Weekly Activity Binders [system part 2]

I came up with these binders because I wanted to reinforce what gospel principle we teach on Monday for FHE. I wanted our children to have that "daily dose of vitamin gospel" instead of just Sunday & Monday. So I was inspired to use the YW values and the colors that represent them. Each day is a value and activity idea. {Sun- church/articles of faith-each month we focus on one/service projects/journals; Mon-FHE; Tues-music; Wed-crafts; Thurs- learning/scripture story time; Fri- game time; Sat- clean house/sunday prep/painting art time} So on that day we would do the activity that would help to reinforce the FHE lesson topic mentioned on Monday.

{FOR EXAMPLE: if we talked about Service on Monday, we would sing about service on Tues, do a craft and maybe give it to someone on Wed, we would read a scripture story about someone giving service on Thurs, we would play a game about service on Fri, we would do an art picture for someone on Sat and then we would write in our journals about our feelings about service on Sun.} I have 3 binders: 1-Sun/Mon/Tues, 2-Wed/Thurs, 3-Fri/Sat.


This is the front cover page of each "day/section". After this page are activity ideas in sheet protectors. Its nice to be able to just flip to an idea.


These are my easy version of "tab dividers". Colored ribbon and paperclips.

As I have listened to the General Authorities, I can hear their plea for us as parents to arm our children with the strength to fight the evils of this world. I want my children to have the best defense!

I hope you have a system to help your children know the importance of this Gospel and how to live it daily. Pin It

Idea Binders

I love Binders. They keep papers or other things so organized; and they fit so great on any shelf. I've been collecting ideas {of activities} for the kids to do while they are on track break(from school) and summer break. I finally got them organized!


Since I love my handwriting I just wrote a simple label for the front cover.


I made sections: Summer, Travel, and School. The front cover of each section has a cute scrapbook paper. I put the ideas in sheet protectors so the papers won't rip and fall out of the binder. {In the track break binder I use the ABC's. Track break is long enough we can take a letter a day and do activities directed towards that letter}


My version of "tab dividers" - a paper clip and ribbon. I stamped the words on the ribbon so I would know what section it is. Functional & Cute!


Before summer begins I print out a blank calendar to write in the activties. Boy does this help in relieving some stress. Pin It

DIY Fun Features For Blog Tutorial!

Heather came across a darling blog and shared it with me a couple weeks ago. Her name is "Cocoa" and she has a big, beautiful, chocolatey family. How creative is THAT? I book-marked her site right away and was SO excited that she has some awesome tutes (tutorials) and inspiration on there!!

In particular, I have already used and enjoyed some of Cocoa's blog-design tutes!! Can you tell?? (Looky-looky up at the cute little heart "Favicon" next to our blog address and tab!! Also our new menu bar under the header!! And looky here at my personalized signature!!) I'm GIDDY!!! I just had to share! Thanks for the tutes, cute Cocoa! XO Pin It

Organized Ribbon

I love my ribbon organized this way. I can easily find what I need without getting out another container or having to unwind it.


I just used the 2 inch closeable rings, curtain rod and curtain rod rings. I fold the ribbon in half, loop it over the ring and put the end of the ribbon in the ribbon loop. Then if I need a piece of ribbon I just cut it off of the end.


This is my jar of ribbon. This has odds and ends of ribbon/fabric strips. I always go here first to check if there is something I can use before I cut any off of the hanging ones.

I love this system because it works and it looks pretty. Pin It

Yummy Taco Salad

I got this recipe from my friend Cathy a while back and it has become a "comfort" food in our home. It is super yummy and so simple!

TACO SALAD

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 16 oz. can Pinto beans
1 15 oz. can Kidney beans

1 15 oz. can Black beans

1 15 oz. can Corn

1 15oz. can Olives (optional)

1 4 oz. can Green chiles

1/8 cup Taco Seasoning

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

Just brown the meat in a stock pot. When meat is done then add all other ingredients and warm on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes. Done!

You can dress it up with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese,tri-colored chips, sour cream and/or ranch dressing.

You can layer it or toss it (like the picture).

I love meals like this!

