Surviving the Monday Blues with Alphabet Exercise, Storybook Writing and Family Game Night…Day 35

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We have a case of the Monday Blues. Spring break is over and daddy went back to work. COVID 19 has caused his company to move to a work one week, off one week schedule for awhile. We are happy he will be making an income but sad at the same time as we have grown accustomed to having him around! To brighten our day we tried some of the activity suggestions sent by my daughter’s teacher.

Alphabet Exercise– We used these alphabet exercises to get moving! Children can spell words or their name to engage in the physical activity that accompanies each letter. We pulled letters out of a “mystery bag” and after naming the letter and making the sound, we did the exercise. CLICK HERE to go to The OT Tookbox to learn how to do each alphabet exercise.

Writing a Story- My daughter’s preschool class loves to write! They had just completed a project on writing a book prior to the quarantine. The culminating activity was working together to publish their own class book (a fairytale) and then having a book signing party. Her teacher used School Mate Publishing and turned the book written and illustrated by Mrs. Stanglein’s preschool class of 2019-2020 into a published book! My daughter created the skunk character who sprayed the princess. Every child got to illustrate two pages. Our family of three have happy memories of the book signing party where we visited with her teacher, talked to other parents and watched our daughter joyously play with her friends! With an abrupt stop to attending school in the physical sense, with her teacher and friends, the book and book signing party is a sweet preschool memory we’ve been dearly holding onto during this time of isolation.This week my daughter’s teacher assigned the task of writing an original fairytale. We completed Step One: Brainstorm ideas by writing or drawing characters, a setting, and a problem and a solution for your story.

Family Game Night- Two of our favorite games are the Sneaky, Snacky, Squirrel Game! and the Hoot Owl Hoot Game. The Sneaky, Snacky, Squirrel Game! (ages 3-5) was our daughter’s first board game. The game reinforces color learning and develops strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while using the squirrel shaped squeezer. This is a fun game that develops memory skills, matching, sorting and counting in an engaging way. The Hoot Owl Hoot Game (ages 4 and above) is a cooperative matching game that develops strategy. Players work as a team to get the baby owls back to their nest before the sun comes up. Although my family of three wasn’t successful at returning all of the owls to their nest; we had fun trying and the best reward was spending quality time together! 

A Sunday Filled With Donuts and Alleluias!…Day 34

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Before the COVID 19 isolation my husband would often get his girls donuts on Saturday mornings from Donut King, a nearby independent donut shop. Hands down, this place has the best donuts around! Their signature donut is the Chop Suey, a gigantic mound of dough with cinnamon and sweet icing, but our little one thinks the donuts with sprinkles are the best! After being closed for three weeks we were delighted to discover they were opening for the weekend and would be providing curbside service to their loyal customers. In an attempt to support a local favorite, we placed an order online and my husband went to pick it up on Saturday morning. While there he saw some familiar faces from Zion (Lutherans really love their donuts) and was told that some customers waited over an hour for their orders! Over run with a tremendous response from local patrons, the small donut shop was unable to fill all of the orders and he retuned home without any donuts. Although disappointed, I viewed this as glorious news because we want our local businesses around after the quarantine is over! Donut King asked that he return on Sunday morning and our family of three happily enjoyed our favorite fried doughy delights while watching church in our pajamas. 

Alleluia Shakers– The week before Easter my daughter’s teacher recommended we make Alleluia shakers. My daughter enjoyed making the Alleluia shakers so much we had extras that we shared with family and friends when we delivered Easter meals. And we all enjoyed shaking them every time we said Alleluia on Easter morning! This Sunday Pastor Rouland (our senior pastor) reminded our congregation about Zion’s Alleluia shaker tradition. He suggested various ways one could construct an Alleluia shaker (toilet paper tube, beans, rice, coins) and encouraged everyone to make one if they hadn’t already. Earlier in the week I came across our Alleluia shakers and questioned if I should pack them away. Time got away from me and they remained on the end table next to our couch. Pastor Rouland reminded me that Alleluia shakers aren’t just for Easter. Instead of packing them away with the Easter baskets, continue to shake them as we rejoice and shout Alleluia for our risen Savior, Jesus Christ!

The Alycat Series…Supporting Independent Publishers on Day 33

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I love children’s literature and quality picture books hold a special spot in my heart. So do cats. So when I stumbled across The Alycat Series by Alysson Foti Bourque, I was filled with excitement!There are currently four books in the series about the adventures of a cat named Alycat and her furry cat friends. I ordered Alycat and the Monday Blues for my daughter’s Easter basket. In this book Alycat is having a case of the Monday blues. But when she helps a friend in need she turns her blue day into a new day! The author created a song to go with the book. CLICK HERE to listen to the song. I also ordered the adorable Monday Alycat stuffed doll that is wearing a dress with a musical note print! The attention to detail is amazing!Last week my daughter and I participated in a livestream FaceTime chat with The Alycat Series author, Alysson Foti Bourque. Bourque read her newest book, Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday, a charming book about learning to trust in yourself and your own abilities instead of relying on luck. It will be our next addition to the series since it takes place on a golf course! After reading, Bourque described the publishing process. Being a former elementary school teacher and attorney, her presentation was informative while being appropriate for young children. My daughter loved seeing the Alycat costumed character (she kept waving to her during the reading) but enjoyed meeting the author’s real life cat even more! Bourque is hosting weekly storytime events on Facebook that I encourage you to check out!CLICK HERE to order your books and stuffed cat dolls! The Alycat Series is having a special promotion that I was thrilled to receive…25% off of any purchase and a free Bugsby stuffed doll! Bugsby is the main character in the newest book. Thank you Alycat and talented author, Alysson Foti Bourque, for bringing my family of three happiness during the COVID 19, quarantine blues!

Live Generously, Virtual Happy Hour and Socially Distant Coffee Hour…Day 32

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Living Generously- Beyond problem solving and learning Foundational Skills my hope for my daughter is that she is a caring and generous person who gives unto others authentically. One of the things that first attracted me to my husband was his huge, unselfish heart. Without wavering he immediately offers assistance to those in need. He never seeks acknowledgement for his good deeds, preferring to stay invisible. Like her parents, our daughter is growing up in a Christian home where these values are instilled but more importantly modeled and put into practice. During this time of isolation we are living generously by surprising loved ones and friends with care packages and parades. Reaching out to others we haven’t talked to in awhile and thanking God every single day for the many blessings He has given us.

Generously Living… Sharing meals, margaritas, treats, cards and more.

Virtual Happy Hour- This is the fourth Friday I have participated in a virtual happy hour with a few of my girlfriends. With wine in hand, we gather around our screens and talk. We begin with airing our weekly frustrations from facilitating virtual learning (for those with children) to working from home (for those who work) to social distancing, sharing recipes and finally securing some much needed toilet paper! But then the conversation turns to talking about the past, reliving cherished memories of when we were young and care free. As we laugh until we cry, the unconditional love from my girlfriends is just the support I need to get me through another week.

Pat’s Socially Distant Coffee Hour– My sister in law began a weekly Zoom chat and opened it up to any female on her Facebook list who was interested in joining in. During our first meeting we met each other, a group of eclectic women across multiple states who didn’t have anything in common except having some sort of connection with our host. Pat asked each of us to share a favorite coffee mug and the history behind the mug. Another week we shared something that was helping get us through the quarantine. This week we are sharing a favorite picture. Through the sharing we are connecting, learning about each other, processing our new reality and supporting each other. I look forward to our weekly chats and through my sister in law’s socially distant coffee hour chats, I have met some amazing Christian women who I no longer call strangers but now proudly name as friends.

A Preschool Birthday Parade, Paint Sticks and Virtual Storytime… Day 31

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Today my heart was happy. We safely interacted with others, got out of the house and surprised my daughter’s teacher with a birthday parade! The day was filled with fun and friendship, ending with a sweet surprise from a dear friend who is like family.

Surprise Birthday Parade– Birthdays are fun and surprise birthdays are even better! When I realized we wouldn’t get to see my daughter’s preschool teacher on her special day, I organized a preschool birthday parade. I think Mrs. Stanglein was surprised because when the birthday parade drove by she was in the shower! With wet hair and no shoes, she ran outside waving. She enjoyed seeing the sweet faces of the class she no longer gets to see in person. And the children enjoyed seeing each other, waving from decorated cars, the smiles on their dear faces providing proof.

