From Zero to Sixty: Teaching and Life Update, And I linked up to My First Monday Made It Linky Party!

It has been a crazy month.  Everything that has occurred in the last month has reminded me of a lesson that I seem to have to learn over and over again.  No matter how PERFECT my plans seem,  God's plans are always better and cover my many weaknesses in many blessings.  When we moved back to Louisville,  I applied to several public school systems, however, I knew which one I wanted to get a job at, and assumed that was exactly where I would be teaching.  I also knew that by mid-August I would have a teaching position and start the year with a calm, organized manner.


NEWSFLASH:  I am NOT God!  And I have no idea what I need or what the future holds.  But God does.  I knew I had to have a job before school started. He knew that because of family health issues, I would need to be available at least once a week for doctor's appointments or hospital visits until at least October.  I knew, I did not want to drive 35 minutes to another county to work.  He knew that my new school was actually closer than half of the schools in  my county. 

 I knew, I needed to be on the same school calendar as my daughter.  He knew that my new county's fall break would fall on a very important doctor's appointment. I knew that it didn't really matter who I worked with,I just needed a job that fulfilled my requirements. He knew that I needed to be surrounded by women who loved these kids as much as I do, and absolutely loved the Lord.

 I knew that I needed a job and needed it ASAP.  He knew that the I needed to be reminded of who was on the Throne and Why? 

http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/10/time-for-monday-made-it-monthly-edition.html

So now, that I have filled you in on that minor Fact, I will now join the Monday Made It Linky Party.  MY FIRST LINKY PARTY,   and my first opportunity to blog about all of those awesome Pinterest ideas I have obsessed over ALL SUMMER LONG.

Monday Made It

Busy Bags Addiction...
OK, how many times do I get on Pinterest and find over ONE HUNDRED IDEAS for my life and classroom that I will probably never have the time or opportunity to do. Of Course, if you also have a Pinterest addiction, You Know.  Well, a brilliant friend of mine recently invited me and several other mommies to A BUSY BAG PARTY.

Busy Town Busy Bag
This is the bag that I ended up making.  I
bought two packs of colored felt and did a lot
of cutting. The child uses the shapes to create
their own town or neighborhood
 I loved putting the windows on
the buildings.

Have you heard of them?  Busy Bags! Just like they sound, activities that fit into a bag and will keep your toddler or preschooler busy.  They are very similar to TEAACH tasks for children with Autism, but designed for Portability, Preschool, and Playfully Developmental.  Independent activities are so important for young children, as well as those with special needs. 

This party was organized for Moms of preschoolers/toddlers.  The idea is that every mom picks one design for a busy bag.  They buy all the stuff needed for that bag.  In our party, 18 women committed to creating a different busy bag design.  So, each woman would be responsible for making 18 busy bags in that one design.  At the party, you explain the concept, design, and variations of your bag.  Then every one receives 18 different Busy Bags to take home to their children or classroom. I was so excited, I split mine up, kept 9 bags at home and took the rest to school.

After seeing how well my kids liked the Busy Town, I decided to create a bag for Halloween.  My student's requested pumpkins, ghosts, and monsters.  I liked the witch, so I threw that in as well.

Let me know what you think.

Daily Preparing Your Heart

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

 Psalm 90:14

Judgement Free Zone
I have HORRIBLE time management skills. As my husband likes to remind me, I am a true idealist. My heart overtakes my brain and sees all that should be done. Then, it convinces my brain that because it Should ALL be done, it Could ALL be done. And of course my brain and my heart are devastated when reality shows up with only 24 hours in a day.
This being said, I can only remember one time in my life where I had a good consistent quiet time. You know college, when you stay up til at least midnight, and then wake up at 7:30 a.m. And you have one or two hours of uninterrupted time to devote to cleanliness, studying of the word, and prayer. (Most days anyways.)

