We Like Books

It's no secret: I am an avid reader. From the time I was in grade school, I have really enjoyed reading, especially good, clean, absorbing fiction. Now that I have kids who love books and being read to, another category has delighted me - children's picture books.

Now, let me say this: while I love picture books, I'm actually kind of a book snob. There are too many good books out there to let our shelves be cluttered with poorly-written superficial fluff. I regularly go through the kids' bookshelf and cull things that are not up to the standard. (Although I must confess that we have a few Dora books and Princess books.)

Anyway, as I have been looking at and collecting children's picture books, I've found a few authors that I can always trust to deliver a book we'll love for years to come. Some of them are classics, some are a bit newer, but they're all delightful! (Keep in mind that these are just picture books - chapter books are a whole 'nother topic!)

1. Marjorie Flack - The Story About Ping, Angus and the Ducks

2. Virginia Lee Burton - Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Little House

3. H. A. Rey - Curious George books

4. Sandra Boyton - Moo, Baa, La La La, Barnyard Dance

5. David Shannon - No, David!, A Bad Case of Stripes

6. Doreen Cronin - Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type, Duck for President

7. Julia Donaldson - The Gruffalo, The Snail and the Whale

8. Robert McCloskey - Blueberries for Sal, Make Way for Ducklings

9. Don Freeman - Corduroy, Dandelion

10. Janell Cannon - Stellaluna, Verdi

(11. Dr. Seuss - that's kind of a given)

Who are your favorite authors for children's books?

I'm linking up to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com. Click over for more great Top Ten lists!

It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Every so often, I'm confronted with a harsh reality - not all of my "good ideas" turn out all that good. Here's a list of ten kid-related things that turned against me:


1. B. Pop-Arty Beads: a jar of 500 little pop-beads, for making pretend jewelry and whatnot. Fantastic as a math manipulative! Great for fine motor skills! But the kids love to just dump the whole jar out into the carpet. There are probably only 250 beads left in the jar, because the rest are scattered all over my house.

2. any Happy Meal toys: I'm pretty sure cheap plastic toys multiply in the middle of the night. I throw them away, and yet there always seem to be more - and we don't even get Happy Meals very often!

3. giant diaper bag: okay, for the first few months of my babies' lives, it seemed like we needed to haul everything but the kitchen sink around with us everywhere. We lived in constant danger of an eruption from one end or the other, and had to have the necessary supplies, plus changes of clothes, available. But after the first, say, 6 months? I tend to carry as little as possible. That giant diaper bag is just one more thing to clutter the bottom of the closet.

4. deep-pile carpeting: before we moved into our house, it had been abused and mistreated and then sat empty for almost a year. The original wood floors are in awful shape, and the floor itself is very uneven - we couldn't fix the hardwoods without a significant amount of under-the-floor work. We didn't have time or money for that, so we slapped carpet on top. I like carpet, but why in the world did I pick a light-colored, deep-pile carpet? Because I didn't have toddlers yet, that's why. DUMB.

5. Squirty bath toys: otherwise known as "deceptively cute breeding ground for mold and bacteria." The first time I realized the funk that was growing in that sweet rubber ducky, I couldn't believe it. (I am interested in these, though. You can take them apart to clean them!)

6. Taking the kids on marathon errands without packing snacks: I should know better. Apparently even an experienced mom can make a rookie mistake. I blame mom-brain.

7. High chair: we used our high chair a lot with Wendy, but it was huge and cumbersome and very hard to clean. We barely used it at all with David, especially once we got this booster seat. We LOVE the booster seat.

8. Diaper Genie: we had a Diaper Genie when Wendy was a baby, and we used it until it started to stink. The diaper smells were embedded in the plastic, so that even when the thing was empty it smelled awful. We got rid of it, and just put our diapers in the trash (or the diaper pail, if we're in a cloth-diapering phase).

9. Starting an Easter knitting project 3 days before Easter: when I decided to make a vest for David, I didn't intend to wait until the last minute. Easter has a way of sneaking up on me, and I didn't get the vest finished - even though I stayed up all night one night working on it. It still isn't done. Maybe he'll wear it next year. Maybe.

10. Letting a toddler take a library book to bed: another rookie mistake. That toddler, who is ordinarily very good with books, will suddenly have irresistible destructive urges, and Mommy will end up taking a tattered and torn book back to the library and begging for mercy from the Library Ladies.

I'm linking up to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com. Go check out other great Top Ten Lists!

Top Ten Tuesday: What to Do with Ground Beef

At our house, one of the most commonly-used dinner ingredients is ground beef. It's fairly inexpensive, easy to freeze, and easy to use in lots of different ways. All too often, however, I find myself staring at a thawed portion of ground beef and I draw a blank. I have no idea what we should have, and I find myself desperate for dinnspiration. (See what I did there? Dinner + Inspiration? Nevermind.)

Here's a top ten list of easy dinners using ground beef:

1. Tacos - ground beef, taco seasoning, toppings, tortillas, DONE.

2. Chili - this is an easy, mild chili recipe that can be made in the slow-cooker or on the stove.

3. Spaghetti - sometimes I go all-out and make my own sauce, but usually I just use Prego. It's yummy and fast.

4. Tater-tot casserole - there are many different variations of this, but they're all pretty good! (And none of them are even remotely healthy.)

5. Vegetable-beef soup - ground beef, mixed vegetables, beef broth, brown rice, and whatever seasonings strike your fancy. Yum!

