November 2010 – Nurture Mama

“Take my hand.”

November 29, 2010February 7, 2011 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“For children all over the world, we say: “Take my hand. Hold on tight. We will stay on the path together back to our Heavenly Father.”

“Parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, Primary leaders—each of us can reach out to hold on to the children. We can stop, kneel down, and look into their eyes and feel of their innate desire to follow the Savior. Take hold of their hands. Walk with them. It is our chance to anchor them on the path of faith.

“No child needs to walk the path alone so long as we speak freely to our children of the plan of salvation. Understanding the plan will help them hold to the truths that they are children of God and He has a plan for them, that they lived with Him in the premortal existence, that they shouted for joy to come to this earth, and that through the Savior’s help, we all can return to our Heavenly Father’s presence. If they understand the plan and who they are, they will not fear.”

Rosemary M. Wixom, “Stay on the Path,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 9–10

My Thanksgiving links

November 23, 2010November 23, 2010 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

Ant Bug “What kind of key doesn’t open any doors?”

Me “What?”

Ant Bug “A Turkey.”

Ha ha ha (thanks to the morning news at the Ant Bug’s school today).

Thanksgiving has really crept up on me. I have to admit that I dropped the ball on this one and neglected to check out any Thanksgiving books from the library. Yikes, shame on me. And other than our Family Home Evening lessons on Gratitude we haven’t done any Thanksgiving related activities. Luckily, I still have a few days to get in some turkey time. Here are my favorite Thanksgiving links and ideas for 2010:

Pinecone Turkeys from A Pumpkin and a Princess

Thanksgiving Literacy Fun, here and here at Pre-K Pages (thanks to The Activity Mom for the link)

Lots of Thanksgiving game ideas at Prepared NOT Scared

Tot School Turkeys at Little Page Turners

Favorite Thanksgiving Crafts at No Time for Flashcards

What are you thankful for? picture and frame at No Time for Flashcards

This is the song I will be teaching to six little 3-year-olds at our Thanksgiving party on Tuesday. (Thanks to the Ant Bug for teaching it to me)

Sing to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”

It’s November.

Let’s give thanks.

Family at the table.

Thanksgiving is great.

(and add a gobble, gobble for fun)

Sunday evening I had a craving for something pumpkin-ish and sweet. My willing husband obliged me by making Pumpkin Bars. Delicious, and I wanted to eat the whole pan (pumpkin is healthy-right?!). Ours turned out more like cake instead of bars, so we ate it with a fork. I had to share the recipe, because they are really yummy!

Pumpkin Bars (from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

4 beaten eggs

1 16-ounce can pumpkin

1 cup cooking oil

*Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin, and oil till combined. Spread batter in an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

Bakin in a 350 degree oven 25-30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours on a wire rack. Spread with Cream cheese Frosting; cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

*Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together 3-ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened; and 1 tsp vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.

Be known as a woman of God

November 22, 2010November 21, 2010 Nurture Mama 1 Comment

“Bear in mind, dear sisters, that the eternal blessings which are yours through membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are far, far greater than any other blessings you could possibly receive. No greater recognition can come to you in this world than to be known as a woman of God. No greater status can be conferred upon you than being a daughter of God who experiences true sisterhood, wifehood, and motherhood, or other tasks which influence lives for good.”

Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov 1979, 102

Christmas Cards 1,2,3,4,5

November 18, 2010November 18, 2010 Nurture Mama 2 Comments

After 8 years of married life, I think we’ve got the Christmas card tradition down pat.

Step 1: The Family Photo

Always at the top of my to-do list in October or November is our annual family photo shoot. Being graduate students on a limited budget, we are “do-it-yourselfers” when it comes to a lot of things, including family photos. We load up the kids and our camera (with a timer and a tripod) and head to a nearby park or green area (plenty of those in Florida). We headed out last weekend on a beautiful day, and we got some great photos of the family and each of the kids.

In 2009 we showed off our Gator pride. This year we’re a family of 5!

Step 2: The Christmas Cards

We have done some type of Christmas card each year, ranging from homemade, to store bought, to digital (read: email). Last year was our first year ordering photo cards online and I’ve been sold to the merits of photo cards ever since.

