LOST and FOUND

Lost: one red sock

Found: Love of Strawberry BananaTofu Smoothies

Helping Mama:

I just love learning more about Montessori type education. I was inspired by another mama online and her encouragment 'we don't live around him, we involve our child.' My goal is to begin teaching him, include more hands on activities, even added responsibilities.  So, today I involved L. and he did a wonderful job! We started out our day with L. getting dressed with mama's help. He really is capable of LOTS that I simply am not patient enough to allow him to complete. Before if I were working in the kitchen or trying to focus on another task he would fight the task for my attention, but today he was contented to work next to me. Here are a few pictures of what HE did. 

Cutting a banana with a (plastic) knife. 

Here he was learning how to wash dishes. 

And yes, the rug got a little damp, but that was fine! 

Not Pictured:

 

He rearrainged the silverware drawer ( i didn't appreciate that one!)

Poured and stirred our hot ceareal breakfast

Fed himself most of his breakfast with out help

Played the drum with chop sticks and the counter top 

I know everyone gets tired of hearing a parent brag, but just trust me this little boy is smart. (He's even cunning at times.) He knows a great number animal sounds and lots of words including, but not limited to: phone, hi, byebye, hello, train, plane, book, read, breakfast (we worked on that today), bread, snack, cat, baloon, ride (bike), eat, water, chip, juice, cheese (the FAVORITE food we have to limit!), smoothie, daddy, oh and the list could just keep going, but my mind is tired. I'll add more as i think of them!:) 

Backlogging...

Muscle man!

Laundry Soap 101

This was a strangely stressful experience that turnned out to be no more difficult than making potato salad, though i highly recommed you NOT eat this project! 

And here it is.. step by step...

1: grate half a block of Zote soap. I really didn't enjoy this part. I found that the fine dust produced by this action irritated my sinus' and it has a very strong fragrance... almost *gasps* suffocates! The zester side worked best!

2: melt soap in 4 cups water over med/low heat, til all the little bits of soap are gone and you are left with a fragrant soapy syrup... like this... *gasp* then fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/2 way with hot water and dump it in..

3: The next thing is like adding mayo and onion to the potatos, but instead its 1 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax to the pink, suffocating, soapy water, and stir stir stir it up.

4: Just fill it up with water, wait 24 hours and -Viola! Laundry Soap! (this is the Duggars' recipe... you can read more about it here. It makes a LOT!)

Thanks Cori for the inspiration and help with recipes, and thanks Gwen for the motivational peptalk and finding the soda! I'm counting down for 24 hours to start using it!!!! 

I brake for Lunch

I got this little tee shirt for L. on diaperswappers.com, a favorite passtime and shopping location. Not only did i think it was a practical, longsleeve, correct color scheme (brown) and the right size. It fit our family. Steve and I LOVE sub sandwiches.. so why not indoctrinate him at an early age???

Daddy Dearest:

Steve and a friend, Todd taped a skit for the kids at church last week. what a hoot! It was Flat man and Bobbin! They did a super job and we had a great time hanging out! Here is a mug of the event...

This last pic is the dynamic duo trying my juice!