Tip #83 From Mrs. Sunny

"Keep your kids learning through the summer!"

Here are a few Montessori-inspired things I have been doing with the kids this summer:

Above is Kristofer's shelf of "work" he can get out daily when he wants. He's only 3 1/2, so if he feels moved to learn, he can grab it off the self himself (everything is on a tray) and work at the table. He loves it and really takes ownership for what is his "work" on the sehlf. The first picture is his alphabet sound boxes and below are the shelves with various works.

Nature is going to be a very big part of my homeschooling style. Above is a bucket of tadpoles from Granpa's pond that we are currently feeding and watching them grow! Kristofer has already discovered some have their legs and others don't!

Kathryne loves to "wash" EVERYTHING - dishes, her hands, the counters, floor, etc. So I decided to show her how to wash her baby. She washes her face, body and hair nicely and then dries her baby off when she's done! It was a big hit!

Last...just today we found THREE TREASURES! First, a bird's nest that I know was unoccupied, a big turkey feather and not pictured is a catepillar that we put in a jar to observe! It was an exciting day for the kids!

Keep those kids busy in a fun way this summer - there are soo many ways to learn!

Tip #82 From Mrs. Sunny

"Go With The Flow"

The last time I wrote a post we had just moved to my parents house and now it has been almost 3 months! The kids have amazingly adjusted well and we celebrated the arrival of Kjersten Miriam on Kathryne's 2nd birthday - May 19th!

She is such a joy and I can't believe she's almost 1 month old! I have to say that she started out to be my quietest baby and best sleeper. She's still a good sleeper but I have not bounced a baby so much throughout the day. She needs constant motion and stealing a 2 minute shower is about all I can get sometimes.

These are beautiful times, though. I love cuddling with my baby and the evenings are our best times together without the 2 toddlers running around.

I can't believe how much Kristofer & Kathryne have grown, either! Kathryne is the big two now and she is just talking up a storm - I love having conversations with her!

Kristofer is a such great big brother to two sisters! Kjersten was only 1 week old and I had to make a trip with our van to get hail damage estimated, and he really stepped up to the plate by holding doors open for me without being told! Such a gentelman!

We certainly have had to "go with the flow" the last 3 months. We have come to the realization that our house will not be selling any time soon with the market slowing down like it is. We will get it rented for the time being and take this time to save some money and spend some precious time with grandma and grandpa in the country!

Our days are filled with what's most important in life: walks to the pond (to see the tadpoles, frogs, and ducks), picking strawberries and watching grandma's garden grow, looking for animals tracks and ant hills, baseball, trips to the library, baking cookies, fishing with grandpa, looking for night crawlers, baking bread with grandma, and the never-ending picking up of toys and cleaning as usual ;).

We count our blessings every day and continue to "go with the flow"!

Tip #81 From Mrs. Sunny

"Sometimes you just have to take a leap!"

If you haven't heard, Sunny and I moved into my parents house on Thursday. Sunny ended his position as co-manager of a bank and I stopped my in-home daycare business in the last 2 weeks! Josh is now managing a country club and I will be playing the piano at the church my parents attend.

We just dropped everything and moved, with really no time to take it all. Now all-of-a-sudden my kids are attempting to take a nap at grandma and grandpas house - our new home until our house sells.

Thursday I packed the kids in with boxes so high neither one of them could see me driving! We left the house feeling bare and empty with the things we could live without.

I had a few errands before leaving town. First, Mediacom, to drop off our internet box. After taking boxes out of the van to get the kids out and putting the boxes back in...there was a line! My kids were running in circles in the empty waiting space. We survived, and 3 blocks away Kathryne cries - "Baby!". Of course she left here baby doll there! This is after she decided to poop on the way out the door and there was no room to change her in the van, so she got changed on the parking lot.

I turn around, run in and grabbed her baby and we are off to the bank. I am not used to having to take checks to the bank since Sunny worked at a bank. I haven't gone to the bank in over 2 years - weird.

Then we were off to the countryside at my parents!

Thankfully one of my daycare moms burned me a Disney CD for the kids to keep them entertained while they were boxed in the van and beautiful flowers to smell from another mom. We survived the hour drive with few tears and were greeted by Sunny who we haven't seen much of the last 2 weeks. Big hugs and kisses!

