Guess Who is Diving Into Her Pintentional Archives Already...

Me.  That's who.

So...I have started working part time.
Mostly from home. Only one day in the office.
Only 15 hours.
And my brain has felt like mush for the past two weeks because of it.

Also-working-outside-the-home-mothers...my respect for you has only increased over the past two weeks.

How do you handle the constant feeling of forgetting something...or letting someone down??
Does this go away?? Ever? Not ever?!?

Last week I had a melt down on the eve of Chloe's Valentine Party.
In my pre-working-part-time world, remembering on Sunday night that I have a party to organize would have freaked me out a little, but I would have been comforted by the knowledge of a sprawling Monday the day before the party.  Monday would then be deemed 'party planning/party errand running' day. And all would go my kind of smooth with all kinds of bumps along the way.

So, remembering on Sunday and working in the office all day Monday lead to a tiny melt down.  Both Sunday and Monday night.  Ok. Monday's may not have been so tiny.

You know how you are mentally aware that things are going to be stressful...so you prepare yourself...give yourself a little 'you can do this' pep talk and resolve to 'hold it together.'  And then totally blow it??

Me too.  As I was out with the masses on Valentine's Day Eve (seriously...why are you people out in droves?? Since when did Valentine's Day become Christmas???) I maneuvered the crowds, thought I misplaced my phone across town, drove back across town and returned home to find my phone sitting by my computer (only after I had cursed and judged the people at the previous store who would 'clearly steal my phone if given the opportunity', and finally bought the candy hearts that I had meant to buy at 3+ stores over the past 3 days.  Once home, I assembled C's Valentine bags, did a couple hours of work and then collapsed in bed.

The rest of the week was pretty touch and go.
This week has been better, but my brain is still adjusting to the new level of activity.  I am thankful for the work...so trying to keep my head and heart there even in the adjusting.

All of that to say...lacking in Pintentionality this week. 
But Chloe and I did this back at Christmas time for her gift to her classmates.  :)

 Hope your Winter Break is REFRESHING! Love, Chloe



This Valentine's Day Is Brought To You By Pinterest: Pintentional Post #7

Is it possible to O.D. on Pinterest??

If it is...Valentine's Day has proven me a junky.

We had Love Potion smoothies for breakfast this morning.

(Which I saw on Pinterest, but apparently did not pin...)

Chloe and I made this banner last week out of cereal boxes,

twine, doilies and scrapbook paper from the $1 bin.

Chloe's class Valentines this year:

Cello bags from the $1 bin filled with Goldfish Crackers and a note:

Of all the fish in the sea...

I'm glad we swim in the same SCHOOL!

I made these cute I Love You Valentines with the students in Chloe's class for their parents.

They were all very pleased with their finished products.

Lesson in sign language and symmetry in how to make a perfect heart.

We used party ideas and printables from this site.

I spent the entire day in Chloe's classroom.

The sugar consumption was off the charts.

I may be officially Valentined out.

No big date for us tonight.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner.

Maybe popcorn and a short movie.

Baths then bed for the kiddos. (maaaybe add the glowsticks again...)

Then plopping on the couch with Kevin to watch an inappropriate amount of television.

Happy Love Day.

I found myself praying through out the day...

Thank you, Lord, for loving us first.

We love, because You love.

Me and E Date Night

Kevin and Chloe are out on the town at their annual Daddy/Daughter Dance.  They both look forward to it every year.  I am so thankful that they get to have this special time together. Pictures to come.

Since they were going on a date...so were me and E.

I asked him what he would like to do on our date...to which he replied, 'what is a 'date' actually?'
Special time set aside for the two of us to spend time together.
He liked the idea. ;)

So.
Pizza.  Cheese Pizza.
Chips.
A sea life documentary.
And some Ben & Jerry's.

He was excited all day.  Kept asking how long it was until night time.  So. Sweet.
Once Kev and Chloe were on their way, we pushed the couches together to make a 'boat', picked up the pizza and completely pigged out on junk food.

We watched the documentary twice and then played Hot Wheels 2012.
(He loves to add the '2012' part...it must be cool because they added it to Monster Jam.)

We tried all sorts of cars to find the best loop-de-looper.

 Batmobile.  Hands down.

 We made the cars jump monster trucks, other cars...we even tried to get the cars to land in his crocs.
The biggest hit was getting the cars to loop-de-loop into a Tupperware of salt...or 'salt pit' respectively.

It was a good, good night.
Love you, E.
Love being your Mama.

Pintentional Post #6: Writing In Salt

Writing in Salt

Or 'Writing in Snow' if you are Eli.
Because somehow writing in snow is waaay cooler.

If you click on the above link, you will see a very zen like box holding a very official looking letter card.
Below you will see my make-shift-found-around-the-house 'free' version.



If you continue to click down the link trail that is the beauty of Pinterest, you may risk feeling like a terrible mother....at least I did...as that Mom is clearly doing an above-and-beyond-fabulous job of educating her young children.

So hang around here and save yourself the guilt. ;)

My four year old does not enjoy coloring or doodeling or practicing writing with crayons or pencils...

But he was totally into writing with his finger in the 'snow'.

It was sweet to see how successful he felt as he wrote all his letters.  Smile from ear to ear. 

Could. Not. Wait. to show Daddy when he got home.

I actually caught him writing all on his own a couple times too! ;)

Where I Need To Spend More Time...

Right here.

 With this little man...

Pintentional Post #5

Reading Power Towers (click on that to get to the pin and a video)

It is safe to say that sight words are among Chloe's least favorite things to practice.
First semester, we were really struggling to make them a nightly routine...hard for both of us.

So, when I came across this on Pinterest, I was excited!

I had the bathroom paper cups on hand and simply wrote her next 50 or so sight words on the bottom of the cups.

She has to read the word and then she can add it to her tower.
The taller or wider the better! She has even made snowflake shapes with her cups.

We have been doing Power Towers for a little over a week, and I am seeing a marked improvement in her sight word success!

YES!!

The Math Power Towers also look like a great idea.  We are not struggling as much with those at the moment, but it would be great practice.  I think I would write the answer to the math problems on the inside of the cup for self-checking.  (not sure if he suggested that on the video...)

This is an easy way to make memory work waaaay more FUN!

When Ordinary PBJ Just Won't Cut It...Pintentional Post #4

PBJ needed some pizazz today...
I knew if I was feeling bummed out about the old stand-by...E was probably going to flat out refuse.

So...this is what I came up with:

Only crumbs were left! WIN!

This post was indirectly inspired by Pinterest with all the cute lunch ideas...soooo...
Pintentional??

I think yes!