Now it seems that my kids' internal radar go off the moment cup of coffee and bible (app) hit the table. I am sure that I could find something to occupy their time, but I usually just give in and let the chaos of the day begin.
On the opposite side, my heart is extremely good at finding Christ all around me. So on these days, I try to convince myself, that I will find my time with the Lord through my daily activities.

And on those days, my heart is lost. I may see Christ's Presence everywhere, but my heart is not prepared to feel His Presence. My brain takes control and my heart takes a back seat, because it has not had that uninterrupted time with My Father. 

So I encourage you, take time to embrace your Father. Uninterrupted, passionate, real time with the Lord.

Challenge:  Figure out what works for me.  How can I start the day with the Lord? What are my plan B and plan C.  How can I start bringing quiet times into my children's day?

Let me know how you give or plan to give Your mornings to the Lord.  Stay tuned, I will be praying for direction in modeling and beginning quiet times with my children.  Praying for your day.

Finding Joy in 'One of Those Days'

The day was to start with nice weather, dropping Hannah off at school, and then a visit to the park with friends. Due to little boy nightmares, I ended up spending the rest of the morning sleeping in the kids room. However, my alarm was still going off in the other room. Waking up in a rush, is not the best way to start.

Conscious Decision Find the positives! Find Joy! Ask God to show me the hidden moments of joy.

Normally, I would be losing it already.
But, I think the Lord tucked a little extra peace in my pocket, because I was easily able to think of plan B.

No time for packing lunch or a park snack. I never have cash on me, but we do have a change bowl which had more than what a kid's lunch cost.

Thus made Hannah even happier.

Joy. Find Joy. Hiccups are OK.

Get hubby's work clothes ready. Uh-Oh! Wallets do not usually belong in the dryer.
Find joy...a clean yet soggy wallet?



No time to stress. Grab backpacks, a banana and a water; get in car. Isaiah: Check. Hannah: check. Look at clock, Oh No. 9:04 a.m. School starts at 9:05 a.m. Even a short 3 minute drive to school can not fix this.

Find Joy...Honestly, I really struggled to find a positive spin on being late to school and having sign in my Kindergartener. I was actually finding guilt.  But, Leave it to Hannah to be excited at the possibility of sitting in the office while I have to sign her in.

Luckily as soon as we got inside the school, the secretary offered to walk her to class.
Joy. No shameful sign in.



Once in the car, I began looking for my phone. Hmm. No phone. Back to the house.

Joy. Find Joy.  If I go back home I can pack park snacks, grab my coffee, feed the dog, and still have plenty of time to get to the park. Home we go. Success. Snacks packed, dog fed, coffee in hand.  Back on the road we go.

Blessings.  The park was a blessing.  Just as my pocket was about empty, the park was exactly what I needed. Good adult conversation, great social playtime, and a beautiful scenery. Isaiah enjoyed being the only 'big boy' chasing around three girls.  However, I am not sure they enjoyed him as much. I felt so blessed to have this time, where I could nurture friendships, refresh my sanity, and give Isaiah some energy burn-off.  As park time wrapped up, we headed to the car, I pushed the unlock button on my electronic key, put a wet towel in the trunk, and shut the trunk ready to help Isaiah buckle except. Isaiah wasn't in the car yet. No problem, until I realized the car relocked itself and my keys are now under the wet towel in the trunk.

Joy. Find Joy. Find Joy. Keep looking. Joy. 
A sympathetic smile of understanding. Thankfully, my sweet friend was still there to offer some encouragement. After a few phone calls, I was told my car would be unlocked in about 45 minutes.

Joy. Find Joy.  Just as I was about to panic, the sun went behind a cloud and a gentle breeze blew around us.  Hmm. "Child, enjoy some 'extra park time', a full bag of snacks and hydration, a nice breeze, and a piece of dirt for an excited little boy. Joy."

Extra Park Time.

