Not as planned

Have you ever noticed that some projects just never go as quickly as you anticipated? Then, four hours later, you give up - less than half done - brimming over with irritation at the wasted time.

In my mind's eye, I had an hour-long project in mind. I'd do the project (getting something I needed to get done for the children at school) and then I'd write a nice blog post about how well it went. The project? Making 5 holiday cards for each child to send to a local nursing home.

I had recently gotten an email from Cricut about buying holiday card templates for $0.99. The plan was:

1. Purchase template instantly online.
2. Print 10 cards.
3. Print 10 liners.
4. Print 10 envelopes.
5. Assemble cards.
6. Have children draw picture and write names in cards.
7. Finish project. Take pictures. Write lovely blog post about project.

Reality:

1. Realize the cricut machine is not actually plugged in and spend 45 minutes digging behind desk for unattached cords.
2. Spend 30 minutes testing a free template before deciding it won't work.
3. Forget password and spend 15 minutes changing password so that I can log in and buy template.
4. Spend an hour printing (very nice) cards.
   
   
5. Spend 10 minutes designing liners. Print first one. Realize that the center of the "e" and "a" will have to be glued in to every single card.
   
   
6. Spend a half hour trying to fix that problem. Decide it can't be done and that you don't care if the center of the "e" and "a" are missing on the final cards.
7. Print two liners and decide to assemble those two cards for some positive reinforcement. The cards look great. Feel slightly better.
   
   
8. Vow that you will finish this project if it takes you until midnight.
9. Run out of glue.
   
   
10. Quit with only 2/10 cards done and no envelopes done.
11. Simmer in resentment that you will have to return to this project another day.
12. Write a slightly whiny and venty blog post about the frustrating experience.

Initial H Speech Worksheet

Make classroom teachers happy, reinforce phonics and handwriting, and practice speech all at the same time.

This worksheet is pretty self-explanatory. You might enjoy sliding it into a sheet protector and using dry-erase markers during your session. Then you can use this same sheet all day long. Alternately, at the end of the session, slide it out and let the child take it home for homework.

Younger children will just enjoy identifying the pictures and working on clear initial /h/ sounds while letting you fill in the letter "h" for them. Slightly older students can work on their handwriting and fine motor skills by writing in the letter themselves.

As always, you can practice these words in isolation, in repetitions of two or three, with carrier phrases, or in short sentences. If you're sending the sheet home for homework, write in extra directions if you want the parents to practice at a particular level.

This worksheet is modeled after The Missing Vowel worksheets included in the Simple Vowels Speech Kit.

Enjoy!

Slightly Crafty Birthday Party Favors: Felt Crayon Carriers

I am not the birthday theme sort. We choose a nice venue and invite friends for company. We have a cake and candles. We sing happy birthday and open our presents at home. (I've found that asking a crowd of 3-5 year olds to sit and watch someone else open presents for 15-20 minutes while they'd rather be playing is just painful.)

I do like the relatively new tradition of having small gifts/party favors for the guests - particularly when those guests are very young children. This year I, rather ambitiously, decided to make something. I didn't want to do the party favor aisle stuff this year. I know from experience most parents end up throwing that stuff out. I also liked the idea that I could make something more unique that the kids and parents would like out of materials I already had lying around from my busy book days (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

I'm making little felt crayon rolls in a variety of colors. I'm going to include a small piece of paper that says "Thank you for coming to Michael's party!" with cute clip art. I'll attach balloons to each one and use them to decorate the table. Then each child can choose one they like and take the crayon roll and balloon home. The crayons in each roll will coordinate with the color of the felt.

I took 9x12 pieces of craft felt and cut 1.5 inches off length-wise. Then I cut the remaining piece in half. Fold that piece over by about 2/3. Also cut a 18 inch long piece of ribbon or cord of some kind, fold it in half and stick in in-between the fold on one side. Sew a U shape around one side, the bottom, and other side making sure to securely attach the string/ribbon. Then just make four evenly spaced lines from the bottom to the top of the pouch to form the pockets for the five crayons. Insert crayons, roll-up, and tie. Repeat 14 more times. (I didn't get very many RSVP's from Michael's classmates so I want extras just in case.) Done.

Well, then make the thank-you for coming notes on the computer, print out 15 of those, cut them out and insert them in the rolls. Then remember to actually bring the favors to the party and attach balloons to them and place them on the table. But then you're done.

Ok, fine. Then you have to set up the cake, loosely supervise children and chat with parents, orchestrate the gathering of children and singing of Happy Birthday, cut and serve the cake, take pictures, pay the venue, gather all of your things, and get out of there before the next party. Then you're really done.

Hmm... well, I can actually think of a few more things, but I think you get the idea. :-)

(Inspiration found here.)