Dec. 26, 2009 - A Boy and His "Pocket"

The side of our glider has an armrest,

Hanging from the armrest is a pocket,

Sam thinks this is a great place to play,

And so do I.

Dec. 9, 2009 - Grinch Unit Study

This unit is based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It includes copywork, language arts, social studies, science, character study, and art. It's designed to be done in a notebook fashion. Some parts can be done as lapbooks or you could glue the mini books into your notebook instead. There are notebook pages, mini books, and worksheets. Don't feel that you need to do every activity. Just pick some from each section.

Copy work:
Quotes from How the Grinch Stole Christmas

She stared at the Grinch and said, "Santy Claus, why, why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why?"

"Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied, "There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear. I'll fix it up there. Then I'll bring it back here."

"How could it be so?"
"It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!"

"Maybe Christmas," he thought "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas …. perhaps … means a little bit more!"

Language Arts Activities:

Activity 1: Elements of a Plot
Power Point presentation on identifying the elements of a plot

After viewing the power point presentation, have the child fill in the plot worksheet using the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Activity 2: Compare two main characters

Use the Venn diagram to compare and contrast the main characters from the Grinch and the Christmas Carol. Come up with at least 3 things they have in common and 3 things that are different about them. Venn diagram

Activity 3:Grinch Maze

Activity 4: Grinch word search

Activity 5: Rhyming words
Done like a game of concentration. Print them on cardstock.

Activity 6: Reading comprehension worksheet

Activity 7:
Write a Thank you letter to the Grinch for returning the Christmas stuff.

Art Activities:

Activity 1: Grinch Coloring Pages

Activity 2: Grinch ornaments
P print on cardstock so they'll be sturdy. Then color them. You could also put some laminate on them before you string them.

Activity 3: Grinch mask

Activity 4: Grinch too small heart activity

Dec. 9, 2009 - Let It Snow ~ Let It Snow ~ Let It Snow

"How full of the creative genius is the air in which these are generated!
I should hardly admire more if real stars fell
and lodged on my coat."
--Henry David Thoreau, 1856

Make a Snowman Snowflake!

 

Materials Needed:


 

Typing Paper (or Construction paper)
Scissors

 

Fold over one of the paper's edges... as shown here.

The top area is extra paper that you do not need... cut that section off. Now... you have a square... a square has 4 equal sides.

Fold over making a triangle.

Fold your paper in half... making a smaller triangle.

This one is a little tricky... you take one of the sides, and fold it over... covering one third (1/3) of the area.

Then fold over the other end, overlapping the side you just folded over.

Cut off the two top pieces at the top (they are not needed). Cut out the shapes you like (you can draw them on first - check out the snowman pattern we made that you can use).

Open the snowflake... Viola... a cute snowman snowflake!

Dec. 9, 2009 - Customizable Diaper Bag Pattern With Instructions

~*~*~*~*~This is just one fun idea from "Make Baby Stuff.com"~*~*~*~*~

Use this diaper bag pattern to sew your own perfect diaper bag! Use fabrics you love and add as many or as few pockets to create you own ultimate carry-all. These basic instructions will help guide you in creating a very sturdy and cute bag. Increase or decrease dimensions to find the size that suits you.

The instructions and example shown is for a medium to large sized diaper bag with several extra pockets for sippy cups, mama's water bottle, keys, wallet, cell phone, etc. These pockets are perfect for me at my son's age, but you may need more or less! Before you start, decide how many pockets you'd like and what you'll use them for then adjust the diaper bag pattern accordingly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Please Work Links...Please work......~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Click here to download the body pattern pdf shown above and here to download the pocket examples pdf if you would like to print the these out. However, once you see the pattern pieces and see the construction you can easily measure and cut out your own pieces on your own since they are all simple rectangles.

Wash & Cut - Pre-wash your fabric since you will want to be able to wash your diaper bag and you'll need to allow for shrinkage before you cut. I use upholstery/decorating weight fabrics for these since they are much heavier weight than quilting cottons. You can also use a waterproof lining fabric if you like, but I haven't found this necessary as long as the bag is washable. Iron and cut out all your fabric pieces for your exterior and interior body, strap and pockets.

Sew Interior Large Zipper Pocket (optional) - Start by sewing your zipper pocket that will be on the inside of the bag. I use this pocket for my lip gloss and wallet and I use a 7" zipper. Trace the zipper on the pocket and then cut a window as shown.

