DIY Gem Stone Magnets

I saw on another site somewhere how to make magnets using gem stones. I thought I would share how I did mine.

You will need:
a roll of Magnet strip tape
Scissors
Gems Stones (dollar store)
Hot glue gun



At first I attempted to use the sticky side of the magnet pressed against the stone. Well that worked for about 2 seconds. So I broke out the hot glue gun. All the kids helped me sort the colors, cut and peel off the tape. Butter was really interested in touching them and sorting the colors in the wrong cup. It was too cute :) But I was scared that he was going to put them in his mouth so I got them busy in the play room so I could hot glue them.

I just dabbed them with glue and stuck on the magnet. I had to work fast because the "HOT" glue was getting hard really quick. I would suggest that you let them dry magnet side up so they dry correctly I had a few that came apart because I left them on the cookie sheet. I plan on getting other colors and doing some more soon.

Book Review: Bringing up Boys

I love to read, but I slack in that area because I hardly have enough time to do so, unless I need help with something, I make time to research and learn. Well like I said last week we had an off week, and I found myself with a little extra time. I have been dealing with an issue that I just needed help with. That issue is BOYS! Mainly, for now, and I am sure will change as Butter gets a little older, but Cowboy is definately all BOY and strong willed to say the least. Lou, obviously a girl, was very easy growing up and listened and obeyed very well. She has never given me problems when it comes to discipling other than very minor things. With that being said, I had not a clue how different a little guy would be. I thought honestly it was all in the way the parents raised them, which is right, but you deal with boys in a totally different way. I wish I could say Cowboy was as easy as Lou was. He sometimes likes to test me to the very brink of losing it! I had noticed I was becoming a yeller. Something I am not very proud of. I was losing all self control because I had no idea how to deal with someone so hard headed. So I sought out help mainly for myself to help me stop yelling so much and get some peace so that I could be a better mother and influence for my kids. No one wants to hear nagging and yelling all day! Nor, did I want to keep feeling so gulity for my kids seeing a part of me I was not proud of. That was in no way the kind of influence or character trait I wanted to be imparting into my kids. So I looked through different sites online, and one day I came across a book titled Bringing up Boys by Dr. James Dobson the founder of Focus on the Family. So I checked it out at the library. I came home that day and started reading it.

I can honestly say, it was so Eye Opening. I couldnt put it down. I read it all in a day in a half and it is not a little book. I guess that shows how starved I was for answers. I learned so many things not only about what makes Cowboy tick, but my husband as well. Boys are so different than girls and I always knew that but I didnt know why specifically, other than obvious reasons. I would totally recomend this book not only to mothers or grandmothers of Boys, but to wives as well  just for insight on what makes or has made their husband the way they are. It would offer up starting points for healing in marriages. Even If their marriage is great and without issue, it is so interesting to know what makes him, him and how his mind really works, not to say that it totally gives all answers, but it helps a lot! The following is the table of contents for the book. If you read it, I hope it helps you like it has and is helping me :)  

Off Week Wrapup

Here are a few things, even though on a little break, that we did together. One day we went out to the school house so that I could do a few things like menu plan for the week, and the kids decided to have fun with some dramatic play, and played Library. Lou was the librarian and Cowboy obviously had a serious research paper because he wanted to check out all of the Encyclopedia's.

Cowboy and I also made some blueberry smoothies for lunch one day for everyone. They were sooo yummy!

A few nights that week, Daddy and Lou had a few hours each night of sewing (I am not much on hand stitching I would rather ... read a book) so they had their Daddy Daughter time while I read a book. Which I will have to give a review of! It was awesome. Anyways! She they sewed two teddy bears, one for LE her American Doll and one for Lou. They came out so cute! And I am so glad they got some time to hang together!

Lou and I got a lot of reading in, on the account of there was not much else to do since we had no agenda or schedule. One day we were both reading on the couch our own books, and it was quite and I started to wonder where Butter was, I looked down and there he was with his own book :) I thought that was so precious! I even got a shot of all of us and our books!

I think that same day we all went out in the front yard to play, and ended up meeting our new neighbors, who also has a son Cowboys age. This was my first time witnessing Cowboy play with another boy his same age. It was something to see for sure. Overall they did good together and mainly played in the rocks :) And that's our Off week wrap up!

MIA- apology

Time to get back to routine! I have been MIA for a week because we have had a lot going on! Fathers day weekend we went to visit my grandma and Popz. We took the pop up for a trial run! It went great. We had a nice visit but came home exhausted! So I decided to take Monday off. Well Tuesday came and I was so unorganized that I then decided- we are all taking a week off! So last week we just bummed out pretty much.

My mother in law has been battling a sickness in her body for a while now and has been in and out of the hospital. Thursday she had to go back and did not get great news. We are believing for God to do a miracle in Her body!! So we decided to go to Mississippi this past weekend to visit with her. My mom totally rocks and offered to watch all 3 kids so we could go. It was my first time to be away from Butter in 13 months. I wish it would have been under different circumstances, but we enjoyed being able to spend time with Nana (mother in law) without having to be distracted by kids.

Lou had a Girl Scout slumber party on Friday and a junior awards ceremony for completing her Journey. It took the girls 6 months to complete this Journey but Lou knocked it out in a month and a half!

