Learning With My Boys

Classroom Easter Minute-to-Win-it

Titus’s Middle School class Easter party had fun with a competition called Tournament of the Peeps. We had 4 teams, each a different color of Peep, and they played Minute-to-Win-it type games.

Angry Peeps

Stand 4 bunny Peeps of each color at one side of the table. 1 participant from each team will stand at the other side of the room. Use a rubber band to knock over the Peeps of the other team colors in one minute. Once all of your Peeps are knocked over you are out while the other teams keep playing.

Peeps in a Nest

One of your teammates will hold an Easter basket on his head, at one side of the room. Another teammate will get 10 Peeps and stand 6 feet away from the buckets. The teammate with the Peeps will see how many of the 10 he can toss into their teams bucket. You only have 1 minute.

Peep Tower

Teams will use 6 Chick Peeps to build the tallest Peep Tower in 1 minute. Peeps can be torn, stacked, or whatever other method the team comes up with to make the tallest tower (no other supplies allowed).

Peep in Your Face

Place 8 Peeps on a place at the table. 1 player from each team will stand at the table with hands behind their back. They player has 1 minutes to eat as many Peeps as he can.

Peep Catapult

Each team will build a catapult in 5 minutes. Teams will have access to craft sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons. First stack 5-7 craft sticks and use the rubber bands to fasten them on each end. Then make a stack of 2 craft sticks and fasten them together on 1 end only. Pull the 2 sticks apart and wedge the stack of sticks between them. Use 2 rubber bands to secure the spoon to the upper craft stick. Place a Peep on the spoon and hold the base of the catapult securely against the floor with one hand. Use the other hand to push down the spoon. Release the spoon and the Peep should fly.

Place an Easter basket 3 feet away from the catapult See how many Peeps you can catapult into your basket in 1 minute.

adf

8th Grade Class Auction Project

Each year our school does an auction fund raiser. Each class makes a collaborative art project and an auction basket. My 8th grader’s class worked together to create a wooden Christmas ornaments for the school fundraising auction this year.

Collaborative Christmas Ornaments

I had each child a wooden circle with a whole near the top. Then they decorated their hand with paint markers in a Christmas design. After they decorated them, we put twine through the whole and added a wooden bead or bow.

Dinner Menu Gift Cards/ Auction Basket

We found a chalk board that said “Weekly Menu” on it. Then strung twine back and froth across the front to hang gift cards from. We used tiny wooden clothes pins to hang the cards.

sdf

3 Year Old Jasmine Preschool Photos

We love the Disney Aladdin movie, from the songs to the animals! Tiger is Storm’s favorite animal and she got a giant tiger for Christmas. Every time we go to the zoo she just talks about the tigers.

What I love about Jasmine is her generosity and her integrity. She cares about her people and doesn’t like to see the poor go hungry. She gives the apple to the hungry children with no thought about the consequences. She knows what’s right and wants to make her own decisions.

Storm is so kind and generous too, she is constantly wanting to share her things with others. She tries to give her stuffy to her best friend, and share her food with everyone! I also spend a lot of time teaching my children to stand up for what is right and to live with integrity. We read the Bible and discuss what we read to help us learn right from wrong.

She wore the Jasmine Costume that we bought last year. The rest of the props and back drops are all from thrift shops. I pulled her hair back into 3 spaced pony tails. She wore her gold earrings (I like these ones that screw on the backs) and her gold flats. She also had her large stuffed tiger to look like Rajah.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Jasmine photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

3 Year Old Rapunzel Preschool Photos

Tangled is a family favorite for our house, the entire movie is great and upbeat!

Rapunzel is a sweet passionate girl who always keeps her word. She tries to be happy in all situations but also has hopes and desires. She outgoing and friendly with everyone, even the strange looking ruffians in the bar. I also love her innocents of the worldly things she encounters.

Just like Rapunzel, Storm doesn’t know a stranger. Ever since she was a baby she would reach and point to people whenever we are out and about. Now she is always giving hugs to people that she knows, she is a very sweet and thoughtful girl.

We went to an entrance to a subdivision that had these cute little towers this year for her Rapunzel photos. I painted a sun on the tiny frying pan when she was a baby for her Baby Rapunzel photos, I printed out a picture of Flynn Rider on some resume paper to give it an old look, and I found this neat candle lantern at a thrift store. We also added some fun pink flowers. She is wearing a Rapunzel dress that we bought for her this year, and her silver flats with white tights. I combed her hair straight after her back and parted it on the side. She wore her purple earrings are from a multi color pack that I bought when she was a baby.

Psalm 46:5 “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Rapunzel photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

Kids Homemade Breadsticks and Pretzels

The kids have been baking bread this winter. We read the Walter the Baker by Eric Carle and then they wanted to make pretzels. We also tried a Little Caesars Breadsticks.

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Dough Ingredients:

3 tea instant dry yeast
1 1/2 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
2 TBS granulated sugar
4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt

Crust Ingredients:

1 Cup water
2 tea basking soda
Coarse sea salt
1/4 Cup butter

Directions:

Combine warm water, sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for about 10 minutes.
Add in flour and salt and knead in the mixer.
Grease bowl and place dough in the bowl. Cover it and leave it in a warm place for 30 minutes to let it rise.
Preheat the oven 25 degrees F.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and toll each part into a 2 foot rope.
Form 8 pretzels and set aside.
Combine water and baking soda in a shallow stovetop pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and submerge each pretzel in the water for a second and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 11-12 minutes.
Melt the butter and use a basting brush to spread the melted butter onto the warm pretzels.
Eat with nacho cheese sauce.

