Creativity

Create Your Own Speech Therapy Book

When SJ was first diagnosed with hearing loss I was encouraged to create an experience book. Books are a great resource for speech delays anyway, but a book that has pictures and experiences that your child can directly identify with is even better.

I try to make a new one every year so that we can expand on what she has learned. Here is a look at how easy it is to create and implement.

First Words

The first book was the most basic both in it’s design and the words that were in it. For this one all you need is

4×6 photo album
Pictures of your child or objects that are familiar
Index cards to spell out the words you are encouraging the child to say

I chose words like hurt along with a picture of SJ with a boo boo

or sleep with a pic of her sleeping.

Trash is a word you may not find in your typical “first words” book, but trash (or some people say garbage) is a word we use everyday. That’s the beauty of customizing your own language book. You get to choose what to put in it.

When we first made this book we weren’t even ready to start with saying words we were mostly working on the ling sounds like “Shhhhhh” for sleeping or “mmmm” for eating. Eventually she learned all the words and it was time to make a new, more advanced book!

First Sentences

At this point she was learning the names of everyone in the family

Along with the places we visited frequently (like the grocery store, museum, or school).

When we started the book we kept it very simple and I had her repeat the words “Breakfast” “Lunch” “Dinner”. Eventually she started saying sentences and so we could expand to say “I see my teacher”. You can show a picture of a friend or a teacher, but it’s more meaningful to the child when they see their friend or their teacher.

Early Reading and Abstract concepts

She got this book for her birthday and she absolutely LOVES it. For this book I wanted to put in some sentences that she could read on her own because she is learning to read now. So for example “I love my family” is not expanding her speech because that is a sentence she has been able to say for a while now, but it’s simple enough to read. SJ loves to point to and sound out all the words.

Then I included parts that are a little more difficult to read, but they are words and ideas that I hope she will start to have a better understanding of. For example, this page says “Sometimes I am sad, but I still obey mommy and daddy because that is a good choice. If I make a bad choice I say I am sorry. Mommy and daddy love me when I am happy or sad. They will always love me.”

This can certainly apply to any child, not just special needs. My oldest son has recently requested that I make a book for him and I plan to do that next.

Now let’s look at the progression

If the first book says “School”

The next book says “I go to School at Ohio Valley Voices”

Then the next book says “I go to School at Ohio Valley Voices in Loveland Ohio”

It’s been so rewarding to watch SJ learn to communicate. I am really grateful that the idea for this was introduced to me and I hope it can be helpful to others.

Both of the hardback photo books shown here are from Shutterfly and I cannot recommend them enough. Right now there is a promotion going on for a free 8×8 photo book just like the one I’ve shown on here. The coupon code is ” SPRINGONIT “It expires tomorrow (March 22, 2016) so I know that’s not much time, but I will tell you that the Shutterfly website makes it so easy to throw these books together, so it doesn’t take much effort and they turn out beautifully. If you miss this offer you can catch the next one. Just Like Shutterfly on Facebook or sign up for their email to be in the know on the latest deals.

Your child will love seeing their pictures in print and you will love hearing them say all the new words. It’s a simple, but wonderful tool all the way around.

By Natalie|2023-06-12T06:33:06+00:00March 21, 2016|Babies & Toddlers, Creativity, Hearing Loss, Schooling, Special Needs, Speech Therapy|1 Comment

The Big Six

SJ turned 6 years old on Friday. If you have spent any time around MessyMom.com then you probably know I like to party. SJ has had a Cupcake Party, Green Eggs and Ham Party, Donut Party, and Tea Party. However as I said in my blog post “How to avoid overboard kid parties” I don’t do theme parties every year and this is an off year. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have fun though! SJ still had a fabulous birthday and I still got to cherish all those gigantic smiles with FOUR teeth missing.

I started the day by sneaking in her room to hang some streamers in the door and throw some pink balloons on her bed. This might sound fancy, but trust me it was nothing you are going to see on pinterest. She woke up late so all 5 of us snuck into her room to surprise her (not hard to do with a deaf girl). We sang happy birthday as a family and she was beaming!

