Pinterest-inspired learning activity!

I love all the fun and inspiring homeschool/preschool projects on pinterest!

A few weeks ago I picked up the supplies to make one at home - and this week I finally did it!

I started with this pile of stuff

And these two eager helpers :)

And in a few minutes we had made a color learning activity for Little Miss!

Ethan enjoyed helping her learn how to say colors 

But poor Mylin still isn't strong enough to open the closepins to put the right dot with the right pin!  However, she really likes stacking all the circles in a pile :)

This project was fun, simple, and CHEAP!

The paint color samples are free at any hardware store - and we found a bag of 100 closepins at Wal-Mart for a whopping $1...get some scissors and glue and you're all set!

I was inspired by these 2 pinterest pins (closepins & color samples) to create this project - and am so excited for her and her sibling(s) to grow and get to enjoy all the other ones I'm anxious to make!

What other preschool/homeschool ideas do you have using either closepines, paint samples, or both?!

Baking and freezing!

I made Honey Beer Bread and Poppyseed Bread (without the poppyseeds...) for a Mom's group brunch a few weekends ago...

Sopapillas. DELICIOUS. Will repeat and hopefully freeze...good for breakfast, dessert, or snack - though I prefer breakfast!

(even Mylin loved them!)

My sweet friend, Brittany came and helped me make some food to freeze for baby season this summer!

We made bean burritos, Buffalo Chicken dip, and Baked Spaghetti

I also baked and froze Sour Cream Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

And yummy Chicken Chili Spaghetti in the crock pot

(I used this recipe as a template...ours had chicken, cream of chicken, velveeta, hot chili beans, corn, onion, garlic, spaghetti, and spices)

Oops.  Surprisingly this is only like the 2nd egg I've broken (on accident...) since I've been married - which is odd because I'm clumsy, too fast, unbalanced, and don't really pay 100% attention to much of anything...

Then came the most AMAZING desserts...

Gooey Butterscotch Bars next time I will make this with less of the goo on top - it about sent me over the edge!

And after Joel kissed me when I ate one he swore he got Diabetes... ;)

Cake Batter Brownies - this recipe also calls for these to be frosted...NOT NECESSARY!!!

These are Joel's new favorites!

Wow.  I hope to have at least 1 more day like this to cook, bake, and freeze in preparation of baby coming!

When we had Mylin, we literally had a stockpile of food that lasted us 3 months!

That was with the kindness and generosity of my MomLife group and friends who brought meals - but I am hoping to be ahead of the game again this time around!

Family weekend away in Indy

Last weekend Joel, Mylin, and I got to spend a looong weekend together!
It started with Joel taking Friday off work and strolling Mylin to the library for Wee Read (infant/toddler library time)
What a fun daddy!!!

Then we packed up and drove to Indy and checked in just before Mylin's naptime - newsflash: Mylin did not actually nap, but cried and played off and on in her pack-n-play for 2 hours...

Then we went to Squealers - a local BBQ joint - it was DELICIOUS!

That night at the hotel Mylin and Joel spent a lot of time reading - though I couldn't get either of them to cooperate for a picture...

After Mylin went to sleep we stayed up and watched March Madness and worked on a presentation over the topic 'Communication' that I was going to present to our MomLife group that next week

It was SO great to just lounge and spend time together talking for hours :)

The next morning we packed up early and headed to the Children's Museum with my brother, David, his wife, Jayna, their boys, Glenn & Luke (and soon to be #3 brother - due in April!)

That afternoon we went to an indoor water park to celebrate Luke turning 4 and then we all went out for pizza before crashing back in the hotel

Another night of lounging and basketball and the 'feel' of vacation being away from home!

We got home late morning Sunday and spent the rest of the day relaxing together still - what a refreshing weekend!

It was so fun to get away as a family - probably our last time away from home, all together, before baby is due to arrive in about 10 weeks!

What do you find is the best way to travel with young ones and get them to sleep well?

We always get a suite now, so we can have a door that separately bedroom/living room so we can be up while Mylin sleeps...

Any other ideas?!

Pregnancy lately

Twice in the last 3 weeks I've driven to Heyerly's and brought home a bag of donuts

Both times it was totally worth it.

Welcome to the 3rd trimester :)

Home decor/Pinterest inspired project!

View my 'Accomplished' board to see the original pin
Or click on the website directly HERE

Look at the handy work of my amazing hubby!!!

The original post was of a shape of a heart made out of frames, but we adapted it into a 'D' between our two initials above our bed

He hung the 10 frames in between the beautiful grapevine letters his mother, Kari (etsy site HERE), crafted for us as a gift a few Christmas' ago!

I love seeing some fruit from all the hours I spend pinning my dream world on virtual boards.....
:)

What pinterest projects have you done in your house?!