Author: noteworthymommy

I am a Christian, wife, mother, educator, musician and writer. After teaching pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and college level classes, I became a curriculum specialist for McGraw-Hill and I traveled the country training educators and supporting schools. After becoming a mother I resigned from my job but McGraw-Hill asked me to come back as a per diem consultant. My dream job is being mommy to our miracle baby, Lillian Clare. When I'm not spending time with my active “mini me,” you will find me volunteering at school, playing the clarinet in the Saint Louis Wind Symphony and the Northwinds Concert Band, attending Bible study or singing in the Treble Choir at my church. Contact me at noteworthymommy@gmail.com

Artsy Thursday (Week of the Young Child)…Day 45

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Today is Artsy Thursday and my daughter dressed in purple and blue (her two current favorite colors.) The weather was beautiful so we spent a majority of our day outside enjoying the beautiful landscape God has created.

Natural Art– We walked around the backyard gathering natural materials to use for an art project. Upon returning inside we sorted the items; counting how many we found in each group. Then we created a graph to show our results. I asked the following questions… What do you have more of? The least of? Are there any that are equal? How many do we have altogether? Then we used our outdoor treasure and created a beautiful naturalist collage.

Cat’s Colors– My daughter checked the book Cat‘s Colors, by Airlie Anderson, out of the library the day before we went into isolation. When cat finds herself in the midst of a grey. dull day, she seeks to collect splotches of color among the dreariness. This charming, deceptively simple story about making the most of the world around us and giving something back in return, is an anthem for the challenges we are facing as a result of being quarantined. Living generously and finding splashes of color in a world otherwise filled with darkness, has been our family of three’s motto during this time of uncertainty.

Let‘s Go Fly a Kite– My daughter got a kite for her birthday and she has been begging to fly it. Since daddy is home this week he helped her assemble it and the dynamic duo made attempts to fly it in our backyard. They celebrated the fact that they got the kite into the air but it simply wasn’t windy enough to stay in the air for long. They talked about what makes the kite fly and how the string needs to be taunt to get the kite going. The scene reminded me of the time my dad and I took a bicycle ride to my elementary school where we attempted to fly a kite. I don’t recall if we had any success but I sure enjoyed the mini chocolate covered donuts we packed as a snack and spending quality time with my dad. Keep reading to find out what yummy snack my family of three enjoyed.

S’mores– After the sun set daddy (a proud Eagle Scout) built a fire for his girls so we could roast marshmallows and make yummy s’mores for a nighttime snack. While we munched on the sweet gooey goodness, we counted the stars in the sky, located Jupiter and enjoyed hearing stories about the giant campfire daddy built at Boy Scout Camp. I can’t think of a better way to end the day!

Workout Wednesday (Week of the Young Child)…Day 44

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Today was Workout Wednesday. The children were asked to wear their favorite sports gear and my daughter dressed in a St. Louis Cardinals shirt. The absence of sports is simply bizarre, like a scene from the Twilight Zone. Although I’m not a huge sports fan, if the Cardinals are playing, the game would surely be on in our home. The non-existence of the announcers and cheering fans is unsettling. My husband is a loyal University of Kentucky Wildcat basketball fan and he rarely misses a game. The abrupt ending to their season, along with the cancelling of March Madness, leaves me heartbroken for college and high school athletes across our country.

Today was about something more than sports, it was about moving, building and playing. When children build and play together they experience teamwork and develop their social and early literacy skills.

Get Moving– My daughter and I enjoyed moving to the sounds of Koo Koo Kanga Roo. I wrote about this dynamic duo last month. CLICK HERE to learn more. We also enjoyed dancing to The Freeze. CLICK HERE to move along with Greg & Steve and CLICK HERE for another popular freeze game.

Constructing a Cat Condo– Although I had plans for us to play a movement game with dice and another game with bean bags, my daughter had other plans. She asked if she could use some of the recyclables laying around the house for a project. She wanted to construct a cat condo, or exercising station, for her cat stuffed animals. This construction occupied her attention all afternoon. Without any direction from me she proceeded to get a tape measure and used it to determine how long she needed to cut the piece of string for the feather toy. She used two lemonade containers as the foundation and taped a paper towel around one bottle to create a scratching post. The structure included a cat walk across the top along with an automatic feeder in the middle. I was a bit unsettled because we didn’t complete the suggested plans sent by her teacher. But her teacher reminded me that my daughter had done tremendous work!! She was using math, science and problem solving skills and gained a sense of accomplishment as a result!Today was another reminder that things don’t always go as planned and that is…OK! As our family of three navigates this time of uncertainty we need to continue to be open and flexible. For wondrous things can happen from the unexpected!

Tasty Tuesday With Pizza and a “Soup Opera,” (Week of the Young Child).. Day 43

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Today is Tasty Tuesday! This fun, food themed day is about more than cheese and crust! When we cook with our children we incorporate math, literacy skills and science, while teaching them about good nutrition.

Pizza– My daughter and I made pizza for lunch. She topped her pizza to look like a funny face complete with pepperoni eyes, ears, and mouth, and dressed with cheese hair. My little one doesn’t like cooked cheese so that’s why her pizza face only had a wee bit of cheese hair. In keeping with the pizza theme we read one of our favorite books, The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza written by Philemon Sturges. A modern twist the classic tale, this retelling has our mouth watering every time! CLICK HERE to read The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.

Jesus Feeds 5,000– We read the Bible story about Jesus feeding 5,000 men with just five loaves of bread and two fish. The story validates that God provides miracles when we trust in Him. CLICK HERE to watch an animated version of the story. After watching and discussing the story we traced my daughter’s hand and made a collage with Goldfish to remind us of God’s miracle.

I Can’t Eat the SOUP!– We really enjoyed watching the “soup opera,” I Can‘t Eat the Soup! by the extremely talented children’s performer, Jim Gill. A few summers ago we were lucky to see Jim Gill in concert at our local library. After watching several different versions on line, we enjoyed acting the “soup opera” out ourselves! CLICK HERE to watch the most recent version of I Can’t Eat the Soup! and CLICK HERE to watch one complete with a symphony orchestra!

Music Monday (Week of the Young Child)…Day 42

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Today begins “Week of the Young Child,” (WOYC) an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). WOYC was established in 1971 and through fun-filled activities it’s a way to focus attention on young children (birth-age 8), their teachers, families, and communities. The official WOYC was April 13-17, during Zion Lutheran School’s spring break, so my daughter’s school is celebrating this week with daily themes and dress up days.Today was Music Monday. When children sing, dance, and listen to music, they develop their language and early literacy skills while being active and encouraging movement. My family of three enjoyed making music together!

Dance- My daughter takes dance class so she chose to dress up in her leotard. During the quarantine, her dance studio has been providing virtual dance class where the young dancers are taken on a trip around the world. Tonight they visited France.

Musical Books- We read a variety of musical books throughout our day. I have so many favorites it was difficult to pick which ones to read! We love Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin by Lloyd Moss. This award winning musical counting book introduces young readers to different types of instruments and musical groups from solo, trio to octet! CLICK HERE to read Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin. The Music in Me was new to me but it was relatable as a little boy navigates his place in a family full of musicians. CLICK HERE to read The Music in Me. by Jane Pinczuk. Hey Diddle Diddle by Eve Bunting is a playful rhyming book with animals playing various instruments. CLICK HERE to read Hey Diddle Diddle. Olivia books are a staple in picture book libraries all over the world. Join Olivia as she forms a one person (pig) band in Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer. CLICK HERE to read Olivia Forms a Band. Tubby the Tuba by Paul Tripp is about a tuba who grows tired of playing accompaniment and wants to have a solo part in the orchestra! CLICK HERE to read Tubby the Tuba.

Making Music- My husband and I are both active musicians so our daughter has grown up attending our concerts and sitting in the balcony at church while mommy and daddy play their instruments. Today we let her play. With our help she played a few notes on the trumpet and on the clarinet. Our daughter has a basket full of percussion instruments that she pulls out and plays on a regular basis. The jury is still out on what band instrument she will play but for now percussion is her favorite!Make Your Own Instrument– Look around your house and make your own instruments out of recyclables. Make a shaker by filling something with rice, beans or rocks. Make a drum by decorating a plastic container or tub. Full glass bottles with various amounts of water, blow across the top and hear a note. How much water do you need in the bottle to make a low note or a high note? Have a parade and march around the house playing your new instruments!

