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Monday, September 30, 2013

What I'm Up To Right Now...Not Much...

 What's new with you?
Not a lot here.
The good news...tomorrow is October 1!
The bad news...it doesn't feel like fall at all.
It's supposed to be 77 degrees tomorrow and it's been in the 80s the last several days.
Yuck.
I'm over summer.
Actually I was never FOR summer.
I'm not a summer girl.
Give me fall all year long and I'd be a happy camper!
But, no matter what the weather...I'm excited to drag out the Halloween decor.
I have all of the fall stuff out...but tomorrow begins HALLOWEEN!
 I've been a bit of a sentimental sap lately.
We went to a college fair with Evan and it made me realize just how quickly this is all going to happen.  Even though he will "probably" go to school local for the first year or so...I'm just not ready for it.  But, I'm forcing myself to push forward and plan anyhow.  We're helping him with college apps.  He's retaking the ACT because he wants to try for an even higher score (even though he did great the first time).  Next will come the financial aid mess...oh joy.  But I'm looking forward to the fun stuff like party planning.  I've already started a board on Pinterest especially for his graduation open house!  Yay!
 In other news, I've shared that I'm growing my pixie out.
I can't wait for the day that it actually looks like an angled bob again.
I am now at the point where it looks like crap and I usually go whack it off again and give up.
I'm not going to give up.
I've pinned all kinds of styling ideas and accumulated all kinds of great headbands.
So there.
 As we speak, I'm sitting here with mayonnaise on my hair.
It's supposed to make your hair healthy and shiny.
We'll see.
My hair is so dull and dry.
Here's hoping we get some shiny results...and not just a flat greasy mess.
Tomorrow I start back on myfitnesspal.
I've gained FIFTEEN pounds over the last several months!
Yes!  You heard right!  15 pounds!
This is the most I've ever weighed in my life!
And although my doctor tells me I'm still not overweight, I feel sluggish, weak, lethargic, and sloppy.  Not to mention my pants won't button!  Ha!
So here we go!
Wish me luck!
I guess that's it for now.
I'm off to rinse mayo out of my hair!
TTFN!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

T-Shirt Headbands...

Well, I finally decided to grow out my pixie haircut.
I love it...but I'm ready to change things up again.
And what's a girl to do during all of those awful ugly "growing pains"?
MAKE HEADBANDS!!
I was browsing Pinterest and came across this idea.
This particular blog has become one of my favorite crafty blogs...and let's face it, she's so dang cute!  (I'm jealous I didn't look as good with a pixie as she did!  Ha!)
Anywho...I had so much fun making these headbands!
My mom had gotten me a bunch of old t-shirts at Goodwill a while back because I had started making t-shirt scarves (so much fun!).  I still had loads of scraps and remnants leftover from the scarves and so I saved every thing.  Well good thing I did!
Low and behold...the t-shirt sleeve headband!
You can find step-by-step instructions here at Maybe Matilda.
It's an awesome crafty blog if you like making things, and she's so funny too!
These headbands are so simple...totally "no sew"...unless you care to cinch part of them!
There's no need to even hem the edges because they roll so well when you stretch them out.
I also made some little rosettes out of leftover scraps.
I don't really have a tutorial for those.
You just basically cut a long narrow strip of fabric (maybe 1/4-1/2 inch thick).
You start rolling it.
You roll, twist the fabric, add a dot of hot glue.
Roll, twist, hot glue.
Roll, twist, hot glue.
Keep going until you use all the fabric.
So easy-peasy.
I then just added a jewelry pin to the back with hot glue.
This way, I can mix and match the rosettes with the headbands with whatever outfit I'm wearing!
Hopefully these will help me get through those awkward growing out stages.
I'll keep ya posted!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Growing Out The Pixie...Update...

So here we are.
I have resisted the urge to get it trimmed back into the pixie.
I even had a couple of really great "short hair days".
And now it's getting all long and bushy on top...and I still haven't given in and gotten it cut.
Yay me!
I can really see a lot of growth on top...the bangs and sides.
Not so much the back...that always takes the longest.
But that's ok with me.
As I'm thinking I'll probably just start out with an angled bob anyway, since my sides/front always grow the fastest...that will probably be a good style to start with.
So anyway...just wanted to post an update and say, "I'm doing it!  And not giving in!"
Please excuse the latest photo...I had absolutely not one stitch of make-up on and I look SCARY!  I'll be back with another hair update in a few weeks!  And hopefully next time...with make-up! ;)
 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Our late summer trip to Mackinac Island...(August)

