12 Days of Christmas

I have wanted to do this for YEARS...but haven't been organized enough to get it together in time.  I'm pretty sure...no, I'm 100% sure...that when Kayci was in Kindergarten, I dropped her off at school, put together the gifts for her class, then hit a cool store downtown for a teacher gift ON my way to her Christmas party.  That's how I rolled that year.  (Dad was sick, Noble was a baby and also sick for a week at a time every other week that semester...)  Last year I was better, but busy with work so I messed up the timing and ended up just giving a traditional gift.  Nice, but not THIS.

So--this year, I've got it together.  Gift-wise, anyway.  Starting on December 2nd, Kayci has a small gift for her teacher (and her afternoon teacher, too--2nd has 2 teachers) every day until the last day of school before break.  Pretty crazy when you think there are only 15 school/work days between Thanksgiving break and Christmas break, right??  I knew that I needed to gather the gifts this week or I'd never get it done--I've got to be in Houston 4 of 5 days next week.  But that's a different post...

A New Adventure

I found this today on Tip Junkie/Executive Homemaker. It's a daily schedule for toddlers/preschoolers, and she also shares a very honest look at her days (TV time and all--gasp! Usually mommybloggers don't admit to using the shiny box...but I do. Have you MET Noble?). Anyway, why do I need a daily schedule? Isn't that what I do for a living?

Well, yes. But I find myself back at square one...for lots of reasons I'll probably go into later, we've decided to pull Noble out of daycare and keep him home with me. He just BLOSSOMS when he's here, and turns caveman after daycare. It's disheartening. So, there it is. Anyway, I haven't a clue what our days will look like after next Wednesday when he's here with me all day.

Enter Executive Homemaker. Curious yourself? Need a little more organization? Go check it out!

Recycled crayons!

I love recycling crayons! One of my favorite preschool themes is "rainbows" because we get to make rainbow-layer crayons and grate crayons to make rainbows in a bottle. A few years ago, I got my hands on a silicone muffin tin with heart shapes, so I made a TON of heart-shaped crayons, and had lots of fun experimenting with swirls, rainbows, etc.

Silicone pans, though, are pricey, and really, make crayons that are beautiful but too big to be really useful. So I'm branching out--to ice cube trays. Now, don't be fooled (like my friend R)--they look like silicone, but they're NOT and will melt in the oven. So, you have to melt thd crayons and pour them into the molds...which, time-wise, has me yearning for the ease of silicone. I know, I know...

So, here are the pumpkins. This tray came from Dollar Tree, if you're shopping. I used old crayons I had on hand from a display last year, but it's time to find some teachers who will stockpile them for me. If you've never done this before, it takes at least 4 crayons to make 1 recycled crayon--and that's with a small mold.

I started by soaking the crayons. Otherwise, it's a big pain to peel the wrappers.



Next, we peeled the wrappers off and sorted them into color piles.




Then, because I didn't have any tin cans in thd recycle bin, I used a Pyrex measuring cup to melt the crayons in the oven. Give or take, it took about 12-14 minutes on 350.

I poured the melted wax into the tray molds, let it harden for a while, then popped out my new pumpkin crayons.




If you're counting, I only got 27 out of this batch. Well, 24 really since I experimented with wax temperature on a few of them (fail!).



-- out & about, courtesy of the wonderphone

Apples!

-- out & about, courtesy of the wonderphone

No, no, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

TWO of my friends had little ones start Kindergarten last week...and I have spoken to TWO teary Mommys this week who are just broken-hearted that school isn't at all what they expected. As a Mommy, I'm sad. As an educator, I am FURIOUS. But also as an educator I'm way backed up on a tech project right now...I just want to see what advice y'all have for these Moms...I'm having a hard time being impartial right now!!

"Just Playing"

I was just blog-browsing (yup, supposed to be working but needed a quick break) and I came across a Mommy who's frustrated with homeschooling and how it feels...suddenly teaching and learning have become stressful and unnatural. Even though I don't know this woman, my heart went out to her because I've been there as a Mommy and a teacher. I shared the name of this poem, but here it is in case someone reading here hasn't seen it--or needs to see it again. This is the reason behind learning to play*playing to learn. This week I've been reminded at how those words were true 9 years ago, and they're true today...and they'll always BE true. Sometimes the simplest truths are the most profound, no?

Just Playing--Anita Wadley

When I am building in the block room, please don't say I'm "just playing". For you see, I'm learning as I play, about balance and shapes. Who knows, I may be an architect someday.

When I'm getting all dressed up, setting the table, caring for the babies, don't get the idea I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play; I may be a mother or a father someday.

When you see me up to my elbows in paint or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping clay, please don't let me hear you say, "He is just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm expressing myself and being creative. I may be an artist or an inventor someday.

When you see me sitting in a chair "reading" to an imaginary audience, please don't laugh and think I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I may be a teacher someday.

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs, or packing my pockets with choice things I find, don't pass it off as "just play". For you see, I'm learning as I play. I may be a scientist someday.

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some "plaything" at my school, please don't feel the time is wasted in "play". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate. I may be in business someday.

When you see me cooking or tasting foods, please don't think that because I enjoy it, it is "just play". I'm learning to follow direction and see differences. I may be a cook someday.

When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my body, please don't say I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning how my body works. I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.

When you ask me what I've done at school today, and I say, "I just played", please don't misunderstand me. For you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. I'm preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work is play.

Have a 'tweet' year!

The teachers at Kayci's school requested whistles...a week ago, this bucket was filled to the brim. :)



-- out & about, courtesy of the wonderphone