Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Teaching the kiddo
I have recently become very interested in different teaching methods for toddlers/preschoolers. For obvious reasons.
I have been working on making the most of the time we do have together, being less restrictive, and letting Jake explorer and learn in his own ways. But at the same time providing him with some structured activities. Essentially methods to the madness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori
The way I understand it - learn by playing, doing, not lecture. Allow for creativity, free thought, and experimentation. All the while making sure that the resources available serve a propose and that you are available to help and explain if need be.
We have a Montessori school right around the corner. The are a bit pricey, but I have them sending me info and they offer aid. Sooo I definitely need to do my homework and make sure its the right fit for us as a preschool. Check um out http://www.richmont.org/
Reading up on this teaching method has been pretty inspiring. Granted I have just been doing some Internet searching. Montessori books are one the amazon wish list this year for Christmas.
Jake and I have been quite the crafty duo lately. Thanks to all the wonderful blogs to the right. I started a couple weeks ago doing a color of the week. I was looking for something to fill the time between when we got home and before we ate dinner. We started by learning the sign for the color of the week, then we went to color collages, painting with one color, searching the house for color, sorting color all sorts of things. Jake gets so excited now when he tells you about blue or red. BLUE!!!! that all I here some nights. I love it. I have some ideas for things I want to make, clothing boards, activity bags, felt boards...omg the things I have planned :). Poor Tommy.
Red:
working on a red color collage
Blue:
Finger Painting with BLUE!!
This I think is also helping in the area of discipline. Not Jake so much but me. Working with him more and having controlled projects and play helps me not yell "no, no, no don't touch that, stop that, JAKE" . I mean I still do. We haven't go the whole positive discipline things down yet. Me being a mommy is still a work in progress. Patience is not one of my strong suits and Jake is a normal toddler with an attention span of a flea. I see a lot of parents that take toddler hood as a miserable time in their life. Oh the terrible twos...etc. I take pride what my child is a curious little boy. He is full of energy, playful, loving, adventurous and not a Satan spawn on a rampage of destruction.
Please don't get me wrong. I don't have every hour of every day planned with some sort of activity, or learning experience. I have to get things done too. But I am definitely out of the mind set of just entertaining the beast until nap time.
Jake, Tommy and I we do what we do. If that's just a walk around the block with a few pit stops to stare at the clouds, birds, or trees then that's what it is.
I have been working on making the most of the time we do have together, being less restrictive, and letting Jake explorer and learn in his own ways. But at the same time providing him with some structured activities. Essentially methods to the madness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori
The way I understand it - learn by playing, doing, not lecture. Allow for creativity, free thought, and experimentation. All the while making sure that the resources available serve a propose and that you are available to help and explain if need be.
We have a Montessori school right around the corner. The are a bit pricey, but I have them sending me info and they offer aid. Sooo I definitely need to do my homework and make sure its the right fit for us as a preschool. Check um out http://www.richmont.org/
Reading up on this teaching method has been pretty inspiring. Granted I have just been doing some Internet searching. Montessori books are one the amazon wish list this year for Christmas.
Jake and I have been quite the crafty duo lately. Thanks to all the wonderful blogs to the right. I started a couple weeks ago doing a color of the week. I was looking for something to fill the time between when we got home and before we ate dinner. We started by learning the sign for the color of the week, then we went to color collages, painting with one color, searching the house for color, sorting color all sorts of things. Jake gets so excited now when he tells you about blue or red. BLUE!!!! that all I here some nights. I love it. I have some ideas for things I want to make, clothing boards, activity bags, felt boards...omg the things I have planned :). Poor Tommy.
Red:
working on a red color collage
Blue:
Finger Painting with BLUE!!
This I think is also helping in the area of discipline. Not Jake so much but me. Working with him more and having controlled projects and play helps me not yell "no, no, no don't touch that, stop that, JAKE" . I mean I still do. We haven't go the whole positive discipline things down yet. Me being a mommy is still a work in progress. Patience is not one of my strong suits and Jake is a normal toddler with an attention span of a flea. I see a lot of parents that take toddler hood as a miserable time in their life. Oh the terrible twos...etc. I take pride what my child is a curious little boy. He is full of energy, playful, loving, adventurous and not a Satan spawn on a rampage of destruction.