Press edges down and then position and pin zipper behind the window and then sew. This pocket can now be lined (optional) or simply sewn down onto one of your interior panels.

Sew Smaller Sippy Cup Interior Pockets (optional) - There are many ways to make pockets, lined and unlined. This is just one of them, a way to cheat and do it very fast. If you want lined pockets you can simply cut out a rectangle that is twice the length of your pocket, fold outer edges and iron and then fold in half and iron flat. Then sew directly onto your interior fabric panel.

Position your pockets on the interior panel and sew on.

Sew lining of bag - Match up your two liner pieces wrong sides out and sew the three sides as shown above. Make sure that your pockets are facing each other on the inside.

Now take one corner of your bag and match up the stitching. Pinch these edges together and then stitch shut. Only sew one corner of the bag and leave the other one open. This open hole in the liner is necessary to pull your bag parts right side out later.

Sew outer shell and outer pockets - Sew the outer shell of the bag the exact same way as the liner, but sew shut both corners. You can sew on your pockets before you piece together the liner or after. If you are sewing pockets that span the side seam of your bag (like the two side pockets above) you'll need to sew it together first, turn right side out and then sew on the pockets. Placement of your pockets is totally up to you, this is the beauty of this diaper bag pattern!

Sew strap - For a sturdy and thick strap you can use fusible interfacing if you like. Fold your strap edges in around the interfacing and iron. Next, stitch both edges of your strap.

Assembling the Bag - Now the fun part, you are almost there! Take your outer fabric and turn it inside out. Then lay down your strap inside the outer fabric and stitch the strap on. Next, lay the liner fabric inside your outer fabric. The liner fabric should be inside out as well, so the outer fabric pockets and the inner fabric pockets are facing each other. Finally, sew all the way around the top edge.

Pull the bag right side out through the corner hole that you left in the liner and then sew up the hole. You can hand stitch this hole so you can't see the stitching or you can just do it fast on your sewing machine like I do to save time. Add a button closure or velcro closure if you like. You can also sew all along the top of the bag if you like or you can just press with an iron.

Finished Diaper Bag Photos - As you can see, this diaper bag pattern creates a bag that can hold a lot of stuff. Clothes, diapers, toys, books, shoes, a sippy cup, wallet, keys and more! Yet, it still isn't too huge for me, just the perfect size for a day out.

Enjoy creating your own ultimate carryall with this diaper bag pattern! Make it larger (increase all measurements by 3 inches for example) or make it smaller to suit your taste. Add or subtract pockets until you reach exactly what you want. Then proudly pack your bag and enjoy all the "Where did you get your diaper bag?" and "You made that?!" questions next time you go out.

~*~*~*~*~*~Who's gonna try? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Diaper Bag Pattern Instructions:

Nov. 28, 2009 - Activities For December ~ Ongoing

Here's one for December 1st ~ Rosa Parks Day

Rosa Parks was a pioneer for Civil rights in America

Read more at this informative website!

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0bio-1

Nov. 28, 2009 - Just Checking In

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was great and no one went comatose from overeating... 

I seemed very strange not having our own brick and stick house to celebrate in, but no worries, our gracious hosts left theirs open for us to enjoy and we surley did. 

 I am suprised we are still here in the Silver Sub, the leaves have fallen and Brother's garden have begun to be plowed over, we even had us a little frost on the trampoline the other morning.  Time for a season change. 

There were many good days this Fall:  Katey's LONG awaited initiation into "Young Peoples", finally happened ~ the anticipation was much more than I thought she would be able to bear (sp?).  Now there is only Alexis left to move up... 2 years to go, such a long long time in the mind of a 12 year old ~ sigh...

Fall ment a couple trips back up to Donner and some visits with friends and more hiking.

And more hiking...

Sigh... and MORE hiking...

Oh and more fishing

Seems after more than 20 years of going up to the cabin one would have already discovered the "good fishin hole"... somethings take time....

Speaking of time:  I think SOME had a little more idle time than they knew what to do with!

 Fall also means the "Fall Festival" at church ~ everyone always love its ~ this year Sam got his first taste.

Katey took home a couple trophies herself for coloing and the skit... Seems she was the "winner of the day"!