We enjoyed decorating daddy’s truck for the big parade (we had 12 cars participate) and my daughter made a special card to go with the present. And what do you get someone on a birthday celebrated in isolation? A quarantine survival kit of course…beer, chocolate and toilet paper!

Chunkies Paint Sticks– My daughter created a beautiful painting for her teacher’s birthday with her Chunkies Paint Sticks by Ooly. There was no mess because the paint is contained in a plastic barrel. They are easy to hold and dry instantly, making them perfect for little hands. My daughter got the 24 count variety pack from the Easter Bunny. What a blessed little girl! Virtual Story Time– We ended our day with a virtual story time with my friend Jaime. My daughter calls her Auntie Jaime and we have all missed our monthly get togethers. Auntie Jaime sent my daughter the book Grow, Candice, Grow by Candice Cameron-Bure. The second in a series of books about a little girl named Candice, this book teaches the importance of patience when planting a garden. Auntie Jaime bought two copies of the book, sending one to us and keeping the other so she could read the book to my daughter virtually. My daughter followed along with her book and listened attentively; excitedly answering questions asked of her. It was a brilliant idea and a special gift for me and for my daughter. My daughter isn’t always engaged during virtual meetings but for this one she was. She even requested I leave the room, gifting me with something that has become rare, a few cherished moments to myself!

Fear Not!…Day 30

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When we opened the Easter basket from my daughter’s Godparents I never expected to find homemade masks tucked next to the beautifully decorated cookies. During the day I am easily distracted from the daily news. With my young daughter as my primary focus, I am joyfully occupied with play and engaging activity. The masks were a stark reminder of the seriousness that is COVID 19.  Our days pass quickly (when you have a preschooler with a ton of energy you have to be active). But when night appears I find it hard to sleep as my mind is captured with fear… How long will this last? When will my husband return to a normal work schedule and a full salary? With schools overcoming their own challenges will they ever be in need of my consulting services? Did I hurt my daughter today when I relied on technology to occupy part of her day while I attended to neglected household chores? Will my daughter attend kindergarten at a brick and mortar school in the fall or will digital learning continue to be the norm? Are my friends and family members safe?

I know I am not alone. All of my readers are experiencing their own fear, anxiety and personal worry. Reading a daily devotional helps me begin each day in a positive way. FEAR NOT is the theme for Zion Lutheran Church in St. Charles’s annual Easter devotional. Written by members ranging from school age to senior citizen, the devotions cover most of the Easter season, beginning with Easter Sunday (April 12) and ending with the day after Ascension (May 22). The devotional booklet was written before COVID 19 hit our area and this Noteworthy Mommy wrote the devotional for May 5. CLICK HERE to download the devotional booklet. I turn to my writing as a way to make sense of the challenges our world is facing. And just as my daughter is comforted by my loving touch, helping her fall asleep when she awakes in the middle of the night, I find comfort in the hands of my Heavenly Father. As a child of God I place all of my fear and worries into His hands. As Miss Tracy reminds us at the end of dance class… I AM LOVED. I AM SAFE, I AM WELL.

Big Wheel, Mr. Sketch and Uno…Day 29

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Today was nostalgic and it made me wonder what it would have been like if a pandemic had happened when I was a child? Minus a Facetime chat with Nana, the toys we played with throughout our day were the same ones I had as a child. All I have to do is view today and I would get a glimpse of how things might have looked.

Big Wheel– My daughter got a Big Wheel for Easter. Although pink and purple in color and lacking the handlebar streamers, brake and back saddle box, it is almost identical to the Big Wheel I adored as a child. Some of my best childhood memories involve riding my Big Wheel around and around on our patio with my favorite Curious George doll joining me for the ride. My mom loves listening to the radio so the popular Top 40 hits from the era became my driving music.

At first uneasy, my little one quickly learned how to maneuver her new set of wheels. We are currently experiencing a cold spell so she has yet to ride outside but she is having fun pretending to be a mail carrier and rides all over the house delivering mail from room to room. She is writing, spelling and addressing letters while she plays! We attached a red lunch box to the back of her Big Wheel and that holds her mail along with Avalanche, her beloved stuffed pup. Big Wheels are recommended for ages 3-8 so like her Noteworthy Mommy, my mini me has several years to create some happy childhood memories on her Big Wheel.

Mr. Sketch Scented Markers– Another popular present was a set of Mr. Sketch Scented Markers. Smelling the markers made me feel like a first grader again! The scents haven’t changed in over forty years! My first grade teacher would put a big smiley face, drawn with a Mr. Sketch Scented Marker, on your ditto if you had turned in excellent work. And if you had behaved all day she drew a Mr. Sketch Scented smiley face on your hand before the bell range for dismissal. I don’t known if a smiley face drawn with a marker would motivate the children of this generation but it worked on me! My daughter enjoyed drawing pictures with the markers and making a birthday card for a friend. Our favorite scents were apple (dark green) and blueberry (light blue).

Family Game Night– UNO was the unanimous winner for tonight’s Family Game Night. How I loved playing UNO as a child! Over the years many unique UNO decks have become available. Our UNO deck is a Cocoa Cola collectors set with vintage Cocoa Cola artwork featured on the cards. It wouldn’t matter what UNO set we played with, the colors and the rules are the same and my family of three would be having fun together, creating childhood memories.

Spring Break Begins With Vintage Toys and Family Game Night…Day 28

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This week is spring break at school so we are adding a lot of fun and even more play to our day!

We were supposed to be on our way to Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City. My daughter’s best friend from preschool and her family had reservations at the same time. Neither family told their little ones about the trip so when we arrived the girls would have been surprised to be at Great Wolf Lodge but even more surprised to see each other!!!

The Easter Bunny blessed our daughter with an abundance of goodies so we spent most of the day exploring all of her new acquisitions. I’m highlighting a few things as they are keeping her busy and happy during the quarantine.

Lite-Brite– It’s just like you remember, but better than ever! My daughter loves to create art with light using templates and colorful pegs that light up like a neon sign! This retro toy helps build fine motor strength while having fun at the same time! A childhood favorite of mine, Lite-Brite, was born in 1967. But unlike my original, the modern Lite-Brite has cutvthe dies and is now battery powered! It uses LED lights that mast for years and generates little to no heat. It lays flat for storage and has no more power cords or hot incandescent light bulbs that burn out leaving little girls who grew up in the 1970’s and early 1980’s very frustrated! My daughter already had a Lite-Brite but the Easter Bunny brought her new templates that she couldn’t wait to reveal. Part of our day was spent playing with this classic toy.

Silly Putty– Many Easter baskets during my childhood contained an egg of Silly Putty and this year my daughter found two Silly Putty eggs in her basket. Created by accident, Silly Putty made its debut in 1950 around Easter so it was packaged in plastic eggs and continues to come in an egg today. And the $1 price tag hasn’t changed in 70 years. It’s still bouncy and stringy and filled with fun but today’s putty comes in a variety of scents! My daughter got a peaches and vanilla cream set and there are also aroma therapy scents. Crayola is the new Silly Putty manufacturer. CLICK HERE to see all of the variations. CLICK HERE to discover more interesting facts about Silly Putty.

Scribble Scrubbies– One of Crayola’s newest products, we fell in love with Scribble Scrubbies when my daughter was gifted a pet play set for her birthday. You use markers to color and draw on the Scribble Scrubbie animals. Then you scrub them with water and a little brush (included) to wash the color away. Once they are dry you can decorate them all over again. Crayola just released a Wild Safari collection of Scribble Scrubbies and she found three of them in her Easter basket.

Family Game Night- Before the isolation we enjoyed having an occasional Family Game Night. My husband is home from work this week, on furlough, so we decided it was the perfect time to make EVERY night this week a Family Game Night! We began with Sorry, the classic board game and childhood favorite of mine. In the 2013 Edition, several rules were changed from the game I remembered playing as a child. Each player only has three pawns instead of four and a pawn can be moved out from Start upon any number card. It makes the game go faster and I guess the changes occurred because people today have shorter attention spans. However with the quarantine in place families have plenty of of time to play all of the classic board games and that’s exactly what my family of three plan on doing.

