Passing Along a Smile!

It's easy to pass a SMILE along when it is magnetic!

Before leaving for our Florida trip the kids made a bag full of smiles out of bottle caps..and then they put magnets on the back!
At our frequent stops they would leave one for someone who needed it!
They had so much fun passing around SMILES...I think we may always have a bag of SMILES with us!

I have found that if the kids spread happiness...they can't help but to catch a bit themselves...it makes for a HAPPY ROAD TRIP!

While making the smiles they couldn't resist making a few magnets to mail to friends! :)

Beach Time in January!

We have been on a business trip with Dad....but on the weekend we got a cottage on the beach and had a WARM time!

Love notes covered the beach!

My Wee one was a bit nervous...

He took good care of the next wee one!

I have enjoyed being absent....and look forward to catching up on everyone's blog!

Bobble Head White Boards!

Can I just say these are SO CUTE!!!!
I am a HUGE fan!
Brooke made these for all the kids for our road trip!!!
They have been a GIGANTIC hit!

We are white board lovers...for trips...so all the kids have markers.
These homemade pictures were used for hours...they switched markers...they switched pictures...they wiped them clean...colored them..and then started again!!!

This little one is hanging out in Boston...Luke's favorite city!

This little girl grew her hair so long...it grew on her face! :)

Too Much Fun!

Brooke drew the pictures and then laminated them!

Kids Everyday Survival Kit!

Chelsea has made the BEST survival kit I have ever seen.
She calls it her SAFETY kit...maybe because it keeps her safe from all situations that an 8 year old might encounter!

It's always a work in progress...everytime she thinks of something she needs she makes a list, and when she has enough money she will buy a size that fits her kit.

There is NO way for me to remember everything she has in her kit unless I am sitting right in front of it...but here's an example of few things....

paper
journal
coloring book (she likes the design ones)
markers
pens
pencil
pencil sharpner
eraser
variety of tape
glue stick
hole punch
string
lotion
hand sanitizer
bandaids
finger nail polish
scriptures
book
skip bo
uno
gum
kleenex
hair bands
brush
floss
trash area
chat pak

Using her as inspiration I made Car Survival Kit for my kids!

We have one full day of driving done...and they were a HUGE success!

I made these BE HAPPY clips to clip on their bags....if they have "kind" issues in the car they run the risk of loosing their HAPPY CLIP...if they loose the clip, they loose the right to the next family treat!
Everyone has been HAPPY!!

These kits are perfect for birthday and Christmas gifts!

Linking to SunScholars!

My Father's Dragon....Activities!

We just finished reading "The Three Tales of My Father's Dragon"...
Which was an excellent bedtime story..and loved by all ages...including myself1
1.My Father's Dragon
2.Elmer and the Dragon
3.The Dragon's of Blueland

It was so much fun...I decided to add a little "baby dragon" fun into our school week!

I made a matching game for Annika, Brady, and Luke!
The dad is blue, the mom is yellow, the boys are all combos of blue and yellow, and the girls are green!

I made a site word game for Luke...if he landed on a square he had to be able to read the word in order to move his player!

The other kids quickly became envious of Luke's game...and so I made one for each of them!
It only made the game 100 x's better...because they could go against each other!

It was easy for the wee ones to understand why the boys were blue and yellow...since they each had a little bit of mom..and a little bit of dad!
But why were the girls green??
We did a quick experiment...mixing blue water, with yellow water...
They were thrilled to see the green appear!

Which lead to a whole new excitement of what colors make new colors!

The BIG girls made baby dragon cupcakes for the kiddos....

What a fun week of Baby Dragon activities...I hope our next book is just as exciting...
ANY SUGGESTIONS????

Being a "YES" Mom!

I was thrilled the other day when my sister said...
"Your a YES mom!"
Little does she know that I made a decision very early into motherhood, that I wanted to say "YES" to my kids!
I expect them to say "YES" to me...and "YES" always feels better than "NO"!

How to be a "YES" mom?

The real answer is ....just pause and think before answering!

I have been working on this for 11 years...and I still have to pause and think.
Often, we are trying to juggle a million things every day...Laundry, dishes, homeschool or homework, picking up, paying bills, making food x3, and entertaining all the kiddos!
So when our kids come to us with their own creative idea, or activity it is easy to feel overwhelmed and say...

"Not now".....means NO
"Maybe later".....means NO
"I don't have time"...means NO

It's easy to turn those moments into YES moments!

"That sounds fun, lets set a time to do that this week!"
"Very Creative, figure out the details, and I'll help you put it together!"
"Great idea, let's do it!"

When talking to the kids, I try and make eye contact with them, so they know that I am listening, and then I acknowledge their desire, and address it in the best positive way possible!

It takes an extra 30 secs. to say "YES", to them!

Of course, positive "yes", quickly turns to a new creative "no"...if there isn't a follow through.
So I try to put it on the weekly schedule as soon as possible!

With all that said....I follow the Madagascar Motto....
"The answer will always be YES...unless NO is required!"

I am the mom...and NO is required sometimes! :)

Love is at my Door!

I LOVE having BIG girls....
They make fun crafts to decorate my house!
Brooke and Chelsea made this sign!

They painted the canvas with red paint...after it was dried they put a coat of crackle paint on top!

Once the crackle paint was dry they painted it white.....
Then found letters in my art supplies...
Then found some pretty valentine stickers....
Hot glue some ribbon on the back...
and there you have it...
A LOVELY welcome sign...to greet all our visitors!

Our First Snow!

The first snow of the season is always our favorite!
I just can't believe it didn't arrive until the middle of January...and that it was 55 degrees yesterday...and that it most likely will not last but a day or so! :(

I had NO idea that this is Brady's first snow...of memory!
He was in awe of the white fluff as it fell....he watched for hours in the window...before venturing out to explore all this frozen stuff!

His favorite part was the footprints he could make! I don't think there is one part of our yard that has not been walked in...leaving the prints of Brady!

First Snow Angel!

First taste of snow!

First snow adventure....the hike of Everest...

First they had to make it to Base Camp....only two made it that far!

Then for the exciting climb! :)

First snow ball.....

That ...became the base to the first snowman!
He is very tiny...barely taller than the bag of carrots! :)

Sister Song! :)

You say she's not the best
But I say she is!
You say she could never fly
I say she soars!
I say she's pretty and smart and nice too!
She is the best.....ya....she is the be_____st!
Now do you know who this girl is?

Chorus
NO! No! I don't
Do you want me to tell you?
YA____________

OK!
This girl is Brooke!
YA!
Bro______ke!
Brooke is the best out of all them!
She shines like a star and she brightens up the room!
Ya, ya, ya....Brooke is the BEST!

You say she can't fly
I say she soars!

Oh ya!


I found this in my night stand drawer...it brought tears to my eyes...just like it did last year when Chelsea wrote this song about her older sister!

Alabama State Study!

Luke has decided to finish our state studies!
He loves maps...and wants to travel the world! :)
I love his enthusiasm!
He came up with all his own ideas...and I tried to help him pull it together!
He made this map of Alabama.
He gave his report showing pictures he had made of the state flag, flower, bird, and reptile!
He told about the capital and how it wasn't the biggest city...he gave facts about population.
He told different things that the state was famous for...people and landmarks!

He gave everyone a map of the United States of America...and tested them to see if they could color in the state of Alabama!
The he went around and gave affirmation for their answers!

He then asked them to draw in the different things that represented Alabama!
Thanks to Brooke's note taking...the kids did a great job remembering all they had learned about Alabama!

He wanted to serve football cupcakes...and then watch a football movie!

He did such a fantastic job!
He is already planning and preparing for Alaska!