March – What I’m Loving/What We’re Reading

IT’S APRIL! I’m not sure how that happened but here I am writing a blog post about 3 things I’m loving and what we read during the month of March. Here we go!

What I Am Loving:

#1. Paint By Sticker

“Paint by Number” and “Color by Number” are common activities but have you heard of “Sticker by Number?!” I was recently introduced to this creative outlet and my 4-year-old and I are slightly obsessed.                       

As a Mom, I love having a go-to quiet and zero mess activity that keeps my kiddo entertained. As a teacher, I am giddy that “Paint by Sticker” helps with fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and learning numbers. 

“Paint by Sticker” activity books consist of numbers within an image and corresponding stickers. Simply place the sticker on the correct spot on the image until your picture is complete. TOO FUN!

There are different “Paint by Sticker” activity books for kids to choose from. Popular ones include: Dinosaurs, Unicorns, Under the Sea and Zoo Animals. Check them out!

Want to join in on the fun? They make “Paint by Sticker” books for ADULTS too. Lots of options! I own Birds

#2. Nursing Bracelet

Know someone who is expecting a baby? You will be that mama’s hero if you gift her with a nursing bracelet. (My hero was my sister. Thanks, Melanie!) It’s called a “nursing bracelet” but moms can use it to track when their baby ate last whether they’re breastfeeding or not. Here is how it works…

It’s set up like a clock with beads indicating the time. The number beads indicate the hours, and the colored beads model 15-minute increments. A charm is moved around the bracelet each time baby eats to remind mom what time their baby last ate. (Nursing moms, this bracelet can also be switched from one wrist to the other to remind you which breast side baby last ate) 

The example above shows that baby last ate at 3:15. Done feeding? Use the bracelet to track glasses of water per day instead. Best. Invention. Ever.

 

My bracelet came from an Etsy shop called Green Grass Boutique

#3. Bath Letters & Numbers

Do your kiddos have a favorite bath toy? My kids have had a set of Bath Letters & Numbers for years and never tire of them. I recently bought a new set because I love these pieces as much as my kiddos! Why? Because they provide teaching opportunities without my kids knowing their learning. Letter and number recognition, letter sounds, and how to read CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words are just a few ideas that you can teach your kiddos both in and outside the tub using this amazing $4.48 product. 

What We're Reading:

Godmothers

Author Lisa Bevere encourages women to be for each other instead of in competition with one another in her new book, “Godmothers.” Drawing from her own life, biblical women, and the world of fairy tales, Lisa walks women through what to look for in a Godmother and how to be one. 

Growing Boldly

Reading, “Growing Boldly” felt like having a coffee chat with a dear friend. A friend who listened to my dreams and believed they could come true. A friend who firmly pushed me to take the next step while promising to pray me through the journey. “Growing Boldly” serves as an encouragement to boldly live the life God called you to. 

Enemy Pie

YES! A children’s book that models kindness; even to those who are hard to love. “Enemy Pie” is my daughter Ava’s “go to” book lately. She loves the humor and illustrations and I love the lesson taught and the great conversations we’re having as a result of this excellent read. “Enemy Pie” brings to life God’s call to us in Matthew 5 to “Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.” 

Blue Hat, Green Hat

My almost 2-year-old daughter, has jumped on the “Sandra Boynton bandwagon.” Emma likes to stack all the Sandra Boynton books we own in a tower and hand me one at a time until we have read them all. Her favorites is “Blue Hat, Green Hat” 

What have you been loving lately? What books are you reading? As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU. 

Toss or Treasure?

Meet my daughter Ava. If I had to describe this 4-year-old in a word it would be, “Creative.” Whether it’s coloring, painting, drawing, writing, or building, Ava is always, “working on a project.”

Anyone else have a little artist on their hands? If so, please tell me your child’s room looks like this at the end of each day too! 

I love Ava’s creativity and encourage her to use her imagination but… What am I suppose to do with every “treasure” and “masterpiece” she hands to me? It has taken a lot of trial and error but I finally came up with a system that works for our family. 