Her birthday outfit was a shirt I got from a yard sale that had a number 5 on it, but I covered it with a pin that said “I am 6” and she also wore her cupcake headband from last year which was from a conisgnment shop.

No slaving over the oven this year. The cupcakes I sent with her to school were store bought and the 13×9 cake that we ate that night was all from a box.

My parents and nieces and nephew came over for her “party”. It worked out great because they were going to come over anyway because their mom just had a baby and needs to rest. It made for a really great surprise birthday slumber party though.

Decorations $2

Birthday accessories $6

Birthday desserts $10

Birthday joy- Priceless

So as you can see it was definitley a low budget simple year and I know SJ still loved it just as much as the years I go all out.

The fun continued on Saturday since the family was still around to hang out and ride scooters.

Then Sunday she graduated to the big girl class at children’s church and yesterday she had her first daddy/daughter date.

That’s the last of it though. The birthday festivities are officially over until next year, which may or may not be a theme party. I’ll warn you though, if an idea sparks, there is no stopping me!

By Natalie|2016-03-08T12:36:54+00:00March 8, 2016|Frugal Living, Motherhood, Parties, Uncategorized|5 Comments

Dealing With a Wet Basement

In our current house there are concrete stairs in the back which lead down to the basement. I know this is not a gorgeous shot, but it’s an old house that needs a lot of work.

At the bottom of the stairs there is a drain to prevent water from accumulating, but all it takes is a few leaves in the fall to block that drain. If this drain is clogged when a storm hits the water goes right under the threshold and can easily flood the basement. Luckily our basement is unfinished and is basically just a laundry room. It was still a scary sight the first time we saw standing water downstairs though.

Whether it’s a leaking water heater, a broken pipe, or a nature related incident, basement floods are not uncommon. Basements tend to hold moisture anyway and that is never good for your home or belongings.

The good news is there are a number of things you can do to take care of it before the water damage does some serious destruction.

Be Safe

First things first. If you have a flooded basement you need to take great precaution that there are not chords or electrical wires near the water. If possible, turn your power off before you get started because electricity and water don’t mix!

Clear or elevate your stuff

If there is anything important that you want to remove go ahead and get that out of the way. If it’s not too late you may be able to salvage your valuable possessions. In our basement we have everything elevated as a precautionary measure. If you know your basement is prone to flooding and you live in an older home you can’t take any chances. We chose to keep our belongings elevated at least 6 inches by using some really basic shelves that J built with 2×4’s and OSB. Simple but effective.

Get the water out

Now that you have addressed the electricity and maybe some of your belongings, it’s time to really get started on restoring your basement. Some cases will require professional help, while others can be addressed on your own with the right equipment. One way to get rid of the water is a shop vac (otherwise known as a wet/dry vacuum). This will allow you to extract most of the water and dump it outside or down a drain. In our case we have a utility sink that is the most convenient. Our flooding incident was minimal, but if there is too much water to worry about dumping out heavy bucket loads all day then consider renting a portable pump or extraction unit.

4.Dry the basement

The goal is to completely dry out your basement. Even if you don’t have a basement that floods, if it’s damp, it’s a problem. Moisture is your home’s enemy and can cause all kinds of expensive problems such as rotten wood and mold. The way you want to deal with this is by using an air mover along with a dehumidifier. My brother cleans carpets professionally and he uses AER Industries. They have several options for air movers, and commercial dehumidifiers. The air mover and dehumidifiers to pull the remaining mostiure out from the carpet or flooring, the framing material, drywall, and all surfaces. It’s critical to act quickly in order to prevent mold damage which can happen in as little as 48 hours.

5. Clean and disinfect

Once you have thoroughly dried out your basement it is important that you clean and disinfect everything . This is once again to prevent mold from trying to creep in. After you’ve finished sterilizing the room you are done.

Those are 5 basic steps to clean up a flooded basement, but they are helpful tips for any areas of your home that tend to be damp or have been exposed to water for whatever reason.