 We decided to take one last trip before school started.  We went up to Mackinac Island again for Labor Day weekend.  We did what we love to do...relax. 
 Of course we made a stop at one of our new favorite places...Sadie's Ice Cream at The Grand Hotel.  And as I mentioned before, it's really quite reasonable for The Grand!  And the servings are quite large!
 This is up at Arch Rock.  Nate climbed up to the look-out point (I didn't feel like taking all the stairs)...so I took his picture while he was up there.  Can you see his little head in the center?
 Here's Ev and I at the "regular" look-out point.
 We had perfect weather the whole time (as we always do) with the exception of about an hour one morning...it rained just a bit.  So we sat in the lobby until it stopped before heading downtown for breakfast.  With that exception, it was perfect the whole time!
 These geese on the lawn of Mission Point seemed to take a liking to us.  They hung out (quite close!) with us for hours while we lounged in the chairs on the lawn.
We had a lovely time as always.
I'm already ready to go back! 
 So long Mackinac...we'll be back soon!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Success In School...Family Time...

It's been a while since I've done a "my thoughts" post.
I've been giving some thought to a topic I've been noticing among my field (early childhood education/childcare) and thought I'd address it.
I've been working with children in some capacity for over twenty years.
I've worked in childcare centers, taught preschool, and now own my own childcare/preschool business.  There is a growing trend I've noticed.
The children that are most successful in school...are the ones who spend a lot of quality family time together.
I'm not talking about working on academics all time with their parents.
It's even just the families that just enjoy hanging out together.
The families that I see playing games together in the evening, reading together, going on outings together, playing together...these are the kids I see with the biggest kindergarten readiness and success early on.
Yes, learning the alphabet, counting, working on colors and shapes is all good (and very helpful for kindergarten readiness)...but when I see the family unit, just mom, dad, and the kids spending quality time together...I notice these kids are always the brightest and have the most interest in learning in my preschool setting.
I have one example of a family in my care...and they are always doing things together...just the four of them...mom, dad, brother, and sister.
They hang out in the evenings, going on walks, playing at the park, going to festivals, attending ballgames, going to parades.  They also read together and learn together.
Their children have both been in my care since birth and are extremely bright and have such an interest in learning!
On the flip side...I have had families where the parents are always "on the go"...playing on sports teams, going out with friends, going away on trips...and these kids spend 10 hours in childcare per day, then go home to a babysitter all night, then go to grandma's on the weekend.
Try as I may...I seem to have a more difficult time reaching and teaching these kids.
The interest in learning just isn't quite the same as those children who are growing up spending lots of quality time with their parents.
Please don't get me wrong.
I am not saying parents should never get away or have a life outside of their children.
That's all fine and good.  It's important to maintain friendships and have date nights with our spouses.  It is crucial!  But we do have to prioritize when we have small children.  Those early years are critical to their learning and development.
And these children that have no family time in their life...these are the ones I'm seeing have no interest in academics and struggling in school.
It really has nothing to do with the kids who are in daycare and the kids who are with their "stay-at-home" mom all day.  I have had full time daycare kids who go on and thrive in school!  I had one mom say, "Whatever you're doing, keep it up!  His teacher said he was MORE than prepared for kindergarten!"  But I had to credit her too.  Even though both she and her husband work full time outside of the home, they are one of the families I'm talking about who spend pretty much every night with their children and they limit their social lives while their kids are little.
You will probably say this is all just opinion-based, and you're right...I'm just giving my observations and experience.  I am not conducting studies.  But this is just my observations over the past 20+ years.

But I urge you as parents...as a parent myself of two nearly grown children...and the caregiver/teacher of young children...spend as much time as you can with your child.  Don't just "be in the same room".  Give your full attention to them.  Talk with them, color with them, read to them, go on walks together, play with play dough together, paint together, climb the monkey bars together, go to festivals and parades, visit the zoo, cook together!  These are all quality learning experiences and the memories will last forever!
These not only build memories and create fun for your child...you are creating learning experiences!  Talk about colors and shapes while doing these activities...point out the colors and shapes of things.  Count objects when doing these activities.  Talk about letter sounds and point out and try to recognize letters.  "Learning through play" is the biggest way toddlers and preschoolers learn!

Most of all...don't take this time for granted.
Everyone will tell you it flies by.
And when you're in the middle of a meltdown/tantrum or other parenting struggle, you may just wish they'd grow up...but as the parent of a 13 and 17 year old...I can personally tell you...IT DOES FLY BY.

Enjoy and savor this time!