tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44477584308669408322024-03-12T18:11:42.733-07:00Boys, Toys, Chaos, & JoysMy life as a mom, learning to save, and finding balance in a busy worldjessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-38760087344035628812013-01-31T19:54:00.003-08:002013-01-31T19:54:55.961-08:00Our Homeschool Day <span style="font-size: large;"> Since taking Liam out of preschool we have begun homeschooling, but because he is my oldest our days are pretty simple. Right now my main goal is just to have a rhythm to our days and a time where he knows that we will be doing some school work. Some days don't always go as planned and I also an flexible like when it was 60 degrees just a few days ago we spent the whole morning outside then after lunch just did a little work and that was mainly because he asked to do it. Here's what a typical day looks like here</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7am-8am <span style="font-size: large;">We all wake up <span style="font-size: large;">sometimes they all come into be<span style="font-size: large;">d with me and we cuddle for a bit<span style="font-size: large;">, other days it's straight downstairs for breakfast</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">8am-9am We eat breakfast which lately has been yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal because I am not motivated eno<span style="font-size: large;">u<span style="font-size: large;">gh to cook<span style="font-size: large;">. <span style="font-size: large;">Then I clean up while they play. <span style="font-size: large;">After that if I haven't done so already I get them all dressed and brush their teeth.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">9am-9:30am Typically we will start school around this time<span style="font-size: large;">. I am a form<span style="font-size: large;">er Montessori teacher<span style="font-size: large;">, so alot of what we do is based on that method. I also ordered the curriculum book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Five-Row-Volume/dp/1888659009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359688826&sr=8-1&keywords=five+in+a+row" target="_blank">Five in a Row</a></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>and we have been inco<span style="font-size: large;">rporating that as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">9:30<span style="font-size: large;">am-10:30 We usually do a number and letter activity if the younger ones want to participate they do, otherw<span style="font-size: large;">ise <span style="font-size: large;"> they play or I have some <span style="font-size: large;">practical life activities for them<span style="font-size: large;">(I need to get more of the<span style="font-size: large;">se together for them and become more organiz<span style="font-size: large;">ed in general). We <span style="font-size: large;">are not always working this whole time sometimes there are breaks it just depends on Liam's mood I want to make sure he's enjoying it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">10:30-11:30 We do an art proje<span style="font-size: large;">c<span style="font-size: large;">t, cuttin<span style="font-size: large;">g, geography, word building on the computer, research something they are interested in, or practice fine motor skills it depends on the day<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">U</span>sually we also read our book from Five in Row and try to incorporate a lesson from it </span></span>as well.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">11:30-12:30 Prepare lunch, eat<span style="font-size: large;">, clean up. Kids play.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">12:30-1<span style="font-size: large;">:15 Play, try to get outside if it's n<span style="font-size: large;">ot too cold. I'm sure once it gets nice out we will try to go outsid<span style="font-size: large;">e earlier</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">1:15-1:45pm Get ready for naps<span style="font-size: large;">. Read a story.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">2pm-4pm Nap time. Liam rarely naps now, but I <span style="font-size: large;">encourage him<span style="font-size: large;"> to have some quiet time for at least an hour<span style="font-size: large;">. Usually I try to re<span style="font-size: large;">lax for a bit, then I will clean and Liam an<span style="font-size: large;">d I will read stories or play some boar<span style="font-size: large;">d games</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">4pm-5:30pm Everyone is up we have a snack<span style="font-size: large;">, play<span style="font-size: large;">, then I start getting dinner ready</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">5:30pm-6:30pm Dad comes home, we eat dinner, cl<span style="font-size: large;">ean up</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">6:30pm-7:30pm Play</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">7:30pm-8:30pm B<span style="font-size: large;">aths every other day<span style="font-size: large;">, stories, bed time.