6. Stroganoff - one of our family favorites. We love it with noodles, with white rice, with brown rice, and even with mashed potatoes.

7. Sloppy Joes - we love sloppy joes, but we usually serve them as open-face sandwiches, to be eaten with a fork.

8. Meatloaf - confession: I never use a real recipe for meatloaf. That being said, it doesn't always turn out the way I would like it to. I'm going to try this recipe next time.

9. Burgers - especially if you have a good grill. We only have a charcoal grill, and we seldom use it, but I'll occasionally make burgers on the stovetop.

10. Mac & Cheese - okay, this is kind of cheating. James grew up eating Kraft Macaroni & Cheese with ground beef & frozen mixed vegetables added. You know what? It's good. It's really, really good. Also? Fast. Cheap. Kid-friendly.

What dinners to you make with ground beef? What's your fallback recipe?

Visit Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com for more great lists!

TTT: Kindergarten at Our House

Wendy is 4 years old, and we are doing some kindergarten-level things at home this year. If we had decided to enroll her in the local public school, she would start kindergarten this coming August, as the youngest in her class. Since we've decided to homeschool and she shows a lot of interest in learning and "doing school," we're jumping right in!

Here's what kindergarten looks like at our house. (Keep in mind that we don't do all of these things every day; we're pretty flexible with our schedule.)

1. Reading lesson. We're using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and Wendy loves it! We've only done 6 lessons so far and I can already see results. She is so ready to read!

2. Read-alouds. We read a lot. Wendy loves picture books and so do I - we have a bookshelf jam-packed with great choices. I've also started reading some longer books. We're almost finished with Little House in the Big Woods, and it has prompted some interesting conversations around our house!

3. Bible read-aloud. As a family, we're reading through the Bible this year. James and I have done it several times, but since David was born, it's been difficult. (That's a bit of an understatement.) We've started the habit again this year, and it's been great for us!

4. Writing practice. Wendy loves to write. I let her pick out a pretty blank book at McKay's, and she just writes and writes and writes. In fact, over the course of several days, she copied the text from, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus," into her blank book. See?

It says, "Hey, I've got an idea! Let's play Drive the Bus!"

5. Handwriting Without Tears. Okay, so we haven't actually started this program. But we will! Soon! With Wendy being so self-motivated to write, I want to go ahead and start teaching her how to write correctly. It's much better to learn things the right way the first time - breaking bad habits is hard!

6. Math practice. Wendy has been learning how to add numbers up to 10. Yesterday, I wrote out some simple sums for her and we sat down and figured them out, using raisins as manipulatives. She did a great job, once her tendency to jump ahead without doing the work was reined in. (I don't know who she got that tendency from. *ahem*)

7. Art/crafts. Most of our "art" time consists of coloring. I need to do a better job of having more involved projects at least once a week. Wendy loves to make things, and I want to help her explore her creative side.

8. Ballet/gymnastics/something. This is another thing that we haven't actually started yet. I keep intending to sign her up for something and then forgetting. I don't even know when sign-ups for that sort of thing happen. I need to do my research and get her involved!

9. Chores. Wendy doesn't have any set daily chores (that'll be changing soon), but rather she helps with whatever we're doing. Dishes, laundry, cleaning, and even cooking are all things she really enjoys helping with.

10. Play! Play, play, play, and play some more! Games, puzzles, baby dolls. Independent play and more structured activities. While Wendy is "ahead" in her learning, she is still just 4 years old. She needs plenty of playtime, plenty of exercise, and plenty of time to just be 4. I don't expect her to sit still for hours on end for schooling. Instead, we work for awhile and take a break, and then come back to work.

Whether you homeschool or not, what does kindergarten look like for your family?

For more great Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit Amanda at OhAmanda.com!

I'm also linking to the Hip Homeschool Hop!

Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs (without taking a cruise in the Caribbean)

As I mentioned yesterday, winter can really get me down. When I find I'm coming down with a case of the seasonal blahs, I fight it with some of these things:

1. Let the sunshine in! The first thing I do every morning (after starting the coffee maker) is open up the blinds. Even on cloudy, dreary days, the natural light comes in and brightens up our day.

2. Play outside! It's hard to get motivated to go outside when it's cold, but fresh air does wonders for the spirit! Bundle up, take everybody outside, and enjoy the crisp air!

3. Bring the horseplay inside! This might be harder if your kids are bigger. Since mine are 4 and 1, we can easily run, wrestle, bounce and play inside without anyone or anything getting hurt. One of my kids' favorite things to do is run, back and forth and back and forth (and backandforthbackandforth) from our dining room to our living room. It burns energy, it's good for them, and it gets the winter wiggles out!

4. Break out the board games! When you're inside most of the day, it's too easy to sit in front of the TV or computer. Make a point to turn off the screens and tune in to each other. Board games, puzzles, crafts, even just coloring together are great ways to exercise creativity and imagination.

5. Create something! Bake cookies. Rearrange your mantle. Scrapbook. Make beaded necklaces with your kids. Paint that old chair that you've been wanting to revamp. Creativity is great for self-expression and mental rejuvenation!

6. Explore! Get out of the house and go somewhere! Go to a different library, a different mall, a museum, a park. Take a drive to a part of town you haven't seen before and spend some time exploring. If your kids are older, they can help you plan your excursion and even map out your adventure!

7. Learn something! Have you always wanted to learn to crochet? Knit? Sew? Make bread? Photoshop? There are so many great tutorials available online, and winter is perfect for trying out a new skill. I love to knit, and every winter I manage to learn a few new techniques.

