Making the Most of What We Have

This years theme in our home is to make the most of what we have.  While the jellybeans played,I dug out old t-shirts from the donation pile, using the material to make the most of what we have.
Love it when I can add another dollar to being debt free :)

I hate to buy jeans when it is going to warm
up here in AZ in a month or two.
Added different designs to worn
out jeans...out of the give away bag.
This one is my favorite!

Booster seat cover
on line $40.00
Replacement booster $26.00+
Cost to keep my booster = $0.00

Dressing for Church

This is how one jellybean thought get dressed for church meant:

What one can get a way with when your 3....yes, I took tink to church in all her fairy glory!



Stranger Danger 101

Stranger abduction is  a rare occurrence and missing children are often missing at the hands of someone known to the family or a family member.  Regardless teaching our children basic escape strategies is as important as basic fire drills practice in the home.  Once a year we go over escape and prevention strategies followed up by practice, which the kids think is fun.  I don't want my children to be scared but prepared and free to enjoy childhood of riding bikes, playing outside with friends. This is addtition to adult supervision.

Prevention:

1.  Roll play and focus on adults don't ask children for help.  That is there cue to leave the situation.

2.  Safety in numbers, my kids love to play out front but not without their siblings.

3.  Staying away from cars, or adults they do not know. Personal space.

4.  Running the opposite way and screaming this is not my parent.

5.  Reviewing who are safe adults are as well as safer strangers: asking a mom with children for help. Focusing on a strangers behavior not what they may look like. 

6.  Locking ones legs onto their bike so as not to be put in a car, while screaming.

7.  Google sexual predators and find out who lives in your hood. 

Rescue:

1.  Getting out of a car. Unlocking power doors, crawling out windows.

2.  In a trunk? Pulling the wires, trunk safety release, or even pushing out the tail lights if possible.

3.  Flicking lights at night to get attention.

4.  How to call 911, leaving the phone down, not hung up, so the police come. Additionally leaving

shoes by the phone with their name inside. To raise suspicion.

5.  How to flood the toilet, in hopes of getting potential help inside.

6.  ID bracelet with a number and reward if found, teaching children they would need to leave this in a public place.

7.  Telling their teacher if they are not with their correct adult.

The public library has dvd's and books to bring up this subject and to review. We like the zany

DVD    

  Be Safe,  

                                   DeAnn

70's and Snow...I LOVE AZ

The weather has been so spring like, I'm getting spring fever and we aren't quite finished with our Christmas break. Its been fun riding bikes, going to parks, leaving the doors open but it didn't feel like winter at all. Thank you Holly for sending us your snow pictures, we grabbed our jackets and sleds..inspiring us to take a little jaunt up the hill to play in the snow. It was a day of warm winter fun. When the jellybeans were properly frozen, we had to laugh at our selves as our spontaneous trip, we left a few items at home and not in the car..looking liked quite the gypsies we headed to town to get a bite to eat. Picture: mismatched clothes without shoes and Chloe without a change of clothes making due in my hoodie jacket.  Our lack of planning made for a good laugh ending a great fun snow day!  Here are a few pictures to inspire you to take time to play and to remind my Arizona friends it still is winter.  ~ D

Meal Train

Unfortunately, my work family has had our share of loss these last two years.  Just as I heard about the latest plans to support a one of our own with meals. I had a thought, they need to be able to do sign ups on line! Then not 5 minutes later, an email appears from my very creative and wonderful coworker with the link that does just that. 

Hopefully your coordination of meals is for something to celebrate not a loss that reminds us how precious life is.     WWW.mealtrain.com

Glitter + Ornaments = Sparkly FUN!

We tried making our own glitter ornaments with success and a few failures, regardless it was a fun activity we could all participate in.  Here is what you need:

Floor Wax, Glitter, Glass Ornaments and a funnel is helpful.

We first put in the pledge floor wax, swirled it around until the entire interior is coated. Dump the extra wax back in the pledge container. We then pour the glitter in and shake until the ornament is nicely coated. Let dry.

Learn from our mistakes:
Plastic ornaments don't work after they dry the glitter starts to fall off.
Watch our for ornaments that do not have the traditional size opening.
The floor wax dries quickly.  If it does, we just added more wax, swirled and started over.

My favorite are the classic Christmas colors, but mixing them up was fun too. Monograms, bows...lots of ways to personalize your ornaments.  Its beginning to feel like Christmas! 

Introducing George Our Elf

George our elf came to visit last night. He arrives the first night our Christmas tree is lit with the first gifts of Christmas, elf size gifts of course.  This year I snapped a picture of him to share with the kids. Even though Brendan is to old to believe in George the elf, his response was from that 6 yr old who received George's first gift of Christmas...  "Thats what he looks like!" 

George has been visiting us for the last 10 yrs when he had to arrive early to bring Brendan a parakeet who would not have made the long ride and all the stops with Santa.  He doesn't hang around like this new elf on the block who likes to sit on a shelf. He leaves his gifts as he has much to do to prepare for Santa's big night. Though his visits are brief, the kids LOVE him, sadly I think my kids can be bought.  Glitter our Penquin is Santa's reporter, Glitter play jokes, and likes to spy on the kids but they always find her. I love Glitter she is the best pet we've had!

Tonight she hid from me, as I searched high and low, in cabinets, boxes and through
the garage looking for our little friend. I breathed a big sigh of relief when I finally found her.
 She was hiding in one of those places the kids will never find, but add a year to it and Mom can't find her either!!  Gotta love those mom moments!