Easy DIY Convertible Cape

    I wanted to make my son a prince cape.  His sisters often dress up as princesses to go to Disneyland, so I figured it would be nice if he could match them.  I don't consider myself a seamstress,and I don't like lots of steps, so I made up my own prince cape from a basic rectangle of fabric.  What I came up with was a fantastic cape that can be used upside down and backwards as well.   So now all of my kids can wear it and reuse it for different occasions! There are at least 8 different ways this cape can be worn, and there might be MORE!

Here is how I did it:

1. Cut fabric and lining into a rectangle (I cut it about 20 inches wide and 26 inches long; will depend on the size of your child).

2. Place both pieces together, right sides together.

3. Pin the fabric together.

4. Mark on both sides of the longer edge a space about 4-5 inches (I made these marks about 8-9 inches from the top).

5. Sew fabric together, leaving the marked sections open (this is for pulling the cord through).

6. Cut the corners off, to make nicer points when you turn inside out.

7. Reach into one of the open sections and turn the fabric inside out.

8. Press the edges of the fabric.

9. Now make 1-3 columns about an inch thick, horizontally along the section that remains open (I
like having a few columns as an option to adjust length, so different sized kids can use it).

10. Thread your cord through one of the columns (I used a safety pin to get it through) and gather your fabric in the center of the cord .

11. Now your cape is ready to wear several different ways! (Optional: I ended up sewing an extra seam all along the edges to make it look cleaner)

*In order to use it as a hooded cape (like Red Riding Hood), you will need to tack the corners of the hood somewhere on the cape.  It looks really cute and the hood will be easy to remove and reuse as another cape. (My daughter is 3.5 yrs old and my son is 18 months old)

READ MORE >>

'Tis Strong and Bright and True

Major Fambrough: You wish to see the frontier?
John Dunbar: Yes sir, before it's gone.

... This is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite films "Dances With Wolves."  Even as a little girl, I remember thinking what a shame it is that we are not able to appreciate the world as it is in the present.  We mainly look back fondly and wish we could have another chance.  But we don't get another chance; at least not the kind of chance we hope for.  But we do get a chance to live differently now.  I am overwhelmed by the standing gift of free agency.  Because we always have a choice to make a change or to seize an opportunity.  And our family has chosen to seize an adventure together.  I do wish to see the beauty of this free country.. before it is gone.

     Many times, I feel like I have waited so long for this journey to begin, but the time is approaching quickly.  I have felt prepared to take off for months now, but I know I won't ever be 100% prepared for the lifestyle that awaits us.  Seems a lot like parenthood.  We thought, "Sure! Let's have a baby.  That will be an adventure.  We feel ready for that."  But no one is ever truly ready for the challenge of being a parent.  Heck, I'm still not prepared to be a parent. Lol.  I'm still learning every day that things are not as they seem.  I'm still making mistakes every day. And I'm still seeking peace and guidance from my Father in Heaven...every day!
     I know the road ahead won't be easy, and we will struggle with new challenges and old challenges.  But by some miracle, I am blessed with peace in my heart knowing that love and faith will harness my family.
And our dream is happening! We have started planning our first cross country trip living on the road.  Traveling, exploring, working, roadschooling, living, and learning.  Overwhelming.

     When I look at the road map that will guide us, that blue line across the country looks less like roads and more like an iron rod.  A glorious rod of truth and light.  Perspective is everything.  And we continue to be grateful for an eternal perspective.  When we set forth on the open road to experience this journey, we will find strength in holding strong to the iron rod provided to us.

"And they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." 1 Nephi 8:30  
   

READ MORE >>

Homeschooling Didn't Work For Us

     When I first started homeschooling my preschooler, I thought, "I've got this." I wrote out a daily schedule.  I put together weekly lesson plans.  I had craft supplies and art projects laid out for months at a time.  Everything went pretty smoothly.  My kids had fun doing unit studies and learning bits of information each week.  All seemed well in the homeschool venture.

