Easter Crafts

These are some of the Easter crafts we've been doing so far. That multi-room has been taking up most of my time and I'm still not done yet.  Anyway, the kids are very excited about the weekend.  I'm pretty sure we are going to turn the house into a craft-activity disaster area!  Happy Easter!

1.  Mad Rabbits 
 

2.  Fingerpaint cross - Apply tape in the shape of a cross and fingerpaint around it.  Peel off when dry.

3.  Decorating paper eggs

    

4.  Empty tomb paper plate craft - Paint a plate, cut in half and staple.  Add a fastner for the movable stone.  We attempted to put an angel in the inside using his finger print for the head and the sweeping motion for the body.  Not too bad.

   

5.  All three went to work on this one.

 

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We Are Their First Teachers

I Absolutely Love This!!!

 

 

(source: facebook)

 

I want it to be on the new blog I'm working on, geared towards growing little learners.  We don't need a Phd to teach our children.  I've always taught, even before I got the degree and completely believe that we as parents need to educate our children as well.  The blog came about because I'm infuriated with the acheivement gap and some race based targets I read about a week ago.  I think I posted the link on my facebook page a while ago, if you want to read it and feel like scrolling and looking for it. Of course, you don't have to, but if you do - www.facebook.com/CuddlesKissesNChaos/. 



Update On Organizing The Multi-Room

I haven't done anything at all today. I had to take my mom to the doctor, which is two counties away, and am currently at another doctor with my niece. I did take some pictures this morning of what I managed to do so far.
Candle holders are being repurposed to hold writing tools. These blue boxes came from the DollarTree and are holding labels, post its, staples, tape, etc. The white one, I think is an old pringles container or some kind of chip.
These are holding pictures, computer cds and gadgets and extra supplies
I know. The slide. At least it's in a corner now.
There is still a lot of work to be done here. I just moved the stand around to see how it looked.
Well that's it, so far. There is still a small pile on the sofa and now a new pile on the kitchen table. I have contaminated a clean space in order to clean a messy one. Now, I have two. Good Lord. I will be done tomorrow. I claim it.

Hi, I'm Miranda. I'm a stay at home mom of 3, Andre, Caitlyn and Caleb, although on some days it feels as if this number has doubled. I'm married to my high school sweet heart, Andre, who strongly agrees with the fact that I'm always right. Well, he should anyway. I am. A follower of Christ and an aspiring writer, I'd like to think that God led me here. Oh why else would I be doing this when the laundry is overflowing and dirty dishes are in the sink. I love taking pictures (yes, I think I'm a professional), crafting of all sorts, and playing in the kitchen. Doesn't playing in the kitchen sound so much more fun? I love singing (not just in the shower), and finding ways more ways to put more life into living, that is until I feel like I'm going to pass out. On my best days, I'm a little crazy and on my crazy days well...I'm just crazy. Join me in my world of love, laughter, and chaos as a mom third time around. But then, why would you? Who would just follow a complete stranger around daily and listen to them ramble on about their chaotic life. Ok, I would. Well, here goes.

Organizing The Multi- Room

The multi-room is that room hosting a multitude of functions.  Our multi-room is the family room/craft room/office/whatever can't fit into the other rooms room.  We have long outgrown our house but have no intentions, plans, or money to move until the next 3 years are up, if everything falls in place rather than fall apart. 

 

There is stuff everywhere in this room- games, toys, teaching notebooks, art and craft supplies, posters, fabric, books, records, office supplies, and our number one culprit - paper.  Some of the things are put into places, jars, or bins but are not easily accessible.  Half of the craft supplies are thrown into plastic bags and put in a corner until I need to use them.  It's a headache when you actually do need something.  I'll be working on this project for a while, I'm sure. 

Before

 

This is just some of the chaos I've pulled out. About half of it was stacked on top of the table and in piles in a corner on the floor. 

 
 

Chaos here. Some organized. Some not. There's unrolled ribbon, too, thanks to a little person.

 

Yes, that is a slide. My unreasonable reason- He can always play on it, regardless of the weather, and it will stay clean.  You get a better picture of how much stuff is on the sofa and I haven't even pulled everything out of the drawers and baskets yet.

 

Not too bad here, but there's always room for improvement.  It looks so cluttered.  Caleb recently discovered that the glass on the black table opens when you push it.  He's pushed it until it's fallen off and walked proudly into the kitchen one day displaying screws.  There is also an almost never played guitar in a box here.

 

I started this clutter detox this morning and I'm about a third of the way done.  Hopefully, I will get it finished by tomorrow afternoon  and I will have some pictures posted.  Oh, and I plan on getting this done and organized without spending a dime.  There will be a lot of purging and repurposing going on.  Wish me luck.