Thanksgiving morning the boys were heading out to do some Salmon fishing ~ not realizing until the night before Salmon were "off limits" to the fishermen.  Does that get a good (or should I say determined) fisherman down?  They say "nah"... SO they geared up for Steelhead and had a blast.

braving the cold...

Battling nature itself....

To bring home the bounty!

Oh wait ~ Kiss and release??? 

Oh well.

I was thinking the other day of a morning a few years back ~ We were still in the Castle and we woke to find it had snowed all night.  Looking out from the upstairs balcony to nothing but a blanket of white as far as the eye could see.  It was really sureal; but that wasn't the best part.  The best part was the many rabbit trails that marked the ground ~ SO cute.  I had actually only seen one rabbit at the Castle, but according to these thails, there had to be hundreds ~ Wiley little citters!

On a sad note ~ today our Son-in-law left for Afganistan ~ I didn't make time to get with him and talk like I wanted ~ for that I am sad ~ My heart is broken at the thought of Kristin and Kylie being alone and for Caleb who hasn't yet begum to know what is means to be "at war".  Please ad the 3 of them to your prayers...

Well that's all for today ~ it's back to the cozy bed for me and getting rid of this nasty cold ~ and NO I haven't been kissing any pigs!

Nov. 25, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

~In Everything Give Thanks~





SO YOU WOULD KNOW

How many times must I prove how much I love you?
How many ways must my love for you I show?
And how many times must I rescue you from trouble,
For you to know just how much I, I love you?

Didn't I wake you up this morning?
Weren't you clothed and in your right mind?
When you walked up on this problem,
Didn't I step in right on time?
When you were weak and on life's journey,
Didn't My angels carry you?
So you would know,
So you would know,
So you would know,
Just how much I, I love you.

How, how many days must I build a fence all around you?
How many nights must I wipe all your tears away?
And how, how many storms must I pull you safely through,
For you to know just how much I, I love you?

Didn't I wake you up this morning?
Weren't you clothed and in your right mind?
When you walked up on this problem,
Didn't I step in right on time?
When you were weak and on life's journey,
Didn't My angels carry you?
So you would know,
So you would know,
So you would know,
Just how much I, I love you.

Oh didn't I put food on your table,
Show up when the bills were due?
And when that old pain was wracking your body,
Didn't I send healing down to you?
And when you were lost in sin and sorrow,
Didn't I die to set you free?
So you would know,
So you would know,
So you would know,
Just how much I, I love you.

                                              by Tennessee Harmony 

Nov. 25, 2009 - Please Come...

Nov. 24, 2009 - Okay, If You've Never Entered One ~ Do It Now ~ This Is GREAT!

Don't forget to visit and leave you're comment!

http://www.clothdiaperblog.com/

Nov. 17, 2009 - Some Holiday resources

Thanksgiving Activities and Games for Kids
	About Thanksgiving Background on the holiday - origin, history, and current celebrations.
	When is Thanksgiving 2009? Need to know the exact date of Thanksgiving this year? Here's a chart that shows what day Thanksgiving is celebrated from 2005 - 2014.
	Thanksgiving Articles - Holiday Tips and Tricks How to Avoid Thanksgiving Stress How to Cook the Perfect Turkey How to Decorate for Thanksgiving Planning the Family Thanksgiving Meal Setting the Thanksgiving Table Teaching Kids to be Thankful Thanksgiving Centerpieces Thanksgiving Crafts to do with Kids Thanksgiving Party Turkey Leftovers
	Thanksgiving Coloring Pages - Readers Use your interactive crayon to paint these fun "talking" coloring pages of the Thanksgiving theme - The Mayflower, Native American, Pilgrims, turkeys, harvests, turkey dinners, cornucopias, prayers of thanksgiving. Coloring friends help beginner readers and ESL students! Click on the words under the coloring picture to hear the sentence that describes the picture.
	Gobble up these Thanksgiving Jigsaw Puzzles! Interactive jigsaw puzzles that kids can play online. Some of the puzzles animate when last piece is put in place!
	Native American Activities - Native American games, songs and dances, short stories, poems, coloring pages, and plays. These cultural activities include Native American names and naming ceremonies.
	What's Different Games Compare the pictures to find all the differences.
	How to Carve a Turkey Tips on carving Tom Turkey and serving your guests.
	Thanksgiving Crafts Great ideas for Thanksgiving crafts, party favors, recipes, invitations, etc.
	Thanksgiving Craft Books Thanksgiving craft book reviews. Tons of craft ideas for Thanksgiving fun!
	Thanksgiving Worksheets and Printables Thanksgiving worksheets and printables include a word jumble, word searches and placing vocabulary words in alphabetical order.
	The Mayflower Compact A text copy of the original Mayflower Compact with the names of Pilgrims that signed it.
	Thanksgiving Prayers - Giving Thanks Some before and after Table prayers for kids.
	Thematic Reading List - Thanksgiving Books for Kids Book descriptions and reviews for preschool and elementary reading. Use this reading list to integrate literature into your lessons.
	Thanksgiving Short Stories Printable stories for the classroom or home. Includes some classic Thanksgiving tales and The First Thanksgiving.
	Thanksgiving Poems Includes a collection of childrens' favorites.
	Thanksgiving Wordsearch Puzzle Where are all these vocabulary words hiding? Play this interactive word find.
	Thanksgiving Wordsearch Puzzle Challenge Can you find all the vocabulary words in the interactive word find puzzle that are associated with Thanksgiving?

