You may have noticed that here it is, the middle of November, and the last time I posted was on the 2nd. No, I haven't actually been slacking with our schedules and just not posting. I've actually been sticking to it pretty well.
But since I've been doing pretty well and not posting, I think I'm going to stop posting our daily activities on this. It got pretty boring to read anyway. From now on, I'm probably going to only post if there's something really cool we've done or there's something I want to share. But if I find myself slacking more and more, I'll start posting more again just to keep myself on track. So if you use Google Reader, then you will be able to see when I've posted without having to keep checking. If you don't, well, you can keep checking, but there probably won't be new posts very often.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions on activities or things that have worked for you with your kids, still feel free to post comments or to email me. If there are really good suggestions, I may put them in a regular post so everyone can see.
Thanks!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Not as much slacking
Last week seemed much better. It was a short week with the kids being out of school on Thursday and Friday and their dad staying home with them too, but I felt like more was accomplished. If only I could remember all the details...
On Monday we did have a typical morning with chores, reading time, learning time, etc. It was pretty cold out though, so any outdoor play that the kids wanted to do (and they did) didn't get done. For art time the boys colored some Halloween pictures and had a pretty good time doing it.
On Tuesday the kids ended up going to their cousins' house to play while I ran some errands to get ready for our little family party for their dad's birthday and to start baking the cake. When I brought them back home, they were pretty happy to try to help a bit, in between some learning time and some more coloring.
On Wednesday, their cousins came to our house to play. They had a good time, and we even read a couple books together during their play time.
Then we had our long weekend, which was pretty fun.
On Monday, we did an extended chore time. After the long weekend, the house had gotten a bit messier than it usually does. But we still managed to get in our regular reading time too. After we dropped D off at the bus, we walked down to the park to play for a bit. It had been a while since we had walked down, since the kids had been sick and it had gotten a bit cold. They had a good time, and it felt good to go on the walk. After the walk to the park, they had some learning time before and after lunch, then we went outside to play again, mostly so I could rake and clean up the yard a bit. They always want to help with that one too, so it's kind of fun. It won't be too much longer before it gets too cold to spend much time outside.
On Monday we did have a typical morning with chores, reading time, learning time, etc. It was pretty cold out though, so any outdoor play that the kids wanted to do (and they did) didn't get done. For art time the boys colored some Halloween pictures and had a pretty good time doing it.
On Tuesday the kids ended up going to their cousins' house to play while I ran some errands to get ready for our little family party for their dad's birthday and to start baking the cake. When I brought them back home, they were pretty happy to try to help a bit, in between some learning time and some more coloring.
On Wednesday, their cousins came to our house to play. They had a good time, and we even read a couple books together during their play time.
Then we had our long weekend, which was pretty fun.
On Monday, we did an extended chore time. After the long weekend, the house had gotten a bit messier than it usually does. But we still managed to get in our regular reading time too. After we dropped D off at the bus, we walked down to the park to play for a bit. It had been a while since we had walked down, since the kids had been sick and it had gotten a bit cold. They had a good time, and it felt good to go on the walk. After the walk to the park, they had some learning time before and after lunch, then we went outside to play again, mostly so I could rake and clean up the yard a bit. They always want to help with that one too, so it's kind of fun. It won't be too much longer before it gets too cold to spend much time outside.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Will it ever end?
I was so excited because on Wednesday D was finally able to go back to school after having missed a week. We started out good with our chores then story time.
After we got D off on the bus, we went home to get some things ready and then went on another outing to the zoo. Boy, it seems like we go to the zoo a lot. But with the year passes and with the kids who really, really like the zoo, we end up going there. The only bad thing about going to the zoo was when we first got there and W was a little bit carsick and threw up in the parking lot. I was going to just turn around and have us go home, but he really wanted to stay, so I told him we could try it for a bit. Getting out in the fresh air helped him feel a lot better.
The zoo trip made us be pretty late, so the kids were still eating their late lunch when the others came home on the bus. I helped them with their homework, then they had a little time to jump on the trampoline before we had to take D to soccer practice.
Unfortunately, D woke up in the night with a really bad earache, so I had to take him to the doctor on Thursday morning to confirm that yes, he did have an ear infection. So after we picked up the prescription for him, we rented a few movies and I let them have a movie day. The poor kid really didn't feel well with that ear hurting him so much.
