Preschool Activity Bags!

I live in a house which seems to be crawling with small children. It's not that we have that many - we're closer to the Cosbys than the Duggars - but they all came so close together that just about the time someone moves out of one phase, someone else is there to jump into it! It can leave me feeling exhausted, frustrated, and at my wits-end at times. The older two are now at a stage where they can play constructively for the most part (except for that bed-as-a-slide incident that some of you heard about. Don't get me started...) They also are at a point where they need me to walk them through most of their school work. It's a fun time for all of us...except for Grace and Cullen - who don't handle it well when mommy needs to spend two hours doing school with Sawyer and Campbell. I frequently feel like I don't know what to do with them. In fact, I have pictures from the first day of school last year when Cullen decided to crawl into Sawyer's desk and sit there till we were done. They won't just "go play." They need direction, which is hard to do when I'm in the middle of a lesson on "how the French Revolution affected John Adams role as President." But fear not! Enter Preschool Activity Bags!

A friend called and asked me if I'd want to join her in making some activity bags to keep preschoolers busy during school, when you're trying to cook dinner, or any other time you need to have them occupied for a little while. She had purchased the Preschool Activity Bags Ebook from Activity Bags. com. This ebook plans all the bags out for you, and gives you directions for a swap. So we've rounded up about 12 moms of littles, and will be swapping bags on Thursday night! I'm so excited to have these on hand for the times when I need to give Gracie an activity she will enjoy, but that I don't have to hold her hand through. The ebook gives you over 30 ideas for bags, so we assigned two per mom. If you click on the link above, you can download a sample at their website. Each bag costs approximately $1 to make, and a lot of the supplies are things you will already have around the house.  These would be great to have on hand whether you homeschool or not. What mom doesn't need to have a few tricks she can pull out while waiting at the doctor's office, making dinner, doing laundry, laying on the couch with a bad case of morning sickness, etc? I know Gracie and Cullen are going to love them, and it only took a couple hours to get everything assembled!

A purposeful Easter week

Ryan and I have been trying to be very purposeful in the traditions we create with the kids. We haven't really had any Easter traditions, other than Church and Easter Baskets. (And since we go to church every Sunday, I'm not sure I can count that as a tradition!) We decided this year to do things a little differently. We will be creating an Easter garden today. You can see an example on Ann VosKamp's blog - I love her blog! I wanted to do something with them that would create a sense of building up to something - a sense of waiting, not in excitement, but contemplation and remembering. This seemed like the perfect thing. I'll post pictures later this week.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY!

I can't believe he's ONE! He is such a happy little blessing! We are so glad God gave us this little "surprise!" even when we had thought we were done with having babies. I can't imagine life without his beautiful smiles!

HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY, My Sweet Ballerina!

She's FINALLY four! (going on 25). For Campbell's birthday, she and I went to a production of the ballet Coppelia. We both loved it! She was mesmerized - okay, she jabbered through the whole thing, but it was constant questions about what was going on, and "how are the ballerinas doing that" and "can I learn to dance like that?" It was fun to watch her enjoy this gift. I knew she'd love it, since she is definitely all girl. If something is sparkly, she just naturally gravitates to it - Thank you grandma for the glittery jeans, I'll probably never get her to take them off! She is our live-wire, our snuggly one, our questioner. I can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for her life!