The day continued like this, the car guy was baffled at why he was having so much trouble getting the car open. I explained that Isaiah and I were pretty sure God was teaching us some patience. He smiled and shook his head like he really understood those lessons.  Nap time, car pool lane, and after school routine all had a little extra stress. All there was to do, was to pray; pray to see the joy, even the smallest glimmer of joy. And that's what I did.  All day, I searched for the Lord's blessings, in what could have been Leah's Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Instead, eventually the day ended with an excellent Elementary Open House, Good Family Fun, Wonderful Story Time, and A Confirmed Job Interview!!!

So, my lesson for today.  Hang in there.  Choose Joy even when you may need the magnifying glass of Christ.  Depend on His grace to provide the ability to praise Him among all the chaos.

Anticipating Fall

It is already the second week of school and we are only a few days away from September. Can anyone smell FALL yet??  I am in desperate need of cool nights. Last Night, I had forgotten to turn the air back to normal (my husband could live in Alaska), but instead of turning the thermostat back up, I put on a sweatshirt...lol.  I love it.  FALL IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SEASON!

 leaves  apple cider  hayrides scarecrows hoodies  pumpkins     lounge pants  chilli  candy corn  jack-o-lanterns  family camping  
huber's farm trick-or-treat
bonfires costumes   relax  turkey  caramel popcorn  candied apples 

I think fall is such a wonderful transition from the illusion of summer rest.  Yes, school begins again, but I think that ends up being more comforting to most kids and teachers, than a burden. I am so excited to use my love for fall to teach my children some valuable lessons. I was once given beautiful illustration of the leaves changing color.

  Mini-Science Lesson
Leaves have three pigments, Chlorophyll,(green) Carotenoids(green), and Anthocyanins(red, orange, yellow). Because the chlorophyll is so prevalent in the spring and summer, the bright colors from the anthocyanins are completely hidden.  As the nights lengthen, the chlorophyl slowly dies. Without the chlorophyll's presence, the anthocyanins are no longer hidden, bringing us some of the most beautiful scenery.  Sometimes, the death of something that we carry with us on a daily basis, must occur, so that we can see the hidden color and beauty of God's creation.  

What things do you need to let go of, in order to find God's hidden beauty?  
Personally, I need to let go of my need for approval. Seeking to please my family, painting a perfect picture of my abilities, having it all together, is not something I have really struggled with in a very long time.  However, without having a job right now, I find myself becoming very reliant on pleasing others.  

Galations 1:10 Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?  Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.  

 The feeling of achievement I used to receive in teaching children, I am now struggling to find. My homemaker skills are very unpolished to say the least. But instead of resting in God's grace, and trusting in His plan for the future, I am feeling inadequate and insecure. And we all know who is prowling around waiting to pounce on our inadequacies. 

1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

Dear God, 
   Please help me to trust in your Power.  Allow me to rest in the knowledge of your plan and that you do not make mistakes.



James 4:7 Submit therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will FLEE from you.


  

Wild Monkeys and Cornbread Mexican Casserole

So, school has started, let the chaos begin. How do you reign in your crew once the doors open to homework, spelling tests, and friendship friction?  Hannah just started school this week, so we are only dealing with a few issues so far.

#1 Wild Monkeys When Hannah gets home from school, my kids go bonkers!!  I guess they think they need to make up for the seven hours spent apart.  They run up and down the hall way, do gymnastics on the couch, and squeal non-stop.  I love that they love each other, but this is my Dinner Prep and Afternoon Tidy time.  Squealing Monkeys can really affect the tastiness of my food.  I don't want to punish them or even separate them, even though that may calm my nerves.  Please, give me wisdom.
How can I support brother/sister time without losing my mind?

#2 Unfortunate Uniforms  My daughter's school requires uniforms.  No, problem right.  Well, I have spent the last three weeks scouring Louisville to find clothes for my sweet five year old, who has the physique and height of a seven year old.  After dragging her to 5 different stores, yesterday we had 2 skirts, 3 shirts(all white), and a pair of pants.  So, today I ventured out again, while she was at school.  I finally found a store with plenty of sizes, colors, styles etc.  Only problem being that Hannah wasn't there to try them on.  lol. I bought six items, three of which I will have to return/exchange.  Oh the challenges of kindergarten...=). What was school clothes shopping like for you?

