tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14446258782107277942024-03-05T00:21:07.291-08:00Nursery PartyLDS Nursery helps, ideas and hilarities. Also good for homeschooling and home activities for toddlers. Ages 18 months to 3 years old. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-7611220428327153732015-01-25T21:15:00.000-08:002015-01-25T21:15:00.265-08:00cruising through the drive thru right after church<div style="text-align: center;">
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i just survived nursery party</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-87388910320424418072015-01-18T21:13:00.000-08:002015-01-18T21:13:00.612-08:00when someone shows up after church and interrupts your nap<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-54784852081871807122015-01-14T06:38:00.000-08:002015-01-14T06:38:00.265-08:00why are you posting so many activities?no, no one actually asked me that question. except, maybe my mom. she would ask me that question. because she would legit want to know why there are so many "activity" ideas and other garbage on this blog. ha! the grams <span style="font-size: x-small;">(what we've nicknamed her since she became a grandma)</span>, is ALL ABOUT THE DOCTRINE. seriously. when i emailed her to tell her about my super awesome nursery party social media idea, she emailed back with:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Awesome! Don't forget Jesus. Put a lot of Jesus pictures around in nursery."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and then later when we were emailing back and forth about her upcoming winter trip to visit her grandchildren she said...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Wow! I'm to excited. Whatever you decide and however you want done. Let me see. Right now you are a little frustrated because you feel alone in what has been going on. PRAY AND LISTEN! HE'S RIGHT THERE AND KNOW EVERYTHING! I know some things and I hope I'm helping you know what HE knows."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">guys, now that i am a mom, i am totally obsessed with my mom cause she's a genius. i'll be bragging about her all the time cause she's so great. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">anyways, to answer the self-imposed question of "why are you posting so many activities..." since you talk about teaching the doctrine and keeping it simple is because of this. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">nursery is two hours. TWO HOURS people. some of you have classes that are as small as two kids and they might be your own. some of you have 72! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(seriously, 72, see <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865612713/LDS-nursery-calling-has-its-challenges-but-also-its-blessings.html?pg=all">here</a>)</span>. and the rest of us i am guessing have everything in between. so with all of those 18 month olds to 3yo in your class and with attention spans of ants, you need a lot to occupy them. you need amo! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">besides, all the lesson help you need, is IN THE MANUAL. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(obsession with the manual in <a href="http://nurseryparty.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-magic-in-manual.html">this</a> post) </span>that's the best part. is you don't have to rack your brain trying to figure out what to teach, you just have to figure out all the other stuff that takes up about 115 minutes. the manual makes our lives so much easier.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">so i hope i answered your question. i want this blog to be more than lesson helps because you already have lesson helps, the Church provided it. i'll just add a few lesson applicable craft ideas for keeping the kids busy post-lesson and other helpful survival tips. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-13669207669425853422015-01-11T21:05:00.000-08:002015-01-11T21:05:00.129-08:00having two toddlers and trying to sit down to eat something when i am starving...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-40358227353617179252015-01-06T17:31:00.000-08:002015-01-06T17:31:00.523-08:00how YOU who are not called to the nursery can help with the nurserythere is one job that i never, ever, ever want. it's a division one football head coaching job. if you are doing well, then awesome, everyone loves you. but the second you slip up, look like you are failing, then everyone on every form of social media wants you gone. all of a sudden they forget all of the amazing things you did before that one moment of weakness. there are open letters that float around saying how you can do this and this better and why aren't you doing this. tweets and retweets about your terrible lack of character, etc. sometimes, often times, from an outsider perspective, we think we can do better than what the current person is doing. and unlike a head football coaching job where we can't call them up and share with them what we think they could be doing to be better, we can with other things.<br />
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enter the point of this post.<br />
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i've heard from a few people, "i wish my son was in your nursery class" or "i wish our nursery leaders were like you." we all wish for better things in different areas. i'm flattered, don't get me wrong, and would love to visit (with the nursery guru aka my mom) and teach in all the nurseries of the world, but there are some things that you, as parents of nursery party goers and auxiliary leaders, can do to help a nursery leader out! maybe you have tried to suggest a few things, and they didn't go well. but maybe, just maybe you are the answer to a desperate prayer that a tired, stressed out nursery leader has sent up to the heavens week after week. so...make friendly suggestions without overstepping (you know, like refer them to my blog or instagram ;), let the nursery leader know that he/she can ask you to help in the nursery when they are short-staffed, or even better, ask the bishop for a calling in nursery! oh wouldn't that just be the ideal!<br />
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and now...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6EPkci3vaNWv-906lCeE8SNzQFms0-PmBkuVlyhZeG1twXVPx16KrzXYPa_X1PKkA93gZgjZ6aK92N5uE4qmhj0D-CgSW06xF0Z5FnSGBhDvV82Zuo8MvnT25gsJhe2Mec-fJAcwMDUg/s1600/nursery+help+graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6EPkci3vaNWv-906lCeE8SNzQFms0-PmBkuVlyhZeG1twXVPx16KrzXYPa_X1PKkA93gZgjZ6aK92N5uE4qmhj0D-CgSW06xF0Z5FnSGBhDvV82Zuo8MvnT25gsJhe2Mec-fJAcwMDUg/s640/nursery+help+graphic.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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here are a few ways that have helped us get what we need for the nursery:<br />
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UTILIZE OTHER AUXILIARIES<br />