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">8:30-9pm I try to fin<span style="font-size: large;">ish cleaning up </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">9pm-11pm Relax, p<span style="font-size: large;">lan our next day, </span> try to be in bed before midnight :)</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> As often a<span style="font-size: large;">s <span style="font-size: large;">possible we try to g<span style="font-size: large;">o to museum<span style="font-size: large;">s or exploring for hands on experiences<span style="font-size: large;">. Here's some picture<span style="font-size: large;">s from the Field <span style="font-size: large;">Museum and the Planetar<span style="font-size: large;">ium.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-58785843420941019602013-01-26T21:49:00.001-08:002013-01-26T21:49:54.280-08:00Homeschooling:The Beginning <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After lots of debating and researching we've finally started homeschooling. Liam was miserable going to preschool everyday. I'm not really sure what changed because he enjoyed it last year, but this year he kept complaining he was bored and there were no other kids his age there. Everyday was a struggle to get him there and even though I know he was fine once I left him, it just didn't seem worth it. So I figured after Christmas break was the perfect time to transition into homeschooling.<br />
Right now we just finished up our third week of homeschooling and so far I've really enjoyed it. No more fighting and rushing every morning and for now fingers crossed Liam really likes it as well. He's only in preschool, so the time we spend doing actual school work is pretty short, but it is something we both look forward to every morning. Most of what we are doing is Montessori based since that is what I am most familiar with, but I also ordered a couple of books to give me some different ideas of things we can do. I think we will end up with an eclectic style since I think there are many educational philosophies that have great ideas. The one book I just received in the mail is Five in a Row, which follows the Charlotte Mason method and I plan on adding that to our lessons as well. I will let you know how it goes. I'm still not sure what we will do next year for now I am just trying to focus on this year and see how it goes. I also want to check out a couple co-ops so I can see what our options on if we continue down this path. If anyone is an experienced homeschooer or has been homeschooled themselves I'd love to hear your experiences and learn more since this is all new to me. Hope everyone is having a great weekend:)jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-53433149985541799802013-01-20T13:50:00.001-08:002013-01-20T13:50:45.658-08:00Thoughts on Having a C-section<br />
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Wow, I can't believe it's already been over two months since my last post. I guess you could say I took a little blogging break over the holidays. Every time I try to write a post it seems like there is so much to say it comes out a jumbled mess.<br />
I am 30 weeks pregnant and will be meeting this guy in about 9 weeks I can't believe it. I will be having a scheduled c-section since all my others were c-sections as well. I struggled with this alot in the beginning of this pregnancy since I know it may be my last and I always read these amazing birth stories and think wow I wish mine could have been like that. I looked into finding a doctor who would do a VBA3C which was almost impossible. In the end though I switched providers and have an awesome midwife now and am planning a gentle cesarean. If you have never seen one you should look it up on you tube especially if you are having a c-section. I think for me at least it will make me feel more a part of the birthing experience and not like it is just a surgery. I never had any real complaints about where my doctors that I had my boys with, but I wish I would have found the midwife I have now sooner it makes such a difference to have a health care provider who you feel comfortable with and you feel like truly cares. At about 18 weeks I talked to her about how disappointed I felt with my other birthing experiences and ended up in tears, which is something I never would have done with my other doctor. After that I felt so much better about what we have planned for this birth and she even encouraged me and gave me the names to other providers if I wanted to explore having a VBA3C further. So after the birth I will make sure to write about it because I feel for me ti will be a healing experience after wishing for a vaginal birth and regretting my decisions and knowledge at the time of my first pregnancy.<br />
jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-81865890449609023182012-11-06T20:47:00.003-08:002012-11-06T20:47:53.310-08:00Gender Reveal I know I said I was going to tell you guys Sunday, but I wanted to do something creative and just haven't been able to find the time. So, without further ado we are having a BOY!!! I guess you can't stop a good thing. Here's three awesome older bothers.<br />
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<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-77857650850706853212012-11-02T20:38:00.000-07:002012-11-02T20:38:12.642-07:00I'm Back Oh, it's been too long like usual. I miss blogging I really do but by the end of the day lately I'm just exhausted and on my list of things to do unfortunately blogging ends up near the bottom. These last few days I've been in a bit of a funk too and am trying to get out of it. I was feeling better then today was one of those days where everything that can go wrong just does. Which reminds me that it is November and I wanted to start doing Thankful Thursdays again, but this week I missed it. I may just do it tomorrow. Somehow writing down all the things you are thankful for makes all those small things that go wrong in your day not seem so bad. Stay tuned Sunday I will also announce the sex of our next little one. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!<br />
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The Avengers<br /><br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-43488904209311835612012-09-24T13:03:00.002-07:002012-09-24T13:03:43.430-07:00Monday Mishmash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This post is just a jumble of what has been happening here at the Clarke household or what is soon to come. I have so many posts half finished that I hope to one day post, but here are some random things that have been happening here or are soon to come.<br />
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*Saturday a friend of mine had a Fall equinox party, which was lots of fun. The kids had a blast and made scarecrows. Then we came home and saw my husband's car had a ticket for permit parking when he was parked across the street where you don't need one. Seriously WTF, someone must not like us. We were told they only come to give tickets when someone calls, at least check to see if we need a permit before you just hand out a ticket.<br />
*Sunday Jack and I had a date night. We went to Starbucks for coffee then Carnivale for dinner. Super yummy food, I really wanted some sangria it looked so good. I don't know why it always seems when I am pregnant I wish I could have drink other times I never think of it, maybe it's because I know I can't.<br />
*Speaking of which hopefully if the baby cooperates we should be finding out the sex next week. You guys will probably be the first to know after my husband of course. We might wait a little longer to tell the family after having three boys all everyone can talk about is how they know we will have a girl or hope it's a girl and sometimes I just get annoyed when I tell them it's another boy like it's a big disappointment for them. so we may wait.<br />
* I don't know if I I ever mentioned this before, but I can be pretty unorganized. I try but to be organized I really do but it is not one of my strong suits. This has led to our dinners being very boring or thrown together at the last minute with whatever we have in the house. Before when Jack got home early this wasn't really a problem because one of us could run to the store if needed or he would sometimes cook, but now he gets home around 6pm and we need to eat immediately since that's kind of late for my little ones. So today before I took Liam to school I put together a meal plan, which I basically just went through my pinterest board and quickly picked 6 things. If I really like any I will be sure to post them here. Maybe tomorrow I will post our menu for the week, hopefully I can keep this up.<br />
* I still have been extra tired lately and once afternoon hits all I want is a nice nap, but that rarely happens these days<br />
* About 2 weeks ago I started cloth diapering Declan. I got some super cheap and was hoping it would help lead to potty training quicker since I remember reading that somewhere. It really doesn't seem to make a difference on that end, but it's not as bad as I thought doing it full time. I'm still not thrilled with changing poopy diapers while we are out or really at all to tell you the truth, but it's been doable. I haven't decided if I will try to start Rory in them or not or the bay when he/she comes for that matter. I would have to get more if I do. I'm not sure if I can deal with the million poopy diapers a baby makes. Any cloth diapering mamas out there with advice I would love to hear it.<br />
*I'm really loving this fall weather, it's my favorite time of the year<br />
* Tomorrow we will be taking a trip to the Aquarium:)<br />
Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!!jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-26785191351553246802012-09-14T20:47:00.000-07:002012-09-14T20:47:20.227-07:00Random Thoughts and a Rant I just wanted to say thanks for all the kind words from everyone. I truly appreciate them. I feel like I have been a hormonal/emotional wreck, so far this pregnancy. The littlest things seem to upset me and ruin my day. I try hard not to let them, but it's been hard. For example today after breakfast we went out front to play and I saw a ticket on our van. I went to see what it was for and right in front of our house is permit parking, but I never got a permit since when I went to get it they wouldn't let me because our van is registered to my husband. So we parked on a part of our block that is not permit parking yet we still got a ticket and a note on it saying someone called about our car. Really, WTF!! We were parked in an area you don't even need a permit, so I had to make a bunch of calls and no one could really help me, they said just go to the court date. Really then I need to pay/find a babysitter. Anyways enough of my rant, it's just frustrating to get a ticket for something when you have done nothing wrong and this is the second time it happened.<br />
Also I am breaking out like crazy this pregnancy, so if anyone has tips I'd love them I feel like I've tried everything with no luck. On a different note it's really starting to feel like fall here, which is my favorite season so I hope it brings me out of this funk I am in. I can't wait for apple donuts, pumpkin patches, caramel apples, pretty leaves, bonfires,smores, and so much more. Hope everyone has a great weekend:)jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-28546131887520626412012-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:002012-09-10T13:34:16.701-07:00Surprise!! <br />
<img alt="PicsArt_1344971425228.jpg" class="hv" height="246" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=e3238697d3&view=att&th=13926959a38edfee&attid=0.1&disp=thd&realattid=1410305446123667456-1&zw" width="400" /><br />
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Why, hello everyone! Once again it has been forever since my last post and here's the big news Baby # 4 will be here the end of March. We are super excited and when the time comes I'll do a gender reveal post. It's funny when I ask the boys what they think I'll have Liam says a little sister, but Declan cries and says he only wants brothers, no sister! We'll see, so far it seems we just do boys. My first clue that I was pregnant was being extra sleepy and breaking out a ton(which never happened in my previous pregnancies) So that's why it's been so quiet here. I've been extra tired lately and sleeping every chance I can, which is why I haven't been posting here. I'm a girl who likes my sleep to begin with, so being pregnant multiplies that by 100. I'm at the end of my first trimester so hopefully I'll be a little less sleepy now and able to write more.<br />
In other news the Chicago Teachers Union is on strike so Liam will be out of school for a while and I've decided to experiment with homeschooling him while he's off. Today was our first day and overall it went well I just need to find some things for Rory to do because he wants to do what Liam is and obviously since he's just 17 months he's not ready yet. jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-72718557621654118132012-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:002012-08-05T10:00:01.672-07:00Summer Days Summer seems to be flying by. I know I have written about our debate to homeschool and I am pretty sure we will for kindergarten or try the virtual charter school if we get in, but for now I am going to keep Liam in preschool. Mainly based on the fact I can't make a decision right now and it's only 2 1/2 hours a day 4 days a week, so we will see how it goes. One day Liam loves the idea of going back then the next he hates it, but he's like that with most things, so it's no surprise. He actually starts August 13th which is only a couple of weeks a away. We will be in Indiana his first week though, so he'll start a week later. Here's some pictures from our last trip there.<br />
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Love this picture of them!<br />
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In other news I know I have been lacking on the posts and one of these days I plan to post more often. The days just seem to fly by and by the end I am exhausted. Plus it's summer and everyone is suppose to be lazier in the summer or at least that's what I'll tell myself:)jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-29706897942498246562012-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:002012-07-12T10:00:07.892-07:00Keeping Busy: Green Goo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Horrible picture with my phone, but super fun and easy activity with the kiddos. All you need is 1 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 a cup of water, and a couple of drops of food coloring. Mix together and let your kids enjoy the fun. If it's a little stiff add water, but it should be able to form a ball then ooze out of their hands. Liam loved this!