Spring Cleaning with Kids

     My daughter loves Easter and one of the big ways we prepare to celebrate is with Spring Cleaning.  Now I wouldn't say that my kid really enjoys spring cleaning but she does like to be my helper.  There are just a few things I'm comfortable having my 4 year old doing. Nothing says safety like a 4 year old cleaning gutters!

We CAN do it!

      In our home I also have my niece and nephew during the week too and I'm really big on getting kids involved in picking up their belonging throughout the day. I feel that my home is much calmer and relaxed when the kid stuff is corralled in an appropriate spots. We have a large tub of coloring books and paper along with crayons, pencils and markers stacked (usually haphazardly, they are kids after all) in the corner of the dining room ready to go. We pulled out all the color books and papers and recycled any that they were ready to let go of. This is a good time for me to practice patience and try to not rush my daughter. I get rid of plenty during the rest of the year but I need her to learn how to decide what is worth keeping and what is not. We do the same with her random toy tub. She's much more free with letting go of toys than her art!

Before-During-After

     We also have several puzzles.  The cardboard boxes rarely make it pass the first few sessions.  We solved that problem by using Ikea Glis boxes.  I cut out the small picture from the box to show what the finished puzzle looks like.  It also helps the non-readers identify which puzzles are what.  With the puzzles themselves being cardboard, this is also a good time to recycle any whose pieces have been bent (or chewed) or don't stay interlinked. 

     We de-clutter the refrigerator the same way as the coloring box and also sort through the random toy tub.  We donate or pass along toys they've out grown.  Other than that, the cleaning things I'm ok with them doing include helping with the dishwasher unloading, wiping all the door knobs and light switches with antibacterial kitchen wipes, and dusting stuff at their level. Those are also daily chores so it's not really that exciting but making a game out of it makes it go super fast!

Happy Duster!

Pin It

Bike Season is upon us...

The weather was so nice yesterday that we decided to go on a bike ride! Going on a bike ride is fun and a great activity to do while keeping your body healthy. I personally like to do this before lunch and nap...makes for a GREAT nap time! LOL!

Being THE first bike ride of the season there were some things we needed to do before we headed out.

Both my boys had grown since the last time they rode bikes so some adjustments needed to be made.

Many of you may want to go out as well but before you go you need to make sure you do a few things to ensure your fun AND safety.

**SAFETY FIRST**

Helmet Safety:
1. Inspect your helmet
Make sure all straps are strong and secure.
All plastic buckles and pieces strong and not broken.
Foam on helmet is not cracked or deteriorating. Make sure you even do this check when purchasing new at the store.
Many times I see them being dropped from the middle of the shelf to the hard floor aisle.

2. Size
When helmet is placed on your childs head, sitting flat, it should not be able to move too much side to side and front to back.
Some newer helmets have different sizes of pads included. You can mix and match the pads or remove them all together for the perfect fit. If buying a new helmet do not buy "with room to grow" buy what fits! It's your childs safety not a pair of shoes.
3. Position
Helmet should sit level on your head, not too far back (I see this ALOT) or too far forward.
A good measurement is 1 to 2 (adult) fingers from childs eye brow to the helmet.
It should cover your forehead!
4. Buckles
Buckles should be somewhat centered under the chin.
Many helmets are adjustable by pulling straps from the back.
This is SO much easier OFF your childs head.
5. Side Straps
Should be adjusted so the plastic slider is under the ear AND in front of the ear.
If your plastic slider has a locking system make sure it is locked.
Some of these need alot of force to actually lock them, it may look locked but to really test it try to move it back and forth.
6. Chin Strap
First and foremost...when buckling your childs chin strap be very, very careful and gentle. Pinching your childs thin, sensitive skin under their chin hurts tremendously and can ruin your bike adventure before you even start! I think we have all done this once!
Chin straps should be SNUG!
I see loose, hanging chin straps ALL the time. Why wear the helmet!?!
No more than 1 or 2 fingers should be able to fit between the strap and your childs chin. This is when you know it fits.
7. Final Fit
~When you open your mouth big, does the helmet pull down on your head? If so than it's good!
~Does your helmet rock back and forth, moving alot from your eyebrow back? If not, it's good!

Your helmet can only protect your head and brain if only worn properly!
Also, monkey see monkey do! Parents this is for YOU! Your child watches everything you do and grows up wanting to be just like their mommy and daddy. This means if your riding a bike with them YOU as well should be wearing a helmet too! It only takes a second for you to crash, sometimes cause your child ran you off the road, fall and hit your head on a rock and then what does your child do?
Be an example!!! This peeves me SO much when I see parents riding with their kids and the parent is not wearing a helmet! (sorry for the rant! LOL)

Helmet Laws
Many States and local jurisdictions have bicycle helmet laws; please refer to your State or local jurisdiction. To find this information go to www.helmets.org/mandator.htm

A bicycle crash can happen at any time. A properly fitted bicycle helmet reduces the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent.
(NHTSA.gov)
More children age 5 to 14 go to hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with bicycles than with any other sport. Many of these injuries involve the head. Helmet laws ensure the safety of our children.
(NHTSA.gov)

For more information on bicycle safety, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Web site at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

**GETTING YOUR BIKE READY**

1. Proper Seat Height

While child is sitting on seat, move one pedal to the lowest position.