Please don't get me wrong. I don't have every hour of every day planned with some sort of activity, or learning experience. I have to get things done too. But I am definitely out of the mind set of just entertaining the beast until nap time.
Jake, Tommy and I we do what we do. If that's just a walk around the block with a few pit stops to stare at the clouds, birds, or trees then that's what it is.
Anyway more Pictures.
I LOVE HALLOWEEN!! So our crafts lately our Halloween based. Halloween crafts, Halloween books, pumpkins, bats, witches, ghosts....did I mention I love Halloween. So here are the projects we have done thus far. Thanks to No Time for Flashcards for the ideas!!!
Markers are always a hit. Making the background for his hand bat.
Painting with pumpkins
Pumpkin Prints
We have done a couple more different things, I just didn't get the camera out soon enough.
Bottom line, we are having fun!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Daily Horoscope for Gemini - Wednesday, October 8, 2008
You may feel a bit restricted in your ability to control your own destiny today, especially if you want to travel or spend more time learning. Your attraction to increasing your knowledge through education or direct experience can run into the hard, cold truth of your family and fiscal commitments. Don't take your frustration out on anyone else. Work with what you have for now and consider changes down the road.
Email from Tommy this morning-
Thomas Carlson to me
show details
7:35 am (47 minutes ago)
you seem extremely overwhelmed, stressed. I'll be on around 9, lets talk
I guess it's time to re-evaluate....
:::sigh:::
I should be able to make a real post later
You may feel a bit restricted in your ability to control your own destiny today, especially if you want to travel or spend more time learning. Your attraction to increasing your knowledge through education or direct experience can run into the hard, cold truth of your family and fiscal commitments. Don't take your frustration out on anyone else. Work with what you have for now and consider changes down the road.
Email from Tommy this morning-
Thomas Carlson to me
show details
7:35 am (47 minutes ago)
you seem extremely overwhelmed, stressed. I'll be on around 9, lets talk
I guess it's time to re-evaluate....
:::sigh:::
I should be able to make a real post later
Thursday, September 25, 2008
New pics
Sunday, September 14, 2008
I'll have what he's having....
Dear James,
You know how we had that convo last week about you and your need to motivate? and how I yelled at you and told you to get your shit together? Yeah...Tonight I am in need of one of those talks. Lets make that happen soon...I need some good motivation.
Love,
Angel
I feel like shit!! I have had this weird non sinus, sinus drainage thing going on for like 4 or 5 days now and a pretty good fever. yuck! Thursday I took off work and slept ALL day. OK from like 8 to 2 but still. I am sitting here now blogging instead of working on my paper that is due Wednesday or reading anything...I can't focus at all tonight. I think I might call it a night and bust ass tomorrow and get shit done!
I bought an acorn squash this weekend just because I have never had acorn squash before. Really the little things in life make all the difference.
Tommy's grandma passed away this weekend. He seems pretty bummed. I think we are going out to Chicago next week. I have never been. I hope Jake does OK on a plane.
Makes me miss my grandma.
Tasha bridal shower was fun. All of her and Mark's family think I am some sort of bad ass. Makes me giggle. I had to admit to my Mom a couple of things I had done today. Like the liquor we stole(from her) for senior week and hid in the spare tire compartment of my trunk. I'm 24 you can't ground me now! "Oh I've heard about you" that's all I heard today. I bought Tasha a bunch of naughty gifts....hehe...my present didn't get opened in front of everyone :) God I hope I never have to open lingerie that my mother in law gives to me as a gift. WEIRD!
We took our second trip to Maymont (http://www.maymont.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=217&srcid=-2) Saturday. I LOVE Maymont!! Tommy and I got quite the workout while Jake got to explore the park. There is SO much there to do, its 10 minutes away and its free. LOVE IT! I want to work there. I would pick up trash as long as I got to wander around the park all day. I check like 3 times a week for job openings at the park. One day.......
I promised myself I would get to bed by 11 tonight. I got 5 minutes.
You know how we had that convo last week about you and your need to motivate? and how I yelled at you and told you to get your shit together? Yeah...Tonight I am in need of one of those talks. Lets make that happen soon...I need some good motivation.
