on my way....ahhhh

I'M ON MY WAY TO THIS VERY PLACE....OH, SO NICE

Sometimes you just need a little R and R.  I'm going to get some!  I love nothing more (except my family) than to be in the warmth of the sun.  It revitalizes me.  I thank the Lord all the time for the opportunities and blessings that enable us to visit such amazing little islands.

I love being among different cultures.  The food, people and land...it all astounds me.  When we visited New Zealand I just could not get over how green it was and how friendly and relaxed the people were.  The food wasn't my favorite...pretty bland, BUT the fish and chips were divine!   Hawaii is terrific too!  I love Maui, but have a special place in my heart for Kona.  I would be SO thin and fit if I lived in Hawaii...all I would eat is papaya stuffed with cottage cheese and macadamia nuts, and it's flat...so I wouldn't mind jogging everyday ;]

However, next week I'll be in the Carribean with my most awesome husband and some of our friends and family.  This will be our 14th cruise, so I've lost track of all the islands I've seen...but, what I do know is that my hub's and I love Trunk Bay.  Yep, that's the picture above...and if you've been there, you know what I'm talking about!  Admittedly, it's not my most favorite beach (as far as how the sun hits the sand - how's that for spoiled???) but it has a feeling of fresh warm air, tranquility and the snorkling is fantastic!  It just holds a dear place in our hearts :]  So, needless to say...I'm Stoked!  Rest and Relaxation - HERE I COME!

Wishing you peace...even if there's snow instead of sunshine ;]
lisajp

ps - a cruise is a great time (and my ONLY time) to read a very good book!  I plan on reading Heaven Is Real, and finishing Literacy Beginnings.  Hmmm, I must be getting old?  I really need Dan Brown to come out with a new book to take me on another Robert Langdon adventure :]

more than just a paper chain :]

I wanted to make an advent calendar for my preschoolers.  In checking out all the different kinds I could make...I finally ended up just going with the simple paper chain idea.  I thought it was the simplest concept, but kind of boring.  So, I added a little something to it.

I typed up a list of 25 little projects the kids could do everyday.  I cut those ideas into strips and glued them onto each link of the chain.  The activities are simple and most don't cost any money (if they do - it's not more than $1).  Each activity is something that involves a family member or stimulates the senses.  Some examples: "Eat some peppermint ice cream smothered with chocolate sauce" or "Watch a christmas movie, in your p.j.'s with your brother or sister" or "Bundle up, go outside and look at some christmas lights."  They are all things 3 and 4 year olds can do with just a little help or even by themselves.  The fun part is the family can be involved.  There's even a link that tells the children to hug their mom, and one that tells them to mail their grandma a christmas picture.  I also made sure there were a couple of 'service' activities, like...take your neighbor a christmas treat.  Anyway, it seemed to me like it might be a simple but active way to enjoy the advent calendar tradition.

Christmas is so much fun to celebrate.  I hope you will find some new and exciting ways to celebrate your holiday season!

Happy, Happy Holiday!
Miss Lisa :]

thunderstorm anxiety...

August in Utah tends to be a little stormy.  I absolutly LOVE thunderstorms!  However, not a whole lot of children do...it's just super scary!  Sometimes there's just no convincing a child that everything is going to be ok during a loud thunderstorm. I've had several chances to be with children during some pretty big storms...and there is NO one explanation that works for every child.  However, I have found some great books that might help children understand and actually appreciate why we have to have these enormous storms.

I love science books, they answer so many of our wonders!  These two books: Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll and Tornado Alert come from the "Let's Read and Find Out Science Series."

Both books are written by Franklyn M. Branley.  These books provide great explanations about what a storm is and why it's so loud and what creates a crazy tornado!  Great books for both explanation and answers to questions :]

This beautiful picture book has very little text.  What makes it so special is the artwork!  Each oil painting shows clouds at different times of the day and in different seasons.  A very relaxing book to browse through when the clouds outside seem a bit frightning.  Fantastic book for children who struggle with retention...great for visual learning!
Composed by Thomas Locker

I love this book and have featured it in my own book club and play groups a few times.  It is written by Tim Lichtenheld.  This book will take you through many adventures with a very small cloud.  The story will help children to understand why we need a little rain from time to time.  To find activities to go along with this book visit my little book club page!