An Easter Sunday in Isolation…Separate But Not Alone

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This Easter is like no other we have ever experienced. I should have been singing in the choir at our 11:00 service, marking my first Easter singing with the treble choir at church. Instead I sang with my family of three as we sat on the couch in our family room streaming Zion Lutheran Church St. Charles’s worship service through our TV. While COVID 19 shuttered the doors to physical church buildings around the world it did not cancel Easter or close church. It didn’t stop us from getting out our alleluia shakers and saying He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!

Although this Easter was different in so many ways, at the same time it was oddly familiar. As we sang all of the Easter hymns I grew up with, from the opening hymn, “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” to “This Is The Feast” to the closing hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Alleluia,” I was transported back to my childhood. To an Easter where I worshiped with my parents and maternal grandmother at Zion Lutheran Church in Belleville. It could have been any Easter in the early 1980’s. I would have been in elementary school, third, fourth or fifth grade, it doesn’t matter as they would have all been the same. Me wearing a dress that I couldn’t wait to get out of, sitting uncomfortably on the hard pew daydreaming about the Easter eggs, candy and toys that would occupy the rest of my day. But the music always drew me back in. As we sang from the blue LCMS hymnals I hung onto every note. My mother’s beautiful voice, the organ and occasional trumpet, brought me comfort and embraced me with loving arms. God didn’t bless my grandmother with an angelic voice but as a life long Lutheran she belted out each note with Lutheran pride. I admired her tenacity and unwavering love for her church. Although she has been with Jesus for thirty-three years, I felt her presence today as we sang “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds.” As my daughter fell asleep in my lap I was transported back to the present, the first Easter in my daughter’s young life that she won’t be able to celebrate with all four of her grandparents. Although we took an Easter meal to both sets of grandparents this weekend and each one had a surprise Easter egg hunt for her in their yard, we weren’t able to be together and that bothered my daughter. It felt weird to be so close to our loved ones, yet so far a part. In keeping with proper social distancing there was no physical contact on our short family visits and no comforting hugs due to COVID 19. This historic time of isolation will change us all. And as a result my five year old daughter will grow up with a greater appreciation for worship and devotion, family dinners and comforting hugs.

Living Generously, Easter Eggs and Holy Saturday

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We spent Holy Saturday Living Generously by cooking, filling plates and delivering Easter meals to our parents and to family friends. All are being cautious about going grocery shopping due to their high risk status of contracting COVID 19. After days of isolation my daughter and I were excited to go on a drive where we helped others. Last week we prepared and delivered Easter baskets to my daughter’s BFFs and surprised some special friends with a palm cross. Although we didn’t use Live Generously funds for these outreach opportunities my daughter and I began discussing what we can do to Live Generously in the future.

Easter Eggs– I have many wonderful memories of decorating Easter eggs with my father. When my daughter came along he continued the tradition with her. This year the quarantine kept us from decorating eggs with Pops so our family of three had a night of decorating instead.

Holy Saturday– Today was supposed to be Immanuel Lutheran Church’s annual Easter egg hunt. I had signed my daughter up for the hunt and upon cancellation our sister church contacted me with the exciting news of delivering goodie bags to all of the families who planned on attending. My daughter beamed when she discovered the goodie bag on our front door. One of the gifts in the bag was the book, The Sunday Morning Miracle along with a companion activity book. I enjoyed reading the book to my daughter in preparation for Easter Sunday.

We also watched a short video about Holy Saturday. CLICK HERE to view and we sang the following song… He Hung Upon A Cross.

He hung upon a cross, He hung upon a cross. He hung upon a cross for YOU and ME…

One day when I was lost (ca chicka chicka) He Hunt upon a cross (ca chicka chicka) He hung upon a cross for me.

He bowed His head and died…

They laid Him in a tomb…

He rose on Easter morn…

He’s coming back someday…

CLICK HERE to listen to the song.