-<b>The Young Women Auxiliary</b>: ask the YW president if there are any girls who are in need of personal progress projects (like a <a href="https://www.lds.org/young-women/personal-progress/good-works?lang=eng">Good Works value project</a>) that would like to take on a project for the nursery i.e. organizing toy/puzzle/book donations, putting together DIY motor skill activities. Maybe the YW could use a few mutual service mutual activities. If you are in another type of religious congregation that has a youth program, ask their leaders or the youth themselves if you can organize a service activity that will help the toddlers. Or if they need to take on a community service project!<br />
- <b>The Relief Society Auxiliary</b>: meet with the RS president and ask if they would like to organize an activity for enrichment night. Kindly tell her what you need and let them run with it.<br />
- <b>The Young Men Auxiliary/Scouting program</b>: Find ways that the boys can fulfill scouting requirements/service projects that can help with the nursery like cleaning all of the nursery toys, repairing broken toys, organizing donations, etc.<br />
- <b>The Primary: Activity Days girls: </b>Activity days girls love doing DIY projects, so why not meet with the leader to ask them to help with the nursery?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-90641552483972721162015-01-04T21:05:00.000-08:002015-01-04T21:05:00.831-08:00nursery party is over <div style="text-align: center;">
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until next sunday...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-69838291762818729942014-12-21T19:33:00.001-08:002014-12-21T19:33:00.654-08:00what i look like when i planned a really awesome activity and there is utter chaos<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-5613902117161059352014-12-21T19:33:00.000-08:002014-12-21T19:33:00.314-08:00the first day of a new nursery worker’s day in nursery<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-84534483008700057712014-12-18T10:04:00.000-08:002014-12-18T10:06:39.318-08:00Emergency Preparedness for the Little Onesi'm the first one to openly admit, that i have like no emergency preparedness stuff. well, take that back. i currently have a few things put together thanks to a faithful lady in my ward who cornered me in nursery party to ask if i had my 72 hour kit together yet. and embarrassingly enough, i dont have one. i was sort of into it during the summer time but that whole mess freaked me out cause i went into end-of-the-world apocalypse mode and overwhelmed myself. so then i just quit and looked into all that since.<br />
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but there are some crazy things going on in the world and it's winter time over here. you never know what could happen. but i guess there have always been crazy things going on in the world but you just have to be prepared. that's the whole point isn't it? and i'm a mom now and have two little ones to keep alive in case there is an emergency and man oh man just the thought of being unprepared and panicked makes me cringe.<br />
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anyways, i committed to her that i would start on my kit the following day, so i went out with the few extra dollars i had and hit up the thrift store for backpacks and wal-mart for the things that i needed from the list. i'm happy to report that at least i have the 72 hour kits ready for the kids.<br />
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i was going to create this super awesome cutesy little printable to go along with this post, but that's not what is important. what is important is...<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">STARTING AND COMMITTING </span>(isn't that the case for everything?)<br />
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and it's almost the new year, best time to start new and get things done!<br />
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here is an AWESOME starter list that was simple and not overwhelming for me. avoid pinterest, too much going on for the sake of an awesome blog post. <a href="http://lds.about.com/library/bl/preparation/72_hour_kit.pdf">this</a> is seriously all you need.<br />
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here are a few tips to just help you start immediately:</div>
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- go around your house and see if you can find any of these items already.</div>
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- the "backpack" - if you have an extra travel bag, duffel bag, or even a pillow case, use that. just find something that can store things in. it doesn't have to be some lightweight whatever back pack but if you want that you can get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Himal-Packable-Resistant-Lightweight-Backpack/dp/B00G21C8RO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1418925564&sr=8-7&keywords=lightweight+backpack+travel">this</a> one for $20 on amazon. one per kid! </div>
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- use a bunch of ziploc bags to separate everything</div>
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- go to your kitchen - if you have ramen or anything processed that has an expiration date of six months from now, put it in there</div>
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- schedule - write in your planner, set an alarm to check the 72 hour kits 6 months from now to replace clothes and food. </div>
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you can imagine my pure joy at the small/toys and games suggestion for the little ones. here's my two cents on it:<br />
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- include a toy/activity or two that you know your toddler always has an interest in (peej loves cars and junie loves building things)<br />
- notebook and writing/coloring utensils - there are endless things you can do with a notebook and a pen<br />
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we worry about getting things that make us look good or make our kids look adorable. we want people to ask us, "where did you get that?" and say "OMG! you look awesome." but when it comes down to being prepared, physically and/or financially and all we have are cute clothes and expensive stuff, none of which are emergency-preparedness worthy, who is the fool!? right??<br />
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after you've read this, start. START NOW. if you need someone to report to, report to me please! i'd love to hold you accountable ;)<br />
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<b><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">GO!</span></b><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-73192793672105398932014-12-18T09:58:00.000-08:002014-12-18T09:58:00.030-08:00[product review] - cheap "wooden" puzzlesa while ago, i posted about some really cute puzzles that i found at "the spot" at target (their dollar section). i hadnt really busted them out cause we lose puzzle pieces so fast here at home and i hate tracking them down. seriously, pull my hair out. in nursery party it's a different story because it's not your house and other people need to use the room so you <i>have </i>to clean. well, i finally let the kids play with them to see how they would like them. and conclusion? the puzzles weren't really that great. the print is adorable, i love robots and i love animals.<br />
