Showing posts with label A Year of Color. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Year of Color. Show all posts
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
Spooky Black Glitter Putty {A Year of Color}
If your kids are anything like mine, they probably love to make slime, putty and play dough! My crew is always adding glue, borax, cornstarch and flour to my grocery list, and sometimes I think it would be best to just buy it in bulk. I try not to complain too much, because at least they love science and experiments! We had yet to do a Halloween craft or activity this year, so the timing was perfect for this month's theme for A Year of Color!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Sensory Play: Jellyfish in a Jar Sensory Bottle
Sensory Play is all the rage these days! Sensory activities are great for children of ALL abilities, but it's a big part of our lives now that we have a child who has special needs. We quickly learned that activities that benefit Liam so much also benefit our other children!
A few years ago, my mom shared this sensory bottle activity with me. I put it off for so long, but finally tackled the project with my kids last Summer. It was so easy to do, and it was an instant hit! I originally shared this sensory activity in my Camp Mom activities posts last Summer, but I knew it was perfect for this month's A Year Of Color theme!
The color of the month is:
Jellyfish in a Jar Sensory Bottle
Supplies:
- Empty Water Bottle with the label removed (I like Voss water bottles)
- Water
- Food Coloring
- Scissors and Thread
- Clear Bread Storage Bags
Directions:
- Fill the empty water bottle with water.
- Add a drop of blue food coloring and shake to disperse.
- Grab the sandwich bag and make a jellyfish head by bunching the closed end together. (It should look like a ghost.)
- Tie a thread loosely around the "neck." The hole needs to remain slightly open right now so you can fill it with a little bit of water and air.
- Make tentacles by trimming the end of the bag with the scissors. You can also trim the bottom a bit so it fits inside the water bottle.
- Fill the head half full with water, blow in some air and close the hole tightly with the thread.
- Drop your jellyfish into the water bottle, seal the lid tightly and watch it float around as you flip and turn the bottle.
The end result is really cool! My kids love moving the sensory bottle around and watching the jellyfish float. It truly is a mesmerizing sensory activity!
Visit my co-hosts, Little Dove Blog, Sunshine and Munchkins, and Thrifty Wife Happy Life to see their blue-themed activities!
Join us next month on October 20th for the next A Year Of Color link party! Next month's theme is:
Friday, July 21, 2017
10 Ways Busy Moms Can Sneak In Self Care
DISCLOSURE: I am a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam, and I receive service and promotional items in exchange for monthly posts.
Motherhood is a strange and beautiful thing. I have never been this exhausted, stressed and busy before, yet this is the happiest I've ever been! I'm a busy mom and I love it. I love my four kids beyond measure, and I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything!
(No, you're not getting the posed "motherhood is beautiful" shot. You're getting the real life "I'm trying to embarrass my almost-teenager by looking cool and posting it on Instagram" shot.)
But speaking of time, there is NO time for myself these days. I sacrifice sleep to get things done and give up some of the things I love to spend more time with my family. In some ways, I lost a little bit of myself, but the truth is, I gained so much more!
I love mom life, but the most difficult thing about having four kids is juggling four different schedules plus my own. My kids, my husband, and my work come first, and often, there is no time left over for anything other than meeting my basic needs. There simply aren't enough hours in the day, and even if I skipped sleep entirely, I couldn't cross off everything on my to do list!
One thing I recently realized (it only took me 12 1/2 years) is that I HAVE to take care of myself, too. And I mean more than just meeting my basic needs! With four kids (one of whom is rocking an extra chromosome), I have to do the Mom Sneak in order to fit in much needed self care!
If you're a mom, you know exactly what the Mom Sneak is! It's hiding in a closet for five minutes, devouring a chocolate bar, so you don't have to share with your kids. It's sitting in a hot bath for 25 minutes because you have a "headache." Or taking just a bit longer while running errands alone.(Alone...what's that?) It's staring at a wall, in a silent room, for 10 minutes because you have sensory overload. And it's sneaking out to your car to watch an episode on Netflix while your husband thinks you are doing housework. (Not that I would know.)