Love,
Angel
I feel like shit!! I have had this weird non sinus, sinus drainage thing going on for like 4 or 5 days now and a pretty good fever. yuck! Thursday I took off work and slept ALL day. OK from like 8 to 2 but still. I am sitting here now blogging instead of working on my paper that is due Wednesday or reading anything...I can't focus at all tonight. I think I might call it a night and bust ass tomorrow and get shit done!
I bought an acorn squash this weekend just because I have never had acorn squash before. Really the little things in life make all the difference.
Tommy's grandma passed away this weekend. He seems pretty bummed. I think we are going out to Chicago next week. I have never been. I hope Jake does OK on a plane.
Makes me miss my grandma.
Tasha bridal shower was fun. All of her and Mark's family think I am some sort of bad ass. Makes me giggle. I had to admit to my Mom a couple of things I had done today. Like the liquor we stole(from her) for senior week and hid in the spare tire compartment of my trunk. I'm 24 you can't ground me now! "Oh I've heard about you" that's all I heard today. I bought Tasha a bunch of naughty gifts....hehe...my present didn't get opened in front of everyone :) God I hope I never have to open lingerie that my mother in law gives to me as a gift. WEIRD!
We took our second trip to Maymont (http://www.maymont.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=217&srcid=-2) Saturday. I LOVE Maymont!! Tommy and I got quite the workout while Jake got to explore the park. There is SO much there to do, its 10 minutes away and its free. LOVE IT! I want to work there. I would pick up trash as long as I got to wander around the park all day. I check like 3 times a week for job openings at the park. One day.......
I promised myself I would get to bed by 11 tonight. I got 5 minutes.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
things I need to do
http://www.blueridgepermaculture.net
Courses and Education
Upcoming Course in Fall 2008:
Introduction to Permaculture: Sustainability Strategies for the Blue Ridge This 3 day Introduction to Permaculture workshop will focus on basic principles and strategies to live more sustainably in your home, neighborhood or community. The course will be held on October 31 st - November 2 nd, 2008 near Charlottesville Virginia. Workshop topics will include permaculture ethics and principles, observation and patterns in nature, and permaculture strategies to improve soil, grow food, harvest water, utilize renewable energy and regenerative building techniques, and build sustainable communities.
The course is offered through the Blue Ridge Permaculture Institute, and will be a hands-on, intensive weekend training workshop. The cost for the course is a sliding scale, $195-$250, and limited work-trade positions are available. For more information, contact Terry Lilley at tygerlilley@gmail.com. Click here to access a PDF document, which is the application form with additional information.
any one got a couple hundred dollars of so I can have?? Damnit!
Courses and Education
Upcoming Course in Fall 2008:
Introduction to Permaculture: Sustainability Strategies for the Blue Ridge This 3 day Introduction to Permaculture workshop will focus on basic principles and strategies to live more sustainably in your home, neighborhood or community. The course will be held on October 31 st - November 2 nd, 2008 near Charlottesville Virginia. Workshop topics will include permaculture ethics and principles, observation and patterns in nature, and permaculture strategies to improve soil, grow food, harvest water, utilize renewable energy and regenerative building techniques, and build sustainable communities.
The course is offered through the Blue Ridge Permaculture Institute, and will be a hands-on, intensive weekend training workshop. The cost for the course is a sliding scale, $195-$250, and limited work-trade positions are available. For more information, contact Terry Lilley at tygerlilley@gmail.com. Click here to access a PDF document, which is the application form with additional information.
any one got a couple hundred dollars of so I can have?? Damnit!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
randomness of the evening
I don't really feel like getting into a long essay like post this evening. My brain is just not there. Here is where I am at:
I am really into this song -
Marc Broussard 'Lonely Night In Georgia' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2WfD2i4HM)
I made Pepper sauce tonight for dinner. Out of The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest (http://http//www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Broccoli-Katzens-Classic-Cooking/dp/1580081266). I thought it was pretty yummy! I think it could of been better with some feta, but I like feta in anything. We added flank steak to the recipe. Tommy is not down with my idea of having 1 or 2 vegetarian meals a week for dinner(starting slow). "I like meat!" so Jake and I will be going at it without him. I am pretty sure he will come around once he sees the wonderfulness that I will be producing! I don't think I could handle being full fledged vegetarian. The reason I want to start incorporating more full vegetarian meals into our diet is because I want to live out of our garden most of the year if not all year, and we don't have seeds that grow cows or pigs. I am looking into the cost benefits of buying a whole cow at a time. To help Tommy satisfy his love affair with red meat. We have a farm close by(Brookview Farm -http://www.brookviewfarm.com/Home.html ) that has grass feed certified organic beef for purchase and I was told that they would sell me a cow at a time. hmmm....now all I need is a deep freezer. $$$. I wonder if my landlord would go in with me on getting a couple of cows. I need milk too, and a goat so Jake could have milk (lactose intolerant) He already said I could get chickens!! We need to start working on our chicken tractor! (http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html). I am more excited about having chickens then you would believe...DORK! Bill my landlord, was excited and a little nervous after I showed him my permaculture plan from class last semester. I showed him just because I was proud of it, but he thinks its my plan for the yard. I'm going with it, I glad he is so open to what I want to do!