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but...<br />
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they have no guidelines, no helps in how to complete them. toddlers <i>need </i>this. it helps them to feel like they know what they are doing and are somewhat in control and independent. it also makes things easier as a nursery leader/worker to engage but not hover (there are other kids to attend to after all!)<br />
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budget wise though, these puzzles were great for us. we needed puzzles and the kids seem interested, so we had to make a few little adjustments. i drew a few dotted lines in to outline the pieces and labeled them 1-whatever on the puzzle piece and the puzzle itself. the kids have actually done pretty well with the puzzles, go kids!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo by: ashley so'oto)</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-1681360147333835402014-12-16T10:47:00.000-08:002014-12-16T10:47:00.133-08:00tis the season to focus on the saviori get caught up with a lot of motor skill activities and crafts for nursery. and then i catch myself totally engaged in, well, not the wrong things, but the things that matter less. i am constantly reminding myself that the purpose of nursery "<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;">is to help children learn the restored gospel of </span><a class="no-link-style" href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ" style="background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); border: none !important; color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;">Jesus Christ</a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;"> and live it. The nursery class should help the children increase their understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a Church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">so then i feel a little guilty that i'm doing so much research on crafting but let's be real, you can't teach a full on 20 minute lesson to toddlers. it's just not possible. unless you sedate them of course. but you can find ways to have a positive experience in a Church setting and to grow in feelings of self-worth. i feel like crafting and developing skills in nursery help the kids feel that, feel confident, feel accomplished, feel loved. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">that being said, i wanted to find a nursery craft/lesson help that would satisfy my (and maybe your) need to find something different to do outside of the manual coloring page for the christmas lesson. with help from the google, i found these <a href="http://prudentbaby.com/2012/12/baby-kid/easy-diy-nativity-set-with-free-printable/">free nativity printables</a> from pretty prudent. i'm probably not going to print fabric just yet, but i probably should for future usage for the nursery peeps or for myself! but for the kids, i want them to be able to each take home a set, so we'll just be doing paper. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2o9olppjd_QliV8CgpI0O-LtKYUaJiUMPW9ZOueysGPk3ABYqzh5wH7NvJebniViO3fRI747vAN-iOoSXEtdo33A2ataw_ZTHye5eI-bgO-F9VEjSZfm_uecdbw2WO1XiDC0u7dZc-67/s1600/IMG_0210-s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2o9olppjd_QliV8CgpI0O-LtKYUaJiUMPW9ZOueysGPk3ABYqzh5wH7NvJebniViO3fRI747vAN-iOoSXEtdo33A2ataw_ZTHye5eI-bgO-F9VEjSZfm_uecdbw2WO1XiDC0u7dZc-67/s1600/IMG_0210-s.jpg" height="640" width="544" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">images from pretty prudent</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #2f393a; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-7965317255453372772014-12-14T19:32:00.000-08:002014-12-14T19:32:00.306-08:00waiting for the parents to pick up their kids after church<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">waiting for the parents to pick up their kids</span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-3319809864444421372014-12-13T07:57:00.001-08:002014-12-13T07:57:56.357-08:00strive to be the best parents in the world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirminXz8UJMhgYj-TgMHu8wKnH09uTn1g6NwZbJD4SezSRol2P3tCVuVhfOd67WSq0qTyJn4CHxoGCFcZpci7wsTYffQtYeLLbjm8N6CqZGW8x-4WVMwX0PfoqKyWUBpmLHMeK4LcE97TZ/s1600/Spiritual+Siblings+are+also+children+quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirminXz8UJMhgYj-TgMHu8wKnH09uTn1g6NwZbJD4SezSRol2P3tCVuVhfOd67WSq0qTyJn4CHxoGCFcZpci7wsTYffQtYeLLbjm8N6CqZGW8x-4WVMwX0PfoqKyWUBpmLHMeK4LcE97TZ/s1600/Spiritual+Siblings+are+also+children+quote.png" height="476" width="640" /></a></div>
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this blog and IG thing about nursery party has been quite the spiritual adventure. hopefully it's helping a couple people out there but it's probably just helped me the most and that's what i needed. maybe i just needed a public outlet to assist my journey through motherhood/parenthood/nurserypartyhood to better understand my roles as a wife and mom and nursery party thrower but also to better understand the little people that i am serving. constantly searching and thinking about what to put on the blog and on my IG has helped me be more creative and patient with my own children, magnify my calling in church with the nursery party kids and see the babies in a much more different light (usually retrospectively because in the moment when they are going nutso, i dont see anything crazy). and arent most blogs just self-epiphanies in a social media form anyway? that's what mine are at least.</div>
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anyways, happy saturday. carry on! </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-26692432451171847342014-12-07T19:31:00.000-08:002014-12-07T19:31:00.560-08:00kid dropped a bomb in nursery and we have to smell every little bum in order to figure out who done it<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
and finally when we get to the culprit...</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-43443789233743154062014-12-03T10:47:00.001-08:002014-12-03T10:47:46.729-08:00Toddler Christmas Craft Round-Upi was looking at our lesson schedule, and man. there are only four sundays left of the year. <i>four</i>. and mentally, i did this little dance, like yay the year is over! but then, i siiiighed cause it's not like you have a two week break between this year and the next like between semesters. come dec 28th, you'll just get right back into it the next sunday. no breaks (unless you are going on a vacation). and man, it just keeps going, the years, the days, round and around and around. don't think too hard about it.<br />