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Tithing Baggie

{FRONT}
{BACK}

A couple of Sundays ago I was preparing the children's tithing and had to go and get another ziplock baggie. I got thinking. . . what if I just have a bag they can use over and over again. I had some left over fabric (which you could totally use a purse from the Dollar store) that I could use. This is what I came up with. The size works great so that you can fold the dollar bills and the coins don't fall out due to the velcro.

1-Cut freezer paper and muslin fabric into a sheet measuring 8 1/2 x 11 so that it will fit the computer.

2-Iron muslin fabric to the "shiny" side of the freezer paper. I used a plain muslin so you could see the wording, image and my kids would have a fun craft time to decorate it.

3-Create image(I used one from a program I had purchased a while back) so that the tithing word and image (1 1/2 inches from top edge) is upright (which will be the front) and the name (3 inches from that top edge) is upside down (which will be the back). I created a boarder line so it would be easier for cutting. Total outline was 5x9. Remember to print on the "special paper" setting.

4-Lay desired fabric and muslin to cut the 5x9 piece.

5-Carefully peel away the freezer paper from fabric.

6-Iron all edges of both fabrics to 1/2 inch.

7-Pin wrong sides together for sewing.

8-Stitch around outer edge of all 4 sides. {I like using the same thread to match the fabric}

9-I let my kids color their own(i'm grateful for their creativeness) using crayons or permanent markers. The markers seemed to bleed a little though.

10-After all the coloring was done you'll need to heat set the colors. Place a piece of parchment paper over the bag and iron for a few seconds.

11-Cut 2 pieces of velcro (3 inches in length) for each side. Sew around the edge of each velcro strip. Fold the baggie in half with velcro touching and sew down sides to close.

I'm excited that if they get dirty I can just stick them in the washer!

I know this baggie will be a great help for my kids, keeping the money organized and ready for Sunday.

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Sympathy Gift for the Teacher

My daughter's 1st grade teacher's father passed away recently and had to take a week off to go be with her family. So a few other moms and I put our heads together to think of something we could do, from her class, that could help lift her spirits.

We thought of the most popular gift that is given when someone loses a loved one- FLOWERS, and Dawn M. one of the other moms, came up with the most clever idea to make a bouquet of "Healing Hands"!! So we made arrangements with the substitute to come in for an hour during class time and help the kids make this special gift. We brought in a bunch of different colored cardstock and traced the kids' hands, then let them cut them out and write a little message to their teacher on them. Then Dawn took all the hands home, attached them to tung compressors, and put them into a jar filled with Hershey kisses.

She also grabbed a few other things and put them all together in a basket for the teacher. It was such an easy project, and surely will be treasured forever by Ms. M.
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Instruction Manual Keeper

I am a keeper. I know with manuals you'll need them someday.
I use to have them in the 13 pocket divider folders but we kept getting more and more manuals and the folders were bulging so last year I had an extra tub to file them in. I just got some manila file folders, labeled them and alphabetically organized them.
I know it is not pretty but it works.{ And I don't have to look at it too much -its in the garage}


I labeled them: Bathroom, Bedroom, Bonus Room, Cameras, Computer, Craft Room, Exercise, Furniture, Garage, Hubby's Toys, Kitchen, Laundry, Music Electronics, Phones, Office, Tools, Toys(kids), Vehicle, Yard, Misc.

Now if I need a certain manual I know just where it is! It's Awesome! Pin It

My Handy Helpers

To help me organize when I go food or "other" shopping I take 2 helpers with me.


For me, this system works for my coupons. {WARNING: I love couponing but I am not a extreme couponer.} I bought this small black 13 pocket divider. I labeled each by month and in each month I cut some paper to divide it even more. One section is for food coupons, another section is for "Health and Beauty" and the last section I put misc. coupons. I will get the newspaper or print coupons from online. Then I just put them in date order. In the very back I put a pair of scissors and an extra pen.


The little pink 13 pocket divider I put in my car {but I'm going to be adding it to my purse} for my receipts. When I buy somthing I just put it in the right section. At the end of the month I can do my budgeting. I've been doing this for a couple of years so this year I'm going to try to put a budgeted amount of money in certain pockets and when that money's gone I know we are done spending money in that category. I think it will be easier to not over spend! I really do love this little pocket helper because if I have to return anything I know right where the receipt is.
FYI my dividers are labeled as: Post Office, Movies/Meals Out, Fuel, Just Food, Food and "Other", Just "Other", Church, Gifts, Kids, Me, Business, Punch cards, Misc.