     Marley was almost four years old when I started to emphasize reading curriculum.  After all, that's around the time when a child should start reading, right? I was a very young reader.  I was able to read Early Reader books at age 3.  So I figured my children would be on the same track.  She knew her letters, and she knew her sounds.  I thought, naturally the next step is to read.  That's what I thought.

She wasn't getting it.

     Sitting down and trying to figure out phonics together was awful.  She knew the letters.  She knew the sounds.  But for some reason, putting them together did not make sense to her.  I tried getting her to memorize sight words.  She knew a few words, but her interest level was so low, that it was difficult to get her to focus her eyes on the page.  Soon, reading time turned into a time we both dreaded.  She just wasn't getting it.  I was frustrated.  She was frustrated.  At some point I got fed up and said, "I know you know this! Why can't you remember?"  She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, "I don't know why I can't do it."  That was the moment my heart broke.

     My mom instinct raged - this wasn't right! I was pushing her to do something she wasn't ready to do.  I knew she would read eventually.  Why was I so determined to make it happen on schedule?  Because people might think my daughter isn't smart? Because they might think I'm not a good mom? Who cares! My baby was hurting and she was starting to think she isn't smart.    
No and no.  
I immediately put a stop to it and stopped pushing her to read.  I continued to read picture books to her and we had fun enjoying the stories together.  I didn't stress about her skill level and I didn't bring up phonics or reading to her again...

...until she brought it up to me!

     It was only about six months later that Marley started asking me how to write words and how to spell words.  I decided to write words and phrases on her chalkboard easel each day without telling her anything.  She would ask me what it said and many times she would copy what I wrote.  It was awesome! She was pursuing knowledge all on her own!  She learned so much more and at a quicker rate, when she was ready for it.  I realized that stepping back and being more of a facilitator or a mentor was more beneficial for the education of my children.  That's what I did.  I started asking Marley what she wanted to do or learn about and I would provide activities or information to encourage learning.   I abandoned the idea of schooling at home and I became what's known as an "unschooler."  I didn't know I was "unschooling" at the time, but it wasn't long before I met other home educators who took more of an interest-led learning approach.

Here is an article that gives great examples of how unschooling can be applied:

How To Learn All Subjects Through Unschooling

     The most difficult part of unschooling has been getting over the comparison.  I need to keep reminding myself that it doesn't matter what other kids their age are doing.  Even if they are behind in areas, I aim to make sure they are making progress and maximizing their full potential.

So that's where we are now.
     Even though I still consider myself a homeschooler, homeschooling technically didn't work for us, but unschooling or "freeschooling" (I've recently starting saying)  has been amazing!
As unschoolers/freeschoolers we are free to make up our own schedule and curriculum as we go.  We are constantly learning together at all times and in all settings.  My kids love learning and it is working wonderfully for us.  They are learning at their own pace and they are always excited to learn more, because I follow their interests.  And most importantly, they are happy, they feel loved, and they are becoming caring people who are confident in their abilities.  I couldn't ask for more. <3

READ MORE >>

Designer Doll: How We Made a Duct Tape Dress Form

     Ever since we had a little designer playdate with our good friends from Designer Daddy, Marley has been begging me to let her design and sew more of her own clothes.  I'm a sucker for creative passions, and what a wonderful addition to our homeschooling activities.  I am a strong believer in encouraging and seizing moments of learning based on interest.  I feel it maximizes the potential to absorb information and to really enjoy learning.  So we set out to make a dress form for Marley.  There were several helpful YouTube videos on how to do this, so we studied a few of them and went for it!

Items used:
 - duct tape (we chose two colors, one solid, and one print to make it look pretty)
 - an old shirt you don't mind cutting up
 - polyester fiber fill
 - scissors
 - a hanger
 - cardboard

We started out by picking up some duct tape and fiber-fill at a craft supply store.  I felt we scored big time when we spotted this Vintage Disney Princess one!

Marley picked out a shirt she didn't mind giving up. And I just started taping.  At first I felt like I made it too loose.  The tape should be forming her body, not her shirt, haha.

About a half hour later, I finally finished the first layer of tape.  Don't be fooled by the smile; she was irritated from having to sit still for that long.

I started on the second layer to make it look less chaotic and prettier.