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anyways, i rounded up a few of my favorite christmas craft ideas that we will be doing in nursery party this month and they are really easy, low maintenance and contain supplies that you probably already have in your closet. (so yay!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjBwKirT7JFy4RoUz9Wwu01-fkdO2SVMN7yccuIN4ewvY4C59_zc63WIefG4G218NIgnKqx70cVAS6pYZaWoXt_d7UaVdx2cPu1fSclt1UlT5RPAMDxlO02sbyux5e8ydfqPgNCmO8yug/s1600/christmas+round+up+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjBwKirT7JFy4RoUz9Wwu01-fkdO2SVMN7yccuIN4ewvY4C59_zc63WIefG4G218NIgnKqx70cVAS6pYZaWoXt_d7UaVdx2cPu1fSclt1UlT5RPAMDxlO02sbyux5e8ydfqPgNCmO8yug/s1600/christmas+round+up+1.png" height="400" width="395" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXQv8-3thR86Ec8u4t-_iBq1IEcTNPS4lKT294Y6tE1m0TpSRtmdTK1oNSQq2XYwyBkfb8jyheVmVxxRNDhnmq0ccKNv2hahSLuc7TRn02Rwt5NJ9TNdv2CFJgghMT7avrv67qIUFlipL/s1600/christmas+craft+round+up+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXQv8-3thR86Ec8u4t-_iBq1IEcTNPS4lKT294Y6tE1m0TpSRtmdTK1oNSQq2XYwyBkfb8jyheVmVxxRNDhnmq0ccKNv2hahSLuc7TRn02Rwt5NJ9TNdv2CFJgghMT7avrv67qIUFlipL/s1600/christmas+craft+round+up+2.png" height="400" width="397" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1 - craft snowman found <a href="http://www.craftymorning.com/cute-paper-plate-snowman-craft-kids/">here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">2- candy cane pipecleaners and beads found <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/203787951864353242/">here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">3- toilet paper roll angels found <a href="http://happyhomefairy.com/2012/12/06/angels-we-have-heard-on-high/">here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">4- paper plate ornaments found <a href="http://www.craftymorning.com/paper-plate-christmas-ornament-craft-kids/">here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">5- paper plate reindeers found <a href="http://huppiemama.com/christmas-kids-craft-paper-plate-reindeer/">here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">6- christmas tree paper plates found <a href="http://www.iheartcraftythings.com/2014/11/paper-plate-laced-christmas-tree-craft.html">here</a></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-17603980337700718812014-12-02T08:45:00.000-08:002014-12-10T03:08:29.922-08:00on raising and nurturing children and how we can learn from the ferguson incident<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(warning: this is long and i'm sorry if it doesn't make a ton of sense, it's what's on my mind!)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">i don't want to use this blog as a political platform or whatever. truth is, i'm not a very involved person when it comes to social movements and keeping up with the hard news. i have SO MUCH going on, at least it feels that way and adding "reading the new york times" and other news outlets is at the bottom of the bottom of my to-do list. actually, it's not even on the list. but this ferguson issue, this ferguson issue. geeeeeeez. i've had such a hard time sorting through my feelings about it for a few reasons. and by now, the issue is probably past the news cycles and the facebook status shares, but they are still dealing with the aftermath out there and in a lot of black communities. and i'm not trying to be all, "look at me and how the ferguson incident affects me! i'm not black and i live in a very white place but i am considered colored!" but isn't the point to care? to dig deep down and feel this? but first...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">here's a little background for you:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">my mom is tongan and my dad is palauan but i was raised in austin, texas. there are neither tongans or palauans in austin and the ones that are there, my mom recruited from her immediate family to live there. maybe there are more, we just don't know them. because we were very culturally and ethnically isolated from other people like us, our parents raised me to be very american. what does that mean? i think it just means to be raised not seeing color, being aware of it, but not letting it hold you back in what you accomplish in school, work, in life. it also made it very easy to get along with literally everyone. i have my parents to thank for this, who, because of their passion for missionary work and love of the gospel and building the kingdom, left our doors wide open to literally everyone and anyone. my dad was also a bishop, and had a tradition to invite new families into the ward over. he'd often invite a couple of them over to meet each other and become friends. genius, i tell you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">we went to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet_school">magnet</a> middle school (and my siblings went to a magnet high school). those programs were embedded in inner city schools and kids came from all over the city to attend. there was SO MUCH DIVERSITY and i loved it. i had friends of all kinds. but i couldnt really identify specifically with one group because there was no one else like me. and i really loved that, my uniqueness. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">fast forward to the long-winded point of this post.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">i've read quite a few things on ferguson, mostly blogs and the educated opinions of different people. some of them i don't agree with at all and some of them really hit home.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">then i read <a href="http://iambeggingmymothernottoreadthisblog.com/2014/11/27/race-ya/">this</a> (please forgive all the "f" words, i hate that swear the most out of all the swears!) and appreciated a really honest post from the whiter side of things because for a lot of people who do want to care, they don't know how they can relate because they are so far removed physically and socially. (utah, i'm talking about like, all of you).</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"What that tells me is that, for some of you, the destruction in Ferguson was not a “Never Forget” situation, or a national tragedy, or even something to be particularly concerned about … because the bodies in the streets did not look like yours, or your family’s. Because it looks like “other”. Because the problems faced by Black America are not the same as the problems faced by White America, and therefore, they aren’t worth considering."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the articles that really hit home though, were the heartbreaking articles written from the perspective of parents (like <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-borget-/police-and-black-men-are-at-war_b_6226850.html">this</a> one) and the heartache they experience because this ferguson incident perpetuates itself and is obviously not an isolated one and they can't change how they parent their children because of it. </span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I don't need to know much more than that statistic to know that I need to be vigilant with my son. No toy guns, ever. Teach him to address adults with respect. And if he has a problem with authority, he follows orders then brings his complaints to me so I can get to the bottom and handle it.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will teach him to trust police, because he can't afford not to. Fear, and the urge to fight or flight could ultimately cost his life.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure there will be times where he'll get angry with me for not allowing him to do things his white friends do, but the fact of the matter is, he can't get away with the same things. It's a privilege I took from him by giving him my black genes. And until our country begins to value the lives of all of our children equally, this is how it has to be."