Tuesday I ventured into chemical free skin care. Oatmeal Orange face wash. Good stuff! Ground Oatmeal and Orange Peel that's it! I dried the orange peel in the oven, made the house smell lovely! if it can handle the oil slick that is my skin then its damn good! My skin is very soft... and smells great.
The farmers market is not a grocery store. People that act like it is irk me. Tell me where bananas grow in VA or why vendors have Dole bananas for sale in the first place. Also just because it's local doesn't mean it's grown organic. Talk to your farmers! ask them about their farms! support Local Organic growers!
I want an ibook.
My family is falling to pieces. I read a quote today out of Skirt magazine(http://www.skirt.com/). "Drop out of family drama and let them work it out or go to war without you." Sorry everyone, but that just about sums up how I feel about it. Selfish, maybe to you, but to me and my sanity it is the best remedy. I will be here to support and love you, but I will not give up my life, my focus, or my happiness any longer.
That's about all I got for tonight. I need to get some rest.
I am really into this song -
Marc Broussard 'Lonely Night In Georgia' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2WfD2i4HM)
I made Pepper sauce tonight for dinner. Out of The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest (http://http//www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Broccoli-Katzens-Classic-Cooking/dp/1580081266). I thought it was pretty yummy! I think it could of been better with some feta, but I like feta in anything. We added flank steak to the recipe. Tommy is not down with my idea of having 1 or 2 vegetarian meals a week for dinner(starting slow). "I like meat!" so Jake and I will be going at it without him. I am pretty sure he will come around once he sees the wonderfulness that I will be producing! I don't think I could handle being full fledged vegetarian. The reason I want to start incorporating more full vegetarian meals into our diet is because I want to live out of our garden most of the year if not all year, and we don't have seeds that grow cows or pigs. I am looking into the cost benefits of buying a whole cow at a time. To help Tommy satisfy his love affair with red meat. We have a farm close by(Brookview Farm -http://www.brookviewfarm.com/Home.html ) that has grass feed certified organic beef for purchase and I was told that they would sell me a cow at a time. hmmm....now all I need is a deep freezer. $$$. I wonder if my landlord would go in with me on getting a couple of cows. I need milk too, and a goat so Jake could have milk (lactose intolerant) He already said I could get chickens!! We need to start working on our chicken tractor! (http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html). I am more excited about having chickens then you would believe...DORK! Bill my landlord, was excited and a little nervous after I showed him my permaculture plan from class last semester. I showed him just because I was proud of it, but he thinks its my plan for the yard. I'm going with it, I glad he is so open to what I want to do!
Tuesday I ventured into chemical free skin care. Oatmeal Orange face wash. Good stuff! Ground Oatmeal and Orange Peel that's it! I dried the orange peel in the oven, made the house smell lovely! if it can handle the oil slick that is my skin then its damn good! My skin is very soft... and smells great.
The farmers market is not a grocery store. People that act like it is irk me. Tell me where bananas grow in VA or why vendors have Dole bananas for sale in the first place. Also just because it's local doesn't mean it's grown organic. Talk to your farmers! ask them about their farms! support Local Organic growers!
I want an ibook.
My family is falling to pieces. I read a quote today out of Skirt magazine(http://www.skirt.com/). "Drop out of family drama and let them work it out or go to war without you." Sorry everyone, but that just about sums up how I feel about it. Selfish, maybe to you, but to me and my sanity it is the best remedy. I will be here to support and love you, but I will not give up my life, my focus, or my happiness any longer.
That's about all I got for tonight. I need to get some rest.
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