Week 4 - Going Off Course

Well this week I’m veering off course. My intended project was a homemade picnic blanket one side being a vinyl and waterproof the other side a pretty fabric. But my sewing machine had other ideas when it kaputzed on me. So I am going to share with you instead another summer project my family has been doing. It’s not really on the fun scale but I’m sure that a lot of you are dealing with the same thing right now. Sibling conflict and the I don’t wanna’s seem to rear their head in the less structured summer. So Papa Pollo and I set out to nip this in the bud.

When you have5 people home all the time the house get’s quickly cluttered and messy. I know for myself and the kids this can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed. When we are overwhelmed we tend to respond emotionally to situations rather than with self control or logic. So keeping the house picked up was our first order of business.

Earlier this year Ducky sent me a link to Chore Zones for Kids by Trigger Memory Systems. I absolutely loved the idea. But being the frugal Mommy that I am I wasn’t eager to run out and spend money on something that I thought I could create on my own. I borrowed the idea of a list for each room with step by step instructions on how to complete the job. I created a list for bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and getting clean. These are our daily zones. I also made additional zones that I will use as needed such as front porch/back porch, shoe room, and a monthly list. I tailored the cards to each child as much as I could. For example Big Chick is 8 and can read. Middle Little is 5 and cannot read yet. I used pictures to help explain the task for Middle Little so she too can complete a job without having to ask every five seconds what to do next. For Big Chick she has two additional tasks in her bedroom. Not only is she older but she tends to have more “stuff” than Middle Little. So it seemed appropriate to give her a little extra. I’ve broken up the day into morning and night time chores. In the morning they do Bedroom, Getting Clean and Kitchen lists. At night time they do Getting Clean and Bathroom lists. It has made a huge difference in the visual clutter as well as Poppa and I feeling overwhelmed by constantly trying to keep up after 5 people. I feel that we are teaching them valuable lessons in team work, life skills and that many hands make light work. The second day after we started using our zone lists Middle Little said “Wow Mom there was hardly anything to do tonight, that’s because we did some yesterday.” It must be sinking in somehow, some way.

Now to tackle the real beast. The I don’t wanna’s, the sibling arguing that makes you want to beat your head against a wall. I desire so strongly for my children to have loving relationships with each other. I may not be able to make my children each other’s best friends but I can have an expectation of respect for each other in our home. With that in mind we were blessed to discover John Rosemond’s newest book The Well Behaved Child. We have long been aware of Mr. Rosemond and his no nonsense parenting style; have most of his books in fact. But this particular book spoke to us for where we are right now.

After reading the book together we instituted Mr. Rosemonds Ticket System. This link is a very basic over view of the idea and I highly recommend that you read the book to use this tool to its fullest. I used 3 envelopes as pockets. They have each of the big girl’s names as well as one labeled parents. The girls have 5 tickets with their names on them and they begin the day with ownership of all those tickets. We have a list next to each of their pockets reminding them of the behaviors that will cause them to lose a ticket. Because of age and capability our oldest has 4 things on her list and Middle Little has 2. We have our system placed in our toy/classroom area. It’s our most lived in space and I wanted it close at hand. When the kids have lost all of their tickets for the day they know that means they are grounded to their room and will be sent to bed directly after dinner. It takes some commitment, some clear communication between parents and a willingness to follow through, but it’s helping. We are a work in progress here at Clucky Central but I’m thankful for the guidance found in the book and can’t recommend it highly enough.

Although these two systems definitely don’t fall in the fun spectrum for the kids they do in a roundabout way enable us to have our Summer fun. When we treat each other and our home with respect we are free to go out and enjoy the world around us.

Are you experiencing the Summer I don’t wanna’s and Sibling Conflict? How are you handling it in your home?

Week 3 - Bird Feeders by Ducky

In the mornings while eating breakfast or in the cool of a summer evening on the front porch the kids enjoy watching the birds feast. They also like to identify and record them in their natural journals. Their was a time when we we even participated in the Backyard Bird Count for Cornell. The elements and animals have destroyed many a store-bought bird feeder. We all decided to try making our own bird feeders. We made our old tried-n-true stand-by pinecone feeders and two new to us feeders.

Pine Cone Feeders
The kids went walking on an area trail in search of pine cones. If you don't have pine cones in your area you can use cardboard cut-outs in any shape you choose. We had been told once that peanut butter was unsafe for birds. We did a google search and found at the BirdWatchersDigest site that this is a common myth and there is no scientific evidence one way or the other. We'll leave that at "It's a personal decision", then. The peanut butter can be substituted in the case of an individuals allergies as well. Our soy nut butter pine cone was equally enjoyed by the birds. Twist some string, ribbon or we used jewelry making wire around the pine cone. Spread with the peanut butter. Roll in bird seed.

Fruit Basket Feeders
Slice in half an orange, grapefruit, lime or lemon. Scoop out the fruit, eat or put in fridge. Now you are left with the rind. It looks like an empty bowl. With a tooth-pick make a hole on each side near the top. Send a string, ribbon or wire through the hole to form a handle. Fill the basket with bird seed.

Cookie Cutter Feeders
The number of feeders made in this recipe just depends on the size of cookie cutter used. We followed the recipe at FamilyFun
· 1/4-ounce package of unflavored gelatin
· 2 cups bird seed

To make a batch, bring 6 tablespoons of water to a boil. Empty one 1/4-ounce package of unflavored gelatin (we used Knox brand) into 2 tablespoons of cold water in a large bowl. Let the gelatin sit for 1 minute, then add the boiling water and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the gelatin has dissolved.
Next, stir 2 cups of your favorite wild birdseed into the gelatin, mixing thoroughly. Let the mixture set for a few minutes, then stir again. Repeat this process a few times, if necessary, allowing the seed to absorb the liquid.
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Place the cookie cutter shapes you'd like to use on the paper. Spoon the seed mixture into the cookie cutters. With a straw punch out a hole for stringing through ribbon, string or wire later.
Place the pan in the refrigerator or a cool room and let them set for at least 3 hours. Gently tap the cut-out shape free from the cookie cutter. Allow to air-dry overnight.
Finally send colorful ribbon, string or some wire through the hole.

We found that larger and deeper cookie cutters work best. They also melt fairly quickly in the rain. Hanging from an eave or porch they may last longer.
We had a lot of fun making the feeders. The cookie cutter feeders would make great gifts.

Day Trip on a Budget Take One by Clucky

Rachel Ray eat your heart out! $40 a day is nothin’ compared to a day trip for families of 3 & 4 (minus the Poppas this time,) going out for a day of fun. Here are the guidelines for our day trips: it must be under $50 for the trip ( including gas and food,) and the destination should be within 2-3 hours driving distance.

The Summer sun just calls to me and makes me want to be outside and explore. With that in mind, we set out to explore our “twin city” Council Bluffs Iowa. Now I just want to point out, that if I can find fun things to do in IOWA, you can find fun things to do were you live; it just takes a little time, planning and research.

We knew for our first trip we couldn’t go too far away from home, so Council Bluffs Iowa was the natural choice. It’s only 30 minutes away, yet we’ve never explored it. We began our search with travel guide books from the library for the state of Iowa. Just type in “Travel Guide” and your state into Amazon.com and you will find a wealth of resources.

Our first stop was an oddball historical site- The Squirrel Cage Jail. I’m sure you’re wondering what could possibly be interesting about an old jail. Well, besides having all sorts of historical features like an old fashioned kitchen, did we forget to mention it is also supposed to be haunted? This certainly got my kiddos’ attention. I will say that this place was very creepy, not so much from the haunted factor, but because it was utterly depressing to see the way these prisoners lived. I might not have minded it if the jail held hardened criminals, but we learned back in the day that you could earn 10 days in this tiny jail for bouncing a $1.50 check. It was one of the strangest places we’ve visited, but it will always stick in my memory.

Because we planned ahead, our adventure stops were all close together. We walked to our next stop, Bayliss Park. This was Ducky’s favorite and a group favorite as well. This picturesque park has beautiful sculpture fountains, adorable giant squirrel (well giant for a squirrel) sculptures and a spray ground for the kids to run through. During the Summer, they host movies and music in this park. Can’t wait to go back for that!

