Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Painted Shoes

Here is a quick fun project for your little aspiring Van Gogh...

Little Miss is really into painting lately. So for her birthday we gave her a set of paints and some cute thrift store (canvas) shoes...




The finished product...




Really though it's never finished. Every couple of weeks she'll announce that she needs to work on her shoes again. Super fun and super cheap! Paint included - $4. My favorite kind of kid project.

Did I mention all the painting is giving her some great fine motor skill practice? She is way cute wearing them around town too! They match everything and people are always asking her about her shoes. I might need a pair...

Friday, August 12, 2011

Security Door? Totally: Sponsor Spotlight

Okay - I've confessed about my germaphobe(ness) in the past...now another confession. I am a safety freak. I will check and double check that all windows and doors are locked every night.

I love my new windows that have two locks and then a built in block system so the window can only open so far just in case the locks fail...love it! 

Before putting the car in drive I, without even thinking, will lock all the car doors.

I'm so quick to lock things up and make sure we're safe - I've locked my husband out on accident multiple times. Poor him. We even invested in one of these bad boys back in the day...


My husband is also very well versed in the art of peep-hole installation - which we've even done on rentals before with permission from the landlord. A great security feature.

And one of my favorite features of our new home - the security door. A metal screen door with a deadbolt that is near impossible to see through when standing on the outside during the day. I have had to remind my husband a few times however that leaving the door unlocked takes the "security" out of it.



And who do I owe this ocd craziness too? My mother. But that is a story for another day. 

My ultimate dream would be to have an alarm system on our house. That would be great. Someday. Saving my pennies for that one. Meanwhile I'll just have to settle for a dog...which I'm also saving my pennies for. One thing at a time, right?

If you're not sold on having a home alarm system like I am, keep reading...
______________________________________________________


If you are a parent, you are no doubt constantly worrying about the safety of your children. This is not because you are paranoid or pessimistic; it simply comes with the territory of being a parent. The real question isn’t why you worry, but what you can do to act on your concerns and make sure that your children are as safe as possible. For starters, you may want to pay a visit to a website like homesecurityfamily.com, and get in touch with a company that can help to make your children’s home as safe an environment as possible.

The modern home security company can offer you a number of impressive features designed to keep you and your children safe. They are also flexible, and offer a wide range of pricing packages, which allows you to customize your own system to fit your needs, desires, and budget. Here are a few words on some of the systems and features generally offered by home security companies these days:

*Home Alarm Systems – An alarm system is probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of home security. However, even if your home already has an alarm, you may want to look into the benefits offered by technologically upgraded systems. Many people can now set their alarms and check up on their home security simply by using their cell phones!

*Gas Detectors – These are tools that people don’t always think of with regard to safety in the home. However, both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors can save lives by picking up on dangerous situations before you or your children may be able to.

*Motion Detectors – Motion detectors, much like laser trip wires or video cameras, can act as a second layer of defense against invasion in case your alarm for some reason fails you. Basically, if an intruder somehow makes it into your house, he or she should be detected by one of these features, resulting in a loud alert and automatic contact with the authorities.

*Yard Signs – It may seem like the simplest and most harmless thing in the world, but a small cardboard sign in your front yard that advertises the fact that your home is protected can be a security feature in itself. Criminals are less likely to risk theft or vandalism on a home protected by a security company.

This has just been a brief overview of some of the options offered by most home security companies. Again, you can essentially customize a system to fit your individual needs. However, it is important to know about and research these features so that you can best prepare yourself to provide a safe environment for your children.
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I actually didn't know you could get something customized to fit your budget until this guest post was written - so that makes my paranoid self super happy! I also really want to get some signs to put in our front yard asap. What a smart deterrent!

Thanks for the guest post! I've gotta go double check my doors now...=)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Monday, August 8, 2011

Hot Topic: Homeschooling

Okay...there's more to this post than homeschooling. And I want input! So please comment! I've been carefully considering, and reconsidering all of the educational possibilities once Little Miss is "of age" - which is a couple years off, but I want to make a decision by then, so....

Here are the options...public school, private school, charter school, home-school...or just leave her to her own devices and see how far she gets in life on play-doh and dollies...pretty sure she could make a career out of that. =)

I've been researching and I think it's pretty safe to say that for us, private school is off the list. Kind of pricey and not a lot of good options where we live. So - public, charter, or home...

Here is my list of pros and cons - please feel free to add to it or argue it, especially if you've had experience in one of the scenarios yourself - or with your kids.

Public
  • Pros
    • social interaction
    • super easy for me
  • Cons
    • influence of dumb kids
    • exposure at a young age to things I wouldn't want my kids exposed to
    • the pace of learning can only go as fast as the other 25+ kids, for Little Miss this would be a problem - she'd get way bored
Charter
  • Pros
    • student paced learning
    • social interaction + home more often
    • tighter values & expectations for students
  • Cons
    • higher expense
Home
  • Pros
    • I would get to be WAY involved in the curriculum
    • My innocent babies wouldn't be exposed to anything I didn't deam appropriate
    • Nice and cheap!
    • Peace of mind
    • My weird obsession with school supplies would be useful...I know I don't need new pencils and notebooks every August - but I just can't help myself!
  • Cons
    • Less social interaction
    • I wouldn't be able to teach them everything...like how to play the tuba - just saying. I don't know how...
    • I might go crazy never getting a break from my little darlings
    • The fear of completely failing & not being able to keep up
    • Housework and all hobbies might go out the window - would I end up feeling like I lost myself?
So my dear readers...what are your thoughts and feelings on the options? Your experience? I might end up getting some guest posts from differing views on this one...I need help!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Love is Spelled T-I-M-E

A wise man once said - "Love is spelled T-I-M-E, time." How true it is. And as a busy parent it is so important to find one-on-one time with your children. My new goal is to find one-on-one time on a weekly basis. Now that we live super far away from family I think this will mean having "mommy and me"/"daddy and me" dates at the same time. 

I've been so busy and preoccupied with moving in, decorating, fixing up our new home - that I really need to refocus on being a mom first. So, I've decided I will do something super fun with Little Miss and Mr Man every Friday - just us. Something out of the ordinary and beyond our normal routine.

Remember forts? I grew up making tons of forts with my sisters out of queen size sheets. So fun.


Little Miss and I made this fort and watched a movie together in it. Sadly, forts are not as large and spacious as they once felt, good thing we like to cuddle!

What are you doing for fun with your children today?

{Something I have to tell myself every once in awhile to refocus: people matter, not my to-do list...}

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Monday, August 1, 2011

DIY: Cake Plate Crazy





Yep - I went crazy. I got this idea from my friend over at Craft Doodle. Natalie is amazingly talented and creative! My next project of hers to try - the Madhatter Lamp - also seen here. Love it! You can get all the step-by-step how-to's on her site. These cake stands make great cheap gifts too. All my plates and candle sticks came from thrift stores - each stand was about $2 or so. Thanks Nat!
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