It has only been 2 days and I am exhausted! The kids love having their 7 cousins to play with everyday and they love being out in the country. They can't wait to go fishing with grandpa at the pond and grow a garden with grandma...and I'm excited about having extra hands after having our 3rd baby in May!

So this is the start of our journey...sometimes you just have to take a leap!

Tip #80 From Mrs. Sunny

"Find something for your younger kids to do independently while you

make supper in the evenings"

With the encouragement of a high school friend I have another post to share with you!

Here is my top 10 list of things for your kids to do so you can accomplish supper at the "witching hour" of all kids! Some nights my kids do fine occupying themselves, but on the nights when they're nagging one another I use one of these ideas:

1. Pull up a chair to the sink, fill it with water, keep the water on a drip and fill the sink with measuring cups, funnels, & anything else on hand to keep them busy!

This isn't just "water play" it's pre-math skills! For example, they learn what happens when you fill the cups with too much water and it's great for eye-hand coordination pouring from one container to the next!

2. Get out the play-dough! I don't have any of the "fancy" play-dough utensils...the kids love old cookie cutters, small rolling pins, plastic knives & forks, and small containers! What kid doesn't like play-dough!

I have found that home-made play-dough lasts up to 6 months whereas the store-bought stuff only lasts a few months before it starts crumbling which makes it really hard to clean up! Or if you don't want to make your own, the play-dough at Dollar Tree works really well, because it's a more wet like the homemade stuff.

3. My son loves to cut paper. I just give him a pair of scissors and scrap paper and away he goes! Of course you have to be at the right age for this, but again it's a great skill to be practicing! Beware - you will have to sweep up all the paper, but you will get supper made without fighting! :)

4. Buttons! My mom happened to have a bunch of buttons given to her and I made two games for Kristofer. 1) Matching colors (different sizes and shapes) & 2) Matching pairs of the same button based on color, shape, etc.

5. Old-fashioned crayons and coloring books! I have found that girls will stick to this better than boys. Although, Kristofer's friend that I watch is a girl and she has taught Kristofer much patience when it comes to coloring. The older kids obviously like markers better. Kathryne's getting better with markers...10 minutes is her limit then she starts painting her skin!

6. Stringing beads. Depending on how difficult you want it to be you can use shoe laces or pipe cleaners!

7. Let them help you make supper if you're not in too much of a rush and in a fairly good mood :)! My kids just like pushing chairs up to the counter and watching!

8. Give them a fun chore to do that they are able to do on their own: give them a microfiber cloth to wipe all the wood in the house (I don't use the spray anymore, and I wouldn't trust either of my kids with that bottle!), a wet cloth to wipe all the windows! Be creative and don't be critical of how they get it done...it's just to keep them occupied and to let them accomplish a task on their own! :) Unless they're of age where they should know how to get it done correctly!

9. Put on the Beetles and let them dance! (Or any other music you prefer...the oldies always get me in a good mood, though! :)

10. Now that spring is arriving just let them run outside! As long as it's not lightening or cold, I let them go outside even when it's raining. How else to you learn about weather than to actually be in it and experience the water coming out of the drain spouts, puddles in the yard and sand box full of water! :) It's messy but fun - that's what being a kid is all about!

My kids spend more time outside than inside during the day once spring and summer arrive for good - kids are cooped up too much these days!

****I use these throughout the day if the kids are having a hard time getting along because usually it's just because they need something to do. I give them the option of picking a game (or activity above) or reading a book when they can't find anything constructive to do other than pick on their sibling! Many times Kristofer will pick a book because he knows he needs to just sit and relax.

Hope this helps your evenings run a little smoother!

Tip #79 From Mrs. Sunny

"Use 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' to teach your preschooler the concept of

Large, Medium, and Small"

I thought I would share with you one of the many things I'm trying to put together for Kristofer's homeschool materials before the new baby arrives because I know I won't have any time in just three months!

We all know the story. I just changed the wording to LARGE Father Bear, MEDIUM Mother Bear, and SMALL Baby Bear. Along with the LARGE cereal, MEDIUM cereal, and SMALL cereal...LARGE chair, MEDIUM chair, SMALL chair...and the LARGE bed, MEDIUM bed, and SMALL bed!

I just made pictures by hand portraying the different sizes of bears, cereal, chairs and beds to use along with the story and Kristofer loved it! Before telling the story I had him match up the sizes and then he helped tell the story.

Here's a picture of our settup. We started the story and I realized I didn't have a house for them to live in so we built one out of Jenga blocks which worked really well! Sorry I still don't know how to rotate pictures...if anyone knows let me know!

"

Tip #78 From Mrs. Sunny

"Shop thrift stores for things you need but can wait to find

rather than buying new!"

When I say I'm going shopping, it usually means I'm shopping at Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul's, Little Folks Trading Post (which is a children's consignment shop) or garage sales in the summer (my absolute favorite).

Not only is this more cost effective, but it's better for the environment to buy used rather than buy new.

I have to say I've got enough toys for a lifetime even after just having 2 children from birthdays, Christmas, and everything inbetween! So I don't go out looking for toys, unless it's for a birthday, but some things I look for regulary at thrift stores are:

1. Books (.25-.50) I will always encourage the library, but at this price anyone can afford to put together a home library! I currently just found over 24 Zoobooks Magazines about different animals for just a few dollars!

2. Games (.75) I have found Operation, Boggle Jr., Monopoly, LIFE, preschool games, etc.

3. Records (.50) This may seem a little old fashioned, but after finding a Fischer Price record player for $2 at a garage sale, records are the cheepest way to get new music in the house! The kids love setting the record on, putting the needle on just right and turning the music up! Of course I have a CD player as well..which the library is a good place to check out CD's I've found! My CD player is also a cassette combo for books on tape that I have and those we check out from the library.

4. Classic VHS movies: Like records, I know, old fashioned. But we have a perfectly good VHS/TV combo and I have found about every classic Disney movie from Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations, Pinnochio, Robin Hood, Lion King and on and on...for .50 to $1. Much more affordable than $15 brand new or maybe they're more than that - I don't know!

5. Children's clothes: Every summer I get the next size up for my kids at garage sales for the following year. I don't get clothes at Goodwill or consignment stores...they're often more expensive then what I can get at garage sales (.50-.75 per item of clothing)

Things I need around the house that I am currently looking for:

1. Kitchen chairs - I'm also looking on Craigslist, with no luck, yet. I currently have the table I grew up with, but my chairs are stained and broken. But they are still usable, so I'm just taking my time looking until I find the right chair at the right price.

2. Coat hooks - I bought new ones about a year ago thinking they were metal, but apparentlly they were actually a really hard plastic and one-by-one they have broken. I'm just going to wait for good heavy-duty ones now!

3. Tea Pot - I've just always wanted one for on top of the stove. Obviously not a necessity when I can just heat water in the microwave...it can wait.

4. Electric Skillet - The one we have still runs but is pretty beat up.

I couldn't believe the other week I ran into my midwife at Aldi's doing her grocery shopping and when leaving mentioned she was on her way to Goodwill to buy a cookie sheet! Now I know she makes enough to buy a new cookie sheet if she wanted, but that's not the point...it's not necessary to buy "new" all the time. Of course some things like socks and underware are best to buy new, but in general used is just fine.

Give it some thought next time you're shopping at Wal-Mart or Target: "Is this something I need right now, or could I wait to find it used somewhere?"

Tip #77 From Mrs. Sunny

"Never be afraid to ask for help"

Okay...so I'm asking for advice. Kathryne has consistently felt the need to get up at 5 am and I have to put her back to sleep. No biggy, she goes right back to sleep...as long as her brother doesn't wake up!

Kristofer who is over 3 has started doing this again like when he was first potty training. He comes into my room honestly thinking it's time to get up at 5 am and I have to be the mean mom who yells to get him to stay in his room. He's totally out of it and can't settle down.

When he was potty training I would put the potty in the living room and let him watch cartoons, otherwise he would get too upset and wet himself. I don't want to put him in front of cartoons now because then it will become habit and he will never sleep in!

I feel like my kids haven't turned their sleeping habits since the time change! But my idea so far is to put a digital clock in Kristofer's room because he's starting to learn his numbers. I'm okay with 6:30 as his wake up time. My kids are "usually" in bed sleeping between 8:30 & 9:00 other than Sunday nights Sunny and I have bowling league and every other odd night life brings us. For some of you that may seem early, but 6:30 is not unreasonable considering that would be over 9 hours of sleep for my kids.