Hopefully you won’t find yourself in that kind of predicament, but with stormy springtime weather right around the corner you may want to pin this information for later just in case.

Today’s informative post is sponsored, but as always the advice given here is geniune and I hope you’ll find these tips to be helpful.

By Natalie|2016-03-01T10:07:38+00:00March 1, 2016|Projects|2 Comments

Why You Should Renovate Your Bathroom

It’s most likely the first room you head towards when you wake up and potentially the last room you leave before going to bed at night. It’s the bathroom.

With the Holidays upon us and New Year’s resolutions right around the corner it’s the perfect time to think about sprucing up your home with some remodeling projects and what better place to start than your bathroom?

Why should you renovate your bathroom?

Several reasons.

It should be a sanctuary. Whether it’s a steamy shower on a cold winter day or a relaxing bath, everyone deserves to have a bathroom they can consider a spa or a retreat. That’s hard to do if it’s outdated and not functional.
It’s a fairly small space to tackle. The average bathroom is typically one of the smaller rooms in the home. This makes a major remodel a little more realistic.
It increases the resale value of your home. When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck bathrooms and kitchens are going to be your best bet as a renovation investment. Updating these two rooms will help increase equity. What’s not to love about that?

Once you’ve decided you’re ready to take on the bathroom renovation then you need to come up with a bathroom design plan.

Think about your bathroom lighting, fixtures, and furnishings.

Dream big. There is nothing stopping you at this point from having fun with your design. Once you’ve got an idea of all the things you want for your bathroom design then you can narrow it down to a more concrete plan. This is the part where you can decide what really works for you and the specific space that you have to work with.

You’ll need to figure out how much you want to change, how much you can spend, and what you can realistically do on your own according to your skill set.

As someone who has ~~remodeled multiple bathrooms~~ watched my husband do multiple bathroom remodels I wish we would have known about PlumbTile.com sooner. This is the place to get all of those must have dream items on your bathroom wish list.

Not only do they have a huge selection, but shipping is FREE, there is no sales tax (outside of California), and they have guaranteed price matching.

I got really excited about this website and so did J once I showed it to him. Seriously, you need to go check it out!

I am really looking forward to our next bathroom remodel now and I think you’ll feel the same way after you see all that PlumbTile has to offer. They are an authorized retailer, with exceptional costumer service available online or on the phone, and I already mentioned the low price guarantee. You can’t go wrong.

Go to PlumbTile.com and start designing your dream bathroom today.

By Natalie|2015-11-24T22:46:41+00:00November 23, 2015|Creativity, Frugal Living, Projects|4 Comments

Farm Party Highlights

I gave some behind the scenes planning details as I was busy preparing for the ultimate farm/3 Little Pigs party. I also shared the elaborate farm theme menu. Still, there is SO MUCH more that I haven’t had a chance to reveal about how Ezie’s third birthday panned out.

My brother sent me some previews from the multitude of photos that he has (and a I have few that I took myself). I am sure I will do some tutorials and craft related posts later, but for now I can’t help but pass along the highlights that I do have. This was one of the best parties I have ever thrown. I am so grateful that the weather cooperated and that we have so many laid back creative friends that could get into such a silly theme party! It was the best.

As I already mentioned the theme was farm, which was so perfect for a fall birthday party. We had a little photo, prop, and costume area that was a lot of fun.

I also came out dressed as a cow at one point (the things we do for our kids) and told the story of The Three Little Pigs, with help from some volunteers. I’ll have more pictures of that later, but for now here is a pic of the cutest big bad wolf you’ve ever seen!

We then had a house building contest and I think the kids could have spent days messing around with those cardboard boxes. The creativity was so impressive and it was such an economical game. I highly recommend this activity whether you are having a birthday party or not.

Okay, last one. I made party favor bags for each family instead of every kid this time. I already had the brown paper bags and I printed out the barn so I didn’t even have to buy any supplies. I also made printable stick figure families to glue inside the barns that I cut to allow for open and shut doors.

Like I said I’ll post more at some point, but when I got the email with those photos I couldn’t keep all the cuteness to myself!