8. Plan for spring! Map out a garden. Make a list of family outings you'd like to take in the upcoming months. Design a sandbox to build for your kids in the spring.

9. Take a Time Out! Sometimes all it takes to shake the blahs is a nice Time Out. For me, this would probably look like a quiet, sunny coffee shop, with my Kindle and a snack and no children. (That last part is key.) Winter brings with it a lot of togetherness, and sometimes all of that togetherness makes it hard for a Mama to think! Taking a Time Out helps to clear the cobwebs and refresh the mind.

10. Serve! There is no better way to work through problems than to serve others. Help a family member with a project. Work with a church group. Volunteer with a charitable organization. Help an elderly neighbor with snow-shoveling and errand-running. The possibilities are endless!

What do you do to get through the long days of winter?

For more great Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Top Ten Tuesday: Our Preschool

About three weeks ago, Wendy started preschool. We are homeschooling this year as a kind of trial run to help us figure out whether we'll enroll her in public school next year or continue on at home. After three weeks, I must confess: I love homeschooling.

Granted, this is just preschool, which means that our schoolwork takes maybe two hours a day and consists of reading and art and play. Who wouldn't love that? But I am also really enjoying seeing Wendy grasp new concepts and develop a real enthusiasm for learning.

Here are the top ten things we are doing for preschool:

1. Five in a Row - this is a homeschool guide for teaching children based on reading wonderful children's literature. We read the same book for five days in a row and have lessons based on the story. So far we have read Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Storm in the Night, and The Story About Ping. This week we are studying Madeline.

2. Other Books - going along with our book of the week, we use other books as reference to highlight important points or give a glimpse of another culture. For example, last week, when we studied The Story About Ping, we read books about Chinese culture and about ducklings.

3. My ABC Bible Verses - I choose a letter of the week based on our book of the week, and then we study the corresponding verse from My ABC Bible Verses. This book has a simple devotional story outlining the concept presented in the verse. We read the story on Monday and then work on memorizing the verse and talking about what it means.

4. Dolch Sightwords - I made flashcards based on this list of Dolch sightwords. We look at the flashcards and talk about them, but it's pretty low-key. Wendy is still at the pre-reading stage, so we aren't spending too much time on this, but I figured that early exposure wouldn't hurt.

5. Pattern Blocks - we ordered this set and I am so glad that we did! Wendy loves working with them, and she can already do all but the hardest cards by herself. I do wish the set came with more blocks; there aren't enough blocks for Wendy and me to do cards simultaneously. We'll probably be adding some blocks to our set in the near future.

6. Worksheets - I couldn't find a link to the exact workbook that we have, but there are so many good ones out there! I got ours at Sam's Club and it is great. It goes through shapes, colors, numbers and letters, and also has concepts like basic patterns and matching and relative size.

7. Art - lots and lots of art! Wendy loves to draw and color and paint and work with play-dough and pretty much any other kind of art you can think of! Some of our art goes along with our story of the week or our memory verse, and some is just for fun.

8. Writing Practice - in the last two weeks, Wendy has learned to write her name! I am so proud of her. Her "d" turns out like a "b" most of the time, but with practice I know she'll get it just right. We focus on writing the letter of the week and copying some basic sightwords starting with that letter.

9. Starfall - if you haven't used Starfall, then you're really missing out! Wendy loves doing the first level of activities, and she can do them by herself; she's learning computer skills as she learns to read!

10. Read-aloud - as you can see from the rest of the list, we do a lot of reading! We just started reading chapter books aloud, starting with Little House in the Big Woods. We read a chapter (or sometimes half a chapter) at a time, and for the most part, Wendy pays attention and understands what we're reading. I'm hoping that it will help her develop a love of reading and enhance her creativity!

What kinds of things do you do or have you done for preschool?

For more great Top Ten lists, visit Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda!

Top Ten Tuesday: Make Cleaning Fun!

Some people enjoy cleaning and organizing. I enjoy the idea of cleaning and organizing, and typically get 1/4 of the way through a project before getting distracted, leaving things in more of a mess than they were originally.

In an effort to keep myself motivated to make progress on housecleaning, I've compiled a list of things that make cleaning fun! Well, not quite fun, per se, but not excruciatingly yucky.

1. Coffee - starting with a good cup of coffee while planning the day's tasks really helps get things off on the right foot.

2. Attitude - having a good attitude for cleaning is ESSENTIAL. Absolutely vital. Are you muttering while you clean, berating the people in your house for being messy? Or are you thankful for having a comfortable home and for the ability to serve your family?

3. Playlist/Audiobook - a little entertainment goes a long way toward making a dreaded task enjoyable. Energetic music, especially the sing-a-long kind, really helps keep me going. A good audiobook can do the same thing, as long as it's not so interesting that you find yourself just sitting & listening!

4. Movie - I'm sure this seems out of place on the list, but I like watching something good while I fold laundry. Even if I'm way behind on folding (and when am I not?) I can get all of the folding done while doing something fun.

5. Checklist - the Motivated Moms chore planning system has really helped keep me on my toes. I highly recommend it; I'm definitely going to buy it again next year.

6. Apron - I don't have an apron, but I want one! I like the idea of putting it on to remind myself of what I'm supposed to be doing. And besides, they're cute!!