I hope you have a system that works for you to keep all coupons/receipts in order. If not try my idea! Pin It

Marble Maze Craft Project

I love to do craft projects with my kids. I guess I have passed down the "creative jean" and they love to do anything of that sort. It makes it easy on my part. So on Saturday they did a great job with finishing their chores and so we had enough time to do a craft project. I found this idea and I'm glad I did. They had a wonderful time "creating" and now they have a toy that can be played with for more than 10 minutes.


Supplies need to complete this project: 11 1/4 inch x 11 1/4 inch piece of wood, pencil, ruler, paint in different colors, paint brush, pen or other tool to mark holes, hammer, 1 1/2 roofing nails, protective spray, rubber bands, 3 or 4 marbles, wide ribbon, safety pin.


Using your pencil and ruler mark out a grid with 1 1/2 inch squares and a blank border that is about 1 inch.


At each intersection, make a small hole for the nail to be hammered in later.


Paint squares however your heart desires. Remember to paint one square close to the middle for the "goal" . I didn't paint one for the starting point because then you could have the marble start anywhere on the board.


Spray a coat of protective finish {so it could last a bit longer}.


Begin hammering the nails into each prepared hole.


Now you can start placing the rubber bands around the nails {start around the outer edge first}. On the inside you can place them to create the "walls". This is fun being able to create mazes with so many possibilities for the marble to go.


So our marbles would have less of a chance of getting lost I wanted a little baggie for them. I just took a wide ribbon I had and cut it 5 inches in length, fold in half and stitched down both sides.


Then using a safety pin, attach the little baggie to the board on the nail just under one of the rubber bands.
*TIP:We figured out that having 1 or 2 marbles on the board is pretty easy but when you add 3 or 4 marbles it gets more challenging.

I LOVE that this project was so Simple & FUN. My kids adore them and I know its a toy that will be Well LOVED! I hope you can help your kids get their creative juices flowing! Pin It

The Family Calendar

I like having a BIG calendar in the central kitchen/family area that everyone can see. I used to have a big white-board calendar that I would erase and change out each month, but I didn't like that I could never flip to the next months to write down future appointments or events.

So I decided to create an attractive way to have a big calendar and still be able to flip pages and plan ahead. I bought a desk calendar, some cork-board (on the roll), some black ribbon, and black spray paint from Walmart; some black upholstery tacs/nails from (can't remember where, it's been a couple years); a piece of 1/8 inch hardboard, one strip of framing, and a metal sheet from Lowes (or HomeDepot). I cut all these to size myself because I had to figure out all the measurements first. (BTW, I used some cork-board squares that I already had, but the kind on the roll might look cleaner!)

Here's what the back of it looks like. My hardboard piece measures 20 7/16" by 24".
I used glue, brackets and finish nails to put everything together. I also screwed on some wire to hang from. Oh, and I hammered 2 nails on the front to hold the calendar.

Oh, and those letters at the top? That's leftover hardboard cut down (w/ scroll saw) to fit some letters that I found, on a piece of scrapbook paper I found on clearance at Craft Warehouse. (I cut out the letters and Mod-Podged them to the hardboard pieces. Then I put cut-n-stick magnets on the back of each letter.

Now for the calendar itself...
Being a family of 6, we have a pretty busy schedule. So to make things a little easier on myself I decided to color-code our activities according to each family member.
Here's a closer look...

I have loved this calendar system! My husband often stands in front of it to update his Blackberry with the family happenings as well. The children also like to look up and see their names on there, and know what is going on every day. Pin It

Kids' Specials Schedule

Another thing I like to keep up in clear view (on the fridge) is my kids' "Specials Schedule" (meaning their special classes at school like PE, music, etc). I've got that color-coded as well for each child. This helps me remember if one of the kids needs to bring back a library book, dress approprately for PE, etc. The kids often refer to it in the morning to anticipate what their special is for the day. This one is SUPER EASY to type up on the computer and post on the fridge! Pin It