There are so many ways busy moms can indulge in self care, and I'm going to share my favorite ways with you. I encourage you to choose one item off my list and do it for yourself TODAY. Every mom deserves a little break! And at the end of this list you just might find a giveaway for one of my favorite #MomSneak methods!
10 Ways Busy Moms Can Sneak In Self Care
1. Wake up a half hour before the kids.
It's tough to drag yourself out of bed before you have to wake up, but those few quiet minutes alone are completely worth it! Climb out of bed, drink your coffee (or hot tea) in peace, and focus on only yourself for 30 minutes before the chaos begins!
2. Reward yourself.
Once a week, buy yourself something little to enjoy! It doesn't have to be anything big. It could be your favorite candy to hide and eat alone when you need a treat, a lipstick that makes you feel pretty, or a coffee while you are running errands. You deserve at least a few dollars a week to spend on just yourself!
3. Make time to read each day.
Books are a great escape from the reality of everyday life! I used to be able to read one book a day, thanks to my speed reading skills. Now I'm lucky if I can make it through one book a month, and I miss it! Although most days I can only sneak in 10-15 minutes of reading, it's important that I do so. I love to get lost in a good book, and I look forward to my reading time each day!
Although my house is rarely silent, I take advantage of those quiet moments when my kids are eating lunch or enjoying their iPad/TV time. It's the only time I can sit down all day, so I can relax for a few minutes to lose myself in a few chapters!
4. Do something that reminds you of your pre-mom days.
There are so many things that get bumped down or even off the to do list once you become a mom. Manicures and pedicures, a facial mask or hair treatment, writing in a journal, scrapbooking, music, art, etc. I'm sure there's something little that you wish you still had time to do.
It really is this simple: MAKE time for it. Schedule it into your week, and stick with it. Instead of racing around trying to do all the things while your kids nap, make time for yourself, too.
Give yourself that manicure or pedicure. Kick up your feet for ten minutes while using a facial mask or hair treatment. Pour your heart out in that journal. Rediscover your creativity through scrapbooking or painting. Belt out a show tune or play an instrument. The end result will be a mom who feels a bit more like their old self!
5. Get some exercise.
It's difficult to find time to exercise unless you are REALLY committed to a fitness routine. My family, my kids' activities and my blog always comes first, and I don't have time to exercise nearly as much as I used to. The problem is, when I don't exercise regularly, I notice a huge shift in my mood and energy. I have to plan my workouts around 6 different schedules, which is incredibly challenging, so sometimes I just skip it, and then I regret it!
Although it is ideal to exercise without kids, it doesn't happen often, and I'm sure many moms can relate. So stop the excuses, lace up those running shoes, strap the kids into a stroller and go for a walk. You'll be glad you did! Not only will your mood improve, but it's good for your health, too. A healthy mom is a happy mom!
6. Get out of the house ALONE!
Schedule a Moms Night Out, a date night, dinner with a friend or just a day to go shopping alone once a month! And if you can do it more often, kudos to you. (That doesn't happen in my home!) Every mom deserves a little bit of time away from everyday life with kids, so make it a priority. If your significant other happens to complain, gently remind them that everybody deserves a little break now and then! Having time away from kids (sleeping doesn't count) is vital to a mom's well being!
7. Take a hot bath.
To me, there is nothing more relaxing than soaking in a steaming hot bath, in a dim and silent bathroom! It can easily reset my mood. Obviously, this can only happen when my husband is home, so I try to do this once a week when I am feeling really stressed! (If you have to claim you have a headache in order to get in there, just do it!)
But don't just sit in the tub. Make that rare time alone special! Lock the bathroom door, light a favorite candle, dim the lights, turn on the fan to block out the noise, put a cooling gel mask on your eyes, toss in a bath bomb or use some special bubble bath, then sit back and relax. (If you're a person who thinks sitting in dirty bath water is gross, just quickly rinse off in the shower before and after. That's what I do! Psst...F Bomb anyone?)