</span></i></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">i can't say that i can entirely relate to the fears they have when they send their children to the corner store or out with friends because i live in a very LDS community. like the most LDS community you can imagine. it's pretty safe. i attend a tongan ward so my social circle is much bigger than just having a circle of white friends (i have really amazing white friends btw). but now because of this ferguson incident and all of the attention it's getting, i am starting to think about how i have to raise my children. what <i>am</i> i going to say to them when<i> i</i> can see injustices and unfairness and discrimination but they can't they will face in school and with friends? or when my son/daughter gets older and wants to marry a white person and their parents and family members have some resistance but won't come out and say directly that they don't want their child marrying a polynesian? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">so how? how in the world can you teach about this to small children in a church class? they can barely pay attention to a two minute lesson! </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">i started making a bullet point list of all the ways that we can learn from this and apply it to nursery in how we teach children cause that's what you do with a blog, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;">and that list just kept growing and sounded so repetitive and self-righteous </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;">geez we have SO MUCH responsibility as parents and as teachers and leaders of small children.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">but really, it comes down to this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEAyLzvqXRID2iUzvwWoOelEb24ljOcDA6yZf9GXkuVJMdQTVwDlSutfjOK-DNW-X4Lso5k4TiZ52wKWXesOA7Uno-c1K0g5rxeD_zb7rEfsJscV6unl_S-5gJ5nu3FHR9gRMTFeHgto_/s1600/teach+then+be.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEAyLzvqXRID2iUzvwWoOelEb24ljOcDA6yZf9GXkuVJMdQTVwDlSutfjOK-DNW-X4Lso5k4TiZ52wKWXesOA7Uno-c1K0g5rxeD_zb7rEfsJscV6unl_S-5gJ5nu3FHR9gRMTFeHgto_/s1600/teach+then+be.png" height="474" width="640" /></a></div>
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take what you will from it then ask yourself this tiny list of questions:</div>
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1 - are you gossiping or making fun of others in front of your children and/or the children you teach? </div>
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2 - do your children and/or the children you teach see you share? </div>
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3 - do your children and/or the children you teach see you serve? </div>
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4 - do your children and/or the children you teach see you love? </div>
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you may not have a lot of diversity in your area, but if you can instill within your children and the children you teach the principles of love and service, that can go a long long way. oh they are so, so sensitive to the spirit and can feel the sincerity of our words and actions. so even though this isn't much, at least it's something. </div>
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<i>*update: i originally wrote this post a couple days after the ferguson verdict came out and then just a few days ago the eric garner thing happened. i was even more disheartened about everything. it feels hopeless, it really does. if you have a chance to <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30340632">read this article</a>, read it. then ask yourself, what attitude do you have, why do you have it, and what can you do to make the world a better place? not just better for you, but better for those around you? </i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-67036562801643509412014-11-30T19:30:00.000-08:002014-11-30T19:30:01.421-08:00so how was nursery today?<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-40694693269542753772014-11-30T16:28:00.002-08:002014-11-30T16:28:26.371-08:00scenes from a sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGAzY-GMZRcObDGIe5Imk18KSyVBxtABKEr5uDR-ZqbCBQmI72ne6cnteP4L_2R9yKbRJ_6H7pUv6fHGunoYxZAJH3T9rDgw0MP0Sxv0RWP-jFO3L9IeBdQo3vPVceRRyIr0VeJgkhlF9/s1600/2014-11-30+01.00.26+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGAzY-GMZRcObDGIe5Imk18KSyVBxtABKEr5uDR-ZqbCBQmI72ne6cnteP4L_2R9yKbRJ_6H7pUv6fHGunoYxZAJH3T9rDgw0MP0Sxv0RWP-jFO3L9IeBdQo3vPVceRRyIr0VeJgkhlF9/s1600/2014-11-30+01.00.26+1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1- before the crazy started. one of the disadvantages of having two kids in nursery is that they are there to set up and play with the toys and activities a solid 15 minutes before everyone gets there. junie is pretty good about continuing to play, but peej. let's just call him "destructo" shall we? siiiiiiigh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">2 - sweet folau engaged in the pegs activity </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">3 - the crazy twins working on the crazy eyes magnet board</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">4 - salted caramel cookies. not homemade, bought the mix at walmart then baked it. AMAZING</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">5 - post nursery recovery fries. i'm working on it. </span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-11943581457314577592014-11-27T19:07:00.000-08:002014-11-27T19:07:00.053-08:00Happy Thanksgivingi'm not a holiday mom. like at all. you wouldnt be able to tell by my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lemonsandgold/">pinterest boards</a>. i mean, maybe you could tell, a little. the only time i was ever the least bit festive was if i was invited to a holiday themed play date and/or a church activity but that's about the extent of it. we don't do traditions, we don't have decorations, no special christmas eve dinners, no turkey at thanksgiving (we do a tongan thanksgiving here with <a href="http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/lu-pulu-taro-leaves-and-corned-beef.html">lupulu</a> and manioke. no matter how hard you try to photograph lupulu to make it look good, it just doesnt, but it tastes AMAZING), no easter baskets for the kids with crazy gifts. we don't do any of that. maybe, just maybe we'll remember to wear green for st pattys day. holidays... they just aren't my love language. i feel no pressure whatsoever to display a festive home on social media. plus, i have ZERO storage in my house for decorations. so basically, if it's out, it's out. like my christmas tree kitchen towel that we keep using since last christmas or the christmas lights that just stay up in the room because white christmas lights can go with any time of year. i also HATE black friday.<br />