On Friday, the kids didn't have school and didn't want to leave to do something fun because they wanted to take advantage of having the trampoline that is still a novelty to them. So they spent probably half the day outside jumping and playing on the trampoline. Before long it's going to be too cold to go out and jump on it very often, so I let them do as much of that now as they can, within reason.
So yes, I felt like Thursday and Friday were a bit on the slacker side again, but I did get a lot of cleaning done on Friday, so that was good at least.
After we got D off on the bus, we went home to get some things ready and then went on another outing to the zoo. Boy, it seems like we go to the zoo a lot. But with the year passes and with the kids who really, really like the zoo, we end up going there. The only bad thing about going to the zoo was when we first got there and W was a little bit carsick and threw up in the parking lot. I was going to just turn around and have us go home, but he really wanted to stay, so I told him we could try it for a bit. Getting out in the fresh air helped him feel a lot better.
The zoo trip made us be pretty late, so the kids were still eating their late lunch when the others came home on the bus. I helped them with their homework, then they had a little time to jump on the trampoline before we had to take D to soccer practice.
Unfortunately, D woke up in the night with a really bad earache, so I had to take him to the doctor on Thursday morning to confirm that yes, he did have an ear infection. So after we picked up the prescription for him, we rented a few movies and I let them have a movie day. The poor kid really didn't feel well with that ear hurting him so much.
On Friday, the kids didn't have school and didn't want to leave to do something fun because they wanted to take advantage of having the trampoline that is still a novelty to them. So they spent probably half the day outside jumping and playing on the trampoline. Before long it's going to be too cold to go out and jump on it very often, so I let them do as much of that now as they can, within reason.
So yes, I felt like Thursday and Friday were a bit on the slacker side again, but I did get a lot of cleaning done on Friday, so that was good at least.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Yes, more slacking
So on Wednesday I had all my kids home because of the flu, and yes, I let it be an excuse to slack a little bit. Okay, a lot. But I did try to at least do one thing with the kids each day so it wasn't a total slacker day.
And it's been so long and all the days blend in together, that I can't remember what we did on Wednesday. We did do a story time, but I can't remember what else. Sorry about that.
B actually went back to school on Thursday, so D was the only one who was supposed to have gone to school and didn't. We did a story time as usual on Thursday and I let them have a bit of a learning time on starfall.com again. D likes to get on there and write down the words that he sees. I think it's good practice for him. Later in the day, we rearranged the furniture in our family room a little bit. So can we call that art time?
On Friday, D was still home, but was feeling a bit better, so we did a learning time in the morning and did a story time outside in the afternoon. After the story time, the kids had a good time looking for some different fall leaves.
On Sunday D was hit with a fever again that lasted most of the day Monday as well, so he stayed home once again. It was also a laundry day for me, as usual, so I let the kids play while I would do laundry. It had been raining a bit in the morning, so when W kept begging to let him jump on the trampoline, I couldn't let him. B and H did for a while after B came home from school though. But once again, we did our story time and did a bit of a game time on Monday. But it was still a slacker day.
Tuesday was actually much better, even though D was still home from school. His school has a policy with the whole swine flu thing that if they are sick with a fever, they're not supposed to return to school until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication. And since he still had a fever on Monday night, he stayed home on Tuesday. But since he was feeling better, it made it easier to actually make sure we did things.
We had our story time as usual, although I will admit that in the morning I let them have a little more free play than I usually do. But we did a real art time where we got some construction paper and made pumpkins and then put them up the front windows. They had a good time gluing eyes and noses and mouths on their pumpkins. And then had a really good time going outside to see the pumpkins up on the windows.
But hopefully now that everyone seems to be over this flu for the most part (knock on wood) we'll be able to get back to our routine. I certainly hope so.
And it's been so long and all the days blend in together, that I can't remember what we did on Wednesday. We did do a story time, but I can't remember what else. Sorry about that.
B actually went back to school on Thursday, so D was the only one who was supposed to have gone to school and didn't. We did a story time as usual on Thursday and I let them have a bit of a learning time on starfall.com again. D likes to get on there and write down the words that he sees. I think it's good practice for him. Later in the day, we rearranged the furniture in our family room a little bit. So can we call that art time?