Step #1: Designate Art Display Areas

Each time Ava gifts me with one of her creations,  I ask, “Where would like me to display this?” Being that art is a passion of hers, I intentionally created spaces in my home to hang her art. Doing so makes Ava’s face light up with joy and prevents papers from piling up around the house. Everybody wins!

Wire Picture Hanger

This wire picture hanger from Amazon has been the greatest addition to our playroom! I especially love that the hanger clips make it FAST and EASY to change out artwork. 

Magnetic Boards/The Refrigerator

Yes, I display artwork on our refrigerator. However, I limit our fridge to 2-4 art pieces because I don’t like clutter on my fridge. 

The picture above shows our basement playroom. This room had a big empty wall to fill and I knew my kiddos creations would make great decor for this space. These 5 magnetic boards are from IKEA. Again, the fact that these boards are magnetic, make it FAST and EASY to change out artwork. 

Bulletin Boards

Ava use to love placing artwork ALL OVER her room. It’s her room and I want her to make it her own. But oh my was I struggling to watch EVERYTHING get taped to the walls. And I mean “a big piece of paper with one sticker on it” EVERYTHING. Yikes!

My solution? A large bulletin board. I even brought Ava to Hobby Lobby and allowed her to pick out what fabric she wanted to staple to the board to dress it up. Of course, she picked a furry pink one!

Art Border

Ava colored a book of pictures and was adamant they all  get hung in her room. These pictures were NOT all going to fit on her fuzzy pink bulletin board…sigh. 

My solution? Display the coloring pages in a line so it looked like a colorful border. Ava and I had a blast picking out scrapbooking paper to tape as a border around each picture.

 

I look at this wall in her room and smile because she got her pictures up, I found a way to avoid pictures randomly placed all over the walls, and we had fun decorating this space together.

Shelf for Art Creations

I have designated the top of our IKEA bookshelf to hold all my daughter’s art creations that cannot be hung on the wall. Ava loves that they are on display for all to see and I love that they add fun decor to the playroom AND are out of reach to her younger siblings!

Step #2: Toss or Treasure?

The “designated art display areas” will eventually get full. When this happens, it is time to decide what should get tossed and what is considered a treasure. 

I tend to be a “chucker.” NOT because I’m not sentimental but because if I held on to everything that “Ava worked so hard on,” I would need to rent a storage unit just for her artwork! Besides, I picture “adult Ava” looking at boxes of her 4-year-old artwork and saying, “Mom. You’re crazy. Why did you keep ALL this stuff!”

It’s easier for me to throw things away when I feel I’m doing “adult Ava” a favor. 

What is Considered a Treasure?

What you consider a treasure is going to be different than what I consider a treasure because our kiddos are uniquely different. But, here are examples of items I have held on to:

Anything with a picture is going to be impossible for me to throw in the trash. 

I try to remember to write on the item I am keeping as soon as I can find a pen! Here you can see that I wrote the date as well as the occasion this was given to me on: Ava’s last day of MOMS on May 8, 2019. 

Anything with a handprint is also going to be impossible for me to part with. Especially with a sweet saying to go with it. Cue the waterworks! 


Again, notice I wrote the date and occasion on the paper. 

I hold on to “special cards.” This was my first Mother’s Day card and my husband’s first Father’s Day card. Even though Ava couldn’t write in them, she picked out these cards herself and was proud as a peacock to give them to us. When Ava is old enough to write in cards, I’m confident I will hold on to those too!

I classified this picture as a “treasure” because I can see my giddy 4-year-old handing it to me and saying, “Mom! I made this for you! It’s an elephant! I made you an elephant because they are your favorite animal!” 

Knowing I would want to hold on to this picture for the foreseeable future, I asked Ava to write her name and age on the picture. If she couldn’t write yet, I would have written down this info instead. Putting an age or date on the artwork sets it apart amongst the random pile of papers. Your future self and adult children will thank you. 

Step #3: Store Treasures

Once you decide on which artwork to keep, the next step is to decide how to store it. I currently keep Ava’s treasured artwork in this clear bin. As she gets older, I will likely have to adjust my system. However, this is working perfectly for now. 

Step #4: Take Pictures

With the artwork that didn’t make the cut to the “clear bin,” but is still special, I take pictures. Sometimes I take a picture of just the completed artwork but most of the time I have Ava hold her project and smile for the camera. 

