I had been planning to do each of the weekly challenges over at Bowl Full of Lemons. I needed a jump start to cleaning out and getting organized, but last week and this week were not really hot spots for me (digital picture files and budget). What I mean is they were areas that are all ready organized, and I have good system in place. I wanted to keep the momentum going so I decided to clean out the kid's bathroom closet. It has been a frustration for me for a while. I am sure you will agree it was time.
Before
I started by taking everything out and giving the shelves a good cleaning.
Then I only put back what we needed to keep. I got rid of old medicine, worn out towels, and never used items. I relocated a few items that just didn't work in the closet or had been put there by mistake.
I found the monkey, brown, and polka dot canvas boxes on sale at Babies R Us. I had the green one from Target and it was not being used anymore. The closet has half shelves and not much can actually fit on them. I decided to put the kids bath pictures on the one they can see when they get out their towels. The door was missing from the closet when we moved in. We eventually want to do a complete overhaul on this bathroom, but we needed a simple solution for now. My mom had the idea to make a cute curtain from matching bath towels. They are just hanging from tension curtain rods.
Here is the after as it appears with the curtains closed.
I am really happy with how it turned out. When we moved in I had a three year old and a one year old. We had to paint almost every room and replace lots of flooring. I was exhausted by the time we were putting our stuff away. So much of the clutter I struggle with is just because things were not put away efficiently to start with. It feels so good to finally get rid of unwanted stuff.
Last time we talked about using the calendar I hinted about using it to introduce some problem solving and higher level math skills. I would like to share a few of those with you.
The first is to use a week on the calender to create an algebra equation. For example we'll use this calendar.
Today is Monday. So we have two days up and how many are left in this week? The child can count there are 5 days left. So then you can show them 2 days are past and 5 days are left and there are 7 days all together. Then give them the math sentence 2 + 5 = 7. What your child has just done is solve for X, the X being how many days are left. The information they had would look like this in a math sentence 2 + X = 7. From that starting point you can walk them through it another way too. For example ask them, "How many days are in a week?" Then, "How many days have we had?" and finally, "How many are left?" or 7 - 2 = X.
You can also do this with the month rather then the week. For example we have 21 days up and we want to know how many days we have left. It would look like this 21 + X = 28.
When I did this with first graders I used letters that made more since to them then "X". I would use "H" for the days we "had", "L" for the days "left", "W" for "week", and "M" for month. Many of the children loved this activity. Once they could see the pattern I would let them write a math sentence (an equation) for the week or month. Often these are skills you do naturally with your child, but now you can take it a step further. Also you will then see them using math sentences to figure out other answers too. This doesn't have to be over formal or technical, once you get your child started, often they will take the lead.
Last night I had a great time at the Renaissance Tour.
If you have the opportunity to check it out, I would. I knew Mark Schultz would be good, but I was overwhelmed at how beautifully David Klinkenberg played. Then Jason Gray's testimony of how God uses our weaknesses, was just what I needed to hear. Also, Mark Schultz just released a new instrumental album and all the proceeds go to help women and orphans, so that is on my gotta get list.
Jason sang More Like Falling in Love, which I have heard on the radio a thousand times. I have always liked the song, but last night when he was singing I just kept thinking, "I hope my kids see me falling in love with Jesus more everyday." I'll leave you with his lyrics:
Give me rules, I will break them
Show me lines, I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
Its gotta be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
Its like I'm falling, Ohhhh
Its like I'm falling in love
Give me words, I'll misuse them
Obligations, I'll missplace them
Cuz all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
Its gotta be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
Its like I'm falling
Its like I'm falling in love
Love, Love
Deeper and deeper
It was love that made me a believer
In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me
Its gotta be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
Its like I'm falling, Ohhhh
Its like I'm falling
Its gotta be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
Its like I'm falling, Ohhhh
Its like I'm falling
In love
I'm falling in love
When Kyle is working on the weekend, the kids and I almost always end up at Subway after church. Yesterday we followed tradition, and I am glad we did. Landon and Elaine had a blast. How does one have a blast at Subway? Let me show you.
First you laugh and bond with your sister while creating funny faces.
Then when Mom is done taking pictures you conspire together to have a contest...a whose mouth is biggest contest to be exact.
Sorry Landon, but I think we have a winner.
Hope you all had a great weekend too!
This weeks' challenge over at Bowl Full of Lemons is organizing your picture files on the computer. I actually already have that done! So I plan to tackle the kids bathroom closet or my scrap booking area. I want to keep the momentum going. I will do a post on my picture files too. Lots to do this week so I better jump to it.
Yes you are right, I skipped last week. It was a wrapping station and though I could use one from time to time its not a must have right now. So I took last week to do a few odd and ends things around the house that weren't really blog worthy.
This week's challenge was to organize something in your kitchen. I was pumped. We have a "china cabinet type thing" (I am pretty sure that is it's technical name) in our kitchen that was in desperate need of some organizing.
I told you. It was overflowing! So I started by taking everything out, except the china, and cleaning.
Then I only put back what really needed to be there. I found I had lots of new space!
I also had a bag of trash, a bag of things to donate/sell, and a bag of things that belonged elsewhere.
It took some courage to post my disorganization, but I am hopeful it will motivate someone to dive in and clean out. It feels so good! Look how nice it is now.
So now its your turn go clean out and organize something in your kitchen. You can check out Bowl Full of Lemons for even more motivation and great ideas for your kitchen.
