Typing Triumph

That schoolwork struggle. It's real, y'all.  
Whether you homeschool or not..  Some days are glorious, some treacherous.   Today? Today was a former. (YES!)   I have been looking for a FREE typing app/ website/ curriculum for my second grader, when I happened upon Dance Mat Typing.   

I am IN LOVE.  This is engaging, entertaining, and best of all, no fits or complaints.   (AT ALL. NONE. ZIP.)   He (and I) loved watching his progress as he "crushed" the records at the bottom of the screen. 

BONUS: When grandma asked if he was doing schoolwork, he said, "No, this is just fun." Winning today, friends.  WINNING. If you are looking for typing exercises, I definitely recommend!    PS.  I'd love to hear what FREE resources you use for your children (to supplement their school work, or in a homeschool setting.)

Snow Day! (What's that?)

The sun is shining today, and it is gorgeous out!

As ready as I am for some sunshine and flip-flop weather, I'm also a little sad!

We have only managed to get two halfway decent 

snowfalls here this winter (no major complaints here!)  

However, that means we have yet to be sledding, 

AND we have only gotten to play outside ONE. TIME.

(Indiana weather for ya. *sigh*)

Photo credit: Fishtalesandpigtails

                   Thank goodness we made good use of it!

Photo credit: Fishtalesandpigtails

After they got through running and rolling

 through the snow, we used colored water 

and spray bottles to paint!

 Thanks to my friend Jill, with GTFO30 for inspiring us!

Photo credit: Fishtalesandpigtails

Could we maybe get ONE more good blizzard,  before the snow disappears for the season? (I REALLY just want to go sledding.)
What do you guys think?   Are you a snow or sunshine kinda person?

Jurassic Quest

This was the first time that Jurassic Quest 

had come to the Cincinnati Convention Center.  

Photo CreditFishtalesandPigtails

Mister S' dino obsession meant we were finding a way to go, 

whether we could afford it or not.  

(Tickets are a little pricey, and no discount codes could be found).  The prices at the time were $13 for a regular kid's ticket, $22 for an all-inclusive & unlimited VIP ticket, and $18 for an adult ticket.  So, I went for the VIP tickets because I thought we would need them ($62-cough!) I could not have been more wrong.  I'm so sad over that wasted $18. :/ 

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Neither of my children had any interest whatsoever in the:dino crafts, dino rides, 

dino digs, or bouncy houses.  

(I'm making this sound enticing.. If you had seen the lines to get into ANY of these attractions, you would have been right there with me.  Lesson learned.)

They did, however, LOOOVE the DINOSAURS!  

They were AWESOME & AMAZING.  

We can't wait to go back next year!

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

(And there were so many other activities for kids, 

I just don't think the VIP tickets would have been worth it at all.  

This is just my opinion-if I can save someone else $20, by all means!)

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

**While we are talking about tickets, let me get this in here.

  BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE 

AND PRINT THEM OR 

SEND THEM TO YOUR PHONE.  

This is not an option.  

The line for people who waited to get tickets at the door 

stretched the length of TWO SIDES OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. No Joke.

There was a separate line for people who had already purchased tickets. 

I was third in line, looking over at all those poor people

 who were going to be standing in line for hours. :( 

FEW MORE TIPS:

**If you have a little one (3 or under), bring a stroller.  Parking was tough to find, and the convention center is HUGE.  

You will thank me,

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

**There was only ONE SINGLE OCCUPANCY FACILITY in the actual Jurassic Quest Area that offered a changing table.  If you have a little one in diapers, be prepared for this!

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

**The Baby Dinosaur Show is super cute.  However, bring snacks for the littles if you plan to wait for it to start.  Also, once it DOES start, everyone rushes to the gate to get close to pet the dinosaurs.  This can be scary for littles, and it means you wasted your time getting there early to get a good spot. (Just be forewarned.)

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtalesPhoto Credit: FishtalesandPigtalesPhoto Credit: FishtalesandPigtalesPhoto Credit: FishtalesandPigtales😍

There were plenty of informational areas set up, and of course, Mister S was full of questions!

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

In addition to the Awesome and Informative time, I also got to see what Mister S would have looked like if he had been born part dinosaur. (I don't think he would have minded a bit!)

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

Thank you, Jurassic Quest, for the great experience!

Comfort For Kids- Indy

Two Things: 1.) I am a sucker for kids. Total sucker.  I just adore them.   I would have 17 of my own, if it were financially possible.  (Fingers crossed we will be able to adopt in the next few years! ---But that in itself is a whole different blog post.) 2.) Giving back is the best feeling in the world.  (Aside from hugs from Miss G & Mister S.)   I have always tried to be an example to my children about giving  back, and these past two years, it has REALLY clicked with S. We happened to hear a news segment about a police officer  in Indy who was collecting stuffed animals to give to children who  may have been removed from dangerous/stressful situations.   The stuffed animals were used as a comfort tool.   (UGH, Heartstrings.. All the tugging.) That was all it took for us to decide  to make this our January service project.    We posted to Facebook the article that had been written,  and called on our family, friends, and fellow homeschoolers  to aid in this effort.    The response was OVERWHELMING,  to say the least. 
Within about 2 weeks time,  this was my living room:

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

So much stuffed love!

We contacted Officer Guzman at comfort4kidsIndy@gmail.com to find a drop off location.

Six (stuffed to the brim) bags later, these guys were being dropped off.

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtails

**********If you happened to miss our collection, 

would like to do one of your own, or even have someone come speak

 to your school about the efforts being made by Comfort for Kids Indy,

 you can check out their Facebook Page.

(At least go LIKE it, and spread awareness.)

Thank you, Officer Guzman, for making Indy a better place!

100 Days of School!

We celebrated Mister S' 100th day of school in style! (And by STYLE, I mean we made him a  commemorative shirt with puffy paint.)

Photo Credits: FishtalesandPigtales
Pinspiration

I'm biased, but he is such a handsome little model! *swoon*

I presented Mister S with a 100 day
(Yay, we made it!) 
certificate that he got to color in:

Source

Then, we had delicious hundred day snacks:

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

Source

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

Source

While we read some 100 themed books:

100 Hungry Monkeys

100 Bears

100 Days of Cool

(This one was definitely his favorite.)

We took silly pictures 

to see how we might look at 100 years old with an 

app I downloaded on my phone: AgingBooth

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

I think Mister S. is such a cute little old man!! (Biased, I know.)

(But this mama is going to need some Botox...YIKES!)

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

We finished our day off with

 the sweetest worksheet, ever:

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

"If I had $100, I would buy my mom 

a tortoise because I love her."

*sigh*

I'm the luckiest mama, ever.

Playing Catch Up

It was is my goal to blog this entire year.  Since January is just a practice month, and February is... uh, busy.. and short, I'm not giving myself too much of a hard time for being so behind.
Being the Virgo that I am, though, I do feel the need to get caught up on our happenings so far.  So this is my PSA that there will be an onslaught of posts, not necessarily in chronological order. (Probably in REVERSE chronological order, since that is how I'm going through my phone/personal Facebook page.)
So.... Just deal with it.  Love me, flaws and all.   I will try to get caught up super fast, so we can move on to new and exciting adventures. Thanks for hanging around.

Be Mine, Valentine...

Every year we host a kids'  *Valentine' Day party  *Halloween Party *New Year's Eve Celebration  We just finished up our Annual Valentine's Day party.   The munchkins are at the age that they LOOOOOVVVEEE art.   Last year, we booked our party at a local art gallery,  and had guided instruction canvases for all the kiddos. (It was FANTASTIC, and the kids had a great time...  but I hate paying so much when I don't have to..)    This year, the frugal mama in me thought, "I can do this at home!"  (First of all, this thought has gotten me in trouble on more than one occasion.   Secondly: Thank you, Pinterest.  I don't know how I ever survived without you.)    Our guest list was quite varied in age groups:   We had toddler- 8 year old participants.   I tried to make sample art pieces so that everyone could participate,  from minions to mommies.   We started the party off with everyone getting  their picture taken at the photo booth:
(They all looked super sweet!)

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

Pinterest Idea:Decorating by Day

Then we began our art projects:

Toddler & Little Kid Projects

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

The Black Heart shown is based on a project 

we had done previously at an art gallery, 

but I found a link with similar directions HERE.

(Though THIS looks like a much safer route!  

We had some crazy shakers, 

and paint covered marbles went flying everywhere!)

The Love Tree was inspired by this Pin.

Big Kid/ Adult Projects

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

Ideas: Here and Here

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

Idea: Here and Flower Instructions: Here

Here are some of my Valentines hard at work:

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

We finished the night off by playing Bingo to get their personalized goody bags.

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

This is the game that we played 

(with conversation hearts as markers),

 but there are tons of free printable 

Valentine's Bingo sheets to choose from!

(I might recommend a board with fewer squares for the younger set.  

It look a little longer to get BINGO's than I thought it would.)

******

We always ask that party goers bring a donation 

(just something small, and ONLY if they can)

 to be donated to The Cheer Guild at Riley Children's Hospital.  

This is an INCREDIBLE organization,

 very close to our hearts. 

We started the box, 

but our AMAZING 

friends and family helped fill it!

Photo Credit: FishtalesandPigtales

We have decided to try and fill a box for the 

Cheer Guild every month this year!  

There are going to be some very excited kiddos!

We definitely had an 

AWESOME Valentine's Day, 

and hope you did, too!