8. Try a quick yoga or pilates session.
As moms, we are programmed to be highly energetic to keep up with our kids, and we have the ability to tune things out. But living with tiny humans can be stressful AND exhausting! A short pilates or yoga session can work wonders on frazzled moms.
There are times when all moms feel like they are reaching their breaking point. When that feeling hits, naptime, quiet time or electronics time is a MUST. On the days (which will be most days) when you can't escape alone for a run or barely have energy to stand up, a few minutes of yoga or pilates can work wonders. All that stretching and breathing instantly calms you down, and makes you feel so much better. It works like a charm every time!
When you reach your breaking point, it's so important to escape for just a few minutes to refresh and recharge! Have a secret code worked out with your significant other that you both can use when you absolutely need a break. Sometimes you just need to leave for a few minutes to calm down or decompress.
There's just something so therapeutic about driving in the car without kids. I often turn off the radio and just get into the driving zone. Other moms may prefer to sing along with the music. For me, silence always does the trick! After a few minutes, I'm ready to return and start fresh!
10. Do the #MomSneak to binge watch Netflix!
I'm not going to lie. I love to sneak away to watch Netflix! Most of the time I spend watching Netflix is with my entire family for weekly Family Movie Night or with my husband 4 nights a week for our Netflix Date Nights. But sometimes I just want to escape and watch what *I* want to watch, with no interruptions.
I love getting lost in the world of NCIS, re-watching episodes of the Gilmore Girls or House of Cards, or enjoying my guilty pleasure, Switched at Birth! I usually grab my iPad and binge watch episodes while I do dishes or laundry. Those chores can sometimes take a lot longer than usual if you catch my drift! I'm not ashamed to admit that I download episodes on Netflix so I can watch them while I'm waiting at kids' activities. (Two hour dance classes anyone?) And sometimes I sneak out to the car just to be alone...
I'm definitely not alone with the #MomSneak! In a recent poll, "(71%) of moms admit to sneaking in TV “me-time” while juggling a busy schedule, with some even hiding from their kids for just a moment of peace."
And I'm obviously not the only mom who hides in the car to watch Netflix!
It took me nearly 13 years of parenthood before I began to make self care a priority again! It took some work and tweaking to find a good balance between family life and time to myself. To be completely honest, I still give my all to my husband and kids, and sacrifice a little bit of myself in return, but I'm happy in this stage of my life. It's exactly where I want to be, and it's 100% true: Mom life IS the best life!
GIVEAWAY!!!
CLOSED - Winner is arress!
Who wants to win some Netflix?!? I have ONE 6 month Netflix subscription up for grabs for one of my readers!
TO ENTER:
Share how you sneak in your Netflix shows by sharing a quick story or a selfie in action on social media, using the hashtag #MomSneak. Share the link to your social media post (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) in the comments of this blog post.
*US participants only. Giveaway will end on July 30, 2017 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen randomly, entry will be verified, and winner will be notified the following day. (Do NOT delete your social media post. It needs to be verified!)
GOOD LUCK!!!
While you wait, get in some #MomSneak time by printing out this activity sheet to keep your kid(s) busy! (Click HERE to print!)
A YEAR OF COLOR
It's the third Friday of the month which means it's time for the monthly A Year of Color linkup! Justine from Little Dove and I are still co-hosting the linkup, but this month we have two new co-hosts. Welcome, Thrifty Wife, Happy Life and Sunshine and Munchkins!
The color for this month is:
I had something else planned for this month's post, but life got in the way, and an item I needed for the post hasn't been delivered yet! This left me scrambling for a post idea at the last minute! And, well, other than that big red target, nothing thrills me like seeing these red letters:
It really is the little things in life...
So read those self care tips, enter that awesome giveaway, and share your #MomSneak methods in the comments below. And don't forget to link up your RED posts all month long!
Join us next month for:
Plan ahead:
July 21- red
August 18- neon
September 15- blue
October 20- black
November 17- orange
December 15- metallic
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
The Flower Garden Sensory Bin
Sensory Play has always been a favorite with my kids! I'm a firm believer that childhood should be messy, and that kids should be allowed to explore and learn through different textures. I just prefer that the mess be contained, which is why I love Sensory Bins!