Depending on what you do with the pictures you take, this step will vary. I personally make a scrapbook each year and gift it to my kiddos on their birthdays. For example, when Ava turned 4-years-old, I gifted her with a Shutterfly album of the past year so she could reflect on all the fun things she did at age 3. In this Shutterfly album are the pictures I took of her and her artwork (examples of Ava’s album are shown below). 

I love the concept of taking pictures of Ava with her artwork and placing them in a photo album because it enables both her and I to see what she made without holding onto the hard copies of everything. Is this time consuming? Can be. Is it worth it to me? 100%!

Step #5: Throw Away

Once you have taken pictures of the “still special artwork,” throw everything away! You don’t have to tell your kids your throwing it out; just close your eyes and do it. 

As always, these “Tidy-Tips” are NOT rules you have to follow. They are simply a guide to help you get started if you’re feeling overwhelmed with “too much stuff.”

How do you decide what to toss and what to treasure? How do you store the “keep items?” As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU! 

Easter Celebration Ideas

Do you have a favorite holiday? Mine is Easter. Why? It’s less stressful than Christmas, comes with signs of spring after a cold Minnesota winter, and above all, it is a celebration of our RISEN Savior!

Easter will forever be the greatest story every told but how do we share that story with the littles in our lives? Introducing…

5 Ways to Celebrate Easter with Kids

1. Sock Tradition

These are the socks my daughters received for Easter last year. 

For as long as I can remember, my parents have gifted my sisters and I with socks for Easter along with a note to encourage us to, “Follow Jesus.” Our husbands and children now look forward to receiving socks too. 

Maybe this tradition is where my love of socks came from? Plus, I have yet to put on a pair of “Easter socks” without thinking about standing firm and having my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6). What a great visual reminder!

2. Resurrection Eggs

As a mom and former teacher, I love telling the Easter story using Resurrection Eggs because it enables kids to see and touch the Easter story as well as hear the good news. 

These Resurrection Eggs come with 12 eggs; each holding an object that represents an important element of the Easter story. Also included is a booklet to read to your child as he/she opens each egg. 

3. Easter Books

We have a basket in our living room that we fill with books based on the season/holiday we are currently in. When March rolls around, we replace the basket of Valentine’s Day books with books about Easter. 

Don’t have Easter books at your house? No problem! Most libraries have a display table filled with books about Easter that you can check out. Having books about Easter within your kiddos reach is a great way to talk about the true meaning of Easter all month long. 

Our Favorite Easter Books:

4. Easter Baskets

Each Easter we gift our kiddos with 3 items in their Easter baskets: a book, candy, and a surprise item. For example, last year Ava received the book, “The Easter Egg” by Jan Brett along with egg-shaped Oreos for her “candy” and bath bombs for her “surprise item.”

5. Resurrection Rolls

I love this Easter breakfast tradition because it is a creative and interactive way to explain the Easter Story to children. Plus, it is easy to make and tastes great!

Resurrection Rolls Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 package refrigerated crescent dough
  • 1 bag of large marshmallows
  • 1/2 cup of butter; melted
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees 
  2. Grease a muffin tin pan and set aside
  3. Melt butter in a small bowl
  4. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a separate small bowl 
  5. Unroll the crescent dough and separate into the triangles (along the dough perforations) Explain that the dough represents the tomb that they put Jesus into after his crucifixion
  6. Hold up a white marshmallow and explain that it represents Jesus. Roll the marshmallow in butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Explain that it represents the oils and spices that were rubbed on Jesus body before they placed him in the tomb
  7. Place the marshmallow onto a dough triangle near the larger end. Wrap each side of the dough up and over the marshmallow and explain that the dough represents the tomb where they buried Jesus. Roll the dough in your hands until all of the marshmallow is covered and sealed
  8. Dip the rolled dough in butter and then dip in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and place in the greased muffin tin
  9. Repeat until all of the dough has been used
  10. Bake for 15 minutes
  11. Allow to cool then cut the rolls down the middle. Before cutting, ask if the kids remember what happened on the third day. Remind them that when they went to the tomb where Jesus was buried, the tomb was empty because Jesus rose. Cut through the roll and show the kids how the “tomb” is now empty. Jesus is ALIVE! 