I just don't know if he would actually look at the clock and stay in his room until 6:30 since he's soo out of it.

I'm at a loss. Suggestions welcome!

Mrs. Sunny

Tip # 76 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make homemade dishwasher detergent"

So I just finished my store bought dishwasher detergent and decided to look up recipes on making it homemade.

Here it is and I happened to have Borax and Washing Soda from the homemade laundry detergent I make:

1/2 Cup Borax

1/2 Cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/4 Cup Kosher salt

2 packets lemonade mix (no sugar added)...some recipes call for 4 packets, but 2 packets worked just fine for me.

Just mix them all together in a lidded container and use 1 T. per dishwasher load! My dishes came out spotless! Enjoy!

Also, if you use a rinse aid, just put a little vinegar in the rinse aid section instead!

Tip #75 From Mrs. Sunny

"Seize the moment"

A few months ago Sunny won 5 free courses at our local Community Art Center from work and I was hoping to take art classes with Kristofer.

And actually, anyone from around here, each citizen gets one free course per year at the Art Center, so essentially Josh and I have 7 courses (which each run about 1 day a week for 6 weeks) to use by the end of the year!

I soon found out you have to be at least 5 years old and then I realized that Josh and I could just do something for ourselves for once!

I called last Tuesday thinking there were going to be basically art classes which would be fun, but then she said there was a guitar class that Friday. I was really excited. Just after we were married I bought Josh and I both a guitar. I can tune a guitar and play songs within the 15 chords that I know after taking a class in college for my education degree, but Josh hasn't had the time to learn so I thought this would be great for him and he actually gets off earlier on Friday.

But then the lady called back and said, "Mam, I'm sorry but I wasn't looking at the revised schedule. The class starts tonight." May I add that she called me less than 2 hours before the class started at 6:00 pm!

Well, I seized the moment and called everyone I knew to babysit for me, because Josh had to work late, and I was going to take this class! She said the classes would start over in the spring, so we'll call back for a guitar class for Josh.

So finally an old roommate happily said she could babysit. (Thank you!) I got the kids fed, changed, and I took off down the road. I got 2 blocks and realized I didn't have my guitar! (Kind of important for a guitar class, don't you think?!)

I was already running late for this 6:00 course. I went back for my guitar, and on my way back to the van realized my van was running with the keys locked inside...I rushed to the house and it was a miracle my spare key was on the counter and not in my purse sitting on the floor of the van!

Wow! You can tell I don't get out by myself much, I was soo excited I was forgetting everything! But I kept seizing the moment and pressed on...pressed on to the wrong building! I went to the Museum of Art and no one was there - I didn't realize this was a different building because apparently the Art Center just opened 2 years ago (that's how often I go downtown)! So I called the Art Center and they directed me thankfully only a few blocks further downtown and I made it...15 mintues late...but I made it!

As crazy as everyone's life gets, always seize the moment. Press on with a positive attitude and life will be much more enjoyable!

I can't wait for the next class on Tuesday! This time I will remember my guitar, and get to the right building, though!

Tip #74 From Mrs. Sunny

"Enjoy the special moments that winter brings with your children!"

I thought I would show a few pictures of what we've been up to this winter season already.

On the weekends my kids get pretty restless without my daycare kids around. Kristofer always asks, "My friends coming over today?" I have to say, "No, not on the weekend. We'll see them in a couple days on Monday!"

It takes some effort to keep them occupied and not fighting, but here are a few things we've been doing to keep busy!



Christmas cookies! I will always remember making Christmas cookies with my mom. I do have to admit I'm not a fan of how they taste, but the kids love them! We practiced "giving" this season by picking out cookies to give to their Uncle and his roommates!

We have also put up our Christmas tree and Nativity Scene. I love how Kristofer is at the perfect age for remembering traditions and understanding the meaning of Christmas. He was pretty hyped up about Santa and gifts and then I reminded him that it has to be Jesus' birthday party first. So he's excited about making a cake for Jesus!



Today was perfect for making our first snowman! We've been outside the past few weeks and Kristofer would get snow in his gloves and say, "It doesn't make a snowball!" Finally today it got warm enough to melt and here is our Mr. Snowman. I did most of the work as Kristofer was eating the snow, but he had fun putting the arms and face on him. And being pregnant I probably shouldn't have lifted that middle on the snowman, but Sunny was working and we had to get him done!