By Natalie|2018-12-14T10:05:26+00:00October 26, 2015|Crafts, Creativity, Parties|14 Comments

I Dream of Pig Parties

“I think I’ll combine the boys birthday this year and just keep it really simple because it’s going to be so close to when the baby is due.”

I distinctly remember having that conversation with my family. Z and Ezie’s birthdays are less than a month apart and I DO have a lot going on, but what can I say? I love to party!

Here are some behind the scenes details about the Ezie’s third birthday this weekend.

The original idea was Three Little Pigs theme which I thought of last year (these are the kind of things I think about when I can’t sleep). Since Ezie is turning three it seemed fitting, but the idea has evolved into more of a full blown farm theme with some 3 Little Pig touches.

First I inquired amongst friends and family for hay, costumes, decorations… anything farm related that I could borrow (trying to keep costs low here). It was looking pretty bleak, until I called my aunt who is not on Facebook and she had so many awesome things that I will be integrating.

Not to mention I got to visit her in the country while the leaves were falling AHHHH, and Ezie got to feed a horse and pony and pet some other animals. It was like a mini surprise before his birthday even started.

Next I looked everywhere for farm theme party stuff. I spent the day going from Party City to numerous craft stores with Ezie in tow and I was exhausted. I made one final stop at a random Dollar Store and JACKPOT! I found farm theme party paper goods and for $1. I was stoked.

One of the 3 Little Pigs idea I had was to have a “House Building Contest” where families team up using cardboard boxes. So I called up my local Kroger which really came through for me when I needed free boxes for packing. This round was a little small than I had hoped, but I was grateful and hauled a load home. Then J told me they have tons of huge boxes where he works (the place he started this week) and he brought some home yesterday.What are the odds!?

Lastly, my aunt had an old saddle that she just wanted to give to us. So J joined in with his creativity by crafting a wooden “saw horse” so that the kids can sit on the saddle.

Needless to say I did not keep things simple this year, but it’s all coming together and I feel great about it. Ezie didn’t have a party last year and he is about to loose his status as baby of the family so what better time to celebrate him. Not to mention I just love autumn and farms, so this is very therapeutic for me. I am just really looking forward to the family time. I think it’s going to be fun for all ages. After this I’ll be ready to get down to business because before you know it our latest addition will be arriving!

By Natalie|2015-09-25T17:09:52+00:00September 25, 2015|Frugal Living, My Life, Parties|4 Comments

A Homemade Birthday

We just wrapped up Z’s 8th birthday party and I want to talk a little about my battle to be balanced when it comes to my party planning obsession.

For some of you the thought of having to tone down party plans sounds ridiculous. It would be like me wanting to ensure I don’t make an idol out of my exercise routine. I don’t have an exercise routine. In other words it is NOT an issue.

However, I know some of you party mamas are out there.

People think we’re crazy or that we are spending too much time on Pinterest, but there are tons of people that had creative party juices brewing and served up long before Pinterest ever existed. The internet just gives everything more of a platform.

Either way, with bigger and more elaborate birthday trends on the rise here are seven ways I keep myself in check when it comes to my children’s birthday parties.

1. I Don’t Have Do a Theme Party Every Year

Green Eggs and Ham Party

Last year SJ had a theme party, but my sons didn’t.
The year before that she didn’t, but they did.
The year before that she did, but Z didn’t and Ezie wasn’t born yet…

So I try to keep it at every other year. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a little cake, or hit Chuck E. Cheese on the off years. They are definitely celebrated, but because I know I like to go all in with the DIY birthday parties I try to spread them out a bit to avoid turning into a party momzilla.

2. It’s Our Thing

One Happy Camper Party

I touched on this before when I wrote “A Tale of Two Parties“. A lot of people think that cutesy “pinteresty” birthday parties are just adding more fuel to the fire of an already entitled generation.

I can see the danger there for parents that feel like they have to keep up with the Jone’s or satisfy their child’s every whim, but in that case there is a much deeper issue at hand than birthday details. That’s not what birthday parties are about for me. No parent can or should do it all, but if parties are your thing then ignore the haters and party on.

