them again that if there's some food that they don't like maybe all it needs is another flavor to make it taste just right to them!

Oh, and we also did a blindfold test of texture. I had raw sugar, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and salt and had them guess which was the salt by moving their finger into each pile. "Is the salt #1, #2, #3, or #4?" Each felt different and it was fun to see them enjoy their "experiment" for today.

The last I'll say...

My final thoughts on cleaning and organizing.

Seem like I write about this too much, but it's because I keep trying to figure out a "better way"... in the end the best way is just doing it. Somehow someway. Being consistent, learning habits that you keep doing. Be it once a month or once a day or once a year-- go with what works.

Now, my final thought on the issue.

DON'T DO IT!

I know, it seems like I shouldn't be saying that after saying everything else, but what are we going to regret when we are older and our kids are grown?

"I wish I'd cleaned my house more?"

"I wish I'd kept my closet more organized?"

I suppose depending on just how BAD it *could* get I can understand that being a regret, but for most of us that wouldn't be our regret.

Sometimes we need to allow ourselves a few hours or a few days of doing just whatever we want to do. For me it's being creative or reading a book. I feel good when I do those things even when I have neglected cleaning and organizing to do it. I don't feel good about ignoring the house when I've just wasted the time. (Note: as Mom's we'll always have to feed people, but we don't have to do dishes after EVERY meal in a day, or we could use paper plates. Choose leftover meals, or some other easy meal plans to give ourselves a break.)

We have choices each day... read to our kids when they ask or finish picking up? A friend calls and wants to do something together.. or should I stay home and stick to that cleaning schedule?

What will you regret when you are older... that you didn't stay home and clean? Or that you missed hanging out with your friends? Missed cuddling your babies?

Have a plan. Make good habits. Strive to make your home and life simpler, but then choose to step away from that order for a time for something much better. The dirt and your plan will be there when you get back, and you will feel rested and excited and not have any regrets.

Sleiman Family News Goes Digital

Every year, the Sleiman family sends news of their year in review to hundreds dozens of excited readers. This year, the news has exploded -- and most of the impact hit the Internet.

The Sleiman family newsletter has gone digital.

Inside, you'll enjoy articles covering topics loved by readers: the skinny on what the third child's name is, the career news from grand-poobah Youssef Sleiman and an incisive column from wife Lynné Sleiman titled, "The Dirt on Germophobia."

See what these readers already had to say about Issue 8.

It's changed my life. After reading this, I couldn't stop thinking about how it applied to me, how it changed who I was in my core. Literally, I'll never be the same. Anonymous

What can I say? I didn't know half that stuff was going on. I mean, yeah, I'm friends on Facebook, but it's not like I check their profiles all the time or anything. That's just weird. Former Facebook Friend

I started digesting my printed copy as soon as I could get my hands on it. I just couldn't stop drooling over the news. It's the best newsletter I've ever seen in my life. Natalie Grace Sleiman, 8 months old

Open your copy of The Sleiman Standard now. Print if you like, share if you want, but read it you must.

Magnet dolls

I don't have a pattern for these. They are just little X's out of scrap fabric that I had. I needed a way to house the magnets that I got for the girls (just strong craft magnets about the size each of a penny- only thicker.)
Sew right sides together leaving about an inch open at the "neck" and then flip right side out. Slip the magnets into the "hands and feet" and then top stitch the legs and arms to hold the magnets in place. Stuff just a little bit of stuffing into the body part (I didn't stuff much because I wanted them really flexible.)
Then hand stitch the neck closed and sew up threw a wood bead and up through a colored poof ball. I went up and down and up and down from the "neck" of the body and over the poof ball many many times to get it super secure.
My husband timed me when I did the sewing and it took about 15 minutes to do one whole one (minus the hand work.. that's probably another 10 minutes at least) SO, yeah.. they take a little while if you want 12 like I did, BUT I think the kids will really like them and it wasn't expensive.
Much safer with a baby in the house too. The girls get to play with their magnets, but they are now REALLY easy to see!
You could draw a face on them of course, but I thought they looked nice without any.