We just spent the majority of last week in Lynden with Bill's parents and siblings. There was so much snow our car was stuck in the driveway so we got taxied around town by everyone with 4-wheel-drive. It was pretty fun, Caley had fun playing big girl toys and frosting cookies with cousin Teija who's 5, and her other cousins.

Caley, what was your favorite part about going to Nana's house?

"I like sleeping on the couch. I like playing at those people's [Teija's] houses."

Making snack time funner

Funner isn't a word. I know that, but it's still funner to use than "more fun."

For nearly two weeks we were stuck at our house because of the snow. I was starting to go crazy keeping everybody entertained and happy, without resorting to having the TV on all day. One idea I had was to serve the girls snack with toothpicks. When I was a kid, my mom did this all the time. My brother and I would sit at the little table and she'd serve us snack on pretty trays with toothpicks.  So far we've done cheese, bread, and bananas. Caley and Amelia loved this (and so did Daddy).

Homemade toys

I like making toys and activities out of things we already have, rather than spending unnecessary money. The latest addition is the box of lids. I got the idea from Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. The girls love the lids! Amelia likes to dump out the bucket and put them back in or through the hole in the top of the bucket. Caley likes to stack them. These are great for sorting, matching by color, size or shape, counting, or anything else you can imagine. We've accumulated at least 25 lids in less than 2 weeks and because we buy 2 gallons of milk a week that have the same lid, there are already several that match. The other day we polished off a bottle of vodka (after several months, we're not boozers!) and I chose not to include that lid in the bunch. It just makes things easier. I don't want Caley to tell her friends, "Oh yeah, well MY mom lets me play with vodka lids!"

Snow Day!

It's been like a Winter Wonderland in our neighborhood the last few days. Sunday we stayed home from church and took a walk down our street in the snow. Monday and Tuesday were relatively normal, then Wednesday and today it's been dumping more white everywhere. Daddy worked from home yesterday so we got to play in the snow because it was very packable.

Caley, what was your favorite part about today (Wednesday)?

"Lots of stuff and going in the snow and making a house. That was my favorite. And going outside to make a snowman. That was my fun part."

A different kind of school

Mommy here. We've been doing a different kind of school this month. In addition to our usual weekly routine which includes playgroup and storytime, we've been doing going to the children's museum and doing various service projects, for lack of a better description. But on Mondays and Fridays, our usual home days when we do "school," we haven't been doing the reading book. Read this entry on our family blog, and you'll see that we've drastically cut down on Caley's TV time. Instead, Caley's learning how to keep herself busy by reading books, playing with toys, or coloring. And I'm learning how to take time to read with her more regularly and just slow life down a bit. 

In 2009, we'll put projects and the reading book back into her school schedule. But TV won't be in the schedule like it was a few months ago. This month Caley has been learning to not need TV and movies as much, because now they're more of a novelty!

It's Christmas time...

"So I get to eat candy!" 

That's what Caley's been saying all day today. I think it's because I told her she couldn't eat the gingerbread house until it's Christmas. And since we decorated the house and tree today I guess that means it's Christmas. 

We did some fun and easy projects today that worked on cutting, cutting on a line, patterning, gross motor skills and eye-hand coordination. 

I got this idea from MommyLife. I used dry pasta and spread it around outside the circle and showed her how to sweep it in. And even though I made a  big circle and told her the pasta just has to be in the circle, she made it all into a little pile.

Next we made a Christmas chain. I originally just wanted to make a Christmas decoration but then realized it would be a perfect opportunity for her to practice cutting on a line (or crooked line) and patterning. Red, white, green, red, white, green, red, white, ___? I helped with chaining them together, but Caley did a lot of good work too! Later she proudly displayed it on her bedroom wall.

I was taking pictures of Caley doing her project and she said, "Take a picture of Amelia!" So here she is.  Isn't she cute?!! :)

Merry Christmas! Hopefully we'll do more fun learning activities and maybe Caley will post something herself soon! Mommy's being a blog hog.