Sharing the Love!

To get my kids to share their love with their siblings in preparation for Valentines day, we made these cute mailboxes.
I bought them in the $1 section at target. Decorated them in scrapbook paper, and stickers in their initials.
Then, just set some papers and pens nearby and the kids left each other so many sweet, love notes over the past few weeks.

Personalized for each child!

Sorry for the blurry picture. These turned out soooooo cute. Another type, print and frame craft, personalized for each child.
It has the words to a favorite primary song, I am a child of God. In between each line, is the personalization. I did the words to the song in black block print, and the personalized info in 2 colors that match the room, and in cursive.

Loving this!!

I am loving Pinterest! I have got so many of ideas off of it, like this!
I had a few small 5x7 frames sitting around. I typed and printed and ta-da!!
If you can't see the picture well..... I typed up important dates to my husband and I in block print (10.18.95) The dates I used were: the day we met, our wedding date, and the birthdays of our 3 kids. Under each block date, in red and cursive writing I wrote out that date (18 October 1995).
At the bottom in block print I typed: The dates our lives were forever changed
It turned out so cute, I made one for my mom and dad too!

Great learning idea!

Seth hasn't got tired of this yet, and we made it a few weeks ago. He is reading a little faster, and I think its because of practicing his sight words.
I just got a white poster board and made a parking lot. It took me like 5 minutes, not very time consuming. In each parking stall, I wrote a sight word.
To "play" he gets 3 or 4 cars. One of us will tell him a word and he parks a car on the word. There is more room to grow too.... another week and I think we will be adding the 1st grade sight words!!

Job Chart Clipboards

Ok...So I guess the key to job charts is to mix them up often so they don't get bored! We made these cute clipboard job charts a few weeks ago. I found these mini clipboards in bright colors at walmart. I printed out their daily jobs, including homework, piano practice, reading, etc...; and then I laminated them.
Now the clipboards hang on the wall, and with a dry erase marker, the kids can mark off the jobs as they do them. As soon as they are finished with everything, I leave a reward on the clipboard. Reward ideas: small prizes from the dollar store, a bag with coins in it, treats, whatever you think of. My oldest loved getting hairspray, body wash and new socks because these were things she needed.
2 of my 3 kids end up getting prizes daily! Now if only I can get that 1 child motivated!

Praise the Positive!

My kids sometimes are a little naughty ;). Here is a way to visually show them when they are good. Praise the positive and maybe more positive behavior will come!
I just printed a page with "Caught you being Good" on the top and each of my children's names down the page. I framed it. I put it on the piano where they see it multiple times a day.
Now, everytime I see them doing something good, I put a mark by their name with a dry erase marker. I don't erase when they are bad... because again... I'm trying to praise the positive! Once they have 15 marks by their name, they get a prize such as going out for ice cream with mom or dad.
Examples of being good? Playing with each other without fighting, doing their chores without me asking, stopping their own arguments without me, etc...

I love you because.....

I made these for my kids. They need to hear how and why I love them. This makes it easy to tell them how and why!
First I bought frames, then I decorated them with stickers and buttons I had in my scrapbook stuff. I printed a paper that says "I Love You Because...." and inserted it into each frame.
Now hang it on a wall where your child will see it often. (My kids each have one in their bedrooms!) With a dry erase marker, write on the frame a reason you love them. Update it often!! My kids remind me to change it if it's been a few days, and also have begged dad to write something as well. They love it!!
*TIP* use a frame with glass, because the marker doesn't come off of plastic as easily!

Perk up your orange juice!

Golden Juice
1 1/2 C. orange juice
1 carton peach yogurt
1 can apricot nectar
1 tsp. honey

Place ingredients into blender; process until smooth.

Oh my Deliciousness!! I can't stop eating these!!

Snickerdoodle Bars
2 1/3 C. flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon filling:
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Spray or grease the bottom only of a 9x13 pan. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla until combined. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients until combined.
Spoon half the batter into pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over batter. Drop teaspoon size amounts of remaining batter over cinnamon mixture.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and done in the middle. Cool completely,about 1 hour. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars, cut into bars and enjoy!