POST TWENTY - A SUPER EASY PROJECT

so, this truly is a super easy project. i've been wanting to make some snack bags, but have been hesitating because i wasn't sure exactly how i wanted to make them- if i should be lining them with something, or using velcro as a closure... i really just wanted to make some very simple baggies. then i found this.

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2010/07/snack-bags-a-sewing-tutorial.html the pattern is very basic, cute, easy to use and the video made me laugh.

as i checked out the site i found that its creator, amy karol has several sewing books out (which i recognized, but haven't checked out before) and there are also a few other video tutorials posted. you can find links to her various sites, and her ebay shop here http://www.amykarol.com/

so, i've made several of these little baggies, and they are just what i was wanting- sometimes the simple things really are the best!!

POST NINETEEN - LEARNING...

our daughter just turned 4, and i'd been recognizing that she was definitely

ready for some level of "structured learning." i was a bit at a loss as far as what direction to go in. an all out preschool curriculum? some basic workbooks? i'm not a trained educator, and limited in my familiarity with early childhood educational resources. so, i talked to my sister who is a teacher, and friends who are teaching their young children, and checked out some mom blogs. and i found what i think is the perfect fit for both sadie & i. it's called FIVE IN A ROW (FIAR) by Jane Claire Lambert, and you can check it out here http://www.fiarhq.com/index.html

we have only been using it for a little while, (and since its summertime we haven't established a real routine for it yet) but we have both been enjoying it. the concept is pretty basic. you read a specified book for 5 days in a row (hence the title) and after each reading there is a lesson for you to do. the topics for the lessons are social studies, literature, art, math, and science, with multiple lessons for many of these topics to choose from. it's pretty cool- you can choose which science or art or literature etc... lesson you would like- whichever would suit you and your child best.

i really appreciate the various options, and the ideas for discussion/learning topics. it's been neat to see how much we can both learn just from one book, and the lessons can really be as simple or involved as we want them to be. another thing i like is that this is pretty inexpensive. i found a used copy of volume one on ebay for under $20 and we just go to the library to find the books we need! if you are looking for something simple, but fun and educational definitely check it out!