One Puddle...

Last night Joey went to shave his head and I said, "Oh good, when your done you can cut Cowboys..." Well he did a little more than cut it. At first I was sad just because his little curls make him still my wittle man. Every time he gets his hair cut I cry a little on the inside because he looks so grown up :( I'm over it today, I like it and his head looks about 10 times smaller now ! My poor son inherited his big head from his Popz (my dad) I will say that they wear it good though ;) Neither one would be themselves if their head was any smaller haha! This is all coming out wrong - Love you Daddy!

A look at today's Trays

The only new thing we did today was use play dough to outline the letter Cc worksheet that was covered with a heavy duty sheet protector , that way you can reuse the worksheet.

After lunch I decided to take the kids to the playground, which also has a spray park. They were all excited to go! So was I because I knew that it would burn some of the energy they have been storing. It has been raining so much, they haven't been able to let it out, which has burned this momma out! Well we get there and they wanted to play on the playground first, so they did. They had a little Butter sized slide he enjoyed it while the big kids went on the big slide.

Well wouldn't you know as we walked over to the spray park, the water was turned off :( We were all disappointed. There were a few clouds in the sky so maybe they turned it off because they thought it was going to rain. So we decided to wait it out and walked back over to the playground to have some water and a snack. 

Cowboy loves trains, and it just so happened that I heard one coming on the track that is right near the park. I told Lou to run and get him so that he could watch it pass. He was so excited it was so close to us. I am lucky I even got this picture because he was glued to watching it pass by he had no time for momma and her picture taking.

Lou kept begging to walk over to the spray park because there was 1 Big puddle they could at least run around in. I caved and we went. I just have to brag on them for a minute, instead of being grumpy and upset that the water was off and complaining about it, they made the best of the situation. They had the best time running around in this puddle for an hour. I wish the water would have been on for them, but it was so awesome to watch them have fun and be content in the little things.

The water never did get turned on, but they had fun anyway! We headed home to play outside for a little while and have a Popsicle to cool down. It was starting to get really cloudy but the wind was blowing and it felt so good outside! It eventually started to rain so we went inside to get ready for nap time.

Tonight's dinner was slamming! I made hamburger steak with onions and gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas. I just had to share!!! mmmmm!

Caterpillars in the Library!

Every new season our library has story time, for preschoolers, toddlers, and infants. I have taken Cowboy and Lou for a few years now and they really enjoy it. Butter is now old enough for Toddler Time! So today was his first time to go. They also have a preschool class but unfortunately its during Butters nap time so Cowboy just went into Butters class. We were so excited when we walked in to see what they would be reading today! The Very Hungry Caterpillar !!How awesome that it fit right in line with our "Cc" week. Cowboy was thrilled! He kept saying look mommy, we need that big Caterpillar for school!

Butter had so much fun! He danced to all the songs, walked around checked things out, and tried to climb on chairs, etc, you know, big kid toddler stuff!

I think Lou felt very grown up today too. Usually she would come in and listen to the stories even though she was too old, she still had a good time doing the things little kids do. She doesn't want to grow up, although in some areas she does. Today I allowed her to stay in the library and find her books on her own,(cell phone in tow) while the boys and I went into to story time. I missed her in there though. She was a big encouragement for Cowboy when he started going because he was very shy and wouldn't do anything unless she did. Now the torch has been passed to Cowboy but he could care less about helping butter. But to be honest, butter doesn't need any encouragement, he just falls right on in.

Today's Trays

Today we repeated a lot of yesterdays things, and added a few extra. Do you see my "c" book in there?! We used it today and it was fabulous! It is so nice to have something full of just one letter to focus on the sound that particular letter makes, and C is tricky since it makes a few sounds...Cowboy made a caterpillar today too using, glue, pompoms and scissors. I found the template online and you can find it HERE (caterpillar printables) .

I am just throwing this picture in here because today, Cowboy just flipped to the line tracing page as soon as I got out his Tot Book, and opened his marker like a big boy, and without me guiding or helping him, he drew his own lines. You can barely see the first one but it was SO STRAIGHT!! He didn't color everywhere on this like he usually does, he didn't need to know the rules, he did it ON HIS OWN, the correct way. This just makes me smile :) and thought I would share his growth.

Last Game

Tonight was the last night of ball for the summer. This season was not the best "team" season to say the least but Lou's best season as far as her skill. She had to step up this year and give it all she had. She was on a team with very negative players and parents. They did not win one single game which doesn't matter if you are having fun, but the fun was drained out of it. It was full of lessons and wisdom, that is for sure, and I pray that she walked away tonight having been a light to others around her and learned the lessons that were there. I am pretty sure she did. She soared this year and grew a lot. My sweet girl is growing up, and I am so proud of her for not being afraid to be herself.

Butter watched and cheered for his sissy on the the fence line. Then again, he may have been trying to flirt with the girl on deck :)

Daddy even got in the spotlight tonight, he had to help pitch with the pitching machine. Goofball, cheesing for the camera when he should be pitching! Cowboy was so proud though, he thought his daddy was so cool out on the field pitching the ball.

Here is a shot of Daddy pitching and Lou hitting :)

Batter up!!