Sensory Play is especially important for Liam. After we received his Down syndrome diagnosis, I began researching, and I discovered that sensory issues can be quite common. I was determined to help him as much as I could, so I introduced sensory play and sensory bins when he was a baby. Thankfully, he's a BIG fan of messy play!
My girls love sensory bins, too. They get a lot of use in our home! I try to come up with at least one new sensory bin and sensory activity each month to keep things interesting, and they usually play with that bin for a few weeks before switching to a different sensory bin filler in our stockpile.
When I was brainstorming ideas for this month's theme (purple) for the Year of Color link party that I co-host, I decided to make a flower garden sensory bin using fake purple flowers that I recently bought. They paired perfectly with the black beans sensory bin filler that is part of our usual sensory bin rotation!
Flower Garden Sensory Bin
This fun sensory bin is very easy to set up, and is perfect for sensory AND pretend play! All the scooping, filling and pouring really helps strengthen Liam's fine and gross motor skills, too!
SUPPLIES:
- Sensory Bin with a lid (An under the bed storage tote works perfectly!)
- 8-10 lbs of black beans
- Several bunches of fake flowers (I just used purple for the theme, but get creative.)
- Small flower pots
- 2 garden shovels
- 1 garden rake
- Ziploc gallon bags for easy storage
SET UP:
- Empty the beans into a clean sensory bin.
- Separate the stems on one bunch of flowers, and cut each stem so they are only about 10-12 inches long.
- Pull just the flowers off the second bunch (no stems).
- Toss the flowers, flower pots and gardening tools into the sensory bin.
- Have fun!
NOTE: I highly recommend playing with this sensory bin outdoors. Those beans have the tendency to go everywhere! (I learned that lesson!) We also use THIS ROUND PLAY MAT all the time! It's perfect for pretty much everything, especially toys with small pieces. After the kids are done playing, I just have to pull the drawstring, and it turns into a toy storage/travel bag. We take it on vacation every year!
PLAY:
Here are a few ideas to get started:
*Rake the beans with the garden rake.
*Plant the small flowers in the bin.
*Fill the pots with beans and plant the flowers.
*Create different floral arrangements by adding different flowers to the mix.
*Take pictures of their creations.
*Pick up the beans with a shovel and use it to fill all the pots.
*Scoop up the beans with the pots, and pour into other containers.
*Dig into the beans with bare hands for a full sensory experience!
CLEAN UP:
When the kids are done playing, clean up is so easy! I just shake all the beans that landed on the play mat back into the bin, put the flowers in a gallon ziploc bag, and let the kids pour the beans into a few gallon bags. I place everything back into the bin, put on the lid, and store it until the next use!
If your kids love sensory play as much as mine do, this fun sensory bin will keep them busy for a long time. And that, my friends, is a mom win!
All of my kids have played with sensory bins filled with beans before, but they loved The Flower Garden Sensory Bin! It was so much more than just sensory play, so they played for hours. This is definitely and idea that we will be adding to our regular sensory bin rotation!
In case you are wondering, the "A Year of Color" link party with me, Little Dove, Macke Monologues, and Work It Mommy happens on the third Friday of the month. Each month focuses on one color and you can link up any post that revolves around that particular color: Fashion, Recipes, Activities for Kids, Crafts...ANYTHING is welcome! The link will be open for a month, so you can link up any time. We hope you will join us!
Obviously, it's NOT Friday. I'm posting a bit late this month, but with good reason. Lexie and Lily's dance recital was on Saturday, and the week leading up to it was unbelievably chaotic. We lived and breathed dance, and I didn't have time to do anything else. It was well worth it, though. I will be sharing that adventure on my blog tomorrow, and let me just say, it's definitely the start of a new journey!
Plan ahead for next month:
You might also like:
Rubber Ducks Sensory Bins & Sensory Play
Tuesday Talk!!!