The kids love it outside and it brings back so many memories growing up on the farm in the winter. We would walk down the ditches to our creek and sled down the fields for hours. My parents sure trusted us!



And I end with a craft I found on another blog (I think "steadymom" - sorry about that and I don't know how to turn pictures...)

The kids enjoyed getting their foot tickled with white paint and gluing on all the pieces. I usually like crafts more hands-on for the kids, this was definitely a craft more for me since I had to do the cutting, but they were so cute I just had to. I'm planning on putting them in a frame and either giving them as a present or hanging them up in our house!

Merry Christmas to all and keep enjoying those memorable moments with your kids!

Tip #73 From Mrs. Sunny

My tip of the day is.... "Don't take advise from Mrs. Sunny on laundry!"



I don't have a good method of washing clothes. I'm not a "sorter" of colors that's for sure. I have one basket in the hallway where all clothes and towels go and in the laundry room there's 2 piles: 1 for towels and 1 for all other clothes. It just takes too much time sorting and I've had no problems with clothes running, so I don't sort. Not even the whites. Why do I need white socks in my shoes?

My ideas on laundry is of no fault to my mother who is very particular about sorting, washing, folding and putting away clothes nicely I must add!

I don't mind washing clothes, though, it's the folding of the clothes that never seems to get done fast enough. Right now there are about 3 baskets of clothes in our room and one in the dryer...not going to be a fun day tomorrow because that is my only goal to tackle (other than wipe noses, change diapers, feed mouths and play with kids all day!)

I don't have a good way of "folding" clothes either, mainly because I don't really fold. I dump all the clothes in a pile and make a pile for bathroom towels (those of which I fold and put in the linen closet...I do have a small basket for hand towels that I don't fold, though), kitchen towels (I just put in the drawer without folding), Kathryne's clothes, Kristofer's clothes (both of which I don't fold, I just put into the right drawers...on any given day Kristofer throws everything out of his drawers trying to find what to wear...no point in wasting my time!) my clothes (really don't fold, just put in the right drawers) and Josh's (which I do fold and hang up his nice shirts).

I sound really lazy about laundry and frankly I am. I can't stand folding clothes! In fact, when my mom comes over, if there's any spare moment she grabs a basket and folds for me. I tell her there's no need to fold the kids' clothes but she insists. I have taught Kristofer how to fold my hand towels in the small basket in our linen closet. I do think it's important to show your children how to do things the right way...slowly the kids can take over the folding when they learn how to keep their clothes in their dresser nicely! :)

I will take any advise on how to motivate myself to fold the clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer...I don't know if there's any advise other than just do it! I just don't like doing it and apparently Sunny doesn't like doing it, either! :)

Tip #72 From Mrs. Sunny

"Think about keeping the little kids home when buying gifts for family and friends
this holiday season"

We had a great presentation at church yesterday on the Sermon on the Mount. The speaker added his own 3 Beatitudes that we tend to focus more on in this media-filled world than the original Beatitudes.

The Beatitude for children that they hear everyday in the media is: "Blessed are those who buy things!"

I couldn't agree more that the media is bombarding our children...even our 2 and 3 year old children! Kristofer gets to watch one 1/2 hour cartoon in the afternoon before nap and maybe one 1/2 cartoon in the evening if I'm pulling my hair out waiting for Sunny to get home. I love how Nick Jr. is commercial-free, if there's a show on another station that Kristofer wants to watch, I make sure I turn it on just as the show is starting because they are just filled with commercials wanting to sell TOYS to kids!

So back to my tip: "Think about keeping the little kids home when buying gifts for family and friends this holiday season"

This evening I needed to buy yellow envelopes at the stored and thought I would get ahead on a few gifts for Kristofer's friends. Before I went in I explained how during Christmas we GIVE gifts to those we love like baby Jesus was given gifts when he was born. He said, "And a present for Kristofer and Kathryne?" I explained "No, just for your friends".

All went well until he saw a toy he wanted and it all went downhill. Kristofer is not ready to understand buying presents for his friends without thinking he needs something himself, so I am opting to keep him home this season and shop on my own.

I only bought my envelopes and Kristofer cried for his toy all the way through the store and in the line...another lesson to be learned!

