5 Random Things ~ Back to Normal

We're back in our regular routine. Not very much interesting going on, but you know it's never boring with little ones.


1. Math

           

 

 

 

We are having more fun learning addition and subtraction than I knew was possible.

I made a giant number line out of 12 sheets of regular paper taped together. The kids start at what number I say. Then I give an addition or subtraction sentence. If I say plus, they turn themselves towards the bigger numbers b/c they know that plus means to add and the sum will be a larger number than they started on. Same with the subtraction. If I say minus, they turn themselves towards the smaller numbers b/c they know that minus means to subtract and the difference will be a smaller number than they started on. Then they jump to the answer of the math problem.

The 2nd game pictured here is called Free Fall. I divided a piece of paper by drawing a line down the middle. The kids dropped small pasta shells onto the paper. They wrote down how many shells landed on both sides of the line on the paper. Then you can add or subtract those numbers. Easy peasy and the kids keep asking to do it again and again. 

That certainly beats boring worksheets. I mean, we still have a worksheet or 2 to complete, but playing the math game before we do the paper work is so much more fun!

I love it!

2. Surprises!

The kids know how to put their clothes on hangers and place them in the closet. They usually grab the step-ladder to accomplish this task.  Little Man, who is all boy, decided he was going to get creative and tackle this chore in a different way. 

Yes, that is his dresser in the closet. I hid it in there for I thought he may get the idea to climb on it sooner and more often if I left it out in the bedroom itself. I guess I should find a different place for that piece of furniture.  *wink* 

3. DIY

I am domestically challenged. 

Seriously. 

What can I say? 

I discovered how to make your own powder laundry soap a while back, but I just made some of this last week since I've been trying to use up the store-bought stuff I already had. So I'm down to using the last bit of it and decided to make this homemade cleaner. Let me first say that it smells really good. It's super easy, and ya'll know me... it's gotta be easy for me to have success at anything! Ha! 

I'm sure you already know how this works and all (b/c you know, I'm behind a bit), but for the sake of journaling on this blog, I'll share how I made this super-money saver. 

Ingredients:

     *1 bar Fels Naptha soap - I've heard you can use Ivory or other natural unscented soap

     *1 Cup Borax

     *1 Cup Washing Soda (not regular baking soda)

     All these are found in the laundry isle. 

Directions:

     1. Grate up the bar of soap

     2. Add the other 2 ingredients

     3. Mix well.

*Secret spoiler*

I know my picture isn't very good, but can you see how fine the powder is? I used my food processor for this project. I washed and dried it and repeated right after I was done grating and mixing. At this point I cannot say that I've used my processor for food yet. 

Hu-hem! Anyway.....

I bought 3 bars of the Fels Naptha (at only $.89, who could resist?) and made 3 batches of this recipe and it fills a one-gallon ice cream tub over half full. The lady on the website I found this recipe on says she only uses 1 Tbs per load of laundry. {Is that enough?} If that is an adequate amount to use, then my bucket of soap should last a little while. Don't you think? 

Anyway. I'm a little bit skeptical (only b/c this is new to me), but I'll try it. So after 2-3 more loads of the store bought detergent, I will start using my homemade powder and will report back how well it actually worked. 

4. Crafting 

I am loving my wreaths! Remember the felt flowers in my last post? Here they are on my new wreath.

Tada!

That is a wreath form covered in... get this.... denim from an old pair of jeans! 

Clever, eh? 

Maybe not. 

But I have all this denim and wanted to give it a whirl. That is so thinking outside the box for me. LOL 

I've not decided if this wreath is actually done or not. I thought that maybe a bow would be too much b/c of the flowers, but it does seem like something is missing. Do you crafters have any suggestions for me? 

5. Home Economics

 

 

My little darlings are learning how to wash and rinse the dishes. Pretty soon they'll be able to do it all by themselves.  

Someday. 

Happy Happy Happy! 

*smile*