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i guess i inherited this low-maintenance (or no-maintenance) holiday thing from my parents. they weren't crazy holiday people either. the grams would buy a few christmas things that we've used for years like the clay village pieces that you could paint and we loved painting those together. or the over expensive "the nutcracker" spinning twirly thing that played all the music. we did have matching wal-mart sweats a couple of years and we usually open gifts when everyone is awake and start from youngest to oldest. but other than that, we just enjoyed the time off from work and school and the chance to lay around and do absolutely nothing except maybe go out to eat a lot and go to the movies. good times. serious good times.<br />
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today i was feeling particularly sorry for myself. i literally laid around the house and didn't do anything. i'd just scroll and scroll through all 50 of my instagram accounts, then scroll some more. i walked around mindlessly. i indexed about 80 names today, threw in a couple loads of laundry and that was the extent of my productivity. the sun was out and it actually looked like a day i should have taken the kids outside. ohhh pregnancy and cold weather and basement living, how you take away my motivation to do anything. it was a very existential day. like, WHAT AM I DOING ANY OF THIS FOR!? but then my husband came home early, we all took a long nap and i finally got a shower and put on my face and felt so much better.<br />
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life is ridiculous but so, so good, isn't it? between all of the sadness that is the ferguson situation, the anti-duggar campaigns and everything else that is awful floating around in the news and social media, i hope you can dig down (but not too far) to find what you are grateful for. just take a break from whatever it is you are busying yourself with<br />
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i'll start with....<br />
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- an incredible husband who accomplishes everything he sets his mind to and who works so hard to build our life physically and spiritually<br />
- two hilariously beautiful fair haired babies who drive me crazy in all of the best ways and make life better than i could have ever imagined<br />
- a warm place to live, food in my fridge, too many clothes and lots of extra things in between<br />
- the best parents who still parent me a lot and have become the worlds greatest grandparents<br />
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how about you?<br />
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enjoy your family day, don't stress.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-12417753100108632652014-11-24T13:30:00.000-08:002014-11-24T13:30:00.147-08:00quiet serviceit's thanksgiving week, which means a lot of reflection time and/or stress. for me it's reflection. i don't stress about thanksgiving. i'm not really a holiday person. i love holidays, but i don't go all out decorating every inch of my house or carrying out traditions. and i don't do the black friday thing either cause well, we don't have the money for that, as cheap as things are. it's not worth getting into more debt just to buy stuff and battle the other crazies out that day.<br />
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the other night, when i was feeling particularly sorry for myself, i had this thought. and it basically went like this:<br />
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<i>before i was pregnant, i could go out, often, and deliver treats to friends. help watch their kids if they had appointments or were pregnant and needed some rest. i could show up to a service project and actually serve and work and sweat along side everyone else. i didn't have to do a lot of coordinating to get out my door and to a tiny bit of service. </i><br />
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<i>but now, two kids later and another pregnancy in the works, i can't. do. anything. i'm too tired to leave my house. i can't run into different stores to stroll around and find things that will cheer people up without a massive production of prepping children to head out the door then wrestle them in and out of car seats and in and out of shopping carts. geez, typing the entire process is making me tired. this pregnancy, just thinking about slightly strenuous activities literally makes me tired. and service projects? there's no way i can go to a service project because my husband probably has to be there and one of us has to chase the kids and it can't be him. </i><br />
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and then in the same train of thought i became literally enlightened and it finally hit me: <i>my service is here at home with these babies and my husband. my husband is a bishop right now, and his service is needed much more than mine. the service i can give him is to take care of the kids and the home and let him go out and take care of everything he needs to. it's caring and teaching my children.</i><br />
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i mean, we all know that, but do we really, <i>really, </i>know that? has it sunk in? it finally sunk in for me. i don't always love it, but i get it now.<br />
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and to sum it all up in the most perfect way possible, my friends at the <a href="http://www.thesmallseed.com/">small seed</a> wrote this on IG one day:<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-60406517075406172672014-11-22T10:24:00.002-08:002014-11-22T10:40:04.971-08:00on free play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">images </span><a href="http://gymbobuzz.gymboreeclasses.com/blog/toddler-music-group" style="text-align: start;">via</a><span style="text-align: start;"> </span></div>
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or "free time." i know you've probably seen articles floating around on FB or passed through forwarding emails regarding the reduction of "free time." parents are doing it through overscheduling their children, schools are doing it pushing kindergarteners to try to read at first grade levels and all that. i often catch myself surfing through pinterest to try and find "scheduled activities"for my kids to do.<br />
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first of all, my kids are TWO and THREE. every thing i've read (like <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-dannemiller/the-one-question-every-parent-should-quit-asking_b_6182248.html">here</a>), especially through <a href="https://www.amblesideonline.org/00.shtml">charlotte mason</a> homeschooling curriculum, says to just let the kids that age play. there is no curriculum for them yet because they are just supposed to use their senses and explore on their own. this is hard for me. i feel like i'm not really doing anything for them if we don't have an organized activity and then i get upset if an organized activity doesn't go the way the pinterest picture portrays. and then i realized, that i'm trying to distract them instead of interact with them. being engaged in anything really for five minutes is much better than the struggle and frustration to distract them for ten.<br />