 



CALL ME MAYBE...UMM, NO

Being a mom has made me very talented over the years.  I've learned that I have the ability to perform yoga stretches while reaching into the backseat of a moving car, trying to find a sippy cup or pacifier. I've learned how to eat half a meal, standing up, while washing dishes, in about 5 minutes, and I've developed an uncanny ability to decode the contents of poop and draw a reasonable diagnosis. Yes, I 've been very blessed to have learned so many new things.  However, talking on the phone is not one of them.  Seriously, talking on the phone with kids in the house is completely pointless, in my opinion. First of all, who has time to talk on the telephone?  I don't.  I don't think I do.  Calls seem to come in at the busiest time of the day, the evening.  I'm trying to cook dinner, help with homework, clean up an activity set out to occupy the toddler so I can cook dinner, throw in a load of laundry, put up clothes and restore some order to the house.  There is way too much activity going on.  The only soul I need to call on is Jesus.  Help Me Jesus!  My already scattered brain is overcrowded and then the phone rings.  Somehow, I am supposed to be able to think clearly and function.  Most of the time, it just doesn't happen that way. I'm tired and I'm cranky and the last thing I want to do is be on the phone. 

FOR THESE REASONS:

1.  The phone is actually my toddler's. (I'm just borrowing it.)

2.  My other children believe the phone is merely a means to get their attention.  ( A shipment of q&a is on the way)

3.  I have no idea what you are saying. (Do you hear that tot in the background?  Yeah, I do too.)

4.  I will agree with you and have no idea what you are saying. ( I can't hear you. Not at all.)

5.  I usually have no idea what I'm saying. ( Can you hear me now?)

6.  I will say anything just to get off the phone. ( Because I still have no idea what you are saying and a mini war is about to break out in the kitchen- over half-eaten pencil erasers)

This pretty much sums it up.  One day, I will rejoin the forces and talk again.  (Besides, I need to make use of this $100 phone bill)   Until then, just send me a text message.  I can handle that.

Renewed Life - Toy Edition

Once upon a time, children were content and happy playing with just sticks, mud and rocks outside in the great outdoors.  Over time it's evolved into toys that push, pull, and stack high above the coffee tables and come crashing down like thunder.  And then toy evolution changed again.  The world was introduced to these flashing lights, ear plug causing educational and fun toys.

I do love toys, though.  They do all kinds of fun stuff.  You push a button, turn a knob, pull a switch and something cool happens.  I've bought a few over the years, okay more than a few, and we've had a blast with them.  But over time, like vegetables on a child's plate, some of our toys have been pushed to the side.  They are lying helplessly in bins and baskets praying for someone to lay hands on them and bring forth a renewed life.  There are times where we will reach out to them and bring their problems to the altar.

      Behold, the Walking Dead.   No batteries.   Every kind of toy, game, gadget, etc needs some kind of battery.   I dread buying batteries.  And what's even worse, they are not created equal. One size does not fit all- AAA, AA, C, D.  Oh, and let's not forget the little round ones.  They are all adding to my ADD and my DID- Disappearing Income Disorder.   Batteries are expensive especially when everything needs one.  These toys better pray for deliverance.  Shall we?

Let us Pray

Lord, I come before you as a pure of battery acid, humble spirit

I ask that you bestow upon me life so that I may live more abundantly

And in fulfilling my spiritual life

I ask that you not bring death upon the pocketbook of another life.

Amen.

  
  I broke down and bought some batteries, $16 worth, and here's our happy camper.  He played with this thing all of 3 minutes before he decided it would be better as a seat.  Of course, I snapped a picture.  Kids, I tell you.

Taming the Eczema Demon

Once again, we have been graced with the presence of bright, itchy, red bumps that have my poor baby scratching like she has fleas and appears to turn her skin into fake leather.  My poor Cate broke out with a horrible case this weekend and I'm sure we both almost lost it.  After using our regular creams and lotions for a few days, I realized they were not helping.  So, I went on a hunt to find the best product to use and came home with this.

 

It consists of a moisturizing cream, a body wash and an anti-itch cream.  We didn't have to use the anti- itch cream that much but, you can apply it 3 -4 times a day.  You can use the moiturizing cream as needed.  We used it about 3 times a day.  Today is our third day using this product. Here are the before and after results.

 

Neck Before

  Neck After    

Arm Before

 

  Arm After   She is no longer complaining about itching and is not going to the nurse anymore to have cream applied during school.  This product is working great so far and we are both happy campers.  Thanks for reading.  

Scripture Comics

We've been learning scriptures in the Bible. Every week, we post one on the wall and try to memorize it. I decided since the kids like to draw, they could draw a picture to help them remember the scriptures. We used a composition notebook to write the scriptures and draw and we will also be adding Bible stories to the books. I like to call them scripture comics. The kids think it's pretty cool.

My Life and Motherhood

Just for laughs.  This is the life now and I can relate to Every One!


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St. Patrick's Day Crafts And Activities

Match the shamrocks game.

Painting clovers.

Go on a clover hunt.

Make a lucky link necklace. Write something you're lucky to have on each link.

Make a rainbow. Choose your own stopping point, after rainbow colors or after cotton balls.

Make felt clovers for a clover toss game.

Put clues around the house leading up to the big treasure. The first clue tells you where to look for the next one. Draw pictures for little ones.