7. Scented Cleaner - to me, a house doesn't seem clean unless it smells fresh. Just yesterday I tried Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Geranium All-Purpose Cleaner, and it is fantastic! I want to use it all over the house, so that I can just sniff it all day long.

8. Tools - you don't need a lot of supplies to clean, but there are a few things that are very helpful. A bucket, good rags for scrubbing, a good duster, and a good mop help get things done in an efficient manner. (I would really like to try the Shark Steam Mop. Have you tried it? Is it a good as it looks?)

9. Snack/Water Breaks - making yourself work too long without a break is counterproductive. It's much better to plan on a short break every hour, with a glass of water and maybe a small snack. Otherwise, you'll exhaust yourself way too soon, and only get things half finished.

10. Flexibility - another essential if you've got littles underfoot, flexibility can help you keep your sanity on cleaning days. Gone are the days when I could whip my house into perfect shape with two hours of work. Instead, it's an all day or many-day process, and it never really gets "perfect." That's just how life is when you are raising small children! It takes longer. Being flexible about the timing of your cleaning helps keep the frustration at a minimum.

What do YOU do to make cleaning more enjoyable? I could always use more motivation!

For more great Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Top Ten Tuesday: Makes Me Smile!

I had a bit of writer's block when I was trying to think of a topic for today's Top Ten Tuesday post. I asked Twitter for suggestions, and Heather came to my rescue! Thanks, Heather!

Top Ten Things My Kids Have Done To Make Me Smile Lately:

1. Wendy was holding the front door for me as I was bringing in groceries last week. I walked through and she didn't shut the door. I said, "Close the door please, baby!" and she replied, "I'm holding it for God!" She always asks us if God is in the car with us, and of course we say yes...I guess it makes sense that He would come in the house when we do!

2. David has been really interested in Signing Time lately. He was watching a video the other day and I saw him grab one plump wrist with the other plump hand and sway back and forth - he was trying to copy the sign for "baby"!

3. Wendy was coloring very intently during our devotional on Sunday night. When she finished, she handed it to Miss Rachel, and said, "I made this for you!" (Miss Rachel is our church's resident grandmother. Everyone knows her and loves her.)

4. David knows that the first thing we do when we come home is take off our shoes, and usually his Daddy helps him with that. Now, whenever we come in, David plops down on the floor in front of Daddy, grabs the toes of his shoes, and asks, "shushuf?" which must be his form of "shoes off?"

5. We've definitely entered the phase of sibling squabbles, but today, all of her own accord, Wendy shared her snack with David! She saw that he was hungry, and said, "I'll share wif him!" She pinched off little pieces of her bread and popped it in his wide-open baby-birdie mouth. It was sweet!

6. David has entered a very hug-y phase, and we are loving it! He will be busy playing, and walk over to us, give us a hug, and continue on his merry way!

7. Wendy laughed in her sleep the other night. Like, a full-out, wide-awake sounding laugh. Even though it woke me up, I had to smile - she must have been having a good dream!

8. David has finally discovered that books are not just for chewing. He has a little touch-and-feel animal book that he will "read" for ten minutes at a time - he's fascinated by it!

9. Wendy makes everything into a song these days. It can get annoying, but it's also pretty funny. It turns simple requests for more milk into quite an entertaining show!

10. David's determination in exercising his new walking skills is really impressive. I have to smile when I see his focus as he holds his balance during a wobbly spell. He is such a busy boy!

Those are ten ways my kids have made me smile lately - and I must say, it was a good thing for me to focus on. These days of parenting an almost-4 year old and a 14 month old can be draining and exhausting. Revisiting all the ways they make me smile sure makes it seem worthwhile!

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

TTT: Things I Wish I Had in my Fridge

With summer officially here, I've been craving fresh produce. I haven't made it to the Farmer's Market, and we don't belong to a CSA group, so we're limited to what we can find in the supermarket.

Here is some fresh produce I really wish I had in my fridge:

1. Green beans - I got some decent fresh beans at the grocery store last week, and slow-cooked them in homemade chicken stock - YUM. Seriously - I think I could eat them every day.

2. Seedless watermelon - nothing beats a good, sweet, juicy watermelon. I look forward to introducing Wendy to the joys of outdoor watermelon-eating. Barefoot in the grass, juice dripping off elbows and chin - one of life's simple pleasures!

3. Cantaloupe - Wendy could eat cantaloupe until she can't hold any more. Unfortunately, I'm not the best cantaloupe picker-outer. I've got maybe a 60% chance of getting a good one, but only a 15% chance of getting a great one. Do you have any cantaloupe-choosing secrets to share?

4. Bicolor sweet corn - I love corn on the cob. A little butter, a little salt, and I'm in heaven. I don't think Wendy has ever had corn on the cob (FOR SHAME!!) and I know for sure that David hasn't. We'll remedy that as soon as I can find some good corn!

5. Green tomatoes - for frying, of course!

6. Ripe tomatoes - Mmmm...tomato sandwiches on toast with a little bit of mayo - heavenly!

7. Strawberries - my family LOVES strawberries! We get at least a pound every time we can, and they are always gone within 12 hours. They're great on waffles, in salad, on ice cream, or just alone, sprinkled with a little Splenda!

8. Peaches - when I was pregnant with David last spring, I craved peaches. James bought a few at the store and they smelled divine - sweet and juicy and peachy. They didn't taste that great, since it was way too early in the season, but OH! The smell was perfect!