After that layer was finished, we were both excited by the results so far.

Then I gently cut down the center of her back.  This made me nervous.  I was very careful and I told Marley to let me know if I started poking her.  I cut a third of the way down and then started up from the bottom.  The middle part was the hard part, but it worked out nicely.

We removed the dress form and taped it back up.  I then stuck a hanger inside and started filling it with the fiber-fill.  I filled it pretty tight, so I used an entire bag of the fiber-fill on just her little torso.

The last step was cutting out small circles for the arms and an oval for the bottom of the torso.  Then I covered those pieces with the same duct tape.

It turned out so cute!  I think I will use a small lamp stand to hold it up.  Marley is very excited to start using it asap.  

READ MORE >>

Conquer Evil By Doing Good

     Since I have chosen to educate my children at home, I am often told that I made a wise decision because of "how bad it's getting out there."    I agree.  There are many dangers in the world.  Political agendas are being pushed, terrorist attacks occur, criminals suffering from mental illness are hurting others, theft, deceit, anger, hatred, etc etc.  We see it all over the media.  Our fears are fueled by the negative things we observe and by the frightening rumors that spread across social media like wildfire.  But I don't believe it is that bad out there.  I really don't.
      I believe the bad things are shocking and appalling and often get reported more loudly because of the attention they receive.  The attention is often followed by feelings of fear and anger.  Anger and fear are the prime causes of mob-style retaliation.  It makes people want to blame and fight and yell and destroy.  These are the things that lead to our own destruction.
     But I am hopeful.  I believe the majority of us are not out to fight or destroy.  I believe there is still much more good in the world than there is bad.  And I choose to not give into fear or anger.  I choose to focus on the good.  The good is what keeps me going.  It is the beauty in the world that should be shared and remembered and emulated.  And there are examples happening all over the world at all times of the day.

**Remember when the Candy Bomber dropped parachutes with candy over the children of West Berlin?




**Remember when the American soldier stood up for the Muslim cashier?




**Remember when the entrepreneur aimed to help his fellow farmers rather than make a big profit?



**Remember when an average citizen gave a shivering stranger the shirt off his back?

   


**Remember when a father told his son that the loving gesture of flowers and candles is more powerful than guns?


   

**Remember when your heart was touched by a story like these and you were inspired to pay it forward with a random act of kindness and YOU became part of the ongoing miracle?

     It happens all the time; it happens every day! Most of these heroic moments go unnoticed because the heroes keep them private.  They find no need to shout it from the rooftops.  They are just comforted in knowing that they helped a fellow human being in need.  The heroes look past agendas, motives, and differences in beliefs; instead they see a neighbor, whom they will treat with love and respect, regardless of circumstances.  Remember these things are happening.  Encourage these things to continue by participating.  Help us eliminate feelings of judgement, fear, and anger by instead enhancing kindness, compassion, and charity.

READ MORE >>

6 Unit Study Themes for a Year

     One of the ways I've approached homeschooling is aiming for weekly themes, so that we can focus our studies on one major concept per week.  I have come up with many ways to do this, and by using several different subjects.  I am currently switching off amongst these unit studies and I allow my daughter to pick out what she would like to learn about.  I figured after all my research, it would be nice to share the unit studies I've organized.  Feel free to use them and fine tune them to fit your family preferences.  All of these subjects can easily be researched online and through your local library.  My favorite search engines are Google and Youtube.  Let me know how it goes and if you need any help.    

    *Based on 36 weeks of lesson plans.

     LETTER & NUMBERS:

    Weeks 1-26: A - Z

    Weeks 27-36: 1-10

      

     ANIMALS :

