Bean Bag Fun

This Christmas I'm trying to make more of the gifts.

We don't give the boys big gifts.  I'm amazed to see what's given for gifts.  We try to keep it very simple.

Our "big" gift to the boys each year are their stockings.

This is the time I get them new socks, t-shirts,shavers, etc. 

This year Jordan and Brendan are both going to be working construction outside, so I've gotten some warm socks, work gloves and lined jeans for their stockings.  They both also have their own vehicle so I could add fun things like key chains and bumper stickers.

Of course, food is always a favorite!  Pringles, nuts in their own cans, gum, etc.  When you're in a large family with all boys, food disappears quickly so to have "their own" is a real treat!

The boys draw names among themselves and get eachother a big gift as well.  I end up helping the younger guys with their gift for their brother.  This is always a fun memory together and forms a bond with that brother.

I was busy making gifts for my niece and nephew yesterday.  The younger boys (Silas and down) noticed what I was doing and jumped in to help.  It always ends up being so fun hearing them all chatter and laugh as we work together.  Little did they know, they were also helping with their own gifts.

I'm making bean bags for my nephew and niece.  I decided to make a set for Tim, Addan and Titus too. 

It was perfect, my parents brought all kinds of food from the camp they work at.  Dry beans was one of them.  So that was my filler.

Canned potatoe flakes was another.  I knew I'd never use these, so we gave them to the chickens and the cans are a perfect "catcher" for the bean bags.

Now I'm sitting listening to Luke try to figure out what the simple subjects and linking verbs are in sentences while I stitch the little bags shut.  Man, schooling can try my patience some days but I can let out the stress with a needle in my hand :)

http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/2010/12/made-with-love-monday-4.html

Traveling Memories

I read on another blog how a lady made a "Mary's Poppin's Bag" to help keep the kids entertained while traveling.  I loved the idea and took her idea and a bunch of others and it really helped make the trip there enjoyable and memorable. 

I got the bag and trays at Christmas Tree Shop.  The trays were $1.89.  The metal was better than plastic for the magnetic activities.

I made tags of 30-40 minute progressions.  Jordan helped me figure this out.   The first one was Binghamton, NY.  At this first "stop", (we didn't actually stop), I gave them each a tray and folder.  In the folder were copies of games and puzzles.  There were also pictures to color.  When we arrived at each "tag", I told them what "game" to do.

 
The second "tag", I had them take out their pictures and had them color them.  I judged them and gave the winner a prize.  Another "stop", I pulled out a new book on CD.  (I got that at a yard sale the week before with my Mom.  It was a Hardy Boy book, so it was great,, we went through a few tags with that activity.)

 I also put magnets on the backs of a Scrabble game pieces.

 Because their trays were metal, the magnets stuck.  The younger boys did a build a bug game while the older ones played the Scrabble game.  It was alot of fun.  Of course, lunch was another stop. 

This also helped the younger ones see how we were progressing.  I didn't have to answer the dreaded, "Are we almost there yet?" or "How much longer?" because they could see how much longer.  Titus fell asleep when we only had about 4 more tags to go and was so excited because he looked up and said, "Mom, look!  We're almost there!" 

I stamped a truck and called it us.  I then taped it to some bias tape and put that on a clothes pin.  It moved along as we did.  Here we were at the Mass border.

At another tag,  I gave each of the boys a handful of marshmallows on their tray, a straw and a cup.  They had to suck the marshmallows up with the straw and put them into their cup.  First one done, won.  Just little "games" like this helped pass the time and make good memories.

  This was probably the best trip and most stress free because of the time put into it.  I hope to do this each long ride.  (I didn't do it for the ride home and that was more stressful!!  Should of saved some games for the ride home :)  We did play Phase 10 but the youngers guys wanted games to play too.)

Busy Hands and Minds

Keeping the younger boys busy while we're doing school can be a challenge.  I have found a few tried and true "toys" that help to have at home.  Even on rainy days in the summer or wintery afternoons in winter, a few things always get used! 

Play dough is one of those items.  We have this purple tool box that holds all the play dough and supplies.  It's on a shelf in the dining area that they can grab and put on the table and use.  I have them put the cutting board under it to help with the clean up,, it gets in the wood of the table and is a pain to clean. 

The Draw Write Now Series has been another tool that we have used for years (I remember Jordan and Brendan using them when they were younger, making books and maps with them!).  The books give step by step illustrations on drawing very fun, kid- friendly pictures.  Each drawing also has a short penmanship lesson that can be used too.  

 

As a child, I remember my Mom setting a bunch of fun, creative stuff out on the table and my sister and I would be attracted to the table and would end up spending hours there. (She had a box where she put stuff to save,,,, the cotton out of pill bottles, the plastic ring off the milk jug, beads, buttons, shells, etc and we'd glue that to all kinds of fun pictures!  I remember the paste was made from glue and water and I thought it tasted so good!)  She still does this for my boys.  When we go for a visit, she sets bowls and cereal out on the table each evening for the morning food frenzy but she also sets out all kinds of puzzle books, word searches, Sudokus, etc on the table with a bucket of markers and pencils.  She has gotten Brendan hooked on Sudokus :).   Such fun memories of my Mom! 

I do the same thing on a rainy summer day.  Last summer, I remember putting the books out with a box of colored pencils (stock up on these and crayons in the fall when WalMart has them WAY reduced!), markers and crayons.  It was a cozy, rainy day on the porch and I could hear laughing and chatting as they colored and drew.  Such fun memories and creativity going!  I'm so thankful for the memories growing up with my parents  and pray the boys have sweet memories of their childhood with their siblings and parents!

Busy hands

Homeschooling is great but it creates alot of just sitting and listening.  I get so restless just sitting,,, so I've always got projects to work on while I'm schooling with the boys.  My sister Ruthie is getting married this spring and my other sister Tonya and I are giving Ruthie a bridal shower in March.  This is a terrible thing for me,, I'm already losing sleep over it.  I absolutely LOVE doing things like this but it creates a very busy mind.  I lay in bed thinking of how we'll hang the decorations, where to put the punch table, where Ruthie should sit, what I should wear, what games we should play, etc, etc, etc!!!  Last night I lay thinking about the prizes for the games (Tonya and I are both providing 10 prizes each).  I'm trying to make them nice and practical but not spend alot of money.  So I brought out my basket of scrap fabric and got creating.  I started to make 4 potholders and a set of coasters.  I plan on making 4 aprons too.  Yippee,, there's 9 prizes already,, any extra I'll give to the sweet bride-to-be.  There are many advantages to homeschooling and this is another!!! :)