Little Caesars Breadsticks

Dough Ingredients:

2 1/2 tea instant dry yeast
1/4 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 TBS granulated sugar
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
1 Cup hot water

Basting Ingredients:

1/4 Cup melted butter
1/2 tea garlic salt
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and prepare 2 2 baking sheets.
Combine water and sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for 10 minutes.
Mix in 2 cups of the flour, salt and hot water.
Mix on low in your mixer and slowly add 1 more cup of flour until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump the dough on flour surface and cup into fourths, then cup each piece into 3 equal pieces making 12 pieces.
Roll the pieces into 10 inch ropes and place on the baking sheets.
Bake for 11-12 minutes.
Mix the melted butter and garlic salt and the brush it on the sticks. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

Dough Ingredients:

2 1/2 tea instant dry yeast
1/4 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 TBS granulated sugar
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
1 Cup hot water

Basting Ingredients:

1/4 Cup melted butter
1/2 tea garlic salt
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and prepare 2 2 baking sheets.
Combine water and sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for 10 minutes.
Mix in 2 cups of the flour, salt and hot water.
Mix on low in the mixer and slowly add 1 more cup of flour until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump the dough on flour surface and cup into fourths, then cup each piece into 3 equal pieces making 12 pieces.
Roll the pieces into 10 inch ropes and place on the baking sheets.
Bake for 11-12 minutes.
Mix the melted butter and garlic salt and the brush it on the sticks.

asd

3 Year Old Elsa Preschool Photos

Storm loves Frozen like every other young girl. She likes the snow and the thought winter. She wanted to take her Stuffed Olaf outside with us to.

Elsa is extremely protective of her loved ones, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. She is a very powerful young lady at the same time as having kind and creative spirit.

Storm also is very powerful (I describe her as my Perfect Storm), and empathetic of other’s feelings as well. She is always trying to comfort me even if I just stub my toe.

Lucky for us it snowed yesterday, so we got to take her Elsa pictures outside this year. She wore an Elsa dress that someone had given to us last year with a crown that we found with blue hearts. She wore these white flats and she wore her blue earrings are from a multi color pack that I bought when she was a baby. I put a loose braid in her hair and tried to put it over their shoulder.

Matthew 19:26 “With God all things are possible.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Elsa photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

DIY Cinnamon Christmas Candles

I made these Cinnamon Stick Candles for Christmas gifts. Each year we give small gifts to all of teachers, coaches, neighbors, coworkers, and our church pastors along with our family Christmas card and photo.

Supplies:

I used the hot glue to attach the cinnamon sticks to the outside of the candles. Some taller candles needed two rows of cinnamon sticks, one above the ribbon and one below. Then I glued the twine and ribbon around the candle and added the holly and jingle bells.

Each year we take a Christmas photo to put in our cards. This year I had the kids dress in their Christmas pajamas!

Merry Christmas!

asdf

3 Year Old Belle Preschool Photos

Beauty and the Beast is probably one of my favorite Disney movies, and Storm looked so beautiful in her yellow dress. My husband got me this Chip tea cup for Christmas a couple years ago!

Belle is curious for adventure and is capable of seeing past the rough exterior of the Beast. She is a strong woman who stands up for herself to the gossiping town folk, Gaston, and the Beast. She also gives her life to save her father’s.

I try to teach Storms that beauty is more than skin deep. Storm is also a strong girl who is not afraid of anybody. Bugs, sure she’s afraid; but not of people. She will speak to all people no matter how they look.

Her beautiful yellow dress was given to us when she was a baby, and I’ve been saving it for her. I curled her hair and pulled the top portion of it back into a bun with a bun shaper. Then I wrapped a yellow ribbon around the bun. She wore her gold earrings that have the screw on backings. I made the fire place out of some diaper boxes last Christmas and took the girls pictures in front of it. I hung a gold curtain for the backdrop and used my homemade cardboard stone floor that we used in our X-Men Trunk-or-Treat. The Bible that she is holding is my favorite Thomas Kinkade Bible. and the rest of the props came from the local thrift store a few years ago.

Proverbs 31:26 “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Belle photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

Gingerbread House Tradition -23

Our family Thanksgiving tradition is making Gingerbread Houses. This year we used a Wilton House Kit with the icing and candies.

We use the icing like the glue to hold the gingerbread house together. Then once it was pretty sturdy, we used the glue to attach the candy decorations.

This is a tradition that my little sister and I started when we were teenagers. I have continued it with my kids (and sometimes their cousins) for over 20 years now.

asdf

3 Year Old Pocahontas Preschool Photos

Pocahontas is the only Disney princess based on a real person. I love this story; even though it isn’t historically accurate, it is still a fun way to introduce young children to a real princess. The animals made a fun addition as well.

Pocahontas means “Little Mischief”, which fits with her playful and adventurous self. She respects nature and seeks peace for her people. She teaches John Smith about respecting nature and so it can take care for humans as well. And she also tells her father, the chief, that they can live in peace with the Europeans.

Storm is definitely mischievous as well, she also loves to adventure outdoors too. She plays outside as much as possible and is always bringing me nature treasures that she finds.

I found this Pocahontas dress at a local resale store after Halloween. I was so excited, it was just in time for her pictures. She wore her brown sandals. I just combed her hair straight after her bath and parted it on the side. She also has these turquoise earrings to wear. We also used fabric sunflowers in these photos, and shot them in our front yard.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Pocahontas photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots: