tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9418473084905821882024-03-13T13:15:31.335-05:003 Wittle BirdsKatie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-50141528155002660652017-08-27T21:39:00.000-05:002017-08-27T21:39:31.175-05:00DIY China Cabinet Makeover <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNFyNaCAxnQ/WaNdyoXSQ6I/AAAAAAAAH7Q/BYOWgsXR_B07Pu8HYKK8ELFL-I2KaA9PgCLcBGAs/s1600/china%2Bmakeover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="534" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNFyNaCAxnQ/WaNdyoXSQ6I/AAAAAAAAH7Q/BYOWgsXR_B07Pu8HYKK8ELFL-I2KaA9PgCLcBGAs/s1600/china%2Bmakeover.jpg" /></a></div>
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You guys! I'm so excited to share my latest project. It's been so long since I've done something big like this and it felt great! I love transforming pieces into something new and refreshing. Since I acquired this china cabinet from my uncle I've been dreaming of the different ways update it to my style.<br />
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Originally I sought out to change this beauty into a farmhouse style but because of the hardware, I picked it totally changed the style to shabby chic. While not my favorite, shabby chic can be adorable every now and again. I think this turned out adorable!<br />
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Painting with Chalky paint</h2>
I used Valspar Chalky Paint finish for furniture in "Kids gloves" color paint. After removing all hardware and taking the doors off the bottom piece I applied three coats of paint. The paint is thick so you want to do thin layers otherwise you will see the goopy drippy dried paint... and that never looks good. It's better to apply multiple thin coats than slapping it on in one or two. I also noticed that the thicker I applied the paint the more likely it would have the crackle paint effect. This is great for a vintage effect but if you're not expecting or wanting this particular look it totally changes the style.<br />
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I had some left over sample paint we had played around with when we were renovating our powder room. I knew I wanted to paint the inside of the cabinet a different color to accent the piece but also not completely wash out my7 white china. I used the Valspar Gossamer sky for the accent color.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sd32wB1VQwI/WaN9Ja9T5fI/AAAAAAAAH7g/fNvqpnkyfXgelXK0cY5VDG5X6tN2FpVpgCLcBGAs/s1600/20953752_881205490599_536927019258509581_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sd32wB1VQwI/WaN9Ja9T5fI/AAAAAAAAH7g/fNvqpnkyfXgelXK0cY5VDG5X6tN2FpVpgCLcBGAs/s320/20953752_881205490599_536927019258509581_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Distressing</h2>
After the paint was good and dry, I took a piece of fine sandpaper and gently distressed the edges of each piece. Basically anywhere that could be distressed I made distressed. There were certain lips and crevices that I wanted to make sure stood out to show the lines and beauty of the cabinet.<br />
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Sealing Wax</h2>
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For this step, I used the Valspar Sealing Wax (step 2) to finish it off. You really want to apply a thin layer of this. A little goes a looong way. Make sure to give attention to the small details, cracks, and crevices. The thicker you apply the wax the more tinted it will dry. With a white paint, the wax turned it more of a cream. Use a white cloth to rub off any excess wax to avoid yellowing. I only applied one coat. Just as a precaution, the thicker you apply the sealing wax the more "aged" it will look. If you are not sure I recommend testing out a small area before sealing your entire piece.</div>
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Once it's dry... takes about 4 hours with the wax, I added the hardware and reattached the doors.<br />
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Here is the finished product!!! What do ya guys think?<br />
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Make sure to follow along and stay connected!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-7497155199931997462017-07-12T23:38:00.000-05:002017-07-12T23:38:41.959-05:00A Natural and Safe Carpet Deodorizing Powder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuBl6QsUeM4/WWb3LWQD8lI/AAAAAAAAHGM/RGmYMfaJVvoK6Li92-Jk1vwC7P7PdrsewCLcBGAs/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuBl6QsUeM4/WWb3LWQD8lI/AAAAAAAAHGM/RGmYMfaJVvoK6Li92-Jk1vwC7P7PdrsewCLcBGAs/s640/download.jpg" width="466" /></a></div>
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If there is one thing that makes a home feel happy and clean it would be a clean and fresh smelling living space. With pets, kids, and "man shoes" it can be hard to battle those unwanted odors that often get caught in the carpet.</div>
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We bought a carpet cleaner but we don't always have the time to clean them and wait for it to dry before my kids are rolling all over the floor. So I've been on the search for a smell good method to spruce up our carpets.<br />
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Carpet powder is something that I used a long time ago before I had kids and was considerate of the chemicals I brought into the house. Most store bought powders have been irritating to our dog's skin and I would assume the same for kids. Since we have kids I need to be extra careful about what we use.</div>
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Here is a safe and natural carpet powder that works like a charm!</h2>
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What you need...</h2>
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<li>2 cups of baking soda</li>
<li>essential oils ( I used lemon and lavender) about 15 drops of each.</li>
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What you do...</h2>
You can use a dollar tree Parmesan shaker or you can use an old ball jar with the lid. Put all of your ingredients into the jar and shake until the oil has dispersed.<br />
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Let it sit for 30 minutes and then vacuum up. Your house will smell so fresh!<br />
If you don't have any young kids or pets that play on the floor you can also replace one cup of baking soda with a cup of borax. Baking soda and borax are both natural ingredients but borax can also be a skin irritant. Both substances also absorb odors really well. Borax is a natural pest deterrent so that is an added bonus!<br />
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This natural carpet powder has really been a godsend! My carpets no longer smell like wet dog thanks to this carpet deodorizer! Sprinkle this stuff before you're expecting company and they will wonder how you keep your house smelling so fresh!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-4932257193647616552016-07-18T23:34:00.000-05:002017-07-08T19:05:03.014-05:00Into the Woods (Penelope's 1 year)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Penelope's first year photo shoot!</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vFhoNnHyD8/V42tgbjb6II/AAAAAAAAE70/osYWjNt9zzUgb3FOWVDgUW3jCKeahMyegCK4B/s1600/IMG_5647%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vFhoNnHyD8/V42tgbjb6II/AAAAAAAAE70/osYWjNt9zzUgb3FOWVDgUW3jCKeahMyegCK4B/s640/IMG_5647%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1849631275"></span><span id="goog_1849631276"></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTUlWEZc0rM/V42s_lDvZhI/AAAAAAAAE7s/-z0twmWD3T8W6xSQnrYl4Zzp-iYNmELBACK4B/s1600/IMG_5632.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTUlWEZc0rM/V42s_lDvZhI/AAAAAAAAE7s/-z0twmWD3T8W6xSQnrYl4Zzp-iYNmELBACK4B/s640/IMG_5632.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cex1ivwW05Y/V42s-kfB8AI/AAAAAAAAE7k/jjS73rMBmkQQRb65bgBSiKqCACOKT1hqwCK4B/s1600/IMG_5629.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cex1ivwW05Y/V42s-kfB8AI/AAAAAAAAE7k/jjS73rMBmkQQRb65bgBSiKqCACOKT1hqwCK4B/s400/IMG_5629.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-slHraZSN0sc/V42s9mGojqI/AAAAAAAAE7c/NeTyfoqqdQw6CPYz-5AHHzWvM8auhKM0wCK4B/s1600/IMG_5627.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-slHraZSN0sc/V42s9mGojqI/AAAAAAAAE7c/NeTyfoqqdQw6CPYz-5AHHzWvM8auhKM0wCK4B/s400/IMG_5627.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-waqKrJj0oQQ/V42s9DVLU_I/AAAAAAAAE7U/2ySQDDCeQsIATmw-ZbqdWCD5Qn4tvvP_wCK4B/s1600/IMG_5624.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-waqKrJj0oQQ/V42s9DVLU_I/AAAAAAAAE7U/2ySQDDCeQsIATmw-ZbqdWCD5Qn4tvvP_wCK4B/s400/IMG_5624.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wZRraHzNufI/V42s8jUA1yI/AAAAAAAAE7M/HyEaRr9tTWENQJY8qoP1BqY0OuTSbEo_QCK4B/s1600/IMG_5614.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wZRraHzNufI/V42s8jUA1yI/AAAAAAAAE7M/HyEaRr9tTWENQJY8qoP1BqY0OuTSbEo_QCK4B/s640/IMG_5614.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>
</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-21427377207483187402015-08-08T00:25:00.000-05:002015-08-08T00:25:15.347-05:00Girl Scout Troop Leading: Parent Meeting PlanningIt's that time of year again!!! Time to start preparing your troop year, if you haven't started already. Last year I wrote a post on what I included in the parent packet. This year I want to revisit this topic and also provide some additional posts throughout this month on how to plan, organize, and make it through another year of troop leading!<br />
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Last fall was my very first year as a troop leader. Boy.... did I not know what I was getting myself into! When I first set out to conquer the world of girl scouting and provide this grandiose idea of the best troop experience ever for these girls, there were a few things I underrated and failed to realize.<br />
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<b>I didn't realize how important parent communication was.</b><br />
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I will say this again, I didn't realize how important parent communication is.<br />
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Communication is key to a successful year in leading a girl scout troop. Communication with your co-leader, cookie mom, and the non involved parent. I happened to have a very uninvolved and sometimes non-existent co-leader. I had parents, no matter how many emails sent, a clear cut communicative website, and phone calls, still misunderstood guidelines and date and times. There are some parents that you simply can't be clear enough with. For the others, it's important to make the communication easy. This is <i>sooooooooo</i> helpful for them and yourself!<br />
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Have <i>that</i> Parent Meeting! Set those expectations and guidelines from the very start before their girl even signs up. Keep in mind that you are the leader, the mother who is volunteering their time and energy for free, you set these expectations of how you will contribute your time. These expectations and guidelines can all be provided to each parent in a documented letter. Hand this letter out at the parent meeting, share it on your troop website, send it in a follow up email after the meeting. Make sure that each parent has a copy of this letter. No cuts, no buts, no coconuts! Comment below if you can name the movie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What did I include in our troop parent letter?</b></span><br />
<ul><ul>
<li>Troop Leader contact information (phone numbers, email, address)</li>
<li>Troop Meeting information</li>
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<li>Day and time of the week</li>
<li>Location</li>
<li>What they do at the meetings (overall layout of troop meetings)</li>
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<li>Uniforms and Handbook</li>
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<li>What badges to purchase before hand</li>
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<li>Council ID</li>
<li>American flag </li>
<li>Troop Numerals</li>
<li>Insignia tab</li>
</ul>
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<li>Troop Dues</li>
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<li>What does troop dues cover</li>
<li>How much?</li>
<li>Due date</li>
</ul>
<li>Importance of volunteers</li>
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<li>Positions open</li>
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<li>Share site</li>
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<li>Shutterfly offers an amazing share site to keep the parents up to date on meetings. I would strongly recommend checking it out!</li>