9. Salad greens - I like a good salad, and I prefer it with crisp, nutrient-packed things. Dark greens, other-colored "greens," fancy, frilly, and fragrant, I like them all! (As long as I have tomatoes. Because a salad without tomatoes is just plain boring!)

10. Plums - the perfect plum is elusive, but it's worth the search. Tight, tangy skin, with a soft, juicy inside - they're just as yummy as they are good for you!

What are your favorite summer produce items?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

TTT: Toddler Finger Food

For some reason, the switch from a diet of formula & baby food to whole milk & table food has seemed like a sudden transition for both of my kids. Suddenly I have to think! About what this little person should eat! This little person who is hungry all the time and who can choke on just about anything!

It's puzzling.

I decided to compile a list of easy, healthy finger foods for toddlers, in the hopes that I'll be able to remember some of these options the next time I'm stumped.

1) Cheerios - okay, this one is a gimmie. David loves Cheerios, and he has the shirt to prove it.

2) Toast strips - plain, buttered, topped with melted cheese; there are lots of options for toast!

3) Steamed diced veggies - carrots and broccoli are easy to steam in the microwave, and can be diced quickly with a pizza cutter.

4) Shredded roasted meat - since I like to cook whole chickens in the Crock-Pot, I have a good supply of shredded meat in the freezer. It's tender and moist, and is easily shredded into toddler-safe bites.

5) Diced fruit - bananas, strawberries, apples, peaches - diced fruit is always a big hit! (I usually don't give David banana as a finger food, because it gets absolutely everywhere and somehow turns into something the consistency of spackle.)

6) NutriGrain or similar fruit & cereal bars - I haven't tried these with David yet, but Wendy loved them! I need to find a recipe for them to try to make them at home. Anybody have one?

7) Well-done macaroni with or without sauce - our family eats a lot of pasta, and David already knows that he loves it! I usually cook ours al dente, but for David's sake, I've been trying to make it a bit softer.

8) Shredded cheese - David loves it! But holy cow, does it make a big mess!!

9) Diced hard-boiled egg - a good, inexpensive source of protein.

10) Plain rice cakes - crunchy and satisfying, they make a good between-meals snack for a hungry baby!

Whew!! It took me a long time to come up with a list of ten finger foods. Do you have any suggestions?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

TTT: Things I Should Be Doing

I started two really great TTT posts, but I'm getting over being sick and don't have the energy to finish them today. I guess I have a head start for the next two weeks!

Instead, here's an easy list - the Top Ten Things I Should Be Doing Right Now.

1. Sleeping

2. Folding laundry

3. Vacuuming

4. Putting laundry away

5. Scrubbing the kitchen floor

6. Scrubbing the bathtub

7. Folding laundry (Did I say that already? Hmm.)

8. Decluttering my kitchen cupboards

9. Exercising.

10. Ironing

But instead of any of those things, I'm sitting on the couch, checking in with Facebook, Twitter, and Google Reader. So much for productivity!

For more (real) Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Top Ten Tuesday: Rainy Day Activities

Cold, rainy days are my least favorite as a stay-at-home Mom. I don't mind the occasional dreary day - it's a good excuse to be lazy and do a lot of snuggling. But around here, it seems like from November to May, all it does is rain, rain, rain - and being trapped indoors with a 3 year old is enough to try the patience of a saint!

I struggle with coming up with creative, constructive things to do indoors. The goal is not just to keep everyone entertained and happy, but to also help them to learn and grow and discover. I decided to brainstorm and come up with a list of activities to refer to during the rainy season; I hope sharing it here will help some other mother out there keep her sanity!

Top Ten Rainy Day Activities

1. Play-Doh - Wendy loves Play-Doh! It's so versatile; we use it to make objects (animals, snowmen, etc.) but it's also good for practicing letters and numbers.

2. Water Play - whether in the bathtub or the kitchen sink, water play is fun for everybody! Switch up your usual water toys and try some safe kitchen implements - ice cube trays, measuring cups, strainers, and bowls can make for a great playtime. It's also a good time to talk about comparisons and practice motor skills like pouring and stirring.

3. Dress-Up - we have a bin of odd clothes, eccentric costume jewelry, hats, purses, feather boas, and old sunglasses. Since our collection is primarily girl-oriented, we've started to add things for when David gets older, like a fireman's hat and old neckties. Playing dress-up is a great exercise for the imagination, and can lead to several hours of pretend play.

4. Movie Marathon - okay, okay, so a movie marathon isn't necessarily all that creative or constructive. However, appropriately-chosen movies can be a great topic for conversation and learning. Many movies also lend themselves to themed meals or crafts. Make a pot of soup while watching "Ratatouille," or create paper dolls of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

5. Bake Cookies or Bread - I don't know if every preschooler is like this, but my daughter loves to help in the kitchen! It can be hard to find things that are safe for her to do. When I bake cookies or bread, she can help with most of the steps, and of course she loves to eat the yummy results!

6. Build Fort - we are going to do this today! Sheets, pillows, blankets, a few well-placed chairs, clothespins, broomsticks - whatever you have on hand! A fort is a great place for a special picnic lunch and a story!

7. Build a Town - I think just about everybody has some toy cars and some toy people. Why not spend some time making a town out of a stray piece of cardboard or heavy paper, and then play with it? You could make buildings out of small boxes, blocks, or small plastic containers, and draw streets and parks on the cardboard...we haven't done this yet, but I know that Wendy would get a lot of enjoyment out of it!