Do you have Easter traditions? If so, please share what you do with your kids and grandkids. As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU!

It’s No Drag with an Organized Bag

Want to hear a great oxymoron example? An organized diaper bag! 

Through personal experience and observation, I concluded that owning a bag lined with smashed goldfish and candy wrappers must come with the “Mom” title. Am I Right?! 

Writing a post on diaper bag organization is tricky because we all have different bags and kiddos with various ages, needs, and interests. But no matter what your bag looks like or the contents it holds, it is possible to keep it organized. 

How to Organize Your Diaper Bag in 5 Easy Steps:

1. Empty Diaper Bag

Take everything out of your diaper bag and wipe down the inside and outside of your bag. Starting with an empty and clean bag will motivate you to keep it looking good.

Shout out to my friend Tia. She is the one who asked me to do a post on diaper bag organization. She even gave me her diaper bag to organize and write the post regarding. Thanks!

2. Sort Items into Piles

I sorted Tia’s items into the following categories:

 

  • First aid items
  • Masks
  • Diapers/wipes
  • Garbage
  • Entertainment for her
  • Extra clothes
  • Entertainment for kids
  • Snacks/beverage
  • Items that belong elsewhere

3. Organize Piles

I like to organize diaper bag items using various sizes of Ziploc bags. They may not look cute but they are cheap and make it easy to see what is inside.

The “snack pile” and “first aid pile” were placed in snack size Ziploc bags. The “entertainment for kids pile” and “extra clothes pile” were placed in gallon size Ziploc bags. The “garbage pile” went in the trash and the “items that belong elsewhere pile” will be given back to Tia to place somewhere NOT in her diaper bag. 

4. Assign Diaper Bag Areas

The key to an organized diaper bag is consistency. Assign a pocket in your bag to hold diapers/wipes and always place diapers/wipes in that designated spot. Assign an area in your bag to hold your ChapStick and gum and make sure only ChapStick and gum are allowed in that spot. You get the idea!

Assign a designated spot in your diaper bag for garbage. I know it sounds crazy but diaper bags are magnets for expired coupons, candy wrappers, receipts, Etc. Assigning an outside pocket of your bag to keep trash in until you get to a garbage can is an easy way to keep your diaper bag looking good!

I made this side of Tia’s diaper bag the, “Kid side.” The pocket on the left is diapers, the pocket in the middle is the designated spot for garbage, and the pocket on the right consists of a bag of snacks.

I made this side of Tia’s bag the, “Mom side.” The pocket on the left holds her masks, the pocket in the middle is her first-aid items, and the pocket on the right is currently empty. 

5. Replenish

When you get home from your outing, take a few minutes to go through your diaper bag. Empty the “garbage pocket” of your bag, put more diapers in, place your daughter’s dirty clothes in the hamper, refill the “snack area,” and place the used bottle in the kitchen sink. Doing so will keep your diaper bag organized AND prepare you for your next outing.

Have a diaper bag organization tip? What is a diaper bag item that you don’t leave the house without? As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU!

That’s A Wrap!

Picture this. 

You’re in Target looking to purchase a gift for your friend’s baby shower. You choose the bath toys and shampoo she registered for along with a set of cozy jammies. You then put a gift bag and tissue paper in your cart. Done!  

Does this scenario sound familiar? There is nothing wrong with this scene. But, why purchase a gift bag and tissue paper if you already have some at home? Likely it’s because you didn’t know you had a specific gift bag occasion or color tissue paper on hand. 

Want to join me in saving time and money by organizing your gift wrapping stash?

Organizing Gift Bags

Step 1: Dump and Declutter

Dump all your gift bags into a pile. Then, declutter by sorting the bags into two piles: Keep and Discard. If you have gift bags in your pile that you would never reuse because they are ugly, ripped, or written on, dump! 

Step 2: Sort by Occasion

Go through your keep pile and sort the bags by occasion. As shown in the picture below, I sorted my bags by Christmas, Valentine’s Day/Love, any occasion, baby, and birthday. 

