A year of changes

It's been forever, I know!!!! I've been a little busy & I finally wanted to share what we've been doing. It all started last year with horrible eczema on my hands from harsh cleaning chemicals. I loved the Clorox & Simple Green but YIKES! my hands were hurting & looking all kinds of icky. The last thing I wanted was to go to the doctors & get a prescription. So I changed how I cleaned...

I made my own detergent & household cleaners!!!


Guess what? No more eczema!!!

I've scaled way back on traditional household cleaners & keep on making more cause I'm frugal. And the kids can use them. I don't worry so much about their safety, you know what I mean?


Well, this new knowledge lead me to do other things, crazy things......like bake our bread. I don't know about you, but once you can achieve product from yeast, nothing can hold me back!!! I make Homemade Granola Bars...no more store bought for us, thanks. AND......

I started to freeze fruits & learned how to can. I started growing our pantry & although I still have a ways to go ....I'll get there!! Didn't stop there though......

We started a garden!!!

These little buds are my new herbs peeking through. I'm thinking of learning to make tinctures with them...I make my own Vanilla Extract now too...doesn't seem that it would be that different. Although, we haven't produced anything from the garden yet....we've learned tons for new year...like how to catch Tomato Hornworms faster....those worms!!!! (shaking my fist) & perhaps adding composting to our list.

The last thing I've done is this.....

I've decided to use my dryer A LOT less! I've committed to line drying (for the time being). I actually enjoy it. It dries faster than the dryer....I'm curious as too what the power bill will be...hmmm.

It comes down to this....I like the learning involved with doing it myself. The feeling of a job well done. I don't want to be so dependant on stores or spending so much $$$ to get the same product I can make myself. Well this type of thinking has sent my brain into overdrive....what can I do next?? I have a list ....more homemade & possible solar (crazy, I know) :) :) :) :)

There are so many people & blogs & websites that have encouraged us & continue to do so. Thank you!

WOAH!...Already!

This is what 35 looks like for me!

(notice the pic is taken on a side angle)

Now I want to remember this day!!...I woke up at 6am with both of my sons (younger ones) asleep on the ground! As I wobbled around them..to try not to step on them...i looked like an 80 yr old....with painful feet! Maybe I should wear sneakers more often....but sandals are way more COMFY. As I got ready checked my grays & committed to dyeing them this weekend...& almost a commitment to diet & exercise...I said ALMOST! :)

At a Glance..

Welcome to our classroom!
I love this time of year..getting the classroom ready for returning faces & new friends. Come with me around the room & peek into what a day looks like in The Blooming Cactus :)

Hello Practical Life! Whatever the child can do for himself...should be done by himself.. The Montessori Approach. On this shelf you'll find pouring exercises, spooning, tweezing, pinching, lacing....care for the person (folding, ironing, buttoning, tying) & care of the environment (table setting, flower arranging & so much more)

We Love Art!!
Daily they have experiences in cutting, pasting, tracing, free art, color mixing, & Painting & Playdough!! What!!! :) Happy times! I will, very often, have a special project that can be done ..a craft of sorts...today was finger painting fall colored leaves onto trees with paper towel rolls.



Can you feel that? Sensorial, it is!
Children get to use their senses in this special area. Learning colors & shapes (2 & 3 dimentional) , feeling with textures & listening to sounds.



Language, here we come!
Whether the child comes into my room knowing sounds or just likes to be read to...there is much here...SEE ..the bottom shelf even has Science...& the Writing Table has fun things to do!
Cool Math!

The child explores & recognizes numerals into the thousands...if they so wish! At the preschool age...we work a lot with 1-20 but it's not uncommon to find me giving lessons into the hundreds & with addition involved....What ! A preschooler adding...You betcha! Why not? That Calendar is where we congregate for group.

Shhh! I'm trying to read here!

The children love this spot...A chair for them & they are reading from books specially picked out to go with our themes for the month...Sept has a bunch of Fall & Apple books...Don't forget about Peace Day!

Can you guess our Author of the Month?

Where in the world?

Last but not least...Geography...we've only just begun..but soon they will manipulate with clay to make Landforms & there will be Continent boxes too....How will I fit it all on that shelf? My Montessori Challenge.....

Thanks for visiting!

8 is Great...Again!

With boys so close in age, what a blessing it is to celebrate Kobe's 8th birthday. This is a special age...it all begins with baptism, then he'll enter the scouting program, & let's just say he's very excited to do all these things.

Let's take a look at Kobe... (thanks Grandma for letting me hack your computer:)
Kobe at 3 ..he's a Dodger Stadium

Kobe turning 4

This is at Legoland...& priceless!!

1st day of first grade...can you tell he didn't want to go?

Happy Birthday Kobe!! You are so special to our family. We love you so much. You are tender with your brothers, in tune with the spirit, helpful with out being asked, you like to read & write, creative & imaginative....can't wait to see what's to come....
Enjoy your Birthday Days!!

Tomorrow Avatar...woohoo!

Montessori & Salt Lake City

What do they have in common? Well the Utah Montessori Conference!! I had a wonderful time attending the classes there & made it a weekend with my family. We met up with friends from college & all of our children :) & visited with family.

Pictures from the Salt Lake Temple...It was beautiful & we are planning another trip

Isaiah posing in front of the Prophet Isaiah

Lots of New Works!!

We are in our African Continent...with a focus on Egypt. The mummy work is very popular. Also, we are doing our calendar numbers in Swahili. Up above is an older child prepping afternoon snack for the class.

We love Practical Life!! One day we grated soap & tried to make it into snowballs (via Chasing Cheerios) but it didn't work as well. So the children grate it & we use it for bubble making. That's my 2 year old working with the bubbles.

Christmas

It's my husband's family tradition to open gifts on Christmas Eve, fun right?! Of course we go to Grandpa's first & then Shirley's Christmas Party. Then when you'd think the kids are beat we come home & it's TIME!

Jonas got a tricyle & Spiderman helmet from Grandpa...which he had a temper tantrum when we had to put it in the car to go to Shirley's.

Here's Kobe separating presents into their piles.


Then we go around..youngest to wisest..& open 1 present at a time.

Lucky Jonas!!! He sure does love his Yo Gabba Gabba!! I see a Halloween costume in the future with this! So it comes to about midnight-ish & finally the boys are going to bed. Only to wake up at the crack of dawn to play with their new stuff!

So much fun & we hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well!