This year, we’re shopping at Shutterfly for our cards. They have so many great products for preserving and sharing memories through photos (like calendars, ornaments, and puzzles) and their photo card designs are excellent. I started browsing through their card section and here are a few designs that I like:

Really, I could go on and on here. So much fun, I’m going to have trouble picking just one! Do you want to pick one out too? If you’re a blogger, you can get your cards from Shutterfly too-FREE! (!)

Step 3: The Annual Letter

Drafting the letter is usually the hardest part. Just the right amount of news and accomplishments without bragging can be a little tricky, but I think the letter is an important record when it comes to preserving our family history. Most years we have followed a traditional letter/newsletter format. In 2009 we shared 9 things we did that year, and in 2006 we shared a “Family Timeline”-a few bullet points highlighting each month. I’m still searching for some brilliant way to share 2010 with our family and friends.

Step4: Address and Mail

Definitely involve the kids in this step. The Ant Bug loves to add the stamps and address labels, and if she wants to lick the envelopes I’m happy to let her do it! Otherwise, I usually just use a damp washcloth to seal things up.

Step 5: Enjoy

I love to get the mail during the month of December, because receiving a Christmas card from a family member or friend is so exciting. We always post the pictures on the wall and enjoy them throughout the month.

Do you send out Christmas Cards each year? Remember: !

An index of kid snack ideas

November 17, 2010November 18, 2010 Nurture Mama 2 Comments

When it comes to snacks and lunches, it is easy to fall into a rut of eating the same thing all the time. So I made up quick reference list to serve as a reminder to branch out a little bit when it comes to the snack menu.

Some of our typical snacks

Crackers and the like: Goldfish, animal, pretzels, Quakes mini rice cakes, etc.

Granola bars

Fruit: apples, bananas, grapes, Craisins, peaches, applesauce, etc.

String cheese

Gogurt (frozen makes a fun popsicle in the summertime)

Chips and salsa

Tortilla with melted cheese

Popcorn

Ritz crackers with ham and cheese slices (we call them lunchables at our house)

Ritz crackers with cheese and apple slices

Ritz crackers with peanut butter and banana slices

Fruit snacks (okay, I know these are really more of a treat)

New Favorites for us this Fall

Fruit Smoothies: This is our daily morning snack (in reality a continuation of breakfast). I just blend up fruit, milk, and a little dash of sugar. I buy the big bag of frozen fruit (strawberries, peaches, and pineapple) from Sam’s Club and usually toss in a banana as well.

Baked Cinnamon Chips from Our Best Bites: At our house these have been dubbed “Cinnamon Crunchies” and my girls love them. My simplified version of their recipe is to slice up the tortilla, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mix, then bake in the oven at 450 degrees for a few minutes and then switch to broil when we get too impatient and too hungry. These are really simple and yummy.

After School Muffins: The Ant Bug said these are her favorite muffins, so the recipe is a keeper. Although, I am sure it is probably due to the chocolate chips!

Flavored Cream Cheese spreads: like strawberry, garlic and chive, veggies, etc. Spread on a slice of bread or a cracker. The Sweet Bee loves the strawberry flavor and has a “pink sandwich” almost every day for lunch.

Snack Ideas I want to try

Soft Pretzels

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Quite a few bloggers were writing about this topic and sharing their favorite snack/lunch tips earlier this school year. Here are the links to my favorite and most helpful posts:

Ideas for Packing a Lunch at Our Best Bites

On the Go Breakfasts at Our Best Bites

10 Snacks Kids Can Make Themselves at Cozi

Finger Foods for Toddlers Part 1 and Part 2 at Simple Kids

Cooler Cold Lunches at Meck Mom (a 5 post series)

Healthy and Fun School Lunches at Food Your Way

Tips for a Healthy Lunch Box

What are your favorite kid snack ideas? Please share–I would love to add some more ideas to my list!

FHE: Be Grateful

November 16, 2010November 16, 2010 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

Scripture(s) of the week
D&C 98:1 “…rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;”

D&C 59:7 “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.”

Mosiah 2:19 “…O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!”

Alma 34:38 “…live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.”

I wanted to focus a lot of gratitude and thanksgiving this month, so of course that is what we have been discussing at Family Home Evening.

Last week we followed the lesson plan Heavenly Father Blesses Us from A Year of FHE. The overflowing water (blessings) cup was a great hands on activity for my girls.

Yesterday we reviewed our family habits and decided to add “Be Grateful” to our family habit list. We decorated a simple banner with those words as reminder, while Dad shared the above scriptures with us. I wanted to make some thank you cards as well (find a template here or here) but we ran out of time. I think that will be a good Sunday activity for us as a follow-up.