<br /><br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-39804534852438195712012-07-09T10:00:00.000-07:002012-07-09T10:00:03.701-07:00Let them Eat Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A little over 3 years ago I made my first yellow cake from scratch for Liam's first birthday party. For all the work I did I was disappointed, it was no better then a box cake. Ever since then I have been afraid to try a yellow cake because I get very upset if my baked goods don't turn out delicious. So for the fourth I decided I wanted to make a flag cake and I was so excited to find one on <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a>. This blog hasn't steered me wrong yet, it's my go to for any baked good and they always turn out excellent. If I do say so myself it turned out better then the last cake we bought from a bakery. Here's the <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2012/07/flag-cake/">recipe</a> give it a try even if you don't decorate it as a flag. Trust me you won't be disappointed.<br />
<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-86187384694461920122012-07-06T11:33:00.001-07:002012-07-06T11:33:25.286-07:00Keeping Busy: Colored Rice So I always see lots of great ideas on other blogs or pinterest, but most of the time I never get around to doing them myself. I have seen colored rice a few times and have always been meaning to make it, and I finally did.<br />
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It was super easy put some rice in a Ziploc bag and just add some food coloring and rubbing alcohol (i didn't measure but you don't need much) and shake. Then lay out to dry and you are done.I used about 5 bags of rice. I decided to go with a ocean theme. The boys loved it if your kids like sand they will love this. I was hoping to be able to do this activity inside laying the bin on a blanket, but my youngest is a wild man and kept throwing rice everywhere so it had to be done outdoors. If your kids are older though I would say inside is fine just keep a blanket under to control the mess. When they get tired of sea creatures I just plan on changing them out. A pretty fun activity for under $10!<br />
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<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-64549372778020631532012-07-02T10:30:00.000-07:002012-07-02T10:30:00.096-07:00Donuts and Little Dudes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I took these 3 little guys out for donuts the other morning to my favorite local coffee shop. Can they be any cuter? Rory is getting so big, it feels weird to no longer have a baby in the house. He's a toddler now always on the move trying to keep up with his older brothers.<br />
<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-76767911334242938182012-06-30T19:42:00.001-07:002012-06-30T19:42:23.055-07:00Summer Days and Thoughts on Homeschooling I can't believe tomorrow it will be July. Our days have been so busy and flying by. Most mornings have been spent at the park with friends, in the backyard, or meeting friends indoors to keep cool.<br />
Nights have been spent grilling, at Liam's soccer practice, or going to Rainbow cone one too many times.<br />
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We also started family picnic movie night on Fridays which has been super fun. We lay out a blanket, eat pizza, and watch a movie. Our first night we watched Peter Pan and last night we watched The Fantastic Mr Fox, which was a movie even mom and dad enjoyed.<br />
In only a little over a month Liam will be back at school. I feel like it's coming too fast and I still haven't really decided about homeschooling. Some days I think it's a great idea while others I think I must be crazy for even considering it. It's such a big decision and I can see benefits to both. I just think since homeschooling is going against the norm it makes it hard to know if it is the right decision. Luckily when I told my family we were considering it they were supportive otherwise it would make the decision even harder. I guess no matter what decision I make there will always be doubts. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-50058369096385988182012-06-18T21:02:00.001-07:002012-06-18T21:02:51.905-07:00Beach Days It's been too long like usual, but life has been busy. Lots of time outdoors, weekends at the beach, and playing in water. We've been up to Long Beach Indiana twice this year already and it has been bittersweet. It's my husbands grandparent's house and they are nice enough to let us spend lots of time up there, but after his grandma passing not too long ago they have decided to sell it so this will be our last year there and we are trying to live it up:)<br />