On Friday, D was still home, but was feeling a bit better, so we did a learning time in the morning and did a story time outside in the afternoon. After the story time, the kids had a good time looking for some different fall leaves.
On Sunday D was hit with a fever again that lasted most of the day Monday as well, so he stayed home once again. It was also a laundry day for me, as usual, so I let the kids play while I would do laundry. It had been raining a bit in the morning, so when W kept begging to let him jump on the trampoline, I couldn't let him. B and H did for a while after B came home from school though. But once again, we did our story time and did a bit of a game time on Monday. But it was still a slacker day.
Tuesday was actually much better, even though D was still home from school. His school has a policy with the whole swine flu thing that if they are sick with a fever, they're not supposed to return to school until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication. And since he still had a fever on Monday night, he stayed home on Tuesday. But since he was feeling better, it made it easier to actually make sure we did things.
We had our story time as usual, although I will admit that in the morning I let them have a little more free play than I usually do. But we did a real art time where we got some construction paper and made pumpkins and then put them up the front windows. They had a good time gluing eyes and noses and mouths on their pumpkins. And then had a really good time going outside to see the pumpkins up on the windows.
But hopefully now that everyone seems to be over this flu for the most part (knock on wood) we'll be able to get back to our routine. I certainly hope so.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Spooky Ghosts
Tuesday ended up being much better. I didn't slack off much at all. Even though I was tempted to because B was home sick.
Because B was home sick, I did take the opportunity to sleep in a little bit, although not much. But that did put us back a little bit in our morning routine. But we still got in a good story time, which was even helped by B who wanted to read to his brothers.
After we dropped D off at the bus, we came back and did our art time. For art time, we got plastic grocery sacks and made ghosts to decorate a tree outside for Halloween. The kids were very, very excited to be able to make them. Their favorite part was drawing faces on the sacks after we had them stuffed and shaped. W kept carrying his around and was excited to see it up on the tree after we made them all.
After lunch and a little free play time, we put together some puzzles and then had a learning time. I was impressed how W knows all his letters now and even knows their sounds. He was trying to sound out the word "jump" and was getting pretty close. And H is getting better with letters and knows quite a few. He wants to know them like his brothers, so he loves learning the letters.
It's amazing how much I feel like I'm a better mom when we actually stick to the schedule and I resist the impulse to be lazy, even when we've got some sick kids at home. Now if I can just remember that so I'll keep it up....
Because B was home sick, I did take the opportunity to sleep in a little bit, although not much. But that did put us back a little bit in our morning routine. But we still got in a good story time, which was even helped by B who wanted to read to his brothers.
After we dropped D off at the bus, we came back and did our art time. For art time, we got plastic grocery sacks and made ghosts to decorate a tree outside for Halloween. The kids were very, very excited to be able to make them. Their favorite part was drawing faces on the sacks after we had them stuffed and shaped. W kept carrying his around and was excited to see it up on the tree after we made them all.
After lunch and a little free play time, we put together some puzzles and then had a learning time. I was impressed how W knows all his letters now and even knows their sounds. He was trying to sound out the word "jump" and was getting pretty close. And H is getting better with letters and knows quite a few. He wants to know them like his brothers, so he loves learning the letters.
It's amazing how much I feel like I'm a better mom when we actually stick to the schedule and I resist the impulse to be lazy, even when we've got some sick kids at home. Now if I can just remember that so I'll keep it up....
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thursday, Friday, and Monday
Okay, wow. I hadn't realized that I only reported once last week. For some reason I thought I had just left off Friday's. But I guess 3 days isn't too bad. I'm sure that if I keep letting 3 days slide though, soon it will turn to 4, then I'll just be reporting once a week. And while that might be good for my 2 readers who I'm sure get a little bit bored reading about my days, it might facilitate a bit of slacking off in the schedule on my part.
The end of the week last week did continue with my slacking a bit. Thursday's morning was thrown off by a doctor appointment for my youngest, so we didn't get our reading time in for the morning. We did do it later though, so at least that.
After the doctor appointment, I started getting so I wasn't feeling well again, so for the most part, it was a lazy afternoon. Especially since once again, H and A were both sleeping at the same time. And luckily for me, W was watching his favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz. So I did get to rest a bit. Of course, it was a Thursday and that's usually when my kids get to go play at their cousins' house and I get to do whatever. But since they had played there in the morning and their cousins had missed their time to play here, it ended up not happening.