3. I use what I have and borrow as much as I can

Tea Party

I am all about shopping clearance, thrift stores, and online specials. Even then party supplies can add up. So one thing I try to do is ask for help. Instead of renting a place I have the party at a friend’s house. Before I go buy more decorations I ask around to people I know already used toulling at their baby shower, or someone I know had a green table cloth, or princess costumes. You get the idea.

4. I LOVE Crafts

One big tradition I have is homemade pinatas. This is something I remember doing as a child (although it was just a round balloon back then) and I enjoyed it. I also love making crafts like these goody bags that I did for the Super Hero Party and I did something similar for the One Happy Camper party.

Super Hero Party

I have to start planning quite a bit in advance, but as long as I’ve carved out enough time then these things are fun for me. They are not this taxing demanding projects that leave me cursing in the early morning hours. IF you don’t enjoy it then DON’T do it, but if you do then I say go for it. It’s really that simple.

5. I Keep the guest lists SMALL

Donut Party

I know this one isn’t easy for everybody, because some of you have a hundred relatives and you might end up estranged from the family if you don’t invite every single one and I know that it’s difficult with children that are school age and you have classroom protocol. Sometimes you have to do either one or the other though. If the guest list is small the cost per head can be higher while still keeping the over all cost down.

6. I Communicate With My Family

Cupcake Party

I love throwing parties, but it’s not all about me. I have to be communicating with my husband to make sure what I’m doing isn’t too much for our family and our schedule. I also have to communicate with the birthday boy/girl. My children have let me pick out all of their themes up to this point, but if they start having more of an opinion that’s totally fine!

7. I TRY not to be a perfectionist (I try)

Veggie Tales Party

Things don’t always never go as planned. Read this previous post about “when your pinterest idea flies out the window ” and you’ll see what I mean. Remember it’s just a party, and what really matters is the guest of honor whom you are celebrating.

Those are the seven ways I try not to go too overboard on birthday plans. Are you a big party planner, or does the idea of it make you dread birthday months? Feel free to share your own sanity saving party tips.

By Natalie|2022-03-16T14:45:45+00:00September 10, 2015|Creativity, Parties|1 Comment

Broken Jewelry Decor

I’m all about birthdays this week. Remember the tea party from last March?

I do and I will never forget it and how special it was!

One of the things I shared when I blogged about the decor was this simple wooden letter S. It was a nice little addition to the party theme, but unlike the piñata and the desserts that I talked about yesterday this is a piece of art that we get to keep!

I have a cute story about this S that has traveled to a new place in our home. SJ got her own room yesterday. We were waiting to find out the gender of the baby to decide how to split the rooms up in the new house. Then when we learned we are having a girl we still had a bunch of boxes in the room to unpack. Finally we got the room straightened out when my in laws came to visit this past weekend. That was the motivation we needed to set up a bed in there. After they left yesterday SJ moved in. We still haven’t really moved any of her stuff, but she wasted no time getting her toys, a photo of herself, and this letter S.

She is so proud of the new room. I would share pics, but I don’t have any since at this point it is really not much to look at. The thing that cracked me up was the moment she got home from school and started setting up camp in her new room I overheard her yell “Ezie get out my room!!!” It was the first thing she said, almost immediately after she claimed that territory. Ahhh, siblings.

She slept through the night in there all by herself which is saying a lot because she is 5 1/2 and she has never been in a room by herself. Her and her brother have shared since day one.

Anyway, I bring all this up because that lovely letter S that she cherishes so much was a super easy DIY project and you can make one too! All you need is a wooden letter, some old jewelry, hot glue, and some fabric. The whole tutorial is over at Little Dove Creations today! Stop by Little Dove Creations to see all the details.

By Natalie|2015-09-09T23:45:32+00:00September 9, 2015|Crafts, Parties|1 Comment

A Homemade Birthday

I wasn’t going to do anything major this year for Z’s birthday because of the baby on the way and all that. So I kept his party pretty low key… kind of. I mean, I didn’t have a theme so that should be proof that I did use some restraint! I did however get a bit crafty with certain aspects of the party and I think it went really well. Z was so happy and his reaction to all of the surprises that I made for him was totally worth the effort!