Step 3: Sort by Size

Take one “sorted by occasion” gift bag pile at a time and put them in order from smallest to largest

Step 4: Place Bags in Alphabetical Order

Once all the gift bags are sorted by occasion and size, I place them inside a container in alphabetical order: Baby Boy, Baby Girl, Baby Gender Neutral, Birthday Boy, Birthday Girl, Birthday Gender Neutral, Christmas, Everyday Occasion, and Valentine’s Day/Love (bridal shower/wedding bags)

Organizing Tissue Paper

Step 1: Sort by Color

Dump all your tissue paper in a pile and sort by color (This is a great activity to have the littles in your life help you with). 

Step 2: Fold and "Taco Shell"

Take one pile of “sorted by color” tissue paper at a time and fold them to roughly the same size. Then, take one piece of tissue paper from the pile and hold it in your hand like a taco shell. Place the rest of the tissue paper pile inside the “taco shell.” 

Step 3: Place "Taco Shells" in Container

I place my “taco shell” tissue paper piles in a container using ROYGBIV order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) followed by occasion and white.  

Check out my completed “Gift-Wrapping Station” below!

Organizing Wrapping Paper

Step 1: Dump and Declutter

Dump your rolls of wrapping paper in a pile. Then, declutter by going through one roll at a time and discarding any wrapping paper you find ugly or almost gone. 

Step 2: Place Wrapping Paper in Container

Place wrapping paper rolls in a container where you can easily see and reach for the desired roll. 

What else do I have in my “wrapping paper container?” Keep reading!

Random "About Me" Info:

I love books but hate book covers. Therefore, I use book covers as wrapping paper. I simply sort my book covers into two piles: Children Books and Adult Books. I then put the two piles of book covers in the container along with my rolls of wrapping paper. 

How do you wrap gifts? Do you gravitate towards gift bags? Wrapping paper? Something “different” like book covers? A combo? How and where do you store your gift wrapping materials? As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU!

Until next time, that’s a wrap!

Reading Can Sound When Order is Found

Do you listen to music when you drive?

Do you listen to an audiobook when you wash dishes?

Do you doodle when you listen to a speaker?

We tend to keep our hands busy while we listen. Yet, we get frustrated if our kiddo won’t sit still while we read to them. 

Like adults, all kids are different. My 4-year-old can sit through book after book while my 22-month-old will sit through about four pages before she announces she is, “All done!”

Whether you have a child that gravitates towards books or not, I think we can all agree that reading is important. So, how do you read when you have a child that won’t sit still? How do you make reading a priority when your kiddo doesn’t seem interested? You give them something to do with their hands while you read aloud to them. 

Before reading to my kiddos, I ask, “Would you like to do an activity while I read?” If their answer is, “yes”,  I put the activity drawer of their choice in front of them and start reading. 

In order to set myself up for a successful read aloud time, I need the kid’s activities to be easy to see and easy to reach for. 

Introducing today’s Tidy-Tip Tuesday: Organizing Busy Hands Activities. 

My favorite way to organize kid activities is by investing in storage containers with clear pull out drawers; as seen in the picture below. 

Clear, pull out drawers are my favorite because:

 

  1. They hold a lot of supplies
  2. You can easily see what’s inside each drawer
  3. You can pull the whole drawer out when doing the designated activity 

You can find these clear drawer organizers anywhere. They come in different sizes and colors. They also have different number of drawer options!

Clear drawer organizers is one way to organize your child’s “busy hands” activities. Remember, do what works best for you and your family.

Interested in what activities my kids gravitate to? Keep reading. 

Crayons and Coloring Pages

My daughter Ava loves to color. If she chooses this activity, I simply pull out the drawer of coloring books and the drawer of crayons and place them in front of her. Best part? Easy clean up! No more trying to get crayons back in the crayon box; just dump them in the drawer! 

Play Doh

Play doh is a wonderful tool! It strengthens fine motor skills, encourages imaginative play, and can be used for educational activities. Ava especially likes practicing her letters using play doh mats. 

Paint

These paint pages by Melissa & Doug are my favorite. I love how convenient it is having all the paint colors at the top of each painting page. Simply hand your child a cup of water and a paintbrush and they are ready to get creative!