8. Make Puzzles - Make some kind of artwork, and turn it into a puzzle! Just cut the paper into puzzle pieces, and put it together. It's fun, inexpensive, and can be tailored to your child's age and ability.

9. Write Letters - everyone enjoys getting real handwritten notes in the mail. Spend some time writing letters or drawing pictures to send to loved ones and friends, then get them all ready to drop in the mail.

10. Cleaning - when all else fails, something in the house needs to be cleaned. My brother and I knew not to complain of boredom when we were growing up; my Mom would immediately assign us a chore like dusting or vacuuming. It only took two or three times before we got the idea!

I would love to hear your suggestions for rainy day activities, especially for preschoolers! What do you do to keep your sanity?

For more great top ten lists, visit Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com!

TTT: Staples

Every homemaker has their own list of "staples," personalized to their individual households. There are some obvious things that are universal - like toilet paper - but others aren't as common.

Since I'm heading to the grocery store this morning, I thought I'd share my Top Ten Staple Grocery Items for our household. (I'm only including fridge/pantry items.)

1. Milk - we have a 3 year old in the house, and she drinks at least two cups of milk a day. We go through it pretty quickly; in a few months, when David starts drinking milk, we might need to buy a cow.

2. Eggs - we eat a lot of eggs. They're cheap, healthy, and can be fixed so many different ways! My fall-back dinner for very rushed or poorly-planned nights is scrambled eggs & toast - which brings me to...

3. Bread - we try to use healthy whole-grain breads as much as possible. Occasionally we'll splurge & get a loaf of good-quality white bread, because it's yummy.

4. Peanut Butter - again with the 3 year old. James and I love peanut butter, too, but for Wendy, it's practically a food group. She LOVES peanut butter, and asks for it just about every day at some point.

5. Brown Rice - once I finally figured out how to make good brown rice, I started to prefer it to white rice. It does take longer to cook, but it's worth it for the added fiber.

6. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - those packages of individually-frozen chicken breasts are fantastic. I love that you can take them straight out of the freezer & put them in the oven, & they'll be great in about an hour.

7. Frozen Veggies (variety) - I love vegetables, and some of them are best frozen - green beans, peas, corn, and mixed veggies, especially. Keeping frozen veggies on hand makes it easy to add some to a casserole or soup, or to make a quick, healthy side or snack.

8. Petite Diced Tomatoes - great in soup, chili, stew, casseroles, spaghetti sauce, pasta salad, and many other things. They're especially good in the winter, when it's so hard to find good fresh tomatoes.

9. Fat-Free Cream Cheese - it's a great "secret ingredient" in lots of dishes - eggs, casseroles, mashed potatoes, anywhere that a bit of creamy tanginess is needed.

10. Fat-Free Sour Cream - one of our favorite weeknight meals is Beef Stroganoff, and it's fantastic made with fat-free sour cream; we can barely tell a difference from the full-fat version.

Those are some of the staple grocery items at our house; what kinds of things are staples for your family?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Meals for Sharing

Our church Care Group meets every Sunday evening, and after a family-style devotional, we have a simple potluck meal. I have several favorites that I like to make and share; they work well for potlucks, office parties, or any "covered dish" event. They are all fairly simple and could stand alone if needed, but would also complement other foods nicely.

Here are the Top Ten recipes I use for potluck main dishes:

1. Chicken Pot Pie

2. Chili

3. Beef Stew

4. Baked Spaghetti

5. Lasagna

6. Pastitzio

7. Macaroni & Cheese

8. Cheesy Shell Casserole

9. Creamy Pasta Primavera

10. Chicken & Rice

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Top Ten Tuesday: Kids' Craft Supplies

My daughter, at 3 years old, is a very busy girl. She is on the move from the time she opens her eyes in the morning to the time she reluctantly closes them at nap time or night time. She is also great at keeping herself entertained...however, her methods for self-amusement generally involve messes, bruises, or a crying little brother.

When Wendy is given a little more guidance in her play, we all benefit. Her attitude is better, her behavior is better, and we get to share some special and funny moments. She really likes to make things, so I am in the process of stocking up on some craft supplies for her.

Here are my Top Ten craft supplies to keep on hand for a 3 year old:

1. Crayons and Washable Markers - these are an obvious necessity for an easy craft time. Wendy loves crayons, and she really loves markers - see?


That's why WASHABLE markers are essential. I've been really happy with the easy clean-up of Crayola's washable products.

2. Construction Paper - I just bought a giant stack of construction paper at Sam's Club yesterday, and I can't wait to use it! I think today we'll be making these turkeys and talking about Thanksgiving. (And if you don't subscribe to Impress Your Kids, you really should. That site is jam-packed with wonderful ideas!)

3. Stickers - Wendy is fascinated with stickers, and loves to put them on her potty chart & use them to embellish her original artwork. She can go through them pretty quickly, so we use the cheapest ones we can find, and she likes them just as well as the expensive ones.

4. Felt and Craft Foam - I really need to get a few different colors to keep on hand for projects. It's cheap and extremely versatile.

5. Googly Eyes - who doesn't love googly eyes? You can use them to turn any project into something fun.

6. Pipe Cleaners - bendy, colorful, and fun, and no mess involved! Pipe cleaners are great for shaping into animals, letters, numbers, or "jewelry."

7. Glue Sticks and Safety Scissors - glue and scissors are another obvious choice. Wendy knows how to use scissors, but hasn't quite developed the coordination and strength to make it work. We're going to practice as we do our crafts, because it is an important preschool skill.