With childs foot on the lowest pedal there should be a slight bend in leg. Having the leg close to being straight your child will not be able to pedal without shifting their body back and forth.

Too much of a bend in leg will make it more difficult for child to pedal resulting in not as much fun.

2. Tires

Look to your tire on correct tire pressure. Use a Tire Pressure Gauge to check to the pressure and add more air as needed.

A low tire can ruin a bike trip.

Make sure you check before you leave, it's no fun to get there and realize your tires needed air and you don't have the tools to fix it.

3. Tighten Everything Up

Make sure handle bar and seat are lined up correctly and straight and tighten down all nuts and bolts before heading out (at least for the first time)

**SET SOME RIDING RULES**

1. Trail Riding

If riding on a trail remind your kids to respect others, ride on the correct side of the trail, be courteous when passing and to not go off the trail. You also want to set some rules:

~How far they can go ahead of you.

~Stop at the cross walks and wait for you.

~Along with any other rules you may want.

2. Riding in your Neighborhood

Make sure to remind your kids to watch out for cars backing out of driveways and look before leaving the sidewalk to cross.

3. Always remind your children to watch out for cars, strangers and other bike riders.

**MOST IMPORTANT...HAVE FUN**

Jack and Braeden going along for a ride

Jack has the right idea! LOL

Best seat in the house!

Tired Evie??...maybe we went too far and didn't realize we have to go back...time to push!

Bradley found another way to push.

Have fun!

Bree & J

Pin It

Smart Money Tip and Gardening??

Most of us these days are trying to find any way we can save a buck. One of the oldest ways is to plant, grow and harvest your own fruits and vegetables from your own garden.

While in Washington there was snow on the ground yesterday that does not mean you can't start now. Many seeds can be started and grown inside...your house is an almost perfect green house.

Many places are having sales on gardening supplies including pots, soil, seeds, kits, and more.

Starting a garden can be very simple, you don't have to have a green thumb just learn how to follow directions.

~How to Start~

Container/Planter:

Start with any sort of container (look to our "quick craft" for a cute container). A container can be anything from an old plastic potted container from previous years, a soup can, jar, or you can buy one from the store. One thing that is important about a container is that you need to make sure your soil can drain. You can accomplish this by punching holes into the bottom of your plastic containers or tin soup cans. You will need many. In a soup can I would punch through 6-8 holes. By using a hammer and large nail the holes can be punched easily. If your using a glass jar you can simply add some small rocks or gravel in the bottom of jar. Soil will be placed on top of the rock. (For a 4" jar I place 1" rock.)

Some people also may want to think about a Jiffy Garden Starter Kit.

If you plan on having a larger garden (more than 10 planted items). These kits come in varies sizes ranging from 10 soil pellets to 72. They are also very easy to use and very effective when needing to transplant your plants. (I personally will be using one of these if we get to move.) Right now Home Depot has them priced at

$2.24 for the small 10 pod one up to $6.99 for the 72 pod one. Watch when you buy and don't get tricked,

all you need are the basic model one...there are some "self watering"ones that get more spendy.

Soil:

Once you have your container, soil and seeds are next on the list. I have never been picky on soil myself. It can be very overwhelming with all the different options and "enhancers" added into soil. Personally I have used dirt out of our back yard before and it still seemed to work. Though once I transplant my starts (plants I started growing inside) into my garden outside I did use soil. This year I am starting straight from soil.

Fred Myer has a sale on soil and garden supplies until tomorrow 3/24:

~2 for $8.00 Turf King® 20-Quart Potting Soil, 1.5 Cu. Ft. Planting Compost or 1 Cu. Ft. Top Soil

They also have a good price on their Strawberry Starts:

~$0.49 Strawberry Starts in 3" in a Pot

I'm sure you can find it just as cheap at Walmart as well.

You can also buy and Compare Soil at http://www.nextag.com/potting-soil/stores-html

Seeds:

Seeds are very inexpensive and can also be confusing. Lots of different prices and brands. Personally I always go cheap, cheap, cheap and they have always worked great for me and the end result tasted fantastic. In the past I'm able to get a couple of bags for $1.00. This year I will start at Walmart first for the cheapest pricing.

When selecting the seeds you want to plant in your garden you need to read the packet and be aware of many different things. 

 Don't do this when your kids or husband are hungry, grouchy or whinny.

Make sure to make this a fun experience.

Seed packet reading does take some time.