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You can download a copy of the parent letter I used here --->>>> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9yP5A6QxHXCazk4d0FHVnBRbDg/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Download Parent Letter</a></div>
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In addition to a parent letter, you will want to make sure that your parents have all the information they need to get their girl started. A Parent Packet can assist in this department!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do you want to include in the parent packet?</span></b><br />
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Each girl/parent gets a blue folder with their name on it. Last year I used this as a parent communicator folder that was brought to every meeting and I would send home a letter of updates and information of the next meeting. This year I will not have the parent communicator folder. As a Girl Scout we teach to use resources wisely and with the age of technology communication can be done via the web, reducing our use and expense of paper.<br />
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Below is what I included in the folder for the parent packet...<br />
<ul>
<li>Parent letter (including troop expectations, rules, meeting schedule)</li>
<li>Parent Helper sign up form</li>
<ul></ul>
<li>Uniform handout (explains the items needed for uniform for the parents to purchase, unless you will purchase the entire troops)</li>
<li>Forms</li>
<ul>
<li>Girl Membership Registration Form</li>
<li>Adult Membership Registration Form</li>
<li>Medical History form (both girl and adult volunteers)</li>
<li>Permission slips</li>
</ul>
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At the parent meeting take time to go through your parent letter and your expectations for the troop. Go through the different forms included in the packet and make sure parents know the next steps and what they need to do for the first troop meeting. Make sure they understand where and how to register and that this is done before their girl attends an official meeting or outing. If you can collect the registration and health forms at the parent meeting it will make things a lot easier for you!<br />
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Keep following along... I will be posting some more helpful planning tips over the next month and other ways to get you started on your troop leader journey! Please follow along on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/3wittlebirds" target="_blank">Facebook</a>!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-19754746115157208062015-06-23T23:23:00.000-05:002015-06-23T23:31:07.156-05:00What a Parent of a Congenital Heart Warrior Wants You to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the most part I try to be optimistic, but I can only be that way for so long until something breaks inside of me and I am just pissed. I get angry when people say the wrong things even though it's out of best intentions and love.<br />
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We recently discovered our soon to be third little girl has a heart condition just like her older sister. I got through the crying and depressive stage pretty fast but the anger side of grief is not ready to pass. I am tired of the cliche responses from people looking on the outside in. I just really don't want to talk about the situation but people want to push and say things like "it will all work out" or "you've been through this before, so you've got this" and "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". These all seem like uplifting things to help a grieving parent but they don't always help.<br />
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The killer one that really turns in my stomach is "God only gives us what he knows we can handle." As someone who has found Christ through my struggles, I find this statement to be unbelievable false. I do think certain things happen to us with purpose, despite how awful they might be. I also believe in random events and evil that is out there. Regardless, things happen that go beyond the laws of what we can handle and sometimes it does break us. It can break us in tragic ways where one takes their own life and it can break us in smaller ways, where one suffers deep down inside where no one else can see. This is not strength, this is change and not always for the better.<br />
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I know how I'm feeling in the NOW can be off putting and make some people want to turn away and I don't blame them.<br />
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<b>I'm struggling.</b><br />
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But please, take a backseat to the advice and just be there when I'm ready to talk. Even if I am never ready to talk, that's okay because sometimes I can talk things out just on my own.<br />
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If there is one thing that I have gained from all of this, which I'm sure there isn't only one, it's that I am more reserved with my emotions than I used to be. My husband actually thinks I don't cry enough... even as a hormonal pregnant woman.<br />
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I think I have this anger bottled up because I don't think people really understand what it's like to have a child with a congenital heart defect. How could they, really?<br />
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We recently raised funds for our annual Congenital Heart Walk in Chicago. This was the first year that Bella really understood what were were walking for and why. Yes, I walked at 38 weeks pregnant!<br />
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Holding her sister's hand and she proudly walked for herself!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What a Parent of a Congenital Heart Warrior Wants You to Know</span></div>
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1) Just because they've had corrective surgery does not mean they are cured.<br />
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2) The first time your child starts complaining of chest pain your world starts to get a little shaky and insecure.<br />
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3) We can be strong and make this look easy but deep inside we are screaming with anxiety.<br />
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4) As much as we try not to, we hoover. It's just something we do and we are always on the lookout for something so please don't judge.<br />
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5) We blame ourselves. Maybe just in the beginning. Maybe for years. We always question if there was something we could have done differently. Sometimes even after the guilt has gone away it comes back later.<br />
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6) This is a lifelong battle not just for our kids, but for us as a family and as parents.<br />
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7) We pray our children will outlive us.<br />
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8) This never gets easier to deal with. We live with the constant knowledge of could be.<br />
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9) Strep throat and other illnesses are scary... Rheumatic fever can affect the heart even in patients that don't have any heart conditions. It can significantly complicate existing heart defects and conditions and all of this from the common strep throat.<br />
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10) We are fighters, too. We fight the feelings to cry, to freak out and rush to the ER when something goes wrong. We fight ourselves to stay calm and brave so our kids can be too.<br />
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11) We get angry. We get angry that we are at a fight with CHD and it can be ruthless and it impacts the quality of life in all members of the family.<br />
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12) It changes the family dynamic. It changes the way we are towards one child over another and everyone picks up on this. Everyone in the family feels this battle.<br />
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Thank you for listening and thank you for just being there:)<br />
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Baby number 3 is due in less than a week and I hope to have some cute baby pictures soon!!! Follow along on <a href="https://instagram.com/wittlebirds/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-35383576784181623312015-05-13T11:25:00.000-05:002015-05-13T11:25:06.107-05:00Google Forms and Girl Scout Troop LeadingLet's take a minute and talk about a little thing I recently discovered called <u>Google Forms</u>. I know my husband, an avid supporter of Google, will appreciate this post. I still can't believe it's taken me this long to figure this thing out!!!<br />
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Google Forms is a great tool to use with your troop planning. As a troop leader, I like to get feedback from the parents about the direction of the troop. I have a Shutterfly Sharesite for them to access and I am always trying to find better ways to communicate. For some, it's a struggle to get a parent to just respond if their Girl Scout will be attending a field trip let alone have them complete a year end survey on a website that needs a password.<br />
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<a href="https://www.google.com/forms/about/" target="_blank">Google Forms</a> can make your life a little easier. You can create forms/surveys and email them out to your troop. You can either share the link to the online survey or you can have the survey sent right to their inbox for them to complete. There is no real excuse why they can't do this. Some will fail at this too but it doesn't get any easier than this!<br />
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Here are some examples of ways you can use this feature...<br />
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<b>Create a year end survey for the parents.</b><br />
I ask questions such as...<br />
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<ol>
<li>How do you feel about the frequency of the meetings</li>
<li>How does the day and time of meetings work for you</li>
<li>What does your child enjoy most about the program</li>
<ul>
<li>Making friendships</li>
<li>Arts and crafts</li>
<li>Stem </li>
<li>Learning new things</li>
<li>Badge earning</li>
</ul>
<ol>
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<li>What do you or you child wish to do more of with this program</li>
<li>Are you comfortable with overnight troop camping?</li>
<li>Are you looking to volunteer?</li>
<li>What of expertise can you contribute to the troop</li>
<ul>
<li>First Aid and CPR</li>
<li>Yoga</li>
<li>Gardening</li>
<li>Arts and Crafts</li>
<li>ect</li>
</ul>
</ol>
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<b>Event and field trip RSVP</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Name (text option)</li>
<li>Will your child attend xxx field trip (choose from list is drop down option)</li>
<li>will you be able to volunteer and drive?</li>
<li>If so, how many people can you fit in your car?</li>
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Do you have any fun tips or tools you like to use for your troop? Please share in the comments. Sharing is caring!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-46535737487314327392015-04-23T10:31:00.003-05:002015-04-23T23:40:46.551-05:00A Little Something for the Hubby: Smooth Viking Beard Conditioner<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOPc146db0089d0847546f25b59f8b8ddbd" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a><br />
I'm a woman who loves a man with a beard. For me, I prefer the facial hair on the Hubby. While ultimately its up to him, he does it because I love it, which is why I was thrilled to be offered a sample of this male pampering beard conditioner from Smooth Viking! He was too! It's probably the first time I have seen his eyes light up when referencing anything that has to do with my blogging. I get the hint honey!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.smoothviking.com/" target="_blank">Smooth Viking Beard Conditioner</a></b></span></span><br />
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<b>Does it work?</b><br />
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The hubby was quite impressed with the way his beard felt after using for a week. He has such coarse hair and doesn't make well for kissing. It was significantly softer and not as brittle. This also makes it easier to smooth over so you don't have little hairs sticking straight out.<br />
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<b>How do you use it?</b><br />
He uses it after he showers and puts a pea to dime size amount of conditioner in the palm of his hand. He uses his fingers to comb it through and leaves it on throughout the day.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5nom3azgplg/VThX0GNwv9I/AAAAAAAACQI/K02doySn01Q/s1600/viking2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5nom3azgplg/VThX0GNwv9I/AAAAAAAACQI/K02doySn01Q/s1600/viking2.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>What is it made of?</b><br />
All ingredients are 100% Natural:<br />
Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Argan Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba, Beeswax, Pure Essential Oil.<br />
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<b>Do you like the feel and smell of the product?</b><br />
Leaving the product on the beard grants you the best results. It doesn't leave any left over residue and doesn't feel oily, which was a concern for the hubby. The smell was not too strong and resembled a manly smell. I smile while typing this because most men don't want to smell like flowers... on the other hand, some do.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeB3Yogzqk/VTkO8IPSlxI/AAAAAAAACQY/nlN3tq8Sf3E/s1600/IMG_3832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeB3Yogzqk/VTkO8IPSlxI/AAAAAAAACQY/nlN3tq8Sf3E/s1600/IMG_3832.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Wifey's opinion:</b></span><br />
Considering that I get to kiss this softer face I give it a thumbs up! This will make a great birthday or father's day gift!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>*<span style="background-color: white; color: #757575; line-height: 27.7200031280518px;">Occasionally, I will do product reviews in exchange for a free product. The opinions and personal beliefs are my own and I believe in the trust and integrity of honest blogging. </span></i></span><br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-33620931671576519242015-04-20T09:11:00.001-05:002015-04-23T23:41:37.863-05:00Hello Kitty Birthday!It's been almost a month since this precious girl turned 6. This was a hard birthday for this mama. She is my oldest and I couldn't help but reminisce of when I turned 6. It's the earliest birthday I can remember of my own. I look back to that day that I turned 6 thinking I was changed and different. Thinking that I was growing up and I started to feel much older. LOL at only 6 I had those feelings.<br />
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Perhaps it was from this memory that this birthday for my little girl was a little tougher than the previous. The years are going by so fast and I'm just wanting to take a step back and enjoy the present.<br />
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My sweetheart has been so in love with Hello Kitty for some time now and I was excited to decorate her party for what she loved so much! We bought her this cute dress from Target and paired it with a pair of black leggings and the Hello Kitty hat. You can't see it now, but there is a Kitty on that hat.<br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sweets Table</span></b></div>
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I generally don't like to give out candy at a birthday party. Yes... I am one of those moms that prefers non-sugar party favors but the colors and the idea just seemed so much easier this year. The kids always get a kick out of it, too. So it's a winner!</div>
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I found these cute polka dot take out boxes from the dollar spot at Target. The colors went well with the rainbow color theme. My wonderful friend <a href="http://www.chroniclesofacrafter.com/" target="_blank">Denise</a> helped me with all the printables for this party including the lovely "thank you" sticker labels on the boxes. I filled the boxes with colored tissue left over from the <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2015/03/tissue-tassel-garland.html" target="_blank">tissue tassel project</a>.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Cake</span></b><br />
I found a Hello Kitty cake pan on clearance months ago from Joann Fabrics. I used a marshmallow fondant for the white frosting. For the eyes, whiskers, and bow I used black and red sparkle icing. For the nose, I rolled up some of the marshmallow fondant and used some leftover yellow food coloring to paint it on the nose. Bella really loved the cake!!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0ryO3uxtU0/VR4X3OfzR3I/AAAAAAAACLU/KfOxTnknfW8/s1600/hk4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0ryO3uxtU0/VR4X3OfzR3I/AAAAAAAACLU/KfOxTnknfW8/s1600/hk4.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Hello Kitty Fruit Skewers</span></b><br />
I wish I could tell you where I saw this idea. Honestly, I found it years ago and it came to me when planning the party. I used the edible pens to draw the faces on the marshmallows.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Table Tent Food Labels</span></b></div>
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Denise also assisted in this department. She made me some custom food tents as well as some extra blank tents!</div>
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Those are a few details for our Hello Kitty Party! What do ya think?</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-14197291162118917642015-04-17T08:30:00.000-05:002015-04-23T23:41:50.904-05:00Container Gardening and free classes with Craftys!I've always wanted to have my own farm with tons of gardening beds to grow enough fruits and vegetables to feed my family for the entire year! Living on a farm and having enough acreage to have a garden of that size is not very easy or financial realistic living in the suburbs of Chicago. Unless, you want to drive far outside the area to afford something like this.<br />
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We were blessed to purchase a home that has an amazing backyard. To be honest, the deciding factor in our home search was the yard. We're outdoorsy people and need a space where we could really do what we want. With that being said, I need to be methodically and inventive with how I plan my garden this year. While it would be amazing to fill the entire backyard with raised garden beds that wouldn't be fair to the kids or the hubby. So instead I am looking more into container gardening and utilizing our amazing and rather large deck as a place to layout my plans.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=704108&u=917064&m=29190&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://static.shareasale.com/image/29190/SuccessWithContainerGardening_carousel_1.png" /></a><br />
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Craftsy offers this free PDF on container gardening. This is a great resource to get started. Not only does it give you a crash course on container gardening, it also educates you on the best plants for this type of option. My favorite part was the recipe on how to make your own potting soil! Container gardening is a great option for anyone who is limited on space such as an urban garden.<br />
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<a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=632703&u=917064&m=29190&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://static.shareasale.com/image/29190/free_garden_336x280_affiliate_0714.jpg" /></a></div>
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Craftsy also offers free online gardening classes! Make sure to check out their website because it doesn't just stop at gardening! They offer a wide selection of online courses from embroidery to woodworking or paper crafts! </div>
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Would you like to see more of the free resources that Craftsy has to offer? I would be happy to share some more with you! Please share the area you are most interested in!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-59965016106372611812015-04-15T12:10:00.001-05:002015-04-23T23:42:01.558-05:00We made it to 28 weeks!<div class="MsoNormal">
It was about this time during my last pregnancy that my
water bag slightly begin to tear, leaking amniotic fluid, aka PROM (Premature Rupture of the Membrane). When it first happened, I had just put my little one down for the
evening and I was cleaning up around the house. The hubby was working nights
and I was alone. I bent over to pick up some dirty laundry on the floor and
when I stood up I felt the slight bit of trickle between my legs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My initial reaction was that I must have lost control of my
bladder, although I didn't feel the need to go. I was so confused. There was no
gush, just a trickle. I went to the bathroom and sat upon the toilet and it
continued. Was I really going nuts? Was I really peeing my pants and not
feeling it? It was a sporadic trickle but just seemed to keep coming. My gut told me
this was not good and so I got on the phone and called my husband.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We went into labor and delivery that evening to only be
told that it was not amniotic fluid and I must have just lost control of that
area. I just couldn't believe it as I got back in the car and sat on the already soaked bath towel. Finally after a week
of this awkward problem and wearing poise pads, I had a regular visit with my Doctor, where it was indeed
confirmed that my water bag had torn. So at 29 weeks pregnant and a week after
leaking I was admitted into the hospital on full bed rest. Three weeks later I delivered
our little girl, luckily with minimal complications.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kiWnyczXAHE/VS6ZjEFyd5I/AAAAAAAACOk/Zhs6Pa7vyfU/s1600/390663_556509723519_302135120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kiWnyczXAHE/VS6ZjEFyd5I/AAAAAAAACOk/Zhs6Pa7vyfU/s1600/390663_556509723519_302135120_n.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bed rested in the hospital</td></tr>
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When you have one complicated pregnancy it basically dooms
the joys and happiness of any pregnancy that might fall after. Given that my first baby was born with multiple heart defects and my second was premature, this third pregnancy has been more about avoidance than joy. You hold strong through the nausea of the progesterone shots.They put you on
the high risk list, add extra anxiety inducing tests and tell you this one will
be different. It doesn't help when they say “now you are at a greater risk for (this or that)”. Usually it is different but you never entirely escape from that
unsettling feeling that something else might go wrong.<br />
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Week 28 is an eerie week for this pregnancy. Almost like a
Friday the 13<span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">th.</span> It doesn't help that this one has been the hardest for me physically and emotionally. One more day and I will be at week 29!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-91815072373696126332015-04-14T11:17:00.002-05:002015-04-23T23:42:13.739-05:00Reasons You Should Start Gardening with Your Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0HyS39V8rs/VS06oyd1bsI/AAAAAAAACN4/4VCjTbdou58/s1600/photo%2B(20).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0HyS39V8rs/VS06oyd1bsI/AAAAAAAACN4/4VCjTbdou58/s1600/photo%2B(20).jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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As we are approaching the second year for our family garden my kids are giddy with excitement and looking forward to getting out and getting dirty! This past Easter their baskets were filled will all sorts of gardening goodies. The Easter bunny hit it spot on this year! They were filled with a watering can, mini garden gloves, seeds, and gardening tools.<br />
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Since <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2014/03/new-house-and-first-time-gardener.html" target="_blank">last year</a> was such a success and the kiddies were so interested, we decided that we are going to give the girls their very own garden bed to putts around in! Gardening is such a wonderful activity and hobby for young kids to take part in and here's why...<br />
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<b>Educational</b><br />
This is a <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2014/03/new-house-and-first-time-gardener.html" target="_blank">hands on experience</a> for the kids to learn where our food comes from and how it's made. Most kids who don't have a clue about gardening assume our food is made at the grocery store. Learning about seeds, plant needs, and how to grow their own food will make plant biology all the more fun!<br />
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<b>Teach them about work and Responsibility</b><br />
Not only do your kids learn about the educational aspects behind gardening but they learn about the hard work it takes to produce the food and the work it takes caring for the plants.<br />
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<b>Physical activity</b><br />
Kids should be out playing anyways but fun in the sun can be constructive as well and gets them moving the muscles they're not used to while sitting in class all day.<br />
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<b>It's fun!</b><br />
Most kids enjoy gardening and getting their hands a little dirty. Why not give them a productive activity that you can join in on as well.<br />
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<b>Boosts their self-esteem</b><br />
My little one felt so proud when the tomatoes and cucumbers started to grow. It's like she accomplished something big, which she did!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GgrYZiYjU4/VS09DCzBZ-I/AAAAAAAACOU/3NUjB97qxdU/s1600/photo%2B(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GgrYZiYjU4/VS09DCzBZ-I/AAAAAAAACOU/3NUjB97qxdU/s1600/photo%2B(3).JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Healthy for the family</b><br />
Growing your own food gives you the reassurance of where it comes from and the chemicals that are used. It also gets kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables because they grew it themselves. My daughter would go out to the garden and pick the green beans and eat them raw. I was shocked!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7OzrY-Eyno/VS08-Wz-DkI/AAAAAAAACOM/8gYWyV-o-eA/s1600/photo%2B(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7OzrY-Eyno/VS08-Wz-DkI/AAAAAAAACOM/8gYWyV-o-eA/s1600/photo%2B(4).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<b>Spending time with your kids</b><br />
My favorite reason is I get to spend quality time with my kids. Those early years of wonder are perfect for gardening. It's a hobby that both mommy and my girls enjoy together.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CbQXfuL5v_g/VS061fwln6I/AAAAAAAACOA/momv0y_kdjc/s1600/photo%2B(20).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CbQXfuL5v_g/VS061fwln6I/AAAAAAAACOA/momv0y_kdjc/s1600/photo%2B(20).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-25049498248780274022015-04-06T15:07:00.002-05:002015-04-17T00:12:05.923-05:00Daisy Flower Garden Journey: Session 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-horraSNMiyw/VSLTjhECSbI/AAAAAAAACMI/ghgZgUql8ps/s1600/session%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-horraSNMiyw/VSLTjhECSbI/AAAAAAAACMI/ghgZgUql8ps/s1600/session%2B2.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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We are on our way through the flower garden journey! The girls were super excited to plant their seedlings<a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2015/03/daisy-flower-garden-journey-session-1.html" target="_blank"> last meeting</a> and even more excited to see the little sprouts this week. This is session 2 of our journey through the daisy flower garden. Use this as a blue print or guide and alter as you see best fits your daisy troop!<br />
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<i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Materials needed:</span></u></i><br />
Leadership guide (LG)<br />
Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden girl book (GB)<br />
Photocopies of pages 13 and 26 from GB (enough for each girl)<br />
black pipe cleaners (cut into 2 inch pieces)<br />
safety pins<br />
googly eyes<br />
mesh tulle in light yellow or white<br />
small yellow craft pom poms<br />
hot glue gun<br />
regular glue<br />
ink pad<br />
bubble wrap<br />
Garden Journal from <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2015/03/daisy-flower-garden-journey-session-1.html" target="_blank">session 1</a><br />
mini gardens from <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2015/03/daisy-flower-garden-journey-session-1.html" target="_blank">session 1</a><br />
crayons or other coloring tools<br />
watering can<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Preparation before the meeting</span></b></div>
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<b>Prepare the bee pins</b><br />
I hot glued the pom poms together prior to the meeting. I tried to use regular glue at first and it didn't stick together very well. I didn't want the girls to be using the hot glue gun, which is why I prepared them ahead of time. For the bee body, I used three yellow pom poms.<br />
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<b>Prepare the garden journals</b><br />
I rubber cemented the photocopies of pages 13 and 26 from the GB into the garden journals for each girl.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STMhbxoOTG4/VSLUaPlB72I/AAAAAAAACM4/IHbmFM3UNHQ/s1600/IMG_3772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STMhbxoOTG4/VSLUaPlB72I/AAAAAAAACM4/IHbmFM3UNHQ/s1600/IMG_3772.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Start-up activity</span></b><br />
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Set out the garden journals and crayons on a table. As the girls arrive, have them complete page 13 from the GB that you previously glued into the garden journal.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0dndqE2SiVs/VSLTuruCqaI/AAAAAAAACMQ/Jmip0DACjC8/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0dndqE2SiVs/VSLTuruCqaI/AAAAAAAACMQ/Jmip0DACjC8/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Opening</span></b></div>
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<li>Gather in a Daisy Circle and recite the Girl Scout Promise and Law</li>
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<li>Have the girls go around in the Daisy Circle and share their page 13 from the garden journal. Make sure each girl gets a turn to share.</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Recap and Read Chapter 2</span></b></div>
Recap chapter 1 from the GB so the girls remember where you left off in the story. Read chapter 2. When you get to the part of the story where the girls find the buried box have your daisy scouts color page 26 from the GB in their garden journals. Follow up at the end of chapter 2 with questions to ensure they comprehend the story.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B8SmbMc3EFg/VSLUgiXpGeI/AAAAAAAACNA/YfbpquWn1jw/s1600/IMG_3764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B8SmbMc3EFg/VSLUgiXpGeI/AAAAAAAACNA/YfbpquWn1jw/s1600/IMG_3764.jpg" height="400" width="341" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bee pins</span></b></div>
The girls loved making this little swap. Not that they had to swap them but it is a great idea for a swap. Prior to the meeting it will be helpful if you hot glue the yellow pom poms together as regular glue doesn't hold well.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1)</span></b> Have the daisy scout wrap the black pipe cleaner around the pre-glued yellow bee body (pom poms) and the safety pin. If you wrap both the body and the pin together there is no need to glue the bee to the pin later<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iVPKhqZAfw8/VSLT3jMOTTI/AAAAAAAACMc/dPr1ZMuNnkM/s1600/IMG_3774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iVPKhqZAfw8/VSLT3jMOTTI/AAAAAAAACMc/dPr1ZMuNnkM/s1600/IMG_3774.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2)</b></span> Tie the yellow mesh tulle strip around the bee body to give a wing effect.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3)</b></span> Use regular glue to glue on the googly eyes.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">There you go! Simple as that!</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bHCSQHjOeyM/VSLT3nBNVJI/AAAAAAAACMY/JlKdrBjiAY8/s1600/IMG_3782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bHCSQHjOeyM/VSLT3nBNVJI/AAAAAAAACMY/JlKdrBjiAY8/s1600/IMG_3782.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The girls can pin these to their vests as a remembrance of the helpful honey bee introduced in chapter 2!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Honeycomb Stamping</span></b></div>
This is a fun little activity that the girls can do right in their garden journals. I used bubble wrap and an ink pad. You can cut the bubble wrap in the shape of a honeycomb. This is a great opportunity to explain the importance of bees in a garden. Some points I made sure to hit on are...<br />
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<ul>
<li>Bees are very important in a garden.</li>
<li>They help pollinate the plants so we have food</li>
<li>They drink the nectar of the flowers to produce honey</li>
</ul>
The girls can even draw a bee of their own on this page if they have some time or you can give them bee stickers.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oPLh4ujhh7E/VSLT9kTVp_I/AAAAAAAACMo/kjFROeTGny8/s1600/honeycombe%2Bstamping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oPLh4ujhh7E/VSLT9kTVp_I/AAAAAAAACMo/kjFROeTGny8/s1600/honeycombe%2Bstamping.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mini Garden Care</span></b></div>
Have each girl water their mini garden. Make sure you explain how we are being responsible for the plants by watering and caring for them.<br />
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In their garden journals, have the girls draw a picture of how their gardens plants are doing. You can do this on a new blank page. Make sure they record the date of their findings! Each meeting the girls can record how big their plants are getting so they can look back on the progress from the previous meeting.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRKNJFgzVf8/VSLUGRsbCjI/AAAAAAAACMw/jtuJwqVCrwQ/s1600/IMG_3767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRKNJFgzVf8/VSLUGRsbCjI/AAAAAAAACMw/jtuJwqVCrwQ/s1600/IMG_3767.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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We finished off the meeting with a closing ceremony and friendship circle and squeeze! If you would like to see what we did for the first session visit my post: <a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2015/03/daisy-flower-garden-journey-session-1.html" target="_blank">Daisy Flower Garden Journey: Session 1</a>!<br />
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Don't forget to follow along for more Flower Garden Journey sessions!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-88397393010203965292015-03-31T14:53:00.000-05:002015-03-31T18:08:47.893-05:00Daisy Flower Garden Journey: Session 1<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>An Introduction into the Daisy Flower Garden Journey</b></span></div>
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We recently started our adventure with the Daisy Flower Garden Journey. Its part of the national Girl Scouts program for daisy scouts. I was really excited to start this journey as I love gardening and thought the spring time would be a perfect introduction. Since we are already several months into the program and have earned several of our petal badges and nearly mastered the Girl Scout law and promise, I didn't follow the leadership guide exactly as planned. If you are just starting out with first time daisies, the leadership guide would be a great start as it introduces the promise and law.</div>
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When I first started my planning for this journey I read through the "How to Guide" first and then the girl's book "Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden". Each chapter of the girls book is to align with a session or meeting and concluding the journey at session 6. Don't be afraid to alter this depending upon your goals for the troop. If you need to extend this out that is perfectly fine. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Before the first meeting</span></b></div>
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Preparation is very important for the first meeting. There are many supplies you may need to purchase. I wanted the girls to have a field journal throughout this journey to record everything and have something to look back on as a keepsake. This required me to print and copy pages from the Girl book (GB) and paste them into each journal a head of time. Read on to the Field Journal section on how to pre-assemble.</div>
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<i><b>Materials</b></i></div>
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<ul>
<li>Leadership How To Guide (LG)</li>