8. Glitter Glue - kids LOVE sparkles! Glitter glue is fantastic, because it lets you have the fun of glitter without it getting absolutely everywhere.

9. Popsicle Sticks - great for making puppets, Christmas ornaments, buildings, bookmarks, and so many other things! They are cheap, and can be painted, colored, and glued. You can get big bags at most craft stores, or wash the ones your family uses!

10. Yarn, Feathers, Leaves, Acorns, Buttons, Sequins, Pinecones, etc. - being able to make her projects "fancy" makes Wendy happy! And I know she's not the only Fancy Nancy out there...

What have I forgotten? What craft supplies do your kids love to use?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Top Ten Tuesday: Knitting

My blog has been so quiet lately! I've been taking some time to work on things, so I haven't been online much. Hopefully we'll be in more of a routine soon, and I'll be able to write - I miss it!

For today, I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com.

Top Ten Things I Want to Knit:

1. Mittens - I have some great self-striping yarn that I would love to use to make mittens for Wendy. I just need to find a pattern or figure it out on my own.

2. New Hat for David - I made him a hat a couple of weeks ago, and I love it, but it is too small. It barely fits him, so I'd like to make the same pattern again and make it bigger.



3. New Hat for Wendy - I don't think Wendy has a warm hat that fits right now, and I need to get working on that!

4. David's Blanket - I started a blanket for David the day we found out he was a boy, and I haven't finished it yet! Other projects have taken over. I really need to get on it & finish it up so that he can use it this winter.

5. An iPod Cozy - I saw this pattern on Ravelry, and I'm pretty sure I could adapt it for my iPod. If you knit - these would probably make good Christmas gifts!

6. Sweater for Wendy - now that I am back in the habit of knitting & have learned some new skills, I'd like to tackle a sweater. I've never made a sweater before, but I think I can do it. All I need is the right yarn & enough time to get it done!

7. Jumper/Dress for Wendy - I have this pattern saved in my queue (I like to use that word whenever possible) on Ravelry, and Steph at Adventures in Babywearing wrote about it last week. I like the fact that the pattern is knit from the top down, so that you can add length as your girl grows - Wendy is growing so fast, it's hard to keep her in dresses that are long enough.

8. Pillow covers - we could really use some pillows for our couch & floor, and I'm sure I could knit something that I would like a lot better than what I've seen in the stores.

9. Socks - I would love to knit a pair of socks! It looks a little complicated, but I think once I finished one, I'd be able to do them pretty quickly.

10. Christmas presents - and since some of the recipients might read my blog, that's all I'm going to say about THAT.

Are you a knitter or crocheter? What's in your list of projects?

Top Ten Tuesday: Read-Aloud Books for 2-3 Year Old

I love books. I love children's books. But when it comes to reading aloud, a book has to meet certain criteria for me.

1. Repetition is great for kids - but not so great for the adult who is reading the same book over and over. One of Wendy's favorite books is "The Little Engine That Could," but reading it more than once a week is enough to drive me insane. Books with a lot of repetition tend to get "lost" in the back of the bookshelf...if you get my drift.

2. I really enjoy reading books out loud that have a rhythmic cadence. They don't have to rhyme, but if they do, that's even better. (I think perhaps I like that style of book because I love to sing.) The #1 book on my list below, The Gruffalo, is my current favorite for just that reason.

3. Sharing stories is one of the best ways to teach children about life - about morals, work ethic, consequences, manners, etc. The books I choose to read with my children are ones that SAY something - not just, "Look at Duck. Look at Duck swim. Quack, Quack, little Duck!"

4. Illustrations are a great way to involve kids in the stories being read. Wendy really pays attention to the illustration, and will ask questions about the things that she sees. Whether they are simple and vibrant, detailed and complex, or colorful and realistic, the illustrations play a key role in my selection of books for my children.

I've listed my top ten favorite read-aloud books for children from 2-3 years old. They fit all of my picky criteria above, and they can all be read in 5 minutes or less. They are the books that I turn to when Wendy asks me to read to her, and they are also the ones that she is most likely to look at and "read" on her own.

1. The Gruffalo


2. My Lucky Day


3. Click, Clack, Moo



4. Ten Apples Up On Top


5. Green Eggs and Ham


6. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, etc.


7. The Very Hungry Caterpillar


8. The Little Red Caboose


9. Richard Scarry books


10. Sandra Boynton books

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall Favorites

As I'm sure you know, today is the first day of fall! Fall is my favorite season for many reasons, so today I'll share with you the Top Ten Reasons I Love Fall!

1 - Weather. I do not like heat and humidity. I do not like sweating. Fall weather is just about perfect - brisk, cool mornings, pleasant days, and chilly evenings. The bright blue skies and damp ground after a nice fall rain make me feel renewed & revived.

2 - Changes. I love seeing the progression of the colors of the leaves. I enjoy seeing the things in my flowerbed relax & sigh & settle down to sleep. I love driving through showers of falling leaves, when the yellows & reds flutter down all around me. Love it.

3 - Smells. When the outdoors smells like damp ground, burning leaves, and cut grass, I'm in my happy place. Inside, I love the scents of pumpkin bread baking, apple butter simmering, and a fresh pot of coffee brewing. Yankee Candle has a scent called "Fall Festival" that I really want to try out - from the description, it combines all of my favorite fall scents into a candle!

4 - Apples. Pie, cobbler, apple butter. Shiny apples in a bowl on the table. Crisp sliced apple as a snack. There isn't much better than fresh fall apples!