Scratch Art

Scratch Art by Melissa and Doug is another favorite activity of ours (I enjoy it too)! You simply scratch the pages to reveal the hidden picture. 

Stickers

Stickers are my kids love language. They don’t even mind going to the doctor because they know they will get a sticker. It amazes me that a drawer of stickers and a piece of paper can entertain them for an extended period of time. 

Dry Erase Boards

Dry Erase boards are the best. I love that one side has lines in case your child wants to practice writing their letters/numbers. And the other side is blank if they feel like free drawing. 

Water Wow and Color Blast

No matter what the age of your child, Water  Wow and Color Blast is sure to be a hit! Water is all you need to color the image. No mess and lots of fun!

Paper

Simply giving your child paper provides them with all sorts of fun activities. They can put stickers on paper, practice their cutting skills, draw, make paper airplanes, Etc. 

Other Ideas:

Other activities kids can do to keep their hands busy include building with magna-tiles/legos, making puzzles, knitting, crocheting, or working on a latch hook. Kids could also make cards, jewelry, work on a model car, cut out magazine images that start with the letter A, and so on.

 

The options truly are endless! You know what your children are interested in. Have fun reading with them and creating memories together!

How do you organize your kid’s activities? What is your child’s favorite “busy hands activity?” As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU! 

February – What I’m Loving/What We’re Reading

Does anyone else feel like they just flipped the calendar to February and now we’re in March already?! Crazy. Business.

You guys! My baby boy will be a month old on Tuesday, March 2. I can’t even. So, let’s change the subject!!

What I Am Loving:

#1. Stained Glass Coloring Books

Have you heard of these? If not, the kiddo in your life that enjoys coloring will think this is the coolest thing ever. My 4-year-old daughter Ava is one of them. 

These stained glass coloring books consist of 16 different designs. Kids can color the pages with felt-tip pens, colored pencils, or crayons.

 

Once their picture is done, you simply tear it out of the book and tape it to a window. The sun will shine through the picture your child colored; making it look like stained glass. Too fun!

Want to purchase a stained glass coloring book? Contact an usborne book consultant. My cousin Ashley is one. You can shop her link at n11709.myubam.com or contact her at ashleyroelofs16@gmail.com 

#2: S'mores Bars from Papa Murphy's

Shout out to my sister-in-law Melissa for introducing me to bars that make my taste buds sing! Simply take off the cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Easy to make AND a taste sensation? Yes, please! 

These S’more Bars truly taste as good as they look. Next time you’re buying pizza at Papa Murphy’s, purchase these s’more bars too. Your singing taste buds will thank you. 

#3. Artificial Green Branches

Have you ever noticed that people often dress like their homes? This is true for me. I love to wear neutral colors with pops of green and I decorate my house in neutral colors with pops of green too.

I enjoy adding green throughout my house with faux plants (props to everyone out there that can keep real plants alive!) My favorite faux plants are these twigs from Amazon. I have purchased these greens a few times over the years. I love their height, their simplicity, and the fact that they look real.

Interested in adding some faux greens to your house too? Click the link Artificial Green Branches to purchase. 

What We're Reading:

Busy Toddler's Guide to Actual Parenting

Susie Allison is one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram. If you have a toddler, you’re going to want to follow her too! She can be found at Busy Toddler

When I saw that Susie had published a book, I knew it needed to be on my bookshelf. Wow. I was not disapointed. So sooo good! This book is filled with parenting tips AND includes over 50 kid activities. 

Click on Busy Toddler book to purchase a copy for yourself. 

"Dot Sticker Sort" is one EASY and FUN activity included in the book. This fine motor project teaches concentration and independent play as well as sorting and color knowledge.

"Tape Rescue" is a great activity because it strengthens a child's fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Plus, I enjoyed watching my daughter Emma get excited each time she rescued someone.

Stuart Little

I read the book and watched the movie, “Charlotte’s Web” with my 4-year-old and she absolutely loved both the book and movie. Therefore, I thought I would try another book/movie combo by E.B. White – Stuart Little. 

Ava and I devoured this book. I normally read her one chapter while she is eating her breakfast but with “Stewart Little” she kept saying, “One more chapter!” 