Not all books come with pages and hard bound covers!  Some are found right here on the internet!  Keith E. Rennison has a great audio series called "Zooch the Pooch" and one story in the series is called Thunderstorms & Shrunks.  It's a cute adventure story about a dog who meets a skunk and then finds that his house is floating away in all the water from a storm...but not to worry, his Dad saves him!  He has many other adventures with ZOOCH that are downloadable and fun!

I really hope you have an opportunity to share these books with your children, especially if they have worries about the weather.  Although these books may not take away the anxiety of storms, hopefully they will answer questions about why they happen :]

Thanks for stopping in...
Miss Lisa

no more summer boredom :]

I found this awesome idea from naturestore.co.uk which is a site I follow on twitter.

The general idea is to write down a 'bucket list' of sorts.  I think it's a great idea to do one per week.  It wouldn't take much time to sit down with your kids at the beginning of the week (Sunday nights seem to work best at my house), ask them what things they would be interested in finding or doing, list them...and then the fun begins! Your lists could include:  Places you want to visit, movies you would like to see, books to read, crafts to create, meals you want to cook or toys you like to play with. Those are the great suggestions from the nature store.
I woud like to add a few of my own that might inspire ideas of your own.  In pondering what might be fun that doesn't cost money, I thought of these:  nature walk, create a rock collection, make snowflakes in July, organize a time for 'night games' with neighbors, look for a rainbow, visit with an grandparent, leave treats on a neighbors porch ring the doorbell and hide.
When engaging your kids in random activity BE SURE to keep it open and creative.  You will be amazed at some of the ideas they come up with.  Let them devise the list.  This activity can be very rewarding for a child!  So check out the nature store link above and HAVE A BLAST!
Happy July!
Miss Lisa :]

my purple cow!

I know this isn't a new idea by any means, but I think every home school, preschool, church or play group leader should have one of these....a PURPLE COW laminator!

I absolutely LOVE mine and use it for probably more than I really need to :]  I actually purchased this fantastic machine for a church activity I was helping with.  The activity was canceled and I thought "Oh great, now I'm stuck with a laminator."  But I soon found it to be a favorite possession of mine!  A definate favorite in my pile of preschool classroom supplies :]

I have come up with several things to laminate...here are just a few...

calendar numbers for circle time (also color cards, shapes and weather chart pieces too!)

several different game cards and pieces :]

tags for folders and books

cubby name markers

It's just so nice to have somethings that are a little less destructable!

I have noticed, on some of my favorite blogs, that several teachers/mom's have created list's of favorite supplies...so I am sharing some (more) of mine.

for spur of the moment art creations!  and I just love them :]

posters, charts and bulletin board favorite!

my favorite for little hands and counter tops after a fantastic science experiment :]

fisker craft scissors - much more fun (sometimes) than regular scissors!

sticky foam shapes - creative opportunities galore!

Nothing new, I know.  However, I hope my ideas and likes will inspire you :]

Happy Day!
Miss Lisa :]

a very cute room

Since I'm in the middle of finishing a new preschool room, I have been looking up pictures of cute and colorful rooms.  This one caught my attention not only because it was super cute and used great colors...but...because I LOVE the idea of hanging photo's, art and random doodling with clothes pins from twine hanging from the ceiling.  I had this idea a few years ago and wanted to see how someone else used the idea in their own room.  Well, here it is...a perfect example (according to me)!
I feel like I just want to sit down, with a cold diet coke and a doodle pad, and spend the day in that cute striped chair ;]   What a fun room, full of inspiration!
Enjoy it,
Miss Lisa :]