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for nursery party, don't confuse "free play" with a "lack of schedule." that is a common misconception and feels like it's easier for a nursery leader to just let the kids play for two hours. first of all, that defeats the <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/behold-your-little-ones-nursery-manual/introduction?lang=eng">purpose</a> of nursery, learning the gospel of Christ. second, kids that age in a nursery setting need a schedule. not a rigorous schedule where they are constantly busy, but a schedule to help them feel like they know what is going on, so they know what to expect and can be more helpful. third, it keeps your sanity as a leader. you aren't trying to make up activities when the kids finally get tired of playing with toys. and fourth, it gets them ready for sunbeams. if the kids don't learn how to sit through a lesson (or the concept of sitting, cause getting a bunch of toddlers to "sit" through a lesson is rough but at least they are learning the principle!), or sit through singing time, it makes life more chaotic for the sunbeam teachers and up and up and up.<br />
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it really starts in the nursery!!<br />
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here are some fun, motor skill building, interactive toys (for cheap!) for the kids that i love:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iX8Roiu_LDKlFeqmhQc7m3iBGGEJ_Qwx0tIh6pFQvsGQN31KXigmhtObLmYSPB0QWWXw-PbVfTUNbmoLRFWxRmAXZekwmo2V0AXN_Zz_tHzxZw3pP82SZisgAeRz9MHoG5jhiT-NWB7p/s1600/ikea+toys+selection.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iX8Roiu_LDKlFeqmhQc7m3iBGGEJ_Qwx0tIh6pFQvsGQN31KXigmhtObLmYSPB0QWWXw-PbVfTUNbmoLRFWxRmAXZekwmo2V0AXN_Zz_tHzxZw3pP82SZisgAeRz9MHoG5jhiT-NWB7p/s1600/ikea+toys+selection.png" height="546" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/18738/">here</a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-40489877232757467602014-11-21T08:49:00.000-08:002014-11-21T08:49:03.881-08:00lesson printable and craft for lesson 15 - I will be thankful <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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november, thanksgiving. so we are going to be doing gratitude activities the last couple of weeks this month, duh! i spent all of last week revamping our closet with the motor skills activities, that i really didn't have time to think of a thanksgiving thing. and my personality is to make things as simple and stress free for myself as possible. which means i'm only doing one big thanksgiving lesson/activity the week of thanksgiving. it just makes my life 10 million times easier. i'm juggling two kids under three by myself every sunday since my husband is the bish, so naturally i'm all about the one-trip-wonder method. gather everything--bags, nursery stuff, snacks, kids and take it all all in one trip into the building.<br />
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i've created a simple printable for coloring and a craft! each printable i create, i want the kids to have the opportunity to learn, see letters, color in lines, etc. not just color a picture. though your nursery party kids may not be able to read just yet, some might be able to identify letters, enjoy learning a phrase. the printable provides some dialogue for the teacher. dialogue = extending an activity by four to five minutes (in my personal experience!) i'm all for making the time go by!<br />
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hopefully most of these things you already have in your house or can find for cheap/free at different places. and if you don't have stuff and not a lot of budget, ask the parents of your nursery party kids if they have things they can save (like toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, pringles cans) or donate (scraps of paper, paper bags, lunch sacks, etc). if they are anything like me, they'll have hoards of craft things hanging around the house that their spouses are dying to get rid of.<br />
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and here's the "I will be thankful" booklet that you can use in addition to the <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/behold-your-little-ones-nursery-manual/lesson-15-i-will-be-thankful?lang=eng">worksheet </a>provided in the manual.<br />
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i love free hand stuff. let the kids put stickers, stamps, markers, pens, crayons all over this little booklet. the older kids might enjoy tracing around the letters and coloring them in.<br />
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just print, cut and staple! and if you want it to appear to be a little fancier, use that vintage brown looking scrap book paper for the cover page and the last page.<br />
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here's the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B01hHNL3tL5sODJnTTZLVkxyVEE/view?usp=sharing">link</a>, enjoy!<br />
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if you are having trouble downloading it, send me an email at josie.nurseryparty@gmail.com and i'll send you a copy!<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">and here is the thanksgiving paper plate turkey! cut the paper plates, the toilet paper rolls, beaks and draw the eyes in before you take them to your activity, helps keep the attention span! </span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-35704038454716324012014-11-17T09:50:00.000-08:002014-11-19T20:58:33.210-08:00[missionary monday] - toddler approved motor skills packagemy sister, Marie, is on a mission in Vancouver, WA. if you see her, say hi, give her a hug. she'd love that, and she's a great hugger.<br />
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anyways, seeing that i'm blogging on the regular now, somewhat with a purpose, my mind never shuts off and i am always jotting down ideas. one of my ideas in the middle of a night when i desperately needed sleep was to see if my sister could use some of these things we had just found at the dollar store as teaching helps. mostly as a way to help small children keep quiet and occupied (and to feel engaged in something) during lessons.<br />
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last monday came around and she replied with, "Answer to my prayers. That would help SO MUCH. I was going to ask you for stuff like that in this week's email."<br />
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how validated do i feel right now??<br />
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we've always kind of functioned on the same wavelength with eight years in between us (i'm the oldest and she's the youngest) so this whole email correspondence was a little hilarious but mostly awesome.<br />
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here's the breakdown of the package:<br />
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<b>Travel sized peg set </b>- $1 - found these at the dollar tree but you can find them at walmart or target or anywhere that will have travel sized games in the game/toy section. right now, these are all over the place because it's the holidays and they are great stocking stuffers. </div>