He said his favorite part was the piñata.

This is the third Piñata I have made for his birthday and it was pretty simple because it was just a box made to look like a Minecraft Creeper. Everything in Minecraft is made up of pixels so cutting tissue paper out in squares may have been tedious, but the design was very basic.

Everyone got a turn to whack and smack the creeper with a plastic bat.

Even after all the candy flew out they continued to play with it and the boys got to be boys as they tore the Minecraft enemy to bits. They made it look so fun I thought I might need to take up piñata fighting as a hobby.

The funny thing is all of my “art work” for the party are things that are meant to be devoured or destroyed, but I don’t mind. I prefer to get a picture before hand, but I am totally cool with how temporary it all is. The memories are what last.

Z also had a big cake with Mario popping out of the top.

I cheated with this cake because I bought the chocolate fudge cake pre made from Kroger and then just made a confetti bunt cake and stacked it on top. I covered the whole thing with store bought chocolate frosting and stuck Mario in the middle of the bundt cake. It was far from pretty or perfect, but Z loved it. The kids ate the bundt cake in a matter of minutes and our family has been snacking on the leftover fudge cake which everyone agrees is capital D-licious. I definitely considered this cake a success!

Lastly, Z really loves fruit pizza and we have had some fun creations in the past, so I knew I wanted celebrate this occasion by making one of his favorite characters out of fruit.

Emmet from the Lego movie was a natural choice. Z loves Legos and it’s kind of like the Minecraft character because when you are working with things made from cubes (or Lego bricks in this case) the shapes are way easier to replicate than with something found in nature. The fruit pizza was not only super fun to make and to surprise Z with, but it really is so yummy! Seriously, everyone always goes on and on about how amazing these simple sugar cookie fruit creations taste. I have the recipe here.

So that was pretty much the party other than lots of food and 14 children ages 1-8 running around slipping and sliding for two hours. It was a perfectly chaotic, wild, and messy time. I love having some family traditions like these. Casual, frugal, homemade fun. Next up Ezie’s birthday!

By Natalie|2015-09-08T22:06:07+00:00September 8, 2015|Crafts, Creativity, Parties, Projects, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Fruity Fun Ice Drink

I have definitely been in back-to-school mode, and I’m the first to admit that fall is my favorite season. However, the weather is still warm, we have a pool party to go to tonight, and summer isn’t over yet. So let’s SQUEEZE some last minute fun out of what we have left of this season. This is a very simple way to jazz up your drinks in a sweet and tropical way.

Really all you need is some frozen fruit and beverage o choice. You can make your own lemonade if you choose.

I am pregnant and sadly also anemic, which causes me to crave ice in a MAJOR way, but by adding fruit to the ice it infuses a bit of nutrients to my habit.

The kids love to help with this recipe including squeezing the lemons. When children are involved in cooking and creating healthy things it makes them more inclined to want to try it rather than just going for the junk food.

All I have are these cutesy Ikea molds, this project would be a little easier with just a standard ice tray, but any ice tray will work. If the fruit is frozen and the ice cubes are small it will only take a couple hours to freeze and then you can distribute it into the glasses.

We love lemonade here and I use a really low sugar recipe. Or if there is no time our own juicing we just buy Simply Lemonade and dilute half with water. So it’s more of a lemon flavored water, but it’s still so yummy and less sugar!

You could use any kind of tropical drink including something carbonated. The fruity ice is so flavorful though you don’t need to go overboard with whatever concoction you choose.

The kids and I love this drink and it would be perfect for a pool party. Or you could do strawberries and blueberries for 4th of July, or just the strawberry heart ice for Valentine’s day. It’s so festive the fruity ice makes any occasion a little more fun!

I hope everyone is enjoying what’s left of summer! What’s your favorite summer time drink?

By Natalie|2015-08-14T08:58:29+00:00August 14, 2015|Creativity, Parties|10 Comments

Previous 123 Next