fall treats

Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but I do love dressing the kids up and taking them to see family. We always try to bring something to them when we come as well. We have taken them decorated cookies, artwork, pictures, etc. One year I painted their feet (white) and put on black paper. We made ghosts with them...under the ghost was a picture of them and in white chalk it read boo...guess who? We are working on our delivery for this year...what should it be?

fall decor

During the holidays I do not go all out with decorations, but I love to put out pictures from past years. Pictures of their first halloween. I still have one of Malachi that comes out every year. I am pretty sure the picture above will become an every year favorite as well..even if we are not longer zeeland chix.

moving

With moving underway I am looking for ways to ease the anxiety of a new home and new neighborhood. Any ideas would be helpful! thanks

Goals

How about making some goals to start off the school year. Keep track in their very own school journal. On the last day of school come back to the goals and have a reward for each accomplished goal!!

school traditions 101

With a little help from a friend I was able to round up a few ideas from a great link. My favorite idea was the magic school bus. Which came the night before school starts and leaves a giant lunch bag filled with goodies to start off the school year (pencils, notebooks, etc). I also liked the banner idea, where your child runs through a banner on his first day of school and his last (one that simple states first day of school or summer is here). Check it out for yourself! Enjoy!

highs and lows

I think this tradition does not have to be surrounded by school and it could be used way before a child enters school. At the dinner table each night record the families highs and lows for the day. Asking your child what was one thing that went great today and one thing that was not so great. This is a huge door opener for good family communication. Let me know if your family does this... I would love to here if you have a special way of doing this!
enjoy!

growth chart

I am sure you heard this a time or two, or maybe you even did this as a child. Measure your child on the inside of the closet door. This is a neat way to keep track of your child’s growth. I have not done this and it is probably a good thing considering we are moving to a new home, I am sure the buyers are grateful. Another way you could measure the child's growth is with hand prints. There are so many neat things you can do with hand prints. Each year you could trace your child’s hand on a piece of tracing paper and you can lay the hand prints over one another to see how they have grown. You could use and empty wall in your garage to make a hand print garden. Paint several stems and when it is your child’s birthday paint your child’s hand and use it as the flower. Paint the stems in a row and watch how the hand grew. This is also something you could do at Father’s day or Mother’s day. Trace your child’s hand over yours in a special book and each year watch as your little one’s hand begins to get as big as yours.
I am hoping my husband will allow me to have a hand print garden in our garage and measure the children up a painted vine! ENJOY!