I still wasn't feeling totally great on Friday, but we managed to have our normal morning routine and even did some art time with the kids coloring some Halloween pictures. D came home from school and saw some of the pictures they had colored and wanted to color one of his own too. He thought they were pretty cool.
On Monday we had a normal morning, although we almost missed the bus when we took D there. After the bus, we went down to the park to play for a bit, even though it was windy and cold. Of course that's when they wanted to stay and play longer than they usually do.
And yes, Monday afternoon had a little more slacking. I had some laundry to fold and put away, so while the kids were watching a Star Wars movie that was on TV, I did that. Okay, it was while W was watching it, since H thinks he has to follow me around everywhere and sat on my lap while I folded the laundry and had me read him some more books. After that was done, we just went outside to play for a bit until their older brothers got home from school.
Hopefully I'll do better tomorrow.
The end of the week last week did continue with my slacking a bit. Thursday's morning was thrown off by a doctor appointment for my youngest, so we didn't get our reading time in for the morning. We did do it later though, so at least that.
After the doctor appointment, I started getting so I wasn't feeling well again, so for the most part, it was a lazy afternoon. Especially since once again, H and A were both sleeping at the same time. And luckily for me, W was watching his favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz. So I did get to rest a bit. Of course, it was a Thursday and that's usually when my kids get to go play at their cousins' house and I get to do whatever. But since they had played there in the morning and their cousins had missed their time to play here, it ended up not happening.
I still wasn't feeling totally great on Friday, but we managed to have our normal morning routine and even did some art time with the kids coloring some Halloween pictures. D came home from school and saw some of the pictures they had colored and wanted to color one of his own too. He thought they were pretty cool.
On Monday we had a normal morning, although we almost missed the bus when we took D there. After the bus, we went down to the park to play for a bit, even though it was windy and cold. Of course that's when they wanted to stay and play longer than they usually do.
And yes, Monday afternoon had a little more slacking. I had some laundry to fold and put away, so while the kids were watching a Star Wars movie that was on TV, I did that. Okay, it was while W was watching it, since H thinks he has to follow me around everywhere and sat on my lap while I folded the laundry and had me read him some more books. After that was done, we just went outside to play for a bit until their older brothers got home from school.
Hopefully I'll do better tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
I feel like a total slacker this week since we haven't been really doing any activities in the afternoon before Wednesday, although I probably should only feel like a slacker for Tuesday.
On Monday we did our usual morning with story time and chores and the like. On Monday afternoon, I had to take B back to the doctor to get his lip checked where they had removed the growth, so that kind of killed the afternoon as far as doing activities.
On Tuesday, we did our normal morning, and would have done their cousin day, but their cousins ended up going down for naps instead. So I could have done an activity, but I was feeling a bit sick with a cold, so while W played games on the computer, I took a bit of a nap with H (who was also feeling a bit sick and had gotten up for a while in the middle of the night).
Wednesday went a bit better. We did our usual morning story time and chores and then took D to the bus stop. After the bus came, we went to the library for their story time there and the kids seemed to have a good time again. After lunch and a short free play time, we got out a board game (Candyland) and played that before we did an art time where they got to color Halloween pictures. W is a bit obsessed with Halloween this year. He always wants to go to the Halloween store to look at costumes and decorations, and he always asks if it's Halloween yet. I think it's going to be a long month.
On Monday we did our usual morning with story time and chores and the like. On Monday afternoon, I had to take B back to the doctor to get his lip checked where they had removed the growth, so that kind of killed the afternoon as far as doing activities.
On Tuesday, we did our normal morning, and would have done their cousin day, but their cousins ended up going down for naps instead. So I could have done an activity, but I was feeling a bit sick with a cold, so while W played games on the computer, I took a bit of a nap with H (who was also feeling a bit sick and had gotten up for a while in the middle of the night).
Wednesday went a bit better. We did our usual morning story time and chores and then took D to the bus stop. After the bus came, we went to the library for their story time there and the kids seemed to have a good time again. After lunch and a short free play time, we got out a board game (Candyland) and played that before we did an art time where they got to color Halloween pictures. W is a bit obsessed with Halloween this year. He always wants to go to the Halloween store to look at costumes and decorations, and he always asks if it's Halloween yet. I think it's going to be a long month.
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