5 - Pumpkins. I love decorating with pumpkins! We might make our first trip to a pumpkin patch this year, if I can find one nearby.

6 - Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Rolls. My absolute favorite thing to do with pumpkin! I've never liked pumpkin pie - it's jiggly, and that's just too strange. But I love the combination of the pumpkin cake with the cream cheese filling. And my whole family loves it when I make it!

7 - Clothes. I love sweaters and jeans, pretty flats and boots, and the jumpers my daughter wears in the cooler weather.

8 - School. I have always loved the back-to-school season, even as a kid. Now I'm not in school, and I don't have any kids in school, but I still love it! I enjoy perusing the sales on school supplies, and I love seeing those tiny little kindergarteners with their enormous backpacks, all excited to be going to school for the first time. As mentioned in "You've Got Mail", there's just something about a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils!

9 - Wendy's Birthday. How could I not look forward to my favorite girl's birthday? She will be 3 on Saturday, and she is having a Princess Party with family. It will be fun and girly and very pink-and-purple. And she's getting a kitchen playset, which she will LOVE!!

10 - Looking forward to the holidays. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I really enjoy the planning & preparation - shopping, baking, gift-wrapping, decorating. It's all fun!

For more great Top Ten lists, visit Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda!

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Sounds

This will be a busy day for us; the kids & I are off this morning to get their pictures taken. We haven't done it with Wendy since her first birthday, and the only professional pictures we have of David are from the hospital. Since his 3-month is close to her 3-year, we're taking them together.

I was thinking the other day about the sounds that I love, that are the sounds of "contentment" to me. Since I don't have much time this morning, I'll share with you a list of my favorite sounds, in no particular order:

1. Wendy giggling

2. David laughing

3. baby sneezes

4. the white-noise of the baby monitor when the kids are asleep

5. the domestic, homey sounds of the dishwasher, washing machine & dryer all running at once

6. purring cats

7. the first frogs every spring

8. any music by Casting Crowns

9. crackling campfire

10. baby hiccups

What sounds like "contentment" to you?

Lifesavers

There are countless products available for parents of newborns. They range from the basic to the bizarre, from simple to elaborate, and from very useful to dust-collector. I've put together a list of things that have been indispensable to me this time around, in the hopes that it helps someone else!

1. Swing
We have a Graco Lovin' Hug swing (in a retired print) that we bought before Wendy was born. It's battery-powered, comfy, sturdy, and fairly lightweight. Wendy used it occasionally, but David loves it! He naps in it almost every day, and he sometimes sits in it to play, too. It's also the quickest place to put him if I need to set him down suddenly to take care of Wendy. The batteries last a pretty long time, too - we put new ones in when he was born, and haven't had to replace them yet after hours and hours of use!


2. Moby Wrap

I've written about my love for the Moby Wrap before. It's comfortable, easy to use, easy to clean, and I just can't say enough about it! I wish I had known about them when Wendy was a baby.

3. bumGenius 3.0 diapers

We started using cloth diapers for David about two weeks ago. Before we commited to a certain kind, I tried several. The bumGenius 3.0 one-size pocket diaper is definitely our favorite! It's easy to use, adjustable, comfortable, fairly trim (for a cloth diaper), and washes easily. We've had a few leaks, but it's been because they weren't adjusted correctly. I really enjoy using these diapers, and I definitely enjoy not throwing more money away on disposables!

4. Bumbo

The Bumbo is something David is not quite ready for, but I expect to be able to use it in just a few weeks. It's a baby positioner, and holds them in a seated position once a baby is strong enough to hold his head steady. Wendy really liked it - in fact, she still likes it, and somehow squishes her giant almost-3-year-old self into the seat to watch TV!

5. Ministar baby shoes

If you have a baby or toddler, you need these shoes! I can't overstate how wonderful they are. We discovered them when Wendy was about a year old; I had a coupon for them & decided to give them a try. They are similar to Robeez baby shoes, but are much more affordable. The best thing about them is that baby cannot get them off! Wendy wore them up through last winter, because she would not leave her socks on. Even being 2 1/2 at the time, she could not figure out how to get them off, and so her socks would stay on!

6. Tide original powder

We use Tide for all of our laundry, and it has never let us down. It's especially good for the cloth diapers, and gets them clean & smelling fresh. We buy the big box from the warehouse store, and it lasts a long time!

7. Diaper bag w/ lots of pockets

I always pack a lot of stuff when going out with a newborn. Pockets help me to stay organized on the go. I found this bag on sale for $40, and I love it! It's not too diaper-baggy, if you know what I mean, but it definitely does the job. It's neutral, so James can carry it without looking like a doofus, and it will last for years. My favorite feature is the buckle straps for fastening it on a stroller - we haven't used it for a stroller, but I use it all the time on shopping carts!

8. Thermal knit blankets

These have been wonderful for swaddling David. We've got several inexpensive ones (not the Pooh one pictured - it was the only image I could find!) and we use them all the time. They are lightweight, slightly stretchy, and usually a little bigger than the typical receiving blanket - which helps when you have a BIG boy like ours!

9. Johnson's Bedtime Baby Wash & Lotion

Scent is very important to me when it comes to choosing bath supplies, and I love the scent of Johnson's bedtime bath! It makes David smell so yummy and good and clean!

10. James!

Well, you can't get one of these at the store. And you can't have mine. Best of luck finding your own.