Musical Vocabulary– We listened to various pieces of music and moved our bodies to match what we heard. We danced quickly when the tempo was presto and moved slowly when the tempo was largo. We danced on tip toes when the dynamic was piano and stomped our feet when the dynamic was forte!

A Hero’s Parade, Family Zoom and a New Hymn…Day 41

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Our day began like a typical Sunday in isolation with our family of three gathering by the big screen to worship together. Little did we know the excitement that awaited! The day was filled with adventure… a new hymn, a multi-generational family reunion on Zoom and a surprise from our favorite baseball mascot, Fred Bird!

 An Anthem During Isolation– We sang a new hymn in church today. “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death,” is a modern hymn that expresses the comfort and assurance that flow from trusting Christ, who has conquered death and guaranteed our future by his resurrection. Written by the modern hymn writers, Keith and Kristyn Getty, the words we sang reminded me to trust in God during this time of isolation and uncertainty; through the troubled storms, trials and fear, God is good and the blood of Christ is our hope in life and in death. CLICK HERE to listen to the song on YouTube and CLICK HERE to view Zion Lutheran’s worship service.

Getty song

Family Zoom Reunion- My husband participated in a Talley family Zoom with his father, most of his aunts and uncles and some of his cousins. There were 20 family members in attendance and they represented 8 different states! My daughter, the third generation, enjoyed waving to her extended family. The conversation for this week centered around the old house on the family’s homestead in rural KY. It had recently been torn down and the first generation had a lot of memories to share. Filled with family history and updates from the present, these virtual family reunions are becoming a weekly tradition!

A Parade For Heroes– During our Zoom call imagine our surprise when we heard a commotion coming from behind our house! From across the pond we heard horns honking, music playing and saw a parade for our medical heroes being led by our favorite baseball mascot, Fred Bird! Louie, the St. Louis Blues mascot, also joined in. They were heading to our local hospital to surprise the staff and thank our medical community for the hard work and great effort they are putting forth during the pandemic. They happened to take a detour behind our house along the way! My daughter has been blessed to meet Fred Bird, the mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, multiple times in her short life. (5 times if I’m counting correctly) I’ll never forget how excited I was to have an up close and personal chat with him in the Cardinal Club. I told my daughter how lucky she was to meet Fred Bird and how I only dreamed of such a meeting when I was a child. My daughter, three years old at the time, replied, “Well, you’re getting to see him now!” A year ago Fred Bird was a special guest at a birthday party we attended and more recently he made an appearance at her school. My daughter had won a contest where Fred Bird came to her school to surprise her! He visited with all of the children but extra special attention was given to my daughter. The photos show that special day in December 2019, when all of the preschool students and their teachers happily gathered in the commons area. Fred Bird has been part of my daughter’s life so it should come as no surprise when she said, “Fred Bird drove past our house because he knows me!” Thank you Fred Bird for putting a smile on our faces during this time of isolation!

 

What’s Behind the Picture? Documenting Our Time in Isolation…Day 40

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

A photo captures a single moment in time, a framed slice of reality shot by the photographer. A good photograph can conjure emotion, take the viewer to places he or she has never seen or create a memory for the future. Photographs are wordless ways to share and document life but they never tell the whole story. As you view my blog and the photos embedded within, note that the photos I choose to share simply capture fleeting seconds during hours of isolation. Our days during this pandemic are far from picture perfect, filled with a storm of emotions represented by the good, the bad and the ugly. Along with the struggle, fear, disappointment, frustration and anger, God has blessed us with beautiful moments of tenderness, love, joy and laughter. When all of this is over the carefree moments that brought us closer together as a family, a community, and a nation are the memories I want to remember.

The Many Faces of Lillian Clare– I took Easter pictures of my little one in our backyard and got a variety of facial expressions!