#3 Dinner Planning  I try to plan dinner for the next week on Thursdays.  I write down all the ingredients I need, plus other foods, or household items.  But Almost, Always, I forget at least one ingredient from each dinner.  For example, My favorite recipe this week featured below is Cornbread Mexican Casserole.  I purchased all the ingredients except...cornbread mix! Maybe, I will try shopping while Hannah is at school next week.  Hopefully chasing only one child will help me focus half of my brain on grocery shopping. How is Dinner at your house?

My Favorite Dinner this week: Cornbread Mexican Casserole

You need 2 packs Taco Seasoning, 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of black beans, 3/4 taco sauce, 1 can corn, Shredded Cheese, 2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Mix corn, black beans, tomatoes, shredded cheese and taco sauce in bowl. 

My husband likes an extra kick, so I make him an individual casserole with green chiles.

Brown Ground Beef, Add Taco Seasoning (follow directions on packets) Add Beef to Corn Mixture.

Pour into 13X9 pan,  

Follow directions for cornbread. Pour on top of meat mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

This is a delicious, hearty meal.  Hannah and I love it.  Isaiah is a little pickier.  I wish I could say he was a meat and potatoes boy, but he doesn't even like potatoes.  This is the only way I have gotten him to eat any kind of beans and corn.  

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do.

School Is Here

A little over five years ago, I was just beginning to get the hang of holding my baby girl. Wondering who she would grow up to be, what kind of personality she would have, and what talents she would be blessed with. (As you can tell, I am pretty sure she is already thinking, Mom, do you really know what you are talking about?)


Yesterday, my hand opened letting her grasp turn to independence. Walking into her kindergarten class with confidence, she was ready to take on anything. As I watched her sit down in her seat, I wondered how we got here so fast.


How in such a short time my daughter has blossomed into an outgoing, gifted child with a little extra sass, who loves to sing and dance. Praise the Lord for his blessings.

So how did her first day go? She loved school. With the move I have been afraid she would really be missing her friends. But God has already blessed her with new friends. In fact, she told me today that her and her friend decided they hated going home! 'What why would you say that?' I asked. 'Cause we like school, Mom!'

I hope that feeling lasts for a long time.

Dear God,

Please bring joy to the teachers, staff, and principals that work with our kids.

Bless our children with teachers who LOVE KIDS, love teaching, and believe that they can make a difference. Allow my family to shone your light greatly. Help me to use my time wisely while my children are still young.

Therapy Thursday: Sensory Made Simple

Let's Make It Simple...One of my best skills is to make things more difficult than they are.  The truth is Sensory Strategies really are EASY!  But first let me answer some questions.

1. Who do sensory strategies benefit?
Everyone!!!  Why? because we all have senses and we all have times where our senses are under-worked or over-worked. I use sensory exercises with my children, my special ed students, and the general ed students during collaboration.  The fact is, school is getting much more demanding everyday.  With all the additional content standards to master, physical movement is cut down to 15-30 minutes a day.  That's not enough for any kid, nonetheless, a student with sensory needs.  So, whether you are a parent, general ed. teacher or a special ed teacher, incorporate movement into your everday activities.  They are also a great resource for kids with sensory issues.

2. Why do they work?
Sensory Integration Activities provide fun and easy avenues of sensory input. Whether they calm and organize the nervous system, help develop normal understanding of different textures/smells/tastes, or increase and decrease energy levels; they are necessary part of development for ANY child.


3. When do I use sensory strategies?
I categorize sensory strategies into 2 groups: preventative and reactive.
Preventative: I definitely recommend building activities into your daily routine for all kids.  If you know that your child has a sensory integration disorder, then a sensory diet, or activities designed to provide the specific input needed for your child should be offered at the same times each day.  
Remember, that many of these activities can provide calming and focus. Try to notice when your child is seeking that input and provide it in an appropriate way.