<li>"Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden" book (GB)</li>
<li>Potting soil</li>
<li>seeds ( basil and assorted flowers)</li>
<li>garden shovel</li>
<li>garden gloves</li>
<li>small gardening pots (one for each girl) I found these from the Dollar Store in sets of 2.</li>
<li>tray or storage container to carry the pots</li>
<li>Seed starter kit (<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Jiffy-36-Peat-Pellet-Greenhouse-5049/202563419" target="_blank">like this one</a>)</li>
<li>composition notebooks (one for each girl) Purchased from the Dollar Store.</li>
<li>rubber cement</li>
<li>crayons or other coloring utensils</li>
<li>photocopies for each girl of ...</li>
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GB pg. 8,9,10,12</blockquote>
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Optional pgs. 11,13</blockquote>
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Here is how I broke down the first session.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Start-up activity: </span></b></div>
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As the girls arrived, they completed page 9 (from GB) in their field journals. Make sure all the girls complete this page as you will be sharing during the group discussion.</div>
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<b>Flower Garden Field Journal</b></div>
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Prior to the meeting put together the field journals by pasting in the photocopies of the pages from the girl book (GB pgs. 8, 9, 10 ,12) with rubber cement. I like using rubber cement because it doesn't crinkle the pages and dries fast. I used a new page for each photocopy. I just glued to the front of each notebook page, not the back. </div>
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*Note: I started with Page 9 first and then followed with the girls bios. (ex. 9, 8, 10, 12)</div>
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I explained to the girls that I would be keeping these journals between sessions. This ensures that each girl has a notebook for every meeting and if I need to do any preparation between meetings I have them available.</div>
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GB pg. 9</div>
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GB pg. 10</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Opening:</span></b></div>
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<li>Form a Daisy Circle and practice the Girl Scout Promise and Law. </li>
<li>Have each girl share what they wrote and colored from the start-up activity (GB pg. 9). </li>
<li>Explain what the Garden Journey is and what the girls can expect for the first session and the rest of the Journey. I took this time to explain about the Take Action Project.</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Introduce Daisy Journey Girls</span></b></div>
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Introduce the girl characters by reading the short bios of each one. As you read through each one have the girls color the page in their Field Journal (pages 8, 10, 12). After you read each one, do a recap. Ask questions like "where are they from" and "what do they like to do".</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Garden Story Time</span></b></div>
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Read the first chapter of the Garden story (GB pg. 17). Recap the story at the end and follow up with some questions about the story. You can also reference the questions from the LG on page 41.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mini Garden Planting</span></b></div>
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You can start by having the girls decorate their own pot or use a permanent marker and write their names on the bottom of the pots. Start an assembly line by filling the pots with dirt about 3/4 of the way to the top. We used basil as it's pretty easy to maintain and doesn't require replanting. Have the girls plant their own seeds and lightly cover with some soil. </div>
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Next, have a small watering can for the girls to water their seedlings. Have a long container or tray for the girls to place their pots in when they are finished. This will help in transporting the flower pots to each meeting. I explained to the girls that I would be keeping the basil pots for the journey and bring them to each meeting. The girls will be allowed to take home their basil pots at the completion of the journey. This ensures that each pot is brought to each meeting and no girl is left out.</div>
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<i><b>Extra</b></i></div>
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I also had a separate seed starter going for the flower seedlings. I explained to the girls this was in preparation for their take action project where they will plant a community garden with the flowers they start today. Several meetings previously the girls had voted on what they wanted to plant and agreed upon flowers. I wanted to make sure this was still an option for them.</div>
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You can use a seed starter like this one.. Seed starter kit (<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Jiffy-36-Peat-Pellet-Greenhouse-5049/202563419" target="_blank">like this one</a>) </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Daisy Game, Garden-Style</b></span></div>
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Refer to page 44 in the LB. Have the girls get in a circle and talk about the different critters you find in your community and garden. Explain that the girls will be the critters that live in a garden. This game takes about 5-10 minutes and is a great way to conclude the meeting and get the wiggles out!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Closing Ceremony and Friendship Squeeze</b></span></div>
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Found on page 45 of LB.<b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b></div>
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I hope this helps you in your planning and encourages you to think outside of the box. Don't be afraid to do something different from the program to best suit your troop and the needs of your girls! Don't forget to check back for more updates and ideas for the remaining sessions of the Daisy Flower Garden Journey!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-28217383318260794552015-03-19T08:36:00.000-05:002015-03-19T08:36:30.653-05:00An Old Fashioned Childhood and the Helicopter MomWhen I think back at the childhood I had, it was filled with outside play and sometimes hours of boredom. I didn't have the endless hours of searching the internet or the fast pace of social media. If I wanted to communicate with my friends it was a phone call on the house line or a bike ride (or roller blade) to their house to see if they were home. Those were the days of simplicity. Those were the days that kids played outside all day long until the sun came home and Mothers were not accused of neglect if the kids were unsupervised at the playground. This post is probably going to be a bit more serious than most of what I usually post. This is something that weighs heavy on my heart and I'm not holding back from showing you my biggest fears and a little bit of anxiety craziness that perhaps I have kept under wraps.<br />
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There is so much going on in our world today and I want my kids to have the opportunity to slow down. I don't want them glued to their phones checking Facebook statuses every hour. I want them to find ways to occupy themselves that forces them to become creative and think outside the box.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I don't want my children to be influenced by the age of information and social media.</span><br />
Hypocritical I know, coming from a communications and emerging media major.<br />
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At the same time I want my kids to have an old fashioned childhood, our society and the dangers are more present than they were 30 years ago. Human trafficking is much more of a thing and not just international but here in the U.S. It's a big business with little risk and huge income. Did you know that nearly <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/health/most-doctors-couldnt-spot-a-human-trafficking-113961841042.html" target="_blank">80% of sex-trafficking victims are American born U.S. Citizens</a>? I truly feel this is an issue that doesn't get enough attention today and I'm not exactly sure why. Is it because we don't want to believe this kind of thing goes on, we don't want to visualize the horror of young children being kidnapped for this purpose? It's hard to swallow as a parent of 2, soon to be 3, little girls. So how do we balance shelter and space with our children?<br />
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My sitter watches my youngest once a week while I make the trek into the weekly office visit to let everyone know I still work there. I usually drop off my littlest after I take the oldest to school. The babysitter is a school mom and has three kids, including one in my daughter's grade. I nearly had a heart attack when I dropped my kids off at the babysitters early and she had to take one of my kids to school instead of myself. My daughter is in Kindergarten. My fear was that she wouldn't walk my child directly to the school door. I know, helicopter mom. I was afraid she would just let my daughter walk with her kids, two of which my daughter has never met... What would be the dangers of that? My anxiety and over reaction kicked in as I thought of all the possibilities of my daughter not arriving to school that day. I would not be able to visually verify her walking through those school doors. I was a crazy wreck because of the dangers our society presents. Not because I didn't trust this Mom. I didn't trust the world around us.<br />
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She did end up walking them all that day and even if she didn't I'm sure it would all be fine. But still, I just want to shelter and protect my child. What is ironic is that growing up I lived only 4 house down from a known and convicted child molester, who was a repeat offender. Still, I was allowed to play outside and run between each neighbor's yards as if the danger was not present. Perhaps my children can still live the carefree old fashioned childhood, just under the loving shelter of our home.<br />
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I recently read this <a href="http://www.challies.com/articles/why-my-family-doesnt-do-sleepovers" target="_blank">article</a> about why a parent does not allow sleepovers for their children. Not even with family members. At first, I thought this idea was a bit extreme but then after really thinking about it I'm never really at ease when my children are away from the home. They often sleep over at their Nana and Papa's house and I'm very comfortable with that. As a person who usually leaves her phone at the bottom of her purse and can hardly be reached on the weekends because I just like to unplug, I always have my phone by my side when the children are a way.<br />
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The article does open a world of the possibilities and dangers that are present when a child is away from home during the overnight hours. They're much more vulnerable to these dangers at a sleepover. What I appreciate is the author points out the not so typically dangers that seem to be more than not, the situations we don't necessarily think of. Were these dangers present when I was a child, absolutely. Can these risks be possible even in the care of a child's own family, yes. The point is to minimize these risks and I think I will do the same.<br />
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I hope to shelter my children, so what little they do have left of a childhood they can enjoy the old fashion way. I hope to shelter them just enough to protect them but not hover... Maybe just a little. I want then to climb trees and scrape their knees. I want them to come home with dirt between their nails and an amazing adventure to tell.<br />
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What do you think about sleepovers? If you do allow them at what age is it okay?<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-76910725140976419682015-03-17T13:27:00.000-05:002015-03-17T13:27:17.533-05:00Tissue Tassel Garland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My daughter's 6th birthday party was this past weekend and I'm excited to start sharing some of the deets with you. The first detail I wanted to share in a post all its own was the tissue tassel garland!<br />