Here is a link to helpful insight on seed packet reading:

http://www.veggiegardener.com/how-to-read-seed-packet/

One major thing is how much space the plant will take up or how much room it needs to grow. It's hard to picture this because your holding a tiny seed packet.This sometimes is just a learning process. As you have a garden consecutively you will start to realize how much room these take to grow or how were you would plant them differently next year. One thing that does help is to keep up on pruning, weeding and harvesting to keep your garden less chaotic and messy.

Plant:

Now time to plant! This is the best part for kids to help with. Keep in mind if your soil has fertilizer in it your kids probably shouldn't help with the soil.

Take your container, place holes or rock in for drainage, soil, seeds and than more soil (the amount depends on the seed) and WATER! If planting flowers I will add fertilizer but I DO NOT when planting anything I may ingest.

Faster Growing:

One last hint is seed soaking. This is an old trick not most people know about. It is very helpful in speeding up how long it takes from planting the seed to seeing the seed sprout through your dirt, called germinating/germination period. Here is a very helpful link in explain the seed soaking process: http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/gardening-how-to/soaking-seeds.htm

No room for a garden??:

If you do not have any space to garden no worries! Here are some helpful hints:

Apartment Living or Small Backyard:

You can buy, find, or reuse large storage bins as gardens. Some do not have to be deep others do depending on what you are growing. Look to your seed packets for info on how much space they take. Carrots obviously need a deeper container. Make sure to place your gravel or punch holes in bottom. You can find these container even at goodwill, you do not need a lid. Though you may need to purchase more soil due to the fact you wont be planting in the ground.

Garden Plots:

contact your local community center, library, look in your paper or go to your local city info center (if you have one) and ask if there are local garden plots. Some times they are free other times you can rent a plot for a very low price. Or use your family and friends yards or gardens. As long as you share your rewards I'm sure they will be happy to share the space!

**Save your seed packets, follow the directions, prune, weed, harvest and SHARE!**

 Happy Gardening!

Get dirty~

Bree & J

Some of my fav gardening ideas from our Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/fhsjessi/farm-house-sisters/

Garden Markers. It looks expensive but it can be cheap!
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

 

Another meaning to recycling. Cute garden containers.
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

Space saving idea, you can plant below trellace too!
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

Have a problem with water....water too much or not enough?? Free and easy way to continally water your plants..at the right time.
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

Adorable...dont use chalkboard paint though! LOL!
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

Dress up a 5 gallon bucket for your tomato plants or any plant!
Like?? Go to our Pinterest page and click on photo for link.

Pin It

QUICK CRAFT: Planter

Indoor Planter

(30-45 minute craft)

 Supplies:

~Any sort of Jar (I used a salsa jar)

~Paper: Scrapbook paper, photo, collage of photos, childs art, etc

~Scissors, edge cutter

~Mod Podge

~Hot Glue gun

~Rocks or gravel (pre washed)

~Soil or dirt

~Seeds

1.Clean Jars (basically just peel label off, I left sticky residue on, and clean inside) Choose paper you want and cut.

Measure paper for cutting, about a 1/4" from where jar starts to curve in, do this on BOTH top and bottom of jar. Make piece large enough to cover a large portion of middle of jar. (in my case I had to make it large enough to cover the sticky residue from Salsa label)

  

    

2. Hot glue one edge of paper to jar. (make sure to wrap paper around ,BEFORE pressing down to glue, to make sure both ends of piece will line up.)

3. Hot glue along edge of paper to "seal" the seem. This is not the other end of paper. It is the top and bottom edge of paper. (I tried a few different ways, but most effective was glueing on the very edge on the INSIDE of paper.) Only glue an inch on each side at a time, other wise your glue will dry and harden.

Make sure also as you do this that you are keeping paper taught so ends will still line up and you wont get a gap between jar and paper. This will help protect from water dripping down on the inside of paper.

4. Hot Glue other END of paper (you may need to trim end), if you glued the first edge correctly in step 2 these should come pretty close to lining up. After you have excess hot glue from doing the seem just gently peel away with your nail. Careful not to scratch or rip paper.

5. Mod Podge (I used my finger, you can use any type of brush or tool you prefer) I found best to do about an inch at a time and when needed add more Mod Podge 1/2" below where more was needed and worked my way up. You can always add more but adding more to wet Mod Podge is better than to somewhat dried. Then go back along top and bottom edge (over where you hot glue gunned the seem)

6. Plant: Once Mod Podge is dry add your rocks or washed gravel. For a 4" jar I place about 1" of rocks. This is to aid in drainage of soil. 

After rocks add your soil/dirt. (do not fill to the top, you need to leave room for your seeds) Read your seed package and see how deep to plant seeds. After seeds are placed cover with more soil. Than WATER. I planted flower seeds so I also watered with fertilizer.

And Your DONE! Make sure to place in warm area with some sun. Water as seed packet recommends.

Keep Crafting~

Bree & J

Pin It