 

Other than the same characters, the movie is completely different from the book. However, the movie is great too. I especially loved the dialogue that was taking place throughout the movie, “There’s George! That didn’t happen in the book. In the book, Stewart…” Etc

 

You can find the “Stewart Little” book and the “Stewart Little” movie on Amazon. 

Poke-A-Dot! Good Night, Animals

Have you ever handed a kid a piece of bubble wrap? It entertains them until each and every bubble is popped, right?! Now imagine gifting a child with a book that consists of bubbles they can pop FOREVER. Talk about non-stop fun!

 

I cannot and will not stop talking about these Poke-A-Dot books by Melissa & Doug. I’m obsessed. Have you heard of these or have I been living under a rock?! 

My 21-month-old daughter Emma was gifted this book when my son Carson was born and I hand it to her each time I feed him because it keeps her entertained. The pages are durable, the pictures are colorful, and the fact that you poke dots on each page is too fun! 

Click Poke-A-Dot Good Night, Animals to purchase. 

If you purchase a stain glassed coloring book, try a s'mores bar from Papa Murphy's, have a favorite "Busy Toddler" activity, Etc please let me know. As always, I would LOVE to hear from YOU!

Prepare for Hair Care

Do you have a daughter? If so, do you struggle with how to organize all their hair clips, bobby pins, ponytails, and headbands? I know I have!

I thought a designated drawer in the bathroom to hold all my daughter’s hair accessories was the solution to keeping them organized. I was wrong. Yes, all the supplies were in one place but it was hard to find what I was looking for among the chaos. Ugh. 

Plan B: Put all the hair clips, bobby pins, ponytails, and headbands in individual Ziploc bags. Then, place Ziploc bags inside designated bathroom drawer. This too was a fail. Though it took less time to find what I was looking for, I still had to dump out the whole bag of hair clips to find the one I wanted. Plus, the fact that the drawer was within reach of my toddler resulted in all the bags being opened and dumped on the bathroom floor. Every. Day. Double ugh! 

I needed a system where all the hair supplies were in one place, sorted, and easy to both see and get at. After two failed plans and much frustration, I came up with a solution that worked for me!

Introducing today’s Tidy-Tip Tuesday: Prepare for Hair Care

Hair Clips

I wanted to see all my daughter’s hair clips and get to them with ease. Ziploc bags didn’t work. Cardboard did! I simply decided how I wanted to sort/display the clips and cut an Amazon box to the desired sizes. 

Being that all these bows are the same, I wanted them all on the same piece of cardboard. I then sorted them by color and put them on the cardboard in order of ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) followed by colors pink, white, brown, and black. 

I sorted the remainder of the hair clips into three categories: small clips, black clips, and miscellaneous clips. 

Sooo much better! Now when my 4-year-old says, “Can you put two bows at the ends of my braids?” I can hand her the piece of cardboard and say, “Which color?!”

Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken. I liked the packaging that these smaller clips came in because I can see the clips and have easy access to them. No change necessary. 

Bobby Pins/Ponytails

These two bags use to consist of brown hair ties in one bag and clear ties in the other. I combined the two into one and used the other bag to hold bobby pins. 

Like the hair bow clips, I wanted my daughter’s bow ponytails to be easy to see and have access to. However, instead of using cardboard, I cut up the tube from a roll of wrapping paper (a toilet paper roll would work too). I then put the bow ponytails on the tube according to ROYGBIV followed by colors pink, white, and black. 

Headbands

I have no special system for headbands. I simply group the headbands together and place them in the front of the hair accessories basket. Done. 

I LOVE having all my daughter’s hair accessories organized, easy to see, easy to get at, and all together in a “hair accessory basket.” Just looking at this picture makes me SO happy!

I no longer have a designated bathroom drawer for my daughter’s hair supplies. Instead, I put the hair accessory basket in the bathroom cupboard above the toilet. This is the perfect location because my 4-year-old can reach it when she or myself does her hair. However, my toddler can no longer reach it and disrupt the beautiful organization. 

There are TONS of ways to display hair accessories. Would you please share how you store yours?

If Sitting is Easier than Serving

“Seriously, Nic? Seriously?!” 