Showing Love for Curious George?- Although this photo shows a smiling little girl sitting next to my beloved childhood friend, Curious George, the introduction was anything but cordial. When she saw my vintage Curious George she refused to hold him, let alone hug him! To get this adorable photo I had to bribe her with candy!

In Isolation– Taken moments before virtual circle time (with her preschool class), this picture shows the frustration, uncertainty and disappointment we have all experienced during the pandemic. My little one finds comfort cuddling with her favorite blanket, affectionately named Nae Nae.

Childhood Moments with Gary the Puppet and the Great Outdoors…Day 39

Published on by noteworthymommy6 Comments

Today was a good day and at first glance it looked like a typical spring day with a preschool child and her stay at home mom. The weather was perfect, lending itself to lazy walks and carefree exploration. My daughter had early childhood chapel and this Noteworthy Mommy went to happy hour where I laughed until I cried with some of my best girlfriends! When you take a closer look you’ll see that although some things are indeed the same, they have been altered; filled with unexpected adaptation due to COVID 19.

Outdoor Fun– Observational walks around the pond in our backyard have become a staple on peak weather days. Today we heard the chirps and splashes of spring frogs as they quickly jumped into the pond, protecting themselves from our anticipated arrival. We were lucky to discover a big frog, camouflaged among the murky waters, hoping to go undetected. The picture of my daughter blowing seeds off of the season’s first dandelion is accompanied with talk of the abrupt shift to virtual learning. I am brought back to our new reality when she says, “I wish I could go back to school, I really wanted to plant lettuce. I could plant lettuce with you but it won’t be as special.”

Gary the Puppet– The early childhood classes at my daughter’s school have chapel every week and Gary the Puppet often makes a special appearance. My daughter participated in chapel today where she learned that as Christians we continue to celebrate Easter and sing our Alleluias! CLICK HERE to learn how to make an Alleluia Shaker. Even though COVID 19 has shuttered the doors of her physical school, she continues to hear the message of Jesus’s love through weekly virtual chats with Pastor Rouland and Gary the Puppet. She finds joy and comfort in them and seeing familiar faces is a highlight of her week. This will become a cherished childhood memory. CLICK HERE to view this week’s message.

Noteworthy Mommy’s Happy Hour– Occasional happy hours with my girlfriends are cherished but during our busy lives they unfortunately are few and far between. In the midst of the pandemic I am reminded how important it is to spend time with my girlfriends, enjoying a glass of wine and sharing a few laughs! Our happy hours are now more frequent (weekly) and have become virtual with iconic Brady Bunch squares, funny stories and glasses (some weeks, bottles) of wine. Taking the time to relax with friends, even virtually, is helping me navigate the weeks upon weeks spent in isolation.

Polka Dots, Puddles, Purposeful Writing and Banana Bread…Day 38

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

The day welcomed us with rain but we didn’t let the rainy day get us down! Polka dots brightened our day and the smells of Nana’s homemade banana bread filled our home and our tummies with sweet comfort. Purposeful play is a focus everyday but even more so on rainy days. So we took our play outdoors and joined the American Robin by splashing in rain puddles.

Polka Dots– This week is virtual spirit week and today was polka dot day at Zion Lutheran School. My daughter looked through her wardrobe and dressed herself in a polka dot shirt and polka dot jeans. She used her Scented Juicy Fruits Dot Markers by Do-A-Dot-Art and made a colorful polka dot painting. These are the best dot markers I have found and the fruit scents add some extra fun! And they last forever! We also incorporated some math by making patterns with the DO-A-Dot-Art markers!

Robins, Rain Puddles and Rain Art– The last time we had a rainy week in quarantine we discovered my daughter had out grown her rain boots and rain coat. We ordered new rain gear and she couldn’t wait to test it out! Before we headed outdoors we visited a website dedicated to the American Robin and learned a bit more about this busy bird. Since mommy robins are busy building nests, we put some yarn in our yard for them to use as nest building supplies (pet hair, yarn and string are all good). Then we played in the puddles and took a neighborhood walk where we bird watched and counted 14 American Robins! Our fun in the rain ended by making some rainy day art. We used cardboard and washable markers and made some colorful rainbows! CLICK HERE for more details.

Banana Bread– My daughter and I followed my mom’s award winning recipe and made homemade banana bread. The secret ingredient is chocolate chips! CLICK HERE for Nana’s Banana Bread recipe. My daughter loves to be in the kitchen. Through baking, children learn how to follow directions, measure and be patient. The best reward is eating the yummy results!

Purposeful Writing– If you read my blog regularly you know how much I value play. Children process their feelings, thoughts and learning through imaginative, unstructured, play.  Towards the end of the day I discovered my daughter had made a trap for her daddy on the stairs, leading to her room. She prefers that mommy conduct her night time routine and wanted to make sure daddy didn’t come in! She labeled the traps with the words “Daddy No!” on sticky notes. She used print for a meaningful purpose, without prompting and without asking how to spell; writing the words conventionally on her own during purposeful play.

Living Generously On Earth Day…Day 37

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the annual celebration of the environmental movement. With a national pandemic and a social distancing ordnance, this historic Earth Day is one we will be celebrating at home.

The Earth Book– We began our Earth Day activities by reading The Earth Book by Todd Parr. This charming book shares many easy things we can do to help our Earth. From using both sides of the paper, to planting a tree to shopping with reusable bags. CLICK HERE to read the book.

Cleaning Up Our Earth– My daughter and I walked around the pond in our backyard and picked up trash. We filled up a large trash bag with trash and junk. We enjoy the pond and know that many animals do too. By picking up the litter and trash we can keep our pond clean and green for everyone to enjoy!

Earth Day Activities– We spent most of the day outside enjoying the Earth. We went on an Earth Day scavenger hunt in our backyard and wrote about picking up trash; something we did today and can do everyday. Indoor learning was taken outdoors when we watched a recycling video on the tablet and played a math game.

Reusing Old Toys– Earth day is the perfect time to go through toys and books and pass on the ones we are no longer using. My daughter selected a few items and we delivered them to a nearby friend. The family was overjoyed and knowing they will bring new life to things we no longer play with brought a smile to all of our faces!

Throwback Tuesday With Wildflower Mud Pies, YES, Please!…Day 36

Published on by noteworthymommyLeave a comment

When I was a child I loved the outdoors! My parents practically had to drag me into the house for dinner and then afterwards, I immediately returned outside and a confrontation to get me indoors and into the bath ensued.

Today was a throwback to my childhood because the weather was gorgeous and my daughter and I spent our entire afternoon outside enjoying spring! As we engaged in the activities below we unplugged for a few hours, leaving the stresses of the world behind.

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt– My daughter rode her Big Wheel and then her scooter around the neighborhood and we used the card below to play Neighborhood Bingo! Along the way we stopped to say hello to our favorite pup (Lady) and rescued some worms from getting fried by the sun. My daughter giggled when she decided to follow the “bird poop trail!” Anyone who thinks boys are the only ones who are obsessed with bodily functions must have never raised a girl!

Outdoor Picnic Lunch– What a delight it was to eat lunch on a blanket in our backyard. While eating. we read some favorite books and closed our eyes and listened. What sounds do you hear? (lawnmower, birds, dogs, a siren). The ability to differentiate sounds is the beginning tier of phonological awareness, an umbrella term that incorporates phonemic awareness (differentiating sounds) and a range of oral language skills necessary for reading and writing development.

Wildflowers and Mud Pies- The highlight of the afternoon was playing in the mud! One of my fondest five-year old memories is playing in the mud with my best friend. We were covered from head to toe in wet gooey mud and were having the best time. Our carefree play captured the eye of a local photographer and he snapped a photo that appeared on the front page of our hometown newspaper. When we returned to kindergarten the next day we were instant celebrities!

Although my daughter didn’t get anywhere near as messy as I did at her age, she certainly had fun scooping up dirt, mixing it with water and adorning her creations with delicate wildflowers carefully handpicked from the pond behind our house. The simplicity of it all made my heart happy. While playing she commented that today was the best day ever! Then she asked if I would like one of her mud pies and I enthusiastically replied, “YES, please!”