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<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-34301466906735384772012-06-03T18:47:00.000-07:002012-06-03T18:47:21.626-07:00Lunette Cup Review I was lucky enough to have the chance to review a lunette cup. Now if you don't know what one is you can go look <a href="http://www.lunette.com/index.php?id=1">here</a>, but basically it is a reusable silicone menstrual cup. I have been wanting to try one for a while now and during my last cycle I did for the first time. I can tell you one thing I won't be going back to tampons or pads, that's for sure.<br />
I tried the lunette cup as soon as my first cycle came. I was a bit nervous since at times my cycle can be heavy, so I was hoping this would be able to do the job since I usually always wear a tampon and a pad. I was impressed I was able to only wear the lunette cup with no leakage issue. On my heavier days I did have to empty it more often, but I love not having to wear a pad and a tampon. To insert it is easy all you need to do is fold in half and insert as you would a tampon and then you are done. It fits very comfortably and at times I forget I even have it in. Plus you can wear it up to 12 hours before removing and cleaning the cup. I have used this cup through two cycles now and I am impressed with how well it works and how comfortable it is. I even wore it to the beach without any issues!<br />
I highly recommend giving the <a href="http://www.lunette.com/index.php?id=1">Lunette cup</a> a try. There are many reasons to try it, here's just a few. You will be saving money, it's better for the environment, and more comfortable then any pad or tampon I have worn. Trust me it is worth a try, you won't be disappointed. Stop <a href="http://www.lunette.com/store/index.php">here</a> to order one today.jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-85126927778430701932012-05-20T21:39:00.002-07:002012-05-20T21:39:56.783-07:00Weekend Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's finally starting to cool down here in Chicago, but we had our hottest weekend yet. This weekend really seemed to fly by though, which surprised me since my husband was gone working for most of it. Friday he was off though and we went and got the rest of the plants for our garden, had lunch at one of our favorite Mexican spots, then came home to plant. Saturday was spent in the backyard playing in water, and I took out their little pool to splash around in since it was over 90 degrees. Then Sunday I took the boys out for coffee and donuts, stopped at the farmer's market where we picked up some delicious strawberries and focaccia, and then the park. Later I was even able to get my oldest to nap, so I could take lay down for a bit. Then we made dinner and had my favorite summertime dessert, strawberry shortcake. Here's to hoping this week goes fast since we are spending Memorial day weekend in Indiana. Hope everyone else enjoyed their weekend as much as I did. I also really need to take more pictures, so I have some more to share with you guys:)jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-64674556920002413362012-05-14T20:27:00.000-07:002012-05-14T20:27:18.746-07:00The Kindness of Strangers Sometimes I read blogs and I think, "Wow this lady really has it all together: her house looks amazing, she dresses nice, she bakes, cooks, does crafts, she is like some ubersupermom." Then I start to feel bad about my parenting thinking I should do more and be more since most days I wear comfy clothes, structured projects are rare, and my house looks like a tornado ran through it even if I just cleaned.<br />
I try to be organized, but it just doesn't seem to work. Usually I have all the kids stuff together, but then when it comes to my own stuff I'm a mess. Always trying to find my keys or cell phone. Yesterday after coming home from my mom's house I unloaded all the bags out my car and the kids thinking everything went smoothly. Then this morning my doorbell rang and I looked out to see a man I didn't recognize I opened the door cautiously and he said "I saw this purse laying on the front lawn and figured it belonged to whoever lived here." I had no idea I left my purse after rushing in late and getting everyone ready for bed. I am so grateful that he brought it to my door and everything was still in it. Lately I've been hearing of robberies in the neighborhood, so I feel so lucky that it was still there. Thanks to one kind stranger who made my day:) Now you know at least one mom who is far from having it all together.jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-85796416532191899262012-05-13T20:46:00.001-07:002012-05-13T20:46:27.407-07:00Happy Mother's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While being a mom is the hardest job you will ever have it is also one of the best. I know when I look back these will be some of my fondest memories even though there are days that are hard and filled with tears those will be forgotten. All I will remember are hugs between brothers, Liam reading a comic to Declan, Rory shaking his head and waving his hands as he dances at the first sound of music, the funny way Declan says hot dog, and watching Liam help his brothers.<br />