My husband watched our 4-year-old and 21-month-old daughters while I attended a dentist appointment. I was gone for two hours. Two. Hours. So yes, I was slightly irritated when I came home to my family sitting in front of the television wrapping up a two-hour movie. Seriously?!

I was frustrated with Nic. Not because he did anything wrong; but because he didn’t do anything at all! 

Is this how the Master felt in Matthew 25?

“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

 

His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”

The Master was frustrated with the servant. Not necessarily because he did anything wrong; but because he did nothing at all!

LAZY. Nobody wants to be known as lazy. In fact, we often place a VIP badge on our chest by telling others we are putting in 40+ hour weeks and talking as if our place of employment would fall apart without us. We even brag about how many days we have gone without a shower because, “Who has time for that? Thank goodness for dry shampoo, right?!” 

Too often we go to bed exhausted because we are pouring so much time and energy into our job, our families, or our hobbies. But are we pouring into our faith lives? Or have we turned lazy? 

  • I would go to church but it is a lot of work to get everyone there on time
  • I would read the Bible if I had more time
  • I told a friend I was praying for her but have yet to do so
  • I saw the sign-up sheet for the church fundraiser but don’t feel like making bars
  • I would tithe but first I have to pay off my loans
  • I love spending time with teenagers but being a youth group leader is too much of a commitment 
  • I would volunteer to help in the church nursery but I no longer have children/grandchildren in it
  • I love having a mentor to guide me in my parenting but it is intimidating mentoring someone else 

Have you turned lazy? I know I have. 

No. We don’t have to sign up for every volunteer opportunity, donate money to each organization or spend an hour in prayer each day. But, what would happen if you and I made tithing, reading our Bibles, and making a pan of bars for a fundraiser a priority? As significant as fulfilling a job deadline?

Author and speaker Lisa Whittle said this in regards to our calling/gifts: 

 

This is no ship that sails. 

There is no losing relevance.

There is no aging out.

 

Serve God and love people to your last breath!

If sitting feels easier than serving, remember that you are needed. Your gifts, your purpose, and your calling are needed. 

 

We have a God to serve and people to love. It’s not a “have to” it’s a “get to!”

Let’s serve God and love others until we hear the praise of Matthew 25:21

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

Tidy Tip: Elevating Earrings

Are you a jewelry person? 

 

For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed wearing jewelry. Whether it is a dainty necklace, chunky bracelet, or dangle earrings, I feel more “put together” when I have a statement piece of jewelry to compliment my outfit. 

 

Knowing my love of jewelry AND desire to keep things organized, my parents gifted me with this beautiful jewelry box my Sophomore year of high school. 

This jewelry box is perfect for necklaces, bracelets, rings, and stud earrings. However, I have quite the collection of dangling earrings. So much that the designated spot for earrings looked like this…

Even though I have a large collection of big earrings, I was wearing the same pair everyday  because it was too much work to dig for the corresponding pair.

 

I don’t like holding on to things I’m not wearing/using. So, I knew I had to come up with an organization system where I could see all my earrings and have easy access to them. 

 

Introducing today’s Tidy Tip Tuesday: Elevating Earrings!

I purchased this frame with chicken wire for $12 at a craft sale. However, you can easily make one for yourself at half that price! Simply find a frame at a thrift store and staple gun some chicken wire to the back. Or purchase one. They are all over Etsy! 

I hung my chicken wire frame to the inside of my closet door and started hanging up my earrings. 

 

I hung my earrings up by COLOR. Starting with ROYGBIV (red, organge, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) and then continued with pink, brown, gold, silver, black, and white. 

This is now what the top of my jewelry box looks like. Quite a difference, right?!

 

On the top right corner are all my stud earrings. Storing all my dangle earrings on a chicken wire frame freed up a ton of space! Sooo happy!!

This is now my view when I open up the closet to get ready for the day!

 

I absolutely love having all my earrings in plain view for me to see. And the fact that it is hanging inside my closet is super convenient! It’s organized. It’s practical. And it’s CUTE!

 

How do you organize your jewelry? I would LOVE to hear about/see how YOU display your necklaces, earrings, and bracelets as well as your earrings.