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I've been dying to make one of these and the color scheme just seemed to fit so well. This is also something perfect for spring, Easter, or an "<a href="http://www.3wittlebirds.com/2013/04/fridays-favorites-april-baby-shower.html" target="_blank">April Showers</a>" baby shower theme! I love the pastel rainbow colors!.<br />
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<b><i>Materials used</i></b><br />
tissue paper in assorted colors<br />
crafting thread<br />
scissors<br />
hot glue gun<br />
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<b>Step One:</b><br />
Fold your tissue paper in half twice.<br />
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<b>Step Two:</b><br />
Along the second fold cut tissue paper in half. Put one half aside. Fold the other piece of tissue in half length wise aka hot dog.<br />
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<b>Step three:</b><br />
Fold over a 1 inch flap. This is to help guide you when cutting so you don't cut too much.<br />
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<b>Step Four:</b><br />
Cut length wise starting at the folded corner. Cut about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch apart. Do not cut into the folded area.<br />
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<b>Step Five:</b><br />
Open up the folded tissue and cut on the folded edge from top to bottom to form two separate pieces of tissue.<br />
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<b>Step Six:</b><br />
Set one piece aside and unfold the other piece of tissue.<br />
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<b>Step Seven:</b><br />
Roll the tissue paper.<br />
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<b>Step Eight:</b><br />
GENTLY twist the tissue starting at the center and twisting an inch in each direction.<br />
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<b>Step Nine:</b><br />
Make a small loop and begin twisting the already rolled tissue paper together adding a dab of hot glue as you go. Add a dab of hot glue at the start of the loop, at the end, and throughout the twisting to ensure a secure set.<br />
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<b>Step Ten:</b><br />
complete the process with as many tissue tassels as you like. Once you have assembled the amount you desire, fluff them down so none of the tassels are curled up. String them on the crafting thread and hang in a fun place!<br />
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This is such an inexpensive and easy craft to add some fun and festive color to your season or occasion. I love the versatility with the colors and you can save the tassels and stitch it throughout the year.<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-23440850854833219322015-03-09T12:01:00.001-05:002015-03-09T12:01:57.751-05:00It's that time of year for starting your seeds!I have been crazy busy lately, thinking about girls scouts and meeting planning, new baby planning, that I almost forgot about a very exciting time of year. What I really mean to talk about is garden planning!!!!!!<br />
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Can you tell how much I love to garden?<br />
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Really, it gets me so energized just thinking about this season. For me gardening is like an addiction. I would spend hours a week just watching my plants and fantasizing about the overfilled bowls of juicy cucumbers, strawberries and tomatoes.<br />
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The thing about having a garden, or a garden that grows produce, is that you need to plan ahead. Sometimes months ahead. For example, hot peppers needs to be started indoors 12-10 weeks ahead of time. So while all of you are only dreaming of the warm summer months and the ground has not quite unfroze from the winter, these babies need to start taking action.<br />
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Last year was my first year and I felt pretty successful considering I was a beginner. We had tons of cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes and assorted peppers. This year I really hope to expand and try out some new vegetables as well.<br />
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<b>What I am continuing from last year</b><br />
Red and Green Bell peppers<br />
Mini yellow bell peppers<br />
Jalapeno<br />
Serrano<br />
Cayenne<br />
Santa Fe peppers<br />
Cucumbers<br />
Green beans<br />
Carrots<br />
Cherry tomato<br />
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<b>What I will attempt to introduce this year</b><br />
Leafy greens<br />
Roma tomato<br />
Strawberries<br />
Watermelon<br />
Herbs of all kinds<br />
Squash<br />
Zucchini<br />
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With these new additions I've had to come up with a better plan as to how I am going to lay this all out in my back yard. While I would love to have a full blown homestead, I also don't want the entire back yard to be garden boxes. Plus, the girls really need their play house this year :).<br />
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<b>Space-saving garden ideas...</b><br />
Grow tomato plants in containers-I plan on have three large containers, really they are decorative terracotta pots, that will sit on my deck and not only grow tomatoes for the family but act as landscaping and greenery for the deck! The deck gets the most sun so this concept will be ideal for saving yard space.<br />
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Trellis cucumbers on deck or an arbor-I plan on trellising my cucumbers this year on my back fence. This will provide some additional privacy and space saving by not having to trellis them in the middle of the yard.<br />
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Border the entire yard-I plan on mixing some beautiful flowers and produce along the border of the yard about two feet off of the fencing. I will add in some edible favorites to the mix as well. This will also compliment and aid in the pollination of the plants. Remember to use organic and safe fertilizers when you are planting edibles near flowers.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are your gardening plans for this year?</span><br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-68686212565034803332015-02-24T10:06:00.003-06:002015-02-24T12:30:47.937-06:00World Thinking Day preparation - MexicoI was super excited about this year's World Thinking Day festivities that our council had arranged. In preparation for World Thinking Day, I wanted the girls to really dive into the culture of the country we were hosting. The Girl Scout meeting prior to the event had a three station rotation where each girl contributed to our preparations.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Our Country</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mexico</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Table Display</b></span><br />
Station 1<br />
Prior to the preparation meeting the girls were assigned a certain topic for Mexico. They had to do a little research and bring any artifacts to the meeting. Some girls researched games, food, music, cultural attire, arts and crafts, population and geographical statistics. This was a great opportunity for the girls to take accountability and ownership of their display.<br />
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At the meeting we created our display poster and glued on the pictures that the girls brought.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Recipe</b></span><br />
The second station the girls got the opportunity to make a Mexican recipe. We made traditional guacamole.<br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
1 Avocado<br />
1/4 cup minced red onion<br />
1 tablespoon minced garlic<br />
2 tablespoon minced jalapeno<br />
1 cup diced tomato<br />
half of a lime squeeze of juice<br />
3 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro<br />
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Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy with chips or on a taco!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Craft</span></b><br />
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If you notice in the table display picture, you can see the Mexican Sun craft the girls did as part of the last station. We used paper plates, paint, construction paper. They decorated their own versions of the sun art. It turned out great!<br />
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Here is a link to the Merry Mexican Suns the girls tried to recreate: <a href="http://learningparade.typepad.co.uk/learning_parade/2010/06/page/2/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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For the girls hard work and preparation they were also able to earn the <span style="color: #c27ba0;"><b>Vi petal</b></span> badge by <u>Being A Sister To Every Girl Scout!</u><br />
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Did your troop or council do something special to celebrate World Thinking Day? Please leave a link in the comments so we can all share each others ideas!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-77494246156380325272015-02-16T10:36:00.002-06:002015-04-17T00:12:33.721-05:00Girl Scout Daisy Meeting: Sunny Petal Friendly and Helpful Badge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are the three activities our troop did to earn their Sunny Petal. Our meetings last an hour and with the traditional meeting set up (Opening, Business, Activity time, and Closing) you can easily fit these activities in.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Activity 1:</b> <b>Read the Sunny story</b></span> and follow up with discussion questions found in the GS book.<br />
You can also have the girls act out the story for more engagement.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Activity 2: Friendly Greetings!</span></b><br />
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Use flash cards with different greetings from all over the world. Teach each greeting to the girls and have them repeat back and guess which country or location.<br />
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Greetings that we used<br />
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Hello<br />
Namaste<br />
Jambo<br />
Bon Jour<br />
Hola<br />
Ni Hao<br />
Guten tag<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Activity 3: Pine cone bird feeder project</span></b><br />
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Give each girl a pine cone and have then create their own bird feeders with peanut butter and bird seed!<br />
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*for those with peanut allergies have them use honey instead.<br />
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<i>Supplies:</i><br />
One pine cone for each girl<br />
One spoon for each girl<br />
One piece of yarn or heavy duty string for each girl about a foot long<br />
Plate<br />
Plastic baggies for the girls to take their project home<br />
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First, tie the string on to each pine cone. If you don't do this first, there will be a big ol mess later.<br />
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Use the spoon to coat each pine cone with a decent amount of peanut butter. Make sure to get between the crevices.<br />
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In a separate dish, roll the peanut butter coated pine cone in the bird seed. Be generous with the amount of bird seed you use. Set it aside to harden or place it right in the take home baggie.<br />
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<b>Other ideas..</b><br />
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Volunteer at a retirement home or animal shelter.<br />
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Meet with another troop and do an activity so the girls have the opportunity to meet with girls they haven't met before and show their friendly side.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Kaper Charts!</span> This is a great opportunity to introduce kaper charts and have the girls take ownership and help out with each meeting.<br />
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Overall, the girls really LOVED the bird feeder activity. I have found with my rowdy troop of 12 girls, the more hands on activities the better!<br />