It's time for Tuesday Talk! Grab the button, link back to your hosts and add your blog post link on the widget below!
Friday, May 19, 2017
Rubber Ducks Sensory Bins & Sensory Play {A Year Of Color - Yellow}
My kids love sensory play! I introduced each of them to the concept when they were babies and it quickly became something they did every day. I'm a firm believer in letting kids explore and get messy!
On the third Friday of each month, I co-host a monthly linkup called A Year of Color with Little Dove, Macke Monologues, and Work It Mommy. Each month focuses on one color and you can link up any post that revolves around that particular color: Fashion, Recipes, Activities for Kids, Crafts...ANYTHING is welcome! The link will be open for a month, so you can link up any time. We hope you will join us!
When I saw this month's theme for the A Year Of Color link party, I immediately knew what I was going to share: Our Rubber Ducks Sensory Bins and Rubber Ducks Play Dough Kit! It was the perfect choice for:
Rubber Ducks Sensory Bins
This classic bath toy is the focus of these sensory bins, but I add lots of different fillers to keep things interesting! Here are Liam, Lexie and Lily's three favorites:
RUBBER DUCKS POND SENSORY BIN:
Creating a Rubber Duck Pond using inexpensive items is so much fun!For this sensory bin, you will need:
- 6-12 rubber ducks
- Fake flowers (bunches of 6 are $1 at Walmart)
- Small aquarium plants
- Blue gems
- Natural rocks
- Pieces of wood (we used mulch)
- Foam lilypads cut out of sheets of green craft foam (we pay 33 cents/sheet)
Note: I highly recommend swimsuits for this activity, especially if the sensory bin that is being used is a baby pool!
RUBBER DUCKS & SHAVING CREAM SENSORY BIN:
What is it about shaving cream that makes any activity seem so much more fun?!? All you need for this simple sensory bin is rubber ducks and 2-3 cans of inexpensive shaving cream (a must have sensory bin filler)!
Let the kids squirt the shaving cream into the sensory bin, then toss in the ducks and back away before they dig in! (Trust me!!!)
FYI: Bathtime after this activity is almost always a necessity! Or, if it's warm enough, just have them run through the sprinkler!
RUBBER DUCKS & COTTON BALL BUBBLES SENSORY BIN:
Adding this simple, everyday item to a sensory bin can turn into hours of fun!
All you need is 2-4 bags of cotton balls for your sensory bin, depending on its size, and 6-12 rubber ducks. Grab some tongs, bowls, cups and spoons to transfer, scoop and pour!
We have also used these fun fillers for our rubber ducks sensory bins:
- blue aqua beads
- mini marshmallows
- rice dyed blue
- blue Easter grass
- bubble bath mixed into warm water
Try switching up the sensory play area, too! Here are a few things my kids loved:
- "Rubber Duck Pond" in a baby pool
- Rubber Duck races in rain gutter "rivers" (very inexpensive at hardware stores)
- Rubber Duck Sensory Play in the water table (same as in the bin)
- Rubber Duck Sensory Bath using bubble bath and foam flower and grass wall decals (in addition to the Duck Pond Sensory Bin items)
Rubber Ducks Play Dough Kit
This play dough kit is a huge hit with my girls! They love play dough, so when I give them a Play Dough Kit, they will play for hours. Just like the sensory bins, I usually keep each play dough kit out for a week, then switch it for something else.
For this Play Dough Kit you will need:
- Sectioned plate or tray
- Blue play dough
- Fake flowers (bunches of 6 are $1 at Walmart)
- Small aquarium plants
- Blue gems
- Natural rocks
- Pieces of wood (we used mulch)
- Small rubber ducks
Encourage your kids to use their imagination to create play dough duck ponds or decorate the ducks with play dough!
Sensory Play is a hit with kids of all ages! When the kids are done playing, store each filler and sensory bin item in separate ziploc bags and place them inside the sensory bin for easy storage until next time. Let them be little, let them play and let them get messy!
Link up your "YELLOW" post with us for A Year of Color!
Plan ahead for next month!
June 16th