I hope all you ladies were able to relax a little and enjoy your Mother's day:)jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-82393084015932884282012-05-08T21:06:00.001-07:002012-05-08T21:06:30.085-07:00Why do You Blog? Do you ever get caught up with looking at the stats on your blog? I know I do, it was especially bad when I first started I always wanted to check and see how many people were looking at my pages. This is why I don't weigh myself because I become obsessed with numbers.<br />
Now I will look once in a while, but not as often because I write this blog for myself and my family. I hope one day my children will be able to look back and see all the wonderful memories I have of them. Which reminds me of another cute thing Declan does when the tea kettle goes off he will jump up and start saying "oh, hot water" and then will go turn the stove off. Don't worry he is always supervised. The first time he did it I followed him to see what he was going to do and was surprised he knew how to turn off the stove. Then I thought about how smart he is, but also how dangerous that could be if he just decided to turn it on one day. Luckily our house is small though so I can always see into the kitchen or hear what is going on.<br />
I went a little off topic back to blogging and stats. While I would like people to read my blog because I find it nice that people are interested in my life or writing in the same way I enjoy reading others blogs, this blog is really for me and my family and I try to remember that now. I think when I started I worried if I was posting enough and if I was writing about the right topics, but I have learned to take a more relaxed stance now. Maybe too relaxed at times because I really do want to keep all these small memories here that I will probably forget about in a few months or years. Soon I will be writing some updates on Liam and Rory and have those reviews I was talking about.jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-21581995321923422702012-05-02T11:30:00.000-07:002012-05-02T11:30:01.036-07:00Declan at 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since this little man has turned 2 he has been talking up a storm and his personality shines more and more everyday. A few things I want to always remember about him at this age:<br />
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*He just started saying I love you and it sounds like this "lalo mom"<br />
* When he tells some he is sorry he likes to do a chicken dance flapping his one arm<br />
* He loves his blanket if he could it would go everywhere with him. He calls it his blank he even sometimes likes to tell me he has a nice blank and other times is know as Blanket Boy capturing evil doers by throwing his blanket at them<br />
* Anything Liam does he wants to do <br />
* Any time anyone says they are going anywhere he says "I'm coming"<br />
* He constantly asks for fruit snacks all day they are by far his favorite thing and he is relentless<br />
* He usually just calls Rory baby, but has just started calling him Baby Roar roar<br />
* He has an obsession with Orange Juice<br />
* He calls our IPad pie and loves to read stories on it<br />
* He calls Batman "dun, dun" and would wear his batman pjs all day everyday if I let him<br />
* I love when he comes up to me and says "Hold me mom, hold me" he can be quite the cuddle bug<br />
* Oh and he has the sweetest little face and it makes it so hard to say mad at him<br />
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Declan I love you to pieces:) After having you my heart expanded. You have brought us so much joy and I love watching your personality unfold. You are a laid back, goof ball, and I am lucky to be your mom.jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-50821794989280321002012-04-30T18:30:00.000-07:002012-04-30T18:30:00.625-07:00Nature Museum Sunday we went to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum thanks to a great friend buying our family a membership for our sons birthdays. I can't believe we have never been there before. It's right across from Lincoln Park Zoo which we go to often, but I never thought of it. It's by far one of the best gifts they received for their birthday all of them loved it. Plus since they have so many toys it's great to get a gift we can all use as a family again and again. There was tons for them to do, yet it was a very peaceful place I think my favorite part was the butterfly habitat. There are so many beautiful butterflies fluttering around and Liam was so excited when one landed on his shoulder.<br />
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After sitting patiently a butterfly landed on him<br />
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We got to see a mama and her baby:)<br />
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Our Little Walker<br />
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Taking a Break<br />