Next was Rails West Railroad Museum. This was my favorite. They had so many fun historical artifacts, along with a large model train that the kids all got a chance to “drive”-- bells and whistle blowing included. We learned that back in the day there were separate entrances for men and women because men could be counted on to smoke, swear and spit. This would clearly be too much for the ladies to handle and the men couldn’t handle the ladies’ need to breast feed. So, they just made them be separate. Outside of the museum they had several rail cars for the kids to explore. We even got to see a real train go right past the depot as it would have back in the day. IT WAS LOUD! We were also treated to a scavenger hunt through the miniature town replica. Once the kids found all the “sites”, they received a pencil prize. You wouldn’t think that would excite them much, but it did. This taught me an important lesson about planning day trips: just because something sounds boring to me, doesn’t mean it will be, and it doesn’t mean the kids will think it’s boring. Give things a chance!

Now it was time for some serious outdoor fun. We had heard tell of a park designed by children called Dream Playground, and the best part was that it was right next to a beach. So we stopped at the park first, where the kids enjoyed chasing butterflies, (yes we brought our nets) playing chimes, swinging and climbing everything they could. As a parent, I thought the park could have been kept up a little better, but I’ll just come better prepared with seating and sanitizer next time.

We didn’t stay long, because once the kids knew that swimming would be involved, it was all that they could think of. So, we walked over to Lake Manawa beach. They had a great concession stand with bathrooms as the entrance. Once you got inside, you saw playground equipment, volleyball nets, tether ball, heard music playing from the speakers, and of course, saw the beach. What a wonderful summer picture. The kids dived in and we had to drag them out when it was time to go. On the parent front it was a little disappointing that smoking was allowed on the beach. But, we were outside so we just worked around it. Also, don’t forget your baby powder to help get off the sand. They thankfully do have a wash off station by the concession stand, so you can rinse-off on your way out. The beach was my favorite part, even though I had a toddler determined to eat the sand and drink the lake water, blech! I just love being on the water, out in the sun.

We were exhausted and running late as we made our way home, but the day was a success. We both beat our budget goals for the Day.
· Ducky’s expenses included : gas, snacks, museum entrance, beach entrance and an innertube at the beach = $40.50 for 3 people.
· Clucky’s expenses included: gas, snacks, museum entrance, beach entrance = $31.25 for 4 people

We hope we inspired you to get out and visit those places you’ve always wanted to see, but just never got around to it. You can do it AND you can do it on a budget. It just takes a little time, planning and research. Where will your first day trip be?

Week 2 - Homemade Butterfly Nets by Clucky June 7, 2010

I love me a good list. I make lists for just about everything: daily to-do, books I’m looking for, restaurants I want to try. Of course, there are a myriad of home related lists as well. As we roll into summer I make a summer supply list; the usual one consisting of sidewalk chalk, bubbles, goggles, and sunscreen always come to mind. In a house full of girls, we also traditionally get butterfly nets. Butterfly nets make me crazy! It seems like within 2 days they are already falling apart and my girls’ hearts are broken.

So this year, I set out to make my own butterfly nets, ones that would be sturdy and strong. I thought for sure there would be a bunch of online instructions for making them… WRONG-O. I found one blog that mentioned making them, but had no directions. So, I’m winging it with my below-beginner sewing skills. You’ve been warned.

It took me most of the day to sew the two nets-- but this is because I am working around a very mobile and wiggly toddler. Also, both Big Chick and Middle Little helped with the sewing. We made one of our nets with a really long netting, and one with a shorter netting. The girls helped sew the long net. We used a red thread, as this was their first sewing project, and I wanted it to be easy for them to see their stitches. They had a blast. It was great fine-motor-skill work for Middle Little . For Big Chick, it sparked a new hobby. She loved it and wants to start a sewing club for her friends. It could have been finished more quickly if I’d just done it myself, or even used my machine to sew parts of the netting. Yet, we would have missed the joy of watching the girls discover new talents and interests. We would have also missed a great opportunity to share some life skills with the kiddos. There is nothing quite like working together as a family to complete a project, and help teach your kids that with a little creativity and follow through, you can accomplish almost anything.

