Getting Creative with Coat-Hangers

W is really into "reduce, reuse, recycle" and wants to know what can be done with every type of trash.  He often wants to turn it into something else; for example, a Cheerio's box might become a "garage" for his cars.  Anyway. we bought a little outfit for a friend's new baby, and I took it off the hanger to wrap it.  W wanted to know what we could do with the hanger.  Honestly, I had no idea.  After a minute or two, he said, "Mommy, it looks like a man."  So a man it was.

Montessori Wisdom of the Day

From Montessori's The Absorbent Mind-- "Supposing I said there was a planet without schools or teachers, where study was unknown, and yet the inhabitants -- doing nothing but live and walk about -- came to know all things, to carry in their minds the whole of learning; would you not think I was romancing? Well, just this, which seems so fanciful as to be nothing but the invention of a fertile imagination, is a reality. It is the child's way of learning."

"Line up, friends!"

"Free swim time!"

W just finished our school's summer program.  Each Monday and Friday, the children loaded up on a school bus and rode to the local YMCA for swim lessons.  At first, he didn't seem to enjoy himself.  Over the course of the summer, however, he really came to look forward to it.  He has recently started having "swim class" with his cars.  They load up on Mack the Truck, ride to the Y, unload, and go through the motions of getting ready to swim.  They take off their tires (shoes, of course), shower off, line up, and have the lesson with the teachers (usually Mr. The King or Doc Hudson).  It's a hoot to watch.  You really sense the wheels turning, as well as the enjoyment he got from that experience.

More Stuff We Like

Eating right hasn't been a priority of mine for quite some time.  Over the past several months, I have been working to improve my eating habits.  I've cut out sugary drinks (Dr. Pepper, anyone?) and am trying to avoid other yucky things.  I'm incorporating more fruits, veggies, whole grains and protein into my diet, as well as my family's.  Sometimes it's just using whole wheat pasta for mac and cheese instead of the regular, but I figure every little bit helps.I enjoyed this delish salad tonight, along with a whole grain flatbread with turkey pepperoni, low-fat cheese, and fresh sauce.  It was divine.

I am also trying to be more environmentally-conscious.  We recycle, and avoid using the A/C whenever possible, but I am also seeking other ways to help Mama Earth.  In our lunchboxes this school year, W and I will take our own cloth napkins.  I whipped these up tonight--

W's Cars napkins

 

 

My lovely floral napkins

I used some lightweight, but super-soft flannel that I found at Jo-Ann's.  I got a half yard of each design, and got 5 napkins made for him, and four for myself.  With the 40% off one item coupon, the total cost was $6!

Coast Trip Pics

As promised, here are some pictures from our MS Gulf Coast trip.

DDH and W at the Pass Christian Park

Grandpa Bob, DDH and W looking at the beach

Pears from Grammy Lynn's front yard

Being Julia Child at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Working the register at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Having tons of fun at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Back in Jersey

I have been out-of-pocket for the past week, visiting my in-laws on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Here are some observations from my trip...

• watching the BP crew sift through sand in 100-degree heat isn't a pretty thing,
• Gulf shrimp is safe, and delicious,
• my healthy-eating plan was COMPLETELY derailed, but I am getting back on track TODAY,
• Katrina left an unbelievable path of destruction, which is evident 5 years later,
• I am not, nor will ever be, used to heat an humidity, despite being a native Mississippian.

Pictures to come.

Terrariums

I am really a fan of terrariums.  I think they are beautiful.  And so low-maintenance.  For his teachers' thank-you gifts at the end of this past academic year, W and I created some nice terrariums.  We got the jars at Walmart.  I put in a layer of black river rocks, about an inch of potting soil, and a nice bed of moss (gotten from Miss Mossy, on Etsy).  To complete the look, we made little mushrooms out of Fimo clay.  I think they turned out great; and as far as I know, all three of them are still alive!

We have one similar to this sitting on a table between two chairs in our living room.  It's made out of a glass cookie jar.  It's such a wonderful little self-contained ecosystem!

Montessori Wisdom of the Day

"Respect all the reasonable forms of activity in which the child engages and try to understand them."  --Maria Montessori

W adores his cars.  He has dozens of them (I know, that's not very Montessori, but...) and they are his absolute favorite things to play with.  He is in love with the Disney film "Cars" and has lots of the characters.  I figure he would be obsessed with something else, like action figures, or Thomas, or whatever, if it wasn't Cars; at least "Cars" is mildly entertaining and non-violent.  So anyway, he comes up with stories about his cars, and has them "act" out various situations.  There are lots of races, of course, and the occasional disastrous accident (when the fire truck responds), but the best is when he has "circle time" with his cars.  He sets them up for circle just like they have at school, and invites the cars to choose "jobs" for the week.  Sometimes it's sharing day, sometimes they "sing" a song.  It's a wonderful activity to witness; he is so serious about it, and it really shows how much he enjoys the things he does at school.