As Kristofer gets older he'll understand, but it's not worth the "Gimme Gimme" struggles and it's not helping to teach him the lesson of giving. Maybe he can make gifts at home to add to the presents!

Just think about it.

Tip #71 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make a list of things that need to get done!"

This may seem like an obvious thing to do...but I learned how important it was to keep a list in college from one of my professors. If I don't write it down, it probably won't it done.

I can often be a procrastinator on things such as...window washing, cleaning the fridge, dusting the piano, vacuuming, going through the pile of bills on the counter, folding the clothes (I can't stand doing this and clothes will sit in the basket for days or all week)...you name it, I'll procrastinate as long as possible. There's always something better to do.

But lately I've been going back to my scribbled list of "Things To Do" and amazingly I'm accomplishing more. Just seeing what needs to be done helps. Every day I try and check just ONE thing off the list and by the end of the week it's all done! I must just like the feeling of checking things off and throwing the list away when it's all done!

Just remember your house will never be perfect...especially with kids...but this may help you keep your sanity and feel a little more on top of things around the house! I know it helps me!

Tip #70 From Mrs. Sunny

"Follow the ... 'Better late than never' policy"

So I finally got to the store and bought my 17 month old a toothbrush - gasp! I know, she has had those back teeth for months! I just kept forgetting! After an episode this past week I had to get Kristofer a new toothbrush and alas, I got Kathryne one as well. They were actually fighting over the double pack of toothbrushes all the way through the store - screaming and tears. I guess there are worse things to be fighting over like candy or a toy. :)

Here is why Kristofer needed a new toothbrush. As always, with 6 kids in the house during the day, grabbing 30 seconds to myself on the Ol' John is a rarity and when I do, it's like they know I'm not watching and someone always gets hurt or in trouble. But this past week it was quiet - I was enjoying my time until I come to the kitchen and Kristofer, Kathryne and Lucy (whom I watch) all have their hands in the peanut butter jar. This has been a classic for Kristofer the past 2 years and he finally drug the two little girls into it!

It was cute, though. I sent Kristofer to go wash his hands in the bathroom and he was taking forever! There was so much peanut butter on his fingers that it was stuck to the sink and he was trying to wash it off with his toothbrush...that toothbrush needless to say got thrown away! So we got new ones for the whole family!

Always remember it's better late than never!

Tip #69 From Mrs. Sunny

Continuing a previous post..."Make a prayer table at home!"

I finally finished our table by finding an old piano bench at St. Vinny's here in town. I put it in the corner by the kids' rooms. I love how the top opens, so I can store things inside for different seasons if I wish as well.

I found the picture of "laughing Jesus" a few weeks ago and I love it. What a great way to see Jesus every morning when the kids get out of bed! You can add anything to the table that you want that corresponds to your religion or beliefs.



I recently read a little about children and their relationship with God. They're born with this love for God and they just need their parent's help to bring out this relationship in their daily lives. One way to do this is by setting up a prayer table for them to express their thoughts and feelings about God. It's like giving them the tools to grow closer to God on their own.

Hope this is an inspiration for you all! It's amazing watching my kids "play" at the table. I teach them it's sacred and they know to keep everything at the table...a great lesson!

Tip #68 From Mrs. Sunny

"Always remember you're better at the 'parenting thing' than you think!"

So the Sundstrom family was at Olive Garden a few nights ago, because when Mrs. Sunny is pregnant, we go out-t0-eat a lot more often (And no one complains either!)

From our standpoint it was a lot of work keeping the kids occupied and polite...Kathryne had to keep eating ice cubes and when she didn't have one we heard, and Kristofer needed constant reminders to sit on his butt and almost tipped his chair backwards.

As the couple next to us were leaving, they stopped and said, "We wanted to commend you on how well your two boys (yes, they thought my hairless daughter in a pink shirt was a boy...) are behaving and eating their meals!"

Wow, we thought. That was nice of them to say. Although as parents we all know it takes a lot of work keeping kids under control at a restaurant, know that you're better at the parenting thing than you think!
___________________________________________________

I wanted to add the recent craft my kids made for Halloween. We made hand print trees and pumpkin sponge prints...Kristofer loved this and added his own leaves with markers.