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Happy planning troop leaders!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-10947738437717708452015-02-12T12:21:00.001-06:002015-02-12T12:21:48.963-06:00Valentine Canvas PaintingsWho loves a girl's craft night? I do, I do!!! A couple weeks ago I indulged in a much needed crafting girl's night. I love doing crafts and it's much more fun when you are with someone. My friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/handmadedesignsbydeniseb?fref=ts" target="_blank">Denise</a> joined me in the fun! We went the Valentines decoration route for this craft evening.<br />
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Originally, I had much smaller canvases purchased for this project but my little girls were jealous and I didn't want them to feel left out.... or whining the whole evening. I already had these larger canvases stored in the closet, so I gave the girls the smaller ones and I opted for the larger.<br />
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These were both done with a free hand. Okay, maybe those diamonds were traced from a cut out but the chevron and heart were definitely free hand. If you can notice the heart shape is slightly off and not centered... I'm my own critic.<br />
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<i><b>Materials used:</b></i><br />
Acrylic paint (Black, metallic gold and pink)<br />
Pencil<br />
Gold glitter<br />
Rose pink glitter (this glitter was awesome)<br />
Mod Podge<br />
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The <i>love</i> and the heart are coated in glitter. I first painted the lettering and the heart. Once it was dry, I went over it with the Mod Podge and sprinkled the glitter all over. It was messy! I softly jiggled the canvas around to make sure the glitter covered all the area and emptied out the excess glitter onto a piece of paper.<br />
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I really liked the way theses pieces looked on the fireplace mantel. I do think the smaller canvases would have worked a little better but it was worth it when the little ones were so excited to be participating in the crafts. Happy Valentines Day!</div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-12054316470214677972015-02-10T08:30:00.000-06:002015-02-12T13:10:17.965-06:00Never Stop PrayingDo you ever just get that feeling in the pit of your stomach that the ball is about to drop? I do, a lot. Our family has had its share of stress. I can never just feel like things are right because at any time it can be taken away.<br />
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I get that feeling every year before Bella's cardiology visit. Each year I've been reassured that the world is functioning normal and it's just a symptom of my crazy anxiety.<br />
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This year it was not so reassuring. This visit, the annual visit is now increased to 6 months... that is never a good sign when the doctor wants to see you more often. I sat there listening to my husband's voice over the phone and the tears began to swell up. She wasn't doing so well anymore and the worst began to appear in my mind.<br />
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The loss of a child is the worst kind of loss out there and I can't begin to imagine the feeling. If this was only a fraction then it would probably kill me. Yes, I'm jumping to the extreme. Realization that this situation is getting worse, never to get better until a surgery, is frightening. The chest pains were not from a chest cold, they were a symptom of the worsening of her condition.<br />
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Sometimes you forget that you have a child with "special needs" like a heart condition. Sometimes you just think that they will grow up strong and healthy to an old age. You forget through all the normalcy and good times.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You take the normalcy for granted.</span><br />
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Sometimes I blame my lack of prayers in the past year and a half. There shouldn't be blame in this situation. I can't help but feel accountability. I forgot how life was precious and to ask for God's grace and healing. It's those little things we take for granted. We need to not only pray when we want or need but when we are grateful and fulfilled or when things are going just fine.<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-56391644789554006392015-02-04T11:21:00.001-06:002015-02-04T11:21:14.069-06:00Girl Scout Daisy Petal: Considerate and Caring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I didn't think I would have a hard time trying to come up with ideas for this badge but as I began thinking, I came up with one idea initially. Luckily, this meeting was the next meeting after we had a wonderful guest speaker come it so I took the opportunity to have the girls write thank you notes.<br />
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Here are some great ideas of activities you can do for the Zinni petal<br />
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<b>Write Thank you notes</b><br />
Have you had someone visit the troop recently or joined up with another troop? This is a great opportunity to write thank you notes. Other suggestions are writing thank you notes to our military service men and women, someone special in each girls life that they want to appreciate, or notes to another girl in the troop.<br />
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You can also have each girl pick another girl in the troop to be sort of like a "secret Santa" and write a note about something nice the girl has done.<br />
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These are thank you letters from Kindergartners. It's so cute to see them begin and grow as writers!</div>
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<b>Have the girls create a mural of the Daisy Flower Garden.</b><br />
Have an assortment of crafting materials that the girls can pass around and share. You can set a timer and ever couple minutes the girls have to switch the materials they are using. Possible material suggestions are: crayons, colored pencils, watercolors, stock paper and scissors, markers, stickers...<br />
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<b>Work on a service project</b><br />
Have the girls create care packages for young girls in less fortunate areas. Check your council activities for service projects. Our council has several service projects from creating mini medical kits for the children in third world countries to chemo kits for children with cancer.<br />
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<b>Making Girl Scout Swaps!</b><br />
I was confused at first to what these are but after a little digging they are a very cute idea that the girls can share with one another in the troop or with another troop. There seems to be an endless search on Pinterest with swap ideas.<br />
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<b>Act out the Flower Petal story</b> in the Girls Guide to Girl Scouting manual<br />
You can print out color pictures of each flower and character from the story and glue them on popsicle sticks for the girls acting out the story. If you are really creative and crafty think about making hand puppets of the daisy flowers. You can use these over and over again to act out the stories. The girls are much more engaged with the story!<br />
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I hope this helps when planning out your Girl Scout meetings!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-10453490233575761672015-01-30T09:18:00.002-06:002015-01-30T09:18:42.322-06:00Baby Rag QuiltI have been wanting to make one of these rag quilts now for over a year. This past week my brother and sister-in-law had their first child and I knew exactly what I wanted to make for them! It feels great to dust off the old sewing machine again.<br />
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I went to two different stores to find just the right fabric for this project. I shopped at Hobby Lobby for the cute pink and grey chevron and damask patterns. I found the pink embossed star fabric(used for the backing) and the grey and white polka dot fabric at Joann's.<br />
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Choose color coordinating fabrics that are soft and fluffy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Baby Rag Quilt</span><br />
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<i>What you will need...</i><br />
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1/2 yard of 5 different coordinating patterns<br />
1 1/2 yards of backing fabric<br />
1 1/2 yards of fleece<br />
Fabric scissors<br />
White thread<br />
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<b>Not used but extremely helpful </b>I wish I would have used these!!!<br />
Rotary cutter<br />
self healing cutting mat<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1)</span> Cut your squares for the quilt in the different coordinating patterns. I would recommend for a baby blanket cutting the squares a 10"x10" or a 8"x8". The baby blanket will be a 6 square by 6 square quilt, totaling 36 squares. You will need about 8 squares each in the different coordinating fabrics. There will be some squares left over but this gives you some options on the overall layout and design. I cut the coordinating fabric squares first.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2)</span>Once all the coordinating fabric squares were cut out, I matched up the fleece and the backing fabric on top of each other. Then, I pinned the already cut squares on top like the picture below. You will want your quilting squares to match up exactly, which is why I choose to cut them out directly from the already cut squares. This will allow them to match up perfectly!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3) </span>After all your squares are cut, you should have 36 pinned squares, 3 layers each. So, you will have your coordinating fabric on top, fleece in the middle, and your backing on the bottom. Make sure your backing is facing out ward when they are stacked. You will then cross stitch each square with a big X from corner to corner. This process takes some time.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4) </span>Once you have your 36 cross stitched squares, you can start to layout the squares in an aesthetically pleasing pattern. I had a lot of grey so I wanted to make sure that the predominately grey squares were not right next to each other. I laid them out every other.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5)</span> Once you have the layout of the blanket, start with rows. Pin together each square in one row and sew the sides together with a 3/4" seam allowance. In the picture below I have finished three of the six rows.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6) </span>When you have finished sewing your 6 rows, pin each row together to start assembling the quilt. Use the same 3/4" seam, having the sides fold forward with all of the layers.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7)</span> Once all the rows are sown together, stitch around the outside of the entire quilt enclosing all 4 sides. Use the 3/4" seam. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8)</span> Now it's time to clip your excess seam to make that rag quilt effect. I would recommend using a microtip fabric scissor. Make sure you don't cut your stitching! This process also took some time. Over the course of a couple days and downtime I was able to complete the clipping.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXdVjmfnals/VMEtDvuByEI/AAAAAAAAB0o/YTOKsMFKgrk/s1600/ragquilt6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXdVjmfnals/VMEtDvuByEI/AAAAAAAAB0o/YTOKsMFKgrk/s1600/ragquilt6.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9)</span> Wash your quilt on a short delicate cycle. Dry your quilt on a regular cycle. The drying will help fray your clippings and make it look super cute!</div>
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What I like about the rag quilt is that it's forgiving of tiny mistakes that would be very evident on a regular quilt. Since I'm no quilting expert this was extremely helpful. I am planning on making a much bigger one for my girls beds! </div>
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-9035734861751955922015-01-26T08:30:00.000-06:002015-01-26T10:22:21.526-06:00Graduation Day!After three years of family, home buying, child birth and mommying two kids, I have finally finished my Bachelor's degree! Perhaps the true joy has not quite been felt as this whole thing seems hazy and unreal. When you are used to a way of life for so long it's often something that sticks with you for awhile. The pseudo stress I now feel has slightly come to reality as my weekends are more for enjoyment and relaxation then writing papers.<br />