Parenting is “an effort requiring consecration”.

November 15, 2010November 15, 2010 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“The Lord has directed, “Bring up your children in light and truth.” To me, there is no more important human effort. Being a father or a mother is not only a great challenge; it is a divine calling. It is an effort requiring consecration. President David O. McKay (1873–1970) stated that being parents is “the greatest trust that has been given to human beings.”

“While few human challenges are greater than that of being good parents, few opportunities offer greater potential for joy. Surely no more important work is to be done in this world than preparing our children to be God-fearing, happy, honorable, and productive. Parents will find no more fulfilling happiness than to have their children honor them and their teachings. It is the glory of parenthood. John testified, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

James E. Faust, “A Thousand Threads of Love,” Ensign, Oct 2005, 2–7

Preschool Lesson Plans: Review A and B and 1 and 2, Number 3, Color Orange

November 11, 2010November 9, 2010 Nurture Mama 1 Comment

These lesson plans are planned for my 3 year old daughter. We don’t always do all of the activities in one setting. We focus on one topic a day. You can read the background on my preschool lesson plans here.

Review Day

Rather than introduce a new letter, this day we spent a little time reviewing A and B and 1 and 2.

I used the foam letters and numbers to play a game we call Whack It. The items (in this case letters and numbers) are scattered on the floor, and the child is given some kind of whacking tool (we use a feather duster). I call out one of the names, like “A” or “1”, and the child gets to “whack” the correct item. You can reverse positions and have the child call out the items while the teacher uses the whacker (sometimes I whack the wrong item just to get a reaction). I use this game all the time with my piano students and flashcards. It transferred really well to this review activity, and it could be used in a lot of ways. The kids always enjoy having a legitimate excuse to hit something.

Then we made a letter B collage, using beans and buttons and beads (and lots of glue!).

Number 3

Introduce the number: use a number grab bag with the various numbers we have in the house (foam number, blocks, magnet letter).

Read: 10 Trick-or-Treaters by Janet Schulman

Use the counting cups to count a snack (cheerios, crackers, grapes, etc).

Play a number/counting game: Clothespin number match from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Color Orange
Touch and feel orange colored items from an orange pumpkin.

Create a color poster using crayon, colored pencil, marker, paper scrap, paint, etc.

Go on a color hunt and search the house to find the color.

Read: Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

Make an orange paper plate jack-o-lantern and play pumpkin drop (from No Time for Flashcards)

Creative Play

We made some really cute bottle cap spiders from Silly Eagle Books. Unfortunately I cleaned up our Halloween decorations and dismantled the spiders, then realized I had forgotten to take a picture. 🙁 You’ll have to take my word for it, they were really cute and the Sweet Bee loved making them because they involved glue and googly eyes, her two favorite things.

Preschool Lesson Plans: Letter B, Number 2, Circle

November 10, 2010November 9, 2010 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

Letter B
Introduce the letter: use a letter grab bag with the various letters we have in the house (foam letter, blocks, magnet letter).

Book List: Birds by Kevin Henkes

Song: I’m Bringing Home My Baby Bumblee Bee

Fingerplay: Here is a Beehive

Create letter artwork: Bumblebee B from No Time for Flashcards

Color a basic letter poster for the wall, add a letter sticker

Number 2
Introduce the number: use a number grab bag with the various numbers we have in the house (foam number, blocks, magnet letter).

Read:10 Trick-or-Treaters by Janet Schulman

Use the counting cups to count a snack (cheerios, crackers, grapes, etc).

Play a number/counting game: Bottle cap numbers and counting cards from The Activity Mom

Circle

Introduce the shape using the felt shapes. Play a matching game.

Create a shape poster by gluing small colored shapes on a larger shape.

Go on a shape hunt and search the house to find the shape.

Preschool Lesson Plans: Letter A, Number 1, Color Green

November 9, 2010November 9, 2010 Nurture Mama 1 Comment

The Sweet Bee and I are enjoying our special school time together each day. I’m a little behind in posting my lesson plans, but I’ve got the first three coming for you this week. You can read the background on my preschool lesson plans here.

Note: I don’t always do all of the activities in one sitting. Some activities I save for her “homework” to do while the Ant Bug does her homework after school. Other days we get interrupted or she loses interest, but we often come back to it later.

Letter A