Simple Pre-Writing Thank You Notes

Being grateful for that which we have is key to happiness.

Children do not need to yet be skilled at writing to participate in the joyful process of penning thank you notes. Affixing raised letter stickers in your intended message to scrap paper allows youngsters to copy the sentiment by rubbing a crayon over a piece of paper placed atop the 'stencil.' In the time since I have posted, I have learned that dictating letters to family and friends is a great way to develop reading & writing skills. Sitting alongside your child, read aloud that which you are writing. Encourage your kids to tell you what they would like to say to these special people. We have really enjoyed writing letters together and I was so excited to think of a way for him to write 'Thank You' to everyone who made his birthday so wonderful.

How do you include your younger children in their thank you notes or other letter writing?

Do you have a great early literacy activity? Please share!

Check out http://www.pre-kpages.com/lotw/ to learn more about teaching literacy by using letters in practical context vs one individual letter at a time (day/week). This is a good resource both because of the brevity of her article (learn the basics quickly) and for her inclusion of links to further references.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Pencil Case

Jack loves to color independently and just bought himself (!) his first set of colored pencils.  I've been trying to manage his desire and need to have access to his own art supplies while Kara Grace is now walking, climbing, and into EVERYTHING!  Check out our green solution: a half & half bottle turned pencil case.  He can open the simple screw top and most importantly, easily put them away.  For now, his pencils are safely out of his sister's grasp! 

Guilt-Free, Post-Run, Pre-Practice Guacamole

YUM!

Peel & de-pit one ripe avocado.

Sprinkle in sea salt.

Grind a bit of black pepper.

Cut into a lime; add juice & pulp as desired (I used about 1/6th).

Stir.

Spoon.

Ahhhh ready to Surya Namaskara!

Stripping gDiapers today...

Today is laundry day. 

They aren't quite as crazy as they may sound over at gDiapers Diaper Therapy.  There really is an enjoyable, meditative aspect to washing cloth diapers.  It is so much more rewarding than buying a package of disposables.

I could hardly wait to use gDiapers for my daughter, but I was NOT going to wash the inserts.  We'll get a service and use prefolds, I naievely planned.  Hahaha. 
Enter gCloth gifted from GrandMa!  Just in case, she said...
add then, out of neccessity, I tried them. 

I had already succumbed to the softness of the gCloths.  Seriously!  Feel them- they are plush and smooth, just right for your baby like a ripe, juicy watermelon is for those dog-hot summer days.  No online commentary or even a picture is going to suffice.  Just touch 'em! Even better? They soften up....!

Despite the awesomeness of the cotton/hemp blended gCloths, I was intimidated by the thought of keeping up with the resulting laundry.  I was determined to cloth diaper, though, and gave it a try.  Like all things baby [life], you sometimes try things that don't work, so you learn what you can, and try something different.
I have a toddler as well, and I promise I don't feel like I do any more laundry now, than when he was an infant.  I suppose that technically, I do two extra loads a week...the diapers + another person worth!
Now, I do laundry twice a week, Saturday & Wednesday.  I do as many loads of colors (including gPants) and whites as we four have accumulated, a load of gCloths and liners, and towels/linens as needed.  I really prefer this method over a load a day. 

For all of our laundry, we use All Free & Clear. 

I do not use fabric softners, because of sensitive skin but have found some natural alternatives. 

Houston is notorious for hard [gross] water, so we get build up on our diapers from the small amount of detergent used in their cleaning.  We fight this [strip the diapers] with (blue) Dawn and white vinegar.  I've found I need to do this at least once a month. 

Stripping can be accomplished with:
-repeated machine washing with very hot water and NO detergent
-adding a small amount of Dawn to the wash and rinsing profusely
-adding vinegar to the rinse

Good Luck in your g[reen]Endeavors! Feel free to comment with suggestions.  I'd recommend contacting the ladies over at gDiapers with questions [or even if you need replacement hook!], they are a superb example of customer service. 

Resources:
www.gdiapers.com/diaper-therapy/laundry-day-really-its-fun/

Http://www.zany-zebra.com/stripping-cloth-diapers.shtml

Community.babycenter.com/post/a26709331/how_to_properly_strip_your_gdiapers_fleece_inserts_the_man_way

Enjoy the picture of the bubbles, this load being sans detergent, clearly needed to be stripped. 

Blogger Mobile Posting!?! Brought to you by the letter B

I am attempting to blog from my phone via google's blogger app.  Have you tried this? 

I suppose BLOGGING is only appropriate since we have established our 'letter of the day' experience today and chose B.
We played with Bouncing Balls, ate Bananas, snuggled in Blankets, read Books, and revitalized our chalk-Board.

Five Minute Friday: Color

COLOR

I am wonderfully calmed and focused by color.  

Painting 

or 

drawing

 or 

photographing 

or 

sewing

 or

 planting-

 COLOR.

The hues and shades from dull and dreary to bright and bubbly, 

colors blend and grow into an expression of myself.  
Unlike words
-limited by intelligence and education-

color allows for sharing with everyone, 

a vibrant expression of me.

Five Minute Friday (er Saturday): Tired

TIRED

Being a Mommy seems to make one perpetually tired.  If it isn't a late night or an early morning, it is a long walk with a heavy toddler or a fussy baby.  

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I do however, enjoy my coffee even more now that ever before.  Sleep, when it comes, is precious and deep.  Naps, the bane of my childhood existence, have become a long awaited excuse to cuddle with my babies.  

Sleep deprivation, and its resulting frustrations and irritations, is minor in relation to the joy of parenting.   

As I write, my tired babies snooze and I attempt to refocus and prepare for our evening together.  

Maybe tomorrow, I will nap with them, maybe tomorrow.





check out Lisa Jo's free flow HERE.



Will you join us next week on Friday (or Saturday)?