Nov. 10, 2009 - Just Passing These Along...

Some Thanksgiving Crafts

Turkey Apple

Corn Collage

Pilgrim Hat

Turkey Handprint crafts

Nov. 3, 2009 - Tha Wise Old Indian

This came through my email and I thought it was grand  :)

Oct. 29, 2009 - Okay...Just For Fun...fingers crossed....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO2eh6f5Go0

Oct. 26, 2009 - My Knitting Progress

I learned a new technique a few weeks back:  The long tail cast on.  I've gotten to practice quite a bit (seeings I've started the same project over 7 times already).  I found a great tutorial for anyone wishing to know...

Thank You KnitPicks !

http://community.knitpicks.com/

AND Leslie  :)

http://thoughtsofgrace.wordpress.com/

This cast on is fast and neat once you get the hand of it. You may also see it referred to as the slingshot cast on.

Before you make your slip knot you will need to leave a “long tail” that will accommodate the stitches you are making. The tail must be roughly three times the width of your finished pieces of knitting. For instance, if you want your knitting to be 10 inches wide, leave a tail of 30 inches plus 6 for weaving in = 36″ total.

Make your slip knot, leaving the appropriate length of yarn for the tail. Place the slip knot on one of your needles and snug it up by tugging lightly on the yarn tails. Hold the needle in your right hand with the needle tip pointing to the left.

The bulk of the work is done with the right needle. Grasp the two yarn ends below the slip knot in your left hand. Push your left hand thumb and forefinger through the two strands (the long tail should be lying over your thumb, the working yarn over your forefinger).

Spread the fingers apart and lower the needle so that the yarn makes a V between the thumb and forefinger. You can use the forefinger of your right hand to hold the slip knot on the needle.

Pass the needle under the yarn around the thumb (1), over the top of the yarn around the forefinger (2), and back through the yarn around the thumb (3).

Draw the thumb out from the yarn loop and tug lightly on the yarn tails to tighten up your stitch.

Repeat these steps until you have cast on the required number of stitches.

Oct. 26, 2009 - The Truth About Halloween

Well, it's THAT time of year again and I have in times past, posted the contents of a little tract I recieved many years ago... to the dismay of most but to the relief of others, I'll leave it with you....

The Truth About Halloween

On Halloween, many parents encourage their children to pay respect to the devil and evil spirits. Thousands of people willfully sanction the homage of Satan, decorating their homes and church buildings with trappings from Lucifer's kingdom in violation of God's Word. Preposterous? Read on.

The first observance of October 31 as a holiday began well before Christ's birth. This day marked the end of the Celtic calendar year. It thereby was the eve of Samhain, a three-day festival of the dead, celebrated by the Celtic pagan cult called the Druids. During this festival, the following activities were said to have occurred: the dead rose and wandered; divination and soothsaying were practiced; fairies, witches, and goblins harassed the people of the countryside; Druids demanded contributions of food to support their special diet.

The observance of Samhain continued, and in A.D. 837 Pope Gregory IV instituted All Saints' Day and All Hallows' Even, or Halloween, as a Christian holiday, which the church hoped would eliminate or replace Samhain and its pagan practices. It did not. During the Middle Ages, such practices accompanied a surge in witchcraft and actual worship of Lucifer himself. One of the special "Sabbaths" for this worship was October 31, and witches were said to travel to these services on broomsticks, accompanied by black cats.