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Being an adult student has taught me so much. It's shown my persistence and resilience for the sake of my future and my family. I often hear about parents or the non-traditional student wishing to go back to school and better themselves. Usually, what immediately follows are the excuses as to why they can't make that happen.<br />
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Time.<br />
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Kids.<br />
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I like my lifestyle.<br />
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Work.<br />
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Buying a house.<br />
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Vacation.<br />
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These are all reasons why a person convinces themselves that now is not the right time. Maybe next semester or next year... but that quickly approaches and there are new, if not the same, obstacles placed in one's way that yet again prevents then from just taking the first step.<br />
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I was able to juggle a newborn, raising two kids, working full time, multiple vacations, home buying, moving twice, and a social life all while my hubby was doing the same thing. If I can do it then you can do it.<br />
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It's a wonderful feeling having gone through all that we have and coming out on the other side achieving my goals! Did I mention I graduated Cum Laude? Don't give up on your dreams and goals not matter how far away they might seem!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-88794416744951717842015-01-14T08:30:00.000-06:002015-02-04T12:24:47.325-06:00Girl Scout Daisy Planning: Money Counts Leaf and a Hair Clip Craft!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since they're in school enough hours out of the day, the last thing I wanted is a Math lesson. I wanted to make sure this was a fun meeting and the girls were engaged. Financial literacy is very important and an essential part of Girl Scouts and the Cookie Product sale.<br />
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You can find large cardboard cut outs of all the coins and dollar bills at the Dollar store. I would go through a brief explanation of each and pair it up with the real coin or dollar. The large cut outs help for better viewing but girls also like to see and feel the real thing. I also set aside a bag of 100 pennies and showed the girls what a dollar can equal in pennies. This helps them visualize and compare. You can do this with the other coins or dollars, too. For example, hold up 4 quarters and compare it to a dollar bill. We also talked about how much our cookie boxes cost and what the troop profit was from each box.<br />
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Once we explained the different kinds of money and compared and contrasted, we talked about the difference between what costs money and what doesn't. We had each girl come up with one way they can have fun with or without money. <b>Here are some examples....</b><br />
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<b>Costs money:</b><br />
Going to the movies<br />
Going to a theme park<br />
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<b>Free:</b><br />
Playing a board game at home with your family<br />
Playing with a friend in your yard<br />
Going to the park<br />
Renting a book from the library.<br />
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*another idea is to cut out pictures of things that cost money and things that don't. Use a large poster board and draw a line down the middle. Have one side represent things that cost money and the other side represent free. Have the girls glue the pictures to the right section.<br />
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*If the girls are doing a personal scrapbook you can use the above idea in a smaller version and they can glue the pictures right into their scrapbooks.<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Now starts the fun!!!</b></span><br />
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We had a guest speaker, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/handmadedesignsbydeniseb" target="_blank">Designs by Denise</a>, come and speak with the girls. She is an entrepreneur and has her own handmade hair bow business. Guest speakers are great because the girls have a natural interest in something unfamiliar.<br />
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She talked about what an entrepreneur is and why keeping track of her money was so important. She discussed profit and how much materials cost. She had a display of the bows she had made and explained where and how she sells them. <b>This was a great introduction to ownership and business skills for the girls as we are upon the Cookie Product season.</b><br />
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The girls were very engaged as it was a new face and they could relate to the pretty hair bows. Our speaker lead us into our final activity. I like to close each meeting with some kind of fun craft!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Activity: The girls made their own hair clips!</b></span><br />
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Materials:</div>
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<i>for 10 girls</i></div>
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3 Ashland daisy flowers from Michael's in blue <i>(each flower will give you 4 large flower pieces)</i></div>
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3 Ashland daisy flowers in white</div>
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10 hair clips</div>
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felt</div>
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Gem for the center about 1 inch</div>
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*use a coupon and look for sales on the florals. I got mine for 50% off!</div>
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(I believe the whole thing came out to $1.40 per girl)</div>
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I first cut the felt pieces ahead of time. I separated everything into each individual flower clip bag so the girls had all their materials in one place.</div>
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Cut a 1 inch circle out of felt for the backing of the flower.</div>
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Cut a 1 inch long by 1/4 inch wide piece of felt to glue on the inside of the clip so the girls hair doesn't get caught.</div>
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You can let the girls choose the order of the two different color flowers. This allows them to make it their own. Although, it does look best with the blue behind the white :).</div>
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We used a hot glue gun. BE CAREFUL with this and only let adults handle the glue guns.</div>
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Glue a couple of dots on the center of the bottom (blue) flower. Have the girl place the top (white) flower on top and line it up. </div>
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Glue a couple of dots on the center of the top (white) flower and let the girls place the gem in the center on the top.</div>
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Glue the circle felt on the back of the flower </div>
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Glue the other piece of felt on the inside of the top part of the clip. (adults)</div>
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Glue the flower on to the clip. (adults should do this)</div>
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They were so excited to do this and it was a great round up of the entire meeting. As we were assembling the hair clips we talked about the materials and the individual cost of each. I held up the equivalent in our cardboard money so the girls could see.<br />
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They really loooooved this idea and I even saw the girls wearing their clips to school the next day!! Probably their favorite craft so far and we were able to tie in something fun with the Money Counts badge!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941847308490582188.post-81371075182738793822015-01-12T08:30:00.000-06:002017-07-12T00:26:03.638-05:00Our Top 5 attractions for the under 5 at Walt Disney World<div style="text-align: center;">
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Recently, I've been getting asked for suggestions on the can't miss attractions at Walt Disney World. There are so many things you can do at each of the 4 parks that it can seem overwhelming. This got me thinking and so I asked my daughter, who has been to Disney World several times only at the age of 5. Here is my daughter's top five list!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It's a Small World</span>-Fantasyland<br />
She has loved this ride since before she was 1 and it's a classic. There is something magical and happy about this ride that opens up their little eyes. It's located in the Magic Kingdom in Fantasyland.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Disney's Electrical Parade</span>-Fantasyland<br />
This is a can't miss! Seriously, your kids will love this just as mine did. We always plan this one ahead as it's only offered on certain days and at certain times. The sparkly lights at night with the famous Disney characters drive the kids insane! In a good way, that is.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dumbo </span>- Fantasyland<br />
It's a classic and it's fun! They recently revamped this attraction. This is more of an adventurous ride as the height can be intimidating to little little kids. Bella is not a fan of "thrill rides" but still enjoys this one very much.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Kilimanjaro Safari ride </span>- Animal Kingdom<br />
This one is such an adventure for young kids. It's so much more than a Zoo and you feel like you are really on a safari in this open atmosphere. We have always had the most luck of seeing the amazing animals if you go right when the park opens. This ride is located at the Animal Kingdom Park.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Little Mermaid and Nemo Ride </span>-Fantasyland and Epcot<br />
These are a combo as they are kind of the same but with different movie themes and both are great for young kids. The Little Mermaid ride is at the Magic Kingdom in Fantasyland and the Nemo ride is at Epcot.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dressing up at the parks </span>- Anywhere!<br />
Okay, this is actually number 6 and it's not really an attraction but my kids love doing this so I just had to mention. The kids love wearing their costumes at the parks. You can find some pretty affordable princess outfits that wont break the bank ahead of time at Target or Walmart. You can even get a coordinating outfit that resembles a character and the kids will be excited. I would recommend bringing some loose clothes for them to change into just in case they get hot in the dresses.<br />
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Have you heard of <b>Disney Bound</b>? People, by people I mean adults too, actually dress up like characters in their own interpretations with regular clothes while matching the color palettes of the characters. For a more detailed explanation I found an article <a href="http://www.disneygeekery.com/2013/10/03/interview-disneybound-explained-leslie-kay/" target="_blank">here</a> that describes it best. It's pretty cool and I'm sure we will try this on our next visit. You can find some ideas on pinterest by searching <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=disneybound&term_meta%5B%5D=disneybound%7Cautocomplete%7C0" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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<b>Honorable mention: Winnie the Pooh ride at Fantasyland</b><br />
The ride itself can be a tad outdated but the kids still love the black florescent scenes. The main attraction with this ride is actually waiting in line. They have fun games and activities throughout the line to keep the kids occupied and entertained.<br />
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Have you traveled to Disney World with your little one's? What are their favorite attractions? Leave your comments below!<br />
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</div>Katie De Lahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06142577735550385677noreply@blogger.com3