Supplies
2 tennis rackets, 1 panel of a sheer curtain, sewing needles, safety pins and thread. All of these were purchased from Goodwill and garage sales for a steal.

Butterfly Net for Beginning Beginners
1. Cut the netting/wire from the inside of your racket.
2. Cut your sheer curtain to the width and length that will work for your racket.
3. Align the casing (or rod pocket) around the opening of the racket. Secure at intervals with safety pins.
4. Double thread and knot your needle, and begin sewing at the base of the racket’s opening, on one side.
5. Keep your needle and stitches close to the racket; this will help your stitches stay consistent and fairly straight.
6. When you have finished the open racket sewing, you can begin sewing the open length and width of the sheer curtain, to close up the net.
7. Now you can tidy things up by making proper hemmed edges, or, you can just sew them together.; it’s up to you. I did it both ways, and it made no difference to my kids, or the butterflies.

Cost comparison:
Dollar Store net = $1 and will last for maybe 2 weeks.
Clucky’s Butterfly Net = $4.50 and has staying power.

Week One: Sidewalk Chalk & Bubbles - Ducky June 1 2010

When I think of summer fun with kids sidewalk chalk and bubbles come to mind. I wondered if I could make my own from home and would it save money.
My mom always made bubbles for my sister and I, along with homemade wire hanger bubble wands for giant bubbles. I got the recipe for bubbles from my mom and then went on a web search for sidewalk chalk. I found several with pictures included. They were all the same 3 ingredients. Fantastic! This will be easy. Sidewalk chalk provides hours of entertainment, boosts creativity and builds hand muscles. I was excited to begin this challenge. We started saving toliet paper tubes for the molds. We would then need water, tempera paint and plaster of paris. The plaster of paris proved to be difficult to find. We have an abundance of the common department store size craft stores in our area so the search surprised me. When I did finally find some it was labeled "fast setting"and it was only 4.97 for an 8 pound box. That'll work, right? I was to have three sets of hands working along with me how much faster would we need. First we assembled a dozen toilet paper tube molds by placing duct tape along bottom, slipped in rolled wax paper inside the tubes and lined them up in a shoe box. Next we mixed the water and plaster of paris. We had six plastic disposable bowls ready on the counter, we poured some mix in each and added colors of choice. This is were it all went downhill and deemed this challenge our first cracked egg! The plaster of paris was setting so fast, before we could get to each bowl it was begining to set. We got three good pieces of chalk out of the mix. We talked as a family about what could have been done differently. Work on one color at a time to move more quickly or follow the recipe by finding plaster of paris that is not "fast setting". Overall this challenge did not save money. A box of 52 pieces of chalk was a 1.99 on the end cap of our local craft store. For that price I am happy to not have the mess as well.

Moving on to the bubbles I was feeling hopeful. I had my mom's tried-n-true bubble recipe.
For this recipe you need:
2 cups dishwashing liquid (make sure it has nothing added ie: lotion and it's not concentrated)
6 cups cold water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
Combine ingredients in large container. We used an icecream pail we had washed and saved. It then has a lid for easy storage. Mix it gently or you'll have bubbles before you get the wands out. It is easy enough for kids to mix up while you stand by. This went together in minutes. For bubble wands you can bend wire hangers, bundle straws together with tape, a new fly swatter, or look around your home. We used the plastic rings that held the bottles of our tempura paint together. You could even use those plastic rings that hold bottles of soda in bunches of six. We made one gallon of bubbles for 2.41 At Wal-mart 32oz. is 6.99

New Blog

What fun is a blog when you can't talk about the ideas you are sharing and gather inspiration form other chicks? That's what Ducky and I though when we realized how limited the blog option was with our cookie cutter website. So we decided to do a "work around." We hope the new blog will inspire you to chat it up and share your thoughts and experiences as well. We love to hear from you so please stop by and "scratch" through the challenges with us.

~Clucky