     September - Farm Animals

           1.     Pigs

           2.     Cows

           3.     Chickens

           4.     Sheep

     October - Nocturnal

           5.     Owls

           6.     Mice

           7.     Bats

           8.     Spiders

     November - Insects

           9.     Ladybugs

          10.  Ants

          11.  Bees

          12.  Butterflies

     December - Reptiles

          13.  Lizards

          14.  Snakes

          15.  Turtles

          16.  Alligators

    January - Mammals

          17.  Bears

          18.  Elephants

          19.  Tigers

          20.  Gorillas

     February - Birds

     21.  Parrots

     22.  Flamingos

     23.  Penguins

     24.  Peacocks

     March - Domestic Pets

     25.  Cats

     26.  Dogs

     27.  Rabbits

     28.  Goldfish

     April - Dinosaurs

     29.  Triceratops

           30.  Brontosaurus

           31.  Pterodactyl

           32.  Tyrannosaurus Rex

     May - Ocean Life

           33.  Dolphins

           34.  Whales

           35.  Seals

           36.  Starfish

     CLASSIC FAIRY TALES:

     September

           1.     The Three Little Pigs

           2.     Jack and the Beanstalk

           3.     Chicken Little

           4.     Tortoise and the Hare

     October

           5.     Three Billy Goats Gruff

           6.     The Boy Who Cried Wolf

           7.     Goldilocks

           8.     Hansel and Gretel

     November

           9.     Cinderella

          10.  Beauty and the Beast

          11.  The Nightingale

          12.  Alice in Wonderland

     December

           13.  Snow White

           14.  Peter Pan

           15.  Snow Queen

           16.  Gingerbread Man

     January

           17.  Peter and the Wolf

           18.  Sleeping Beauty

           19.  Pinocchio

           20.  Puss in Boots

     February

           21.  Rapunzel

           22.  Aladdin

           23.  The Twelve Dancing Princesses

           24.  The Little Mermaid

     March

           25.  Frog Prince

           26.  Princess and the Pea

           27.  Rip Van Winkle

           28.  The Little Red Hen

     April

           29.  Little Red Riding Hood

           30.  Rumpelstiltskin

           31.  Thumbelina

           32.  The Ugly Duckling

     May

           33.  Emperor’s New Clothes

           34.  The Pied Piper of Hamelin

           35.  The Sorcerors Apprentice

           36.  The Elves and the Shoemaker

     TIME PERIODS IN AMERICAN HISTORY:

     September

Colonial America (1492-1763) - How America began.

     October

Revolutionary Period (1764-1789) - The American Revolution. 

     November

New Nation (1790-1828) - Establishing the government--the Federalists and the Republicans become first political parties.

     December

            Western Expansion & Reform (1829-1859) - Presidents aim to expand the borders of America westward.

     January

            Civil War (1860-1865) - Southern states set up an independent government--the Confederate States of America; outbreak of the Civil War.

     February

            Reconstruction (1866-1877) - North defeated the South in the Civil War; work to unite the country again.

     March

            Gilded Age (1878-1889) - Industrial work and a wave of immigrants marked this period in American history.

     April

            Great War & Jazz Age (1914-1928) - Foreign affairs and musical rebellion.

     May

           Depression & World War II (1929-1945) - Stock market crash leads into the Great Depression.     World War II leads to the introduction of the atomic bomb.


      FAMOUS ARTISTS:

     1. Alexander Calder
     2. Leonardo DaVinci
     3. Mary Cassat
     4. Edgar Degas
     5. Jacob Lawrence
     6. Paul Gauguin
     7. Winslow Homer
     8. Katsushika Hokusai
     9. Paul Klee
     10. Michelango
     11. Georgia O'Keefe
     12. Piet Mondrian
     13. Georges Seurat
     14. Pablo Picasso
     15. Andy Warhol
     16. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
     17. Grant Wood
     18. Faith Ringgold
     19. Henri Matisse
     20. Pierre-Auguste Renoir
     21. Jackson Pollock
     22. Wassily Kandinsky
     23. Frederic Remington
     24. Marc Chagall
     25. M.C. Escher
     26. Norman Rockwell
     27. Edward Hopper
     28. Paul Cezanne
     29. Joan Miro
     30. Henri Rousseau
     31. Rosa Bonheur
     32. Claude Monet
     33. Frida Kahlo
     34. Edvard Munch
     35. Rembrandt Van Rijn
     36. Vincent Van Gogh


     SCIENCE:

Here is a link that can be broken down into doing one science experiment per week:
46 Fun Science Experiments for Kids

READ MORE >>