Dinosaur Hoodie Tutorial

We have been doing different fun things this week with dinosaurs. I made the kids these dinosaur hoodies. I have seen them on different websites for up to like $35.
      -You will need_
Hoodies (I bought mine at walmart for like $10)
Felt (I have a stache in my craft supplies, but you can get at walmart or any craft store for pretty cheap!)
Fabric glue
Sewing Machine and thread
Scissors


Ok lets get started

1-Get some felt and cut out diamonds, size depends on how big you want your spikes.
2-Lay your diamonds down the center of the back of the sweater and pin in place.

3-Sew a straight line from the top of the hood all the way down the back

4-Once the diamonds are sewed in place get fabric glue and glue the diamonds together so you have your spikes.. You could also sew them, but I decided to take the easy way  :)

And after you glue it looks like this!!
SO easy and so cute!! The kids LOVE them!!
If you decide to do some for your kids I wanna see!! Have fun, hope you enjoy!

-Ashlee 

Dinosaur Quarry Field Trip

Our Homeschool group had a fun fieldtrip planned to go to the dinosaur quarry and my kids were SO excited. But, when it ended up falling on the same day my good friend was getting married I decided to take them the day before.

We have taken the kids before and my inlaws have taken them once too. They had their junior ranger hats and shirts they HAD to wear. 

They loved being able to touch a real fossil still in the mountain. 

Chester loved the Allosaurus.

He brought along his vocabulary book to write down the names of the dinosaurs he like. This skull is from an Allosaurus, and its one of the most preserved skulls they have found.

If you have not taken your kids you should!! Its awesome!!

A whole wall or mountain with tons of fossils still in it! The kids loved it and we will defiantly go back.
 

Our School Set up

Our set up for our school is really simple. When we moved into our new house Chester got the old "master" bedroom. It had 2 closets which he doesnt need. So I converted it into our school closet.

 I added the white dividers which were in Payzleis closet of our old house. I bought folders and binders. I also bought the cute little tins from the Dollar Tree to put markers, crayons, colored pencils, and sissors in. I just used command strips to hang them on the wall. I also use a hang up closet organizer (not pictured) with our coloring books, flashcards, notebooks and other books in it. Since I had most of the stuff already it didnt cost very much at all.
This area is the work area. IKEA saved me a ton of money!! I bought these little end tables- SO much cheaper than desks, I had bought the little black chairs awhile ago from IKEA also. And the chalkboard- whiteboard- paper combo it was only like $15!!

Yes, our school area isnt anything special and it is in Chesters room.. but it totally works for now!! I will have to change things up when the kids get older cause the tables and chairs are little. But, its a great start for way cheap!

-Ashlee

Our decision to Homeschool

As some of you know Jake and I have decided to start a new journey in life and homeschool our kids. This decision comes after alot of thought and prayer. Since Chester was tiny we have always talked about homeschooling, but as most people do I kept saying.. I dont think I can do it, Im not smart enough, Im not dedicated enough, Im not ambitious enough and so on and so on. This summer the thought kept coming to me that I needed to do it. I called my friend Autumn and asked her about her experiences and she had alot of good things to say. I talked to a few more people and asked their opinions, and finally I went to the temple. After leaving the temple that night I knew that I had my answer and I needed to do it.

Many people have asked me why I chose to do it. I have alot of reasons. Some may agree and some may disagree with me and thats fine. Everyone should do what they think is right for their children. But, here are some of my reasons.
- All to often we hear something horrible happening in the public schools. People getting bullied, kids getting shot, stabbed. Coaches and teachers doing horrible things to kids.  Its so sad!!
- Alot of things are taught to kids that I feel my kids dont need to know.
- Alot of things that I hope to teach my kids they wont get at school.
- I want to see my kids improvement first hand.
- I like the more one on one, if they need help with something I can help them.
-These are just a few off the top of my head.

This being my first year I decided to use a curriculum that my friends use, so if I have questions or need help with something I know who to ask :)  Also, they love it which is nice!
I am using the ABEKA curriculum for spelling, history, reading, all subjects but Math. And the Mathusee for math. I have also got stuff online. There is a ton of free homeschool stuff! Its awesome!!

 I am going to try and be better about blogging good and bad with this journey! I have had alot of people wanting to know how it goes because they too have thought about it. So, I hope that my experiences can help!

I am so excited and so nervous for our journey!

-Ashlee

Spring Fever Projects

Easter is coming!! That means SPRING IS HERE!! The weather has been so nice lately and I have Spring Fever like crazy. I have been raking and burning weeds every chance i get, Cleaning out flower beds (tulips are popping up!!) Wishing and hoping for things for my yard. So I have been wanting to make a bench (more of decoration bench) for the side of my house. After a couple of attempts with no success Jake helped me and I finished it!! YAY!!

It is a half a pallet with legs, and an old headboard that i painted red. Pillows are one big body pillow with black burlap, and the rest of the pillows i didnt want to go buy batting so i stuffed them with clothes that were ready to go to the di. Yes didnt have to pay a penny for batting!! Anyway i love how it turned out, its a little different than i had visioned but i like it!! And my easter wreath.. thanks pinterest!! :)

burlap wrapped around a twig wreath i had, nest with eggs and moss and sticks.. CUTE!!
Well, those are a couple of my spring fever projects!!

Chester is 5

My Chester Bean tuned 5. 
He had to take treats to his preschool for his birthday. We did rice crispies in cones. 

 
He requested a Lightening Mcqueen-Cars birthday party.  I made a "Chester is 5" birthday banner. And a yarn ball banner. 

Flos V8 Cafe  served  "Sallys Stoplights" "Spare tires" drinks were "Fillmores Organic Fuel" served from a gas can. 

 I made a Lightening Mcqueen/ Mater birthday cake. 

We had a "Ramones House of Body Art" station where the kids painted wood cars. 

  The kids all loved it! It turned out so cute!!

So much fun!! And presents of course! 

 Chester wanted a dirtbike for his birthday, so we settled on a dirtbike petal bike!!
-Happy Birthday Handsome Boy!! You have changed my world!! I love you Bean!!

A Day in the Life

Well, today was just a normal day at our house. Woke up early, exercised, breakfast, a couple of haircuts.. I dont know about you, but we have to go through our toys every couple of months and DI some. We did it before Christmas, then again after Christmas so we could fit all the new ones, and it was definatly time again! I get a garbage sack and make the kids go through them with me. Sometimes they are very good and sometimes I sneak a few in :) So after that it was time for our chores. I have to switch the chore chart every once in a while because at first the kids are so excited but, they get bored with it. So I wrote chores on big popsicle sticks and I added in a few fun ones too.. Make beds, Clean room, Fold laundry, Dance, Color- you get the idea.

Boom Boom POW.. Dancing is their favorite!

You cant tell by the picture, but Hank is rockin' with his carrot and all.

After chores were done I decided to start on some birthday presents which included painting. So, while I painted outside the kids rode their bikes and played in the dirt. But, then they decided they wanted to paint. So we came inside and made paint.
(kid friendly)

Shaving cream and food coloring.

I got parchment paper and put it on cookie sheets (easy cleanup!)

They loved it!!

Their masterpieces.. Payzlei said hers was a picture of a sunset. We love sunsets! My kids always point out all the pretty colors, always making a good ending for the day.