I must say that I am not an organized mother when it comes to things like this, and I know I'm not going to be the most organized homeschool mother either. That's not to say they aren't going to learn! I'm more of a spur-of-the-moment type of parent and teacher. I was standing in the kitchen, found a sponge and came up with the craft. Just know that what ever type of parent you are, you are doing an amazing job!

Tip #67 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make homemade fruit smoothies!"

So I'm not finding out what this baby is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a boy. I am having a hard time eating fruits and veggies which is how I was with Kristofer. I would rather have salty chips or pizza, honestly. But I decided I needed to start doing something about eating those fruits and veggies. I remembered eating a lot of smoothies with Kristofer, so I'm starting it again!

All I put in the blender is the following:

Frozen apples (Every summer I cut and freeze apples for the year from my brother's apple tree and trees my dad finds around the country-side...this is a great filler for me because the apples didn't cost me a thing!)

Frozen berries including strawberries, raspberries and blueberries (I buy these all in frozen bulk at the store...these can be pricey but Sam's is a great place to buy them!)

Then I add a little juice for the sweetness without adding sugar and water until it's the right consistency

No need to add ice cubes if you're using frozen fruits! You obviously can add any fruit you want and it's a great way to use up fruit before it goes bad and I know adding yogurt is great in them as well!

***Enjoy those frozen fruit smoothies - they're oh-s0-good for you! It's the only way I can choke down those fruits these days!***

Tip #66 From Mrs. Sunny

"Cherish the younger years of your children!"

Wow, have my kids grown up fast! I realized I never posted about Kathryne or Kristofer's birthdays. Kathryne turned 1 in May and Kristofer just turned 3 in September!


Kathryne didn't like her cake. I think she was teething and not feeling very at her party, though. So much for cute messy birthday cake pictures!




Kristofer loved his Hawkeye Train cake that I made him and wore his Hawkeye outfit for days...




He couldn't even take off the helmet for nap time...adorable...



I hope to have time to post more about my two beautiful kids, but for now here are some adorable pictures we just took this weekend for Kristofer's 3 year-old pictures!

Tip #65 From Mrs. Sunny - Sunny's Sunday Select

"Eat ice-cream and chocolate cake for supper"

The past few days I have finally felt the agony of "morning sickness" or "all day sickness". I never had this with either of the other kids, so Sunny is not used to me complaining during a pregnancy. But I feel sick and hungry at the same time, which makes it hard to find something that sounds edible to me. I'll be halfway through a hamburger when it's just not appetizing anymore.

What I've eaten today...eggs, hash browns, toast, cereal, fruit bar, egg rolls, corn, chicken noodle soup, and I opted for ice-cream and a chocolate cake that Sunny brought home after work today for supper (bless his soul!) The picture doesn't do it justice, it was amazing.




Needless to say, you can see my house is seeing the brunt of how I feel:

This too shall pass...

Tip #64 From Mrs. Sunny

"As parents, sometimes our kids need a little nudge..."

Remember my blog a while back saying I was trying to get Kathryne in her own room. I caved. I was not getting any sleep. For one, she just knew I wasn't in the same room and secondly, she kept rolling into the side of the crib and waking up!

So she's back in the pack n' play in our room, which I honestly don't mind. Normally she would sleep well until 5:30, then she would sleep in our bed until about 7:00. But this past week, she has been waking up every time that darn pacifier fell out of her mouth! I know, I know, my goal was to get rid of it at the age of one...she seemed too young then and I wanted my sleep.

Kristofer never really used one, and I always wished he had, because he screamed all the time in the car. But it was nice not having to take it away. When Kathryne turned one I only gave it to her when she was sleeping or in the jeep.

But now she's not sleeping well anymore and I think the pacifier is starting to hold her back. From 1:30-3:00 last night she woke up 3 times because it fell out of her mouth and I had had it. I took it away and she wasn't very happy. She calmed down as soon as we went downstairs because she doesn't associate downstairs with going to sleep. She let me hold her and ended up falling asleep at 5:00 watching Little House on the Prairie with me. So it took 2 hours and a few tears, but I had to do it sometime.

And she just barreled out of bed now at 8:30 happy as a pea. I confess when Kristofer woke up at 6:30, I put in a movie and went back to bed. Being pregnant and missing 2 hours of sleep just doesn't mix well.

We'll see how the nap and this evening goes with no pacifier...wish me luck and few prayers!