My favorite Sensory Input is...Heavy Work!  WHAT? No, I don't lift cinder blocks over my head for fun. Heavy work is also known as deep pressure.  
As a child I was known for two things: 1) I love kids, I always wanted to help in the nursery, be around babies, even change diapers. 2) Completely Clumsy- I broke both my ankles, my wrist, collarbone, nose, split open my head, and my chin.  All at different times of course.  NO, my parents did NOT beat me! My parents were caring and loving and very accommodating to my 'clumsy' nature.  


The truth was I wasn't just CLUMSY, I wasn't able to process propioceptive input.  My brain wasn't getting the information about where my body was compared to things around me. And on top of that my brain wasn't picking up on the sense of typical touch.  
I bumped into walls, cabinets, tripped over carpet, bags, even my own feet; most of the time I didn't even notice.  Why?  My brain was not recognizing normal, typical touch stimuli. I needed extra input.

Sensory Activities for Heavy Work or Deep Pressure

Over the next few weeks, I want to offer simple activities for sensory integration.

There so many different types of activities so I will start with my favorite...Heavy Work. As I explained before, as a child and still presently, my brain does not process touch well, so I need extra input...deep pressure or heavy work.  This is so calming to me. It helps me regain focus and concentration. 
Again, these activities can benefit all children.  Because all children are different, some activities may calm them, while others may 'energize' them, so carefully observe how each activity affects them.  An Occupational Therapist would be the best to help you decide which activities, how many times as day, how intense the activities.  Definitely, use trial and error.  Our goal is to expose our kids to different sensory inputs in a fun, safe, and stimulating way.

Warning: This list is not even a tenth of the activities possible for heavy work in Gross Motor or big movements.  These are just the ones that are most used or my favorites.

Heavy Work- Gross Motor/Big Movement

Rough Play- I know you love to play with your babies, now we just have to make that play even more meaningful...

• army crawl across the floor
• steam roll across the floor
• lizard crawl across the floor
• Make the crawl and roll even more fun by turning it into a game, Have your child start at one end of the room. while you are turned around(no cheating). Toss a small throw pillow behind you trying to tag your child. If he/she makes it across the floor, he/she wins
• Bear Hugs, Super Hero Hugs
• Use any of the Mother-May-I steps when walking short distances(from the house to the car): scissor steps, giant steps, dinosaur stomps, tornado twisties, etc.

• Make your child a pizza, no, no, don't go put a pizza in the oven, Make YOUR CHILD the PIZZA. 

• knead out the dough-massage belly, arms, legs, etc.
• spread out the sauce-gently rub belly, arms, legs, face
• sprinkle the cheese-use spirit fingers, similar to lightly tickling

• Use large bed pillows or throw pillows to make "a sandwich" out of your child.  The pillows are the bread, your kid is the meat, your can use blankets for the cheese, spread on the mustard/mayo
• Make a hot dog! Use a thick bath towel to snugly wrap around your child, don't forget the toppings. 

Swimming

Swinging

Riding a tricycle/bicycle

• Jumping in the pool, Jumping on the ground, Jumping on the trampoline, 
• Playing hopscotch,
• Pillow Pile Up-On laundry/sheet day gather all the pillows in your house.  Start piling them on top of your child.  Then let them break free.
• Theraputty, Play-doh, Stress Relief Balls,

Imaginative Play- You are more brilliant than any strategy I can give you.  You know what your kids like. Use your imagination.

• Construction Equipment-Let's pick up all toys like we are backhoes, or dump trucks, or excavators. etc.
• On a rainy day, one pretends to be a small seed on the  ground, the other is the weather: sprinkle each other with rain, wind, sunshine, snow, etc. if you are the seed you will start to stretch out and grow upwards.
• Bakery-stir the batter>fast/slow, knead the batter, press down the cookie cutter, scoop onto the pan, push into the oven, sprinkle sprinkles.

Have a blast playing with your kids, they won't even know they are 'working!'