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<b>Homemade notebook</b> - took some leftover scrapbook paper, cut computer paper to fit inside, then stapled it. i taped the sharp side of the staples on the back cause those snag and cut little hands. </div>
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<b>Ambulance puzzle</b> - $1 - found this at the dollar store. i drew the numbers and the dotted lines because as cute as these puzzles are, they need a little guidance for toddlers.</div>
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<b>Smiley stickers</b> - $1 - dollar tree score as well. it gets pretty overcast up in the PNW so i wanted her to have sunshiney stickers. </div>
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you can also insert <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=lacing+cards&oq=lacing+cards&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i61.1036j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8#q=lacing+cards&tbm=shop">lacing cards</a>. those are fun and I need to pick some up.<br />
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make sure to put anything with little pieces in ziploc bags so they are ready to go when the package is opened.<br />
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total for this package is a little under $10 including postage!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-89473733831701358892014-11-13T23:16:00.000-08:002014-11-13T23:16:00.038-08:00uh, men can be nursery people tooso, i'm doing a lot of researching <span style="font-size: x-small;">(aka switching back and forth between facebook, instagram, downton abbey, food)</span> and found that there's a lot of things that cater to the women-folk. ahhh, yes, the women of nursery. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(no, there's not a feminist rant in the following paragraphs. wrong blog for that!)</span><br />
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well, hate to break it to you, but men can have <a href="https://www.lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-the-church/callings-in-the-church?lang=eng">callings</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(i.e. designated responsibility assigned by his <a href="http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/bishop">bishop</a>)</span> in nursery, too! whooooooa. i know, it's rare, but they do! and they are often really, really good at it in their own way. it's kind of like in a family/new parents' how to article where it suggests that the wife try as much as possible to let the husband figure out his own special way of parenting. it's kind of like that having a guy in nursery. instead of trying to control how he talks to the kids, or how he lays out the snacks, give him a little guidance and let him roll with it. plus, kids love guys, they love the change in the vibes they put out. it's different from the women, and that's a great thing.<br />
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i went home to austin this past summer and my mom was no longer the nursery leader. in fact, she hadn't been the nursery leader for almost four years. she was called to be the stake nursery specialist. yeah, i didnt even know they had that! but the lady has a divine gift or sixth sense or something when it comes to children. i get a lot of what i know from her. i'm trying to convince her to hold workshops when she comes to town. aaaanyways, a new nursery leader was called. an awesome brother who was previously a ward clerk, had a wide age range of children from college to kindergarten. his assistant was another older gentleman who had kids in high school. they had an older widow woman as a nursery helper. their system was simple but incredible. nothing out of the ordinary, but still so so great. and they didn't take any credit for it! they said they inherited the schedule and the supplies from the previous nursery leader (who also did an amazing job). but watching them care for and interact with the kids was 100% them and the good man upstairs. it re-motivated me to do better in my calling both as a nursery leader and as a mom. sure they got a lot of transitional help from the previous leader, but this was their show now and it was great.<br />
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point of that personal anecdote was to just briefly share that men are pretty great in nursery too, so don't count them out!<br />
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a lot of what i post will be for both men and women called to serve in nursery party and a lot of it will be crossovers into homeschooling, parenting, keeping toddlers busy during the winter, at doctors appointments, wherever you find a situation where you need to teach/entertain/interact with the under four crowd.<br />
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the usual,</span></div>
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keep it simple & teach the doctrine. and pray, pray a lot.</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: AvenirCondensedHand;">Sending you all the best vibes in the world,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Dawning of a New Day'; text-align: right;">j</span><span style="font-family: 'Dawning of a New Day'; text-align: right;">osie</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1444625878210727794.post-33893279630897818832014-11-12T10:17:00.000-08:002014-11-20T06:29:04.674-08:00The Magic in the Manualwhat to know what the magic is?<br />
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<i>reading</i> it.<br />
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READ. THE. <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/behold-your-little-ones-nursery-manual?lang=eng">MANUAL</a>.<br />
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the <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/behold-your-little-ones-nursery-manual/introduction?lang=eng">intro</a> has so much good stuff in helping you figure out how to stick to the doctrine and keep things simple.<br />
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too often, we think that we have to scour the internets to find tips and ideas for nursery, and their are lots. we can thank the overload of technology and social media for that. but when you find yourself with brain farts and blockages, go back to the manual. seriously, good stuff. simple stuff. obvious stuff.<br />
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and then, you should probably consult the man upstairs, because not every nursery is the same, not every kid is the same. things that work for my nursery party may not work for yours. the needs are different, the dynamic of leaders are different.<br />
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<a href="http://meataftermilk.org/category/all-addenda/under-informed-covenant-making/">via</a></div>
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keep it simple & teach the doctrine. </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: AvenirCondensedHand;">Sending you all the best vibes in the world,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Dawning of a New Day'; text-align: right;">j</span><span style="font-family: 'Dawning of a New Day'; text-align: right;">osie</span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0