In light of this brief historical review, consider some of the current practices and activities associated with Halloween.

1. October 31 is obviously linked with a pagan holiday during which divination and soothsaying were practiced.

2. Masks and costumes are used to conceal the true identity of children, who are then urged to go out and mimic the acts of trickery and harassment previously attributed to fairies, witches, and goblins.

3. The simple trick-or-treat is a demand for food contributions, which is clearly connected with the Druids' demand for their diet.

4. Posters of witches on broomsticks across the moon actually depict them as on their way to a special "Sabbath" service for the worship of Lucifer.

5. Pumpkins carved to show a face are related to the turnips carved into death masks, which were carried by Druids during Samhain.

6. The whole concept behind Halloween involves death, darkness, deception, fear, pagan rituals, and Satan.

The Christian is to concentrate on pure and heavenly things, for the fruit of God's Spirit is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22,23). But what is heavenly about witches, fortune telling, magic, screams, threats (trick-or-treat), disfiguring property, skeletons, hideous masks, spooks, haunted houses, coffins, owls (omens of bad luch and death), graveyards, pirates, monsters, demons, and the like? Really, Halloween's emphasis is associated with the underworld of hell.

"But we only do it in fun and make-believe," you may object. But God knows what you do not know—that you can't get involved in satanic practices without certain danger of being deceived by the devil. God says, "There shall not be found among you any one that... useth divination [fortune telling], or an observer of times [one who uses horoscopes and such like], or an enchanter [one who casts spells or hypnotic trances], or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits [one who works through spiritistic mediums], or a wizard [warlock], or a necromancer [one who speaks with the dead]. FOR ALL THAT DO THESE THINGS ARE AN ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

The former queen of witches of Europe, remarked to a Christian audience in Louisville that she and other witches and satanists would laugh when they saw Christians participating in and celebrating Halloween, even though they did it unknowingly. Can we afford to popularize this "holiday" while our land is dark with the blood of violence and is groaning under the results of ignorance and sin?

Be prepared for Satan's attack when you repent of your respect for this base holiday of death. Satan has enjoyed your support, and he will not give it up easily. Family and friends will oppose you, and even your church may speak evil of you. Persevere, and trust the Lord, because He is faithful to direct your paths. When children come to your door on October 31, sing them a verse of "Jesus Loves Me"; give them a small New Testament or a copy of this tract and a brief, kind testimony of why you want to give God glory on this day.

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret" (Ephesians 5:8-12).

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and *****mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Revelation 22:14,15).

—Selected and Adapted

Hmmmm ~ I wonder if she was pondering his costume?

 

Oct. 25, 2009 - The One-Minute Writer

Again, trying something new....

http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/ 

My Name

My name is Shirley, as was my Mother's, my Daddy wanted it that way.

Oct. 25, 2009 - Don't Forget to Enter This Week!!

This week you will get the chance to “FEED YOUR STASH” three (3) Smartipants One Size Pocket Diapers!

Head on over! 

www.clothdiaperblog.com

Oct. 19, 2009 - Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

http://www.gov.ca.gov/index.php?/executive-order/13484/

Oct. 18, 2009 - Things To Poder at 3:39 am ~ also title: Sorry I needed a distraction

Why would I ever think of eating Apple Jacks?

 Do those plants need water?

A 5 month old is really NOT lulled to sleep by the sound of his own name, ~ repeated hundreds of times.

Wow, you really can't taste the fiber in Apple Jacks.

Has my dog really snored this loud all these years?

Is it now 4:17!!!????

I am so thankful I thought to keep the extra down comforter stashed by Sam's crib.

Is it too early to make coffee?

When did Apple Jacks turn green?

Really, is my husband truly sleeping through all this?

Can one grow potatoes in containers?

How can there possibly be this much "wiggle" in a 15 pound boy?

This place is a mess.

I should take this time and clean.

Laughing at last entry...

Sigh.

These are NOT the Apple Jacks I remember when I was young!

Did I bring the laundry in?

Is there anyone bored enough out there who would still be reading this?

Is he alseep??????????????????

Oct. 17, 2009 - Oops a Little Late!

A wee bit behind on the Feed Your Stash Friday over at  http://www.clothdiaperblog.com  .  Here's what you can win this week!

Head on over Mommys!

Join in some fun!!