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Having a snackjessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-76380802922764079222012-04-29T19:00:00.000-07:002012-04-29T19:00:00.790-07:00Positive Thinking Recently I read <a href="http://lifeasmom.com/2012/04/the-power-of-our-words.html">this post</a>
about the effect our words have on others and the impact our negative
words and complaining has on our family and friends.If you have a minute
you should really check it out. I'll just tell you this post really hit
home this is something I have been trying to work on for a while now and still struggle with because I do
always tend to look at the things we don't have instead of all the
things we do. I tend to always think the worst. Looking
back I know that some of the way I think has to do with the way I was
raised. I know that negative thoughts and complaints are not just going to disappear, but I am going to work hard and not voicing them especially if they are of no value to anyone. What good does it do when I complain about how hard my day was? Instead on what to start focusing on how good it was and share those parts of my day with others. Because even though being a mom is one of the hardest things I've ever done it also is the most wonderful and I can not even begin to explain how much love and joy has filled my heart since becoming a mom and with each child it has grown more. When my children look back I want them to remember a mom who was happy and filled with love, not a grumpy and crabby mom<br />
I want to raise kids who think positive and are grateful, but how can I do that when they hear me complaining all the time. Because as adults we always worry if we are giving our kids enough and look at what other moms or families have or the things they do. I know this is especially true in the blogging world. I read some blogs and get sad because my house doesn't look like a pottery barn catalog and I can't do tons of awesome crafts, but we all only share part of our lives and usually it's the best parts. I know these are not things my kids are worried about though all they want is me and it takes so little to make them happy just my time and attention. Sometimes I get caught up in the everyday life and truly forget how lucky I am, but now I have been trying to slow down in those stressful moments and realize that most of the things I stress about really are not a big deal(so what if the house is a mess, if we are five minutes late, everyone is crying) As long as I am doing me best and my family is healthy and happy all the other stuff seems so small<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-43040564488205923972012-04-28T21:30:00.002-07:002012-04-28T22:13:15.813-07:00Weekend UpdateThings have been quiet here for a while now, but I am happy to say I have some reviews and giveaways coming soon. You should be seeing more of me around here from now on. Since starting to sell doTERRA essential oils most of my spare time has been spent focusing on that. I actually just did my 2nd event today and people were amazed when they tried <a href="https://www.iact1.com/doterra/ShoppingCart/Shop.cfm?CurrPage=FrontPage&NextPage=CategoryDetail&CategoryID=73&pid=113130979653725324">PastTense</a> and their headache was gone within minutes. I literally had four people try it and couldn't believe how fast it worked. It's amazing how many uses the oils have and how effective they are. I'm so grateful I found them since they fit right in line with what I want for my family a more simple and natural life and I am excited to share them with people because they really do work!<br />jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4447758430866940832.post-62292876174762599142012-04-19T21:51:00.000-07:002012-04-19T21:51:32.414-07:00Rory turns 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCIttJ1UX22NwcmbfeJG_5Kw02bJ7nrfXX3u92HTD-BcVBL07RiDAdrNE0dDi8zNvTkbWKMpxTCKbTVNJCNBIsQcQjqz6RSARzqzZoLSSePqOUjSDnTrdz66ojvF2Y276KdbOpJXbvHE/s1600/sillyboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCIttJ1UX22NwcmbfeJG_5Kw02bJ7nrfXX3u92HTD-BcVBL07RiDAdrNE0dDi8zNvTkbWKMpxTCKbTVNJCNBIsQcQjqz6RSARzqzZoLSSePqOUjSDnTrdz66ojvF2Y276KdbOpJXbvHE/s320/sillyboys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I just had to share this pictures because I love them so much. Last Wednesday our littlest guy, Rory turned one. I can't believe it a year goes by so fast. He started walking at 11 months, just like I predicted and now he's really walking all over the place. We had a pretty low key celebration just dinner and carrot cupcakes at home I got the recipe from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/carrot-cake-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/">smittenkitchen</a> and they were delicious I've never had carrot cake before and these were amazing. We're actually having a party for all 3 of them this weekend, I figure better late then never. Poor little Rory is sick though, so I'm hoping by Sunday he will be better for the party.jessicaclarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11912623803912996992noreply@blogger.com6